Let Us Commence Preparations for Reading

The first week of this cycle of reading will be spent in the book of Joshua. We are going to take a different approach to our reading for this section of the Bible. Here is a worksheet that you should print. Use it as you work your way through the book. NOTE: This exercise will be most fruitful if you have a partner. You can hold each other accountable to the schedule and share the work you have done. (If you need someone to share your answers with and keep you accountable, email your contact information to strategicbible@gmail.com and we can talk over the phone or through email.) The goal of this first read-through is to familiarize ourselves with the content so that we can engage with it in a more meaningful way the second and third times that we read it.

The first section of the worksheet is an outline. The book is divided into four sections. What I would like you all to do as you read is name each of these sections. Then write down one event in that section (or more if you are feeling ambitious) that stood out to you.

The second section on the worksheet is a section called “Words and Phrases”. As you come across these words and phrases in the book, write down the reference in the section provided. After you have finished reading the book, go back and see if you can give a good definition(s) of the word or phrase based on the content of the book.

Finally, there is a section in which you can write questions in preparation for your next read-through. Maybe something caught your attention halfway through the book and you did not have time to go back and look. Maybe you have an idea that you need to research further. Write it down and look for more evidence in the second read-through.

I hope this worksheet will help to facilitate a more focused and fruitful reading for you all.

Crossing over the Jordan: A Primer for Reading the Early Prophetic Writings

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Quick Note

I just wanted to say, "thank you," to all who have joined with me in this endeavor. I look forward to reading and conversing with you over the next six months as we tackle a new challenge. Let me just lead off by saying that we will only be reading the selections through three times in this section, so it should give you all ample time to read and reflect on the material. There will also be more substantial information provided here on the blog. As a starter, here is the schedule of readings.

There will be much more to follow on Sunday.

Recap: Our Adventure Thus Far

If you have been reading along with us since the beginning, then you have read through the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and the story of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Revelation). Having read through these a number of times, you probably have a good idea of the foundation of the Christian faith. You likely also have a lot of questions about it. That is good; it will make you read it all again some day.

Moving Forward: The Early Prophetic Writings

Now it is time to delve back into the First Testament. We are going to pick up where we left off, reading through Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 2 Kings. I have titled this the Early Prophetic Writings because that is how these texts are understood in Judaism. They are not “historical books;” they are part of what makes up the “Prophets” section of the Hebrew Bible (joined by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Book of the Twelve).

This categorization should color the way we read these texts. It is central to the confession of the Christian faith and the Jewish faith that these texts are inspired, prophetic texts. These texts are inspired because they are interpretations of events that have been authorized by the God of Israel. These texts are prophetic because they are produced by the community of Israel, God’s agent of revelation in the world (for more on this, listen to this sermon). In other words, prophecy is not simply future casting. Prophecy is what issues from the mouth or “pen” of the appointed agents of God, whether it interprets the past, present, or future.

With that said, these books are filled with confusing and sometimes conflicting information. For instance, did Joshua leave Israel with “rest…from all their surrounding enemies” (Joshua 23:1)? Or were they constantly fighting and compromising with the Canaanites after his death (Judges 1-3)? And does anyone really know what is going on with Jehoram of Israel, Joram of Israel, and Jehoram of Judah at the beginning of 2 Kings? (I know I do not have a clue.)

We may not clarify all of these issues 100%. But, I think we will be able to discern the strand of consistent witness within these six books. These books convey the ebbs and flows of the nation to which God has bound himself inextricably. Further, they display a God slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, contrasted with a people that are quick to take advantage of God’s reluctance to exact his covenant curse for the sake of self-service and greed. It is also filled with  strands of the gritty faithfulness of individuals who provide hope for Israel's future. In short, these texts tell us something important about what we are as human beings. Their stories give us tangible witness to our past and help us interpret our present so that we can become something different in the future. This is the true mark of prophecy.

How Little I Know

I am finally on the other side of my teaching responsibilities and my move from Kansas City to California. So, though it is late in the game, I thought I would give you a few thoughts on the fine and frustrating piece of literature that is the book of Revelation, or, the Apocalypse of John.

Negatively, Revelation has been accused of excessive obscurity, leading to confusion and misinterpretation. This is often a result of inexperienced interprets taking a run at it. (Note the above artistic rendition of "Caucasian John" writing in a book--can anybody say, "racially ignorant anachronism?") As a result, many pastors and theologians have refrained from offering interpretation (most notably, John Calvin).

Positively, Revelation is a crucible to test our ability to understand the narrative world of the Bible. Nearly every sentence contains a reference to the First Testament, of which the author assumed his audience was aware. For instance, in chapter 11:1-2, John is given a measuring tool to determine size of the Temple just as Ezekiel was in Ezekiel 40:3. The horses mentioned in Revelation 6 are a reference to the horses of Zechariah’s vision. The examples could fill a thousand pages of analysis. Suffice it to say that a significant, working understanding of the First Testament is required to set the stage for a proper reading of Revelation. In other words, it is helpful to know and understanding how to interpret what John is referencing before interpreting John’s use of the example.

I often feel inadequate as I read. This inadequacy causes me to reflect on the fact that I still do not quite understand the world of the Bible as well as I would hope. These metaphors and descriptions should form, and in many ways do form, the way I view our world. When John uses them to compose a message it is an opportune time to take inventory to see if I am really invested in the world as depicted in Scripture.

In short, an encounter with the book of Revelation reminds me how little I know. We must constantly take inventory regarding our understanding of this biblical world. Do we think in the metaphors of the biblical world? Do we speak in them? Do we meditate on them day and night? Do we teach them diligently to our children? Are they fronlets between our eyes and bindings on our hands?

So here is a question: How often does the worldview narrated in Scripture invade and transform your understanding of the world you experience? Until our world is invaded by the prophetic imagery of the First Testament we will be doomed to misappropriate this important text.

Follow-up question: What images and passages are most confusing to you as you read through Revelation?