Uncovering the Secrets of Ancient Poetry and Writings

Research of people and cultures was my “thing.” I took a magnifying glass and waded through books.

I remember a high school teacher gave me a two-page assignment, and I handed in 50 pages on the aboriginals in Australia. I did not remember much of what I wrote, but it was especially fun to discover the unknown.

My Bible was an excellent fit but became a life challenge of peeling away my preconceived ideas and trying to get into the minds of the ancients. Impossible and frustrating, my searching heart was pulled into the Bible.

Thousands of years of cultural changes, war victories and defeats, the mixture of other gods, evolving languages, and more did not stop my curiosity to know more.

Bible writings are often in ancient poetic forms. Beautiful, but sometimes an intellectual challenge to understand. Only a timeless Holy Spirit can pull back the curtain of Biblical mysteries. We know in part, but He has the whole picture.

Holy Spirit, who inspired the authors of our Bible, gives us revelation beyond our intellect. Digging for rare Bible treasures is often spiritually discerned. Holy Spirit shows up and reveals God’s Truth.

Ancient prophets wrote in poetry and pictures. This is what makes books like Isaiah complicated and challenging to many scholars.

Literal, often graphic Bible writings and sagas of the times give us history like a patchwork quilt. The writings I pulled together on the Ezra-Nehemiah era are meant to make Old Testament reading come alive with all the excitement of ancient times.

Old Testament books in the Hebrew Bible were scrolls eventually put together in a bound book in modern times. Our logical order was not to be found, but it made perfect sense to Jewish scholars who painstakingly and lovingly spent years comparing scrolls for a “perfect fit.”

Between the Old Testament and New were 400 action-packed historical years in the world. When Jesus came to the rescue, times were emotionally pitch dark, and God’s people had lost hope.

Ancient writings of the long-awaited savior were being fulfilled, but only a few grasped the Truth.

Jesus taught in parables and gave examples to which the people could relate. Jesus reached out to Judeans who had memorized the first five books (the Torah) of the Bible and large portions of the prophets. Jesus could quote some ancient Scriptures, and the listeners could fill in the rest. Most people could not read; they memorized.

Writers of the New Testament were Judeans (from the southern two tribes). Teaching believers in Jesus, who was often a mixture of Jews and non-Jews, many gatherings and teachings quoted Old Testament scriptures.

There were horrific conquering wars and periods of persecution when portions of the Bible were written.

During tough times, mysteries were often hidden in symbolic writings that the rulers of the times could not understand. This is one of the reasons we have so many translations and views of the book of Revelation.

A solution to avoid confusion is to ask the writer and inspirer of the Word to be teacher. He shines the light of revelation to guide us into more profound mysteries.

Let’s look at a couple of examples.

Searching rivers in the Scriptures, I discovered the allegoric river comes from the throne of God, through Jesus as the Fountainhead, in and through us by Holy Spirit.

The river in the desert could be literal or nourishing the spiritual dry places within us.

2 Chronicles 16.9: The eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.

Not literal eyes, God is eternal. He lives out of time in the past, present, and future. He knows all things. Therefore, He sees all things. He longs for us to totally surrender to serve Him with our whole hearts and minds.

The Lamb with the eyes and horns is allegoric of the sacrifice Jesus paid on our behalf. Horns are strength. We can trust the love of the Almighty, All-Knowing, All-Seeing One. Although simplified, this is basic to our faith.

When we ask our teacher Holy Spirit, He will give us wisdom and understanding beyond our meager thinking.

Our Bible can become so exciting that words leap off the page and uncover uncountable hidden secrets.

Life in the Living Word with Holy Spirit becomes dynamic.

Won’t you ask Holy Spirit to guide you to uncover the mysteries and treasures God has personally prepared just for you?