What Is The Main Message Of The Bible?

If I were to ask you to summarize of what the Bible is all about.  What would you say of first?  

Would you quickly say, it is about God?

That would be quite true.  At least it is surely true for the Judaeo-Christian people. 

However, I would like you to get more specific.  More in detail about what you think is God’s message found between the cover of that book.  Why would it be important to investigate?  What does it actually say that relate to people of all the ages?

And, why is it the number one best selling book in history — at least that is what the polls claim?

Allow me to give you my take on this famous book. To do so I will first use two small books from the old testament, Jonah and Amos.  And then the  New Testament story about the message Jesus came to bring to the world.  I choose these two “minor prophets,” Amos and Jonah, because they are simple and make their point clearly.

Jonah is an extremely human story about how people, quite commonly, react to God.  Most people know Jonah as the guy who ended up in the belly of a big fish  A whale.  The question constantly posed, about this book, is it an actual story — something that really happened — or an analogy or metaphor?  

I really hate to admit this, but I do believe that it is not a true happening.   But I always add:  it could be true because God can do anything.  I also believe that it is an important message for us to ponder.

I am not going to give you a full book review.  You can read it for yourself. Its short!  Suffice to say Jonah didn’t want to do what God asked.  So he ran away.  Ended up in the belly of the fish; and prayed his guts out for God to help him.  God did!  Then he did what God wanted; and ended up under a bush pouting because God helped someone Jonah despised  — like he helped Jonah.  Imagine!

Simply, it is a story of the human ego wanting the be treated fairly.  But not liking it when the other guys — the “bad guys” were treated the same.

Read it, it will make you smile with understanding.

Now to Amos:

I particularly like Amos because he is a simple man who lead a simple life:

…. “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

Amos spoke the word from God to those who practice deceit in economic trading, and evil practices .  Mostly he, matter-of-factly, pronounced only the facts.  He went through all of the objection God had with this messes up nation.  Not a pretty review.

Unlike other prophets, there was no call to repentance from Amos.  He just lays out the problems that existed.  Then announced the curse to follow — a  major  famine.  Not a famine of crops or water.  But rather, they would experience  God's silence in their midst.  Not hearing God’s word ever again.

That may seem odd to the people of today.  Like, not a big deal really.  But in those days that thought alone would have created great distress to most of the Hebrew people.  Except,  of course, for the Kings and economic giants of the day.   Most ordinary folks counted on God to guide them and keep them on track.  To have God silent would leave their lives in total chaos.  

Fast forward to today:

Jonah’s story, and Amos’ words, could easily a relevant prophesy to our local, national and world leaders today.   As well as the rest of the people. 

Names would change, but the conditions remain much the same.

7 This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. 9 “The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.”

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying: “ ‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’ ” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”on16 Now then, hear the word of the LORD. You say, “ ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’ 17 “Therefore this is what the LORD says: “ ‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagan country. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’ ”(Amos 7)