Ryan Higginbottom | Knowable Word

You Need to Hear Directly From God

September 12, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

Picture it. You’ve made time for devotions. Envision your room, your chair, and (perhaps) your beverage. Now, what book is in front of you?

Angela (2015), public domain

More Than a Preference

You have a lot of options. You could listen to any one of a million sermons. You could grab a devotional book or a study guide or a book on a biblical topic. You could even pick up a commentary.

None of these resources are inherently bad, but they all have one thing in common. They put distance between you and God’s word.

The desire to use an extra-biblical resource is understandable. If you view your devotions primarily as a relaxing way to begin or end your day, you’ll think devotions should be easy. And since reading (or hearing) someone else’s interpretation requires less effort than discovering one yourself, it’s simple to see why many people prefer these materials.

Reading a devotional work or listening to a sermon can stimulate your spirit. But this is not the same as reading and studying the Bible for yourself. You need to hear directly from the mouth of God.

Perhaps two analogies will help.

Analogy #1

Jim is supposed to read Crime and Punishment for his high school English class, but he plays sports with his friends instead. When it’s time to consider the book in class, Jim relies on the plot summary he read online. During the discussion, Jim is able to talk about a few important themes of the book.

But when his teacher asks him pointedly about the book’s impact on him, Jim freezes. He cannot recall any of the powerful scenes or locate any of the moving prose, because he doesn’t know the work itself. He only knows this book through a filter.

Even when filters are reliable and thorough, they don’t offer a genuine interaction with the author.

Analogy #2

In the middle of the afternoon, Sarah knocks on her brother Mark’s door. “Mom wants you to clean up your room before dinner.”

Mark puts his folded laundry in his dresser, makes his bed, and recycles the papers on his floor. Then he returns to his comic books.

At the dinner table, Mark learns that his mother wanted much more than a little straightening. She wanted him to dust the furniture, vacuum the carpet, and clean the windows. She wanted a deep clean.

Sarah wasn’t lying, but she wasn’t clear. And Mark didn’t ask Sarah or his mother for clarification.

In this scenario, the messenger softened the blow, and as a consequence, Mark fell short of obedience.

Your Father is Speaking

Portions of the Bible are impossible to envision without a personal encounter with God’s word.

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)

I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Psalm 119:15–16)

…but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2)

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! (Psalm 139:17)

In the Bible, God has told us about himself. He has given his requirements, his promises, and his plan to save his people. He has shared the good news about the Savior of the world, his son Jesus. And he has described what his people should believe and do as they tell the whole world about him.

The Bible is lovingly and wonderfully given by God to his people for their good and the good of the world. You might prefer to read a different book, but when you meet with God, yearn for his voice. Don’t turn away from your heavenly father.

Context Matters: God Tests Abraham

August 29, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

Perhaps you’ve heard about the way God tested Abraham, that when a long-awaited son was born, God told Abraham to raise his knife. Maybe you’ve been taught from the Scriptures how much Abraham trusted God in that episode and you’ve been inspired to do the same.

Is Abraham’s faith the central theme of this well-known story? Should we come away from it trying hard to be more like this Old Testament patriarch? Are there any aspects of this story that point ahead to the gospel of Jesus?

Context matters. It’s impossible to understand that testing of Abraham without understanding the preceeding chapters in Genesis. When we learn to read the Bible as a whole instead of as a hastily-gathered photo album of Sunday school tales, we’ll see that some of our favorite stories have a deeper meaning than we’ve always assumed.

Abraham’s Only Son

Some Christians say that, aside from the coming of Jesus, the birth of Isaac is the most anticipated event in Scripture. It’s hard to argue!

From the first time that God called Abram he spoke of all the descendants he would eventually have (Genesis 12:2). This certainly required faith instead of sight, because Sarai was barren at the time.

After 25 years, Sarah finally conceived and Isaac was finally born (Genesis 21:1–3). Isaac was the son of the promise, the child through whom God would keep his covenant vows.

Imagine Abraham’s shock, then, when God commands him to “offer [Isaac] … as a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:2). But Abraham rises early and sets off with Isaac.

A quick observation of this passage (Genesis 22:1–19) reveals that the word “son” shows up 13 different times. And three times Isaac is called Abraham’s “only son” (Genesis 22:2, 12, 16). This may strike readers as odd, because Isaac is not Abraham’s only son! Ishmael was Abraham’s first son by Hagar (Genesis 16:1–4). Doesn’t he count?

Well, actually, no. He doesn’t count any more. Not for this purpose.

After God brought Abraham into covenant, Abraham struggled to believe that Sarah would eventually get pregnant. He begged God that Ishmael might be brought in for the purposes of God’s promises (Genesis 17:18). But God insisted that Abraham’s covenant line would be established through Sarah (Genesis 17:19, 21).

As long as Ishmael was around, Abraham might be tempted to think he had a good fall-back option if something happened to Isaac. So, while Abraham loved Ishmael deeply and God promised to bless him, Ishmael was sent away after Isaac was born (Genesis 21:8–14). Now, in terms of those living with Abraham, Isaac was truly Abraham’s “only son.”

So at the beginning of Genesis 22, Isaac is the one and only son in Abraham’s house. He is the promised son. This heightens and focuses the test for Abraham. How exactly can Abraham have millions of descendents through Isaac if he dies?

God’s Provision

On the way to the mountain, Isaac wonders where the animal sacrifice is, but Abraham is confident that God will provide (Genesis 22:7–8). Abraham is sure of much more than this—he knows that Isaac will come back down the mountain with him. He says as much to the young men that came on the trip (Genesis 22:5), and the author of Hebrews tells us that Abraham knew God was able to raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17–19).

As Abraham is about to put his son to death, God stops him and provides a ram in his place (Genesis 22:13). God’s intervention and provision are so central to this episode that Abraham calls the place “The Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:14)

Blessings Through the Obedient One

Many Christians have seen a picture of the gospel in Abraham and Isaac. A father was willing to put his cherished, only son to death. Some make the connection between Isaac and Christ because Jesus was also called “beloved” by his father (at both his baptism and transfiguration). Jesus is also referred to as the “only son” of God in the most quoted verse in all the Bible (John 3:16).

But we need to ask a question. Is this gospel connection a coincidence of language? Or does this passage make that case? We can gain a lot of clarity by reading to the end of the passage!

The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time and repeated (and enlarged!) the covenant promises because of Abraham’s obedience (Genesis 22:16). And note the specific promises that are highlighted: Abraham will be blessed, his offspring will be multiplied, they will possess the gates of their enemies, and in Abraham’s offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (Genesis 22:17–18). And, in case we missed it the first time, we are reminded that this came about because of Abraham’s obedience (Genesis 22:18).

In other words, because of one man’s obedience to God, the nations of the earth will be blessed. Now there’s a gospel connection!

I’m not claiming that a passage must have just a single arrow that points ahead to Jesus and his gospel. But when we only look at the angle of a substitute or the death of an only son, we might miss the main thrust of the passage.

God puts this man through a terrible test. By God’s grace, he passes. God provides a substitute. And the man’s obedience means untold riches for the world. This story might be better than we ever thought!

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

What We Miss When We Skip the Book of Ezra

August 15, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

The book of Ezra is an odd duck. It bears the name of a man who doesn’t appear in its first half. Though titled like a minor prophet, this is a book of history, one far shorter than most historical books in Scripture. And it is one of the few portions of God’s word set after the Babylonian exile.

I couldn’t find any data to justify this suspicion, but I would guess that Ezra is not commonly read or studied by modern Christians. I get it—among other barriers, there are long lists of names in chapters 2, 8, and 10.

Yet, this little book has much to offer!

God Works in the Hearts of Kings

God rules over kingdoms and kings—this is true everywhere and at all times. But it is made explicit with surprising frequency in the book of Ezra.

We see this in the very first verse of the book: “…the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing …” (Ezra 1:1)

We also read that the Lord “had turned the heart of the king of Assyria” toward the Israelites (Ezra 6:22). The author of the book blesses God “who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers” (Ezra 7:27–28). Finally, as part of his confession, Ezra thanks God that he “has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem” (Ezra 9:9).

In Ezra a group of Israelites journeyed from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God. Since they left captivity, traveled through dangeous territories, and settled in an occupied land, these people needed the approval, help, and protection of the local and central rulers. God gave them this favor, often by creating in the rulers a desire to help God’s people.

In addition to these large examples, the Lord worked in large and small ways to bless his people through governmental (and even bureaucratic) channels.

Repentance Requires Radical Action

Shortly after Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, he learned of widespread sin among the people. They had “not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations” and had “taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands” (Ezra 9:1–2).

God’s people had taken wives who worshiped foreign gods. This was disastrous, as the Israelites were trying to reestablish a community of faith and these marital bonds were likely to lead them in the opposite direction.

It sounds shocking to our modern ears, but repentance in this situation needed to be drastic. Here was Ezra’s prescription.

You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. Now then make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives. (Ezra 10:10–11)

While the last two chapters of Ezra should prompt a longer discussion about marriage and divorce, one thing is clear. Ezra took sin and repentance seriously. His grief over his people’s transgressions would make the modern church stagger.

Worship is Central

The Israelites headed back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. They began with the altar and when that was finished, before any other part of the temple was constructed, they resumed the offerings, feasts, and festivals (Ezra 3:3–5). When they started to make progress on the temple itself, the people were moved: “And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid” (Ezra 3:11).

When the people finished the temple, they dedicated “this house of God with joy” and kept the Passover (Ezra 6:16, 19).

The narrative of the book then moves to the man Ezra, a priest and scribe. But this too is about worship. “Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Though the people had resumed the temple practices, they needed the word of God at the center of their worship, so God sent Ezra.

All About Worship

The centrality of worshiping God is a central pillar of Ezra. Even the first two themes I mentioned in this article are connected to worship. (God’s work in kings helped the people build the temple; radical repentance was needed because the people were being led away from worshiping God.)

This is one way that Ezra connects to the overarching story of the Bible. We were made to worship God, but our rebellion means that we need a pure high priest to make our worship possible. Ezra reminds us of this central activity of the community of God and our dependence on him to draw us near.

When the Same Sin Comes ’round Again

August 1, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

You’ll be forgiven if, when reading Genesis 20, you get a strong sense of déjà vu. If the two incidents didn’t happen in different locations, we might think a Hebrew scribe lost his place and picked up earlier in the same scroll.

In Genesis 20:2, when entering a new country, Abraham said that Sarah was his sister instead of his wife. Earlier, in Genesis 12:19, when entering a new country, Abram said that Sarai was his sister instead of his wife. Putting the name change aside, aren’t these two events essentially the same? What could the original author have intended for his readers by including these twin episodes?

Striking Similarities

Let’s polish off our observ a tion skills and note many of the similarities between Genesis 12:10–20 and Genesis 20:1–18. (I’ll refer to Abraham and Sarah in both passages.)

Both situations happened when Abraham was “sojourning” in a land to the “south” (Genesis 12:10; 20:1).
Both situations involved a king (Pharaoh, Abimelech) “taking” Sarah for his wife after being told she was Abraham’s sister (Genesis 12:15; 20:2).
Abraham gained great material blessing from both kings (Genesis 12:16; 20:14).
The king and his household suffered because of Abraham’s lies (Genesis 12:17; 20:18).
Both kings confronted Abraham about his deceit (Genesis 12:18–19; 20:9–10).
Abraham was afraid of dying in both places (Genesis 12:12–13; 20:11).

With proper time and space, we could list even more parallels between these passages, but this will do for now. There are a lot of similarities!

Noticeable Differences

Of course, these episodes are different, and it may be some of these differences that help us understand the author’s main point.

The passage in Genesis 20 is much longer, including more interaction between Abraham and the king. (In Genesis 12, Pharaoh speaks to Abram but no response is recorded.)
Abraham’s rationale about calling Sarah his sister comes at the beginning of the passage in Genesis 12 but near the end of the passage in Genesis 20. In fact, in Genesis 20:13, it sounds like Abraham had been insisting Sarah go along with this deception for quite a while.
God speaks with Abimelech at some length in Genesis 20:3–7, resulting in Abimelech rebuking Abraham. We don’t have evidence that God spoke to Pharaoh.
Sarah’s beauty was mentioned twice in Genesis 12 (Gen 12:11; 12:14) but not at all in Genesis 20. (Sarah was around 25 years older in Genesis 20.)
At the end of the passage, Pharaoh sent Abraham away, but Abimelech invited Abraham to live anywhere in the land he wanted (Genesis 12:20; 20:15).
We are not told the nature of the “great plagues” with which God afflicted Pharaoh and his house (Genesis 12:17). However, we know that God “closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech” (Genesis 20:18).
Abraham prays for healing for Abimelech and his house (Genesis 20:17). We’re not told if or how the plagues ceased in Egypt.

Again, we could go on. Despite all the similarities between these passages, the differences are striking. The episode in Genesis 20 is more extended and more personal than the one in Genesis 12—Abraham is rebuked at greater length, his explanation is drawn out publicly, and his role as a prophet for Abimelech is turned on its head. Finally, Abraham is forced to pray for an end to barrenness in Abimelech’s house, which is the same exact thing he has likely been praying for his own house for 25 years!

Why is This Passage Here?

Both of these passages demonstrate Abraham’s failure to trust the Lord. God had promised a son for him through Sarah, which would be impossible if he were to die! Abraham put Sarah in great danger on multiple occasions because he thought God might need “help” (in the form of deception!) to keep him safe.

So why do we have Genesis 20 in our Bibles?

Abraham’s missteps were not limited to these two incidents. Though he is hailed as a man of faith (Hebrews 11:8–10; 17–19), he struggled to believe how God would provide an heir for him (Genesis 15:1–4). He went along with Sarai’s plan to give her servant Hagar to him as a wife (Genesis 16:1–6).

When we remind readers that context matters on this blog, we mean that the whole context of a passage is important. We often notice what comes before a passage, but what comes after is also important. Considering context means that we try to understand how a passage fits in with the larger story or argument of a book.

Genesis 20 shows us that Abraham failed in the same way repeatedly. Yet, despite these repeated failures, God still kept his promises. As the first audience for this book was likely the Israelites coming out of Egypt after the Exodus—Israelites who failed in the same way repeatedly and needed to trust God to keep his promises to take them safely into Canaan—this was a relevant lesson!

God was also preparing Abraham for an even greater test in Genesis 22. God dealt with Abraham gently and faithfully, never leaving this man to whom he made covenant promises. Knowing the Abraham of Genesis 12, Genesis 16, and Genesis 20, the unflinching confidence we see on display in Genesis 22:1–19 is surprising. But perhaps this confidence is built through steadfast love in response to failure, through faith the size of a mustard seed, and through seeing God keep his promises.

Not Every Interesting Detail is Important

July 29, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

anonymous (2011), public domain

As Christians learn to study the Bible, we pay more attention to the details. We notice repeated words, names, grammar, and genre. We train our eyes to spot anything surprising or out of place.

What we do with these observations is just as important as making them in the first place. Observing the text is like stocking the pantry. We gather raw materials, but we don’t know what we need until it’s time to cook.

The Problem with Interesting Details

Most of our Biblical observations arise because a detail captures our attention. We’re interested in a certain feature, conversation, or nuance in the text.

Yet when we move from observation to interpretation, we must be careful. Though there might be curious or compelling details in the passage, we should try to zero in on the main point. We’re likely to miss what God has for us if we concentrate on what is intriguing instead of what is most important.

Ideally, we should give our attention and thought to themes and details in proportion to their importance. Granted, we don’t usually know the major thrust of a passage until we’ve spent some time with it. But if we want to land on the main point, we should give our energy to the evidence and supporting truths that point in that direction. If we camp out on curiosities, we might be off the mark when stating the main point. And if we miss the main point, our application might be unnecessary or misdirected.

Additionally, we should avoid the trap of speculation. If we get obsessed with a detail or surprise in the passage, we’ll wonder why it’s there. When we interpret, we’ll try to answer related questions even though the answers are nowhere to be found in the text. While enjoyable on an intellectual level, this is merely spinning our wheels—expending mental energy without making progress.

What’s Important?

The natural question, then, is this: How do I know if a detail is important? How do we know what to keep and what to discard?

Here’s the brief answer. If it leads to the main point, it’s important. If it doesn’t, it’s not.

In other words, when you follow the author’s train of thought, is this detail included? Is information about this character or description repeated or used later in the passage? It this detail were omitted from the text, could you still make your argument about the main point?

Here’s an example. The fifth plague is described in Exodus 9:1–7, and we read in verse 6 that all the livestock of Egypt died. However, both later in chapter 9 (verse 20) as well as in chapter 14, additional livestock are mentioned. How can this be if all the livestock died? You might pay attention to the phrase “livestock which are in the field” in Exodus 9:3 and speculate about exactly where the pestilence affected the animals. You might wonder whether Egypt simply stole animals from surrounding nations after all their animals died.

We’re not told. And all the wondering and worrying distracts from the main point of the passage: God judged Egypt and not Israel. The later reappearance of livestock is an interesting detail, but not an important one.

Build on the Main Point

It’s irresponsible to build doctrine on or draw application from mere curiosities in Scripture. Some of the oddities in the Bible are interesting, but not valuable.

When you ask questions related to your observations and turn to answer them, be vigilant. Answer only answer those questions where the text provides an explicit answer or one drawn through reasonable deduction.

We honor the Lord as we draw our main doctrine and application from the main points of Scripture. And to get to the main point, we must make sure to focus on what’s important, and not only what’s interesting.

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You Have Enough Time to Study the Bible

July 22, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

In the West, busyness is the norm. Businessmen value themselves and others based on their calendars. Students turn the bags under their eyes into badges of competition and honor.

But busyness isn’t just out there. We’re all on the same bus. With demanding jobs, family obligations, and duties at home, time feels scarce.

Alexandra (2015), public domain

Busyness Is Not the Problem

Among Christians, I suspect busyness is the top excuse for not studying the Bible. It seems we don’t have enough time for God’s word. I’ve made this excuse many times myself.

But we must confront this Biblical truth: We always do what we want to do.

Our actions spring from and reveal our hearts; we can trace this truth throughout the Bible. As part of his confession, David asks God to create a clean heart within him (Ps 51.10). Solomon warns his son that the springs of life flow from the heart (Prov 4.23). Ezekiel’s prophecy about the new covenant focuses on new hearts, not new behaviors (Ezekiel 36:26).

Jesus also teaches clearly on this matter; he says the words we speak flow from our hearts (Matt 15:18). We cannot say of our sinful words, “I didn’t mean that.” Jesus doesn’t stop with our speech—our sinful thoughts and actions also reveal our true desires (Matt 15:19).

This brief survey hands us a difficult conclusion. When we don’t study the Bible, it’s not because we’re too busy. It’s because we don’t want to.

(There are exceptional life situations that leave us too busy to study the Bible. Illness, intense family duties, and extraordinary job demands come up. For most of us, these are the exception and not the rule.)

A Divided Heart

There is a battle within every maturing Christian. The growing, vibrant, new man longs to glorify God, while the putrid, rotting, old man resists God and craves sinful pleasures. These fights are contested among our values and desires.

We skip Bible study because we don’t think it’s important. Studying the Bible takes time and energy, and we doubt it will make a difference. We list scores of activities more worthy of our attention.

Deep Repentance

If the problem lies in our hearts, repentance must extend to these same depths.

We’ve all tried to address sin through a change in behavior. We set an early alarm, make a strict schedule, or enlist an accountability partner. Though these strategies can be helpful, they don’t address the core problem. Without deep repentance, new behavior efforts amount to tying a top hat on a pig. He might look respectable for a time, but he’s still headed back to the slop.

We need to confess our sin specifically. We must admit that we have not believed God when he declares the value of his word (Psalm 19:7–11). We have not loved or acted as we should.

But don’t forget the gospel! The punishment we deserve for our apathy, our tepid hearts, our indifference to the glorious truths of God—this punishment was given to Jesus. He took our place!

This news is thrilling, but we’re only halfway done. Because of Jesus’s perfect life—including his undivided heart—we are God’s children. We are embraced in the family. Neglecting Bible study doesn’t make God love us less, and studying the Bible doesn’t make him love us more.

And we must pray for God’s work within us. Pray for a change of heart and a love for God and his word. Ask God to help you treasure what is most valuable and organize your time accordingly.

How to Begin

How can we learn the value of studying God’s word? Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)!

Study the Bible, on your own or with friends, and enjoy the food God brings to your table. See how God repays your effort with his wisdom, his presence, and his transforming power. As you apply the Bible, God will convict you of your sin and encourage you with his faithfulness.

When you see the glory of God and the beauty of his word, making time for Bible study will be easy.

You Don’t Have to Read the Bible Every Day

July 18, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

“How’s your spiritual life?”

When most Christians are asked that question, their minds turn toward spiritual disciplines. They reflect on the previous week or month and how regularly they prayed, read the Bible, and so on. These activities have become the measure for many of vibrant Christian faith.

Still, many of us know people who are rigid about these disciplines but lack love and grace in their relationships with others. These regular practices don’t automatically produce the fruit of the Spirit.

The Gospel in Bible Reading

And yet, throughout the years, those who follow Jesus have been greatly helped by spiritual disciplines. The goal of these habits should be to stir up our affections for God, to help us regularly confess and repent of our sins, to rehearse our dependence on God’s grace, and to propel us toward loving our neighbors.

There’s a lot to unpack in that previous sentence! That takes time and instruction, and often when people come into the church they only hear a poor distillation: “Read your Bible and pray every day.”

When it comes to our motivations, humans are drawn more naturally to law than to grace, because we can measure ourselves against a regulation. Well, I only read the Bible four times this week, so my spiritual life must be mediocre.

Some discipleship endeavors reinforce this posture. If we check our boxes each week, we’re growing; if we fall under a certain threshold, we’re stagnant or in spiritual danger.

The gospel of Jesus can make box-checkers uncomfortable. For those who confess Christ, repent of their sins, and trust him alone, the good news should be repeated as often as possible. We are children of the Most High God. He loves us so completely that nothing we ever do can increase or decrease that love.

For the purposes of this particular website, let’s state in terms of Scripture. God does not love us any more when we read the Bible, and he does not love us any less when we don’t.

The Word is a Blessing

Please understand, I am not trying to convince you to read the Bible less often! But I want our motivations to be founded on the very Scriptures we study. As I wrote at the beginning of this year, the Bible points us to God’s word much more often with enticement than with scare tactics.

Christian, do you know how good the word of the Lord is?

The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7–11)

A Christian disconnected from or uninterested in the Bible is a contradiction. But we are not disobeying God if we do not read the Bible every day. (Our weeks are more similar to each other than our days are, and there are a variety of ways to take in the Bible.)

We Don’t Have To, We Get To

Over the last several years, my family has developed a simple, delightful practice when we go away for vacation. We take long walks together after dinner. We set out as a family to enjoy each other, the weather, and the scenery. It’s now a favorite activity for each one of us.

Do we have to take a walk every evening? Nope. If it’s raining, or very late, or if someone isn’t feeling well, we might skip it, shorten it, or move the time around. But as late afternoon arrives and we start making dinner, we usually talk about where we’ll walk that night.

The walk requires time, energy, and effort, but we love it. Even when we follow the same route on multiple days, we arrive back at the apartment refreshed and happy.

Believers, we don’t have to read the Bible every day. But God has generously provided his word to nourish and bless us. Do you want to be nourished? Do you want to be blessed?

You Are Smart Enough to Study the Bible

July 15, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

There are dozens of reasons for our collective lack of Bible study, but here’s one we need to address: I’m not smart enough.

Few people use those words, but this captures the general sentiment. Many people feel inadequate or intimidated by the task of studying the Bible, so they never attempt it.

How does this happen?

Célio Silveira (2011), public domain

The Quicksand of Comparison

We live in a culture of experts. And in the church we propogate more of the same.

We cite brilliant philosophers and commentators in our sermons. We watch polished teachers on video in Sunday school. Over and over we see examples of those with great training, ability, and insight. They make the Bible come alive.

We compare ourselves to all-stars and find ourselves lacking. How can we compete? If I can learn from experts, why should I study the Bible myself? I’ll never learn as much on my own.

This argument is easy to believe but important to reject. Gifted scholars and communicators are blessings to the church, but they do not replace the need for individual time with the Bible.

Bible study is never about bare facts or ideas. We study the Bible to know Jesus and have eternal life, to love God and obey him. We aren’t cramming for a test; rather, we need God’s truth to sink deep into our souls. Instead of borrowing the work of others, we need to digest and rejoice over the Bible ourselves.

Here’s the bottom line. You don’t need to be smart to study the Bible. As Peter wrote, Bible study “should be simple enough to engage young children yet profound enough to occupy erudite scholars.”

You don’t need seminary training. You don’t need a full bookcase or years of experience or an understanding of Greek and Hebrew. You don’t need a high IQ or a big vocabulary. You don’t even need a high school diploma.

I don’t dismiss any of the education, intellect, or training God gives. But only a few things are necessary to study the Bible. You need a Bible, a pen, paper, a heart that seeks God, and the Holy Spirit. Gather the first three, ask God for the last two, and you’re ready to go.

We must remind each other that there is no intellectual barrier to the Bible. When Christians come up short in their comparison to others and withdraw from Bible study, they miss a vital connection to Jesus.

What We Miss When We Neglect Bible Study

Do you believe we need the Bible? That it is not merely an add-on, but that it is more essential than bread (Matt. 4:4)?

We forget, and in the Bible God reminds us of the truth.

We sin, and in the Bible God corrects us and teaches us about forgiveness.

We despair, and in the Bible God gives us hope.

The Scriptures are not a burden or a weight, but a privilege and a blessing. We get to study the Bible! The Bible is truth from our loving God who wants us to know him and be transformed. And we miss out on these blessings—in fact, we miss God himself—when we neglect Bible study.

How to Begin

Whether you’ve been away from the Bible for years or you’ve never picked it up—you can start studying the Bible.

Pray. Ask God humbly and confidently to teach you by his Spirit. Only he can give you the understanding you need for life.

Next, pick up a Bible and read. We have a series of blog posts written to help you learn how to study the Bible. You might also check out our printable resources.

Finally, contact a friend from church. Ask them to pray. Arrange to meet every week or two to discuss what God is teaching you.

Buckle up. God will teach you and change you in ways you never imagined!

When a Name Goes Missing in the Bible

July 4, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

Observation is the first step in any good Bible study practice. And in most passages, there is a lot to observe!

Under the umbrella of observation, we naturally think about noticing what is present in the text. But sometimes, we also need to notice what is absent. The key to interpreting a section of Genesis 21 turns on just such an observation.

Ishmael is Sent Away

When Isaac was weaned, his parents threw a huge party to celebrate this milestone (Genesis 21:8). During the party, Ishmael laughed at Isaac, and this angered Sarah so much that she told Abraham to get rid of Ishmael and his mother, Hagar (Genesis 21:10). God agreed with Sarah, so Abraham sent them away (Genesis 21:12–14).

When their meager food and water ran out, Hagar prepared for her son’s death and cried out to the Lord (Genesis 21:15–16). God heard Ishmael’s cries and opened Hagar’s eyes to a nearby well (Genesis 21:17–19). God was with Ishmael as he grew up (Genesis 21:20).

This story is straightforward, right?

Something is Missing

As we continue to remind our readers, context matters. Why does this story immediately follow the glorious account of the long-awaited birth of Isaac (Genesis 21:1–7)? How does the story’s placement in the text aid our interpretation?

I didn’t understand this connection until I landed on an observation. In these fourteen verses (Genesis 21:8–21), something important is missing.

Ishmael’s name doesn’t appear at all.

In fact, Moses (the author) seems to go out of his way to avoid writing Ishmael’s name. Moses refers to “the boy” (6 times), “the child” (3 times), “the son of Hagar” (or a close variant, 4 times), and “his son” (once). This whole section of Scripture is centered on Ishmael, and Moses steadfastly refuses to include his name. Why is this the case?

Making Way for Isaac

From earlier in Genesis, we know that Abraham was a man who liked to protect himself and hedge his bets. He repeatedly tried to pass Sarah off as his sister (Genesis 12:10–20, 20:1–18). He fathered Ishmael with Sarah’s servant because he couldn’t see how God would otherwise keep his promise (Genesis 16:1–4).

Once Isaac was born, he was to become the focus of the story. Had Ishmael stayed around, there would not only (likely) be sustained conflict between him and Isaac, but it would have given Abraham a way to doubt and wonder. If anything were to happen to Isaac, I still have Ishmael right here.

Moses uses the names in the text to help us understand. The names for Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar all show up in this passage, so Moses is not opposed to names in general. But he won’t call Ishmael by his name. Moses wants his readers to see that Ishmael is moving off stage. Ishmael is no longer a main character. The covenant spotlight is now on Isaac.

Learning to Notice

Someone new to Bible study might be thinking, It’s hard enough to observe everything that’s there in the text, and now I’m supposed to notice all of the things that aren’t there?! Yes and no.

It would be impossible to notice everything missing from a passage of Scripture. That’s ambiguous and aimless. But we should notice anomalies—things that are unusual or out of place. Anything that sticks out as abnormal.

Moses used names, repeatedly, for all of the characters in this story except one. That should make us sit up and take notice. In observation we gather the fuel we need for the fire of interpretation, and observing odd insertions or omissions is no exception.

Note: After writing this article I remembered that Peter mentioned this observation in one of our foundational articles on observation. I heartily recommend that article, but I came to this thought independently this week as my church is working through Genesis in Sunday school.

Confess Your Sins to God When Applying the Bible

June 20, 2022 By Ryan Higginbottom

Applying the Bible involves putting off and putting on. We put off the old self, which belongs to our former manner of life, and we put on the new self, “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22–24). Put differently: applying the Bible involves repentance.

Sam Storms offers a helpful definition of repentance.

True Christian repentance involves a heartfelt conviction of sin, a contrition over the offense to God, a turning away from the sinful way of life, and a turning towards a God-honoring way of life.

The “putting off” and “putting on” essential to repentance has a moral component. This is not like exchanging a baseball cap for a fedora. This “contrition” before God is also known as confession.

Examples of Confession

After hearing the word of God, the Holy Spirit brings conviction, showing us the ways we have sinned. We have numerous examples of God’s people confessing their sins in the Bible.

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalm 32:3–5)

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment. (Psalm 51:3–4)

O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today. (Ezra 9:6–7)

The Scriptures also assume we will regularly confess our sins to God.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8–9)

God’s Kindness

It is good for us to think about the different spheres and directions for our Bible application. But confessing sin is often a necessary step in the process. It is not just that we need a different strategy for loving our neighbor or a new approach to handling gossip. Frequently, we must confess that what we have been doing (or not doing) is offensive to God and deserving of his anger.

Here are some principles related to confession.

Be honest and specific — Let’s not only talk about our “struggles” or “destructive patterns.” Let’s name our sins the way the Bible names them and bring them to God with that vocabulary. God knows all and trying to hide anything from him is downright silly.
Consider the heart — Bad fruit (observable sin) in our lives is the outworking of rebellion in our hearts. (See Luke 6:43–45.) So while we do need to confess our gossiping (for example), we must also think about the impulses and desires that make us crave those conversations. It’s difficult to trace polluted streams back to their source; conversations with trusted friends can be invaluable in this regard.
Confess your sins to others — All of our sin is against God; some of our sin is also against other people. Part of repenting of these sins is confessing them and seeking forgiveness and reconciliation.
Pray for conviction — This may sound scary, but part of the essential function of God’s word is to expose us (Hebrews 4:12–13). It is not God’s displeasure but his kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). God brings us conviction as a loving father disciplines his children (Hebrews 12:7–11).
Remember this is the way of grace — While it might not feel good to see more of our sin and discover it goes deeper than we thought, this ultimately helps us exult in God’s grace. When we understand more of our offenses against God, we are reminded that our salvation is due to God’s grace. So, while painful, confession gives us more opportunities to glorify God for his grace.

A Key Step in Application

Not every application requires confession along the way. A church might make a change to their ministry to widows as an application of James 1:27, seeking greater effectiveness or wider opportunities. There might not necessarily be sin in their previous approach.

However, most application probably requires some sort of confession. And because God is so gracious, when his children come to him admitting their transgressions, he forgives. He reminds us of the work of Jesus for us. And that gives us real power to change.

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