What Do You See When You Read the Bible?

Because life is experienced in the context of people, it’s so very easy for our perspective to be shaped by others.  It even happens when we read the Bible.  I saw this for myself the other day as I was reading Judges 9.

(vs. 52-53)  Abimilech followed them to attack the tower.  But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance, a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.  (vs. 56) In this way God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his seventy brothers. 

As I read, I thought to myself, what a great story about the power of a single idea.  Here’s a woman in the top of a tower and she’s about to die.  But before she (and others) are killed, she gets an idea.   And in the execution of that single idea, she not only saves her own life, but the lives of others, and turns away an entire army.  The power of a single idea is indeed amazing.  As my friends in full time ministry would say, “That will preach!”

Another possible perspective would be a kind-of “least of these” interpretation.  A wicked king is brought to his end by a lowly woman.  Moral of the story: Never disqualify yourself from doing great things.  Wow, I feel a sermon coming on right now.  

While both interpretations have merit to them, they do not present the full spectrum of the event.  Yes, the woman had an idea and she put it into action and won the day.  Yes, a person of low social status brought down a great and mighty king.  But behind both these perspectives are the hands of a sovereign God, at work bringing His will to pass.  In the end, our perspective determines the object of our hope.  Do I want my hope to be in ideas that seem to seldom come my way?  Is my hope found in the fact that I can do anything I set my mind to?  In the end, I’m going with hoping in God, because He is faithful, gracious and merciful to those who call on Him.

When you read the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where God is found in the text you’re reading.  As the Spirit reveals God’s presence to you, you find your hope in God growing day by day.