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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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.
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
Translation Insights
One Hebrew word introduced in today’s lesson was lilmod, often associated with learning or studying. Its meaning carries the idea of learning through careful observation, seeking, and disciplined instruction.
Bible study isn’t simply reading words on a page. It is an intentional pursuit of understanding.
Historical Insights
The Bible records actual history. The history of kings, empires, exiles, wars, political upheaval, and more. When we understand what was happening in the surrounding world, the actions and writings of biblical authors begin to make much more sense.
Cultural Insights
Culture shapes how people think, live, worship, celebrate, and communicate.
The Jewish people placed extraordinary importance on preserving Scripture with incredible care. Understanding Jewish customs, festivals, and daily life often sheds new light on passages that might otherwise seem unfamiliar to modern readers.
Literary Context
One of the most valuable reminders from today’s lesson is that verses should rarely be read in isolation.
Context matters.
Before applying a verse personally, it helps to ask:
- What came before it?
- What comes after it?
- Who is speaking?
- Why was it written?
- How does this passage fit into the larger story of Scripture?
These questions help us avoid misunderstanding God’s Word.
Learning How To Study The Bible
One of the greatest habits we can develop as Bible students is resisting the temptation to stop with one verse. Instead…
- Read the paragraph.
- Then the chapter.
- Then consider the historical setting.
- Then compare it with other passages.
The Bible often explains itself when we give it enough room to speak.
Acts 17:11 describes the Bereans as people who eagerly received God’s Word while examining the Scriptures daily to determine whether what they heard was true.
That is the kind of student I hope to become.
Scripture Cross-References
- Psalm 119:18 — Asking God to open our eyes.
- Proverbs 2:1–6 — Seeking wisdom like hidden treasure.
- James 1:5 — Asking God for wisdom.
- Acts 17:11 — The Bereans examined the Scriptures daily.
- Luke 24:27 — Jesus explained the Scriptures in their proper context.
- 2 Timothy 2:15 — Correctly handling the Word of Truth.
- Hebrews 4:12 — The Word of God is living and active.
These passages reinforce today’s central theme: God invites us to seek Him with both faith and thoughtful study.
My Reflections
Application To Life On The Homestead
Context matters on a farm. A handful of seeds sitting on a table doesn’t tell you much, but once you know what kind of seed it is the context determines when and where it should be planted – context like:
- what season you’re in…
- what soil it’s planted in…
- how much rain has fallen…
- and what climate surrounds it…
The exact same seed can produce very different results depending on its environment. Scripture is much the same. A single verse, separated from its historical setting, audience, geography, and surrounding passages, can easily be misunderstood, but when we understand the “soil” in which that verse was planted, God’s Word begins to grow in beautiful new ways.
Just as a good gardener studies the needs of each plant before expecting a harvest, a faithful Bible student takes time to understand the setting before drawing conclusions.
Relationship With God
This lesson was a good reminder that God desires a relationship, not simply a routine. It is easy to open my Bible because I know I should. It takes a different mindset to open it because I genuinely want to spend time with the Author.
God’s Promises
Another thought that lingered was Jeremiah 29:11. I have always loved that verse, but today’s lesson reminded me that God’s promises often unfold according to His timetable, not mine.
That can be difficult.
I naturally want immediate answers and visible results. Yet Scripture repeatedly shows that God is working across generations.
- Some promises were fulfilled within a lifetime.
- Others waited centuries.
- Still others point toward Christ’s future return.
Faith often means trusting God even when I cannot yet see how His promises will unfold. Finally, I was reminded that Bible study is less about accumulating knowledge and more about knowing God. If learning more facts doesn’t lead me to love Him more deeply or love others more faithfully, then I’ve missed the point.
Planting Your Seeds This Week:
Choose one of your favorite Bible verses. Before reading it, challenge yourself to read the entire chapter surrounding it.
Ask yourself:
- Who wrote this?
- Who was the original audience?
- What was happening historically?
- How does understanding the context change my understanding of the verse?
You may discover truths you never noticed before.
Study Tip: As I continue learning how to study the Bible more deeply, I’m discovering that having the right tools can make a world of difference. One resource I’m excited to add to my library is Strong’s Concordance Made Easy. If you’ve ever wondered what a Hebrew or Greek word really meant, wanted to better understand the original language behind a verse, or simply felt intimidated by using a concordance, this book is a wonderful place to start. It breaks down biblical word studies into an easy-to-understand format, making it accessible for beginners while still being a valuable reference for more experienced Bible students. If you’re interested in digging a little deeper into God’s Word right alongside me, I think this is a resource well worth considering.
Questions I Still Have (Because I'm Human)
Today’s study left me thinking about several questions I’d like to continue exploring:
- How do I balance devotional reading with deeper Bible study?
- How can I make sure I’m allowing Scripture to speak instead of reading my own assumptions into the text?
- How do historical and geographical context strengthen my confidence in God’s Word?
- How can I become more intentional in my daily time with God instead of treating Bible reading as another item on my to-do list?
I don’t expect to answer every question immediately, but I believe asking thoughtful questions is an important part of growing in faith.
Other Tools For A Great Bible Study Experience
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for inviting me to know You through Your Word. Give me a hunger to seek You with my whole heart and the patience to study carefully rather than rushing through Scripture. Teach me to understand Your Word in its proper context and to apply it faithfully in my own life.
Help me never lose sight of the fact that the purpose of Bible study is not simply to gain knowledge but to grow in my relationship with You. Continue planting seeds of faith in my heart, and help those seeds produce a harvest that brings glory to You.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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Looking Ahead
Today I was reminded that understanding the Bible requires more than simply reading the words on the page—it requires slowing down, asking thoughtful questions, and appreciating the historical, cultural, and geographical setting in which God revealed His truth.
In the next lesson, we’ll continue exploring these “3D” principles and discover how understanding the world of the Bible helps reveal the beauty of God’s redemptive story from Genesis to Revelation.
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:
