The Bible: A Quick Book Review

This is Part 1 of my “Exploring the Bible” series.

Every popular book has a book review. I think it’s time to review the most printed book in the history of man.

The complexity and beauty of how the Bible was written amazes me every time I reread the books and chapters. 40 authors over a period of 1500 years created such a harmonious work without any doctrinal contradictions whatsoever. Hundreds of fulfilled prophecies combined with interlocking future prophecies from multiple prophets throughout time is absolutely fascinating. Dual and triple prophecies within the same chapter that continue to be discovered makes the Bible a book that is alive, and it continues to reveal itself. It’s complexity and infallibility proves the very existence of God.

Some question the validity of the Bible my stating that a group of men decided which books to canonize into the Bible and which ones to leave out. While extra books known as the Apocrypha give us a great picture of the culture and how the people of the time were interpreting and walking in the way of the Bible, some contradictions or the lack of a number of manuscripts that match caused them to not make the final cut. Early Bibles like the King James version of 1611 included the extra books as an addition to the canonized books.

Some of the writings may be rooted in divine inspiration, but the best way to read them is to let them support Bible scripture and not add to it.  We must go on Faith that the Holy Spirit guided the final assembly of the biblical canon. Let’s say you are growing up in a rural area in the early 1800s and the only thing you will ever know is the family Bible of the time. God made sure that you had everything He wanted you to read and hear to obtain righteousness and salvation.

In Daniel 12:4, it says that in the last days knowledge will increase. That includes the increase of knowledge that we get from online libraries and documentation today regarding how Christianity developed and changed over time as well as the understanding of the meaning of future prophecy.

The more we read the Bible, the more we are divinely gifted through the Holy Spirit with the understanding of its knowledge. This leads to a passion of not only wanting to learn more, but also wanting to form a closer relationship with God and walk in His Way. At first it may look like an encrypted book filled with a bunch of random, unrelated stories. However, you soon start to realize, after diving deep into it, that every bit of the Bible is interconnected and important in discovering the big picture and master plan along with the Good News, the Great Mystery, and the Everlasting Promises.

Most people think the Old Testament is dead, but it is so alive and the foundation of everything. It is revealing more and more in these end times. After a while, you feel like Indiana Jones unearthing the next revelation in scripture. Most people do not realize that when Christ and the disciples were teaching the scriptures and telling everyone how important it was to follow the scriptures, the New Testament did not exist.

“All Scripture is breathed out 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.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

When it says that the Messiah was the Word of God in the flesh, the Word was the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Torah, along with the words he spoke through His prophets. Throughout the New Testament, Christ and the apostles referenced scriptures from the Torah and the prophets. To really understand those scriptures in context, you should really go read the chapters around the original references in the first half of the book.

The worst thing that ever happened in the history of printed Bibles is when someone labeled the first half of the book “Old” and the second half of the book “New”, as if the first half was obsolete. Who starts off any book from the middle and reads only the last half?

I do believe that Yah uses things like puzzles, metaphors, and numbers in Prophecy to intrigue and challenge people to continue to read and reread the Bible to be rewarded with divine understanding. And He makes Paul’s letters hard to understand, so that those who truly love Him will study them diligently to discover the absolute Truth. Those who read them superficially and believe everything that someone else tells them have the potential to be misled.

When talking about Paul’s writings, Peter emphasizes their importance.

“There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”  – 2 Peter 3:16

Misinterpretation of Paul’s letters is a major reason why Christians are divided today. Each different denomination references the above scripture as the reason why the other denominations are wrong. That’s why we must all read the Bible for ourselves and discover the whole Truth.  Believers are the Bride of Christ and He wants us all united in the Truth,  walking exactly as He walked.

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” – 1 Corinthians 1:10

“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” – Mark 3:24

Basic common sense should tell us that if the Bible is true and valid, then there is only one Truth to all doctrines within it. For the Bible says in 1st Corinthians 14:33 that Yah is not a God of confusion. I believe that if you were to take a group of believers from different Christian denominations and have them read the Bible together from beginning to end, studying and discussing it thoroughly, the same Truths will be revealed to all. Of course, that’s only if everyone in the group maintains an open mind when something contradicts what they have been taught.

Reading the Bible for yourself from the beginning to the end and researching the scriptures becomes one continuous adventure after another. From the creation of the world to the Great Flood caused by the fallen angels to the Great Exodus from Egypt  to the miracles of Jesus Christ, there are many amazing stories in the Bible that not even Hollywood could replicate. They rarely make movies about the Bible because they just can’t portray on the screen the astonishing events in the Bible. Hollywood movies like Lord of the Rings, Avatar, or any superhero movie have nothing on the majestic acts of Yah and the prophets throughout the Bible. Also, the Bible will make you feel more love and give you more peace than any romance or good feeling movie in the theater.

The most important advice that I can give you when reading the Bible is that if you find scriptures in the Bible that contradict something you believe, don’t ignore it. Keep studying. Never try to fit your beliefs into scripture. Let scripture reinforcing scripture, in full context, guide you to the truth. The actual truth will have no contradictions whatsoever. That’s the beauty of the greatest and most exciting book ever written.

“Test everything; hold fast what is good.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:21

And remember, you always have a teacher that you can trust to guide you.

″But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”  – John 14:26

Book Review Rating:
A+++ – The Bible is a great read. It has it all. Action, drama, tragedy, supernatural battles, as well as the greatest love story ever told. It’s tough to put down when you realize you are part of the story that continues to reveal itself. It’s also the best “how to” manual you’ll ever read. It will change your life and give you the greatest happiness and peace you could have ever imagined. 10 out of 10 stars.


Thank you for reading Part 1 of my “Exploring the Bible” series.

Read Part 2: The History of English Bible translations
Read Part 3: So, Which Bible Should you read?