Study the Bible as a Whole
Study the Bible, as a whole, in parts. Climb its great mountain peaks of Sinai, Calvary, Olivet, Zion, and drink in its broad expanse, its magnificent visions of grandeur, strength, and loveliness. Note that all that is said in detail falls properly, appropriately, beautifully, into the grand sweep and setting of its larger views; and, when properly understood, all parts of God's great plan and purpose. Study Christ Jesus our Lord. “Consider Him,” not alone in His short life upon earth, but in the grand eternity of His career in all its various phases in the development of God's purpose of the ages. Only so can we see the glorious, continuous unity in God's purpose of the ages. Therefore, “Consider Him.” “Consider Him” as one with the Eternal Father before the worlds were, as His “Fellow,” from “the days of eternity;” as the One through whom the Godhead spake worlds into existence. For “in Him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through Him, and unto Him; and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” “To us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him.” “Consider Him” as the mighty Creator, as your Re-creator. “Consider Him” as the mouthpiece of God. For this reason He is called the Word; for “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him; and without Him was not anything made that hath been made.” “No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father [knowing all His secrets], He hath declared Him.” “No one knoweth who the Son is, save the Father; and who the Father is save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal Him.” And therefore through all the ages Christ has been the Revealer of the Father. The holy prophets of all the past spake as “the Spirit of Christ” which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory which should follow.” “Consider Him” as the Revealer of God in all the past, the Giver of the law in word and deed; and the One who now would reveal God to your soul as a kind Father, whose character is love. “Consider Him” in His humiliation, voluntarily assumed, first, that He might save the lost and fallen; and, secondly, that He might stamp as an eternal lie Satan's accusation that God was a tyrant and His service hard. Therefore in the council of eternity, He who was “originally in the form of God” did not aspire to be like God, but “gave Himself,” “taking the form of a servant.” In purpose He died back there as truly as He died upon the cross. He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” The cross was but the climax of a constant giving from the beginning. Step by step He entered upon that pathway of humiliation till it ended in the lowest depths, a grave among the sons of disobedience. “Consider Him” who humbled Himself that we might be exalted. “Consider Him” as an angel, a messenger, a servant of God among other angels, messengers, servants, Himself the chiefest Angel, because the greatest servant. Then known as Michael (“who is like God”), the Archangel, by service pre-eminent. Therefore was He the special angel of Jehovah, who spake with Abraham, who wrestled with Jacob, who led Israel through the Red Sea and the wilderness, who spake the law from heaven, who gave unto Moses the lively oracles, speaking as the voice of God from Deity-crowned Sinai. He came as the Angel of God's presence, of whom the Lord assures us: “My Name is in Him.” As the messenger of Jehovah He demonstrated the power of God over sin in the angelic sphere, fought the great spiritual battles with Satan, the adversary, brought Moses from the dead, and bare witness of God's salvation to the fallen angel host. “Consider Him” as a man among men, circumscribed with the inherited traits, the infirmities, the environments of humanity; yielding all to God; by faith winning the victory over sin, revealing from day to day the wonderful love of God, going “about doing good,” healing the sick, comforting the sorrowing, giving His life day by day, and yielding the last of it from a broken heart upon the cross. Thus He said, every moment, See how much God loves you. Consider His death, His burial, His passing from highest heaven to lowest hell, that no vacancy might be left unfilled by His fullness if men and angels desired His salvation. “Consider Him;” He died for you. “Consider Him” as high priest, pleading His own precious blood in behalf of every sinner, suffering, working, in and through His suffering, working church on earth. “Consider Him” a merciful and faithful High Priest, touched by the feeling of our infirmities, able to save even to the uttermost, and therefore able to save you. “Consider Him” the coming everlasting king of a glorified, sinless realm, the mighty Conqueror over death and the grave. At His coming, in the light of His glory, all sin and all of sin shall perish forever. Sickness, misery, wo, and pain will be forever banished. Of His capital city, He declares: “Thy people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. . . . I, Jehovah, will hasten it in its time.” He will bring His faithful ones, His persecuted, down-trodden witnesses, of all ages and climes, from ocean caves, from loathsome dungeons, from human slavery and degradation, to the glorious eternal home. There crowned with life and immortality, they will bask in the glory and share the delights of Him whose reign is eternity, whose law is love. O soul, “Consider Him” who will accomplish all this in thee as He has wrought it all for thee.