Hans Finzel - Unlocking the Scriptures

UNLOCKING THE SCRIPTURES

Published by David C Cook

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version ( NIV ). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Other Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible ( NASB ). Copyright the Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission, all rights reserved; and the Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible (KJV).

NRSV

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Finzel, Hans.

Unlocking the Scriptures / by Hans Finzel.

p. cm.

Originally published: Wheaton, Ill. : Scripture Press Publications, 1986.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-7814-3816-2

eISBN 978-1-4347-0379-8

1. Bible--Study and teaching. I. Title.

BS600.3 .F56 2003

220.071--dc21

2002004797

2003 Hans Finzel

First Printing, 1986 (by SP Publications)

Original ISBN: 0-89693-276-1

Editor: Craig A. Bubeck, Sr. Editor (over revision)

Cover Design: Sarah Schultz

Cover Photo: iStock

Interior Design: BMB Design

Second Edition 2003

Photo courtesy of Deanna Greiling

Dr. Hans Finzel is a successful author, teacher, and leader among leaders. He has trained leaders internationally on five continents. Hans recently completed twenty years as president and CEO of international nonprofit WorldVenture. He is the author of seven books, including The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make . Hans and his wife reside in Colorado.

Visit DCCeBooks.com for more great reads.

For you, Donna,

and your parents, Mark and Anita Bubeck.

Little did I know, when we were married,

the rich spiritual heritage I would inherit.

Contents

Foreword

Personal Bible study is the Christians lifeline. It is never optional; it is always essential. When Paul urged his protg Timothy, Do your best to present yourselves to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15, NIV ), he underscored the essential nature of the Scriptures in fostering high-quality spiritual living.

Hans Finzel has served the body of Christ well by providing a practical guide for studying the Word for oneself. Too many believers are under the Word but are not personally in it.

The model he presents is both workable and realistic. It has been tested in a variety of settings (including cross-cultural) and with varied groups of people.

It is a delight to commend the work of a colleague to anyone seriously interested in developing the skill of firsthand Bible study. It will change you.

Howard G. Hendricks

Distinguished Professor

Chairman, Center for Christian Leadership

Dallas Theological Seminary

Introduction

H ave you ever pondered the question, Why did God leave us the Bible? Is it just a rule book to guide the family of faith? Hardly! In many ways, the Bible is the family history of Gods people down through the agesa record of how He and His followers got along in the adventure we call the drama of redemption. Assuming that you are in the family of God, consider this great book as your family history.

So, what are we to do with this grand and complex book whose authors span centuries and cultures so far from our own? Many of us begin by reading it, and rereading it through the days of our pilgrimage on earth. I personally try to read it through about every two years or so.

Beyond just reading, we can actually study the Bible. And the more we get in to it, the more we find out that it is the Bible that needs to study us! The study of the nature and person of God will eventually transform the student. The Benedictines have something to teach us in this regard with their practice of lectio divan (literally, let the divine nature lecture you , the result of a study of the nature of God).

This is a book about the practice of the great adventure of personal Bible study. And at the outset, we have to remind ourselves of the reason for such a pursuit: not simply intellectual knowledge, but personal holiness and transformation of life. The actual process of exploring the Bible can be a lot like getting to know the beauty of the Rocky Mountains where my family lives. One of the things I love most about living in Colorado is the chance we have to explore the beauty of our state in so many ways in all the four seasons of the year. Sometimes we take drives through small mountain passes to enjoy the brooks and canyons of the countryside. Other times it might be single-track mountain biking, hikes, or walks through open meadows. Summer provides great times to enjoy fishing and the creative beauty of our native flowers. In the fall, the aspens golden glow is one of the great wonders of North American beauty. Winter gives us the chance to enjoy skiing down mountain terrain through sweet-smelling. There are so many things to experience and so many evergreens ways to explore.

Bible study can be just as rewarding. The process is much the same. There is so much terrain to explore and so many ways to get there. Personal Bible study is a journey of discovery, an adventure, and an opportunity to discover and be rewarded the more you dig.

The Bible itself in the New Testament through the words of the writer Paul tells of its usefulness in the Christian life:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:1617

The Bible is meant to be studiednot just read. Through the ages men and women have studied the Word of God carefully and diligently. It is the most circulated and most read book in history. Thousands of years ago Job, one of the earliest writers of the Old Testament, tells about his incredible passion for the word of God:

I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
Job 23:12, NASB

Now that is commitment! He obviously knew of the great rewards tucked away in the words spoken by God. Lets review some of the benefits of personal Bible study before we begin. This verse we just saw in 2 Timothy 3 is not exhaustive, but it does provide a good starting point. We will give you a chance to explore some more values of Bible study in chapter 1, but here is my personal list of favorites: