The Bible - Lesson 4: How to use the Bible

The Bible

Lesson 4: How to use God's word, the Bible

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 [18] It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write himself a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites. [19] It shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Yahweh his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; [20] that his heart not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he not turn aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Psalm 1:1-3 [1] Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; [2] but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night. [3] He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.

MEDITATE

1. To dwell on any thing in thought; to contemplate; to study; to turn or revolve any subject in the mind; appropriately but not exclusively used of pious contemplation, or a consideration of the great truths of religion.

His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Ps.1.

"meditate." Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language. 2015. http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/word/meditate (14 May 2015).

The Main Points for This Lesson:

The purpose of this series of lessons is to provide some basic instructions and principles regarding the Bible, so that the scriptures may be found to be that which makes wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15) and not that which will judge in the last day (John 12:48).

In the previous lessons, we learned that the Bible is God's word. He gave it to us to hear and do. We should tremble at his word. God's word is important to us because it shows us the path to God, to eternal life.

With that in mind, what should we do with the Bible, with God's word? How should we use it that it may be to us the blessing God intended? In his word, God gives instructions regarding his word, some clear and explicit, and some implied.

READ. Included in “reading” is listening, giving ear, hearing, etc. While this may seem obvious (for isn't a book printed for the purpose of being read?), it needs to be stated. We must read the word of God. Further, we should read it regularly. God commanded the kings of Israel to read from his word all the days of their life. This was a wise command for them, and should be followed by God's people today as well.

MEMORIZE. The Psalmist wrote, “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). An important part of hiding God's word in our heart is memorization. Parents should help their children memorize scripture. We help them memorize the multiplication table. Of how much greater value, both for this life and for the next, is the word of God stored up in the heart and mind of a child.

MEDITATE. The blessed of God are those who meditate on God's word. We should spend time thinking about the things God has said, done and commanded. We are charged to set our mind on things above. Spending time to meditate on God's word is one way to do this. Meditating on the law of the Lord (Psalm 1:2) is a way to love the Lord with all our mind.

STUDY. We should study God's word, seeking to understand what God means. We study alone with God in prayer; We study God's word with others; We listen to others who have studied and lived according to God's word. Studying God's word is, in a sense, part of the larger definition of meditating of the word of God.

DELIGHT IN / TREASURE. We should delight in God's word, and treasure it. We may begin to do this by choosing to spend time with God's word instead of other things. As we spend time reading, memorizing and meditating on God's word, obeying all that we understand, we will find that the delight of the will (the purposeful and disciplined choosing) begins to include a delight, a joy in God and his word, the God who gives us life indeed.

PRAY. Prayer should accompany our reading of the Bible. We should ask God for wisdom and understanding as we read. We should pray for grace and mercy to walk according to the commands of God we read in his word. While prayer should accompany the reading of the Bible, we should also pray the Bible. The Bible records the prayers of many of God's people. Many Psalms are prayers to God. We should become familiar with and make use of these prayers, both as words and principles in praying.

SPEAK. The word of God should be ready on our lips. When spoken in love and wisdom, it is surely a wholesome word that is good for edification. When we speak (or read aloud) the word of God, we can more easily remember it. We should sing God's word. Many portions of scripture have been put to music. Many (if not all) of the Psalms were to be sung. Sing them.

Above are several things we should do with God's word. Yet, these are not ends in themselves. (See Deuteronomy 17:18-20.) We should do these things with the goal of learning (at least) two things. As we use the Bible, we should aim to learn to fear the Lord; and to learn to keep, to do, his word, to walk according to his commands. The purpose of learning these things is that we may have a humble heart towards God and men, and that we may faithfully follow God and his command. The result of gaining this purpose is a long life (eternal life) with God in his kingdom for yourself and for your children.

Suggestions:

To open the lesson, pray for the teacher and the students.

Let the children know that we are continuing a few lessons on the Bible. In this lesson, we will talk about how to use the Bible, God's word.

Do a quick overview of the previous lessons with the children by asking them questions. Where does the Bible come from? (From God, through apostles and prophets, and Jesus. Hence we call it the word of God.) We should hear it and...? (Obey it, or do it.) What should be our attitude towards God's word? (We should tremble at God's word.) Why? (Because God means what he says.) Why it God's word important to us? (It shows us how to see God, or how to get to God.)

This lesson does not have a specific story.

How should we use God's word, the Bible? What should we do with it? (You should read it.) You can read it alone and with others. Can you listen to it? (Yes.)

We should memorize it. Do any of you have a verse memorized that you can recite? (Let them recite a verse they know.)

We should meditate on it. Explain that meditate means to spend time thinking about something. Do any of you know a good story from the Bible? What is your favorite story? You could spend time thinking about that story. If you can't fall asleep, think about a story from the Bible. If you have to sit for a while with nothing to do, try meditating on a story from the Bible that you remember.

We should study it. Do any of you study the Bible? Do you ever ask someone to explain what something from the Bible means? That is the beginning of studying it.

We should delight in it. Do you choose to read the Bible? If it is important, and if it can be such a help to us both for this life and for the next, shouldn't we like the Bible, and like to read it?

We should pray it. Can you think of any part of the Bible that we could pray? (The Lord's Prayer.)

We should speak it. Why should we speak the word of God? (So others can hear it. So I can learn it better.) Do any of you sing the Bible? Do you know songs from the Bible? You can sing one or two Bible songs with them.

Finally, you can ask the children: Why should we do all these things? (So that we can know God and obey him.)

To close the lesson, pray with the children and have all the children read the Lord's prayer together.

Stories:

More Stories and Examples:

Other Verses:

READ

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 [18] It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write himself a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites. [19] It shall be with him, and he shall read from it all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Yahweh his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; [20] that his heart not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he not turn aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.

God commanded through Moses that the future kings of Israel should write for themselves a copy of God's word and then read from it every day. He was to read from it for specific reasons. He should read it seeking to learn to fear the Lord. He should read it to learn to keep, to do, God's commands. He should read it seeking to learn humility before God and men. He should read it desiring to learn to be faithful to God and his commands. If the king daily reads God's word for these goals, as he learns and lives out these things, the result will be a long life in the kingdom, both for himself and his children, in the midst of God's people. This counsel was good for the kings of Israel. It is also good for us today. We should daily read God's word. Yet, we should not read it just for the sake of reading it. Rather, we should read it with these specific goals in mind. Such a use of God's word must lead to eternal life in God's eternal kingdom.

MEMORIZE

Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

2 Peter 3:1-2 [1] This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you; [2] that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior:

The apostle Peter wrote his second epistle so that God's people would remember the word of God spoken through the prophets and apostles. Taking time to memorize God's word is one way we can help ourselves to remember what the apostle Peter thought so important to keep in our thoughts.

MEDITATE

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.

Psalm 1:1-3 [1] Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; [2] but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night. [3] He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.

Psalm 119:97-99 [97] How I love your law! It is my meditation all day. [98] Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for your commandments are always with me. [99] I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

Proverbs 22:17-21 [17] Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching. [18] For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. [19] That your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach you today, even you. [20] Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge, [21] To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.

STUDY

2 Timothy 2:15 Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who doesn’t need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 [KJV] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

SPEAK

Proverbs 22:17-21 [17] Turn your ear, and listen to the words of the wise. Apply your heart to my teaching. [18] For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. [19] That your trust may be in Yahweh, I teach you today, even you. [20] Haven’t I written to you thirty excellent things of counsel and knowledge, [21] To teach you truth, reliable words, to give sound answers to the ones who sent you?

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.

PRAY

DELIGHT IN / TREASURE

Psalm 1:1-2 [1] Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers; [2] but his delight is in Yahweh’s law. On his law he meditates day and night.

Proverbs 7:1-2 [1] My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you. [2] Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

1 Peter 2:2 as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,