The Greatest Book of All Time! Part 1 of 2
Book Reviews December 14th, 2009
I read a lot of books and I write a lot of book reviews here at LearnThis.ca. Nearly all of them are focused on areas I have interests and about things I want to learn more about. As well, many of you know about my Christian faith and foundation and while I had continually been explorer deeper into many areas of personal development through books, I’ve only just started to explore more books about Christianity and faith. So, I decided to challenge myself and so I embarked on reading the greatest book of all time. The number one best seller every year with nearly 6 billion sold overall through time. That’s right, I decided to read the bible start to finish within 6 months.
Reading The Entire Bible
So I started by picking a few books (of which there are 66 by the way) from the old Testament. I’ve read all the gospels and the first few books of the bible many times before but never consistently read through many of the inner books except story by story or bit by bit. I decided to start part way through and wrap back to the old testament to finish it so I started with Ecclesiastes. It’s a wonderful book and actually one of my favorites now. So many words of wisdom and things to think about I could likely read it 100 times and not understand half of what is said in it. This is the thing that amazed me the further and further I read. I understood far more than I ever have in reading individual stories and chapters or bible books before, but at the same time, I realized there is so much more depth and wisdom that I just barely scratched the surface of what can be learned. There are countless passages of wisdom and things to learn from that other books really just don’t compare any more for me. One man’s book on a subject couldn’t possibly come close to the sheer volume of things to learn in the Bible. This is not to say I’m going to stop reading other books or value them less as they have their place as well, it just really demonstrated to me that most of the content I really love learning about in personal development roots back to the Bible and especially to Jesus by example in so many ways. I’ve always known that but never read it first hand over and over like I did reading through in the past 8 months. I started reading in March and finished 8 months later in October which I’m quite happy about. I read a number of other books in between as well, especially through the summer with more vacation time and time spent out at the lake.
So I want to explore as with any book I read, some of the things to learned. In this case, I can only begin to mention the things I learned and really its more about the general methods that I learned from, not specific elements since there is just so much content to take in. I know I will be reading this incredible book many times over after such a great experience this time.
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1–2
Learning from Heroes
Everyone loves heroes and there are no shortage of them in the Bible. There are a significant number of them in fact and they have so much to teach through their actions. Everything from great acts of faith, fantastic leadership, servant hood to acts of desperation from suffering, despair and heartache. These heroes aren’t like your everyday Pixar movie heroes though, they’re real with real scenarios, struggles and in most cases quite an amazing journey.
One of my favorite heroes is Jeremiah. The depth of his character, his integrity and emotion portrayed is simply wonderful. Jeremiah faced delivering a message of despair to the people of Judah due to their lack of faith in God and distance the commands of the Lord. Of course he was rejected by the people of the land and expressed deep emotion to the pain and hardship that was brought upon him, yet all the while, he obeyed every command from God. He was imprisoned, beaten, tossed aside, hated and wanted dead by many who knew him. His faith kept him alive despite the harsh emotions and laments he expressed in his time of solitude. Jeremiah’s strength showed by him being completely real and expressive about his emotions and relationships. He expressed his disappointments, his questions, his burdens. He was authentic. Genuine. We don’t live an honest life like Jeremiah did, we fake our feelings, we tell little white lies to hide our true feelings and expressions. Why can’t we be genuine like Jeremiah while still holding onto a faith in God, a hope that cannot die regardless of the suffering and despair we come across on this short earth life? We ought to learn from Jeremiah to remember God’s compassion, seek him and wait for his grace and love. Anyone who can exult the Lord and follow God in spite of these great grievances heart ache is a hero if you ask me.
Click here if you want to listen to a 32 min sermon and story about Jeremiah.
I’ll finish up with Part 2 tomorrow looking specifically at how The Bible teaches through storytelling, makes you look at what really matters in life and then how this relates to personal development.
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Next: The Greatest Book of All Time! Part 2 of 2
Mike King
December 14th, 2009 at 3:26 PM
What a challenge. Thanks for posting this.
I’d read Jeremiah before, but only recently did a more indepth study of it. Fascinating. I liked your comments about his genuineness and authenticity.
I love how the Bible has so many great examples that are often ignored outside of churches.
I’m totally looking forward to Part 2, so with that, off I go…
-Marshall Jones Jr.
December 14th, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Funny, I didn’t think the other part was out yet, but I saw the link. Oh well – I’ll just have to wait. Looking forward to it though. An eight-month all the way through the Bible schedule is intense.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
December 14th, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Thanks Marshall for the comments. The part 2 will be published tomorrow, I setup the link since I wasn’t going to be around and wanted it to all be up to date once they were both published.
Anyway, it was a LOT of reading and I was happy to displace all the other style of books I read. I actually got a number of people who asked me why they hadn’t seen as many book reviews lately (even people I work with) and I was able to spark some great discussions as soon as I told them it was because I was reading the Bible and wanting to finish in 6 months.
Anyway, I’ll be reading it again for sure there is so much to learn from so many great heroes, stories and teachings, its just an amazing book let alone the spiritual aspects.
December 15th, 2009 at 7:23 AM
I have a problem with the Bible. As much as I want to revere its message, I find it hard to accept some of its contradiction. The old and new testament seems to conflict.
December 15th, 2009 at 8:34 AM
@Walter – You are not alone with these feelings. The Old and New testament are very different indeed. Its not a contradiction though, its a story of change in how God deals with people and his creation on earth after sending his only Son to die for our sins. Ask any parent, I’m sure they would agree that having a child makes you more compassionate and loving, which is the difference you see between Old and New testaments. Let alone having to send your only Son to suffer for the sins of every human ever born and ever to be born. That level of compassion and love just can’t be fully understood without having Christ in your life.
December 15th, 2009 at 8:01 PM
[…] The Greatest Book of All Time! Part 1 of 2 (LearnThis.ca) […]
December 15th, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Glad to hear about the discussion starter. As far as books go (like you said in the second part), it’s the best in the world at that. :>)
-Marshall Jones Jr.
December 16th, 2009 at 10:43 PM
I was a christian for 17 years, attended a bible for college for 2 of those. I wouldn’t say the bible is the greatest book of all time, that to me is a bit of a fantasy, though it might be to some people a personal favourite and to that I say each to their own.
The bible like many other text considered holy has its place, but unfortunetly it has been spoken of and used in a manner which has caused people to treat it like an idol in itself.
As for contradictions there are many found in the bible, just they are not commonly taught unless a person is willing to look objectively at it.
For someone wishing to not pretend to have absolute answers to everything and open to questioning. I would suggest reading things which push your comfort zones, if you are interested in reading a lot of books as unfortunetely people who are christians tend to get very stuck in only reading books which support their faith instead of challenge it.
I would suggest a few books for you guys too read, they arent too harsh
A New Kind of Christian – Brian Mclaren
Pagan Christianity – George Barna ( guy who did stats for churches )
Misquoting Jesus – Bart ehrman
Hope beyond hell
As for the topic of sin and Jesus and people not understanding without having christ, this is a bit of a cliche. I know what you mean as I have been there heard the talk and given it at one time, but it really doesnt hold water accept as a method to swerve around things.
A bit like saying, You never heard God as you was not sincere.
Now I know you might be inclined to not show this comment, but I think Conversation is essential to any furthering of either christianity or discussion on God at large.
December 16th, 2009 at 11:51 PM
@Jon – Thanks for the detailed comment and thoughts. I’m definitely not one to limit comments that challenge me or my readers and so your views are welcome. I see what you are getting at about how one interprets the Bible and of course my title (as they all are) is my perspective, which is what I love about blogging to have that option.
I wouldn’t say Christians have absolute answers to everything at all. Quite the opposite actually. Christianity is based on faith, and you cannot have faith with certainty, that is the whole premise of faith. They just don’t and can’t go together.
I’ll take a look to find out more about those books so see the perspectives they look at and I have explored (not deeply yet however) other religions and beliefs to be satisfied and convinced that Christianity is what is written in Bible. The real convincing part of any faith based religion though is what is experience through faith and that my friend, God has gifted me and taught me to see and solidify my faith in Him through my experiences.
I have never experienced that from other beliefs, views, books, discussions or stories to the same degree yet.
December 16th, 2009 at 11:53 PM
@Jon. What would you say is the greatest book of all time if its not the top seller, most read, most distributed, most translated and most influential book throughout history?
December 17th, 2009 at 4:11 PM
Greatness is not defined as top selling, most read, most distributed and most translated.
A book is a book, we are the ones who place something on a pedestal or in the pit
December 18th, 2009 at 12:42 AM
@Jon – We’ll have to agree to disagree then. The greatest book to me is the one with the most impact to people’s lives as well as all those other things. Its not placed on a pedestal without merit, it deserves it.
Do you really think a book is a book? I sure don’t. There are great books, there are bad books, there are books that are just wrong, deceitful, inspiring, and many other types of books. There is no point discussing with you if you think a book is nothing more than a book. As an author myself, that saddens me. A book is FAR MORE than just a book. 🙁
December 30th, 2009 at 5:01 AM
When talking about faith, it is the one thing you cannot get 100% agreement from everyone. The others being politics and money. I commend your attempt to tackle such a rich and deep piece as the bible. Congratulations on your decision to read it cover to cover. i am sure you are better off now than before you read it.
December 30th, 2009 at 5:09 AM
Saying that “a book is a book” is the same as saying “an opinion is an opinion.” If we take for absolute truth that those who are in the receiving end are the ones who put value, then different people will put different values on different things.
I find it interesting to observe such human behavior, that people have the tendency to think their opinions are more important than other people’s.
January 6th, 2010 at 3:26 AM
Thank you Mike!..
January 12th, 2010 at 11:09 AM
So it really comes down to think positive and live right, oh and don’t be selfish! Am I close? Paul
January 12th, 2010 at 4:39 PM
Well this book is so huge I can’t sum it up in any one particular line like that but I personally wouldn’t say anything about thinking positive. Serving others and having faith is the best way I can summarize it. Thinking positive never applied so well for Jeremiah, yet he had humongous faith.