Valuing the “Boring” Chapters of the Bible

Dr. Nika Spaulding Do you value the "boring" parts of the Bible? If you've ever read through the Bible or have encountered sections that you might consider boring, this episode will give you reasons to care about them. According to BOW's guest speaker, Dr. Nika Spaulding, Leviticus, the genealogies, and other scriptures can actually be places of learning, encouragement and joy. Her conversation with Dr. Kay Daigle will blow your mind as you see the riches that these passages hold. Recommended resources BOW's Media List - search for Nika BOW's Studying & Teaching the Bible This episode is available on video if you prefer it. Timestamps: 00:20 Introduction to Nika and the topic 01:14 Who needs to hear this? 04:31 Scriptures that tell us we should read all parts of the Bible 06:32 What makes the details of the tabernacle so interesting? 14:40 What about the genealogies? 25:51 Best ways to read the Bible 29:03 Resources TranscriptKay >> Welcome to the Beyond Ordinary Women Podcast and video. I'm Kay Daigle your host. And today I'm joined by Dr. Nika Spaulding. Nika >> Wow. The Doctor! Wow! Kay >> Yeah, well, we are so happy about that. And congratulations to you on that. That's a big deal. Nika >> Thank you, Dr. Kay. Kay >> You're welcome. Well, Nika is a frequent guest. We have her often because she always has so many good things to say. And she has a Th.M. from DTS as well as a D.Min. from Northern Seminary. Today we are going to talk about valuing the so-called boring chapters of the Bible.

Nika >> Yeah.Kay >> Now, Nika, who needs to hear this? Nika >> Everyone. Everyone needs to hear. And I mean that! You know, you and I always talk about what is it we want to talk about? What do we want to bring to Beyond Ordinary Women. And it tends to just kind of grow out of whatever research I'm doing at that time, whatever I'm studying and learning. And right now I'm doing this thing where I'm teaching through each book of the Bible, one chapter at a time. So I'm halfway on a little bit more than halfway through Exodus. We've done all of Genesis. We've done all of Exodus. And it made me realize how tempting it would be to skip some chapters. Like, if I'm being honest, there's some chapters and I'm like, “Huh, I'm not as excited about this chapter as I would, you know, Abraham sacrificing Isaac or whatever.” There's just certain parts of the Bible you think, “Really?” And yet I have found because I'm forcing myself to do it, I'm discovering these so-called boring passages like genealogies, the tabernacle instructions, places like that. What I'm discovering is actually they are critical chapters to one, our understanding of the Bible. But also there's so much like good juice to squeeze out of that fruit for our spiritual formation and for our development. That shouldn't surprise us if Scripture tells us that all Scripture is God breathed inspired by God and useful for these things. And so I really do believe this is one of those videos for everybody, whether you're teaching through the Bible, studying the Bible, coming to the Bible for the first time, confused about the so-called boring parts of the Bible. This is a video for you. Kay >> Yes. I wish I had had this video when I started with my group, that is reading through the Bible in two years, because we've already made it through a lot of those chapters. And I thought you were very positive just to say not as excited about these chapters because I think many of us aren't even excited at all. Nika >> About, you know. Kay >> We just want to get through these chapters. This gal who is reading through the Bible with this group told us that she puts her finger under every name because in the genealogies or other times where they're lists of people just so that she reads every single name and doesn't just skip over it. Nika >> Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's great. I not only do I teach through it,