Bible Study: Introduction & Day 1 Of “Encounter The 3D Bible” By Dr. Susan Michael
Bible Study: Introduction & Day 1 Of “Encounter The 3D Bible” By Dr. Susan Michael
Purchase Your Study Materials:
Introduction & Day 1: Beginning the Journey
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
One of the greatest blessings of studying God’s Word is realizing there is always something new to discover. No matter how many times we’ve read a familiar passage, the Holy Spirit has a way of revealing deeper truths when we approach Scripture with humble hearts and a willingness to learn.
As I work through “Encounter the 3D Bible”, I’m using many of the study principles Dr. Susan Michael introduces—such as examining the historical, geographical, cultural, and literary context of Scripture—to help me better understand God’s Word.
These notes are not intended to replace the book or study guide. Instead, they are my personal study journal—a place where I organize what I’m learning, ask questions, record observations, and reflect on how God’s Word applies to everyday life. My hope is that these notes encourage you to open your own Bible and study alongside me.
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.
About the Author
Dr. Susan Michael has spent decades teaching Christians about the Bible through its historical, cultural, and geographical context. She serves as the U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), an organization dedicated to building understanding between Christians and Israel and helping believers better understand God’s unfolding plan throughout Scripture. Her ministry has taken her throughout Israel, where she has studied the land, history, archaeology, and biblical settings that shaped many of the events recorded in Scripture.
About This Study
The central idea behind Encounter the 3D Bible is simple but powerful:
Many Christians know individual Bible stories but struggle to connect them into one continuous story. Without understanding the historical setting, geography, culture, and timeline, the Bible can sometimes feel like a collection of disconnected events.
Dr. Michael encourages readers to view Scripture in “three dimensions” by learning not only what happened, but also where, when, why, and how each event fits into God’s larger story of redemption. Rather than treating the Old and New Testaments as separate books, she demonstrates how they work together to reveal God’s consistent character and His plan for humanity from Genesis to Revelation.
Throughout the study we’ll spend considerable time exploring Israel—not merely as a modern nation, but as the geographical and historical stage upon which much of biblical history unfolded. Understanding the land, its people, its culture, and God’s covenant relationship with Israel provides important context for many passages that can otherwise seem confusing or disconnected.
The book was published in 2022 by Embassy Publishers and includes a foreword by longtime Bible teacher Kay Arthur. It is accompanied by a study guide and video series designed for both individual and group study.
My Study Format
Each lesson on Koutz Farm will include a simple framework that helps me organize what I’m learning.
Who?
Who wrote the passage?
Who was the original audience?
Who are the important people involved?
What?
What is happening?
What truths are being taught?
What stands out?
When?
When did these events occur?
Where do they fit into the overall biblical timeline?
Where?
Where did these events take place?
How does the geography influence the story?
Why?
Why was this passage written?
Why did God include it in Scripture?
Why does it matter for believers today?
Finally, I’ll end each lesson with a section called “My Reflections” where I’ll record personal observations, questions, and practical applications from my own study.
Day 1 Notes
Who?
Today’s lesson introduces Dr. Susan Michael and her desire to help Christians develop confidence in reading and understanding the Bible. She writes to believers who may feel overwhelmed by Scripture, unsure where to begin, or uncertain how the many books of the Bible connect into one unified story.
What?
Rather than jumping immediately into Bible history, the study begins by asking an important question:
Why should we study the Bible at all?
The lesson suggests that before we can truly understand Scripture, we need confidence that it is trustworthy, historically grounded, and worthy of careful study. It also introduces the idea that understanding the culture, geography, and historical setting allows the Bible to move from feeling “flat” to becoming much more vivid and alive.
When?
This opening lesson serves as the foundation for everything that follows. Instead of beginning with Genesis, it begins by preparing the reader with tools and perspective that will make every future lesson easier to understand.
Where?
Over the coming lessons we’ll repeatedly return to Israel—the mountains, deserts, rivers, villages, and ancient trade routes where much of biblical history took place. Understanding the land often helps explain why events unfolded the way they did and why certain locations became spiritually significant throughout Scripture.
Why?
The goal isn’t simply to accumulate more Bible knowledge.
The goal is transformation and developing a true relationship with Jesus.
As we better understand God’s story, we also better understand God’s character, His faithfulness across generations, and His invitation for us to become part of His ongoing story today.
My Reflections
One thing that immediately stood out to me is that I’ve often approached the Bible as a collection of individual stories instead of one continuous narrative. I’ve read many passages throughout my life, but I’m realizing there are still gaps in my understanding of how they all fit together. While I’ve always tried to look at the “Who”, “What”, “When”, “Where”, & “Why” – I didn’t always grasp the connections.
I’m looking forward to learning more about the geography, history, and culture surrounding Scripture. I have a feeling that understanding the setting will help me appreciate passages I’ve read dozens of times but never fully understood.
If this study helps me see God’s Word with fresh eyes—and helps me know Him more deeply—then every page will be worth the journey.
Purchase Your Study Materials:
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the gift of Your Word and for inviting us to know You more deeply through it. As I begin this journey through Scripture, I ask that You prepare my heart to learn, grow, and be transformed by Your truth. Help me to approach each lesson with humility, curiosity, and a desire to understand Your character more fully.
Guide my thoughts as I study, protect me from misunderstanding, and let everything I learn draw me closer to You rather than simply increasing my knowledge. May these notes encourage others to open their own Bibles, seek Your wisdom, and discover the richness of Your Word for themselves.
Thank You for walking with me through every page of this journey. I pray that all glory, honor, and praise would always belong to You.
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.
