It was probably thirty-five years ago that I had heard or read this....remember though that this was a time....the mid-80s....when one still had to be born again....and not just become politically conservative and God-fearing. The comment was made that as time passes....into the decades....the Christian will have accumulated many different Bibles for their use. It would be natural....a newer Study Bible comes out....with enticing....'helps'....or the study notes might be directed in a certain direction....or your favorite Bible teacher might come out with his own Study Bible....or you may desire a new or different translation.
Sure enough that is what happened to me. I have about eight in my basement right now....and I keep two or three upstairs to refer to.....for example the Salem Kirban Reference Bible....KJV....1979....a prophecy Bible basically that gives two pages on every two or three verses of Revelation. It is odd but wonderful as this man....now gone on to be with his Lord....probably held to many doctrines that I in my Calvinist/Reformed faith no longer hold to....but throughout the Bible....at the bottom of the page.....was commentary or a devotion from Charles Spurgeon!
In my early years I might be impressed by the leather cover....or the color of the cover. Today when I recommend a Bible....which is fairly often....for I might just go up to a person in Barnes & Noble who seems complexed as they look at the Bibles....and give them an opinion....I tell them to pick a Bible where the print is easy to read....for if it isn't then their eyes will quickly get tired....and therefore in the long run they will not read God's Word as much. I also tell them that the cheaper hardback may be easier to sit in a chair and read....for the cover does not flop over the lap or leg.
OK....having said all that....my first Bible....the very first complete....Old Testament and New Testament in one book....that I ever owned....was given to me by my wife for Christmas in 1982. It was a simple Bible....hardback....only 7 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches....(it's on the arm of this chair right now)....NKJV....with no maps or commentary at all....and it sat on my bookshelf for about forty years as I accumulated all of the other fancier Study Bibles....and then one day I wanted a 'new' Bible....to start a new color-coding system.....all the prophecy in orange....all the doctrine in green....everything about anything else in yellow....and all of the glory and majesty of God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in red....or pink....whatever it is. I haven't referred to my John MacArthur Study Bible in quite some time....as this small....plain.....but exceedingly wonderful.....Word of God.....that my wife gave me in 1982....is always by my side....color-coded throughout....or working on it.
I have to say though that it takes time to get to his point....for the helps and the maps and the commentary are needed for quite some time. My main point here is that those words in black type....in whatever Bible.....sometimes the words of Jesus in red.....but words....taken in through the eye....(or listened to....or felt on Braille....or brought back to mind through memorization)....those words are the very words of God....given through various chosen men....to you....and to me....everything that we need to know on this pilgrimage....over the mountaintops and through the valleys....in our youth....and old age....previously to today necessarily addressing the last days....centuries before Jesus would return....and today....slowly and more clearly being revealed....as Jesus is indeed about to return!
"To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever,
Amen."
Jude 25
