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A bike and the Bible – Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Isaiah – part 11

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Isaiah, remind me of the trestles on the bike ride. We can give them a quick glance or deeper look as we connect them to their surroundings.

Trestles

On this bike ride several elements made the ride a bit shaky – gravel, dark tunnels, and now a series of trestles. Watching a train travel over a trestle was one thing, riding a bike over it was quite another.

The first trestle was really high. I preferred to ride more toward the center and away from the edges. The span wire that served as a guard rail appeared more like a suggestion than a protective barrier. Still seated on my bike I placed my foot on the equivalent of a curb and looked out across the valley – but only briefly looked down.

I could barely get up off my bike to take a look. I was finally getting used to this bike and the gravel path on which I pedaled. Adding the dimension of height and a flimsy looking barrier made this stretch of the ride a bit tenuous.

At the first trestle I did appreciate the expansive view. In the distance I noticed a parade of miniature bikes among the trees. It took me a moment to realize I was looking at riders who were farther ahead of me on the trail.

Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah

This reminds me of the next few books of the Bible, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Isaiah, which brought recognition to my Bible path as I connected them to other aspects of Scripture.

Solomon

Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs, also known as Song of Solomon, were both written by Solomon. Yes, that Solomon, author of Proverbs, which we mentioned last week. He was also King David’s son.

Just a little insight on Solomon. He asked God for wisdom and he received. But later in life he didn’t use his God-given wisdom. He made bad choices, allowed himself to be influenced by others, and fell away from God. Ecclesiastes reflects the wrestling he experienced.

You may be familiar with Ecclesiastes chapter 3, how everything has its season.

Song of Songs presents a love story and also represents the love of Christ for His bride, the church.

Learn more about Solomon

A fun exercise might be to skim Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs, in light of knowing they were all written by the same author.

For a fuller picture, go back to Solomon’s story in 1 Kings.

See patterns

Much like connecting Solomon to some books of the Bible, at this point on the trail I started to see patterns. I had seen some of these elements before – a tunnel, a bridge, and now a few trestles.

Information

We also came across information boards, either a map to show us “you are here” or some history about the train that had gone through that section.

This reminds me of the moment when I could see across the valley and note movement in the distance. Eventually I could discern the places from which I had ridden. I started to recognize where I had been which helped me better understand where I was on the route.

Scripture tie-ins

If you’ve followed me through this path in the Bible, you’ve probably started to notice some of that too, how elements and sections of Scripture tie in to other places in the Word.

Isaiah

That leads to the third book of the Bible mentioned in this post – Isaiah, the first of the prophetic books, called a Major Prophet because of its length. Minor Prophets are the shorter books.

Trestle over the water

It also brings me to the trestle that was most rewarding, the one over the water.

The creek

The creek at long last. I think I heard it before I saw it. I felt compelled to look down over the edge of this bridge with the flimsy railing – in spite of my trepidation – to see and not just hear the rushing water.

So I stepped up onto the curb and leaned over the side to see the water far below. The reward was wonderful. Not only could I hear the refreshing water but I could drink it in with my own eyes.

Appreciate the flowing water

By the time I reached that particular trestle I had enough confidence to peer over the side to really appreciate the flowing water.

Jesus

The Book of Isaiah is where we here of the promised Messiah, Jesus.

“For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NIV

For me, that’s the rushing water of truth in Isaiah. The life-giving water of God’s Presence.

We can read this passage of Scripture the same way we did the Psalms. Find the aspect of the phrase that really speaks to our hearts, our situation, our need. What reassurance this provides.

If we think of God as He appears in these verses, we can receive the comfort we need in times of distress.

The rushing water of the creek below the trestle was peace like a river for my soul.

A bike and the Bible – Esther Job Psalms Proverbs – part 10

Want a few reminders about Solomon?

A bike and the Bible – 1 and 2 Kings to Nehemiah – part 9

A bike and the Bible – Esther Job Psalms Proverbs – part 10

Esther, Job, Psalms, and Proverbs, like the shorter tunnels on the bike ride, can feel like a mix of dark and light. There are still some convoluted places, but more light.

Bike trail and more tunnels

After the second tunnel of the ride – which as I mentioned last week, caught me off guard – we were back to bike trail out in the open. We came across a few tunnels, but all were much smaller and most of the time I could see the light shining through to the other end, making this section of trail much more approachable than the initial long tunnel.

Approachable

These next four books of the Bible – Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs – are like that too.

Esther

The Book of Esther might confuse with all those names and details, but it is fairly short and reads like a story complete with hero and villain. The main character, Esther, inspires as she pushes through her fear to follow God’s lead in her life.

Job

Right after Esther comes Job (rhymes with robe). Much like the section of bike trail that ran right into a tunnel, Job leads straight into darkness. If you thought your life had challenges, Job really has a rough go of it.

One thing the Book of Job has going for it is the format. This book reads like a play which could be called Job and his unhelpful friends. After Job’s life falls apart, his well-intentioned friends offer advice, but they blame Job for his problems. Job’s perspective changes when he focuses on God and not on his problems.

Anybody notice a theme with these two books?

Psalms

The Book of Psalms leads us back into the light of day after the darkness of Job, if not from the content, then at least from the length of the Psalms. I really like the Psalms because of the varied number of verses of each text and the layers of feelings represented. They cover the gamut of emotions often reflecting the raw experience of the author or intended audience.

Proverbs

I think of Proverbs as the fortune cookie of the Bible, often short phrases to ponder. Some are more straightforward than others. Some require a little more thought. So for me, depending on the Proverb, these can either be like the trail in the daylight or another short tunnel.

If we look at the first lines of Proverbs we see they were written by Solomon. Remember him?

“The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;” Proverbs 1:1-2 NIV

Scripture always available

With any Scripture passage, release the need to fully understand what you read. Scripture is always available to come back to and see something new in.

Esther Job Psalms Proverbs

Esther and Job read as standalone stories, Psalms and Proverbs break up nicely and are often assigned in Bible reading plans along with other sections of Scripture.

So whether you opt for a story format or smaller passages of Scripture, Esther, Job, Psalms, and Proverbs, offer accessible entry into the Bible.

Want a reminder of what comes before these books?

A bike and the Bible – 1 and 2 Kings to Nehemiah – part 9

A few more thoughts on the Psalms:

Psalms at the heart of the Bible:

Finding my place

A way to look at the 23^rd Psalm – a structure for viewing the Psalms:

How to hear from God – where to look

A bike and the Bible – 1 and 2 Kings to Nehemiah – part 9

Like the second tunnel of the bike ride, 1 and 2 Kings to Nehemiah feels like a shorter tunnel, but is still somewhat dark and unfamiliar.

Follow me as we ride past these next several books of the Bible and illuminate them just a little.

Second tunnel

After the stretch of shared road out in the open on the bike trail, the sight of another tunnel brought out all the fear and apprehension of the first one.

Here’s what the first tunnel looked like:

tunnel ahead

After the shock wore off, I started to fumble for my bike light, remembering how dark the initial tunnel had been.

Heading into 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah can feel a bit daunting, especially if you actually start to read these books. I once said the Kings saga reads like an obituary. A lot of names and how long (or short) they reigned. A first look can feel really overwhelming.

History books

Here are some thoughts to help us get our bearings as we travel the landscape of these history books.

Like 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles are parts one and two of longer books. These two sets of books have a bit of overlap to them, though they were written at different times for different purposes.

1 and 2 Kings is the log of all the kings of the Northern and Southern kingdoms.

1 and 2 Chronicles is the history of the kings of the Southern kingdom as recorded by the historian or chronicler written much later.

1 Kings

Confused yet? You don’t need to be. Something really significant happens in 1 Kings that’s helpful to keep in mind.

As a reminder, Samuel anoints David as king in 2 Samuel. David’s son Solomon becomes king in 1 Kings and is called to build the Lord’s Temple. The first eleven chapters of 1 Kings cover the life of King Solomon.

Kingdom split

Solomon’s son Rehoboam follows him as king but the leaders of the kingdom don’t all follow Rehoboam’s novice decision. His choice of direction leads to the kingdom split. The Israelites split off from Rehoboam’s leadership and he is left charge over what is called the kingdom of Judah.

You don’t have to remember these details, just keep in mind that the kingdom splits into the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah, and it originates in 1 Kings.

2 Kings

The second half of 1 Kings can get a little confusing as it switches back and forth between the kings from both kingdoms. 2 Kings carries on the alternating narrative with some kings receiving pages of storyline while others only see dishonorable mention.

Kingdoms fall

In 2 Kings 17 the kingdom of Israel falls to Assyria.

Jerusalem falls to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzer at the conclusion of 2 Kings.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles rolls a bit like the book of Numbers with extensive lists of names starting with Adam, the first man. Talk about tracing your genealogy.

David as king

Chapter ten of 1 Chronicles begins a narrative of David as king that carries through the end of part one of the chronicles.

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles begins with Solomon’s reign and includes the split with Rehoboam’s rule. From there the focus is on the kings of Judah.

Whew. Did you make it?

Kingdom highlights

Here’s a quick recap of some of the kingdom highlights:

King Solomon was David’s son. Rehoaboam was Solomon’s son.

King David was a warrior.

King Solomon built the temple.

King Rehoaboam split the kingdom.

Ezra and Nehemiah

The summary of Ezra and Nehemiah goes much quicker.

Ezra begins with the return of the exiles.

Nehemiah continues the history with the rebuilding of the city wall.

What to expect

Much like the first long tunnel, after a while even in the dark I knew a bit what to expect.

As I traveled this shorter tunnel I noticed it didn’t feel slanted like the first long one. Although I fumbled for my light heading into this tunnel, the ride through it was much more manageable. Also, because it didn’t slant down toward the gutters it felt doable. And I had been riding long enough now that I had a sense of how to navigate it, even if all I knew was that it would be confusing.

I don’t know about you, but I felt a certain level of comfort knowing that.

This tunnel would be dark and confusing, but I’ve been through dark and confusing so I know a bit how to cope and navigate under such circumstances.

And hopefully now you do, too.

Trying to remember what was in 1 and 2 Samuel? Here’s a quick review:

A bike and the Bible – Joshua to 1 and 2 Samuel – part 8

From Joshua to 1 and 2 Samuel, familiar stories bring recognition and maybe a little comfort, much like the stretch of the bike trail that was out in daylight after the long dark tunnel.

Shared road

After 1.661 miles of darkness, I was glad to see sunlight and begin the stretch of the ride that was on a shared road. This section carried bikes, cars, and buses. A gravel road worn smooth from the weight of many tires and frequent use.

Though varied vehicles meant we had to watch for traffic in both directions, I welcomed the open expanse and chance to see something familiar.

Bigger view

Outside the entrance of the tunnel I could see the panoramic view of evergreens, blue sky, and sunshine. We were still near the start of the bike ride, but this was the first we could really see where we were going.

The next few books of the Bible – Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel – offer a similar perspective.

Joshua

Joshua, Moses’ successor, leads the Israelites as their journey continues. To recap, Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt (the Exodus) and gives his farewell speech in Deuteronomy. Joshua takes over leadership in the Book of Joshua.

The Book of Joshua includes the story of Rahab who hid the spies (chapter 2), the crossing of the Jordan River (chapter 3 and 4), and the fall of the wall at Jericho (chapter 6). These were stories I heard about at church when I was a kid. They read pretty quickly if you want to give them a look.

Rahab’s name is good to remember. Her name comes up in the New Testament in some pretty remarkable ways. (See Matthew 1:5 and Hebrews 11:31).

The Battle of Jericho is one of many battles that takes place in this action-packed book. The second half of Joshua covers the division of land among the tribes.

Before Joshua passes on, he gives a farewell warning to the people reminding them to obey God. (Joshua 23:6)

In chapter 24 the people swear they will be faithful to God, but the next book, Judges, tells a different story.

Judges

The Judges ruled or led people. The people would do things their own way, “did right in their own eyes,” until they really messed up and God sent a judge to lead them out of their predicament.

Some of the noteworthy names are Deborah (chapter 4 and 5), Gideon (chapter 6-9), and Samson (chapter 13-16). Don’t worry if you don’t recognize their names. Their stories only take a few chapters to read. Here are a couple of highlights from Gideon’s story.

Gideon

I so appreciate Gideon. God whittles down all Gideon’s resources to show God’s strength, not the strength of the Israelites. (Judges 7)

Gideon also has a few trust issues and asks God to do a lot of proving of His role in Gideon’s survival. (Judges 6:36-40)

Ruth

The Book of Ruth is a short four chapter self-contained story that packs a punch when you realize how significant Ruth’s role is in the bigger story of Jesus. (Read Ruth chapter 4, then compare Ruth 4:18-22 and Matthew 1:1-6)

1 and 2 Samuel

1 and 2 Samuel, once one long book split into parchment part one and two, 1 Samuel starts with the story of a woman longing for a child. We learn the story of Samuel from before he was born to boyhood to first job and God’s calling.

1 Samuel presents the rise and fall of Saul as king and the introduction of David who complicates the dynamics of Saul’s kingdom.

When the giant Goliath enters the scene, this adversary defines David’s popularity. David’s story comes to the forefront in the rest of 1 Samuel. His reign as king begins in 2 Samuel.

How to remember what’s in 1 and 2 Samuel?

Samuel anoints David as king. 1 and 2 Samuel contains the story of David.

In these five books of the Bible we find narratives and stories that are easy to follow and in some cases familiar. A breath of fresh air in the Old Testament murkiness.

Easier

On the bike ride we shared the road with automobile traffic and buses, as well as bikes moving in both directions. But because of all of this traffic, the road was smoother. All of that gravel had been worn down and was therefore easier to ride over.

These stories are either well-known, shorter, easier to comprehend, or to follow. We also find a few distinct references to the New Testament showing the two-way traffic between the Old and the New.

Hopefully like the bike path that opened up after the tunnel, you are finding a clearer view through the Old Testament with insights from Joshua to 1 and 2 Samuel.

Want a quick review of the first five books of the Bible, Genesis through Deuteronomy? Find it here:

A bike and the Bible – long dark tunnel – part 7

The beginning of the Old Testament can feel like a long dark tunnel. Here are insights to shed some light on the first five books of the Bible.

Tunnel entrance

The moment had arrived. No more stalling. I clumsily made my way to the tunnel entrance. I couldn’t see daylight. This was like the beginning of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. At the risk of being redundant, Genesis means beginning.

Darkness

In the beginning of Genesis the earth is formless and void. Darkness covers all. That’s what this tunnel felt like. Pure black nothingness. I had no idea where I was going, what to expect, what I would find, and all the while I felt like I was going to fall.

Fall

Which is actually a good metaphor for the beginning of Genesis because a fall happens pretty quickly. It’s “the Fall” that gets referenced everywhere. I heard that phrase a lot growing up but wasn’t exactly sure what it meant. What fall? Who fell?

Well, Adam and Eve, the first man and woman. They listened to a voice other than God’s, then questioned what they thought they knew, but more importantly questioned God’s love for them. The resulting consequence was a fall from grace and a boot out of the Garden, not because God didn’t love them, but because He did.

Before God sent them away from the Garden, He clothed them to cover their shame of being exposed.

God wants to cover our shame too.

Grateful for the light

Back in the long dark tunnel I was grateful for the light on my bike though it seemed pretty dim compared to the darkness that surrounded me. I was thankful to have my husband riding in front of me so I had some sense of direction and a little more light to guide my way.

In fact, this tunnel was filled with other cyclists, many who appeared to be experienced with the layout of the tunnel, or at least to me it seemed that way. With all those riders, this really dark tunnel had a constant stream of light flowing through it. This perpetual light may not have been bright but it was fairly steady.

Not alone

We are not alone when we read the Bible. We may know other people who have already read the stories we are just experiencing. I personally appreciate the people who like me are in the process of learning what’s inside.

Connection

The best part of reading the Bible is finding connection to God. When we read the Bible we take a step toward Jesus. The moment we open our Bibles we open our hearts to the possibility of time with Jesus.

Tried to maintain control

It took all my concentration to stay upright and not ride into the gutters that flanked the sides of the tunnel. For some reason the wheels kept leaning toward the gutters. Later I would find out the tunnel was slanted so the water that dripped from the ceiling could run off into those handy water troughs but for me they were reminders of how quickly I could go off course. I gripped the handle bars while I tried to maintain control.

Two-way tunnel

Did I mention this was a two-way tunnel? Yes, not only was I conscious of the riders behind me – who probably wanted to pass – but I had to watch for the ones sailing back up toward the entrance.

Funny, I didn’t grasp what was happening at the time, but some point later in the ride I realized I, too, would have to make the return trip. God was kind to keep me out of the loop at the start of the ride.

Foundation

Reading the Bible has similar characteristics. When I led a group of people through the whole Bible we spent a lot of time in Genesis. So many of the stories in Genesis lay the foundation for other sections of Scripture. If you haven’t read Genesis I encourage you to start there. If you want an overview of what’s in it, here’s a reference point:

Through Genesis – shedding light on the journey

If you read through Genesis you’ll find it flows into Exodus, which also continues with the story concept, though this one focuses primarily on the story of Moses and the Israelites. Here are some tips on how to navigate Exodus:

Find your stride – how to navigate Exodus

After Exodus comes the stumbling block of Leviticus. Most people like to skip this one, but reading with a group kept me accountable and I read through it. Leviticus is worth the trouble if you’re up for it. Here’s some help to survive the ride through it:

How to survive the journey through Leviticus

Much like the tunnel that never seemed to end, Leviticus can feel like a plunge into darkness. But if you even take the time to skim it, you’ll find some content that relates to Jesus in a most profound way.

And if you survive the journey through Leviticus, you have the reward of Numbers which begins with a mind-numbing census. Here are a few highlights of what can be found in Numbers:

How to find knowledge in the narrative of Numbers

Rounding out the first five books of the Bible is Deuteronomy, the book of remembrance. I personally find it ironic because if I make it this far through the Bible, it’s doubtful I remember what I read up to that point. Here are a few highlights to what’s in Deuteronomy:

Finding reminders in the book of Deuteronomy

If you followed me through this list then congratulations, you just made it through the long dark tunnel of the first five books of the Old Testament.

I want to give you permission to forget what you read. The Bible is always available for us to come back to and open it to remember what we’ve seen. But most of all, God is always available to reach out to – that’s all I need to remember.

Catching up on this series?

A bike and the Bible – an adventure – intro – part 1

A bike and the Bible – reservations – part 2

A bike and the Bible – what I thought – part 3

A bike and the Bible – getting started – part 4

A bike and the Bible – finding a Bible – part 5

A bike and the Bible – before the ride – part 6