Why is the Bible so hard to understand?

The Bible doesn't even read as an instruction manual, it begins as a story. It was written by men in a very different time period with very different understandings. It is not written in a way that makes it a clear instruction manual to a man in any period of time anywhere in the world. Therefore, I no longer think that it can be taken at face value, and that you have to trust in God to find the right from the wrong, not accept it all as if it is God with a pen in his hand; if it were it would surely speak in a fashion much more easy and clear for all to understand.


You are right The Bible in its entirety is not just an instruction manual.You say it begins with a story, and throughout the whole Bible there are many stories in addition to give us instruction as to have a proper relationship with our creator. If it was just an "instruction manual" as you put it we would not be granted any answers as to why we are in this present mess and how to escape it. I mean to just give us instructions without knowing why would not be very effective would it? Another reason (keep in mind these are just my thoughts!) why the Bible contains all different kind of details that one at first view might think is rather insignificant and without relevance, are often found to have very vital symbolic meaning and importance in order to discover a new biblical truth. For instance when you read about the Santuary in the old testament, few people realize that there is a bigger picture revealed behind what one at first glance would view as maybe the most boring and unnecessary sections in the Bible. But it turns out that it is full of symbolism and Gods plan of salvation is revealed in the earthly sanctuary. When you come to realize and discover truths as these (and there are countless of them) , at least my reaction is that this has to be divenly inspired, there are just no other way of explaining it. Another reason for its often graphic details of certain episodes could simply be to give us a sense of realism, that it is not a fictous story, but a historical event that actually happened.