How to Profit from Prophecy and Other Types of Bible Literature

by Clinton E. Arnold

Many Christians would describe the Bible as a God-given guidebook for life. Yet people who pick it up for the first time find it quite different from the guidebooks and manuals they are familiar with. The Bible doesn't provide an indexed list of instructions dealing step-by-step with the issues of life, like, "This is what you should do if  . . . ," or, "Here are eight criteria for finding a good church  . . . ," or, "If you have come to Christ from a background in secular humanism, this is where your worldview now needs to change."

Rather, when we thumb through the pages of the Bible, we find many different kinds of writings. There are numerous stories, the lyrics of dozens of songs, as well as wise sayings, personal letters, and the records of prophecies.

What kind of a guidebook, then, is this? A brilliantly conceived one! For through the various kinds of literary styles in the Bible, God has given us not only instruction, but also the story of His grand plan, inspirational examples of the faith and failure of His people through the years, songs that help us express our deepest hurts and longings to God, and much practical insight about living day to day with one's life oriented around God and His purposes.

Because there are a variety of literary styles in the Bible, we need to consider how to read each type so that we can better grasp God's word for our own situation.

Read the rest of the article.