You can experience the ocean in many ways, from casting a line or net to snag dinner, to diving in a submarine to its depths and discovering wonders few have ever witnessed. Similarly, the Bible offers layers of depth and mystery, ready to be explored by anyone willing to submerge themselves in it.
For years after my salvation, I stood on the surface of the Bible “tossing in a line” to find inspirational morsels to get me through the day as I was taught to do. Only later did I find a church where they took us on expeditions through the Bible to uncover the riches way beneath the surface that you just don’t casually find as you read the Bible.
It makes sense that the God who created and hid mysterious creatures like dumbo octopus, sea pigs and sea spiders for His pleasure would equally conceal mind-blowing truths in the Bible. After all, didn’t the Apostle Paul proclaim: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Rom. 11:33) But we can at least try to search for them!
If you’d like to get to the awe-inspiring meat of the Word, here’s the “how to” passage that speaks volumes: Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine (and not just inspiration)? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. (Isa. 28:9-10)
Bottom line, you have to do the work of comparing scripture with scripture. To do that, you need a healthy dose of curiosity to motivate you and then you need a Bible and/or computer app that includes the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK), which is the most exhaustive list of cross references I know of.
There is something else that helps as you compare passages: A new lens through which to examine them. It starts with the understanding that history repeats itself. What happened at the beginning of the Bible, you see happening in other ways throughout the Bible—clear to the prophetic end. I’ll give you an example, but first, here are three verses that support that the Bible is circular with events happening over and over again—and will still happen through the tribulation and beyond.
- The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. (Ecc. 1:9-10)
- I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. (Ecc. 3:14-15)
- Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Isa. 46:9-10)
Knowing these things, when I read stories in the Old Testament, I have to ask myself, “does this remind me of anything else that happened other places in the Bible or is yet to happen?” That’s the lens. And here’s just one example.
- When the Israelites were thirsty in the wilderness, God’s solution was to bring water out of the rock that Moses was to strike with his rod. (Exo 17:6) Amplifying how this worked, Ps. 105:41 says He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
- That reminds me of 1 Cor. 10:4, And did all (Israel) drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
- Believers who trust Christ as savior receive that miraculous water. Jesus said In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (John 7:37-38)
- In the tribulation when the Jews have to run to Petra, guess what. God is going to miraculously make water to flow for them to drink. The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. (Isa. 43:20) See also Jer 31:9.
- About the new Heaven and Earth, Jesus says, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Rev. 21:6b)
This line-upon-line thread is just one example of an infinite number of truths that repeat over and over. Now you have the history-repeats-itself lens that will serve you well as you start exploring!
R&J Shee