MAKING SENSE OF THE BIBLE Cntents Making sense f the Old Testament (pages 2-5) Making sense f the New Testament (pages 6-7) 1
MAKING SENSE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT Seven Stages f Old Testament Histry Stage One: Humanity is created but falls in sin (pre 2000BC) Genesis 1-11 petically tells the stry. Starts with the creatin f the wrld and humanity and culture (1-2). Fllwed by the fall f the wrld and humanity and culture (3-11). Key peple: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Nah Stage Tw: The Jewish peple cme int being (2000-1700BC) Genesis 12-50 tells the stry. The stry fcuses in n the fathers f the Jews, called the Patriarchs. It tells hw they came abut, and hw they landed in Egypt. Gd, thrugh Abraham and his descendants, frms fr himself a family f peple thrugh which he will bless the whle wrld. Key peple: Abraham, Isaac, Jacb and Esau, Jseph Stage Three: The Exdus and the lng jurney t the Prmised Land (1480-1400BC) Exdus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuternmy tell the stry. Thrugh Mses, Gd pwerfully delivers the Jews frm slavery in Egypt and then gives them the Law and wrship system, which wuld guide them as a peple. Because f their disbedience, they spend 40 years in the desert befre being allwed t enter the Prmised Land. Key persn: Mses Stage Fur: Settlement in the Prmised Land (1400-1050BC) Jshua and Judges tell the stry. The bk f Ruth was written at this time. The Jews finally cnquer the Prmised Land althugh they have n king and are nly a bunch f 12 lsely cnnected tribes at this stage. At first they are bedient, but begin t drift frm Gd. Key peple: Jshua, Debrah, Ruth, Giden, Samsn Stage Five: The Jews becme a pwerful plitical natin under a king (1050-930BC) 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11 and 1 Chrnicles tell the stry. At this pint the petic bks (Jb, mst f Psalms (mainly by David), Prverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Sng f Sngs (all three mainly by Slmn)) are written. Thrugh Samuel, Gd anints first Saul (wh fails as king) and then David (wh succeeds as king). Slmn succeeds his father David. The kingdm f Israel reaches its high pint f pwer and glry under him. Key peple: Samuel, Saul, David, Slmn 2
Stage Six: The Jewish kingdm divides in tw and ultimately bth kingdms are verthrwn and are taken int captivity (930-587BC) 1 Kings 12-22, 2 Kings and 2 Chrnicles tell the stry. Esther tells a stry f hw the Jews experience threat in exile during this time. This split f the natin f the Jews int tw creates sme cnfusin fr Bible readers because we need t knw whether the Nrthern r Suthern kingdm is being spken abut. The Nrthern kingdm (cnsisting f 10 f the 12 tribes) is called Israel r Ephraim, with Samaria as the capital. The Suthern ne (tw tribes) is called Judah. It spans 19 kings f Israel, and 20 kings f Judah. Every king f Israel is crrupt, while 8 f the kings f Judah turn t Gd. During this time Gd sends prphets t bth the Nrth and the Suth. In the Nrth the prphetic wrd is rejected. In the Suth, at times it is accepted. The prphecies are laded with warnings f judgment. If they will nt turn t Gd, they can expect t experience destructin at the hands f pwerful tyrant natins. If they repent, Gd will spare them. Sadly, they dn t meaningfully return t Gd. Many f the prphets wh speak fr Gd als write dwn their message at this time. Mst f the 17 Prphetic Bks in the Old Testament are these messages: Isaiah Suthern kingdm prphet Jeremiah Suthern kingdm prphet Lamentatins Jeremiah weeps fr the destryed Jerusalem Ezekiel prphet in exile in freign land Daniel prphet in exile in freign land Hsea Nrthern kingdm prphet Ams Nrthern kingdm prphet Obadiah prphet f dm t neighburing peple, Edm Jnah prphet sent t save Ninevah, capital f Assyria Micah cntemprary f Isaiah in the Suthern kingdm Nahum prphet celebrating the fall f the Assyrians Habakkuk prphet f dm tward the cruel Babylnians Zephaniah Suthern kingdm prphet Sadly, the Nrthern kingdm, judged by Gd fr its persistent rebellin, falls t the Assyrians in 722BC. It ges int exile and never recvers. Lacking all faith-cnvictin, it is entirely assimilated int Assyria. The Suthern kingdm, als judged by Gd fr its persistent rebellin, falls t the Babylnians 130 years later (587BC), when it falls t the Babylnians. Jerusalem is destryed. They g int exile (nly the pr are left behind), but hld nt their Jewish religin. Stage Seven: Sme f the Suthern kingdm exiles begin t return t rebuild Jerusalem (539-410BC) Ezra and Nehemiah tell the stry. The prphecies f Haggai, Zechariah, Jel and Malachi are written at this time. Fllwing the cnquering f Babyln by Cyrus the Persian, many Jews frm Babyln return t Jerusalem. Temple rebuilding in Jerusalem is cmpleted and dedicated in 516 BC. There is then a silence f Scripture nthing is written fr the 410 years befre Christ cmes. Key peple: Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai 3
Old Testament Overview f All 39 bks Bible Bk (underlined if likely t cnfuse beginners) Genesis Exdus Leviticus Numbers Redemptin Deuternmy Categry f Literature Bks f Mses/ Beginnings Bks f Mses / Law Bks f Mses / Law Bks f Mses / Law Bks f Mses / Law Main Theme Key Wrd Key verse Gd chses ne natin t bless all natins Deliverance frm Egypt Appraching a Hly Gd Unbelief and disbedience Jshua Histry Entering the Prmised Land Judges Histry In the Prmised Land withut a king Which histrical stage? See pg 2-3: Seven Stages f OT Histry Begin-nings 1:1 One (1-11), Tw (12-50) 6:6 Three Hliness 20:7 Three Wanderings 20:12 Three D nt frget Cvenant 10:12 Three Cnquest 11:23 Fur Frget 21:25 Fur Ruth Histry Gdliness Kinsman 1:16 Fur illustrated Redeemer 1 Samuel Histry Israel s first kings Rejectin 15:22 Five 2 Samuel Histry Israel s first kings David 7:13 Five 1 Kings Histry Israel divides int tw nrthern and suthern kingdms 2 Kings Histry The stry f tw kingdms and their ging int captivity 1 Chrnicles 2 Chrnicles Histry Slmn and the kings f Judah Ezra Histry Returning t Jerusalem and rebuilding the temple Nehemiah Histry Rebuilding the Jerusalem walls Divisin 11:11 Five (1-11), Six (12-22) Captives 17:23 Six Histry The reign f David Cvenant 17:13 Five Temple 7:14 Five Temple 1:3 Seven Rebuild 6:15 Seven 4
Esther Histry Jews under threat Prvidence 4:14 Seven while in exile Jb Petry / Suffering man, Svereign 13:15 Five Histry lving Gd Psalms Petry / Sng Hymn bk f the Jews Wrship 145:21 Five, Six, Seven Prverbs Petry/ T give mral Wisdm 1:7 Five Wisdm instructin Ecclesiastes Petry/ Search fr the Meaning- 12:13 Five Philsphy meaning f life lessness Sng f Petry A lve sng Lve 8:7 Five sngs /Rmance Isaiah Prphecy Salvatin cmes Salvatin 40:1 Five frm Gd Jeremiah Prphecy Gd s patience and hliness Obey 31:33 Five (1-24), Six (25-52) Lamentatins Prphecy Murning ver Weep 3:22- Six Jerusalem s destructin 23 Ezekiel Prphecy Cndemnatin and Restratin 36:26 Six cnslatin Daniel Prphecy Encuraging Gd s plan 2:20 Six exiled Jews Hsea Prphecy Gd s lve fr Return 4:6 Six Israel Jel Prphecy Gd s judgment Spirit 2:29 Seven Ams Prphecy Scial justice Judgment 3:2 Six Obadiah Prphecy Judgment n Judgment 10 Six natin f Edm Jnah Prphecy Salvatin fr Gd s lve 2:9 Six nn-jews Micah Prphecy Injustice expsed Mercy 6:8 Six Nahum Prphecy The fall f Judgment 1:7 Six Ninevah Habakkuk Prphecy Sin in Gd s wrld Faith 2:4 Six Zephaniah Prphecy The cming judgment Haggai Prphecy Rebuilding the temple Zechariah Prphecy Future blessings fr Israel Malachi Prphecy An appeal t backsliders Surce fr sme f table: The Bible made easy (Paternster Publishing) Restratin 1:14 Six The temple 2:4 Seven Visin 9:9 Seven Return 3:7 Seven 5
MAKING SENSE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT New Testament Overview f All 27 bks Bible Bk (underlined if likely t cnfuse beginners) Matthew Mark Luke Jhn Acts Rmans Categry f Literature Bigraphy f Jesus ministry and missin Bigraphy f Jesus ministry and missin Bigraphy f Jesus ministry and missin Bigraphy f Jesus ministry and missin The stry f the spread f the early church Paul s letter 1 Crinthians Paul s letter 2 Crinthians Paul s letter Galatians Paul s letter Ephesians Paul s letter Philippians Paul s letter Clssians Paul s letter 1 Thessalnians Paul s letter 2 Thessalnians Paul s letter 1 Timthy Paul s letter t a persn 2 Timthy Paul s letter t a persn Titus Paul s letter t a persn Philemn Paul s letter t a persn Hebrews Letter t a church Main Theme Key Wrd Key verse Wrds and deeds f Jesus King 28:18 Jesus missin Servant 10:45 Jesus in detail Sn f Man 19:10 Believe in Jesus Sn f Gd 3:16 The pwer f the Spirit and gspel Missin 1:8 Gd s gift f righteusness Salvatin 1:17 Freedm frm Transfrmatin 1:30 cmprmise Jesus death n Recnciliatin 5:21 a crss Freedm frm Liberty 5:1 legalism Living in unity Grace 2:8 T live is Christ Jy 4:4 Christ is Christ 2:9 supreme Jesus will return Imitate 4:16 Expecting Jesus return Advice fr Christian leaders Mre advice fr Christian leaders Advice t a Christian leader Persnal recnciliatin The superirity f Christ Day f the 2:2 Lrd Instructin 4:13 Endure 2:3 Teach 2:10 Frgiveness 17 Better 4:14 6
James James letter 1 Peter Peter s letter 2 Peter Peter s letter 1 Jhn Jhn s letter 2 Jhn Jhn s letter 3 Jhn Jhn s letter t a persn Jude Jude s letter Revelatin Jhn s seven prphetic letters t churches, and visins frm Gd. Surce: The Bible made easy (Paternster Publishing) Life-changing faith Enemies frm withut persecutin Enemies frm within false teachers Authentic spirituality Beware f false teachers Fellwship with Christians Beware f false teaching Things that will take place Active faith 1:22 Endure 4:12 Be alert 3:8,17 Fellwship 4:8 Watch ut 10 Faithful 8 Cntend 20 The Thrne 3:20 7
Making sense f the Bible is an act f lve. Let me illustrate. Recently ur baby by has entered int ur lives and hme where we speak a certain language. He is trying his best t enter int ur cde f cmmunicatin. Slwly but surely he s getting there. Instinctively he knws that the nly way t understand us and get clser t us is t learn ur language. And f curse we re ding all we can t encurage him, because we can t wait fr him t be n the same wavelength as us. Similarly, when we becme a Christian we quickly figure ut that Gd has a certain cde f cmmunicatin, a language if yu wish. It is the Bible, a library f 66 bks that detail the stry f his lving invlvement in the wrld. As hard as it may be, we must d all we can t understand it. It s the nly way t really get nt Gd s wavelength, and t get clser t his heart. Wnderfully, by his Hly Spirit, he prmises t d all he can t encurage us in this quest. - Julie and Terran Williams It is cmmn fr us t give up the reading f the Bible and daily prayer when ur enjyment is gne; as if it were f n use t read the Scriptures when we d nt enjy them, and as if it were n use t pray when we have n spirit f prayer. The truth is that in rder t enjy the Wrd, we ught t cntinue t read it, and the way t btain a spirit f prayer is t cntinue praying. The less we read the Wrd f Gd, the less we desire t read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire t pray. - Gerge Muller 8