Have you ever had an epiphany when reading the Bible? One of those moments when something becomes so suddenly clear that it almost catches you by surprise? That happens to me occasionally, and it’s always an exciting moment for me.

First of all, let’s define the word “epiphany.” According to dictionary.com, and epiphany is “a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.” In other words, in a normal, everyday reading of God’s Word, something can jump out at you so suddenly, and with such insight, as to catch you by complete surprise.

That happened to me a few days ago. I have been reading through C. S. Lewis’s book, Reflections On the Psalms, and I had an insight that I have never thought of before. It caught me off guard, and it has been bouncing around in my mind ever since. I’m not certain I understand it completely, and will probably have to reflect on it for some time before I do. But I feel like it is one of those nuggets of truth that I just can’t seem to let go of.

The Psalms were written before Christ obviously, and are included in the Old Testament. As such, they were a primary part of the Hebrew Scriptures. Throughout them, you can find the concept of God’s judgment all over the place. This idea is common in the New Testament as well, and pervades almost every page of Scripture to some degree. It’s a very integral theme of God’s narrative with mankind.

For the Old Testament Jewish reader, the judgment of God brings to mind the scene of a courtroom, just as it does for us today, but with one very significant difference. In our minds, we see that scene as a criminal court, and we are the ones on trial, about to experience the judgment of God. For the ancient Jew, the scene wasn’t a criminal court, it was a civil court. An ancient reader would see the courtroom scene in a very different way, with himself as the plaintiff. For us, we seek God’s mercy, and an acquittal. The ancient Jew would have sought justice, punishment for those who have wronged him, and damages paid to make it right.

This was a mind-blowing idea for me, and I began to flip though the pages of the Psalms, looking at the in a new light. For example, Psalm 35:23-24 states: “Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right and to my cause, my God and my Lord. Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me.”

Psalm 9, Psalm 68, Psalm 72… And the list goes on and on. As Lewis states, “Christians cry to God for mercy instead of justice; they cried to God for justice instead of injustice.”

This simple understanding of the Old Testament Jewish mind has shifted my understanding of the Psalms in a very fundamental way, and I’m curious to see how this brings about a deeper understanding of who God is in my life as a result. I don’t think our view of God’s judgment is wrong necessarily; we are still sinners in need of God’s mercy, to be sure. But this epiphany has added a layer of understanding to my perception, showing me a new facet of God’s Word that was previously unseen.

I suspect this is the kind of thing the writer of Hebrews may have had in mind when he called the Word of God “living and active” in Hebrews 4:12. Each and every time I approach God’s Word with an open eye and an open heart, he reveals something new about his nature.

Those epiphanies will never cease to surprise and amaze me.

Question: When has God revealed something mind-blowing to you from his Word? How did it impact your life? You can leave a comment by clicking here.