Where do I start from? A new convert once asked, some said start from John, another said Matthew. Some people said Genesis is the beginning so begin there, some even said maybe if you know how it all ends, you ll wanna see it all, so start from the end.. Revelations.
Sometimes where to start from to read and study 66 books of the bible and make it a prime daily ritual could be so paralyzing, one would drift into the quadriplegia of not reading anything at all. It then becomes like a burden of 7 ships whenever you're prompted to read the bible, it's like someone who doesn't like you spoke and you just want to do something else.
If you have not read SPOKEN NOT SPOOKIE 1, please do as this is a continuation.
God never intended that the bible will be a burden for you but that as careers of his image and likeness, believers may by his power clearly see his vision and run with it.
The scrolls were read only by Rabbis to the hearing of the people back then. Now we all have it in devices far more than any other book in the world. But what made all these possible at first was that the word became flesh.
The word, which was a mystery, no one could decipher it, even the prophets to whom it came did not grasp it but they knew it was not for their time. They spent their life searching for its meaning seeing it wasn't for them searching for who and for what time the word was given.
Neither was it revealed to even angels, some of whom also played a part in transmitting these scriptures to Holy men of old who wrote them down.
Even Daniel while he wrote was told to shut up the words and seal the book till the end. The same way it was for most of the prophets. That which was written in the book was not opened to them no matter how learned they were.
But the mystery of the word has since become a thing of the past because the word which was with God from the beginning, created all things that where made and lighted up every man, the word shrouded in all its mystery has become flesh. Revealed to every man to easily comprehend. So the first conversion of God's word made for our comprehension is JESUS. This is why John writes that we need him his glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. He is the word of the Father, and the word contains grace and truth.
It's no longer the sealed book, it is no longer the mysterious book the people of old just read and crammed up in their heads to argue and make up various doctrines and commentaries all sprinkled with uncertainty and even though there were signs and wonders, they were all testifying for the coming times.
The word was made flesh, and Glory to God in the highest, it was by the working of the HolyGhost.
The Holy Ghost did not just stop at inspiring Holy men of God to speak and write. He then carries these written word into his machinery and made it flesh like us to the end that we can relate, see, touch and handle the word of life. The word became a human being. The only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
To help genZs see what I am trying to explain. The HolyGhost functioned like 3 D printer, after it had been fed with plane instructions and it produced the word in flesh, this time around a multidimensional being. Only the HolyGhost can make the word become flesh. The same way it can only take the HolyGhost relate the word to you through the Gospel preached to you in word or text.
When you first heard the Gospel of Jesus, what you heard about was the entire message of God summed up in a man called Jesus Christ. From Genesis to Malachi. Every bit was about Jesus and that is the Gospel. The new testament is simply a fulfilment of the what we call the old. Jesus becomes the moving word, seen and heard by all men. Fulfilling all that has been written of him from Moses to the prophets.
The Gospel preaches salvation, but salvation now requires us to now begin to walk according to the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ daily.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ brings Grace and truth to your understanding. It succours your heart and mind with peace and steadiness. You are not easily tossed by the wind. Not staggering in the faith.
This is why we study the bible, this is why the word became flesh so that all generations can have assess to him, through the Gospel. And what is this Gospel, it sums all scriptures about the Birth, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ unto his Eternal reign.
Remember the road to Emaus?
Jesus joins and trio on the road as the were discussing the latest frightening update in town, "there is a ghost in the city bro", no it is not a ghost, some say it's Jesus the man who was nailed to the crucifix. Then Jesus began to speak unknown to them that he was the one, but was it not written about this Jesus that he would suffer these things before he entered into his glory. And beginning from Genesis to all the books of the prophets, he opened their eyes to the scriptures. Remember they were still blind at this point, even though Jesus was right before them, their eyes still needed to be opened.
Now back the question, where do I start from?.. You can well begin reading the bible from anywhere, what's more important is what you need to grow in the faith at that point of life you are and that will help you navigate life in the spirit as well. Hence you need a teacher, a Pastor more like it to guide you and also show you how to go about it. Philip was a deacon in the book of acts and at one time God asked him to board a chariot, he chased it down only to find an African man struggling with the words written in the book of Isaiah which he probably got just the same way a newly converted would love to have a Bible, realising the effort the man made at reading he asks, do you understand what you re reading? In an honest cry the Ethiopian man answer, how will I understand if I have no man to guide me. Abeg, who is this man I read about, is it Isaiah himself of another man?
Then Philip does the needful and from that same scripture showed him about Jesus Christ. You see, the man started from Isaiah and still ended at Christ. It doesn't matter where you start from, what matters is who is guiding you. Bible study is not something you begin in isolation. This is why we also advise you attend a bible reading and bible believing Church and there submit ourselves to the aim of conforming to Christ by the renewal of our minds.
Now, why do we still have the scriptures even after the revelation of Jesus Christ?
Relevant Bible Scriptures
Joh 1:14 KJV And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
1Jn 1:1 KJV That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1Pe 1:12 KJV Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
1Pe 1:25 KJV But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Act 8:35 KJV Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
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Image in set is AI generated. Using Chatgpt
