How To Study Your Bible, part 2—Right Divisions

May 5, 2013

2 Tim. 2:15—“…rightly dividing the word of truth.”

The key to understanding the Bible is to know the principles of right division. Without an understanding of “right divisions” apparent contradictions will occur.

Besides the obvious division between the Old and New Testament, there are three other important divisions we must recognize.

MAIN DIVISION (Gen. 1:1—The division between “the heaven and the earth”). God has a plan for the earth and He has another plan (though not entirely unrelated) for heaven.
1. God’s purpose concerning THE EARTH is the subject matter of prophecy “spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Luke 1:68-70; Acts 3:19-21).
2. God’s purpose concerning HEAVEN is the subject matter of “the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25-26).
C. Prophecy has been going on “since the world began.”However, “the revelation of the mystery” has been “KEPT SECRET since the world began.” This “mystery” is the body of truth given by revelation first to the Apostle Paul (Eph. 3:3-11).

D. The entire Bible is basically divided under these two main headings: Prophecy and “the mystery.”

Ultimately, we will see God’s purpose for the earth fulfilled in the reign of Christ in the Kingdom. Heaven concerns the exaltation of the church with Christ (Eph. 2:4-7).
ETHNIC divisions. All the Bible is for us (Rom. 15:4), but not all the Bible is addressed to us or written about us (cf. Isa. 2:1; Acts 2:14).