New York, USA
Jamaica
Peru
Idaho, USA
India
Belgium
Kenya
Arkansas, USA
South Africa
England
Nigeria
Ohio, USA
Jesus said, “I will build My Church…” There is a single organization that teaches the entire truth of the Bible, and is called to live by “every word of God.” Do you know how to find it? Christ said it would:
Do you enjoy Bible study as much as you should?
Be honest. You know you should study God’s Word—but do you delight in it as God expects (Psa. 1:2; 112:1)?
Christ likened His message to a treasure hid in a field (Matt. 13:44). A man discovered this fortune and exuberantly sold all he had to buy the property and mine as much treasure as he could. Similarly, searching God’s Word is like prospecting for gold.
Gold collects beneath the Earth’s surface when molten rock containing the precious metal and other materials circulates toward the surface and cools, forming deposits. It is valued highly because it is so rare. Despite being discovered on every continent (except Antarctica), only 190,040 tons of gold have been discovered.
To give an idea of how little this is, if all the gold ever discovered were melted into one cube, it would only be about 70 feet on each side—enough to fill 100 tractor trailers. This includes all the gold in jewelry, private investment and the government sector.
Reserves below ground are estimated to be only another 54,000 tons.
Once prospectors identify an area with gold, they will do almost anything to secure control of it and mine it thoroughly.
Christ’s analogy is spot on. How does it fit with Bible study?
We have all experienced interest and excitement while examining scriptures. It could have been when first learning the truth or perhaps after hearing a particularly inspiring sermon or reading a thought-provoking Pillar article.
But this zeal can turn into the exception instead of the norm. If this describes you, take solace in the fact that you are not alone. We all occasionally find it difficult to muster excitement in studying Scripture.
Several reasons could explain a lack of delight in Bible study. If we are not naturally bookish or scholarly, it takes additional motivation to sit and focus on the pages of a book, even God’s Word.
Our schedules can also make it challenging. Though we recognize that in-depth study is important, “cares of this life” (Luke 21:34) can make it difficult to make time to research and probe verses. The promise to get to it when we have “more time” usually never materializes, or at best results in a superficial look at Scripture.
Recognizing the value of the wisdom, knowledge and understanding contained in God’s Word can motivate you to put forth the effort. Like prospecting for gold, a purposeful searching of the scriptures makes discovering priceless bits of spiritual and practical information worth the effort.
You can learn to find delight in searching God’s Word.
Though mining is more industrialized today, many still use traditional methods of gold prospecting.
Old-school prospecting tools include a shovel, a large bucket, a classifier (sifter), a gold pan, and access to water—usually a nearby pond or stream. A very small vial is used to collect what are usually only flecks of precious gold found after hours of effort.
Using one popular technique, the prospector will scoop large sections of dirt believed to have gold deposits into a five-gallon bucket covered by a classifier. The classifier sifts the larger stones and pebbles through mesh, allowing smaller dirt particles to collect in the bucket. (A half-inch mesh classifier has four holes per square inch while a quarter-inch mesh has about 16 holes per square inch.) The prospector checks the larger rocks remaining in the classifier for the extremely rare possibility they are made of gold.
After several scoops, the bucket becomes full of filtered dirt and is ready for an additional filtering process.
The prospector goes to the water’s edge, scoops dirt from the five-gallon bucket and puts it into the gold pan. He then adds water to the pan and performs a slow, swishing motion to thoroughly mix it into the dirt. While swishing the dirt-water mix, he slightly tilts the pan to pour out a small amount. Because gold is heavier than dirt, it sinks to the bottom of the pan.
The prospector repeatedly adds water, swishing and draining. With patience and a keen eye, he may eventually “see color” at the base of the pan—the color being specks of gold.
Several five-gallon buckets of dirt may, on a good day, yield a tiny fraction of an ounce of gold. Yet with gold currently worth nearly $1,500 per ounce, even a few grams are deemed well worth the effort.
So too is digging for priceless biblical knowledge. Scripture prospecting requires the right knowledge and tools. Searching scriptures may require “scooping” large sections of chapters and verses in an effort to find what you are looking for. Listening to sermons and reading articles with an open Bible can be likened to the careful filtration process needed to extract the prize. The water of the Holy Spirit aids in “swishing” and removing all the unnecessary particles, helping the Bible student “see the color” by the end of the journey. Though the amount of knowledge may be relatively small compared to “buckets” of information, it is invaluable in providing the peace, joy and contentment that comes with understanding.
The connection between Bible study and mining for gold demonstrates that Bible study is truly rewarding when done with purpose. The alternative is randomly digging through 750,000 or so words hoping to “strike gold.” This can feel pointless and rote. Identifying a “treasure” to be found as a result makes the effort well worth it.
Consider the 12 rules of effective Bible study, which have been outlined and explained in the Church’s literature. A number of them help create this purpose-driven study to help would-be Bible prospectors.
Rule 2, for instance, says to study for correction. If you find that you tend to be argumentative or antagonistic, study verses like Proverbs 13:10, which says, “Only by pride comes contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.” Once you identify pride as the true culprit, you can then study verses on overcoming it.
Rule 3 says study to prove all things. A family member or co-worker could make a compelling argument that Jesus Christ is really Michael the archangel. (This heresy is held by many Seventh-day Adventists citing Revelation 12:7-9 as proof.) A Bible study focusing on John 1:1-14 proves that Jesus Christ is not a created Being, rather He is a member of the eternal God Family. This analysis can then be tied to Genesis 1:26 to complete the study.
Rule 5 is yet another purpose for Bible study. This rule states we should study to learn what the Bible actually says on a given topic, not what we or others presume. (We will focus on this rule in the adjoining Bible study exercise.)
Pursuing just these three objectives can invigorate your study.
Though Bible study can come in several forms, it does not have to be complicated. You can relisten to a sermon and pause it to look up the verses covered and any related to them. You can pick up a Pillar or Real Truth article and write out the verses, meditating on their meaning. You can do something as simple as reading through the book of Psalms or Proverbs and thinking about ways to apply the principles to your life.
In each of these cases, recognize that you have identified a goal or purpose for study, which all revolves around reaching a better understanding of God’s Word.
The number-one rule of Bible study is to ask God for guidance. He is more than willing to help us mine biblical gold through His Holy Spirit and those trained by Christ in the ministry.
For more help, take the time to review our two-part World to Come series titled “The 12 Rules of Bible Study.” You should also review the companion reprint article, “The Rules of Effective Bible Study.” (Reviewing these is itself a form of Bible study.) They will provide a refreshing reminder of the steps necessary to make your study more delightful. Use them to gain more from this and future editions of The Pillar.
Studying God’s Word takes work. We are not born with the desire to put forth effort. It takes His guidance as well as knowledge of how to do so effectively. You now possess the basic framework for approaching Scripture.
Like the prospector excited about finding one of Earth’s most valuable substances, we can learn to eagerly extract precious wisdom from the Bible.
So let’s roll up our sleeves and dig in!
We will demonstrate a form of Bible study using an easy-to-follow word study technique. Our goal is to apply the fifth rule of Bible study, which is to look at what the text actually says on a topic. The topic in this exercise is Bible study itself.
While many verses allude to it, it appears that only one verse directly tells us to study the scriptures. Paul told Timothy and all Christians, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15).
One explicit verse on the subject of Bible study may not seem like much. However, the Bible is God’s living Word. It is “quick,” meaning alive (Heb. 4:12). Similar to meeting a person for the first time, there is often much more to learn about a verse than meets the eye. We cannot simply “judge a verse by its cover.”
Therefore, an important tip for studying and understanding the Bible is to go beyond the surface text. Taking steps such as reviewing the context of the verse (Rule 6) or doing a word study by looking up the definitions of key words can be very helpful.
Remember, the Bible we use today is a translation from ancient languages. In some cases, the original intent of the text has been obscured or missed. This is where looking up definitions of Hebrew, Greek or Aramaic words can offer a more accurate description.
(This can be done using a tool such as Strong’s concordance, which is available in hard copy, online via Blue Letter Bible, or the application e-Sword.)
For example, look at the word “study” in II Timothy 2:15. It is translated from the Greek word spoudazo which means “to use speed, that is, to make effort, be prompt or earnest.”
Expanding one word in the verse provides several paths to pursue. We can focus on the phrase “to use speed,” which alludes to having a sense of urgency. We could also choose to focus on “to make effort,” which points to physical or mental exertion. We could even focus on “be prompt” or “earnest,” which reflects sincere desire. This is all just from digging into one word in the verse!
Next we can look into phrases such as “showing yourself approved unto God.” This speaks to understanding that God, not those around us, is the ultimate judge of our Bible study. He knows the amount of effort we are putting into the task based on the time we make available. Studying our Bibles simply to impress others is a fruitless exercise.
We can also meditate on the fact that seeking to be approved of God means we do not have to “be ashamed” even if we are not as skilled at studying as the ministry or others. As long as we are putting forth our best effort, we can find true contentment (I Tim. 6:6). God, more than anyone, knows of what we are truly capable.
The verse even shows that consistently putting forth the right effort will help us “rightly divide the word of truth.” Rightly divide means “to make a straight cut” or “to dissect correctly.” Correct understanding is the ultimate reason for our Bible study. It does us no good to read if we do not comprehend what we are reading. The ability to “rightly divide”—to discern God’s intended message to His people or to mankind—is a precious ability.
You are no doubt seeing how mining the priceless information in just one verse can make study more rewarding. Next we will take a detailed look at “to make an effort” by combining it with Paul’s use of the word “workman.”
The word “workman” is translated from the Greek word ergates, which means “a toiler; figuratively a teacher.” To be a toiler, which simply means worker, requires effort. This ties in well with the term “study.”
This clearly shows God’s mind on Bible study: that it requires us to be workers. We have to put forth effort on a consistent basis—employ diligence—to be successful.
The word spoudazo from earlier is translated diligence in II Timothy 4:9 and verse 21. Using the Word of God to interpret itself (Rule 8), we can pursue more meaning of effective Bible study through a study of the word diligence.
What does the Bible say about being diligent? A lot. The word is found in the book of Proverbs seven times. Here are a few examples:
In summary, God says the diligent will be made rich, will rule, will be satisfied, and that their thoughts lead to abundance. Now, using the skills covered earlier, we should dig deeper.
In all four verses, the word diligent is translated from the Hebrew word charuts, which means “incised or (active) incisive…a trench (as dug), gold (as mined), a threshing-sledge (having sharp teeth); (figuratively) determination; also eager.”
Look at the English definition of the word incisive. According to Collins Dictionary, it means “cutting into.” The words incision, meaning “to cut,” and incisors, which describe sharp teeth, come from this word.
The word can also mean to be “sharp, keen; penetrating or acute.” When applied to speech or writing, it can mean to penetrate directly to the heart of the matter, resulting in clarity and eliminating ambiguity. “Rightly divide” from II Timothy 2:15 should come to mind. See how God’s living Word connects and builds upon itself?
Oxford Dictionary defines incisive as “(of a person or mental process) intelligently analytical and clear-thinking.”
A diligent person makes efforts to process, think about, and ponder matters, rather than coming to quick decisions or conclusions. Diligent Bible study requires this kind of effort. It takes work—the kind done by a “workman” as defined in the second book of Timothy.
What is also most fascinating in the definition of charuts is the connection to digging a trench to mine gold. What a wonderful way to describe the work that goes into Bible study and, most importantly, the value we obtain from the precious nuggets of information we discover. We may have to dig through large amounts of material to get to our gold, but the lifelong profit we gain from the effort is well worth it.
Tying this brief study together, we as disciples of Christ should apply diligence in Bible study, putting in incisive effort and thinking to rightly divide the word of truth (II Tim. 2:15) as though we were digging a trench to mine for gold.
Once we realize how to find the gold in God’s Word, our Bible study will become richer and more rewarding.
