Burning Bush Blogs
Equipping Men with Biblical Knowledge and Leadership Skills
Personal Bible Studies
These studies are designed to accomplish the following:
- Increase scriptural knowledge by examining a Bible story or passage
- Model the simple 4-step approach to studying Scripture
- Provide 15-minute or less learning snippets that can be easily digested
- Engage men (but women can enjoy too)
- Spur the imagination – What if I were in that person’s sandals?
Other types of studies
- New to the Bible
- Family studies (coming soon)
- Small group studies
List of Personal Studies
This section lists and describes the studies published to date, arranged by thread. They are intended for personal use, but can be used however you like.
Crazy Stories of the Bible
The Bible seems to have some wild stories in it – especially in the Old Testament. Did that stuff really happen? And what does it mean?
- Raiders of the Lost Ark – What happens when the Ark of the Covenant falls into the wrong hands? This is a 3-part study.
- Did a Donkey Just Speak? – Why would God use a talking donkey?
- Snake on a Pole – What’s with the snake on a pole in the desert?
- Insane King of Babylon – A king thinks he’s a cow?
- Handwriting on the Wall – A terrifying, ghostly hand interrupts a massive party, writing something indecipherable on the wall. This is a 4-part study.
Game of Thrones (sorry, no dragons)
This series will trace the brutal history of the kings of Israel and Judah.
- The Last Untainted Judge – end of an era
- Careful what you wish for – the people demand a king
- Too Good to be True – The demise of Saul
- New Royal Bloodline – The Lord looks at the heart
- Good and Evil Spirits – Saul meets David
- The Women Sing – Jealousy rings ugly
- Loyalty Thicker than Blood – A king, his son, and the usurper – strange bedfellows.
- Saul Hunts David – Desperate to preserve his kingship, Saul pursues David into the wilderness.
- David’s Mighty Men – A group of mighty warriors and friends loyal to David rally around him when he is at his lowest.
- The Conjuring of Samuel – A desperate Saul consults a medium to speak to the dead prophet.
- The King is Dead; Long Live the King – The tumultuous reign of Saul finally comes to an end.
- more to come…
How the Old Testament Reveals Jesus
These posts illustrate how Old Testament prophecies point us to Jesus:
- Jesus’ Birth – Micah predicts the birth of a shepherd-king-messiah in Bethlehem
- Jesus’ Miracles – John the Baptist asks for reassurance that Jesus is “the one”
- Jesus on a Donkey – Entrance of a humble king
- Excruciating Death – Crucifixion foretold
Counter-culture quotes of Jesus
Jesus made a lot of bold statements during his life. Statements that were counter-culture to the Jews of his day. Statements that were also counter-culture to how we live our lives today. These posts dive into the most interesting of these:
- I Am – Jesus echoes God’s description of himself to Moses
- The Greatest Commandment – What is the greatest commandment in all of Scripture?
- more to come…
How to use these studies
Read the scripture
If you have time, click the main Scripture link and read the whole passage. If pressed for time, just read the key verse(s) displayed before Observations. Note that on a desktop, you can hover over the references for a preview of the verses.
Observations
These are simply observations about what the text says. Often you will observe things not included in the list. This is good.
Note the context of the passage, as that can aid in the understanding.
Interpretation
This is where you start to think about what your observations mean. You might derive some takeaways besides what is listed. This is good – you are sharpening your own interpretation skills.
The imagination sub-section, if provided, puts you at the scene in the shoes of one of the characters. It is meant to spur your imagination. Think of it as a short snippet of historical fiction. Considering how an individual would have responded in the moment can be a good tool for understanding.
Correlation
This section finds other Bible passages that will add nuance to what you are studying and will (hopefully) corroborate your interpretations.
Application
This is an attempt to apply the passage to your life. Not all suggested applications will apply to you. Pray about what God wants you to take away from the study.
Dig Deeper
Occasionally, a Dig Deeper section will be provided. You can skip over these unless you have time to process them. They are meant to sharpen your Bible study skills and to increase your understanding of the passage. If you are a subscriber, our analysis of the Dig Deeper exercises will be made available for you to download for free.
Comment and share
Optionally, add your comments to the post. We’d like to know your thoughts on what you read. You’re allowed to disagree, as long as you remain respectful. And let’s avoid politics here – there’s plenty of other forums for that.
If you liked a post, share it on social media! We’d love to grow this into a community, growing together.
Subscribe
Why subscribe? You’ll have access to free downloads of the Dig Deeper research to use to impress your woman. You’ll also be notified, only once every week or two, of the latest studies that have been posted to the blog.
Bible study methodology adapted from Searching the Scriptures with permission from Tyndale House:
Swindoll, Charles, Searching the Scriptures. Tyndale House Publishers, 2016.