“Whom will he teach knowledge?
And whom will he make to understand the message?
Those just weaned from milk?
Those just drawn from the breasts?
¹⁰ For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little.” Isaiah 28: 9-10

In this passage, God asks the question about to whom He teaches knowledge and understanding. It is directed towards His written word. It uses the language of literature: lines and precepts (ideas). By using the rhetorical question referencing infants, it is for those who are grown enough to understand precepts. It may even appear as a complex message to those who are not mature in the Lord.

But God also makes reference to context by comparing lines with other lines. We might call this close or micro context. He expands the context to a macro context with precepts or ideas compared with each other.

All of this is within the heading of understanding the message. The message of what. Well, here is where we can use the tool of context to know the message of God.

Verse 14 of Isaiah gives us a hint:

Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men,
Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,

God wants to teach the men who rule the people who reside in His city of Jerusalem.

Is it possible that we don’t know God because of a lack of context?

One of my biggest frustrations as a Bible student and teacher is when I hear the interpretation of a text or passage (especially concerning God’s character and prophecy) that is out of context.

False prophets either lift out single verses or twist plain passages to gain control or misrepresent the character of God.

DIVINE CONTEXT

A Text Without a Context Is a Pretext: This means a text read without careful consideration of the surrounding verses is easily misconstrued or maybe not correct at all. A passage of scripture is always best understood and appreciated in its context. But there are at least eight different levels of context.

Each verse lies inside a chapter, each chapter inside a book, each book within its author. Each book and author within time, each book, author, and time inside the whole of Scripture…but most important...all within the context of God’s character.

A simple progression of CONTEXT is as follows:

1.) Lowest level: One Text

2.) Surrounding Texts within the chapter

3.) Chapters within the book

4.) Books within the other books of the author

5.) Within the audience and time of the writing

6.) The author within other books or authors

7.) Within the entire scripture

8.) Highest level: All within the context of the Character of God

With some passages, you don’t have to go very far in the chain. But, the further a person goes in this chain, the better understanding, conclusion, and appreciation for the powerful word of God.

The greatest value of deep context leads to greater knowledge and understanding of our loving, gracious, and sacrificial God.

“But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these, I delight,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 9:24 NKJV