Keys to unlock your bible

In this study, we are to look into the subject of the Holy Scriptures THE BIBLE to discover its worth, blessing and power inbuilt. You can bear with me that it is not and easy book to understand. Frankly speaking, hardly can any really confess to know and perhaps fully understand the Bible.

What does the word “Bible” means? Its origin comes from the Greek word “BIBLOS” which means BOOK. In this case, GOD's BOOK! So simple and yet so powerful!
The world has many books called Holy Books from the various gods of the various religions. These books are so numerous that to list all here will affect or limit our space. Before we go further, there is need to study some facts and details of the Bible's composition.

There are two divisions to the Holy Scriptures; this we agree! Before Jesus, it is known as The Old Testament (O.T.); After Jesus, it is called The New Testament (N.T.). The Old Testament (O.T.) contains 39 Books while the New Testament (N.T) contains 27. In all, there are 66 Books. A BOOK of BOOKS.

Nevertheless, some Christians and others world wide are of the opinion that there are more than 66 books to the Bible. This is so because they lack the knowledge that the Bible itself has stated its total book content. So, rather than resort to argument, let's examine the Word of God itself for the answer. See Lev. 24:5-7 where the “bread of presence” in the “Holy” of the Tabernacle is in 2 rows of 6 loaves each, representing the 66 Books of the “Spiritual Bread” from God, which is the BIBLE. Let it be illustrated for a better understanding:

The first five Books of the O.T. are called The PENTATEUCH and were written by Moses. The Jews call it The TORAH. It is very sacred to them the Law from God! This Bible took an unbelievable 1700 years to be written. The Old Testament took 1600 years and the New Testament 100 years. No other book in this world can boast of such a long period for its composition!

The first book to be written of the Bible was the book of Job; while the Book of REVELATION was the last to be written in 96 A.D. A total of 40 Authors were used by God as His instruments from different and varying backgrounds to record His words. For example, Luke was a doctor (Colos. 4:14). Matthew, a tax collector (Lk. 5:27&28). David was a shepherd and later became a king (1 Sam. 16:19). Solomon, a king (1 Kings 2:12). Moses was highly educated and was being trained to be the next Pharaoh of Egypt (Exo. 2:10). Paul was a Pharisee but well educated (Acts 23:6). Amos, a poor shepherd (Amos 7:14). Peter and John, etc. were fishermen (Matt. 4:18-21).

The most interesting, wonderful and unbelievable thing about the Bible is that, it is totally in harmony and without any contradiction at all; thus bringing the understanding that the REAL AUTHOR IS GOD HIMSELF using human instrumentality (Refs. Heb. 1:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:16). This Book is the most read Book with even non-Christians. But it is rather unfortunate that the Bible is also the MOST MISUNDERSTOOD Book with its language and symbols greatly misunderstood by even a great majority of Christians themselves.

Matt. 4:4; Deu. 8:3; Jer. 15:16, all confirm that the Bible is the spiritual food from God to man. And just like how natural food is varied in nature and the nutrition is suited to the different stages of development; so too is with spiritual food. Apostle Paul in Heb. 5: 12-14 shows very clearly the varied spiritual food - “Milk” and “Solid food”. Just as growing babes move from milk only to solid food so too must be the progress and growth spiritually. But as he rightly says many are found to have no growth at all as he says “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God …”.

The “milk” of God's word (Heb. 6:1-3) is all the elementary basic doctrinal teachings as further expressed by the Apostle Peter in 1 Pet. 2:2 “As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,”. Yes! All spiritual growth must begin with “milk” as it is in Natural Growth. As a result of the vast misunderstanding tendencies thrilling this great Book of Books, there is need to apply the three “Golden Keys” to unlock it. These keys are golden, representing that which is Divine as these keys are of God.

Ø GOLDEN KEY 1: “For precept must be upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little” (Is. 28:10). Let us examine its context as in v. 9 “Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? …” The context is how to study and understand the teachings (doctrines) of the Bible. This is the first golden key. Here, “precepts” means teachings or subjects; and “rule” means verses. There is to be a proper systematic order of this study of teachings (subjects) and the subjects themselves have an order of verses (“rule”). What therefore is “here a little and there a little”? This means that the verses required for study are scattered in the Bible as they are “here a little and there a little”. A case study is the story of ENOCH in the Bible, found in three verses only and they are all spread out in the Bible. First in Gen 5:24; then Heb. 11:5 and lastly in Jude 14. This is the principle of “here a little and there a little”. Again, mention is made twice of “percept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line…” This refers to the fact that all Bible studies must involve the two parts of God's word - the Old and New Testaments.

Isaiah 34:17 explains the reasons why the verses “here a little and there a little”. He has cast the LOT for them, and His hand has divided it among them with a measuring line; They shall possess it forever, from generation to generation they shall dwell in it”. Yes! God cast a “lot” for his truth. In the practice of casting lots a single sheet of paper was torn into pieces and the names of the persons involved in that lot was written upon the pieces of paper and finally the lot was cast. Similarly, God, for each of his doctrines and teachings of truth has divided the truth “by line” that is through verses and then God has taken the various verses pertaining to the teachings and hid and distributed these all over the 66 Books of the Bible. This is the divine system of locking the truth.
Some may ask “Why does God lock the truth?” The answer is because it is very precious and not to be dishonoured and misused. This is exactly as you human would store and lock your precious valuables in safes and complicated lockers. Thank God! How to open it is in Isaiah 34:16, where one needs to search and seek in the word of God for those verses; for every verse has “its mate”. This refers to every verse of question having a corresponding or answering verse.