Treasure Hunting

If I desire to learn about America history would I read a book about European history? How much would a European history book teach me about America? Perhaps I could glean bits and pieces from the European explorers that pursued American exploration. Could I learn much about American culture and the Native American people by reading a European history book? I expect I would learn very little about American history and culture if I am not educating myself about that topic specifically. It would seem absurd even to consider myself an expert in American history and culture if I had only educated myself in European history and culture.

Wouldn’t this also hold true for the Bible? If we never educate ourselves in the history and culture of the time period and people in scripture, then how could we claim to be experts? Understanding scripture requires understanding the context. Otherwise much of what we think we understand may actually be a perversion (the wrong version).

I can’t understand first century Jewish culture if I have only known twenty first century American culture. How could I grasp God’s liberation and elevation of women in scripture when I can only see bondage through my American, first-world eyes? Educating myself about the culture of the times will allow me to see scripture from a different perspective.

It is true that the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, and we can be given revelation without making an effort to search something out. But isn’t it also true that, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to investigate a matter.” (Proverbs 25:2 HCSB)? We can either wait for God to show us what we need to know or we can seek and search out the gift of what we get to know.

God is not offended by questioning. In fact, He rather enjoys the process of revealing the truth to those that seek it. The truth will always prove itself even under scrutiny. Enjoy the rewards of asking, seeking and knocking (Matt 7:7-12), and He will gladly give you more than you expect… far more.