The Figure 8 Scripture Memory by Meditation System is based upon biblical principles found within Psalm 119. Throughout these 176 verses, the Psalmist sets forth the concept of meditating upon Scripture. He says, “I will meditate on Your precepts, and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word” (Psalm 119:15-16). The natural result of biblical meditation is remembering God’s precepts. However, it is important to note that the overarching goal is not to memorize words, but instead for the teachings and commandments of God to be written on the tablets of our hearts (Proverbs 7:2-3). We must aspire not to become intelligent rule-followers, but rather obedient Christ-lovers. In addition, the Figure 8 method is not a magical formula. It is a system of disciplines. To succeed in this, you must make disciplined and consistent use of your energy and effort and give yourself to meditation.
Pay Attention: This is the Most Important Part of the System
After you choose a biblical book or passage, the Figure 8 approach will lead you to meditate upon one chapter every hour for at least 8 hours per day. This may sound overwhelming at first, but as soon as you begin you’ll see it is not. You may be thinking, “Every hour for 8 hours? I don’t have time for that! I’m too busy!” Well, you may not realize it, but reading one chapter of the Bible only takes about 3 minutes. Therefore, taking a few minutes during 8 of your 15 waking hours equals only 20-25 minutes per day. Therefore, instead of working harder, you are working smarter. To make things clear, let’s consider a typical day. Perhaps your alarm sounds at 7:00 am and your day begins. Before rising from bed, take the very first 3 minutes of your day and meditatively read your current chapter. What better way to start the day, than by setting your mind upon the word of God?! After you shower and finish breakfast, the time is 8:00 am. Here is another chance to read the chapter again. After this, you probably head to work or school. Around 9:00 am, you can take a few minutes to focus upon the same chapter again. The day is going very well, but remember that if you happen to miss a couple of hours, there are many hours left in order to reach a total of 8. For instance, perhaps you have a meeting at 10:00 am or you simply forget about your plan. It’s okay because lunch will be around 12:00 pm, allowing an opportunity to meditate for the 4 th time today! Just think, it is only 12:00 pm and you are already halfway through your 8 hour plan! This pattern continues throughout the day until you have reviewed the chapter each hour for 8 hours. Within the printable Scripture Memory Schedules, this is referred to as the 8-Hour Plan. It might help to find a way to remind yourself of your Figure 8 hourly schedule. You may want to tie a string around your wrist, wear a watch that beeps on the hour, or install an app on your phone that will remind each hour.
By the end of the 8 days, you will have read the same chapter at least 64 times. You will be amazed at how much more you will learn and how much better you know the text than when you began. This daily meditation is designed to saturate your heart with the word of God, keeping it fresh upon your mind as you walk through life seeking and serving Christ. And remember that the primary goal of this approach to Scripture memory is not memorization, but meditation on the Bible.
Look at this example schedule to help you visualize what you will do each day. Notice that the schedule breaks each day into three sections, A.M., DAYTIME, and P.M. Typically, mornings and evenings (A.M. and P.M.) are used for practicing recently memorized chapters. Regular effort toward retaining what you have memorized is essential. If you are going to dedicate yourself to memorize Scripture, it is only logical to put in a little extra effort in order to retain what you have learned. Keep an eye out for these scheduled times to work on retention. Finally, you will also notice that every 8th day is followed by a day of rest from the 8-hour plan. This day should be considered a reward for your hard work. All you will have to do on the day off is Test out of the material you recently memorized (explained in #4).
2 MEDITATION
Repeat to Remember
In The Figure 8 System, memorization occurs in 3 ways. First we memorize the Scriptures by meditating on each passage throughout the day, and by this we gain a thorough understanding of text. Second, people who use The Figure 8 System memorize Scripture by knowing the context of each chapter or book. Memorizing chapters within their context helps us grab the meaning and flow of what’s written. Finally, we memorize Scripture by learning how the verses look in relation to each other on the printed memory sheets. To help you accomplish these three aspects of Scripture memory, each printable Scripture Memory Sheet includes a list of Starter Phrases on the back. A starter phrase consists of the first three or four words of a verse.
Using Starter Phrases to Remember Verses
Within the starter phrase concept, there are two kinds of memory markers – Primary Markers and Secondary Markers. Primary markers include multiples of eight (1, 8, 16, 24, and 32) and secondary markers include each reference in between (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, etc). When recalling recall a specific verse, these markers will be your guide and allow you to be no more than 4 verses away from recalling a specific Scripture reference. For instance, if you need to recall Philippians 4:19, beginning with the closest primary marker, you should think to yourself, “I know that 4:16 is ‘for even’.”Then, you will be able to work your way through the secondary markers from 16 to 19; “and my God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Once you recall the verse’s starter phrase, the rest of the verse will flow naturally from your memory. Since they are so important, the starter phrases for each chapter should be reviewed as a regular part of your memory work. You can print your own Scripture Memory Schedules and Scripture Memory Sheets w/Starter Phrases.
3 DISCIPLINED STUDY
Study to Remember
While meditation and memorization are foundational, a disciplined study of Scripture will enrich your Scripture memory. This can be accomplished by using devotional time and spare time during each 8-day session to read commentaries, research historical and cultural contexts, and listen to sermons preached on the current chapter. Let us suggest some ways to study and some resources to help you meditate, memorize, and study Scripture.
First, if you are not currently in the practice of having a personal daily Bible study, we encourage you to begin straight away. To incorporate The Figure 8 System into your daily devotional time, you could use a Scripture commentary or devotional to learn more about the passages you are memorizing. Usually, you can find commentaries and devotionals at your local library, Christian bookstore, or on the internet. To help you find trustworthy commentaries, we have provided access to Building Your Theological Library by Dr. Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Seminary. Dr. Akin’s booklet contains the titles of countless resources for every book of the Bible.
Second, since The Figure 8 System assigns a block of Scripture to each 8-day session, you may want to focus your quiet-time on a few verses of the block you are currently memorizing. Simply break up the block across the 8-day session. If you are beginning to memorize Philippians 1 tomorrow, use tomorrow’s devotional time to study and pray through the first 3 or 4 verses of the chapter. The next day, study the next 3 or 4 verses and so on. You will be amazed at how much a strategic quiet-time will assist your meditation upon and memorization of Scripture.
Third, another helpful practice is listening to and reading sermons. Thanks to the internet, literally millions of resources are only a mouse-click away. Audio sermons are especially easy to come by. You should consider sites such as www.sermonaudio.com. Names like Charles Haddon Spurgeon, J.C. Ryle, and Jonathan Edwards should inspire you to find written sermons based upon the passages you will be memorizing. Many of these sermons are available online.
4 TESTING OUT
Partner to Make Progress
It is essential that you find someone with whom to share this practice of Scripture memory. The best accountability partner is someone who is willing to work hard and encourage you to work hard. We have found that those who work to memorize Scripture without such a partner, struggle greatly. Find a Christian friend, co-worker, spouse, or relative to join you in your Scripture memory journey. To test out, you will recite memorized Scripture to this partner.Your partner may provide you with help if needed. Once you successfully recite (test out) a passage, you can move on toward memorizing the next chapter or passage in your schedule.
Testing out is important because it will help you remain accountable for the time you are spending in meditation and memorization. It also puts a bit of pressure on you to really memorize Scripture, rather than merely becoming familiar with it. Since there is flexibility to move as your own pace, it is not absolutely necessary for your partner to test out on the same day. Feel free to take an extra day before testing out even if your partner is ready. Also, it is not necessary for your partner to memorize the same material as you. You may be memorizing Colossians while your partner is memorizing 1 John.
When reciting Scripture to your partner, your partner should provide the next starter phrase in order to jog your memory if you get stumpted. If you have followed the system and put forth a good effort, you should not need to be reminded more than a couple of times while reciting each block of Scripture. If you find yourself really struggling to recall the material, perhaps you should take a few more days to polish up your memorization and then attempt to test out again. Do not move on to a new block or book without testing out. Giving an account for the work that you have done is rewarding and will inspire you to continue your hard work.
Now you are ready to begin! From here, you should choose a book of the Bible that peaks your interest. Also, we would love to hear how it is going so send us feedback whenever you like.
