Jul 3

1 Peter 1:10-12
Memorise 1 Peter 1:10
“the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth”

Sometimes when certain sections of the Old Testament, especially some of the prophetic books, we may  have  difficulty  understanding parts of it. This could be discouraging, maybe even frustrating at times. There may even have been times when we have been reluctant to read the Bible because we found it so hard to understand! Have you ever had such experiences?

We may be encouraged to know that even the Old Testament prophets themselves, those who were given the direct revelation from God to write His Word, had difficulty interpreting their own prophecies. Peter tells us how even the prophets “enquired and searched diligently” about the salvation grace that would come through the Messiah. They had to study hard to understand the true meaning of the two seemingly intertwined but contradictory lines of prophecy, of both the sufferings and glory of Christ. Therefore, Peter says that they had to search (examine their own writings deeply) as to what these prophecies signified. It is an amazing insight into the actual process of inspiration, whereby the prophets were the one who penned the words, which were exactly as God intended, and yet they themselves had to diligently study and enquire as to the exact meaning and interpretation of these prophecies.

Indeed, Bible interpretation is by no means an easy field of study. It requires much effort, patience and diligence. If we do not understand what is going on after a first cursory reading, we must not be discouraged, but continue to persevere in our study. Today, we are privileged with a vast pool of resources available, with huge volumes of commentaries, powerful Bible software, and an ever-expanding database of online material to tap on. Numerous men of faith have studied diligently, and made interpretations and observations being guided by the Holy Spirit. Of course this does not excuse us from exercising our own due diligence in the study of God’s Word, nor are we to just blindly access these resources without any discernment. But when we do come upon difficult passages or have questions about certain issues, there are many avenues that we can turn to, if only we would put in the effort to learn!

Thought: Be encouraged not discouraged when you come upon tough passages!
Prayer: Lord, may You grant me the diligence and discipline to study Your Word.