I’m going to give you a reading schedule this year and I encourage you to read the whole Bible all the way through. Not just those parts we like, such as Psalms or Matthew. All of it. To help in your understanding, I’ll give some basic introductory information about the book we’ll read.

The book of Genesis is so named because it is the “beginning” of many things, not the least of which is God’s plan to save man through Jesus Christ. In Hebrew, it is called bere’shet after its initial word – “In the beginning.” Moses is attributed as the author which means Genesis (and the other four books of Law – Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) was perhaps written while the Israelites were camped around Mt. Sinai.

In Genesis, Moses sets out to define for the Israelites who they are by showing them where they came from. The whole world was created by God (chapter 1). Mankind was created by God, in His image (chapter 2). Man sinned against God (chapter 3) but God allows man into His presence through worship (chapter 4). Following the murder of Abel by Cain, mankind split into two groups: the “sons of God” who followed God and the “daughters of men” who did not. The latter were Cain’s descendents. The former were Seth’s descendants, another son of Adam and Eve (chapter 5).

The daughters of men eventually influenced negatively the sons of God and sin filled the earth. Consequently, God destroyed the world through the flood of Noah’s day (chapters 6-9). From Noah came a host of different nations (chapters 10-11) but they followed the easy path of sin. So, God chose Abraham, who had remained a believer in the one true God, to be the father of His people, Israel (chapters 12ff).

Read every chapter with the theme of the Bible in mind: The salvation of man through Jesus Christ to the glory of God.

–Paul Holland

The packet of long slender bread rolls purchased in a supermarket in Khulna, Bangladesh was clearly labeled “hot duck bread.” After searching in vain for some hot ducks with which to eat it, we came to the conclusion that what was intended was “hot dog buns” (or bread). As is so often observed, much is often lost in translation.

Our understanding of the Bible is undeniably affected by the necessity of translation. Even those who have the opportunity and ability to learn the original languages in which Scripture was written (primarily Hebrew and Greek) labor with the hardship of working with a “second language,” with which relatively few become truly fluent. The vast majority of Bible readers must think in a language other than that in which the concepts of Scripture were first revealed.

This is not an insurmountable difficulty. Jesus and the apostles, whose native tongue was almost certainly Aramaic, seem to have worked primarily with the Septuagint – the Old Testament translated into the Greek language. The great theologians of the early centuries of Christianity were primarily Latin speakers, though some were obviously multi- lingual. Some great preachers and Bible scholars of modern times are limited in fluency with the Biblical languages. These facts have not denied us access to revealed truths, nor have they made the Bible any less the Word of God, written for us (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11).

The necessity of translation however does introduce possibilities of misunderstanding that we must acknowledge and work diligently to avoid. Words in different languages rarely have the identical range of meanings. Idiomatic phrases, grammatical constructions peculiar to a particular tongue, and other idiosyncrasies produce disparate meanings.

How does the sincere seeker of truth deal with these difficulties? There are many tested methods which give assurance of sound interpretation. First, choose a standard, well-established translation, which begins with the text in its original languages. For serious study of difficult passages, read and compare multiple translations, not just to choose which meaning one likes best, but to assure that all possible interpretations are presented. Only after determining this may one then compare other passages of the Bible and one’s knowledge of the overall Biblical purpose to determine the true interpretation.

Someone has said that the most important translation of the Bible is that into one’s life, rather than into one’s language. Here, too, there may be difficulties of expression. Each one’s efforts to apply Scriptural truth will be to some degree imperfect. Each will make mistakes. Does that invalidate the “translation”? Not at all. God has promised his patience and mercy, forgiving us of our sins, if we continue to repent and strive for perfection (1 John 1:8-2:2).

Just as I can find hot dog buns in a strange country, in spite of imperfect labeling, so can we see the influence of Jesus in imperfect Christians. Let us continue to work to achieve perfection, but let us also rely on the grace of God, and the patience of other Christians. “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

–Michael E. Brooks @ forthright.net

He Was Entrusted With Responsibility (18:2).  When David organized resistance against his rebellion son, Ittai was given charge of a third of his entire fighting force.  A man so recently come, Ittai must have been a clearly visible leader.  David recognized how worthy of trust and delegation he was.
Thank God for the heroes, known and obscure, who can motivate us and exemplify for us traits of leadership and discipleship that can help us do great things to the glory of God.

–Neal Pollard

If you use any electronic device to read the Bible, please bear in mind this warning:  You may find a mistake.  Over the last few years I have found at least three errors in the electronic version of the Bible I use and the latest one popped up today. 

The ASV of 1901 is supposed to say:  “and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.”  An electronic version of this passage says:  “and believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of them and women.”

While “e-errors” may be relatively rare in our electronic forms of the Bible, they are there!

Brad Price
www.abiblecommentary.com

And the pages are torn,

And though places bear traces of tears.

Yet more precious than gold,

Is this book worn and old,

That can scatter and shatter my fears.

 This old book is my guide.

This is a friend by my side

It will lighten and brighten my way;

And each promise I find,

Soothes and gladdens my mind,

As I read it and heed it each day.

 To this book I will cling,

Of its worth I will sing,

Though great losses and crosses be mine;

For I cannot despair,

Though surrounded by care,

While possessing this blessing divine.

She replied “A can of peaches.”

The judge asked her why she had stolen the can of peaches and she replied that she was hungry. The judge then asked her how many peaches were in the can.

She replied, “Six.”

The judge said, “Then I will give you six days in jail.” Before the judge could actually pronounce the punishment, the woman’s husband spoke up and asked the judge if he could say something.

The judge said, “What is it?”

The husband said, “She also stole a can of peas.”

It’s so true that whenever others are found guilty, we want to make sure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I sometimes ask people the question, “Do you want a judge (or a police officer) who shows mercy or one who administers justice?” The answer I get is almost always the same — if we are standing before the judge or pulled over by the police officer, we want mercy; if others are standing there, we want justice.

The interesting thing about God is that He is perfect in His justice while at the same time full of mercy. How can He be both? When we are guilty of sin, He finds us guilty to the full extent of the law. The penalty for our sin is death — spiritual death, separation from God (Romans 6:23). But, in His mercy, God has found a way to pay the price Himself.

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Cor. 5:21)

Praise God for being the just and holy God that He is, but praise Him as well for being full of grace and mercy.

– Alan Smith