Four Stages in Studying the Word

UV 1312/10,000 Four Stages in Studying the Word
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
Ezra 7 v 10

The Israelites knew that they had to prepare their heart before seeking the meaning of the Word of God. The Word was the only law they knew. Just as we prepare a meal, we need to prepare our hearts for spiritual victuals. There should be an inner hunger or zeal to know the truth and a willingness to do what God says to us. Ezra prepared his own heart in humility, wisdom and in repentance. He genuinely confessed the faithlessness of the people as if it were his own. He humbled himself before God to seek His higher wisdom and guidance. He did not rely or lean on his own understanding for He knew that the Word emanating from God was sharper than his own native intelligence and deeper than his own wisdom. . Rather he leant on his understanding of scripture. Preparing one ‘s heart for the Word is the first step before inclining our ears to hear the Word. It implies that we should submit ourselves in reverence to what is being revealed in the Word. It implies that we make a whole-hearted commitment to obey it. The sign of understanding of scripture is its application. He was not a mere hearer or reader or preacher but he was a doer of the Word. It influenced his worship, his work, his words, his sense of worth or his idea of what is valuable in life. Understanding and application are intimately connected. My mentor used to say that the whole challenge is to transfer knowledge nine inches downward from the head to the heart. If it remains in the head it would lead to the head being puffed up with the pride of head knowledge. Mere head knowledge or theology is effete and sterile. If it is transferred to the heart through the process of understanding, then it makes one more humble and wise.

Ezra not only sought and learnt the Word but he also applied and taught it to others. His teaching had power and authenticity as he learnt and practiced it. The power of God was demonstrated in practical ways in His life. Hearing the word with hearts that are prepared, doing it and teaching it are the basic disciplines of any believer or disciple. The Word is described as double-edged sword as it cuts into the hearts of both the speaker or teacher and the listener or taught. It excises what should not be in our hearts and puts the seed of God’s truth in our hearts. The seed like good grain both satisfies our need and replicates itself in the lives of others. The Word contains the seed or the secrets of health,provision, promotion, prosperity, peace, progress, harmony, justice, joy, love and wisdom. We learn both the laws of God and His judgments. Judgment is the application of law to various real-life situations. For instance, Moses being asked to speak to the rock instead of striking it with his staff was the word God spoke. Moses struck it in anger at the rebellion of the people instead of speaking the word. The result was that he was not spared judgment. He was not allowed to enter the promised land of Canaan. God’s word was more important then as now than all our actions.
Every day we need to prepare our hearts to hear and receive the Word of God. The rest of the day we should spend remembering, thinking and applying the truth we learnt along with our chores and daily routine of work. The intermingling of the Word and work will bless the latter. The four stages in studying the Word are preparation of hearts, seeking or the actual studying phase, doing or the application stage and finally the teaching phase. We should not just be storehouses of knowledge of the word but pass it on to others in order to bless their lives for a water tank that only holds water begins to stagnate and stink. There is a need for an inflow and outflow for an overflow of blessings to happen.

Prateep V Philip