The Bible is one of the most popular books in the world. Actually, statistics show that the Bible tops the best seller list every year. World sales of the Bible are more than 100 million every year. Impressive numbers, huh?
Interestingly enough, some don’t ever read the Bible and just use it as a decoration. Others approach the Bible as a historical book. There are some who don’t like to read because they were taught to approach the Bible out of obligation. There are still others who approach and read the Bible for knowledge. They want to show how much they know about the Bible. I mean knowing the Bible is not a bad thing at all. The problems begin, however, when the Bible becomes a weapon to show knowledge or people use the Bible as weapon and start beating others up to prove their point.
There are a number of passages in the Bible that talk about the Bible. One of the passages (stories) comes from the prophet Jeremiah. It is through this man who was rejected by his local community and even by his own family that God speaks a crucial word about His own Word (the Scripture) in Jeremiah 31: 31 – 34. Jeremiah 31: 31 – 34 is a passage that many theologians and historians define as the Gospel before the Gospels. Furthermore, it is a passage that does not directly refer to the Bible yet I believe it captures the very essence of God’s word.
Israel (the house of Judah) is going through times of judgment and destruction because they broke their covenant with God. In other words, God chose the Israelites to be His people. He chose them not because they necessarily had it all together. On the contrary, the Israelites were, perhaps, one of the most stubborn and disobedient people ever (very much like many of us). God chose them out of His mercy and grace. There was nothing that they could have done to deserve being chosen by God. God chose the Israelites and made certain promises requiring certain behavior from His people in return. For example, God made a covenant with Noah (Not to destroy the earth again), Abraham (Father of many nations), Isaac, Jacob (uncountable descendents), Moses (to make the children of Israel special possession among all people), etc. Especially in the situation with Moses, God gave His laws (Ten Commandments) through Moses as guidelines for blessings. Not guidelines to get rid of problems but guidelines to live emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthier. The problem is the people of Israel not only couldn’t fully obey the laws but they couldn’t fulfill their part of the covenant either. In the situation with the prophet Jeremiah, the people of Israel seemed to have reached the climax of disobedience of God’s law and covenant with Him. It is in this situation that God tells them about the law He gave and covenant(s) He made with them.
One of the things that is interesting though is God didn’t approach the people of Israel saying that they had to read the law more often (God’s word). Neither did God approach the situation saying that they were to memorize each verse of the law. But God talks about the law (scripture) from the standpoint of relationship. God spoke through Jeremiah using the powerful image of a husband who loves His wife so much and who deeply desires to be in close relationship with her.
I don’t know your approach to the Bible. Perhaps, you have learned that the more you read and acquire knowledge of the Bible, the better you will be. Again, there is nothing wrong with you knowing different parts of the Bible. The problem is when knowledge becomes a weapon to prove my point. Perhaps, your perspective of the Bible is that it is a tedious book that you have to read out of obligation. If you don’t, you will be punished. Again, I don’t know how you approach the Bible. But the one thing I know, the spiritual discipline of reflection on the Word (Bible) is not a religious obligation. Neither is it necessarily knowledge to prove your point. But reflection on the Word (Bible) is about a God who is so passionate about us and a God who deeply desires to be in close relationship with us like a passionate husband who deeply loves his wife.
God gave His word (Scripture) to see His people living an emotionally, spiritually, and physically healthier life. God gave His law (Word-Scripture) to reveal Himself and be in close relationship with His people. Most important, God gave His Word to reach the heart of His unique creation – human beings. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God tells the Israelites that He will write His instructions deep within them, He will write them on their hearts (v. 33).
God could have asked how often the Israelites read the law (Bible) so that He could relate to them. Better yet, God could have said that the essence of His Word (Scripture) was given so that the Israelites would make an extra effort and strive to obey His laws. Instead, God tells His people that His laws (Scriptures) are a matter of the heart. Because when God’s laws (Scripture) reach the heart, reflection of the word of God is no longer about obligation and knowledge but it is about transformation.
John Ortberg asserts, “Both human experience and the Bible teach that increased knowledge—even knowledge of the Scriptures—does not automatically produce transformed people” (188).
I don’t know your perception of or your approach to the Bible. As mentioned earlier, you might know nothing and have no desire to know anything that the Bible contains. You might use the Bible as decoration on your bookshelf. Perhaps, you perceive the Bible as a tedious book that you have to read out of obligation. Or, perhaps, you were taught to read the Bible to accumulate knowledge and to prove your point. I must say that the reflection on the Word (Bible) is not about religious obligation. It is not about accumulating knowledge in order to prove your point. But the reflection on the Word is about a passionate God who deeply desires to be in close relationship with us. A God who desires to reveal Himself time and again. A God who wants to see us living a life that is emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthier. Reflecting on the word is about the heart. Because when God’s Word (Scriptures) reaches our heart, we experience transformation.
