Why Devotionals Can't Replace Bible Study (and What to Do Instead)
I'm currently reading through the book of Isaiah, and because it's a book of prophecy, it requires an understanding of ancient Israelite history to know the context of what was going on at the time and why Jesus' life on earth was so crucial. Since I hadn't read through books like Kings and Chronicles in a while, I started looking for resources to help jog my memory and also a companion resource I could read alongside each chapter in Isaiah.
I came across a devotional series on the book of Isaiah that broke it down chapter by chapter. "Perfect," I thought! This is what I need. "I'll read a chapter in my Bible and then come to the devotional to make sure I'm understanding this correctly."
But when I went to the devotional, I noticed it seemed very one-sided. It skipped all the "undesirable traits" of God like His wrath (Isaiah 1:15 "I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen) and punishment (Isaiah 3:17 "the Lord will put scabs on the heads of the daughters of Zion") and instead went right to the more digestible traits (Isaiah 1:18 "though your sins are scarlet, they shall be as white as snow") and (Isaiah 2:11 "The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day").
Needless to say, I found myself additionally using a commentary to understand what I was reading. I came across this amazing video series from my favorite Bible commentator that breaks each chapter down.
Why Devotionals Aren't Enough
Devotionals absolutely have their place (they can make Scripture more approachable, help you apply what you read to modern-day, and can show you a big picture view of the Bible around a particular topic), however, they shouldn't replace opening up your Bible, reading it plain, and studying it in context. Here are four reasons why devotionals shouldn't replace Bible study.
THEY WON'T SHOW YOU HOW THE AUTHOR CAME TO A PARTICULAR CONCLUSION
For this, you'd need a verse-by-verse breakdown of Scripture.
THE AUTHOR TELLS YOU WHAT TO THINK ABOUT SCRIPTURE VS. ALLOWING YOU TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HAVE TRUTH REVEALED TO YOU, YOURSELF
God's Word is for everyone. Don't be so quick to give up when you get confused about something. Instead, learn how to ask the right questions.
DEVOTIONALS ARE QUICK TO JUMP TO APPLICATION VS. TAKING SCRIPTURE FOR WHAT IT IS IN CONTEXT
Looking at things like the intended audience, the genre, and what the text reveals about the character of God are super important to note before thinking about what it means for you.
“BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH ACCESS TO THINGS THAT ARE BIBLE ADJACENT, MANY OF US HAVE LOST A HABIT OF ACTUALLY SPENDING TIME IN THE BIBLE–MEDITATING ON THE WORDS THAT ARE THERE. I SEE THAT EVEN IN MY OWN CHURCH AND WITH MY OWN FRIENDS. IT’S EASIER ALMOST TO RECOMMEND A BOOK OR A PODCAST TO LISTEN TO ABOUT THE BIBLE, RATHER THAN ACTUALLY GETTING INTO THE BIBLE [ITSELF]. ”
– JEN WILKIN, WOMEN OF THE WORD PODCAST
THEY DON'T GIVE A WELL-ROUNDED VIEW OF WHAT THE PASSAGE IS ABOUT
Oftentimes, authors will take a piece of it and run with it. And they certainly won't explain the hard parts of the Bible. The Bible has so much depth, and we should be staying curious and asking ourselves 'why' as we read and seek out answers.
Hear me out; I'm not saying one should never use a devotional, and all should be tossed in the garbage immediately. What I am saying is, don't rely solely on them to teach you God's Word. Learn how to start with the Bible first and try to understand it to the best of your ability with just you and the Holy Spirit before turning to the wisdom of man to break it down further.
