"You must know what the Bible says before you know what it means."
"It is said that Christians are like manure: they do a lot of good spread out in the field, but smell something awful all together in one place."—Csaba Leidenfrost
Non-Christians are fond of pointing out the in-fighting among Christians. To be sure, God wants us to know and believe truth, but in our zeal for doctrinal purity, we often manage to show a lack of unity that is out of place in His kingdom. What we need is to humbly, prayerfully return to God's word and learn truth there.
Whether you are a Bible scholar looking for a world-class tool to enhance your daily study, a busy home-schooling father in need of an aid for leading in family worship, or a new Christian searching for a study guide to assist you while reading through the Bible for the first time, Balancing the Sword is a flexible and reliable tool that fits the bill. The author claims that it is "challenging for adults, yet accessible to children."
The heart of this Bible study tool is a two-volume question and answer manual that goes chapter by chapter through all sixty-six books of Holy Writ—twice! Volume 1 works through the entire Bible, and Volume 2 does it again, without repeating a single question. Each of the probing fill-in-the-blank questions encourages interaction with the text and includes multiple cross-references to deepen your study with connected passages. Ample space is provided in each volume for precise, objective responses and your own meditations associated with each question. Rather than appealing to your opinion, Balancing the Sword drives the reader to the authority of the Scriptures and what is actually contained in the text. In total, there are an astounding 7,116 questions—literally one every 2.7 verses. With questions to help facilitate engaging discussions and an answer key that supplies you with immediate references to check your response, Balancing the Sword will increase your understanding and aid your retention of the Scriptures. This comprehensive study tool also features hundreds of charts, maps, and carefully selected images of biblical events.
Owners of these books can also take advantage of free Bible reading planner software. Formerly included in the book as an interactive CD-ROM, the software is now available for free (with password) on the author's website (click here).The software offers unparalleled flexibility for personalization, with more than a decade of research and development going into the outstanding tools.
Samples:
View samples from Genesis (three pages from vol. 1), Judges (three pages from vol. 2), Matthew (four pages from vol. 2), and Revelation (three pages from vol. 1), and the Biographical Sketches (one page).
High Resolution Version:
(16.3 MB) Recommended for DSL or cable connections—and for printing
Low Resolution Version:
(1.6 MB) Recommended for dial-up connections or for viewing on screen
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