If a visitor from another planet were to beam down right in the middle of the stands of an NFL football game, I wonder what he would think. Seeing twenty-two men running up and down a 100-yard field in ferocious pursuit of an oblong ball, to the deafening roar of 60,000 screaming fans, for three hours, just might cause our visitor to wonder what in the world is going on. If we then went on to explain to him that these 60,000 fans were having a great, exciting time, we probably would totally confound our alien guest.
While we know that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” the concept of what makes something exciting or dull equally depends on who we ask and the perspective we view the situation from. A few of the more popular criticisms and misconceptions that many people use to explain why they feel the Bible is a “big dull book” on the surface seem to have some merit.
Biblical opponents claim that there are endless lists of genealogies of men who in many cases have names that are impossible to pronounce. Others contend that there are too many Thee’s, Thou’s, and whosoever’s, that it’s difficult to read and understand. Another criticism is that there is too much repetition of phrases for the fast-paced readers of today. Finally, many believe that it is just too darn big a book to read.
Our little foreign friend from the football game would probably, if presented with a new Bible, agree with the above comments. But if he would just take the time to begin reading the Bible, armed with a little background information, and allow his negative preconceived notions to stand on the sidelines for a while, he might begin to see something wonderful emerge.
Granted, Thee’s, Thou’s, and whosoever’s are a bit archaic. They tend to make reading the Bible an arduous task for many new readers. This is because the most famous Bible translation in America, the King James Version, was written in 1611, in Elizabethan English. While 1611 English was quite natural to the ear of a 1611 citizen, it isn’t today. Fortunately for us, there are many contemporary translations that are quite excellent, The New American Standard Bible and the New International Version of the Bible are two current examples. These are written in Modern English and are quite easy and enjoyable to read. The Thee’s and Thou’s are gone and so is one major stumbling block to those who are scared to open this precious book.
It is also true that 750,000 words for one book is certainly a lot of reading for an individual. Part of the uniqueness of the Bible is that while it is one book, it consists in reality of sixty-six books, thirty-nine in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New Testament.
Each of these sixty-six books is an integral part of the entire biblical narrative. Yet each book can also be read alone as a single unit and amazingly tell a wonderful story all on its own. If we approach the Scriptures in this way, we now no longer have quite so imposing a book to deal with.
The Bible is like a giant tapestry. Each of its books acts as a thread; together they give us the fullness of the beauty and grandeur of God’s Word. Reading it all or one book at a time, the reader can rest assured that wisdom, excitement and fascinating reading lie within his grasp.
The key to good public speaking is the ability to keep listeners interested and also to have them remember the message. One very effective way to accomplish this is through the skillful repetition of the subject matter, from different angles and stories. That is exactly what the Bible sets out to do.
Important themes, such as God’s love, mercy, and judgments, are repeated over and over throughout the entire Bible, but they are colorfully presented by different writers through different people, situations, and places. In this way the reader begins to have the meat of the Word become more and more a part of his memory.
And finally, the seemingly endless genealogies also play an important role. They challenge our minds to ponder the great expanses of history the Bible covers. They also help us to understand the linkages from one period to another and piece together ancient history.
With these few helpful hints under our belts, let’s sit back and relax as we travel into the fabulous world of the Bible. In tomorrow’s devotion I plan to re-share a devotion which I posted earlier on October 26th to complete our biblical journey from dull to delight.