Before the Bible

ewq1938 said:

Is that a bad thing?

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no, but history shows it's not a necessary thing.

Daphne Leighton said:

I beleive people could hear Gods voice much more clearly back in ancient times...but now its been shut out by tv, media and lies that have been developed over time

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You are right, and there wasn't the same split (head / heart) in ancient times. The TV is like a babel of voices - "Buy this", "You're worth it", "Happiness is a cigar called hamlet"...

Take Noah, God spoke to him and told him to build an Ark. Then he spent how many years doing that with his sons? One word from God, followed by obedience to that word which took years. Then there is Abraham, how many times did God speak to Him?

Scroll parchments were very expensive then. Most of them rely on synagogues and gatherings to hear God’s word

Daphne Leighton said:

I beleive people could hear Gods voice much more clearly back in ancient times...but now its been shut out by tv, media and lies that have been developed over time

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There are other things which have "stunted" our ability to hear ( understand) the word of God verses the early saints. Many were illiterate so they had to be able to listen ....to focus intently on what was being proclaimed and their ability to concentrate and to retain what was spoken was exercised . The Holy Spirit brought back to their remembrance the things they heard . They were lost with out hope in this world and early death and difficulties were all around them . The "good news " was GREAT news to them.
There was not the idea of a career so to speak so they did not have to spend an inordinate amount of time learning the things which a "successful " career would dictate . And their hope was not in this life or in this world . Many set their heart and affections on things above .
We have become very smart which often works against humility and God gives grace to the humble but is in opposition to the proud . So , it may be that God is not speaking to the proud .
We have been taught that in order to have value , we must " become" something. The gospel would tell us that we do not have to have value in the eyes of the world . Christ came to set us free from that rat race . We "die" so that Christ becomes our sufficiency .

Job knew about God before the Book of Genesis
was written, as he said, "I have heard of You by
the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You"
(Job 42:5).

21 Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21).

27 If I have observed the sun when it shines, or the moon moving in its brightness, so that my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand;

28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgement, For I would have denied God who is above (Job 31:27-28).

Observing practices associated with idolatry,
an iniquity deserving of judgement.

If there were no commandments in effect, how could denying God be an iniquity deserving of judgement?


"And to man He[God] said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding' (Job 28:28).

What is interesting about Job 28:28 is that Job said that this is what God said to man and there is no record of this being said in Genesis.

God spoke to humankind prior to Moses in at least one way that was not recorded in Genesis.
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"The murderer rises with the light; He kills the poor
and needy; And in the night he's like a thief ".

Job 24:14 is similar to a teaching by Jesus
tieing in murder and thievery together:

10 The thief does not come except to steal,
and to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10).

Job knew of this connection thousands of years
before Jesus stated it as recorded by John.

Daphne Leighton said:

This is crucial for the christian. No bible-no spiritual life pretty much.

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It's been ~ 2000 years since Jesus rose from the dead. The technology for the bible to be in widespread circulation to the masses has only existed for the for the past ~ 600 years...and that process really got under way around ~ 400 years ago.

So to say "no Bible, no spiritual life" really flies in the face of history...because throughout the history of Christendom, the majority of believers had none and had to attend the Sunday liturgy if they wanted to hear the Word of God.

And I daresay that the spiritual lives of those great martyrs and ascetics dwarfed that of our modern day.

Bible Possession Once Banned
by the Catholic Church!
Bible possession once banned by the Catholic Church!

Semper-Fi said:

Bible Possession Once Banned
by the Catholic Church!
Bible possession once banned by the Catholic Church!

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Maybe not a bad idea. It certainly has been misused and abused.

Daphne Leighton said:

We have scripture to know God more in this current day. This is crucial for the christian. No bible-no spiritual life pretty much. But what did beleivers do before the bible was written???

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Well, Catholics believe that God speaks, literally. And that's what pre-Bible folks (Adam, Abraham, Noah were all pre-Bible and had conversations with God) listened to-God's voice. Eventually, it was written, but we believe that God still speaks.