Getting the Most out of the Word of God.

Getting the Most out of the Word of God.

Zechariah 2:7-13

“Up Zion. Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” For thus says the Lord of Hosts: “He has sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. They you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!”

When studying scripture, there are questions we need to be asking, for it's not enough just to read God’s word. It's in asking questions and taking notes that we learn and remember. What questions should we ask, I hear you say?

1. Why is the phrase included in the scripture?

2. What does it mean for me today?

3. What eternal truths can I learn?

When it comes to learning, we can come at it with one of two mindsets – opened or closed. When closed, your mind cannot take in the information you want to learn, so be open to learning. It’s easy to say I can’t focus; I can’t understand what I’m reading. It’s harder to take the time to look deeply.

Be open to learning new things. Believe there’s always more you can learn on any topic. Look back and forth between your notes, study guides and the internet. Write down your findings.

Ask questions, such as why does it matter? How does it fit in?

To get the most out of what you’re learning, mind map and create summaries. Look for the important relationships between your ideas. Which are the most important? Look for similarities/differences. Analyse and judge. Justify your hypothesis.

With the Bible, even simple words can have great meaning. Take the word surely for instance, from the biblical verse above. The word surely here, means to emphasize a firm belief that what the writer says is true. That's there is no doubt.

Set the writer speaks of surety, without doubt, is an important part of the text and we could have easily overlooked such a simple word. There is considerable meaning behind every sentence sitting within the pages of this great book.

When reading a passage we need to ask; What does that mean for that bible verse?

*Why is the phrase included here?

Why Zion and Babylon? What does it mean, sent Me after His glory? Who were the plundering nations at the time of writing? Are there plundering nations still around today? If so, where are they? Who are they?

To be sent after His glory; the Devine mission, restoration and honour, judgement and vindication. Can we delve deeper here?

What else do we need to know within these few sentences?

*What does it mean for me today?

We’re told to sing and rejoice and that’s important, for that connects us to the Almighty. The Lord dwells in our midst and we connect to Him through our praise and worship.

*What eternal truths can I learn from this passage?

The eternal truths are the availability of God’s presence and protection. God’s love for His people. Rejoicing over His promises and God’s sovereignty, the ability for God to bring about His plans and a future hope (something sadly lacking in todays society).

These truths provide comfort and encouragement. They show God’s character and His plans for His people.

Here I've just scratched the surface of this passage. You can go as deeply, or as shallow as you have time. Some days I have plenty of time to dive deep. Other days not so much. Here though, is a guide for you do work towards as you try to understand all that God has for you.

The bible is a book to savour, not a book to rush through and if you want to make the most out of the words God is speaking, its worth taking the time to do a deep dive.