Tips on Studying the Bible
| TIPS ON STUDYING THE BIBLE
(Text Version)
~ LET THE BIBLE INTERPRET THE BIBLE ~ The Lord speaks His Word and reveals Himself in many ways. The best way to know the Lord is to listen to what He says: read the Bible, His Holy Word.
“I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure….Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path…” (Psalm 119:162 and 105 NKJV)
People have studied the Bible their entire lives and never run out of learning new truths. The Word of God is simple and in plain sight, but the more you get to know Who God is, the more He will reveal to you His hidden truths tucked inside the verses. God has written many mysteries in the scriptures and they are very relevant and prophetic for these end times. There are many ways of interpreting the mystery scriptures, but most scholars agree the best and most accurate way is to let the Bible interpret the Bible. Why? Because God spoke the Words and His Words bypass time and space and the more you understand that, you will see how the same truth was recorded again hundreds of years later through another prophet.
2 Peter 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of one’s own interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
In practical terms, letting the Bible interpret the Bible is when you find a scripture that you don’t understand, and you find all the other places in the Bible that mention the same concept. Then you are able to connect the dots of how an obscure passage can be applied by observing what they have in common. These concepts can be:
The more connecting places you find, the more your understanding grows. In other words, if you are trying to understand the book of Revelations and you come across the word candlestick, find out how God described its meaning and purpose other places in the Bible. You will be amazed when you start applying this principal in interpreting and understanding mystery places in scripture.
HOW TO FIND COMMON DENOMINATORS
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge This tool compiles 500,000 scripture references and parallel passages. It is very easy to see how scripture interprets itself. Beginners and the most advanced students can start with any verse and easily see what correlates with that verse. It links words and phrases throughout the entire Bible taking one on an amazing journey toward in-depth study on any topic.
I have used the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK) almost every day for decades! The TSK comes in books, computer software, Bible programs, APPs, and in free online searches. Along with the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, The TSK is by far the best resource to study scripture.
STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE
Much of understanding in life comes from the ability to define issues.
The Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance is also my favorite Bible study tool. You can use it to find any scripture in the Bible. But its best use is the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries that come with it.
This concordance records EVERY word separately that is in the Bible. Every word is given a number and a listing where you can find that word defined in the Hebrew and Greek language. The word definitions are nested, tracking the word back to its foundational root word. This book comes in various sizes depending upon the print size. You can also use free on line Concordances where you can type in your word and search. It also comes in Bible software and Apps.
HOW TO USE THE STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE
Instructions for looking up your own verses and finding the Greek and Hebrew definitions:
CLICK HERE TO USE THE STRONG’S ON LINE
EXAMPLE OF USING THE STRONG’S CONCORDANCE
You don’t have to be a Greek or Hebrew scholar to really appreciate word definitions in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. If you have a scripture promise from the Lord, it is very helpful to look up each prominent word in the Greek and Hebrew dictionary.
As an example, one night I heard the Lord say, “There will I make the horn of David to bud.” (Psalm 132:17 KJ) Immediately I saw a vision of my young son’s new tooth! In the morning, I looked up the word “horn” alphabetically in the Strong’s Concordance. A number is recorded beside the verse containing horn. (#7161) I looked up this number in the Hebrew dictionary in the back, and it defines horn in that particular verse as: {a horn as projecting, a flask, cornet, elephant’s TOOTH, corner, mountain peak, ray of light, power.} He was sharing with me I would bud forth, like a tooth, in the growth of His power; as in a process, not a onetime experience.
In the same period, I was told a friend’s dream in which she and I were on a journey to the Holy City. Along the way, we viewed a beautiful row of mountain peaks, in lovely color and in a perfect line. The Lord quickened to me the remainder of the promised verse: “There will I make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.” (Psalm 132:17 KJ) I discovered that ordained means {to set in a row, to array in orderly fashion, stretch in a straight line}. (#6186 Heb.) I understood that my life would be set in a row, just like the mountain peaks she saw. There would be order in my growing and budding forth.
Over and over again, these study tools have blessed my portion of hearing ears, simply because I have taken the time to look up words. Without them, I would not have found the depth of what I heard and saw in relation to His promises. It takes time and discipline to look up words. Yet, looking up words is related to DEFINITIONS which is what building a new spiritual vocabulary is all about. The more extensive our understanding of definitions, the broader our hearing capacity will be.
ENGLISHMAN’S CONCORDANCE
The Englishman’s Concordance generates a list of scriptures that use that same identical Hebrew or Greek word. The list of scriptures are found by typing in the Strong’s number.
Many times I have received a much deeper understanding of the context of a passage by seeing how that specific word is used elsewhere in another context. Seeing how the word is used in the context of other scriptures, gives a broader understanding of its meaning and how to apply it.
The Englishman’s Concordance can be a book, Bible software and in APPs. It is often packaged with the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
Luke 24:45 NKJV And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
DICTIONARIES and ENCYCLOPEDIAS Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias help fill in the missing pieces. During one season the Lord began speaking to me about the feasts. They are celebrations of the Old Testament, yet have a symbolic significance for us today and our future. Reading the Old Testament didn’t give me the organized information I needed to apply what He was sharing. I began studying the feasts in Bible dictionaries and His revelation began to connect in meaningful ways.
Luke 24:27 NKJV And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
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