The Bible: A Supernatural Book with Three Layers of Meaning

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” – 2 Peter 1:21

The Bible is not like any other book. It does not merely contain the words of men—it is the very breath of God (2 Timothy 3:16). It is supernatural in its origin, in its preservation, and in its impact. The Bible is a book that reads you even as you read it. It convicts, it transforms, and it reveals what no human wisdom could ever conceive.

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” This means that unless the Spirit of God opens our eyes, we will never grasp the depth, the weight, or the glory of the Scriptures. The Bible is not merely historical documentation—it is revelation. And when we approach it rightly, we begin to see that it unfolds in three powerful, interconnected layers: the historical, the doctrinal (or prophetic), and the devotional.

1. The Historical Application: The Record of Divine Acts

The Bible first and foremost records history. The events of Scripture really happened. God created the world in six days. He judged the world with a flood. He called Abraham, delivered Israel from Egypt, and established David’s throne. These are not myths or allegories. They are the unfolding of God’s actual work in time and space.

Consider the Exodus. It is not a fairy tale or a legend—it is a historical deliverance, chronicled in Scripture with greater detail than almost any other event in the Old Testament. Five entire books—Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and even Joshua—trace the redemption of God’s people. The Bible gives such weight to this historical moment that we must stop and ask: Why? Why does God devote so much space to Israel’s exodus from Egypt?

2. The Doctrinal (or Prophetic) Application: The Shadow of Greater Realities

Here is the glory of Scripture: history is never just history. It is always revealing something bigger, something deeper, something eternal. The Exodus was not just Israel’s deliverance—it was a foreshadowing of our deliverance. Egypt, throughout Scripture, is a picture of the world. Pharaoh is a picture of Satan. The bondage of Israel under cruel taskmasters is a picture of the slavery of sin. And the Passover, where the blood of the lamb was spread on the doorposts, is a picture of Christ, our Passover Lamb.

Paul makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 5:7: “For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” The shedding of blood in Egypt was not just about the firstborn—it was about the Firstborn of all creation, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

This is why the Old Testament is filled with types, shadows, and figures. As Hebrews 10:1 says, “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things.” The historical events of the Old Testament were orchestrated by God not only to accomplish His purposes in time but to display His greater purposes in eternity.

3. The Devotional (or Inspirational) Application: The Word for Today

But history and doctrine alone are not enough. The Word of God is alive. It speaks now. It breathes into our daily struggles, our temptations, our victories, and our sorrows. Romans 15:4 declares:

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

When we read about Israel’s wilderness wandering, we are not just studying ancient geography—we are seeing our own hearts. How often do we murmur against God? How often do we long for the world after He has delivered us? How often do we doubt His provision, even after seeing His faithfulness?

And yet, the Promised Land is ahead. Christ has called us not just to escape sin, but to enter into life more abundant (John 10:10). Israel’s journey to Canaan is a living picture of our journey to glory. And this is why the Bible speaks so powerfully. It convicts, it encourages, it transforms.

The Bible: More Than Words on a Page

God tells us plainly that the Scriptures were written for our admonition (1 Corinthians 10:11):

“Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

The Bible is a supernatural book. It is not dead ink on a page—it is the living voice of God. It reveals history, it declares doctrine, and it convicts the heart. And through it, the Spirit of God speaks.

So let us not treat it lightly. Let us tremble at its words. Let us study it, meditate on it, cling to it—because every word is truth, every word is power, and every word is for us.

Amen.