Bible Basics

Bible |ˈbʌɪb(ə)l|

noun

( the Bible ) the Christian scriptures, consisting of the Old and New Testaments.

Countless people, through many generations (including mine) have found this book to be life-giving, full of hope, help and strength for dark times. I know I have! The majestic glory of God and the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ, His Son, is evident throughout scripture.

The Bible. It is the source of our faith. It contains a unique message from God to his children. No other book on the planet can claim to be the “Word of God.” It is an inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17) account of God dealing with His people and the written record of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who was Himself the eternal Word of God (John 1:1). It is filled with practical wisdom about how human beings should live their lives. You’ll find advice on how to build a stronger relationship with God and with others, as well as ethical rules necessary for living a healthy and successful life. It shows us the best way to live. It teaches us the truth about God, about ourselves and about the world we live in. It’s a book that has truly transformed my life!

The Bible Helps us Know and Love God
The scriptures give us guidance.  (Psalm 119:30)
The scriptures produce faith in us.  (Romans 10:17)
The scriptures help us face temptation.  (Psalm 119:11)
The scriptures teach us wisdom and equip us for life.  (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
The scriptures are a mirror to our soul.  (Hebrews 4:12)

Ways to Approach Reading The Bible
Reading at Random: This is how many people read the Bible. They simply pick up the book, let it fall open to a random page, and start reading (hoping something will jump off the page to inspire their life). The problem with this approach is that it creates opportunity to miss the important context of the passage as a whole. I recommend using a more systematic approach.

Reading Chronologically: There are 66 books in the Bible with a total of 1,189 chapters. There is a lot to be said for anyone able to set aside a block of time to read an entire book of the Bible at one sitting. Most of us don’t have the time to read through the entire Bible book by book–so, I recommend reading chapter by chapter. It’s a great way to understand the scriptures methodically and can easily be added to your daily routine.

Reading By Themes: Another way to explore the scriptures is to trace various themes throughout the entirety of the Bible, discovering everything it has to say about any given topic (i.e. If you are struggling with fear, Google search “fear scriptures in the Bible”).

I recommend starting with the the Gospels. The Gospel represents the story of Jesus. These books are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The authors of these 4 books were disciples and close friends of Jesus. They depict and describe the life of Jesus according to their experiences with Him.

Read God’s Word as a personal letter, written just for you. God speaks to us and leads us in every situation as we seek Him through His Word. 

Overview of the Entire Bible
(Genesis) The Bible begins by telling us how the world came into existence and how human beings became separated from their original innocent relationship with God. It records the first murder, the origin of languages and nations (the Tower of Babel), and the great flood (which God used to bring judgement on the people who had turned from Him).

(Genesis and Job) Abraham was chosen to begin a lineage of people who would be God’s own chosen people to do God’s will on the earth. Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, was renamed “Israel” after an experience of wrestling with God. Jacob’s twelve sons eventually formed the twelve tribes of Israel and later settled in Egypt to avoid famine–but they eventually became slaves in the land.

(Exodus – Joshua) God called Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Due to their disobedience, the Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness before they finally conquered the land under the leadership of Joshua.

(Judges) God provided wise judges to lead the people of Israel during these dark days of Jewish history when there was a pattern of idolatry and immortality. Just when things began to improve, the people would fall back into the practice of idolatry, and things would take a turn for the worst! This pattern repeated itself again and again.

(1 Samuel – 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and some of the books of the prophets) Despite the advice of the prophet Samuel, the people pleaded for a king. King Saul, the first king, was unsuccessful. Following him were the reigns of David and Solomon, the high points of the monarchy. The deterioration of Israel was rapid under the reigns of Solomon’s sons. Israel was split into two kingdoms: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Both kingdoms suffered greatly from poor leadership and sank into idolatry and immortality.

(Ezra – Nehemiah and some of the books of the prophets) The people of Israel and Judah were taken into captivity by the Babylonians. They were not allowed to return to their land until some 70 years later when the temple and the city of Jerusalem were both restored and rebuilt.

There is a 400-year gap between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. Toward the end of this period, the Jews lived under Roman rule.

(Matthew – John) God Himself entered history in the person of Jesus Christ to fulfill the promise of Israel and invite Gentiles into the kingdom of God. Jesus taught, performed miracles, and was crucified on a cross. He rose from the dead for the salvation of mankind.

(Acts – Revelation) Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus empowered His disciples to carry out His message and establish the church, which would serve as His “body” on the earth. The latter books of the New Testament are letters addressing problems in the church and providing Christians with instructions on how to live in Christ. They also encourage Christians to look forward to the time when Jesus will come again.

I encourage you to make Bible reading a habit. Try to read a little every day. Study, learn and grow! Reading the Bible is a life-long pursuit. Read it all, then read it again. Let the Bible do its work in you–transforming your mind, your heart, your emotions, and your spirit.

XO-
Sabrina