Day
Three: Numbers 14:11-19 “So now, may My Lord’s power be
magnified just as You have spoken: The LORD is slow to anger and rich in faithful
love, forgiving wrongdoing and rebellion. But He will not leave [the guilty]
unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ wrongdoing on the
children to the third and fourth generation. Please pardon the wrongdoing of
this people in keeping with the greatness of Your faithful love, just as You
have forgiven them from Egypt until now.”
For
the full story, read verses 11-16 in your Bible.
B.I.B.L.E.—Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
Have you ever heard this acronym used to describe the Bible?
What about referring to the Bible as man’s owner’s manual? Do you think that
there are problems with these understandings of the Bible?
Imagine you just turned 16 and received the keys to your
first car. As you inspect your new vehicle, you open the glove box and find the
owner’s manual. What’s contained in the owner’s manual? All kinds of
information about your car. You can find out what every light on your dashboard
means, how much pressure should be in your tires, the correct way to tow the vehicle,
and much, much more. The point is, the central focus of your car’s owner’s
manual is your car.
If we follow this line of reasoning, and want to call the
Bible our owner’s manual, then we miss the point of its entire message. The
Bible is God’s revelation to man. It lets us know about Him, the world He
created, and how people can have a relationship with Him. Notice that all of
those things focus on HIM.
If we live our lives thinking that the Bible is about us, we
miss its ultimate message. Yes, there are many instructions in God’s word that
instruct us on how to live, how to have a relationship with God, and the
beautiful sacrifice He made on our behalf. But, in spite of all of those truths
that we get to latch onto and enjoy, the driving message of the work centers
wholly on the living God.
We must be careful not to view the Bible merely as an
instruction manual. We must see it as God’s revelation to us. When we see who
God truly is, then we ought to act in a manner worthy of Him. That is, God’s word
doesn’t give us a checklist to living a good life, it tells a story of a holy
God and a perfect Redeemer that we are to love and follow.
PAUSE AND REFLECT
▷▷What potential dangers occur when the Bible is viewed as an
owner’s manual or instruction book?
▷▷Why is it important to understand that the Bible focuses
squarely on God?
▷▷How
does an appropriate understanding of God’s character shape and motivate our
lives?
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