Written by Peter Rodriguez
On God and his Word
The Book of Nature
Nature is a sacred “book,” opened before all sons of men and available in all parts of the world.
Each page of this book is a rich source of knowledge about the One who created all things. Its verses—the flowers of the field, the rising sun painting the sky, the morning hymns of birds—are holy influences that lead us to reflect on spiritual matters and towards purity, peace, and the divine Creator. About this God, the heavens above and the earth below, the vast sea, and all that is in them, are ceaselessly declaring to our senses: “He made us!”
Thus, God has not left us without testimony about himself.
Each human being, even in the most remote places of the globe, can learn about God from the great Book of Nature.
As the written Word says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalms 19:1-4)
The Bible therefore regards nature as Word of God, and so should we, with all seriousness and reverence.
The works we find in nature not only testify the existence of their Author, but also tell us about his character. They tell us that he is good, merciful, and is a God who cares about us. As the written Word says, “He has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” (Acts 14:17)
He watches over even the tiny insect that walks upon the soil.
The Creator is a God whose “tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalm 145:9).
“O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea. They all depend on you to give them food as they need it. When you supply it, they gather it. You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied.” (Psalm 104:24-28) “Sing out your thanks to the Lord; sing praises to our God with a harp. He covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures. He gives food to the wild animals and feeds the young ravens when they cry.” (Psalms 147:7-9)
God’s creation is indeed a masterpiece of beauty and wonder—a reflection of his artistry.
But we must not confuse creation with its Creator.
Trees, birds, and rivers tell us about God, but they are not God. Sun, moon, and stars manifest to our senses his great wisdom and power, creativity and skill—just as an artist’s work reflects their craftsmanship—but are not the One who made them.
In an art gallery, we all know that the paintings are not the one who painted them.
In the same way, the works of art we find in nature are not the One who made them. They just point to their Creator. Creation certainly bears the signature of its Author, yet it is not the Author.
It is not the painting that should be honored, but its painter.
In the same way, it is not the created things that should be worshipped, but the Creator.
We can certainly rejoice in his creation, just as David did (Psalm 92:4), and take delight in his works, as God himself does (Proverbs 8:30-31). But the honor and applause belong to the artist, not the art. Lift up your eyes and see: Upon the ever-changing canvas of the heavens, the divine Artist painted scenes of breathtaking beauty, and “when the stars were made,” he says, “all my angels praised me with a loud voice” (Job 38:7).
They praised him—not the stars.
They honored the artist for his work—not the art.
This is the natural and reasonable response when we consider God’s creation. For what glory does the artwork have? It did not create itself (nor can it). We only exist and have our being because of our Creator. Now, to the Eternal One, the divine Artist, who has always existed and will always exist—the only true God—be all honor, applause, and glory for ever and ever!
The universe is praising its Creator and declaring his glory.
Should we, the crown of his creation on earth, offer any less?
Let us not bring disharmony into the universe.
Join your voice with the rest of the creation in praising God. Together with the heavens, let us proclaim his glory, and with the earth, declare the goodness of our Creator. With the holy angels, let us say to God: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you have created all things!” (Revelation 4:11).
But humans have not been doing this.
Instead, they have been suppressing “the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.” (Romans 1:18-23)
We have been messing things up and creating confusion.
But in nature God has left testimony of his mercy and infinite grace.
God is merciful with us, as we can see in every morning (Lamentations 3:21-23). Every good gift is poured out freely—not only for those who thank the Giver but also those who do not yet recognize the source of their joy. Every sunrise whispers his mercy, every harvest shouts his provision, and every rainfall sings his gentle compassion.
God the Creator loves and cares for each human being, even those on the wrong path.
And just as God pours out his love also upon those who hate him and are ungrateful to him, we must extend love even to those who hate us.
“I tell you,” Jesus said, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be complete, therefore, as your heavenly Father is complete.” (Matthew 5:44-48)
The world is our classroom, and the Bible invites us to seek divine knowledge in nature.
The Bible says: “Go to the ant, […] study its ways and gain wisdom” (Proverbs 6:6). “Look at the birds” (Matthew 6:26). “Consider the lilies” (Luke 12:27). “Observe the crows” (Luke 12.24). “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?” (Isaiah 40:26) “Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?” (Job 12:7-9)
Thus, the Bible points to nature as a source of divine knowledge and the very Word of God.
The Bible
The religious book that tells about God the Creator as he is presented in Nature is the Bible.
The Bible describes its God as merciful, good, and compassionate, just as the God revealed in the great Book of Nature. It also says that the Creator of the universe and everything that is in it is its God. The God of the Bible is also great in power, creative, and wise, just like the God revealed in Nature.
Therefore, the God of the Bible is the God revealed in the Book of Nature, the true God.
Both books shed light on each other, helping us understand them.
As you could see in the previous section, the teachings drawn from nature and presented here were actually taken from the Bible. It was the Bible that made them clear. In the same way, as nature’s teachings were the basis for the biblical writers’ teachings, studying nature under God’s guidance will help us to understand the lessons of the Bible itself.
Thus, the teachings found in the great Book of Nature bear testimony to the truth of the written Word of God, the Bible.
The Bible is a collection of books written by holy men of God.
It was written by several men, each one within their own realities and life experiences, from different walks of life and vastly different backgrounds. Its authors included peasants, kings, fishermen, physicians, shepherds, generals, musicians, cupbearers, statesmen, and theologians. But despite this beautiful diversity, the thoughtful student can see the perfect harmony that there is in their teachings—for the One who inspired them all is one and the same.
If you know the Bible, you can see that its books present a wide contrast in literary style.
And different forms of expression are employed by different writers.
Look at the different writers and writing styles through which the Bible was written, and you will see that they have conveyed God’s message in their own styles, personalities, and experiences. So, God, as a writer, is not represented in the Bible. It was actually written by men in the way men express themselves.
Indeed, God did not ditacted the Bible’s words and expressions.
The biblical writers were left to express in their own words and phrases the truths that God had put in their hearts and revealed to their minds. God guided the mind of the biblical writers in the selection of the content they should speak and write. He carried out the process, ensuring that the message he wanted to deliver would be delivered.
Although they were conveyed in the words of men by human writers, the truths revealed through the words of men were given by God himself.
As it is written, “being impelled by the Holy Spirit, holy men of God spoke” (2 Peter 1:21).
Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the biblical writers were imbued with thoughts. The divine mind and will was combined with the human mind and will. It is in this way that the utterances of the man are the word of God.
In this, as in Christ’s incarnation, is displayed the condescension and love of God.
The Bible’s ideas had to be expressed in human language so that we could be reached where we are. So, the Infinite one has been pleased to communicate his truths to the world by human agencies, making use of human words and expressions, with all their deficiences, imperfections, and limitations.
This condescension has been a cause of scandal to many, as it is Christ’s incarnation. God has been criticized and mocked because of this. But “love endures all things” (1 Co 13:7).
But humans are imperfect, and inspiration does not remove the human element.
Yes, the biblical writers remained humans, and everything that is human is imperfect.
In fact, “as inspiration does not suppress the individuality of the biblical writers, so it does not altogether neutralise their human infirmities or confer upon them immunity from error” (S. R. Driver, Church Congress speech, cited in F.W. Farrar, The Bible: Its Meaning and Supremacy, Longmans, Green, and Co., 1897.) Humans are capable of making mistakes, such as grammatical mistakes and other irrelevent things. Though they are rare, such mistakes can be found in the Bible, since it was actually written by men. These by no means make any difference concerning the messages God is delivering through them.
One’s faith do not need to be shaken due to their wrong expectations about the Bible.
For where the sacred writers have ever said their writings are “inerrant”?
Although these days the Bible is often used by men for purposes other than what it was written for, the Bible was written to serve as a guide to salvation and a holy life, as a revelation about God and his will, as a … It shows the path of salvation and guide men to have a useful, holy life.
The writings of God’s prophets are infalible regarding Christian doctrines.
It is infallible as a guide that shows the path of salvation and a holy life. The Bible’s writings are “the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2Tm 3:15-17)
As you can see, the Bible was written for practical purposes.
The Bible is an infallible and inerrant revelation of God’s will.
And the same subject can be presented by its several writers under varied aspects and relations.
Though their expressions vary, and a truth is more strikingly presented by one writer than by another, they complement one another, weaving together a complete and unified message. The Psalmist David may convey a certain truth in a poetical and lyrical way, while Paul of Tarsus would discuss the same subject under a systemic, academic way—a reflection of their life experience and tastes. Under the guidance of God, each writer presents a different aspect of the truth that is most forcibly impressed upon his own heart and mind.
The truths thus revealed unite to form a perfect whole, adapted to meet the wants of men in all the circumstances and experiences of life.
Its books were written by men, in different ages. It was not given in a continuous chain of unbroken utterances, but piece by piece through successive generations, as God in His providence saw a fitting opportunity to impress man at sundry times and divers places.
Men wrote as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost.
On the Translations of the Bible
Each translation approach offers a different balance of accuracy and readability.
Here are some of the approaches by which the Bible is translated:
- Formal equivalence (more literal) – These translations aim to stay as close as possible to the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, preserving word order and grammar where feasible. Examples: King James Version (KJV), New American Standard Bible (NASB), Revised Standard Version (RSV).
- Dynamic equivalence (less literal) – These prioritize conveying the original meaning in natural language, even if it means rephrasing. Examples: New Living Translation (NLT) and Good News Bible (GNT).
- Optimal equivalence (hybrid) – These blend literality and readability, adjusting the method based on what best conveys the original meaning in natural English. Examples: New International Version (NIV).
- Hyper-literal translation – A rigid word-for-word approach that often preserves the original structure and even idioms in their literal meaning. Examples: Young’s Literal Translation (YLT), Literal Standard Version (LSV), and interlinear Bibles.
As an example, let us compare below different translations of the Gospel of Matthew 11:28, originally written in Koine Greek. Note that the message delivered in English is the same in each translation. They simply use different wording and structure to convey the same thing that was written by the biblical author in the original language.
Hyper-literal translation: “Come unto me, all ye labouring and burdened ones, and I will give you rest,” (Matthew 11:28 YLT)
Formal equivalence (literal): “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 KJV)
Dynamic equivalence (less literal): “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NLT)
Optimal equivalence (hybrid): “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NIV)
Did you note that the message delivered in English is the same in each translation?
It is simply a matter of using different words, or sometimes rearranging them, to express the same meaning.
Now, we must also remember that the Bible was written in the language of men—with all its limitations and nuances. We attach different meanings to the same word. There is not one word for each distinct idea. So, because of this, translations may sometimes differ on certain points.
In such cases, how can we know which one of the possible meanings the biblical author was using?
And which translation approach (literal, less literal, etc) should you choose?
The answer to the last question depends on how you spend your time with the Bible, which will also help address the first question. The best way to spend time with the Bible is through study, not mere reading. There is but little benefit derived from a hasty reading of the Scriptures. One may read the Bible through and yet fail to understand its meaning and see its beauty, harmony, and heavenly glory.
The knowledge of God is not gained without effort (Proverbs 2:1-13).
The Bible must be studied, verse by verse dissected, and cherished in the heart. As the Master said, “Examine the Scriptures” (John 5:39). A careful study of the Scriptures will also make you pay attention to the context surrounding a word with double meaning, and context is key to know which one of the possible meanings the biblical author was using for that word.
For study, more literal translations are preferable.
Though they can sound awkward and unnatural, the more literal translations provide higher accuracy, which makes them appropriate for in-depth study and useful for linguistic analysis.
Less literal translations prioritize readability over strict accuracy. They sometimes reflect the translator’s interpretation more than the original wording, which makes them less suitable for study. Additionally, some nuances, poetic devices, wordplay, and subtle connections may be lost in less literal translations. For these reasons, a more literal translation of the biblical text is prioritized in this series (Light in Babylon) whenever possible, even when this approach results in language that sounds unnatural and awkward.
At the same time, a strictly literal approach to translation should not always be used, as it can sometimes actually lead to meanings that differ entirely from what the biblical author intended.
This is true for modern languages as well: the meanings we attach to many words and expressions in our own languages sometimes differ from their literal definitions. Idioms exist, and the different peoples of the earth often have unique ways of expressing ideas. For this reason, it is important not to rely solely on hyper-literal translations but to compare multiple translations in your study. The explanations of linguists and those who have studied the languages in which the Bible was written must be taken into account (as is done in this series, in the main text or in footnotes).
For those who prefer it, an alternative to translations is to study the original languages in which the biblical books were written: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek.
Many of God’s servants study the Bible reading directly in its original languages.
But the translations we have are enough and provide the same access to God’s words.
On Progressive Revelation
In the Holy Scriptures, we find an inexhaustible mine of divine knowledge.
We could spend a lifetime studying the Bible and still find something new every day.
Many things are hidden from the superficial explorer and from the occasional reader, but beneath the surface of the mine lies golden treasure of divine knowledge, ready to reward those who seek it with eager hearts. The shaft must be dug deeper and yet deeper, and you will keep finding thousands and thousands of gems of truth. The more you do this, the greater will be your interest in Bible reading, the Scriptures will be constantly receiving a new value in your estimation, and the more you will feel like exclaiming: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33)
Therefore, the journey of faith is not a single moment, but a lifelong walk.
No one begins their Christian walk knowing everything in the Bible, or the depths of the infinite God, or even all their own flaws and areas for growth (Psalms 19:12)
If you are already a Christian, you know this by experience. Think back to when you first came to Christ. Have your practices and biblical knowledge remained the same since then? If you have been a diligent student of God’s Word, your answer must be “no.” Throughout your Christian walk until today, have there not been moments when a Scripture suddenly took on new meaning? When a biblical truth you had overlooked became essential? When God pressed upon you a call to obedience in something you had never before considered? You know, then, that there was much more to learn, not just in the beginning, but at every step that followed.
“I have yet many things to say to you,” said Jesus to his disciples, “but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12).
“There is a great principle involved in this saying—that revelation is measured by the moral and spiritual capacities of the men who receive it. The light is graduated for the diseased eye. A wise oculist does not flood that eye with full sunshine, but he puts on veils and bandages, and closes the shutters, and lets a stray beam, ever growing as the curve is perfected, fall upon it. So from the beginning until the end of the process of revelation there was a correspondence between men’s capacity to receive the light and the light that was granted; and the faithful use of the less made them capable of receiving the greater, and as soon as they were capable of receiving it, it came.” (MacLaren Expositions of Holy Scripture)
In everything he does, God is patient, and merciful, and just with us (Psalm 145:17).
He does not condemn us for what we do not yet see.
By his merits, Jesus intercedes for us before God, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). God expresses concern and compassion for those who lack understanding: “Should I not have compassion on the great city of Nineveh, which has more than a hundred twenty thousand people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, as well as many animals?” (Jonah 4:11)
The immense patience of God was displayed also in the apostle Paul—a man who, before his conversion, had persecuted and executed many Christians.
For a time in the past, Paul did a very cruel work. Thinking he was doing a godly service, and confident that he was right in his assumptions, he persecuted and executed many servants of God. “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus of Nazareth,” he said. “Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many of the saints there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.” (Acts 26:9-11)
But when Jesus was revealed to Paul, and he was convinced that he was persecuting God’s messiah (in the person of his saints), he repented, accepted the truth, and changed his ways.
He became a new man and received the truth so fully that neither earth nor hell could shake his faith. For the sake of truth, meekness, and righteousness, he stood ready to follow God’s messiah—even to prison and certain death. The very man who once sought to destroy the truth that came in his time, now was “established in the present truth” (2 Peter 1:12), and boldly proclaimed it across the known world, and turned many from the power of Satan to God.
“I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” (Acts 26:19)
He said, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:12-16)
At the same time, for Paul, his sincerity and past ignorance did not in any way justify his work, or make error truth.
He laid aside everything he came to know as contrary to God’s ways. In repentance, he surrendered to the revelation of Jesus Christ and was “established in the present truth” (2 Peter 1:12).
But the truth that arrived in the first century, and was accepted by Paul, was never in conflict with sacred Scripture.
On the contrary, it was the fulfillment of what had always been in God’s Word. Christianity was not to be a new faith, but the continuation of the same religion of God’s people from the days of Adam, though later corrupted and obscured by the errors taught by the religious leaders of Jesus’ time. Paul’s beliefs and teachings were simply what the prophets had written and the truth that came at that time: that man called Jesus of Nazareth was the long-awaited Christ, who, in accordance with the prophecies, suffered opposition from sinners against himself, was killed, rose again and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
This belief brought fierce opposition from the very religious establishment Paul had once been part of.
“When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy; so they began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.” (Acts 13:45)
They gave false testimony about him before the authorities, saying: “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. […] When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: […] My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous [for eternal life] and the wicked [for the second death].” (Acts 24:5-15)
“And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? […] First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles. At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. ‘You are out of your mind, Paul!’ he shouted. ‘Your great learning is driving you insane.’ ‘I am not insane, most excellent Festus,’ Paul replied. ‘What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.’ Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?’ Paul replied, ‘Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am [a Christian], except for these chains.’” (Acts 26:6-8, 20-29)
Even among those who were actively persecuting him and seeking to destroy his message, there were some people that, upon learning the truth that God had sent, would repent and obey it.
There were many true servants of God who walked according to the light they had received until then and, because of this, “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was so” (Acts 17:11).
Each one of us came to God from different realities.
All of us came with habits and presuppositions that we learned and shaped from our environment and experiences. Some of those habits and presuppositions may be good and correct, while others, unfortunately, are not. And what did you do when you chose to serve God? You abandoned what is wrong. “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former desires you used to conform to in your ignorance, but as the one who called you is holy, you yourselves be holy in all your conduct,” (1Peter 1:14-15)
And throughout your Christian walk until today, you unknowingly held worldly views and wrong habits you did not yet recognize as wrong.
But the important thing is to, once discovered what is true on any matter, choose to lay down what is wrong at the foot of the cross and cling to what is right. For, in God’s eyes, what matters most is not how much we knew at the beginning of our Christian walk or even today, but how faithfully we walk according to the knowledge we have received. As it is written, “God overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).
As you studied the Bible, God revealed deeper truths to you and corrected some of your practices and views, calling you to higher standards and a clearer vision of his will.
Thus, “the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, going and brightening till the day is established” (Proverbs 4:18).
Notice this: even when the righteous one walked in dim light, Scripture still called him righteous. He was considered righteous not only at noon, but also at midmorning and even at dawn. Remnants of night’s darkness lingered, yet faded steadily as the Sun of Righteousness (Christ) shone ever brighter on his path—until that moment when his path will have the full brightness of day, and all darkness will completely vanish away. What matters most is not how much we knew at first, but how faithfully we walk in the light as it shines upon our way.
So, the fact that you had less light in the beginning or yesterday does not mean you were not saved or a true Christian before.
Tomorrow you will know more than today, and you will improve practices you did not yet know were wrong, and this does not mean that right now you are not saved or a true Christian.
Your only duty before God, then or today, was to practice what you already knew you should do. “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17) “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17) “Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin” (John 9:41) “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.” (John 15:22)
But we should not turn away from truth in order to claim innocence before God.
This will not work.
The ignorance that God overlooks is not that willful, voluntary ignorance, which is condemned by God. It is not the choice to turn away from light because the light demands change, because it calls for surrender, because it disturbs the comfort of long-held error. The path of the righteous is not stucked at dawn, nor at midmorning, but is “as a shining light, going and brightening” (Proverbs 4:18). God has further light for all honest truth-seekers, for those who desire it and are willing to obey it.
It is the wicked who does not receive light and by transgression close the avenues whereby the light of truth shall come to him.
As the following verse says: “The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:19).
Also, we need to be careful not to try to deceive ourselves by claiming ignorance upon something we actually know. “If you say, ‘Behold, we did not know this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not requite man according to his work?” (Proverbs 24:12)
But in light of all these things, when we come across someone who does not yet obey God concerning a point that we already know should be obeyed, we should never hastily think that they are not true servants of God.
In the same way you do not have to think you were never truly converted just because only now you came to know a certain truth, the same is valid to others who are honest before God. Only God and that person know in its full extent what they know and do not know. Leave the matter with God, who knows what we do not know and sees what we do not see, and be patient with their process in the same way God has been patient with yours.
Do you know those faithful servants of the past?
When we read something about their lives, we may find things that they did not practiced or believed that we know should be practiced or believed. However, this does not mean they were not saved. They were true Christians, faithful servants of God that walked according to all the knowledge they had received.
And it is true, no one likes to be corrected or have their wrongs pointed out; but we need to learn to regard it as a blessing.
“My son, be not despising chastening of the Lord, nor be faint, being reproved by him, for whom the Lord doth love He doth chasten, and He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth; […]; and all chastening for the present, indeed, doth not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow, yet afterward the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those exercised through it — it doth yield.” (Hebrews 12:5-6, 11)
But there must be earnest study and close investigation.
Sharp, clear perceptions of truth will never be the reward of indolence.
“My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom; incline your heart to understanding. For if you cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and he watches over the way of his godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness, justice, and integrity, and every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be delightful to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, to rescue you from the way of evil, from a person who speaks perverse things; from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness;” (Proverbs 2:1-13)
On Semitic Poetry
Poetry is a very common literary feature in the Bible.
So, being able to understand it well is very helpful to understand the Bible.
We can find poetic elements even outside the called poetic books (Psalms, Job, Song of Songs, etc). They also appear in long sections of narrative books, prophetic oracles, and also in the works of New Testament writers. Understanding the poetic structures found in the Bible will be very important for reading this series, Light in Babylon, as well as for the other series and Bible studies you will find on this website.
For this series, the most relevant aspect of biblical poetry is parallelism.
Synonymous Parallelism
It is easier to understand with an example: “Hear this, all peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world.” (Psalm 49:1)
Simplistically put, the concept is that the second line restates the first using other terms: “hear” means the same as “give ear,” and “all peoples” are “all inhabitants of the world.” It is poetical and pleasing to the ear. It creates a tone that is solemn, dramatic, and even wise. It is more impactful to begin a speech with, “Hear this, all peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world” (Psalm 49:1) than simply saying “Hear this, all peoples.”
Another example: “A false witness shall not be acquitted; a breather of lies shall not be delivered.” (Proverbs 19:5)
Again, the second line repeats the first using other terms: “false witness” is the same as “breather of lies,” and “acquitted” means the same as “delivered.”
As you can see, the parallel words here share the same color. In this series, parallel terms in Bible verses will be color-coded to help readers identify them more easily and to avoid constant reminders that those terms are parallel. Terms with the same or related meanings will share the same color.
Eventually, your eyes will become trained, and you will be able to identify parallelisms at a glance.
You will not be able to stop noticing them when reading the Bible.
Antithetic Parallelism
Parallelism can also use contrasting terms, which is called antithetic parallelism.
For example: “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.” (Proverbs 10:1)
“The Hebrew poets frequently express a sentiment with the utmost brevity and simplicity, illustrated by no circumstances, adorned with no epithets, (which in truth they seldom use); they afterwards call in the aid of ornament; they repeat, they vary, they amplify the same sentiment; and adding one or more sentences which run parallel to each other, they express the same or a similar, and often a contrary sentiment, in nearly the same form of words. Of these three modes of ornament, at least, they make the most frequent use, namely, the amplification of the same ideas, the accumulation of others, and the opposition or antithesis of such as are contrary to each other: they dispose the corresponding sentences in regular distichs adapted to each other, and of an equal length, in which, for the most part, things answer to things, and words to words, […]” (Robert Lowth, Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews)
Another example: “The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of fools babbles nonsense.” (Proverbs 15:2)
Chiasm
There is also the chiasm, when the outer parts of a text correspond, and the central idea forms the focus.
“The sabbath was made for mankind, not mankind for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27) The focus and purpose of the sabbath day is the benefit of human beings. The verse shows that it is for this very reason that God established the Sabbath day and commanded us to keep it.
Another example: “None is able to serve two lords, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and reject the other; you are not able to serve God and Mammon.” (Matthew 6:24) The central point here is the choice of whom to love and devote ourselves. A similar thing involves choosing whom to reject and hate (hatred in the sense of rejection, as also indicated by the parallelism). The fact that we cannot serve two lords at the same time—God and Mammon—is both the introduction and conclusion of the discussion about to whom we will hold and love.
Poetry and Translation
“Poetry is what gets lost in translation.”
But things are different when it comes to Semitic poetry.
As we’ve seen, Semitic poetry often relies on meanings rather than sounds. It often does not depend on specific word endings or phonetic patterns, which rarely align between languages. Instead of rhyming sounds, Semitic poetry creates a “rhyme” of ideas using parallel structures. This is easier to translate and makes easier to preserve the text’s original beauty across the many languages. “[…] a poem translated literally from the Hebrew into the prose of any other language, whilst the same forms of the sentences remain, will still retain, even as far as relates to versification, much of its native dignity, […].” (Robert Lowth, Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews)
As mentioned, another reason a literal translation approach is prioritized in this series is to preserve the poetic devices used by the biblical writers.
For example, this is a literal translation of Job 10:5: “As the days of a human are your days? Your years as the days of a man?” (Job 10:5) As you can see, there is a chiasm in that passage. Essentially, the second line is repeating what was said in the first using other terms. But instead of repeating what was said in the first line, as the biblical writer did, a certain non-literal translation summarizes and renders the entire verse as: “Is your life as short as ours?” (Job 10:5 GNT)
But in condensating that verse, useful information was lost (as you may have already realized or will later realize).
And in our haste, to avoid repetition, for the sake of brevity, we sacrificed beauty and art as well.
“The purpose of Poetry is to instruct while it gives pleasure; instruction being the end, and pleasure the means […]. […] adorned with all the more splendid colouring of language, magnificently sublime in the sentiments, aniniated by the most padietic expression, and diversified and embellished by figurative diction and poetical imagery; such are almost all the remaining productions of the prophets.” (Robert Lowth, Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews)
Indeed, “the tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of fools babbles nonsense.” (Proverbs 15:2)
Importance of Parallelisms in this Series
Why is this series introduction discussing Semitic poetry and how to recognize it in the text?
Because through the poetical devices used by the sacred writers, we can acquire many useful information that will help us when studying the Bible. Understanding parallelisms helps us better grasp how biblical writers used certain words and expressions. We can have a better understanding about the thought the biblical writer is trying to convey with his words.
As one line adds meaning to another, clarifying and refining it, we gain clear understanding concerning its meaning.
For example, what does the expression “son of man”, that we often see in the Bible, mean? We can discover the meaning also through parallelism: “To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.” (Proverbs 8:4) Therefore, “son of man” is the same as “man.” The biblical writer is simply repeating what was already said using other terms (indeed, a man’s son is a man).
Thus, through poetry, we can understand better the meaning of many words and expressions.
This will be useful in our studies.
(For more on parallelism and Semitic poetry, see: The Art of Biblical Poetry by Robert Alter, Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews by Robert Lowth, or Introduction to Biblical Interpretation by William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr.)
On Prophecies
The Christian religion was founded upon the “sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19).
Despite everything they had witnessed, Jesus desired that his disciple’s faith to rest upon what was said about him and his work in the Scriptures. Thus, after his resurrection, he appeared to his disciples, and “beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Jesus wished the truth to take firm root in their minds, not merely because it was supported by his personal testimony, but because of the unquestionable evidence presented by the symbols and prophecies of the Scriptures.
In a more complete and perfect sense than ever before, the disciples had “found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write” (John 1:45).
So, does Christ consider it important to study prophecies? Certainly. He even rebuked the religious leaders of his days for ignoring the signs of the times (Matthew 16:3). He also said that we should know, for example, about the abomination of desolation: “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken about by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place” (let the one who reads understand)” (Matthew 24:15). So, he wants his followers to study the book of Daniel. He also pronounced a blessing upon those who study the book of Revelation: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who hear the words of the prophecy and observe the things written in it, because the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3)
None should be discouraged in the study of the prophecies because of their many symbols.
The Bible is its own interpreter, one passage explaining another.
For example, when we come across the symbol of a beast in prophecy, we do not have to assume that it refers to a literal monster that will destroy the world or to a prominent figure in today’s news. Instead, we must look to Scripture for the correct interpretation. The Bible itself provides the explanation: “The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that […]” (Daniel 7:23) When we encounter the symbol of a horn, we do not have to speculate on its meaning. Scripture interprets itself: “ten horns […] are ten kings” (Revelation 17:12).
Because the apocalyptic books frequently reference other biblical books, those who are wise in the biblical knowledge can understand their language.
“The word of God is plain in itself; and if there appear any obscurity in one place, the Holy Ghost, which is never contrary to Himself, explains the same more clearly in other places, so that there can remain no doubt but unto such as obstinately remain ignorant.” (John Knox)
Another key principle is to follow the prophet’s own line of reasoning.
It is risky to extract an isolated portion of text from the middle of a prophetic narrative and try to interpret it apart from its context. It is risky to construct teachings about the future by piecing together disconnected verses from different prophecies. Instead, we need to study the prophecies in their intended order, in the order they were given to us.
This is why this series examines apocalyptic books as complete works, following the author’s reasoning, reading the book in order and verse by verse.
Series Overview & Reading Instructions
Reading Instructions
Preparation for reading: Before starting each reading, remember to pray to God, our Creator, asking him to guide you into all truth and to help you understand his Word.
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will show you great and inaccessible things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
Making long chapters easier to read: For didactic reasons, each long post has been divided into smaller sections so that the reader will not be overwhelmed by receiving too much information at once. It is advisable for readers to pause at the end of each section to digest what they have read, reflect, and pray.
At the same time, in order not to lose the train of thought, avoid taking long breaks (like a few days) between sections. For example, if possible, try to read the first section in the morning, the second in the afternoon, and the third in the evening. Or you could read the first section in the morning, the second in the evening, and the last in the next morning.
Make sure to read the entire study: This series, along with all the others that will be published on this website, consists of expository studies that analyze the biblical book in its entirety and each verse of it within its context, following the inspired biblical writer’s line of reasoning. Because of this, it is important to read the entire series, in order, from start to finish.
Doing so will help the Bible student understand each part of the biblical book being analyzed within its context and grasp what the biblical writer intended to convey.
Having knowledge of the biblical background: In this series, posts are sometimes included between the main ones to clarify earlier chapters or prepare you for what is coming next. It is important to read these additional posts, as they provide essencial knowledge for understanding the biblical book being analyzed.
For example, the books of Daniel and Revelation reference many other biblical passages and doctrines. A lack of familiarity with these references will certainly prevent a correct understanding of the messages in these biblical books. Therefore, these additional posts ensure everyone, whether new to Christianity or long-time believers, has the necessary background for a correct understanding.
Q&A section: At the end of each post, the reader will find a Q&A section related to the chapter of the biblical book that was studied. These questions are either submitted by readers or sourced from other places.
So, if there are still questions about the chapter, please send them to the following email address: questions@thebloodstainedbanner.org
What to Expect from this Series
Authority of the Bible: The Bible is to be the sole authority in every post. Therefore, quotations that do not refer to the meaning of original words, archaeological data, or historical facts—the interpretative quotations—are included not for the purpose of citing the writer or theologian as authority, but because they afford a ready, clear, and biblical presentation of the subject.
Focus on pertinent topics: Although the production of these materials involves the study of the biblical book verse by verse and word by word, what is presented to the public is not a verse-by-verse commentary. Given the urgency of the present time, as the final pages of this age’s history unfold, there is no time to linger on less pertinent topics or provide unnecessary details about a biblical verse. And we have been commissioned to show the truths for this present time, giving “meat in due season.” Therefore, the Bible commentaries are not strictly verse-by-verse.
Historical sources: Although it may seem that the texts written by historians and quoted in this series are commentaries on the prophecies, they are not. Historians were simply writing about history, and history has been unfolding as prophesied in the Bible.
Where our sources come from: None of the texts quoted in our articles, whether from theologians, archaeologists, linguists, or historians, come from researchers who share the set of teachings extracted from the Bible and presented here. All of our sources come from impartial researchers and scholars.
