DIG DEEP FOR DEEP TRUTHS
It is no great admission to say that the Bible is too deep for us. But the good news is that deeper meanings may be revealed if we dig for them. If we dig for them through serious study and inquiry (i.e. asking God what that deeper meaning might be), God may be gracious to us and reveal those deeper meanings. But the entire process begins with a belief that deeper, spiritual meanings actually exist. That is a matter of faith.
If we do not dig and do not inquire, however, God is not likely to reveal to us something that we do not believe exists. In other words, God gives you what you expect. If you expect to learn deep spiritual things, he will be faithful to teach you. If you expect to feed only your natural mind with literal, natural facts about natural events, however, that is all you will receive. You either release God or limit Him by what you expect to receive from Him. Here are a three scriptural justifications for this opinion:
COMMENTARY: Because God is spirit, the only way he makes himself known is through his spoken voice. He does not make himself known through anything that can be seen, heard, smelled or touched. Nor does he make himself known through miracles that can be observed with natural senses. STUDY TIP: See this link for God’s attitudes about signs, wonders and miracles and the people who seek them. The only way to know God is by hearing his spoken voice. We know God when his words/laws are written on our hearts. He writes his laws on our hearts when we hear his spoken voice.Therefore, we must seek God in our hearts — not intellectually and not through physical experiences like signs and wonders, music, singing and religious rituals and traditions. And what we are seeking is the sound of his voice. See this link for understanding of love. God reveals his love through his spoken voice. In fact, God,his love and his voice are all the same.
COMMENTARY: Many religious people like to quote this verse to give comfort about getting through difficult circumstances. God does not make himself known by resolving difficult circumstances. If he did, he would violate his policy regarding signs, wonders and miracles. Therefore, it must be said that this verse is not a promise that God has plans for resolving difficult circumstances. Rather, this verse reflects God’s plan that people would hear his spoken voice. He would not give his many commands to “listen to his voice and hear his spoken words” unless he planned that it would actually happen sometime.
COMMENTARY: The task of seeking with all your heart is not a passive activity. It involves effort and time. It also involves asking questions to get to the truth. For example, if, when reading an especially difficult scripture, you are stumped as to the spiritual meaning, stop and wait. Begin asking questions (this works best when in a small group) about what it might mean. Do not be afraid to speculate and explore possibilities. Don’t be in a hurry. You might even pray for understanding, and when it comes, be sure to give thanks for it. When you think you might have an understanding of a spiritual truth, test it out with others. Also be sure to try to verify that truth with other truths in the Bible. |
And here is another scripture that says in a different way that interpretation of scripture only literally without looking for the spiritual understanding is not what God wants or expects from New Covenant disciples.
Hebrews 8 1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary; for when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry which is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second. 8 For he finds fault with them when he says: “The days will come, says the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in my covenant, and so I paid no heed to them, says the Lord. 10 This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach every one his fellow or every one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In speaking of a new covenant he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
COMMENTARY: This important scripture says that the priests, their sacrifices and offerings are all copies and shadows of the heavenly sanctuary. Since we are heavenly temples (i.e tabernacles) and spiritual priests, we should learn from this scripture that the priestly, religious rituals prescribed in the law are not to be executed according to the letter of the law. The letter of the law in the Old/First Covenant was given as a picture, shadow or copy to represent to us what God expects his New Covenant priests to do. The fulfillment happens when people become New Covenant disciples (i.e. the law is written on their hearts.)
STUDY TIP: See Symbols, Signs, Types, Copies, Shadows and Patterns for more about shadows and copies.
Because all those priestly activities should be present in every aspect of our life, we should avoid doing the literal prescriptions of the law for our priestly service in ritualistic form at specified times in specified locations. When these priestly activities are conducted in formalized religious services that are determined by religious leaders, they are nothing more than rules and regulations established by men to fit into schedules that are convenient and predictable.
Such convenience and predictability proves that religious events designed by and controlled by men are born of flesh and not of the Holy Spirit which is totally unpredictable. No spiritual discernment is required to follow rules and regulations that prescribe what to do and when to do as is the case in religion. Being totally free and available at any time to respond to the Spirit of God does require spiritual discernment that is only available to New Covenant disciples who have God’s laws written on their hearts.
The pattern of religious things given to Moses in the law is only a pattern. It is spiritual things represented as natural things. It is not the real thing. Knowing that, we should strive to listen to God’s voice so that we can understand the spiritual application of those activities in our everyday lives.
Jews try to perform all the legal prescriptions contained in the first five books of the Bible. Christians focus on the Ten Commandments and the New Testament. If Jews and Christians were honest, however, they would admit that it is impossible to obey all of God’s commandments — no matter how hard they try. Anyone who doubts this assessment should think about what would be necessary to perform all the blood, drink and meal offerings and sacrifices. They could not realistically do even a small portion of all the natural things the law requires. Nor should they even try to do them because Jesus came to fulfill all the requirements of the law.
New Covenant believers, trust that God is working out his purposes in and through their good works. But they know that the good works are spiritual works of the attitudes of the heart — not physical, religious works done with the body.
STUDY TIP: See this link for understanding of good works and deeds.
Spiritual good works are the essence and purpose of what it means to be a New Covenant disciple. Because we should all want to be in that New Covenant relationship with God, we should never look to the copy (i.e. the literal, religious interpretation) for our instruction. Rather, we should look to understand what the copy represents (i.e. the symbolism) and then let the Spirit of God guide us to understanding the spiritual application of it to our lives.