Introduction to the Bible
Session 1
The Book that is the Bible
The human race has a natural inclination to observe and study. We are fascinated by the natural world: plants, animals, earth science. We probe the mystery of stars and planets. We have questions about human history, cultures and languages. We long to discover the secrets of medicine, mathematics and physics.
The more we study the wonders and mysteries of the universe, the more we are forced to struggle with one question in particular: Are we here on this planet by accident (mere chance, random luck) or is there an Intelligent Force responsible for our presence and for all that floods are senses? Is there an Intelligent Design, a Divine Creator, God at work in my life and in the world that is my home?
If there is a God, what is He like? We can make some conclusions from His footprints we discover in the natural world. As the Bible tells us in Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” All of the natural world testifies to the beauty, power, greatness and wisdom of God. But what is He really like? How does He feel about me? Where can I find Him? The Bible reveals an interesting fact. This book is the record of God searching for us. The Bible is the history of God seeking people who are lost, hiding and running away from Him. The Bible reveals how God searches us out in order to bring us back to Himself through His own Son, Jesus Christ. Consider the following two Bible passages that summarize what God is like – searching in love and compassion for His lost children.
1. The Bible is a record of God searching for us.
Genesis 3:8,9
8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walkingin the garden in the cool of the day, and they hidfrom the LORD God among the trees of the garden.9But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
Luke 19:10
10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.
In the Bible we discover that God involves Himself in human history. God does not act in a pretend world in myth and legend. The Bible is not a record of magical events and places that have no foundation in reality. The Bible reveals God at work in a real world—real people, real places, real events.
There are a lot of books that deal with the real world. What makes the Bible different from all of them? Examine the following three passages all taken from the Bible.
2. What makes the Bible different from every other book?
2 Timothy 3:16
16All Scripture is God-breathedand is useful for teaching,rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
2 Peter 1:20, 21
20Above all, you must understandthat no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation.21For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from Godas they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 1:1, 2
1In the past God spoketo our forefathers through the prophetsat many times and in various ways,2but in these last dayshe has spoken to us by his Son,whom he
appointed heirof all things, and through whomhe made the universe.
What sets the Bible apart from every other book? It is God’s revelation of Himself. Using prophets and apostles, God makes Himself known to the human race. What we discover in the Bible is not one book but an entire library of books written over a period of 1500 years.
3. The Bible is a library of 66 Books written over 1500 years.
4. Each Book is divided into chapters and verses: Locate Genesis 12:1; Isaiah 40:1;
John 3:16
Add general comments about:
· overall length of books
· poetry and prose
· Bible languages
· editorial notes and comments
· cross references
· concordances
· study notes
· paraphrases
5. Review the time line of major Bible events.
1400 BC 100 AD
Old Testament / New Testament
Pentateuch / History
Genesis / Matthew
Exodus / Mark
Leviticus / Luke
Numbers / John
Deuteronomy / Acts
History / Pauline Epistles
Joshua / Romans
Judges / 1 Corinthians
Ruth / 2 Corinthians
1 Samuel / Galatians
2 Samuel / Ephesians
1 Kings / Philippians
2 Kings / Colossians
1 Chronicles / 1 Thessalonians
2 Chronicles / 2 Thessalonians
Ezra / 1 Timothy
Nehemiah / 2 Timothy
Esther / Titus
Philemon
Poetry
Job / General Epistles
Psalms / Hebrews
Proverbs / James
Ecclesiastes / 1 Peter
Song of Songs / 2 Peter
1 John
Major Prophets / 2 John
Isaiah / 3 John
Jeremiah / Jude
Lamentations
Ezekiel / Revelation
Daniel
Minor Prophets
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
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Egypt (2000 BC -1200 BC) Assyria (1076 BC – 612 BC)
Creation______2000______1800______1600______1400____1300_____1200______1050__1000______
I I I I I I
Abraham Hebrews Moses leads I Judges I David becomes
move to exodus from I______I first king
Egypt Egypt
Babylon (612 BC – 539 BC) Persia (539 BC – 332 BC)
900____930______800______700______600______500______400______350______
I 609 BC______538______400
Kingdom Babylonian Post Exilic Period last
Divides captivity prophet
END OF OLD TESTAMENT
______Israel (north)______722 BC 538______Persian Period______332
(ends)
______Judah (south)______586 BC
(ends)
Greece (332 BC – 146 BC) Rome (146 BC – 476 AD)
______300______200______100__63______0__5/6______38______60______95___100______
331______Greece Period______167 I I I I I I
Rome I Birth of Death Paul in END OF
Invades I Christ & Rome NEW TESTAMENT
Palestine I Resurrection
I
______BC______I______AD______
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