My Bible Hobby

BLOG: My Bible Hobby
A hobby, according to Mirriam-Webster, is ‘a pursuit or interest engaged in for relaxation.’ My major hobby is reading. I love the book I am ‘engaged in,’ eager to learn about the characters, the scenes, the plot that develops, the conversations, the mindsets and the thoughts of the many personalities within the story. It is exciting for me to see how different authors present their own thoughts, beautifully written to making me laugh out loud. I find myself jotting down what they say. It is nice to look at my notes later, remembering the book and envisioning the scene, while once again crediting the author for such a descriptive blend of words.
At times, I compare a crisis to one in another book I had read, other times getting my scenes confused with a past story. I begin to think how fun it would be, for these authors to collaborate, to blend the people into scenes from both of their writings. It could be interesting to see how an author from the 18th century and one from the 20th, would write as a team, their periods of time so different in history.
Once I go into one of my ‘thinking,’ episodes, my mind opens up even more, this present time taking me into the periods of the Bible. Imagine someone from the Old Testament meeting someone from the New Testament! Yes, they would see prophesies come true, which could be mighty exciting! “A young woman is with child, and she will bear a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Is.7:14, CEB), while in Matthew 1:21 (CEB), we read, “She will bear a son; and you shall give him the name Jesus (Savior), for he will save his people from their sins.” I wonder what the response would be, what their eyes and faces would be saying to us, as they see Jesus in the manger, with Mary! Their tremendous sorrow, as he is crucified, would be unbearable, as it has been for us.
Joel 2: 30-31 (CEB) tells us, “I will show portents in the sky and on earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon in blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.” Turning to the NT, Acts 2:19-20 (CEB), “And I will show portents in the sky above, and signs on the earth below-blood and fire and drifting smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before that great resplendent day, the day of the Lord, shall come,” just as the prophet had said. How the OT and NT work together, hand in hand!
In Deuteronomy 18:15 (CEB), we hear, “The LORD your god will raise up a prophet from among you like myself, and you shall listen to him.” In Acts 3:22 (CEB), we are reminded what Moses said, “The LORD God will raise up a prophet for you among yourselves as he raised me; you shall listen to everything he says to you,..” We are constantly reminded how we are to listen to what is being said, whether we are in the OT or in the NT.
Proverbs 3:34 (CEB) teaches us “Though God himself meets the arrogant with arrogance, yet he bestows his favour on the meek,” while turning to James 44:6 (CEB), Thus Scripture says, “God opposes the arrogant and gives grace to the humble.” Humility is often taught to us, with these two similar verses, one from the Old Testament, and one from the New, to keep that arrogance at a distance, just in case we forget and tend to have it close at bay. 1Peter 5:5 (CEB) is right, there, too, “In the same s towards way you younger men must be subordinate to your elders. Indeed, all of you should wrap yourselves in the garment of humility towards each other, because God sets his face against the arrogant but favours the humble.”
We know God is always there to be our helper, told to us in Psalm 118:6-7 (CEB), “ The LORD is on my side, I have no fear; what can man do to me? The LORD is on my side, he is my helper, and I shall gloat over my enemies,” and in the NT, our help is there, our fear calmed, Hebrews 13:6 (NEB) “The LORD is my helper, I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Proverbs 11:31 (CEB) allows us to find out what happens to godless sinners, “If the righteous in the land get their deserts, how much more the wicked man and the sinner!” 1 Peter 4:17-18 (CEB) And if it is starting with you, how will it end for those who refuse to obey the gospel of God? It is hard enough for the righteous to be save; what then will become of the impious and sinful?”
Finally, we know about the Garden of Eden, or the Garden of God, in the Old Testament, first in Genesis, but also in Ezekiel, 28:13, (CEB), “You were in an Eden, a garden of God, adorned with gems of every kind: sardine and chrysolite and jade, topaz, cornelian and green jasper, lapis lazuli, purple garnet and green feldspar. Your jingling beads were of gold, and the spangles you wore were made for you on the day of your birth,” and Ezekiel 31:9 (CEB) I, the LORD, gave it beauty with its mass of spreading boughs, the envy of all the trees in Eden, the Garden of God.” In Revelation 2:7 (CEB), we are still reading on the Garden of God, “To him who is victorious I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that stands in the Garden of God.” Can you imagine what Adam and Eve would be saying? The “right to eat?” Only for those ‘victorious!’
God is seeing that we do not forget! Though there are thousands of books in the world and thousands of authors, there is only one Bible and one author behind the Great Book, our God Almighty. Throughout, He is giving us many messages, including to love one another, to repent, to be humble, that Jesus is our Saviour, to be victorious.
This is the Book I always have with me, where I continue to write down more than any other what I want to remember. It is Scripture which carries me, “all the days of my life.” (Psalm 23: 6 CEB)

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