Revisited - Slices of Milk

This is a repeat from August, 2010.  There may be more of these repeats while we are traveling.

I read the Bible. Often. When I read about the Bible, or authors who refer to the Bible, they often pique my curiosity. Right now I’m re-reading Ben-Hur. I read it in High School, and thoroughly enjoyed the movie with Charlton Heston. It was a freebie, downloadable on the iPhone, and I could read it on a “pick up” basis any time, and lay it down without losing pace.

Until I came to the reference regarding David’s slices of milk, which I could not find. I looked and searched. I gave thanks for e-Sword, though it returned 48 milk possibilities, none of those verses referred to David or slices. So, I tried other versions – remembering when the book was written. Finally, found it!!

Again, I was grateful for e-Sword and it’s Strong’s!! Strong’s H2461 found in 1 Samuel 17:18 where the ten slices of cheese come from the Hebrew chalab, “milk (as the richness of kine) - + cheese” and I can see the ten slices of cheese made from the richness of milk, remembering the smoothness of the best I’ve tasted.

This is part of the joy of reading the Bible – the depth and richness of the words used. A surface reading gives history. Looking more deeply and we get the personalities, the characters, the richness of the stories told for generations. But there is a greater depth – reading with prayer and preparation, reading to receive – where the spiritual message becomes evident.

No, there is no secret message for me in David’s slices of cheese other than the understanding that God’s word holds more than surface reading. There are applications for daily life in every scripture I’ve ever read. I have found some, as Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3:16, hard to be understood, and not just in Paul’s writing.

I have not found why Isaiah wrote of a bed too short in 28:20. Perhaps someday I will know, but the verse does create a word picture that brings a smile. Was the bed long enough for a young, or short person, but the grown man could find neither comfort nor cover? There are times we long for that comfortable bed, sufficient cover and enough sleep to wake with vim, vigor and vitality. Is that the verse’s message for me? Perhaps, yet to be confirmed.

There are many such verses that pique our interest, raise our curiosity, leave us seeking more and more of what God’s word has to offer. I have never tired of reading. Never tired of hearing a minister share what God’s word means to him, what He has in store for us.

I pray that I’m tossing out seeds of curiosity – perhaps someone will disbelieve what I say and search the scripture to see if it is true. God’s word does not return void. He said so.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 KJV)

Scriptures are God breathed. He said so.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)

That “inspiration” word? Again, Strong’s for the Greek root: theopneustos, divinely breathed in.

Come, jump on in. Look deeply into God’s word and see what it holds for you.