Introduction
The purpose of this book is to help you find enlightenment and enjoyment as you study the Word of God. Don’t think of these chapters as a lecture series. Please see them as conversations between you and me about growing “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). I’ll offer some ideas about many passages in the Bible, and your job is to take those ideas and run with them. Weigh what I say with the Scriptures, and use what I say as a beginning of your own exploration of the Bible.
You should know that this book is about the practical use of hermeneutics, a word adapted from a Greek word meaning “skilled in interpretation.” Whether we are reading Shakespeare, the daily newspaper, or the Bible, we must follow recognized principles of interpretation or we will misunderstand what we are studying. Every believer needs to know how to interpret the Bible accurately and to apply its truths practically in daily life.
Let me assure you that I have written this book for sheep and lambs and not for giraffes! You shouldn’t have to stretch too high to grasp what you want. H. A. Ironside, one of my pastoral predecessors at the Moody Church in Chicago, used to say, “I try to put the cookies on the lowest shelf so that everybody can reach them.” Believe me, he didn’t just try—he succeeded! His expositions of the Scriptures still reach the minds and hearts of serious Bible students.
As you read this book, please have your Bible at hand so you can look up and read the verses that are cited but not quoted. The goal of hermeneutics is to help serious Bible students interpret the Scriptures accurately so they can apply divine truth practically and detect false teachings. We must be determined, with God’s help, to become like the person described in Psalm 1:2 whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Or like Ezra the scribe who “prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statues and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). (See also Ps. 119:97–104.)
The material shared in this book is written for any Christian who wants to go deeper in personal Bible study as well as for those who study the Bible while preparing to teach individuals or classes or to preach to congregations. A better understanding of the Bible will enrich your life in many ways, so go for it! Bible study should be an adventure and not an affliction. If it is a burden, something is wrong in the heart. I hope this book will help you develop a sense of the excitement of studying the Bible.
One more thing: if you have never memorized the books of the Bible in sequence, please do so. One of the marks of serious Bible students is their ability to find the texts they are seeking. You won’t need to buy cumbersome page markers or keep consulting the table of contents. If you really want to be a successful Bible student, take the time to learn the books of the Bible.
May the Lord bless all of us as we seek to understand His precious Word! May the holy Word of God humble us, encourage us, and enable us to serve the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit!
Warren W. Wiersbe