Week 3: Bible overview, part 1 Our condensed overview study will be based off of the book 30 Days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders. 1. The Bible is the,, and word of God. 2. The Bible is book that consists of individual books. 3. The Bible s books are divided into testaments the Old Testament, with books, and the New Testament, with books. (List of books of the Bible on page 2) The Old Testament was written before the birth of Christ, and the New Testament was written after the birth of Christ. 4. The big picture of the Bible can be understood in terms of Christ-centered divisions: A (Genesis- Malachi): The Old Testament M (Matthew-John): Gospels; Jesus life P (Acts): Jesus is proclaimed; the Gospel spreads E (Romans-Jude): letters that explain the person/works of Jesus C (Revelation): finally ; to finish ; the end times 5. The key to understanding the Old Testament is to realize the first 17 Historical Books cover the of the Old Testament from creation to approximately 400 BC, while the remaining 5 Poetical/Wisdom and 17 Prophetical Books at proper places within that storyline. The Books of the Old Testament Historical Books Poetical Books /Wisdom Books Prophetical Books Genesis Job Isaiah Exodus Psalms Jeremiah Leviticus Proverbs Lamentations Numbers Ecclesiastes Ezekiel Deuteronomy Song of Solomon Daniel Joshua Hosea Judges Joel Ruth Amos 1 Samuel Obadiah 2 Samuel Jonah 1 Kings Micah 2 Kings Nahum 1 Chronicles Habakkuk 2 Chronicles Zephaniah Ezra Haggai Nehemiah Zechariah Esther Malachi 3WEEK 3 NOTES
The Bible The Old Testament The New Testament Genesis Matthew Exodus Mark Leviticus Luke Numbers John Deuteronomy Acts Joshua Judges Romans Ruth 1 Corinthians 1 Samuel 2 Corinthians 2 Samuel Galatians 1 Kings Ephesians 2 Kings Philippians 1 Chronicles Colossians 2 Chronicles 1 Thessalonians Ezra 2 Thessalonians Nehemiah 1 Timothy Esther 2 Timothy Titus Job Philemon Psalms Proverbs Hebrews Ecclesiastes James Song of Solomon 1 Peter 2 Peter Isaiah 1 John Jeremiah 2 John Lamentations 3 John Ezekiel Jude Daniel Hosea Revelation Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi 4WEEK 3 NOTES
6. Speaking specifically about the Old Testament, you can summarize the storyline using the helpful outline from Max Anders and his nine Eras:,,,,,,, and Creation Era (Genesis 1-11) Patriarch Era (Genesis 12-50) Abraham: Abrahamic Covenant: 1. Land 2. Seed 3. Blessing Isaac: Jacob: 5WEEK 3 NOTES
Map of Abraham s Journey (Creation and Patriarch Era) 6WEEK 3 NOTES
Joseph: Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. Exodus Era (Exodus-Deuteronomy) Numbers 13:27-28 And they told him, We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. God commands Israel to follow three things when conquering the land: 1) Utterly destroy the Canaanites 2) Don t intermarry with their women 3) Don t worship their gods 7WEEK 3 NOTES
Map of the Exodus from Egypt and Conquest of the Promised Land 8WEEK 3 NOTES
Division of the Promised Land amongst the Tribes of Israel 9WEEK 3 NOTES
Conquest Era (Joshua) WEEK 3 NOTES Judges Era Judges 21:25 (ESV) In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. The book of Judges follows a four-fold pattern: 1) Sin (the people would do what was right in their own eyes and sin against the LORD), 2) Servitude (God would oppress the nation by placing a ruler over them), 3) Supplication (the nation would cry out to God for help), and 4) Salvation (God would provide a judge to deliver Israel from the oppressors). This cycle occurred seven times. Kingdom Era Kings: Saul for 40 years, then David for 40 years, then Solomon for 40 years. 10
Under Solomon the kingdom divides: Northern Kingdom with 10 tribes Southern Kingdom with 2 tribes WEEK 3 NOTES Exile Era Northern Kingdom Captured by Assyria Captured by Southern Kingdom Captured by Babylon Captured by Persia 2 Kings 17:7-8 And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced. 11
Return Era Zerubbabel: Ezra: WEEK 3 NOTES Nehemiah: 586 BC-516BC was the length of the exile. Silence Era will be discussed during the next session. 12
Week 3: Bible Overview, Part 1 Questions about today s topic 1. Was there anything from the teaching today that confused you or that you need more clarification on? 2. Kevin compares his ambition to know, understand and teach the bible to his drive in his career as a dentist. Do you feel, currently, that you work as hard on your faith as you do in your career? If you answered no to the above question, what do you feel is the biggest obstacle blocking you from fulfilling the call of your faith? 3. Kevin mentions the idea of spiritual obesity meaning that we get fat with knowledge of the Bible and never purge or release it for others to learn about the Bible from us. Obesity in this regard is no less unhealthy that physical obesity. Have you been guilty of spiritual obesity? Can you name a time in your life when you refused to obey god s calling and go a way you thought was better? Please share your example. 6. Going further with the previous question, we see the Israelites, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb in the Conquest Era, being too afraid to conquer the Promised Land: Numbers 13:27-28: And they told him, We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. Have you ever been afraid of a challenge God set before you? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 4. In reference to the Fall, Kevin says: At the most critical point in all of human history, Adam remained silent and passive and allowed temptation to have control over his wife and him as well. And if we are honest as men, this same passivity has been inherited through the generations by all of us, and passivity remains man s greatest struggle to date. Do you ever feel passive in your role as the leader of your family? 5. Throughout the entire Old Testament, we see God s human creation continually rebelling against Him and going their own way. We see this with the Tower of Babel, the wandering in the wilderness and the worship of other gods, just to name a few. Thankfully God does not give up on his creation and offers continuous mercy. 75