GOD’S WORD FOR NOVEMBER 17 ~ ~ Psalm 119:142 ~ ~ “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth.”

From the book, How to Read the Bible by Dr. Michael Youssef.

(continuing with eight principles for correctly handling the Word of God)

4. Understanding the historical and cultural context of Bible passages.

The account of God sending Elijah to confront King Ahab and Queen Jezebel and the prophets of Baal still speaks to us today, even though it took place nine hundred years before Christ. We learn that all religions are not equal, and that the pagan gods – whether Baal, Ashteroth, or Ashterah – are no match for the God of Israel. We learn that emotionalism and fervor – like the cries and chants of the pagan prophets – are not true signs of spirituality.

But we should not read about Elijah’s challenge to the pagan prophets and then rush over to the local New Age center to challenge the guru to a contest of sacrifices! That’s not what God wants us to learn from the life of Elijah. Instead, we should realize that our God is a mighty God and that He calls us to be witnesses for Christ in this godless culture, speaking His truth with the bold courage of Elijah.

Ask yourself, “What did this Bible passage say to the reader to whom it was written? When the ancient Hebrews or early Christians first heard this passage, how did they understand it? What was their cultural context? How did they apply this passage to their daily lives?”

But even though the Bible is one unified story, it has been told in numerous cultural contexts. Parts were delivered to the ancient Hebrews in the time of Moses, parts were delivered to the Jews living under the sway of the Babylonians or the Persians, and some parts were delivered to Greek-speaking audiences living under Roman oppression in Europe and Asia Minor.

For example, Moses was speaking to Israelites who had spent four hundred years surrounded by the idolatry of Egypt. They knew very little about Yahweh. They had no written Scripture, only oral traditions, so they had little knowledge of God. Moses had an enormous challenge trying to teach them about God as he led them out of Egypt. Even after God rescued them in the miraculous Red Sea crossing and provided them with manna in the wilderness, their understanding of Him was limited. That’s important information to keep in mind when you see the Israelites repeatedly sliding back into idolatry and rebellion.

Centuries later, when Ezekiel and Jeremiah prophesied in Israel, they possessed written Scriptures. They had a lot of information about God. The prophets told the People again and again to remember the Lord who had rescued them from their enemies. The Israelites had received many blessings from God, yet they turned their backs on Him. They saw God perform miracles before their eyes, and yet they still wanted to worship Baal.

So it’s important to understand that while Moses was talking to ignorant people, Ezekiel and Jeremiah were talking to rebellious people who rejected God’s commandments. Understanding the intended audience for a certain passage of Scripture can help you to more accurately apply God’s Word to your own life.

In the New Testament, we see that the Apostle Paul wrote letters, usually addressing specific problems, to various churches. The church in Philippi had very different problems from the church in Corinth or the church in Thessalonica. Paul dealt with each church and each issue in a specific and targeted way, and he gave each church Biblical and godly answers. The better you understand the background of each church and the problems Paul was addressing, the better you’ll understand what the Bible says about your own spiritual issues.

5. Use Study aids to improve your understanding of the Bible

There are many books on the market that can improve your understanding of God’s word – books for new Christians and beginning students of the Bible, books for young readers, books on Bible history, on theology, on individual books of the Bible and on and on. I recommend that you read the Bible itself before turning to any of these study helps. Then turn to additional resources to deepen your appreciation of what you have read and meditated on.

Reading a passage in two or three translations can bring out shades of meaning you might miss by reading only one. To better understand the meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek words in the Bible, use online tools like Strong’s Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicons; you can search the concordance at strongsconcordance.org)….. You can find many Bible translations and other study tools at http://www.biblegateway.com).

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Psalm 91:1&2

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Psalm 4:8

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

*Psalm 91:4 He shall cover thee with His feathers and under His wings shalt thou trust; His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

*Psalm 37: 39 & 40

But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the Lord shall help them and deliver them;
He shall deliver them from the wicked,
And save them,
Because they trust in Him.

Psalm 9:20

Put them in fear, O Lord,
That the

nations may know themselves to be but men.

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