Day 14: How to read the Bible as a script

Listen to Me, O islands, and pay attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He named Me. The Sovereign LORD says: “See, I will give a signal to the godless nations. They will carry your little sons back to you in their arms; they will bring your daughters on their shoulders.” – Isaiah 49:1, 22 NASB1995

Dean Bye shares:

I encourage you to read the Bible as if it is a script and you are an actor in that script. You need to know who the actors are and what your part is in the story. When a person finds that God has written a part for each of us in His story unfolding now, there is a sense of honor and privilege. A sense of wow! I’m a somebody. God has given me a part in His great story and I want to know my part.

As one who was in acting in the past, when you’ve been given a script to read, you want to learn your lines. First, you take your script, underline or highlight your words and actions and then practice to gain your timing. You have to be careful not to do someone else’s part. Once you learn your part, you learn to interact with others with their parts. There is a process in that as well. This is God’s story and we get to be part of it. Before you know, it will be a dress rehearsal and then the performance. I believe we are getting close to the end-time performance.

So many are trying to figure out what their purpose is. God has already written it for us. It’s important for those of us who name the name of God, who call on God’s name, who consider ourselves blood-bought by the blood of Jesus, to realize we have more than just the ability to go to heaven, to have a salvation experience. God has given us a part in this story while we are still on earth. His instructions are found in the Bible. That’s why the gospel needs to be built on the foundation of not just the apostles, but also the prophets, with the chief cornerstone being Jesus. (See Ephesians 2:20.)

How to understand prophecy—our part in the story.

Remember, as we read the Scriptures, it is essential to understand who God or the prophet was addressing. Who were they speaking to? For example, Isaiah 49:1 (NIV) says, “Listen to me you islands…. distant nations.” Sometimes He is speaking to Israel. Sometimes to nations. Sometimes to islands. Sometimes to those far off. Sometimes to Gentiles. It’s important to understand who is being spoken to in order to know if we have a role in this part of the story.

When we read Isaiah 49, first, we identify who He is speaking to. It is about the Spirit living in someone from the nations through whom He wants to gain glory. This is the hope that our Father has on His heart.

Meditate on and Study Isaiah 49:1, 22–23 (ESV): “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar…. The Lord God says, ‘Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. … Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.’”

• Who is God talking to in these verses? It is important to understand who is playing what part.
• What does this say our part is? God is using Gentiles today to carry His sons and daughters back to the land He promised them. Ask God how you can fulfill your part.
• When does this say they will know the Lord? Is it before or after the nations help to bring them back to Israel?

A prayer to pray

Lord God, thank You that You have given Gentiles a part to play in Your amazing story. Show me what my part is and what You want me doing. I want to see people come to know You and these verses reveal that when Jews get back to the land, then they will know You.

Prayer points for today

• Pray that Jews will get to Israel, so then they will come to know the Lord.
• Ask God to reveal to you and other Gentiles how you can play your part in God’s script in the Bible.
• Ask God to raise up more Gentiles who are willing to bring the sons in their arms, and the daughters on their shoulders.

An action to take

Research what some ministries are doing now to help bring the Jews to Israel. Here are a few to give you a start. As you study them, ask God if He has something He wants you to do with that ministry.

Cyrus Foundation. www.CyrusFoundation.org

Return Ministries. www.Return.co.il

Operation Exodus: www.OperationExodus.org

The Aliyah Return Center. www.AliyahReturnCenter.com