Finding Your Way Around the Bible, Part 5

Last week we finished the Old Testament books. This week we begin with the New Testament.
The Gospels: ('gospel' means 'good news'):

Matthew, Mark, Luke

These three are sometimes called the “synoptic gospels.” While each stresses different things in the life of Christ, there is much overlap in these accounts. They detail the life of Jesus from before His birth to His ascension into Heaven. They are written by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, respectively.

John

John's gospel is a bit different from the others. While the synoptic gospels are more along the lines of a historical account, John's gospel is more specifically aimed at causing belief. Whereas the other three gospels give the account of Christ's life, John uses Christ's life to show that Jesus is God and encourage the faith of the reader.

The Book of History (NT):

Acts

The book of Acts was written by Luke as a sequel to his gospel account. In this rather lengthy book (Luke wrote more of the New Testament than any other, even though Paul wrote more books), Luke details the first years of the church. He begins with Christ's final discussion with His disciples and His ascension. We then see the founding of the church and the early spread of Christianity. Often called “The Acts of the Apostles,” it spends the first part focusing on Peter, and the second part focusing on Paul.
Paul's General Epistles: (Letters written to congregations)

Romans

Paul's letter to the church in Rome deals largely with the matter of gentiles who now follow Christ. Paul spends much time in explaining that gentiles in Christ are just as much God's people as Jews who converted to Christ. He also spends a good deal of time giving practical advice for living a Christian life.

1 Corinthians

Paul wrote his first letter to the church in Corinth largely for two reasons. The first reason is that he had heard of the sin they were allowing, and wanted to let them know what they needed to do about it. The second main reason is that the church in Corinth had evidently asked him questions regarding marriage, which Paul goes on to answer. He also uses the letter to prove his apostleship, give practical advice on Christian living, directions for the Lord's Supper, and instructions for the uses of spiritual gifts.

2 Corinthians

Paul writes this second letter to Corinthian for any number of reasons. In it he validates his apostleship (which some apparently doubted), commends the church for acting against sin, gives instructions for collections, and warns against false teachers and allowing themselves to be led astray.

Galatians

As with his other letters, Paul writes to the church in Galatia for several reasons. Largely, Paul writes in an effort to correct false doctrine being taught regarding continued keeping of the old law. Among other memorable verses, Paul writes of the fruit of the spirit and the acts of the flesh.

Ephesians

This letter is slightly less centered around a specific congregation's problems and is a bit more general in tone. Once more, it is filled with practical guidance on living for Christ. More prominent passages include the last few chapters, in which Paul lays out the role of everyone (wives, husbands, servants, etc.) and describes the armor of God.

Philippians

Much of this letter is spent on the subject of a Christian's relationship with Christ and the role of Christ in one's life. We also learn of Paul's concern for the churches, and the efforts of Paul's associates in helping spread the gospel and edify the saints.

(It must be noted that all of these descriptions are brief and incomplete. Much is not said in these paragraphs that is contained in the books themselves.)

Finding Your Way Around the Bible, Part 4

Last week we looked at the history books and major prophets of the Old Testament. This week we finish the Old Testament with the minor prophets.
The minor prophets (OT): (so called because of the length of their books)

Hosea

Hosea wrote this book in which the Lord, in detail, explains Israel's unfaithfulness. The Lord then warns that they will be punished for that unfaithfulness, but adds that if they return to the Lord that things will improve for them. This book was written at the end of the northern kingdom, before its captivity.

Joel

Joel uses the phrase “the day of Lord” which many have taken out of context. Joel prophecies of the coming destruction of Israel by Assyria and of Israel's deliverance if they repent. He also makes a prophecy of the church which comes to pass in Acts 2.

Amos

Amos begins this book by stating God's judgment on all the nations surrounding Israel. And then states God's judgment on Israel and the sins of Israel. As with other prophets, there is hope offered at the end of the book.

Obadiah

Obadiah writes the shortest book in the Old Testament. It is a condemnation and warning given to Edom. The Lord promises them that they will be destroyed because of the role they played in Israel's downfall. Obadiah is one of just a few books written to those not of God's people.

Jonah

Jonah was told to go to Nineveh. He chose to run via ship. God sent a storm, Jonah was thrown into the water and swallowed by a great fish (it's not specified as a whale). Jonah repents, prays, and is permitted to go to Nineveh. When he preaches there, people repent and Jonah is upset. God uses the opportunity to explain His mercy.

Micah

Micah begins as most of the prophets do: with condemnation of Israel's sins and of God's judgment on them. He then intersperses prophecies of the Messiah and the Messiah's kingdom (looking ahead to the church).

Nahum

Nahum is speaking to Nineveh in this book. It is God's judgment on the city, and the destruction that is to befall them because of their sins.

Habakkuk

This book is essentially a question and answer session between the prophet and God. Hosea wants to know why sin has gone unpunished and why God uses the wicked to punish His people when punishment does happen. God gives details as to what will happen, both to unfaithful Israel and to the Babylonians who He will use in punishing their sins. In the end, Habakkuk's faith is strengthened.

Zephaniah

Zephaniah writes of Judah's sins. The Lord then speaks through Him to warn of their impending captivity. Also included in this book are Messianic prophecies and prophecies of the church, when God's blessings are opened to all nations.

Haggai

Haggai wrote after the return from captivity. His book is largely encouragement and warnings given while the temple was being rebuilt.

Zechariah

The most figurative of the minor prophets, God's revelation appears in visions to Zechariah. His book is also the lengthiest of the minor prophets. He is highly Messianic in his prophecies, looking ahead to the Christ. It is a dense book, and considered one of the more difficult books of the Bible.

Malachi

Malachi condemns the unfaithfulness of Israel: particularly the priests. The leaders of Israel are rebuked for their failures. It ends with prophecies of John the Baptist, which is how the New Testament begins.

Finding Your Way Around the Bible, Part 3

Last week we looked at the history books of the Old Testament. This week we begin with the Old Testament books of wisdom and poetry.
The Books of Wisdom/Poetry (OT):

Job

This is the account of Job, a righteous man who was tested and tried. This is the oldest book in the Bible, having been written before the Law of Moses. Job was roughly a contemporary of Abraham. In this account Job loses his wealth, his family, and his health, yet does not turn away from God. Authorship is unknown.

Psalms

This is the longest book in the Bible, containing 150 different psalms. Each psalm is a specific song. There are many varied themes, as well as different authors. There are psalms of praise, psalms asking for help, psalms of thanksgiving, and psalms prophesying of the Christ (among other subjects). Perhaps the most famous author of some of the psalms is David.

Proverbs

For the most part, this book is filled with short proverbs. A proverb is a short, pithy statement filled with wisdom. Wisdom can be found on nearly any subject imaginable. One of the more famous passages is in chapter 31, where the wife of noble character is described. Solomon is the author of most of this book.

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes is Solomon recounting his efforts to find what is good and worthwhile in this life. He tries everything from work to pleasure, from wealth to power. And in his final conclusion, he realizes that without God, it is all meaningless. He sums up by stating the the whole of man is to fear God and keep His commandments.

Song of Solomon/Song of Songs

There are two common titles given for this book. It recounts the story of Solomon wooing a Shulamite shepherdess. We learn much of the nature of romantic love in this book, both what is pure and acceptable, and what is wrong and sinful.

The Major Prophets (OT): (so-called due to the length of their books)

Isaiah

This is a lengthy book, detailing the prophecies of Isaiah. Much of the book is spent in condemnations of nations, as well as prophecies of Israel's deliverance. There is much in Isaiah of the coming Messiah (that is, Christ). Isaiah is the author of this book.

Jeremiah

Jeremiah is similar in m any ways to Isaiah, as well as the other prophets. The majority of the subject matter is the upcoming destruction of Israel because of the nation's disobedience to the Lord. Jeremiah is occasionally known as the “weeping prophet” because of the sorrowful things he is used to foretell and warn of. Jeremiah is the prophet.

Lamentations

This is another book by the prophet Jeremiah and is essentially a lament for Jerusalem, and the destruction the city faces. Once again, the link to punishment and disobedience is made clear. And once again, there is hope offered in returning to God.

Ezekiel

Ezekiel was a prophet who was carried into Babylonian captivity before the final fall of Jerusalem. Ezekiel is full of visions and symbolic imagery. In subject matter is much the same as the warnings and hope offered by other prophets: punishment for disobedience and hope in returning to the Lord. He looks forward in his prophecies to the return of Israel from captivity.

Daniel

Daniel wrote this account. He was a prophet in captivity who rose to prominence in the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires. Contained in this book are the stories of Daniel in the lion's den, the fiery furnace, and the handwriting on the wall of Belshazzar's feast. He also writes of several important visions which detail what was future chronology of nations, the coming of the Christ, and the establishment of His kingdom.

Finding Your Way Around the Bible, Part 2

Last week we looked at the basic organization of the Bible and the first five books of the Old Testament. This week we begin with the Old Testament books of History.

The Books of History (OT):

Joshua

Joshua covers the time period when Joshua led the people of Israel. The book's focus is on the conquest of the promised land. Some of the passages we think of most from this book are the fall of Jericho, the sun standing still, the division of the land among the tribes, and Joshua stating, “as for me and for my house, we will serve the Lord.” Its authorship is attributed to Joshua.

Judges

Judges recounts the time after the death of Joshua, but before there were kings in Israel. It deals with those who judged, or ruled, over Israel. It follows a repeating cycle of the people turning from God, God sending a nation to punish and rule over them, the people turning back to God, and God raising up a judge to save the people. Perhaps the most famous person from this book is Samson. It is unknown who the author of this book it.

Ruth

This book is named after the principle figure in the book: Ruth. This book is of great value in learning of the sort of people God wants His people to be. The characters of Ruth and Boaz serve as phenomenal examples for us, and are placed in the genealogy of David, and thus, Christ. The author of this book is unknown.

1 & 2 Samuel

These books were originally grouped as one, but separated to make it less cumbersome. It is the story, primarily, of three people: Samuel, Saul, and David. It begins with Samuel as a child, chronicles the time he served as judge over Israel, and the anointing of Saul, and later David, as king over Israel. Famous portions include Hannah praying in the temple, Saul's wrongful sacrifice, David and Goliath, and David and Bathsheba. Authorship is unknown.

1 & 2 Kings

Once again, these books were one book, but have been separated for the sake of convenience. It is so named because if covers the kings of Israel. The book begins with the decline and death of David and the raising of his son Solomon to the throne. It also covers the division into southern and northern kingdoms, and eventually the captivity of each nation. Authorship is unknown.

1 & 2 Chronicles

Once again, these were originally one book. They chronicle the kings who were descended from David (the kings of Judah). It begins with a genealogy, covers the reigns of David and Solomon, and continues relating the events of the kings of Judah until the fall of Jerusalem in 586BC. Generally speaking, it runs parallel with the books of Samuel and Kings. Authorship is once again unknown.

Ezra

This is the account of Ezra. It details the remnant of Israel returning from captivity to rebuild the temple and the problems they faced in doing so. It was written by Ezra.

Nehemiah

This is the account of Nehemiah, who returned from captivity shortly after Ezra. It details Nehemiah's efforts in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and of Israel rededicating themselves to God. Chronologically, this is the last historical account in the Old Testament. It was written by Nehemiah.

Esther

This is the account of Esther who rises to be queen of the Persia. In doing so, she is placed in a position to be able to save the Jews from destruction. One of the remarkable things about this book is that God is never mentioned, yet His hand is felt strongly in nearly every passage. The author is unknown.

Finding Your Way Around the Bible, Part 1

There are 66 books of the Bible. 39 of them are in the Old Testament, and 27 are in the New. Within each Testament, the books are arranged in such a way as to make it easier for us to locate books and passages. They are not organized chronologically, but by type of book. Books of prophecy are grouped together, books of history are grouped together, etc. Although the order the books are in is not set in stone, there is a traditional organization that has come to be.

The Old Testament covers from creation until about 400 years before the birth of Christ. The New Testament begins just a few years before Christ's birth, and the last book was written around the year 90AD.

The Old Testament is organized in the following way:
Books of Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
Books of History: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
Books of Wisdom/Poetry: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
Books of Prophecy: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

The New Testament is organized in this way:
The Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Book of History: Acts
Paul's General Epistles: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians
Paul's Personal/Pastoral Epistles: 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
Other Epistles: Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1 & 2 & 3 John, Jude
Book of Prophecy/Apocalyptic: Revelation

In this and following bulletins, Lord willing, we will take a brief overview of each book of the Bible in hopes that it will make it easier for us all to find our way through the scriptures. If we can remember in general what the book was, we can more easily locate it by placing it in its proper group.

The Books of Law (OT): (also sometimes called the Pentateuch)

Genesis

This is the book of beginnings. It begins with creation and ends with the descendants of Abraham in Egypt. Famous portions include Noah and the ark, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Jacob and Esau, and the story of Joseph. Other prominent people in the book are Cain and Abel, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Ishmael, and Israel's sons for whom the tribes are named. The book is attributed to Moses.

Exodus

This the book in which the Israelites exit Egypt after 400 years of slavery. It is most often remembered for the burning bush, the 10 plagues against Egypt and God giving Moses the law at Mt. Sinai. Much of the book is spend detailing parts of the Law given by God. This book is also attributed to Moses.

Leviticus

This book is predominantly given as regulations for the Levites and priests. Most of the book details laws the people were to follow. It is also attributed to Moses.

Numbers

The book is so named because it contains a numbering and census of the Israelites. It also records the time between leaving Sinai and arriving at the promised land (and the beginning of the 40 years of wandering). Oft remembered parts include God giving the people manna and quail, the 12 spies, water coming from a rock, the bronze serpent, and Balaam and his donkey. It too is generally attributed to Moses.

Deuteronomy

This is another book of laws, although it also details parts of the wilderness wanderings. It ends with the death of Moses on Mt. Nebo, with Joshua taking a leadership role. Like the other books of law, it is attributed to Moses.