The Bible is the most important book in history. It's also one of the most misunderstood. Studying Scripture involves much more than reading. Serious Bible study can be a daunting task. It takes effort and skill. The Bible was put together over 2000 years ago. There are serious obstacles to grasping its meaning and message. Wouldn't it be great to have a seasoned Bible scholar by your side to help? Now you can. In Brief Insights on Mastering Bible Study, biblical scholar Michael S. Heiser is the guide by your side, providing easy-to-read lessons and truisms for grasping God's Word. Adept Bible study isn't about a checklist of tasks. It's about using the right tools, thinking carefully, and sticking to it. You don't need to be a scholar to understand the Bible. You just need some advice from one along the way.
Boost your Bible comprehension one minute at a time.The Bible was written for us-but not to us. We're not part of the ancient world that informed its writers. We're strangers to their ideas, experiences, and worldview. Because we're cultural and historical outsiders, what we read in the Bible can often be perplexing and impenetrable. But take heart. But clear comprehension of what's in the Bible isn't a lost cause.In the second volume of his 60 Second Scholar series, Dr. Michael S. Heiser reveals the 100 most indispensable insights for understanding the Bible. The 60 Second Scholar: 100 Insights that Illumine the Bible presents readers with a straightforward but audacious proposition: Grasping these 100 insights will mean comprehending Scripture more clearly than you ever have before. You don't need time travel to understand Scripture, but you do need directions.
Clear comprehension of what the events in the Bible mean isn't a lost cause and doesn't require a PhD. This book is your guide to quickly deciphering key doctrines, providing expert observations so that you can comprehend more of Scripture than you ever have before. There's a lot to think about in the Bible. We believe things on the basis of what it says, but Scripture doesn't spell everything out with equal clarity. For instance: How should we really understand the idea of the Trinity or the concept of Hell? Can unbelievers still please God? Do the first chapters of Genesis allow for more than one interpretation of the creation? What the Bible says requires deep thought in order to come to conclusions about our Heavenly Father. If all you know of Scripture is Bible characters and stories, you're missing its life-changing teachings. But you don't have to become a theologian yourself to participate in mature reflections on its messages. In Brief Insights on Mastering Bible Doctrine (part of the 60 Second Scholar series), Michael S. Heiser distills the research of biblical scholars down to 80 easy-to-grasp key teachings of Scripture that: Help readers learn how to think carefully and theologically about what the Bible says. Clear up common misconceptions about the Bible's truths. Cover the spectrum of Christian doctrine, succinctly drawing meaning from the Bible independent of denominational or political traditions. With topics ranging from how the modern Bible came about to what God's Word tells us about the end times, this introdoctrine will give you the insights you need to hold your own in even the most animated biblical discussions.
The Bible is mysterious, surprising—and often deeply misunderstood. Dr. Michael Heiser, an expert in the ancient near east and author of the best selling The Unseen Realm, explores the most unusual, interesting, and least understood parts of the Bible and offers insights that will inspire, inform, and surprise you on every page. Dr. Heiser has helped to remind the church of the supernatural worldview of the Bible. In The Bible Unfiltered, you will see his methods and expertise applied to dozens of specific passages and topics. Gleaned from his years working as Faithlife's scholar-in-residence, this is some of the very best of Dr. Heiser's work.
Readers learn how to intelligently use commentaries and reference works that will produce more beneficial Bible study with minimal knowledge of New Testament Greek.
The Bible was written for us - but not to us. We're not part of the ancient world that informed its writers. We're strangers to their ideas, experiences, and worldview. Because we're cultural and historical outsiders, what we read in the Bible can often be perplexing and impenetrable. But take heart. Clear comprehension of what's in the Bible isn't a lost cause. In this 60 Second Scholar book, biblical scholar Michael S. Heiser reveals the most indispensable insights for understanding the Bible. Brief Insights on Mastering the Bible presents readers with a straightforward but audacious proposition: Grasping these insights will mean comprehending Scripture more clearly than you ever have before. You don't need to time travel to understand Scripture, but you do need directions.
The Bible is filled with passages that are so baffling we tend to ignore them. Yet the passages that seem weird might be the most important. This collection of essays from Bible Study Magazine will shock you, intrigue you, and completely change the way you view the Bible. Dr. Michael S. Heiser visits some of the Bible's most obscure passages, unveiling their ancient context to help you interpret them today. Read this book, and you'll never be bored by the Bible again. Part One: Old Testament The Ancient's Guide to the Galaxy Walk Like an Israelite Even the Bible Needed Upgrading Spellchecking the Bible Why Circumcision? The Abandoned Child and the Basket Case A Tale of Courage We Never Teach Counting the Ten Commandments Is There Really a Sin Offering? There's a Devil in the Details Love Potion: Numbers 5 Is My Bible Right? The Most Horrific Bible Story Righting a Wrong When Giants Walked the Earth The Divine Arrow Promise Undelivered? Sanctified Dirt 1003 BC Census: Who Authorized It-God or Satan? Cookin' the Books Slaying the Sea Monster Does God Need a Co-Signer? The Witness in the Clouds Who Wrote the Book of Proverbs? Immanuel's Mother: Virgin or Not? Standing in the Council Jeremiah: Double Vision? Why the Ark of the Covenant Will Never Be Found He, Him, Me, Myself, and I Bizarre Visions for the Worst of Times Do the Dead Sea Scrolls Answer the Canon Question? Part Two: New Testament Burying Hell My Guardian Angel The New Testament Misquotes the Old Testament? "I Saw Satan Fall like Lightning": When? The Healing Serpent Who Took Verse 4 out of My Bible? What Walking on Water Really Means Born Again ... and Again and Again? Dumbledore Meets Philip & Peter Paul's Lost Letters Destiny & Destination A Female Apostle Signed, Sealed, and Delivered-to Satan? Treason & Translation Charlton Heston Had Company When Abraham Met Jesus How Many Times Is Jesus Coming Back? What's Jesus Waiting For? God's Right-Hand Woman? Wisdom in Hebrews Baptism as Spiritual Warfare Jesus Is God: Jude and Peter Tell Me So When Angels Do Time Tough Love Jesus, God, a.k.a., The Name 666: What Theories Add Up? Perspective Changes Everything Constantine, Conspiracy, and the Canon
This guide provides a brief, concise overview of personal Bible study for the layperson. Long-time Bible teacher Robert West gives insight into the types, tools, and techniques of personal study, offering both practical guidance and encouragement to pursue the command of 2 Timothy 2:15 ("Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth"). Covering topics such as the inductive method, word studies, commentaries, dictionaries, and concordances, How to Study the Bible also emphasizes the personal benefits of private Bible time.
In The Unseen Realm, Dr. Michael Heiser examines the ancient context of Scripture, explaining how its supernatural worldview can help us grow in our understanding of God. He illuminates intriguing and amazing passages of the Bible that have been hiding in plain sight. You'll find yourself engaged in an enthusiastic pursuit of the truth, resulting in a new appreciation for God's Word. Why wasn't Eve surprised when the serpent spoke to her? How did descendants of the Nephilim survive the flood? Why did Jacob fuse Yahweh and his Angel together in his prayer? Who are the assembly of divine beings that God presides over? In what way do those beings participate in God's decisions? Why do Peter and Jude promote belief in imprisoned spirits? Why does Paul describe evil spirits in terms of geographical rulership? Who are the "glorious ones" that even angels dare not rebuke? After reading this book, you may never read your Bible the same way again. Endorsements "There is a world referred to in the Scripture that is quite unseen, but also quite present and active. Michael Heiser's The Unseen Realm seeks to unmask this world. Heiser shows how important it is to understand this world and appreciate how its contribution helps to make sense of Scripture. The book is clear and well done, treating many ideas and themes that often go unseen themselves. With this book, such themes will no longer be neglected, so read it and discover a new realm for reflection about what Scripture teaches." --Darrell L. Bock, Executive Director for Cultural Engagement, Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement "'How was it possible that I had never seen that before?' Dr. Heiser's survey of the complex reality of the supernatural world as the Scriptures portray it covers a subject that is strangely sidestepped. No one is going to agree with everything in his book, but the subject deserves careful study, and so does this book." --John Goldingay, David Allan Hubbard Professor of Old Testament, School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary "This is a 'big' book in the best sense of the term. It is big in its scope and in its depth of analysis. Michael Heiser is a scholar who knows Scripture intimately in its ancient cultural context. All--scholars, clergy, and laypeople--who read this profound and accessible book will grow in their understanding of both the Old and New Testaments, particularly as their eyes are opened to the Bible's 'unseen world.'" --Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College
The call to preach is just that- a call to preach. The call to preach, however, is more than just preaching. The call to preach is a call to prepare. Too many pastors have refrained from preparation while they await the Holy Spirit to do all of the work. God expects preachers to prepare sermons as much as possible and allow Him to prepare the preachers. Join Dr. Jerry Vines and Dr. Jim Shaddix as they achieve a balanced approach to teaching sermon preparation in Power in the Pulpit. This book combines the essential perspectives of a pastor of forty years with another pastor who also devotes daily time to training pastors in the context of theological education. Thus, Power in the Pulpit is a practical preaching help from a pastoral perspective in the tradition where expository preaching is a paramount and frequent event in the life of the local church. Power in the Pulpit is the combined work of Dr. Vines's two earlier publications on preaching: A Practical Guide to Sermon Preparation (Moody Press, 1985) and A Guide to Effective Sermon Delivery (Moody Press, 1986). Dr. Shaddix carefully organizes and supplements the material to offer this useful resource which closes the gap between classroom theory and what a pastor experiences in his weekly sermon preparation.
