4 Steps to Unwrapping the Bible's Treasures

When I bought my 1897 edition of The Historical Geography of the Holy Land, I opened its dingy, yellow pages and discovered I couldn’t turn some of them.

The publisher in London had made an error.

Unread Treasures1 4 Steps to Unwrapping the Bibles Treasures

The book was printed on large sheets which were then cut and bound into the book. But some of the edges never got trimmed. I had to cut each pair of pages myself. At first this was a real hassle.

But then it hit me . . . I am the first person ever to read these pages!

The book sat on the shelf of some library or study for over a century—untouched! All its benefits . . . hidden. Nobody read them. Each time I cut a page seemed like cutting the ribbon on an unwrapped present. The rich descriptions George Adam Smith has written are the next best thing to pictures.

I laughed as I realized I bought a used book no one had ever used! Pages never read.

That’s Not So Funny

Later, a question hit me that stopped my laugh:

How long would it take me to notice if pages of my Bible were stuck together?

The Bible is a book of treasures, often unwrapped, because we simply don’t realize its tremendous value to our lives.

What if somebody called you and said they knew that a million dollars was buried in your backyard? You’d drop everything and start digging!

And yet, the Bible clearly tells us that there is treasure worth more than gold in the Scriptures for those who will search:

If you seek her as silver

And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Then you will discern the fear of the LORD

And discover the knowledge of God.

For the LORD gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

For wisdom will enter your heart

And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.–Proverbs 2:4–6, 10

Unearthing Your Treasures

As you scan bookstores, do you ever get the impression that if you just buy this study Bible, or go to this seminar, or discover this secret it will unlock the wisdom of God’s Word?

In truth, it all boils down to one thing: we have to spend time in the Bible personally in order to benefit personally from it.

Do you have a plan for spending time in the Bible? Here are four steps you can begin today:

Choose a simple Bible reading plan. I use an excellent set of Bible Reading Guides. You can also read online for free. There are also excellent plans you can download for free. The best plan is the one you’ll use. Just choose one.
Choose a place and a time every day where you will read your Bible. For me, it’s my desk at home in the early mornings. I set my coffee pot on a timer as an extra incentive.
Keep this appointment a priority, remembering that unwrapped treasures await you.
Ask somebody to keep you accountable to read. This also gives you someone with whom you can share what you’re reading.

Unwrapped treasures are those unread in the Bible–just waiting for us to open them with our eyes.

Question: What treasures have you found in the Bible that surprised you? Please leave your comment.