Living by the Book/Living by the Book Workbook Set (109 page)

TODAY’S PASSAGE:

Habakkuk 3:17–19

TIME COMMITMENT:

30 minutes

“Consultation involves the use of secondary resources. They can shed light on the text that will help you make more sense out of what you’re looking at. You see, we never want to become arrogant in the study process by thinking that we’ve got all the answers, that the Holy Spirit speaks to us, but He’s never spoken to anyone else. The truth of the matter is, thousands of people have walked this road before us. . . But one word of caution: Never forget the order. First the text of Scripture; then secondary sources” (pp. 249–50).

T
o review what was said in chapter 34 of
Living By the Book,
it helps to have “tools” to assist you in Bible study after you’ve observed and interpreted the text to the best of your ability. A good study Bible and an exhaustive concordance are key to Bible study. But in addition, you will probably make good use of a Bible dictionary, Bible handbook, Bible atlas, a good commentary, and other helpful resources. As we learn to consult the right references, our Bible study can progress to a new depth.

Collect all the “tools” you have for Bible study, and again read Habakkuk 3:17–19. You’ve already used a concordance, so use the other resources to see what you can find out about some of the following things. (You’ve already answered some of these questions on your own. Now see if you can discover anything new about them.)

What was the significance of olives, grapes, and figs in Bible times?

How important were herds of sheep and cattle?

How bad did things get during times of famine?

What else can you discover about the Babylonians (or “Chaldeans”) who were attacking the city?