Video: God's Word is for YOU! (Nehemiah 8:8)

God's Word: Applicable for ALL!

Nehemiah 8:8 (NIV)

"They read from the book of the Law, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being said."

This little gem of a verse is very meaningful when you see the context!  It shows us that God's Word is even more valuable when it is explained by teachers. We can also deduce from this that the Bible is to be understood in your own language, and your own context. A biblical passage from the Old Testament (444 BC) before Christ was even born is able to be applied to my daily life and yours. 

What really excites me about this verse is that God's Word was "made clear."  When you go to the original Hebrew text (you can find it in a Strong's Concordance), you see that the word used there can be translated "translated." In fact it is good to compare Bible translations, and you will see that the New New American Standard Bible uses this word. Some other Bible translations use the term "distictly." This is because the word in Hebrew means to slice and dice,  and make the meaning clear and distinct. It also applies to translation. 

Having worked at Bible Institute for pastoral training in West Africa for ten years, I found a clear understanding of God's Word, the culture of the Bible, and the culture it is applied to, to be important pieces to share about God. We as American international workers, in Jesus' name, must be very clear to not bring an American form of the Gospel or have it perceived as a white man's God. The Bible was not written in America! It came from  Middle Eastern context over a period of 1400 years. It is in sync as for Biblical thought and teaching about God, from one era of Bible times to another. It is applicable to every man and woman, every child, and every tribe and nation in it's own time, because our God transcends time and places and wants to reach out for a relationship with all people!  It is thrilling to explain the Bible to people and see the light come on because God reaches into their individual circunstance and touches their life.

May you look at the Bible in a fresh way today. Ask God to give you wisdom for today, for whatever is your life situation. 

Up next: Personal Bible Study Methods

Previous post: God's Word: So Inspiring