Common Bible Questions, Answered From the Text

Most explanations of the Bible start from a theory and skip the plot. These answers start from the plot: Genesis 1 sets the opening picture, and every later story is read against it.

Common Bible questions, answered from the text

• Where do I start reading the Bible if I don’t believe?
  A plain way in that needs no belief, with four steps to check everything yourself.
• What does “after its kind” mean in Genesis 1:11?
  A claim gives back only what it is.
• What is Genesis 2:24 (leave and cleave) really saying?
  Step away from the old state and join the new identity.
• Do Bible names and places have meanings that tell the story?
  Yes. Each is a code for the state being lived in. Read the meaning, not just the label.
• Why is “God” plural in Genesis 1?
  The Hebrew word Elohim is plural: the judges and rulers, acting as one. That is why the text says “he”.
• What does YHVH mean?
  “The existing One” (Strong’s H3068): you, aware right now.
• What does I AM mean in the Bible?
  The identity you choose and claim.
• What is Genesis 1 really about?
  The scene is built first, then the identity is placed in it. Every later story is that picture, changed.
• What is the story of Ruth really about?
  With the name meanings put in place, Ruth 1 shows the Genesis 2:24 rule at work.
• What is the story of Joseph really about?
  Down, held, brought out: pit to palace.
• Do I need to accept this on trust?
  No. Every step can be checked against the verse and Strong’s.

Every answer shows the verse and the word meaning, so you can check it yourself. How to check it.

Or follow the whole course, in order

1. The Big Idea. The Bible works like a courtroom. You make a claim about who you are, and the judges rule to match it.
2. The Three Parts. Every story runs on three parts: YHVH, I AM and Elohim. Learn these and the rest is easy.
3. Why “God” Is Plural. Where your Bible says God, the Hebrew is usually Elohim, a plural word. Read it as the judges and rulers inside you.
4. Genesis 1 Is the Word List. The seven days of creation fix the words the whole Bible uses.
5. The Original Plot. Genesis 1 is the master picture. Every later story is that picture, changed.
6. Man Is the One Who Claims. In this reading, man is the one who claims an identity and has it made real.
7. Rule One: After Its Kind. What is planted gives back only what it is.
8. Rule Two: Leave and Join. To take on a new identity you step away from the old state and join the new one (Genesis 2:24).
9. Names and Places Are Codes. In the Bible a name tells you what the state is like before the story starts. Read the meaning, not just the title.
10. Worked Example: Ruth 1. Read Ruth 1 twice: first as written, then with the name and place meanings put in.
11. The Pattern Every Story Follows. Most stories run three steps: down, held, brought out. Joseph shows it from pit to palace.

Start Lesson 1 →

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. — Genesis 1:3 (BBE)

The big picture in 60 seconds

1. YHVH (the LORD) is you, aware right now.
2. I AM is the identity you claim.
3. Elohim are the judges and rulers inside you. They make the identity you hold become real.

Then use the cheat sheet and its six-step method on any passage you like. In the BBE, “the Lord” stands for YHVH and “God” stands for Elohim.