Bible Study: Day 3 Of “Encounter The 3D Bible” By Dr. Susan Michael
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Day 3: Learning to Read the Bible in Context
"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law."
About Koutz Farm's Bible Studies:
These are my personal Bible study notes as I seek to know God more deeply through His Word. They are not intended to replace Scripture or the study materials I’m working through. My prayer is that these reflections encourage you to open your own Bible, ask thoughtful questions, and discover the richness of God’s Word for yourself.
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Many of the links on this page are affiliate links. This simply means that we get a referral bonus if you click our link and place an order. The company rewards us for the referral – but it doesn’t cost you anything extra over the cost of the products/services that you decide to purchase (plus any shipping fees and taxes). The payment is sometimes in monetary form, sometimes in discounts, sometimes in store credits, sometimes with other types of rewards. By using our links, you are supporting a small family business and helping our little farm.
To learn more about affiliate links, please read our Legal Terms & Conditions.
Bible Study Disclaimer
This study series reflects my personal notes and observations while working through Encounter the 3D Bible by Dr. Susan Michael. These posts are not a substitute for the book or study guide. I encourage you to purchase the materials and study alongside me.
Primary Bible Scriptures
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Revelation 19:11-16
Hebrews 4:12
Opening prayer
Heavenly Father,
As I open Your Word today, I ask You to quiet the distractions of my heart and mind. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I may know You more deeply. Open my eyes to understand not only what Your Word says, but what You desire to teach me through it.
Help me to approach Scripture with humility, patience, and a heart that seeks truth rather than simply information. Guard me from misunderstanding Your Word or reading my own ideas into it. Instead, teach me through Your Spirit, transform my heart, and help me become more like Christ with every lesson I study.
May this time with You never become another task to complete, but a treasured opportunity to grow in our relationship.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Study Overview
Today’s study challenged me to think differently about Bible reading. For many years, I approached Scripture primarily as a source of encouragement and personal application. While there is certainly nothing wrong with reading the Bible devotionally, today’s lesson reminded me that Scripture becomes even richer when we slow down and ask deeper questions like:
Who wrote these words?
- Who were they written to?
- What was happening historically?
- Where did these events take place?
- How did the culture influence the people involved?
Understanding the context doesn’t diminish the personal application—it actually strengthens it. The more I understand the original setting, the more clearly I can understand what God is saying to me today.
Day 2 Notes
Who?
Today’s study emphasized the importance of understanding both the author and the original audience before applying Scripture to ourselves. For example, Paul’s letters were written to specific churches facing specific circumstances. Jeremiah spoke to people living through one of Israel’s darkest periods. Jesus often tailored His teaching to the people standing before Him while also revealing truths that would extend far beyond His immediate audience.
One passage that stood out today was Ephesians 1:15–18, where Paul prays that believers would receive “the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.” Before diving into study, he begins with prayer. That simple example reminds us that Bible study isn’t merely an intellectual exercise—it is a spiritual one.
Today’s lesson from the book “Encounter The 3D Bible” by Dr. Susan Michael introduced a quote from Bible teacher Kay Arthur that resonated deeply with me – I’m paraphrasing from the book: “Don’t settle for second-hand knowledge of God. Spend time in His Word until your relationship with Him becomes First-hand and personal.”
People Mentioned
- God
- The Holy Spirit
- The Apostle Paul
- Eve
- The serpent
- Lord Jesus Christ
- Ephesian believers
- Bible teacher Kay Arthur
- The Jewish People
- Jewish Rabbis
- The Christian People
- Herod The Great
- Mark
- Matthew
- The Gentiles
- The Pagans
- Ba’al (Weather god)
- The demoniac (possessed by demons that Jesus cast out of him and sent into a herd of pigs)
What?
Today’s lesson introduced three different ways of reading the Bible. I’ll recap them here but you’ll need to get the book and study guide to fully appreciate the lessons being taught in “Encounter The 3D Bible” by Dr. Susan Michael.
Devotional Reading
This is often how many of us begin. We read a passage looking for encouragement, conviction, comfort, or direction for our lives.
This is an essential part of the Christian life. However, today’s study emphasizes that if this becomes our only method of reading Scripture, we can unintentionally misunderstand verses by removing them from their original context.
Bible Study
This level moves beyond personal application and focuses on understanding God’s character, theology, doctrine, and the overall message of Scripture.
Reading the Bible in Context (“3D”)
This is the focus of the study we are currently working through. Rather than asking only, “What does this verse mean to me?” it encourages readers to ask questions about the historical setting, geography, culture, audience, and literary context. Instead of making the Bible feel more complicated, these questions often make it come alive.
Books Of The Bible Mentioned
- Psalm
- Ephesians
- Genesis
- Revelation
- The Gospel Of John
- Proverbs
- Jeremiah
- Deuteronomy
- The Gospel Of Mark
- The Gospel Of Matthew
- The Gospel Of Luke
When?
Historical Context
One example discussed today was Jeremiah 29:11. Many Christians—including me—have found comfort in this verse:
“For I know the plans I have for you…”
(Jeremiah 29:11)
But those words were originally spoken to Israelites living in exile in Babylon. God was giving hope to a nation experiencing judgment. His promise would be fulfilled—but not necessarily immediately.
That observation led me to an important realization. God’s timing is often different from ours.
- Sometimes His promises are fulfilled within days.
- Sometimes they unfold across generations.
- Sometimes they point toward Christ hundreds of years later.
As humans, waiting can be incredibly difficult. But God’s faithfulness is not measured by our timetable.
Where?
Geographical Context
One of today’s most fascinating reminders was that geography often explains details we might otherwise overlook. The Bible took place in real locations with real cultures and real people.
Understanding those locations often changes how we read familiar stories. Dr. Susan Michael gave an excellent example in the book, “Encounter The 3D Bible”, that I’ll briefly touch on in my notes – but she explains it in much more detail (so get the book and support her writing): The example she gave involved the two separate occasions when Jesus miraculously fed large crowds. At first glance they may appear to describe the same event, but when we pay attention to geography, audience, and surrounding details, we discover they occurred in different regions and served different groups of people.
Another example she gave involved the account of Jesus casting demons into a herd of pigs. Knowing that this occurred in Gentile/Pagan territory helps explain why pigs were being raised there in the first place, something that would have been highly unusual in predominantly Jewish communities.
Geography doesn’t change Scripture. It helps explain it.
Places Mentioned
- Church at Ephesus (in ancient Greece – western part of modern-day Turkey)
- Israel (modern-day)
- Babylon
- Bethlehem
- The palace Herodian
- Judea
- Roman Empire
- Caesarea
- Jerusalem
- The Western side of the Sea of Galilee (the Jewish side during the time of Jesus’ life)
- Decapolis (The Eastern side of the Sea of Galileee) | (the Pagan & Gentile side at the time of Jesus’ life)
Why?
Why should we take the time to study the Bible this way? Because God’s Word deserves our best effort. Throughout Scripture we see people seeking wisdom diligently rather than casually. Reading the Bible thoughtfully isn’t about earning God’s approval. It’s about loving Him enough to know Him more deeply.
Just as meaningful friendships require conversation and intentional time together, our relationship with God grows as we spend time listening to Him through His Word.
Digging In Deeper
The Greek word translated “God-breathed” in 2 Timothy 3:16 is theopneustos, a word combining Theos (God) and pneō (to breathe). Rather than suggesting God merely inspired good ideas, Paul describes Scripture as having its source in God Himself. For me, that realization gives greater weight to the authority of the Bible; how does this knowledge hit you?
Cultural Context
One illustration from “Encounter The 3D Bible” (ref. page 14) that resonated with me compared learning the Bible to children first learning their ABCs before they can read fluently. Just as children build one lesson upon another, understanding Scripture requires learning foundational principles that help us interpret it wisely. Make sure to get your own copy of the “Encounter The 3D Bible” and the accompanying study guide to learn more about Dr. Susan’s take on this.
Scripture Cross References
- Genesis 3:1–6 – The first seed of doubt.
- Matthew 17:20 – Faith as small as a mustard seed.
- Hebrews 4:12 – God’s Word is living and active.
- John 1:1–14 – Jesus as the living Word.
- Isaiah 55:10–11 – God’s Word accomplishes His purposes.
My Reflections
Application To Life On The Homestead
One image stayed with me throughout today’s study—the idea of planting seeds. Dr. Susan Michael shows us how the serpent planted a seed of doubt in Eve’s mind. That small seed eventually grew into distrust and disobedience. But I know that faith grows the same way. Every day we choose which seeds we water.
This lesson reminded me that doubt rarely appears all at once. Much like weeds in a garden, it begins small and grows if left unattended. The same is true of faith. Every time I open God’s Word, pray, or choose to trust Him despite uncertainty, I am planting seeds that I hope will produce a harvest of deeper faith.
Do we continually feed fear, doubt, anger, and discouragement or do we nurture faith by spending time in God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship with Him? A harvest never appears overnight. Neither does spiritual growth. Choose the seeds you plant wisely so your future harvest helps to build the life you really want.
God’s Timing
Another thought that struck me was the timing of me reading this chapter. The author mentioned America approaching its 250th anniversary, and I happened to read those exact pages on July 4th—our nation’s 250th birthday. It felt like a small reminder that God’s timing often has a way of making certain truths more meaningful.
Relationship Building
Finally, today’s lesson reminded me that Bible study isn’t about finishing another chapter or checking something off your list of to-do’s. It’s about drawing closer to God and being filled with His Holy Spirit through the living, breathing Word of God Himself.
Planting Your Seeds This Week:
Read 2 Timothy 3:14–17 and ask yourself:
- “What is God trying to teach me today?”
- “What seeds am I planting and caring for so I can get the harvest I need in the future?”
- “How is God’s living, breathing Word moving in my soul and spirit?”
Study Tip: I always wanted to read the entire Bible from cover to cover and I tried so many times and couldn’t achieve that goal until I purchased the “NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible” (shown above). I colored and read from cover to cover in less than 6 months! Since then, I’ve read 2 other versions from cover to cover and I’m working on reading the “Evidence Study Bible” right now. If you are struggling with reading the Bible, I HIGHLY recommend “Beautiful Word Coloring Bible”.
Questions I Still Have (Because I'm Human)
- “How do we confidently answer people who claim the Bible has been changed or corrupted?”
- “What role did the Dead Sea Scrolls play in confirming the reliability of Scripture?”
- “If there are many Bible translations, how do I choose which one to study?”
- “How should we understand difficult passages involving the treatment of women while recognizing the difference between what Scripture records and what God desires?”
These are questions I hope to continue exploring throughout this and future Bible studies we do on this website.
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Closing Prayer
Father,
Thank You for giving us Your living Word. Thank You for preserving it throughout history and allowing us the freedom to read it today. Help me to recognize the seeds I am planting in my own heart. When doubt begins to grow, replace it with trust. When I become distracted, draw me back to Your truth. Give me a hunger for Scripture and the wisdom to understand it more deeply each day. May my faith continue to grow as I spend time in Your presence, and may my life reflect the truth of Your Word.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Affiliate Link Notice
Many of the links on this page are affiliate links. This simply means that we get a referral bonus if you click our link and place an order. The company rewards us for the referral – but it doesn’t cost you anything extra over the cost of the products/services that you decide to purchase (plus any shipping fees and taxes). The payment is sometimes in monetary form, sometimes in discounts, sometimes in store credits, sometimes with other types of rewards. By using our links, you are supporting a small family business and helping our little farm.
To learn more about affiliate links, please read our Legal Terms & Conditions.
Bible Study Disclaimer
This study series reflects my personal notes and observations while working through Encounter the 3D Bible by Dr. Susan Michael. These posts are not a substitute for the book or study guide. I encourage you to purchase the materials and study alongside me.
References:
