BIBLE SURVEY: A BIG SCREEN PERSPECTIVE by Dr. Bert Dwns Brught t yu by yur friends at 1
Table f Cntents Lessn 1 Describing the Elephant... 3 Lessn 2 Setting the Cmpass... 7 Lessn 3 Living the Law... 12 Lessn 4 Sul Fd f the Pets... 16 Lessn 5 Will Pwer f the Prphets... 20 Lessn 6 The Inter-testamental Perid, 400 Nt-S-Silent Years... 24 Lessn 7 Meet the Many-faceted King, Servant, Man, Gd... 28 Lessn 8 Acts... the Gspel hits the rad... 34 Lessn 9 Life-changing Letters frm Old Friends f the Church... 38 Lessn 10 The Finish Line s in Sight... 42 2
Lessn 1 Describing the Elephant LESSON OVERVIEW In this first sessin, we ll examine why having a big screen perspective fr the entire Bible is s vital fr all disciples and critical fr thse called t leadership. Thrugh this jurney, yu ll be intrduced t the structure f yur English Bible and hw, in learning that structure, yu can develp the skill necessary t manage the Bible s cntent, purpses and applicatins thrughut yur life. Yu ll als begin t learn hw t use this big picture, Bible-management skill t enhance yur wn teaching and mentring impact. Okay. This will be 30 fast minutes. Get yur biblical track shes n and get ready t run. LESSON NOTES The imprtance f perspective: The desired utcmes (gals) fr the curse: Emphasis n functin: 3
The BIG PICTURE: (draw the structure chart and jt ntes in it as Dr. Dwns leads yu n this jurney.) Additinal ntes and study thughts: 4
LESSON SUMMARY Fundatins are like that set the curse fr what fllws. The Histrical Sectin depicts the living ut (r nt) f things. The Histrical Bks help us understand the applicatin and misapplicatin f fundatinal things and what the are. The Instructinal Sectin prvides and fr thse living ut fundatinal things in a histrical cntext. The Instructinal Sectin desn t extend the stry, it it. TO REMEMBER The verall structure f the Bible (chart) The number f bks in each part The key thughts in the Sessin Summary 5
FOR PRACTICE (wrk at filling in the structure chart belw until yu can d it frm memry) Testament Ttal Bks Sectin ( Bks) Sectin ( Bks) Sectin ( Bks) The Ttal Bks 400 Years (Inter-testament) Testament Ttal Bks Sectin ( Bks) Sectin ( Bks) Sectin ( Bks) NEXT TIME In Lessn 2, we ll explre the big picture f the fundatinal bks which we ll call the Pentateuch. These first five bks intrduce us t key themes and peple that will be referred t and have influence ver much f the rest f the Bible. Remember, the fundatinal bks act like a cmpass setting the directin fr Gd s plan and peple. And as yu ll experience in every sessin, we ll review what we ve cvered previusly as review is strategic t effective learning. 6
Lessn 2 Setting the Cmpass LESSON OVERVIEW In ur next 30-minute sprint we ll explre the fundatinal bks f the Old Testament. Knwn frmally as the Pentateuch (literally, the five bks ), these writings set the curse fr ur OT jurney helping us understand the characteristics f the histry we ll examine later and the nature f the instructin being directed at the peple living ut that histry. In these cmpass bks we ll see the plan f Gd with respect t his creatin and then with his peple, Israel. We ll begin t understand hw these writings reflect Gd s desire t redeem his peple frm the cnsequences f riginal sin and transplant his character int that redeemed peple, with the larger gal t ffer redemptin t all f mankind. LESSON NOTES Three key cncepts/wrds: Culture Creatin Character Time frame Abraham - 2000 B.C. Mses - 1500 B.C. David - 1000 B.C. Ezra - 500 B.C. 7
The general flw f the Pentateuch (als called, The Law; Bks f Mses): Seven key peple: Adam: Nah: Abraham: Isaac: Jacb: Jseph: Mses: 8
Seven key fundatinal themes: Creatin Judgment Redemptin Peple Leaders Cvenant Prmise Key wrd summary fr each fundatinal bk: Genesis: Exdus: Leviticus: Numbers: Deuternmy: 9
REMEMBER (learn t list frm memry) Five fundatinal bks (name the bks and tw big themes that g with each) Seven key peple (name the peple and a key thught that ges with each) Seven key themes (name the big themes fr this sectin and a majr thught that ges with each) Tw key themes fr each fundatinal bk 10
PRACTICE Using a blank sheet f paper (r this page), develp the Bible structure chart frm memry including naming the five fundatinal bks f the OT frm memry. NEXT TIME In Lessn 3 we ll quickly review key elements cvered s far and then mve int develping ur big perspective f the Histrical Bks (Jshua Esther). While we ll have t wrk fast, we will see hw these bks uncver hw the peple are ding in living ut (r nt) the fundatins and what the cnsequences are. We ll als learn hw these bks fit tgether and then fit in the larger scpe f the OT. Last, alng the way we ll learn abut the 8 key peple f this sectin and 2 key themes that arise frm this histry. 11
Lessn 3 Living the Law LESSON OVERVIEW A Christian writer recently bserved,... amng next Christians and many lder Christians as well a relatinship with Gd tday is framed exclusively arund beliefs that make little difference in the way we live. It s nt a new reality as ur trip thrugh the Histrical Bks reveals. Our jurney thrugh this sectin cvers abut 1,000 years during which yu ll see that reality at wrk: when belief and real-life cnnect the result is a culture f life, health, and pwer, and when belief and everyday life discnnect, the result is selfishness, sickness and chatic weakness. The key t watch fr in these 12 bks is hw the leaders and the peple d in living ut the fundatinal things recrded in Genesis thrugh Deuternmy. REVIEW THE FOUNDATIONAL BOOKS (TWO KEY THOUGHTS FOR EACH BOOK): Genesis: and Exdus: and Leviticus: and Numbers: and Deuternmy: and Other ntes, review: 12
HISTORICAL BOOKS (12) IN SUMMARY Here we ll break this 12-bk sectin int five smaller units t help us remember the flw f this histry and the emphases alng this 1000-year jurney. We ll wrk thrugh this sectin a cuple f times s be patient in yur nte-taking Unit 1: Jshua, Judges, and Ruth - a perid in which there are leaders, but there are NO KINGS in Israel. Key Peple: General ntes: Jshua, all abut Judges, all abut Ruth, all abut Unit 2: 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 1 Chrnicles - a perid in which three kings rule ver a UNITED Israel. General ntes: Key Peple: Samuel (prphet), all abut Saul (king), all abut David (king), mstly all abut Slmn (king), mstly all abut 13
Unit 3: 2 Kings, 2 Chrnicles - a perid in which the families f Israel becme DIVIDED int tw natins, Israel and Judah General ntes: Tw Kingdms: Israel, kings: all abut Hw d they and the natin d with the fundatinal things? Judah, kings: mstly all abut Hw d they and the natin d with the fundatinal things? Unit 4: latter prtins f 2 Kings and 2 Chrnicles - a perid in which Gd s JUDGEMENT n Israel and Judah finds Israel s peple SCATTERED thrughut the Assyrian empire and later Judah s leaders and key peple in EXILE in Babylnia. General ntes: Three Natins: Assyria, remved frm the land and scattered Babylnia, cnquered and taken int exile Persia, allwed t return t the land 14
Unit 5: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther - recunt the experiences f the peple f Judah as they RETURN TO THE LAND. General ntes: Key Peple: Ezra, all abut Nehemiah, all abut Esther, all abut REMEMBER Cmmit the names f the 12 bks and eight key peple t memry plus the fllwing tw principles fr the Histrical Bks... As the leadership ges, s g the." Gd s cvenant isn t fulfilled withut. NEXT TIME We ll break the Instructinal Sectin int tw units, ne fcusing n the Petical Bks and the ther n the Prphetical Bks. First, we ll take a clse lk at the heart f the peple f Israel and their experiences as they live ut the fundatinal things in their wn histry as recrded by the pets. 15
Lessn 4 Sul Fd f the Pets LESSON OVERVIEW The Instructinal Sectin (Jb - Malachi) cntains 22 bks that we ll break int tw units: Petical Bks (5) and Prphetical Bks (17). In the Fundatinal Sectin we engaged Gd s cmpass-setting fr his peple and in the Histrical Sectin we bserved hw the peple did in relatinship t the cmpass. In this sectin, we ll see the peples experience thrugh the eyes f the pets, examine heart issues in that experience and feel bth the encuragement and crrectin f gd instructin. Welcme t the pets Get ready fr sme sul fd. REVIEW OF THE HISTORICAL SECTION The structural chart fr the OT: Fundatinal (5); Histrical (12); Instructinal (22) Bks f the Histrical Sectin: Jshua - Esther Fur subsectins f the HS: Pre-kings, Kings (United and Divided), Exile, and Return Eight Key Peple: Jshua, Samuel, Saul, David, Slmn, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther (describe each with a wrd r tw) INSTRUCTIONAL SECTION: POETIC - FIVE BOOKS Ntes n five key verses (especially nte the feel f the verses): Jb 13:13 Psalm 8 Prverbs 3:3 16
Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 Sng f Slmn 8:6-7 Tw kinds f literature (petry) in this sectin: Psalms (praises): Wisdm: The Bible s petic literature emphasizes tw aspects f wrship: praises and gdly living This is experiential literature and as such it reveals the heart issues f peple. 17
SUMMARY NOTES AND KEY WORDS FOR THE FIVE POETICAL BOOKS Jb: Key wrd: Psalms: Key wrd: Prverbs: Key wrd: Ecclesiastes: Key wrd: Sng f Slmn: Key wrd: 18
REMEMBER Names f the five petical bks plus thse frm the Fundatinal and Histrical sectins; the key themes f each f the petical bks; and the fllwing three leadership axims: Svereignty says listen, learn, and lean n the Lrd as yu may nt see the whle stry in times f truble r blessing. Wrship has many facets, all f which shuld be understd and practiced. Helping keep Gd in His prper place in peples lives is a leader s main calling. NEXT TIME We ve surveyed ne unit f the Instructinal Sectin, the five Petical Bks. Nw we face an even larger challenge... develping the big picture f the secnd unit, the seventeen Prphetical Bks. We ll specifically see hw the seventeen bks fit in their histry and their main messages t the peple living that histry. And as always we ll leave the sectin by establishing a few key leadership principles unique t the prphets. If the jurney just finished fcused n fd fr the sul, it culd be said that ur next ne will emphasize fd fr the will. 19
Lessn 5 Will Pwer f the Prphets LESSON OVERVIEW The instructin f the prphets falls alng tw lines: the rewards fr ding right (fulfilling fundatinal things) in Gd s eyes and the necessary crrectins when wrng becmes part f the picture. Within that paradigm we ll find mixtures f judgment and prmise, encuragement and warning, present and future. The prphets, an interesting lt ften called n t nt just speak but t live ut their prphesies, cnsistently call the peple f Israel t craft their present-day realities in light f the fundatinal aspects f Scripture and the future hpe f prmise. If yu think f the petical bks as revealing the heart f the peple in their histry, then it wuld be equally helpful t think f the prphetical bks as revealing the heart f Gd in that histry. REVIEW OF POETICAL BOOKS Five bks: Jb, Psalms, Prverbs, Ecclesiastes, Sng f Slmn Tw kinds f literature: praise (psalms, petry) and wisdm Five key themes: Jb svereignty; Psalms wrship; Prverbs wisdm; Ecclesiastes vanity; Sng f Slmn lve in marriage Petical bks emphasize the heart f the peple living ut their histry. General review ntes: INSTRUCTIONAL SECTION: PROPHETIC The prphetical bks fit in the cntext fund in 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chrnicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther; that perid wuld extend rughly frm 970 BC t 430 BC. 20
HISTORICAL CONTEXT CHART Pre-Exile Prphets T Israel: T Assyria: T Edm: T Judah: Messages: Warning f cming judgment, Repent Exile Prphets T Judah in exile: Messages: Judgment: hw t live in light f it; take encuragement frm Gd s prmises Pst-Exile Prphets T Judah upn return t the land: Messages: Rebuild and restre the peple, the land, and key relatinships (especially with Gd) 21
SUMMARY COMMENTS, PROPHETS: Biblical terms fr a prphet: Visinary Seer Prphet Peple and respnses t the prphetic message (biblical categries): The wise: takes the instructin t heart and acts accrdingly; cmmitted t wisdm The fl: brushes ff the instructin and cntinues his disastrus path; resists wisdm The simple: nt firmly cmmitted t wisdm r flishness; easily misled; lacks discipline t get and stay n right path THEMES OF THE PROPHETS They spke fr Gd (1 Peter 1:21) Affirmed cvenant relatinship Pinted ut vilatins f the cvenant Called fr repentance and restratin Warned f Gd s judgment fr cntinued vilatins (day f the Lrd) Punishment f Israel s enemies Day f restratin and renewal beynd the days f judgment 22
REMEMBER The prphetical bks that fit in the pre-exile, exile, and pst-exile perids and their general messages, plus the fllwing leadership axims: Gd hlds leaders respnsible fr the way they lead the peple. Smetimes shepherds have t crrect their flcks. T lead well shepherds stay sharp in their relatinship t the Lrd. Shepherds intentinally acquire wisdm t help their flcks live skillfully. A prphetic calling ( thus says the Lrd ) is typically fr a seasn and circumstance. REVIEW Review the entire structure f the OT, and yur ntes frm the five sessins; be able t draw ut the OT structure, name the three sectins and the bks that g int each. NEXT TIME We begin ur jurney int the New Testament by taking a lk at the 400 years that separate the Old frm the New Testament, and learning the key themes, events and peple f thse amazing years. We ll als see hw thse years influenced the stry f the life f Christ and the birth f the Church. 23
Lessn 6 The Inter-testamental Perid, 400 Nt-S- Silent Years LESSON OVERVIEW The histry fund in the Old Testament cmes t an end abut 400 years befre we take up the stry f the New Testament. In between the testaments is a perid ften called the 400 silent years because by Jewish reckning n prphets spke in the land f Israel during this perid. Well, it may be called silent, but as yu ll sn see, it is anything but that. Rather, it s a dynamic perid f cnquest, plitical and religius develpments, and cnflict arund cmprmising r nt cmprmising the fundatinal values and traditins f Israel. It s a perid that has the feel f Gd setting the cultural/histrical table fr the cming f His Sn. A REVIEW OF OUR JOURNEY... Remember ur bjectives Review f OT Structure and preview f NT structure (yur turn t draw) 24
A SUMMARY LOOK AT INTER-TESTAMENTAL TIMES... Intrductry cmments Significance f Galatians 4:4... when the time had cme THREE KEYS TO THE SILENT YEARS (BIG-PICTURE CATEGORIES)... 1. R ; what did each cntribute that will carry frward int the NT? a. Persia (ruled t 331 BC) b. Greece (331 164 BC) c. Independence (164 63 BC) d. Rme (63 BC AD 135) 25
2. R ; publicatins that influenced the NT perid. a. Apcrypha: b. Pseudepigrapha: c. Dead Sea Scrlls: d. Septuagint (LXX): 3. R ; grups in cnflict ver the values and traditins f Israel a. T vs. S b. S vs. Ph c. S vs. S d. H vs. E e. P vs. Z 26
SILENT YEARS SUMMARY Fight fr Hebrew IDENTITY in the middle f many religins, dangerus plitics, cmpetitin fr pwer and psitin, and ever-changing rulers and cnditins. Cnflict between thse wh want t COMPROMISE t fit the prevailing culture and thse wh want t SEPARATE t preserve the traditinal culture. A time f INTENSITY ver values, relatinships, beliefs, hpe, religin, cmpetitin, wealth, rule, and future. REVIEW AND REMEMBER Entire structure f the OT (draw the chart) Three keys t the Silent Years and the specifics that make up each key NEXT TIME The Silent Years actin will nly speed up and gain intensity as we enter the New Testament and the Gspels that intrduce us t the life f Jesus. Just like the Pentateuch f the OT, the Gspels prvide us fundatinal truths and practices that will becme key t the life f a new faith cmmunity called the Church. Dn t frget t review 27
Lessn 7 Meet the Many-faceted King, Servant, Man, Gd LESSON OVERVIEW Thrugh the bks that we knw as the Gspels we enter int the life f Jesus Christ, the Sn f Gd. Each f the Gspel bks Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Jhn give us a different facet f this life that will change everything... but nt withut resistance as the ne als called the Sn f Man lives, teaches, tuches, and then gives His life as a ransm fr many... a ransm accepted by Gd the Father and affirmed in an ultimate miracle, Christ s resurrectin. REVIEW OF THE INTER-TESTAMENTAL PERIOD (400 SILENT YEARS)... Rulers: Readings: Religins: THE GOSPELS, BIOGRAPHIES OF THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST Intrductry cmments: 28
MATTHEW The Gspel f the K ; key verses: and Audience: Authr: Fcal Pint: Distinctive Feature: Theme(s): 1. 2. 3. 4. Leadership applicatins: 1. 2. 3. 4. 29
MARK The Gspel f the S ; key verse, Audience: Authr: Fcal Pint: Distinctive Feature: Theme(s): 1. 2. 3. 1. Leadership applicatins: 2. 3. 4. 30
LUKE The Gspel f the Sn f M ; key verse, Audience: Authr: Fcal Pint: Distinctive Feature: Theme(s): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. Leadership applicatins: 2. 3. 4. 5. 31
JOHN The Gspel f the Sn f G ; key verse, Audience: Authr: Fcal Pint: Distinctive Feature: Theme(s): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Leadership applicatins: 1. 2. 3. 4. 32
REVIEW AND REMEMBER Key elements f the Silent Years Majr emphases and distinctive elements f each Gspel bk NEXT TIME With the big picture f the Gspels under ur belts, we ll take thse fundamentals frm the life f Christ int the dynamic histry f the birth and grwth f the early church. We ll see hw a little grup f smewhat bewildered disciples cme t turn their wrld upside dwn. Yu wn t want t miss what they d. And guess what... yu can d it, t 33
Lessn 8 Acts... the Gspel hits the rad LESSON OVERVIEW With Gspel fundatins in place, the disciples have nly t put Christ s mandate g and make disciples int actin. But all isn t that simple. With numbers small, their leader in heaven and plenty f cnfusin and ppsitin t g arund, it s ging t take sme miracle level experiences t get these early leaders and the church they re called t launch n the mve. And as always, Gd delivers just what they need just when they need it with the result that a church expldes int the Rman Empire and beynd. Let s see hw it all happened. A REVIEW OF THE GOSPELS SOME BIG PICTURE REALITIES REGARDING THE BOOK OF ACTS... IT S: A pattern bk: An adventure: Expansive in its rganizatin: A summary f early church life: 34
Sermns (1/3 f the bk): Ministries f key peple: Imprtant places: Representative f a larger picture: Cyclical in apprach: leaders arise and preach which leads t peple listening and respnding (church grws) which leads t ppsitin which leads t Gd rescuing and prtecting which leads t the cycle repeating. UNDERSTANDING ACTS... A CHART (Fill it in as we talk it thrugh in class... and I take full respnsibility fr all white bard misspellings) Jerusalem Judea/Samaria Beynd (Wrld) Chapters Persn Audience Pattern Keys Places 35
LEADERSHIP THEMES FROM ACTS (FOUNDATIONS FULFILLED) Empwerment: Wrld-wide witness: Cst f faithful witness: Imprtance f integrity: Need fr unity fr effective witness: Resurrectin as the crnerstne (see the sermns): Gspel witness calls fr respnse: Sense f cntinuatin f Christ s ministry: Gd preserves His witness: 36
REVIEW AND REMEMBER Gspel themes and distinctives Be able t reprduce the Understanding Acts chart. Pick ut at least three f the leadership themes frm Acts that yu ll make yur wn. NEXT TIME Twenty-tw letters will fill ur next sessin with instructin n church develpment, leadership integrity and maturity principles. These very persnal cmmunicatins fr thse intimate with the birth, develpment and maturatin f the early fllwers f Jesus and the Church pint us with surety tward thse steps that fulfill the fundatinal things Christ put in place. 37
Lessn 9 Life-changing Letters frm Old Friends f the Church LESSON OVERVIEW Instructin cmes in many frms. We ve been using ne frm... the vide classrm. Needless t say, it was a frm nt available t the early church leaders. If they wanted t minister t smene nt in their presence, they had t rely n the mst persnal apprach available next t an actual meeting the persnal letter. As we lk at the 22 letters that make up the Instructinal Sectin f the NT we need t remember that are just that... persnal... letters... sent with lve, care and cncern t thse bringing Christ s life t His fllwers, the early church. And they bring that same persnal lve and cncern t yu and me. REVIEW OF THE 400 SILENT YEARS AND NT STRUCTURE THE NT LETTERS: OVERVIEW Authrs: Dates: Organizatin: Key t studying: 38
THE NT LETTERS: THEIR POSITION IN HISTORY Written lking back at the crss: Emphasize Christ s death and resurrectin: Highlight fulfilled prmises: Surce f dctrine and thelgy: Insight int OT teachings and prphecy: Underscre new life in Christ: Faith is center stage: Suffering seen as aspect f discipleship: Grave danger frm false teaching: 39
THE INSTRUCTIONAL HOUSE Distinctive themes and relatinships amng the NT letters Differences General ntes n The Huse 40
THE CORNERSTONE BOOKS Rmans: Hebrews: REVIEW AND REMEMBER Gspel themes and distinctives Understanding Acts chart Be able t reprduce the Instructinal Huse. Be able t describe the crnerstne nature f Rmans and Hebrews. NEXT TIME In ur final sessin, we ll jurney back t the beginning and d ne final review frm beginning t end... Genesis t Revelatin. And we ll pause at the little pstcard frm Jude that will remind us that the cntest fr the faith cntinues calling us t be tuned up and sharp s that we can ably cntend fr the faith, the big picture f which we ve nw have a clear relief. 41
Lessn 10 The Finish Line s in Sight LESSON OVERVIEW We ve arrived at ur final review which will cnclude with the biblical authr Jude helping us see the imprtance f the utcmes f ur Scripture-wide jurney. Remember as yu mve n frm these sessins, that review is a crucial element in making this big-picture tl yur wn. Sme cnsistent review ver the next few weeks, and yu ll be building n this tl fr a lifetime f spiritual grwth and ministry. Cnversely, with n review the tl will slwly slip away and alng with it, its value t the life and ministry the Lrd has fr yu. The message? Just a little mre persnal investment (review) and the return n yur investment will far exceed what yu might have expected. Bth yur maturity in Christ and yur ministry fr Him will be the beneficiaries. STRUCTURAL REVIEW, SECTION-BY-SECTION Old Testament, Fundatinal sectin: Old Testament, Histrical sectin: 42
Old Testament, Instructinal sectin: 400 Silent Years (Inter-testament Perid): New Testament, Fundatinal sectin: New Testament, Histrical Sectin: New Testament, Instructinal Sectin: 43
COURSE WRAP-UP Cntending fr the Faith (Jude)" Jude s purpse (v. 3) Jude s three keys t cntending... 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. Be ROOTED (vs. 20, 21) Be REACHING (vs. 22, 23) Be REAL (danger f false teachers) Final thughts frm Jude (v. 24) 44