Seeing God in Scripture
a guide for reading the Bible to fulfill its purpose
God does all things for the purpose of displaying his glorious nature. Accordingly, his divinely inspired scriptures exists first and foremost to make him known. Therefore, if we are to read scripture as God intends, we must do so looking to see him.
The three categories listed below are prompts designed to help you accomplish this aim. You can use them in their simplest form as reminders to always be asking:
(1) What did the author(s) intend to communicate?
(2) What does this indicate about who God is?
(3) Since God has made me to display who he is, how should I infuse this knowledge into who I am?
Or you can select each header for additional prompts that will help stimulate your contemplation of each category.
intention
What did the authors intend to communicate?
Who are the authors?
God
the writer
the speakers (if present)
Pay attention to who is communicating in what you are reading. At a minimum, there will always be at least two authors present (God and the person who wrote the text). However, there may be additional “authors” such as individuals or groups responsible for dialogue recorded by the writer.
Who are the recipients?
Who is the writer’s intended audience?
If a speaker is present, to whom is he or she speaking?
How is the author communicating?
the writer
What form, genre and style of writing is he using and why?
What is his tone? Does the text give insight as to how the writer may feel about what he is writing?
the speaker
In what manner is he or she speaking?
What response did the author expect from the recipients?
What ideas, concepts or emotions did the author want his or her recipients to understand?
How did the author want the recipient to react? What response did he or she hope for?
Would the authors agree with my conclusions?
Do I have valid reason to believe that God, the writer and anyone who may be speaking in the text would agree with the conclusions I am making about what they are communicating? Do my conclusions justly represent their intentions?
indication
What does this indicate about who God is?
What does this indicate about God’s character and nature?
What does this indicate about how God acts?
What does this indicate about why God acts?
infusion
How should this be infused in me?
How can I be conformed to God's likeness in view of this text?
How should I be?
– Ponder this aspect of who God is
– Pray to embrace this aspect of who God is
– Praise God for this aspect of who He is
How can I align with God's purpose in view of this text?
How should I engage?
– Process this aspect of who God is. Think through its implications for your life.
– Plan in view of this aspect of who God is. Align your plans with God’s purpose.
– Pursue His glory and your joy in view of this aspect of who God is.
How can I reflect who God is in view of this text?
How should I act?
– Proclaim this aspect of who God is. Tell others what you have seen about God.
– Proceed in view of this aspect of who God is. Make decisions and reactions that align with what you have seen of Him.
– Promote this aspect of who God is. Show and endorse the value of God’s greatness.