The Bible

Recently, we have been going through a series of talks in Senior High about how to understand the Bible. I’m trying to help lay some ground work for these students so that they become familiar with the complexity and unique beauty of Scripture. So often I the Bible seems to be an assumption that we have taken for granted in our spiritual conversations. So I started with a few images or illustrations to help us compare and relate the Bible’s essence and function. Here’s the list:
An Instruction Manual

A Map
A Billboard
School/Teacher
A Flashlight
A Feast
The Foundation
A Love Letter
A Story Book
A Science Textbook

A Rule Book

A Crystal Ball
A Debate Reference Tool
A Psychiatrist or Self-Help Tool

An illustration always falls short of being able to give a well rounded sense of what something really is. An illustration is usually good at highlighting one particular aspect of the concept we are trying to illuminate. In this case it is my suggestion that some of these illustrations have been overused in our spiritual conversations. In fact in some cases I have had to recognize that I need to repent from seeing the Bible in a particular light. Some pictures of scripture that I think are less than helpful are: instruction manual, crystal ball, science/history textbook (in some cases literally), and a debate reference tool.
What are some pictures of Scripture that you have noticed? How is the Bible being used? Which pictures of the Bible are helpful for you and which ones are harmful?