Copyright © 2013 by

Doug Batchelor

All rights reserved.

Printed in the USA.

Published by:
Amazing Facts, Inc.
P.O. Box 1058
Roseville, CA 95678-8058
800-538-7275

Text design by Greg Solie • AltamontGraphics.com

Cover design by Haley Trimmer

ISBN-13: 978-1-58019-212-5
 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
—2 Timothy 3:16, 17

An Amazing Fact: Commander William R. Anderson and his crew

of 116 were the first to reach 90 degrees north … under the ice. The
trip, dubbed “Operation Sunshine,” was made possible by a new
technological marvel, the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-
powered submarine. Under hundreds of feet of ice, the Nautilus’
nuclear reactor not only powered the vessel but enabled the crew to
have the filtered air and water needed to reach their destination.
Moreover, unable to surface for direction, they traversed the
dangerous waters using a new invention called the gyrocompass. On
August 3, 1958, at 11:15 p.m., Anderson announced, “For the world,
our country, and the Navy—the North Pole.” The ultimate vessel in the
world had enabled humans to accomplish what had been deemed the
impossible: reach the geographic underside of the North Pole.
Part 1: What Is the Bible?

G od’s people are something like nuclear submarines,

submerged in the murky waters of a world steeped in sin
and darkness. And just as water shouldn’t infiltrate the hull
of a ship, so the world shouldn’t infiltrate His church. On our long,
often-dark journey through these troubling waters, the Bible is as
crucial to us as the gyrocompass was to the USS Nautilus. Without
the clear guidance of the scriptures, we would be aimlessly lost.
Never has there been a time in history when we have had more
of the Word of God available to us and more commentaries to
dissect, critique, and explain it. As an example, I have a “pocket
PC” with multiple versions of the Bible, along with Bible
dictionaries and inspired commentary—I can even listen to the
Bible and watch Bible videos with it. Moreover, the internet offers
a broad spectrum of free Bible software and even free electronic
Bibles.
But the old saying “familiarity breeds contempt” is true. Despite
the proliferation of Bible resources, people today are more
biblically illiterate than ever. But why, especially when we so
desperately need God’s Word in our lives? So in this first section
of this short book, I want to instill within you a craving for
Scripture and revive your awe of God’s Word. If you’ve never
understood why we have the Bible, I want to paint a rich picture
for you that will inspire you to open the Bible up and dive into its
pages.
A Little History
People have not always used books to store and communicate
information. In the beginning, the messages of God to man were
communicated orally. God spoke to Adam face to face in the
garden of Eden, thus Adam received revelation straight from the
Creator. In turn, Adam shared this knowledge with Seth, and Seth
passed it down to Lamech, who passed it on to Noah. Though sin
had infected the world, Adam and his descendents possessed
minds fashioned from the hands of God—more powerful and
sophisticated than any supercomputer. Prior to the Flood, when
lives were measured by hundreds of years, humans had a vast
capacity to remember virtually everything said, heard, and seen.
(Today we would call it photographic memory.)
Yet following the Flood, something different started happening:
Lifespans began to dramatically shorten. The earth’s environment
radically changed, and subsequently, lifestyles began
degenerating. In short, the ability of men to remember God’s
oracles had become severely impaired. By the time of Moses, after
years of His people being held in bondage in a pagan-infested
nation, God saw that is was necessary to codify His messages to
humanity. As a result, Moses became God’s first scribe, and
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and probably
the book of Job, were written during Moses’ days in the
wilderness.
Transcribed and copied on paper, leather, or clay tablets, the
first collections of Scripture were all written out by scribes. (Of
course, the original print of the Ten Commandments was written
by the finger of God in stone.) These rare copies, each written out
by hand, were treated like precious treasures. To have Scripture
was such a privilege; it’s something we can’t appreciate today.
Then, more than 500 years ago, Johann Gutenberg developed the
printing press, enabling the mass production of Bibles.
The Sword of Christ
The Word is a powerful weapon. Every time Jesus was tempted
in the wilderness, He quoted from Scripture, saying, “It is
written.” It’s evident from this and other exchanges that Jesus had
memorized considerable amounts of Scripture: “Thy word have I
hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm
119:11). And He used this mastery and His application of the
Word to fight off Satan’s attacks.
As with Jesus, so with us; that is, we must use the Bible to fight
off temptation. Revelation 19:11 declares, “And I saw heaven
opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was
called Faithful and True.” Obviously, this passage is a picture of
Christ and the Word itself. The passage continues, “And in
righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a
flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a
name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was
clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The
Word of God.”
Who is the mysterious rider on the white horse? Jesus or the
Word? Perhaps there isn’t even a difference in that the Word is
the expression of Christ. Jesus is the Word. Does the Word of God
make war? Jesus answers, “I came not to bring peace but a
sword.”
The Bible is a weapon that we can use to invade the devil’s
territory. In Revelation 13, we learn that the beast received a
deadly wound by the sword. What is that sword? The Word of God
is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.
And Ephesians 6:17 affirms, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God”—our primary weapon against the enemy.
The Light of God
We live in a very dark world. Even if you stood outside on the
equator in the middle of a desert underneath a clear blue sky at
noon, it would be utterly dark compared to heaven. It’s so dark
here that we can’t navigate our way around without clear
direction from God. The Bible presents that direction. It is the
light that illuminates our path. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). Furthermore, “For the
commandment is a lamp; and the law is light” (Proverbs 6:23).
A few years ago, I experienced absolute darkness. I like caving,
so once while in Virginia, I went to explore a place that
advertised itself as the “Endless Caverns.” Of course, the cave isn’t
endless, but it does go hundreds of feet below ground. As my tour
guide and I were making our way down into the abyss, she said,
“If you want to know what absolute darkness is …” and then she
shut off the lights. The absolute black was surreal; it looked the
same whether I had my eyes closed or open. After a little while
sitting there in total darkness, I took out my keychain that had a
little LED light. When I turned it on, it was as though someone
had switched on one of those giant spotlights at the grand
opening of a new store. That little bit of light made such a
tremendous difference when compared to the abject darkness
within the bowels of the earth. “And so we have the prophetic
word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines
in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in
your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19 NKJV; see also Psalm 43:4).
An Enduring Truth
Psalm 119:89 proclaims, “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled
in heaven.” In a world full of uncertainty, Scripture does not
change, no matter what happens on earth or in heaven. “The
grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall
stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8).
Honey is an animal byproduct that never goes bad. Sure, it
might crystallize, but unlike some food preserved in vinegar,
honey will never spoil. It is a natural preservative that can be
reconstituted simply by warming it in hot water. Frankly, it’s
quite a miraculous feat. The Bible says, “How sweet are thy words
unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm
119:103). The Word of God, the law of the Lord, is sweeter than
the honeycomb. In Ezekiel 3:3, God instructs the prophet, “Son of
man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I
give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for
sweetness.”
The Frenchman Voltaire was a skeptic who didn’t think
Christianity would last long and that the Bible would soon be an
extinct form of literature. How ironic that in the exact spot where
Voltaire made that bold prediction sits a Bible warehouse—
churning out Bibles! It doesn’t matter how often it’s attacked, the
Bible is “an anvil that has worn out many hammers.” Jesus
assures us, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words
shall by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). And Jesus
Himself is that Word, and like Him, the Bible is the same
yesterday, today, and forever. “My covenant I will not break, Nor
alter the word that has gone out of My lips” (Psalm 89:34).
Words of Life
The words in the Bible are not just words. You might see black
and maybe red ink on white paper, or even just pixels on a
computer screen, but it is much more than that. It is a message
that is made of spirit and life with an unexplainable inherent
potency and vitality. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh
profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they
are life” (John 6:63 NKJV).
When you read the Word with an open heart, it comes alive. It’s
real, and it’s unlikely that anyone could ever open it—with
sincere desire—and never get something out of it. A.W. Towser
said, “A loving Personality dominates the Bible walking among
the trees of the Garden and breathing fragrance over every scene.
Always a living Person is present speaking, pleading, loving,
working and manifesting Himself.” When people read God’s Word
with their hearts sincerely seeking to hear what the Spirit is
saying, it becomes a living testament from Christ.
Sometimes we get caught up in what Jesus looked like. We see
pictures, and we begin to form our impression of His physical
appearance. But is anyone exactly sure what color His eyes were?
Or how tall He was, or how much He weighed? Does it even
matter? The essence of Christ that changed the world was His
Words. Soldiers were sent to arrest Jesus, and they came back
saying, “Never [a] man spake like this man” (John 7:46). It’s the
Word that changed everything, and that Word is Christ. Moreover,
Christ is eternity; thus the only book that will make a restful
pillow when you’re dying is the Bible. Every other book will be
like stone.
Food for the Soul
Most people do not miss too many meals. If we miss one, we’re
not going to miss the second because we get very hungry. My
question is, do you hunger for God’s soul food? “Thy words were
found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and
rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God
of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).
During a checkup, a doctor might ask you about your appetite.
Why? Because a lack of appetite could mean something serious is
wrong with you. It’s a sign of bad health. Likewise, it could be a
sign of bad spiritual health if you have no appetite for the bread
of life. “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew
4:4).
Some people have no craving for the Bible because they have
spoiled their spiritual appetites by eating the wrong things. “Why
do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for
what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is
good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance” (Isaiah 55:2).
After an evening of typical television, most people have no
hunger for the Bible. A mom usually won’t allow her children to
gorge on candy just before dinner. “Don’t eat that; it will ruin
your appetite!” Naturally, she wants them to fill up on a
nutritious meal, not empty calories. Likewise, many people have
no appetite for God’s Word because they gorge on entertainment
junk food.
People also develop a taste for what they eat. As much as I
travel, I still never cease to be amazed at what strange foods
people relish. On one Pacific island, they eat a pounded root
extract called saguaro, and to me it is just so bland. Yet they
salivate just thinking about it. Everybody has their favorite
peculiar food, including me.
And that’s because we eat it. It is a part of our lives and culture.
We force broccoli down our kids’ gullets hoping they’ll develop a
taste for it. In fact, I eat some things now that I hated as a kid.
You might be saying, “Doug, I have no appetite for the Bible.”
Read it anyway, and as you read it, you’ll eventually start
developing a taste for it and ultimately crave it. “Neither have I
gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the
words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).
Harmonious and Accurate
The Bible is a miracle in so many ways. Though written over a
period of 1,600 years by about 40 different authors—on three
different continents, speaking four different languages—it’s
completely harmonious. Written by kings and peasants, with a
wide spectrum of education in between, it delivers one message
and one voice. Moreover, in Revelation you’ll find reference to
Genesis, and in Genesis you’ll find a reference to Jesus. It
overlaps constantly. It’s like gazing into the electrical room of a
skyscraper and seeing thousands of little wires crisscrossing
everywhere connecting every function in the building.
It’s also a miracle of accuracy. Sin entered the world because
man doubted God’s words; we shouldn’t make the same mistake
today by doubting the accuracy of the Bible, especially with so
much proof on its side. For instance, Daniel prophesied the correct
sequence and time of the Babylonian fall from power, along with
the rise and fall of the Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman empires.
He also correctly predicted that Rome would be split up into 10
separate nation states.
Consider next some of the amazing Bible passages that perfectly
foretold the first coming of Jesus and their fulfillments:

Old Testament New Testament

Messianic Event
Prediction Fulfillment
Born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2 Matthew 2:1
Born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14 Luke 1:26-31
From David’s line Jeremiah 23:5 Revelation 22:16
Attempted murder as
Jeremiah 31:15, 16 Matthew 2:13-18
a baby
Betrayed by friend Psalm 41:9 Matthew 26:25, 34
Betrayed for 30
Zechariah 11:12, 13 Matthew 26:15
silver pieces
 Death by crucifixion Psalm 22; Zechariah Mark 15:15
12:10
Clothes gambled for Psalm 22:18 Matthew 27:35
Bones unbroken Exodus 12:46 John 19:31-33
Buried in rich man’s
Isaiah 53:9 Matthew 27:57-60
grave
Day, year, hour of Daniel 9:26, 27;
Matthew 27
death Exodus 12
Resurrection after 3
Hosea 6:2 Acts 10:40
days

The Dead Sea scrolls testify to the fact that these prophecies
were written well before Jesus was born. Not only that, they all
came to pass. The accuracy of the Bible is miraculous. Why
neglect it when it is so precise regarding the first coming of Jesus?
Don’t you think we can trust the prophesies regarding the second
coming?
The Word Is Proven
President Woodrow Wilson said, “I am sorry for men who do not
read the Bible every day. I wonder why they deprive themselves
of the strength and the pleasure.” That’s what happens when you
read about God supernaturally intervening in the affairs of men
to accomplish His redemptive purposes. The greatest testimony to
the Bible is the way it changes lives.
I never cease to marvel at the transformation in people when
they pick up a Bible. These people’s lives were a total mess, but
when they started reading the Bible, they turned around. I know
that feeling, because it happened to me. Drug abusers become
clean, marriages are restored, and alcohol and gambling addicts
are freed.
Why? It was the Word. It’s the anchor of our souls and the bread
that comes down from heaven. Christ said, “I am the bread that
came down from heaven.” We need to learn to love that bread,
more than the unhealthy food this world has to offer. The Bible
says, “Love Me and keep My commandments.” You can’t obey
Jesus if you don’t love Him. You can’t love Him if you don’t know
Him. And you will never know Him unless you take time to know
Him.
The Bible is the primary way that God reveals Himself to fallen
man. Maybe you are studying your Bible, but you’re just picking
up a few crumbs that fall from the children’s table. Maybe you’re
not studying at all. Whatever you do to increase your time in the
Word is going to create a positive blessing for you spiritually.
But you need to choose to do it. If you join a health club, it’s
going to cost you something. It will cost you time and money that
you can’t spend elsewhere. You’ll have to give up something, but
it will be worth it. It’s the same with the Bible. Don’t neglect His
Word in preference for such trivial, passing things like television.
God is saying to you, “Do you really want to know Me? My
promise is, ‘You’ll find Me when you search for Me with all of
your heart.’” He’s not very far away—however far away your
nearest Bible is. If you really want to get to know God better, ask
Him for help. The devil is never more afraid than when you drop
to your knees and pick up God’s Word.
If you’re not part of a weekly Bible study group, I’d like to
encourage you to join one. Just take an hour, once a week, to get
together with others of like faith and read the Word of God
together. It will do wonders for your spiritual health. Not only is it
a great means of strengthening and fortifying your own soul, but
it has tremendous evangelistic potential because you’ve got
friends and neighbors whom you could bring.
Yes, it’s a cold and dark world out there, and it’s easier to get
lost in it than it would be under the North Pole in a nuclear
submarine. But God has given us a never-failing gyrocompass in
His Word, and if we read it—with a desire to follow it and know
the God who inspired it—we will have a sure guide, one that will
never let us go astray, and one more powerful and effective than
all the nuclear submarines in the world.
Part 2: How Do You Study the Bible?

A man once dreamed that he was walking through the desert

one night when he heard a voice that told him to fill his
pockets with the stones at his feet. The voice then said,
“Tomorrow you will be both glad and sad.” So the confused man
took a handful of pebbles and stuffed them in his pocket. The next
morning, he examined the pebbles and discovered that the stones
were really precious gems. He was happy and sad—happy he had
obeyed and picked up some gems, but sad that he had not picked
up more.
The Bible is filled with priceless riches, but unless we open it
and mine its pages, we will be without true wealth. “The law of
Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and
silver” (Psalm 119:72; see also Proverbs 8:10, 11).
Without my own study of the Bible, I might still be lost, perhaps
confused by the teachings of some New Age cult. It was the Bible
that turned me into a Christian, which is a miracle considering
that I was from a Jewish family full of cynicism about
Christianity. I’d been taught evolution and believed that the Bible
was full of fiction, fantasy, and fables. Yet in a cave, all alone, I
picked up the Bible and this dynamic, powerful book changed my
life.
The Word of God needs to be part of our lives. This will never
happen unless you make the decision to reserve regular time with
the Lord in study and prayer. But how do you study the ways of
God? It’s one thing to own a Bible; it’s quite another to read it.
How do you go about studying it?
Is it really a locked book, filled with hidden codes? Do you need
to have a degree or be a theologian to get its secret meanings?
The answer is an emphatic “no!” And I say that because I’m
exhibit A—living proof that you don’t need to be a great professor
of religion to grasp the Word.
When I first started reading the Bible, I was a high school
dropout. Comparatively uneducated, not a great reader, and faced
with a King James Bible, I was nevertheless able to understand
what I read. God was able to speak to me through His Word, even
though I didn’t get everything straight the first time. Eventually, it
became clear. And today, even after many years of studying, I am
still blessed with new light when I read my Bible.
To help you, I’ve outlined some basic principles that have
proven useful to me in studying the Bible. These simple concepts
helped me to become an avid student of God’s message. I have no
doubt that if you apply these principles, you too will be able to
understand much more, and your life will never be the same.
Ask the Author
Before you read the Scriptures, you should pray. A short but
sincere prayer before you read is worth more than a long
meandering prayer. The Bible is a divine book requiring divine
guidance to understand it. The Lord says, “The word is Spirit and
life” (John 6:63). God’s Spirit inspired the writing; God’s Spirit
needs to inspire the reading. We’re also told that spiritual things
are “spiritually discerned.” That might seem like common sense,
but most people try to read the Bible with their own feelings as
the interpreter. They want the Bible to tell them what they want
to hear; they want it to say what they want it to say. That won’t
work—imposing ourselves on what we read rather than allowing
God’s Spirit to impose on us what we need to understand. “But the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they
are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
James 1:5 explains, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it
shall be given him.” We can expect God to give us wisdom while
we’re reading, especially when we with an earnest heart ask for
His help. If you want to understand a book, who better to ask
than the author? Sometimes you might read a passage in a book
and ask yourself, “What did the writer mean by that?”
Unfortunately, you can’t call most authors to ask what they
meant. But you can ask God. He can grant you perfect
understanding because He wrote it.
Again and Again
John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress, said, “Read the Bible
and read it again. Do not despair of help to understand something
of the will and the mind of God as if they are fast locked up from
you. Neither trouble yourself though you may not have
commentaries and expositions. Pray and read and read and pray
for a little from God is better than a great deal from man.”
Bunyan wrote one of the best-selling books of all time, but he
was technically an uneducated man in the sense that he didn’t
have a lot of formal training. He didn’t have a Ph.D. But he
became a brilliant man through the devoted reading of Scripture.
He read passages over and over again until they finally made
sense. That’s exactly what happened with me. (Though I still have
a long way to go in unpacking all the gifts found in God’s Word.)
When a soldier in some distant land gets a love letter from his
girlfriend or wife, does he read it only once? I don’t think so. No,
he pulls out that piece of paper and with longing reads it over
and over again. He might even smell it and figuratively wrap
himself up in her words of love and encouragement. He will
search every word, every nuance, reading between the lines just
to understand what his beloved was truly saying. The Bible is a
love letter from God to us; should we treat it with less heartfelt
interest?
Be Willing
Jesus said in John 7:17, “If any man will do his will, he shall
know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of
myself.” One of the biggest keys to understanding God’s message
is having the willingness to accept and act on what you read. It is
important to ask, “Lord, help me apply the things I have read in
your Word to my life.” Approaching God with a cynical curiosity
will most likely lead to confusion and frustration.
I have a theory that there are some things God does not allow us
to understand because we are responsible for what we
understand. Jesus said, “I have yet many things to say unto you,
but ye cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). If we aren’t walking
in the light He has already shone on our path, why should He give
us more? It would just make us more culpable on the day of
judgment.
Sometimes it can be hard to have that willingness to do what the
Bible says, so you might even need to pray for God to make you
willing. If nothing else, pray that He will make you willing to be
made willing. Our carnal natures are in rebellion against God.
Our sinful natures make us want to do sinful things, and we might
not be that eager to surrender to what the Word of God tells us.
During the final illness of W.C. Fields, someone walked into his
hospital room and found him reading the Bible. Because Fields
was not exactly known for piety, the person asked, “Bill, what are
you doing?”
“Looking for loopholes,” he replied.
That’s exactly the wrong attitude! You must approach the Word
of God with a heart willing to obey its precepts. That will get you
on the right road, as it put me on the right road. “Be ye doers of
the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”
(James 1:22). The biggest battle in comprehension we all face is a
willing heart. Get your heart right with God, and your mind will
always follow.
Let It Speak for Itself
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2
Timothy 2:15). Sometimes we over-spiritualize basic things in the
Bible, never letting the words just plainly speak for themselves.
Of course, there are many spiritual symbols in Scripture, but when
the Bible says, “He woke up in the morning,” some people might
agonize over this phrase, trying to squeeze some spiritual abstract
meaning out of a straightforward verse.
It’s important to get the factual record of what happened. Don’t
bring preconceived ideas to prove what you already believe.
Instead, let the Bible speak for itself. You can identify people with
this attitude when they say, “I know I’m right. I’ve just got to find
a verse to prove it.” And they’ll start reading the Bible not to hear
what God says, but searching for proof texts to support their
position. And if they can’t find a supporting verse they generally
twist something to make it fit—like the man who puts together a
jigsaw puzzle with a hammer in one hand and scissors in the
other.
It’s possible to completely butcher the Bible and different verses,
rearranging, cutting, and pasting passages to torture God’s Word
until it declares that water flows uphill. So be careful. Again, we
need to approach the Word with a humble, willing heart—and be
open to what the Bible says even if what it says isn’t exactly what
we want to hear.
Understand the Context
With the exception of Proverbs, the Bible is not a series of
isolated one-liners. Some people “study” by jumping from one
verse to another, leading them to some flawed doctrinal
conclusions. So when you read a verse, you should also read a few
verses before it and a few verses after it. Sometimes that’s all you
need to do, but you might also have to read the entire chapter.
Occasionally, to get the complete context, you’ll need to read the
whole book. Trust me, it’s worth the investment.
1. It always helps to know the historical, geo-graphical, and cultural
context. I remember, for example, reading Jesus teaching about
honoring your father and mother, but then He mentions
“Corbin.” I thought, “Who or what is Corbin?” Well, I had to do
a little background study to find out that in their culture,
children could dedicate their wealth to the temple instead of
using it to support their parents in their old age. It was a rite
that enabled them to dodge the fifth commandment, because
their wealth was now technically God’s property. That’s where
a little extra research paid off big.
2. Also consider the language. Sometimes when things are
translated from one language to another, there’s a potential to
lose context and information. There are little nuances of
meaning that can’t always be exactly translated from one
language to another. Though you don’t need to know the
original language to be able to understand the Bible, sometimes
taking a little time to look up the original meanings of words
can be very helpful to enhance comprehension. An example
would be the word translated as “bottomless pit” in Revelation
20:1. In English, when we hear “bottomless pit,” we conjure up
pictures of a deep well that starts in Kansas and goes straight
through the earth coming out in Mongolia. But looking at the
original word in Greek, “abussos,” it paints a different picture
of a place of deep spiritual darkness where fallen angels are
imprisoned (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6).

As you mature in your Bible study, don’t be afraid to check

maps, dictionaries, commentaries, and concordances. They can
help you immensely in getting the gist of each passage and help
you grasp the meaning in ways that will astound and amaze you.
Of course, as Bunyan said, you don’t need these to understand
what God is saying. (Also keep in mind that Bible commentaries
represent the interpretation of various scholars. While these are
often very helpful, they are not necessarily inspired.) For
centuries people built beautiful houses with only hand tools. But
now power tools make the job easier. So just start where you are,
with whatever tools you have handy. If you do, I guarantee your
hunger will grow and you’ll find a little Bible study library
growing up in your home or on your computer.
Don’t Jump to Conclusions
When arriving at truth in Bible study, you need to get the
testimony of several verses. “In the mouth of two or three
witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1).
This applies to Bible study very well.
Some will read one verse in the Bible and create an entire
doctrine based on that one verse alone, without much
justification. For instance, I often get asked about a passage in 1
Corinthians 11 regarding women not cutting their hair and
praying with their heads covered. This isolated verse can be
difficult to understand. Why then build a belief system out of it,
especially when no other verse even hints at that subject? You’ve
got to be careful about building a doctrinal monument around
that one verse, as it might have just been a cultural tradition or
custom.
Isaiah 28:10 teaches, “For precept must be upon precept … line
upon line; here a little, and there a little.” A good reporter will
interview as many witnesses as possible when writing about some
major event. Likewise, running to and fro through the Bible,
comparing Scripture with Scripture, will work to help you learn
for yourself what the truth really is. You need to look at all the
relevant verses dealing with a subject and compare them with
each other. This is crucial. You won’t be embarrassed if you study
the Bible that way.
Some of the popular false teachings today are based on one or
two nebulous and misunderstood verses. Proponents of these odd
teachings keep going back, again and again, to these few verses
until they’ve managed to build an enormous following even
though they neglect the weight of evidence from hundreds of other
verses that, if carefully studied, would contradict the very
teaching that they are so passionately promoting.
Avoid Private Interpretations
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any
private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by
the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:20, 21). Sometimes, we’ll hear
someone say something like, “This is what I think this verse
means,” or even, “I feel in my heart it could mean this” or some
other warm fuzzy sentiment. Be very careful when you hear these
kinds of subjective statements. It’s often an indication of people
not letting the Bible speak for itself.
Additionally, people who don’t study with others often develop
eccentric beliefs. Of course, God can speak to you alone through
His Word, but almost without exception people who don’t
fellowship with other believers and don’t bounce their
interpretations off stable Christians can come up with some very
bizarre ideas. They become a law unto themselves, forgetting that
in the multitude of counsel there is safety (Proverbs 11:14).
In Acts 20:30, Paul warns, “And of your own selves shall men
arise, speaking perverse things,” meaning warped teachings, “to
draw away disciples after them.” Sometimes these independent
teachers want simply to be unique to gather a following around
them, so they feel compelled to come up with an exotic doctrine
and say they have a special revelation from God that no one else
has. But please remember, in Acts 17:10, 11, we’re told about the
people of Berea: “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul
and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the
synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of
mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things
were so.” If you do that, diligently studying the Word of God with
other Bible-based followers of Jesus, you will be safe.
Where’s the Beef?
Dwight Moody said, “Sin will keep you from the Bible or the
Bible will keep you from sin.” The church is struggling today in
the face of a biblical illiteracy pandemic. It’s so important now to
be personally grounded in the Word because false teachings are
only going to multiply as the clock of earth’s history winds rapidly
down.
In the end, the devil and his minions are going to be quoting
from the Bible more than ever. He’ll wave it around and point to
it and he won’t hide from it. For many, the superficial, shallow,
breezy approach to Bible doctrine will not prepare them to defend
their faith against the devil’s clever deceptions. He already has his
people out there, sharpening their arguments and twisting
Scripture to their ends.
The milk of the Word is certainly okay for starters. Peter tells us
that “[as] newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that
ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). It’s clear that God can work
with you wherever you are at, but growing saints must graduate
from milk to meat. That’s why we need to dig deeper for solid
food. How long have you been receiving milk? When are you
going to get ready for the real meat of the Word?
“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but
as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with
milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it,
neither yet now are ye able” (1 Corinthians 3:1, 2). Stop delaying
and get studying; there’s a lot of nourishing meat in God’s Word
just waiting to be assimilated.
The Time Is Now
During the bloody Civil War battle of Shiloh, Sam Houston, Jr.,
son of the famous Texan, was shot square in the back and
knocked to the ground. When later found by a chaplain, he
discovered he was only bruised from the bullet. The lead ball had
been stopped by his mother’s Bible, which Houston carried in his
knapsack. The bullet was found still lodged in its pages, stopping
near the scriptures that proclaim, “O God: Thou art my help and
deliverer” (Psalm 70:5).
As we enter the last days, it will not be enough to have our
Bibles in our pockets or in our back-packs—we must have the
contents lodged in our hearts. Remember, we can live holy lives
when we have His Word written in our hearts (Psalm 119:11).
There might be a day coming when your Bibles will be taken
away and all you’re going to have is what you’ve stored in your
heart. You might be brought before judges to defend your faith.
They probably won’t hand you a Bible, yet we’re going to need to
know how to give an answer for what we believe.
When the devil tempted Christ, Jesus didn’t have a backpack full
of scrolls. He had the Word of God in His heart, and the Holy
Spirit brought remembrance to Him. He said, “It is written,” and
we will be able to say the same as long as we are willing to open
up the Word now and dive right in.
That’s what I believe God wants for His people today. He wants
them to be able to stand before anyone, anywhere, and, as Peter
said, “be ready always to give an answer to every man that
asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and
fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
And those answers are found in just one place, the Holy
Scriptures, the Word of God … the Bible.
Embracing the Bible is really the same thing as embracing Jesus.
Christ is the Word incarnate. Likewise, Jesus wants His Word to
be animated in our lives. So take it with your hands, read it with
your eyes, store it in your heart, walk it with your feet, tell it with
your lips, and live it in your life—starting today!

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by

every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

—Matthew 4:4
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