Study the bible by subject, key to understanding.

Studying, like the Bible is a two edged sword. Studying can be boring and monotonous or it can be exciting and productive. It can just be a waste of time or it can help you get a job or improve your quality of life. Just reading the Bible can be just hard work. You might have tried to start reading the Bible just for the sake of completing the whole Bible. I have seen programs that help you read the entire Bible in just 90 days. Although these programs are great and if you can concentrate and meditate on so much material in such a short period of time they can be very beneficial, it is much better to take small bites and digest them.

So how can you take bite size pieces of the Bible and still make it meaningful? One way is to study the Bible by subjects. Let’s take one example so you can see the benefits of studying the Bible by topic.

One of the big questions of the history of humanity is: If there is a God that loves us, why does he allow suffering? This timeless question has baffled theologians and thinkers since the beginning. To get a nice overview of the subject you could read the book of Job which deals with the issue in detail. Job suffers terribly without known reason and asks God why he can’t just put him to death. A feeling many today can understand. After this three false friends of Job go on to say all the explanations people and religions have expressed throughout history: it is God’s will, you suffer as a punishment of your sins and many other false teachings.

The answer of why God allows us to suffer is an interesting study that will take us all over the Bible.

1) A nice place to start is by reading James chapter 1, especially verse 13 that teaches us that Jehovah God does not tempt us or place problems and tribulations in our way.

2) Then we can read 2 Corinthians chapter 4, specifically verse 4 and also 1 John 5:19 that tells us who the ruler of the world really is. And therefore, who is truly responsible for the troubles of mankind.

3) Now we know the main culprit of humankind’s pitiful state we can find out other culprits. Ecclesiastes 8:9 helps us to see that mankind’s attempts to govern others are also at the heart of the problem.

4) Ecclesiastes 9:11 rounds up the issue by explaining that time and unforeseen occurrence befall us all and that sometimes it really isn’t anybody’s fault, just the consequence of living in a world that is not controlled by God.\

5) Finally we could look up Revelation 21:1-4 to see what promises God has made for the future when the terrible suffering of this world, the things of the past, will be forgotten and the earth will become a wonderful paradise full of happy and perfect humankind.

Did you notice how this brief study of the topic of suffering has taken us all over the Bible, from Job to 1 John, from the letters of Paul to the writings of Solomon. The Bible combines harmoniously to provide answers to our deepest questions.

How to study and enjoy the Bible?

Reading and studying the Bible should be fun. If it is not, you are doing something wrong. But don’t worry we have all fallen into the trap of not enjoying our Bible reading. It happens to all kinds of athletes that love their sport but because of pressure and other issues forget why they enjoyed playing in the first place. But the love of reading the Bible can be developed and can be recovered.

The Bible makes fascinating reading. As a literary work alone it plays a major role in the literature and language of many languages.

By reading the Bible you and I can get to know about our creator Jehovah. We can also learn a great deal of practical wisdom. The quality of putting into practice useful knowledge. As a Bible proverb says: “Wisdom is the prime thing. Acquire wisdom; and with all that you acquire, acquire understanding.” This proverb gives us a hint of how to enjoy our Bible reading and study. We must see practical results from doing so. We must understand the benefits of what we are reading for us to really enjoy it. How can we benefit from our Bible reading?

1) Get yourself a good schedule. This does not mean you need to read much. Great Bible students just read a chapter or two a day. The key is to understand what you read. Find a time of the day you are alert and in the right frame of mind to read. Don’t just read for reading sake. Take time to understand every word and make sure you savor every thought. You are sharing in your Creator’s thoughts, it is not something to be rushed.

2) Choose where to start and make a goal for yourself. Starting from the beginning, Genesis, is always a good idea. Some find it easier to start with well known passages like the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Poetic books like Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are also favorites and might just be what kick starts your enjoyment of Bible reading.

Whatever route you choose, make sure you read the whole Bible. Some have the mistaken view that they only need to read the New Testament. The Bible clearly says of itself in 2 Timothy 3:16: “all Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial”. Both the Hebrew and Greek scriptures are important and you will enjoy them both greatly.

3) Study it by topic. Reading the Bible from cover to cover is a great goal, we should all fulfill. However the best way to study the Bible is by topic. This way we can get real understanding of important subjects. For example in just a few days, by reading a few chapters a day we could learn the key points of such subjects as:
The origin of life and man’s fall into sin.  Genesis
The founding of ancient Israel.  Exodus to Deuteronomy
Action-packed accounts of the days of the judges in Israel. Joshua to Esther
Moving poetry and song.  Job, Psalms, Song of Solomon
Wisdom for living.  Proverbs, Ecclesiastes.

Why not start with one topic today!