• Central Theme: The proclamation and manifestation of the Glory of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

God is a Being infinitely greater than His creation; which He, by definition, must be. As such, the creation – specifically mankind  – cannot know God through our own limited wisdom, knowledge, intellect, and senses; unless God chooses to reveal Himself to us.

He cannot be discovered by man’s scientific method and exploration. He cannot be figured out through man’s reason and logic nor found in mankind’s philosophical speculations and curious imaginations.   The only way we as finite beings; beings with limitations and boundaries to our existence can know an infinite being who himself has no boundaries and limitations to His being, is if that being chooses to reveal Himself to us through means that we in our humanity can both know of Him, and ultimately know Him. 

The Bible is given by God to be received by mankind as God’s gracious self-revelation of His glorious person and purposes in creation.

It is given to a fallen race of men and women whose hearts and minds have been corrupted and blinded by sin to the truth of the knowledge of the glory of God.

It is given to reveal to us the eternal God so that we may come to know and love and trust Him for who He is;  the most glorious and desirable and necessary being in the universe – the eternal, self-existent, self- sufficient, infinitely wise, infinitely powerful, infinitely good Creator and Sovereign Ruler of the universe.

 It is given to us that we may know God’s purpose in creating mankind in His image and likeness; namely that we would know Him; sharing in His glorious existence, enjoying His abundant goodness and living in His immediate presence wherein He would be the object of our deepest love and the source of our greatest joy – the very source and substance of our eternal happiness and wellbeing. 

It is given so that we can understand how mankind, through unbelief and rebellion against God has fallen from this lofty position for which we were created, and exactly what was lost as a result of that fall.

It is given so that we may know what God has promised and fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ, God the Son, to rescue men and women from the eternal consequences of that fall and restore them to right relationship with Himself.

It is given so that those who would entrust their life to Jesus may have great hope and joy even in the most dire and difficult circumstances that this world can throw at us; knowing that in Jesus Christ we are forever loved by God and have a great and glorious eternal future awaiting us when our life in this world ends. 

 AUTHENTICATING THE BIBLE AS THE WORD OF GOD

• The Bible is first and foremost authenticated as the word of God, by God. Multiple references are made throughout the Bible to God as the author. Examples include phrases or statements such as “thus says the LORD,” “the LORD spoke to me and said,” “the word of the LORD came to me. There are references to the “Law of God” “the commandments of God,” “the judgements of God,” “the oracles of God, “the testimonies of the Lord,” and to God Himself as the Word of God (John 1:1-4).
• It is a reliable collection of 66 authoritative historical documents; (39 Old Testament/27 New Testament); written over a 1500 year period of human history by over 42 human authors to whom God supernaturally revealed his glorious person and purposes in creation, and His plans for fulfilling those purposes. 
• It was originally written in three languages (Hebrew/Greek/Aramaic); on three continents (Asia, Africa, Europe); using multiple literary forms.
• Despite the number of writers and years over which it was written, there is an internal consistency of theme and focus, presenting within it a history of God’s glorious creation; man’s sin and God’s judgement of man’s sin; God’s redemption (rescue) of man from His judgement; and God’s restoration of man and the creation to the glory in which they/it was originally created (and better).      
• External authentication is found in having multiple confirming manuscripts; confirming archeology and consistency with secular history; fulfilled prophecy, transformed lives and societies where the Bible was esteemed/trusted as the Word of God.
• It has been protected by God, surviving over 3000 years of attempts to discredit/debunk/mythologize and destroy it.

Related Scriptures:     (2 Timothy 3:14-17)     (2 Peter 1:16-21)        (Matthew 4:4)

 Why Study The Bible?

The first and most importantly reason we study the Bible is because God commands us to do so.  (2 Timothy 2:15)

 In addition:                                                                                                                                                        We study God’s word as the means by which we come to know God intimately and personally; to move our souls and our hearts to an ever-deepening love and adoration for God, devotion to God, dependence upon God and delight in God.  

We study God’s word to grow spiritually and be sustained in our relationship with God through the difficulties, trials and temptations of life in this present evil world

We study Gods word so we have the truth to combat the lies of the devil which prevail in our world and which cause us to set our hopes and desires, our longings and affections on this world and the things of this world rather than on the eternal God and His glorious Kingdom.

We study God’s word to be set free from our foolish, meaningless, selfish life styles and to live our lives centered on God, living in a manner the brings glory and honor to God and benefit and blessings to those around us.

We study God’s word  to be changed by the Holy Spirit into a person who will find  our greatest joy and pleasure and satisfaction, our significance and security in the person and purposes of God Himself.

We study God’s word as doing so authenticates our position as the true disciples of Jesus.  (John 8:31) 

It should be noted that the study of God’s word is not an end to itself. There are many Bible scholars who knew the content of the Bible better then you and I ever will, who are now in Hell. This was Jesus’ condemnation of the religious leaders of His day, the Pharisees. They studied and knew the Old Testament well; many even had memorized it. However, they did not believe it, at least not in a saving way. They obeyed its commandments outwardly but did not allow it to change their hearts and bring them into intimate communion with God – its ultimate author.  

Literary Categories:                                                                                                                  The Bible is a work of literature though which God uses multiple literary genres or types to speaks into our heart and mind His truth. These include:

• Historical Narrative – Books or sections in books that simply tell the story of what happened at certain points in redemptive history.  
• Poetry – The Psalms and other poetic sections of the Bible use vivid, figurative language to communicate truth in the context of human experience and emotions, showing life in it’s fulness. 
• Wisdom – Writings given to shape the moral and ethical lives of its readers, specifically, how we are to live a life that pleases and honors and glorifies God.
• Prophesy – Prophetic writings provide an overview of God’s disposition; His plan and purpose for His covenant people beginning with the people of Israel.  They include future redemptive events; warnings of judgment and promises of blessing for faithfulness.  
• Gospels – The first four books of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) are historical narrative, which includes a biography of Jesus, HIs action and teachings while earth, focused on the proclamation of the present and future Kingdom of God. 
• Epistles  – Letters/sermons to the early church that address the implications of Jesus’s life, death and resurrection as well as providing a deeper understanding and application of his teaching. Warned of and provided correction for false teaching.
• Apocalyptic – A form of prophetic literature, found primarily in the book of Revelation and Daniel that largely uses symbols and imagery to reveal pending judgement, danger and destruction, and to assure God’s people of His good purpose and protection in it.                                                                               

Bible Interpretation principles: 

• Interpret the text literally, within the context of the chapter, verse and Bible as a whole, (the Bible interprets the Bible) and within the context of the original language, genre (literary form), the human author’s purpose for writing the book and the cultural it is written to.
• Parables and metaphors are interpreted within the context of the passages they are found in.
• Symbolic language is interpreted through repetitive references, and cultural/religious contexts.
• God reveals and refers to Himself through “anthropomorphic” analogies using aspects of the human body, and imagery related to natural phenomenon in creation.
• Our interpretation and understanding is to be guided by the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:18-27), and by men in the “Church”, whom God has gifted to assist God’s people as they gather together understanding God’s truths and applying them to their lives with the goal of being conformed to the nature and character of God . (Ephesians 4:7-16)

 OLD (COVENANT) TESTAMENT OVERVIEW

The Bible is written within the context of human history; real verifiable events through which God works out His plan of redemption in which He will display both the glory of His justice,  judgment and wrath – alongside the glory of His loving kindness, mercy and grace.  

The Old Testament, begins with the historical account of God’s creation of the universe and all that exists within it (except for man), being spoken into existence by the word of God. Man would be personally created by God through forming his body out of the earth and breathing in him His Spirit, His very life.  Women would be created out of the man. 

All that God creates is judged by Him to be “very good”, meaning it is fully capable of fulfilling the purpose for which it was created, which is for the revelation of the glory of God and the happiness of man in relationship with God. 

Mankind, beginning with Adam and Eve, were created in God’s image and likeness; to know and love and be loved by God.  It was God’s intention in creating us in His “image and likeness” that we would participate in the eternal love relationship between God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; not as divine equals, but as beloved children; the glad and thankful recipients of all of the joys and pleasures and delights that an infinitely glorious,  infinitely good. infinitely wise, infinitely powerful, eternally happy God would graciously give to those who would love Him, trust in His love and obey His commands.

Being created in the image of God meant that our nature and character was to reflect the goodness and righteousness of God; our bodies the beauty and magnificence of God; and our soul the intellectual and relational attributes of God.

Adam and Eve were given rule over and the freedom to enjoy all of God’s good and gracious creation. The heavens above, the earth and all that was on the earth, all of the animals and plants and trees and mountains and rivers the oceans; all were created by God His glory and for our eternal happiness in Him.

Adam and Eve lived at peace with God, one another, and with all the natural creation.  All of their needs were freely supplied.  They did not suffer hunger or thirst or pain or sorrow of any kind.  They were surrounded with the beauty and abundance of God’s good creation to freely enjoy, protect, and care for.  Most importantly they had intimate relationship with God and with one another; relationships within which they would have known only fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.  They would know no anger nor fear nor shame nor guilt nor anxiety as long as they obeyed God.  Disobedience would bring death – being cut off forever from the glorious life with God for which they were created. 

Man’s willingness to love and trust and obey God would be tested immediately.  The results of that test would determine not only the eternal destiny of Adam and Eve, who were the representatives of the human race, but the eternal destiny of mankind.   God provides them all things that are necessary to satisfy the needs and desires He has placed with in them, but forbids them from partaking of one little tree in the middle of the garden paradise in which He lived with them.  

This one restriction would be the means of their test. They were forbidden by God to eat of the fruit of the tree of “the knowledge good and evil”, with the promise that if they did, they would surely die; be cut off from the glorious life with God for which they were created and subject to His judgement for cosmic treason.   And as the representatives of the whole human race, they would pass the consequences of their disobedience and distrust onto that race. 

In the third chapter of the Bible (Genesis 3), we learn of their failure and tragic fall from that lofty and glorious position in which God created them, into a state of sin and corruption and condemnation; a state in which all mankind presently exist apart from Jesus.  The devil, Satan, through lies about God’s integrity and power and goodness, convinces Adam and Eve, as well as all mankind since, that God’s word is not to be trusted; that they themselves could be like God having the freedom and ability to do whatever they please, whenever they please, however they please, accountable to no one.  And they believe him and partake of the fruit.  Immediately, upon their one act of disobedience to God’s word and distrust of God’s love – the promised consequences begin to take root. 

Their physical appearance becomes so corrupted that they try to cover themselves up from each other. Their soul becomes filled with fear and shame and guilt to where they try to hide from God. When confronted by God on their disobedience, they deflect responsibility, with Adam blaming the Eve as well as God for giving him such a defective mate.  Eve blames the devil.  Neither confesses nor ask for forgiveness.  They are summarily banished from the presence of God, into a world now cursed by God, and which will now be ruled over by the devil instead of man, which is the world in which we presently live in.

From this point on all of mankind is doomed to physical death and banishment forever from the gracious presence of God to a place the Bible refers to as Hell.  However, in the midst of God’s just judgement, He makes a promise to the parties present; to Adam as the representative of the now fallen and cursed human race and to Satan whose lies enticed Adam and Eve’s to commit cosmic treason against God.  The promise is that one day God will send this mysterious “seed of the women” who will crush Satan’s head and, in the process, bruise His heal. 

This is the promise, though in somewhat cryptic terms, of a Messiah, a redeemer, a savior who will appear at some point in human history to restore men back to right relationship with God. 

This promised “seed” will suffer greatly, but in doing so He will remove the curse that is on mankind, and all creation because of Adam’s sin; displace Satan as the ruler of men’s hearts and minds, which he became when Adam sinned; and call out of this sin condemned world a people for Himself who will love, trust, obey and enjoy God forever. 

This promise will not be fulfilled right away, but God will order all human history around His coming. 

God will allow men and women to have the world they asked for, a world where God’s laws are defied, God’s love is disdained, God’s goodness is denied and God’s glory is slandered.   

It will be world of great pain, suffering, sorrow, calamity, frustration, futility and death; all of which are the result of men and women seeking their joy and pleasure and satisfaction; their significance and security independent of God and in opposition to God.

It will be a world where man’s glory is exalted, and the fallen creation is worshiped as the source of man’s ultimate happiness. Mankind will erroneously believe that our wisdom and related inventions are the true hope and means of a better world and better life – rather than through knowing and loving and being loved by God.  

However,  in the midst of man’s sin and rebellion and indifference toward God, God will continue to display grace; His loving kindness and tender mercies to even the worst of sinful rebels.  And the Bible says that He does so that in the midst of this troubled and troubling world, they may come to their senses and turn from their sinful, self-centered lifestyle to an obedient, God-centered lifestyle. 

The Old Testament provides a 4000 year history of God patiently working out the fulfillment of His gracious promise of redemption, of rescue and restoration, culminating in the coming of the Messiah, the promised “seed”, Jesus Christ.  He will do so amid a world of rebellion and unbelief.

The majority of the books in the Old Testament following Genesis address God’s establishment of and relationship with the nation of Israel as the means through which he would display and make Himself know to the rest of the world, and through which He would bring the promised seed – Our Savior and Redeemer – Jesus Christ. 

The following outlines the different sections of the Old and New Testaments; the books or writings included in those sections; the human authors; the key figures or players in that sections and the key events in redemptive history found in that section of writings.  Together they form one unified historical presentation  of God’s active, passionate and personal revelation of HIs Glory in redeeming out of this present evil world, a people for whom He will become the desire of their heart and the delight of their soul; the object of their deepest love and source of their greatest joy.  

PENTATEUCH /TORAH (The Law) Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

 Human Authors: Moses/Joshua

 Key Players:  GOD, Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Enoch, Noah & his sons, (Ham/Shem/Japheth), Abraham, Sara, Lot and his wife, Melchizedek, Isaac, Rebecca, Hagar, Ishmael Jacob, Esau, Laban, Rachel, Leah,  Joseph  and  his brothers (12 Tribes), Moses, Pharaoh, Miriam,  Aaron, Caleb, Joshua.

 Key Events:

• Creation/Fall/Promise of Redeemer (the “seed of the women”)
• Earth cursed by God due to Adam’s sin.
• Manifestation of sin in the world with the murder of Abel by Cain out of envy/jealousy.
• Enoch translated into Heaven.
• 1200 years of sin and violence becomes so pervasive, resulting in God’s judgement of all mankind through a worldwide flood.  (Genesis 6)
• God graciously keeps eight people (Noah and Family) from the judgement to ultimately fulfill His promise of redemption through “the seed.” 
• Noahic Covenant established.
• Tower of Babel –  Establishment of separate nations and languages.
• God’s establishment of an “everlasting covenant” with Abraham, and “faith” as the necessary means of becoming a participant in that covenant. 
• Covenant promises included a redeemed land, material blessings, as well as innumerable offspring through whom God will establish a great nation (Israel).  Through Israel God  would reveal Himself to all other nations and ultimately send the promised “seed” who would bless all the nations.  
• Circumcision established by God as the outward sign of covenant participants.
• Judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah.
• Abraham and Sara’s sinful attempt to fulfill God’s promise of offspring. Birth of Ishmael.
• Isaac’s miraculous birth as the son promised to Abraham.
• Abraham’s faith tested in His willingness to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise. God intervenes with a substitute – pointing to the future sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son, as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all who would put their faith in Him. 
• Rebecca and Jacob’s trickery of Isaac to ensure Jacob as the heir of the promise rather than his brother Esau.
• History of Jacob and his 12 sons (12 tribes of Israel).  
• Joseph, youngest son of Jacob and Rachel sold into Egyptian bondage by jealous brothers.
• Joseph displays faithfulness in midst of injustice.
• God “sovereignly” exalts Joseph to second in command in Egypt  as a “type” of savior to the world.
• Jacob and sons welcomed into Egypt to live with Joseph during world wide famine.  
• Innumerable descendants of Jacob seen as threat to Egypt – made slaves.
• Moses born, rescued and adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter.
• God’s fulfills His promise to Abraham wherein He raises up Moses to deliver the Hebrew people from their bondage in Egypt and take them to the land promised to Abraham; a land flowing with milk and honey.  
• God introduces Himself to Moses at the Burning Bush as “I Am.” Charges Moses with leading Israel out of Egypt.
• God displays His “sovereignty” (absolute control) over nature and the affairs and hearts of men, as he delivers Israel from slavery in Egypt through bringing 10 awful plagues upon the nation – judgements on their false gods.
• Pharaoh refuses to let the people go until the 10^th judgement, the death of every first-born male in Egypt.
• Israel is spared this judgement by obeying God’s “Passover” instructions which would become a memorial celebration.
• Egyptians give over their material wealth as inducement for Israel to leave.
• Pharaoh has second thoughts, pursues Israel to the Red Sea, God miraculously protects Israel.
•  God’s love, faithfulness, power, protection and miraculous provision would be gloriously displayed in wilderness travels to the Promised Land.
• God establishes a covenant with Israel; “You will be my people and I will be your God” (based on His promises to Abraham). The conditions of the covenant were that He will dwell with them in the Promised Land, wherein they would enjoy peace and material prosperity, health, honor and blessing, as God would lift the Genesis curse off of them as a nation.  Promises are conditioned on their faith and related obedience.  Failure to obey would bring them back under the curse, and to be exiled from the Promise Land.    
• God reveals His moral law, how all men everywhere are to relate to God and their fellow man in a manner that honors God and promotes human flourishing and individual happiness.  This is presented in the 10  Commandments and later summarized in the commandment that we are to love God with all our heart/soul/ mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. 
• God gives Israel ceremonial laws which established the conditions under which Israel could approach God and have their sins covered through a mediatorial priesthood. God would implement a system of substitutionary atonement for sins, the sacrificial death of animals for their sin instead of their own death their sin deserved. This would point to God’s ultimate solution to man’s sin, wherein the promised “seed” would take the punishment for our sins upon Himself and provide us access to God and His grace.
• God gives them civil laws which are meant to ensure order and justice within the covenant community.  
• Laws requiring celebratory remembrances (feasts and festivals) of God’s work in Israel, and pointing to the future work of the Messiah; and specific regulations meant to distinguish Israel from their pagan neighbors (dietary and clothing restrictions) were also given by God to Moses.
• The Tabernacle, representing God’s holy and gracious presence with Israel is built according to God’s exacting instructions.
• Despite God’s personal presence and glorious expression of His love and mercy and patience and grace toward the nation of Israel, their hearts remained hardened, rebellious toward God, displayed most prominently in their worship of the golden calf.  
• The glory of God’s grace and mercy revealed in God not destroying them as a nation for such a gross act of idolatry.  
• Despite Israel’s unending murmuring and complaining, God graciously brings them to the edge of the Promised Land. 
• Israel judges the inhabitants of the land too powerful for them to conquer, thus disbelieving God’s promise that He will take the land.
• God judges Israel for their unbelief with 40 years of wandering in the wilderness,  during which all of  the unbelieving generation who left Egypt die off prior to entering the Promised Land. Only  Caleb and Joshua, who believed God’s promise , are allowed to enter.
• Moses’ sin and his exclusion from entering the Promised Land. 
• The Pentateuch ends with Moses’ death and God assigning Joshua the responsibility of leading this next generation of Israelites into the Promised Land.

 HISTORICAL WRITINGS (Life in and out of the promised land)  Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

 Human Authors: Ezra, Nehemiah,  Many unknown

 Key players: GOD, Joshua, Rahab, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah, Sampson and Delilah, the Philistines, Ruth, Naomi, Boaz, Eli, Hannah, Samuel, King Saul,  King David, Goliath, Jonathon, Bathsheba, Uriah, Nathan the Prophet, Absalom, Amnon, Tamar, Solomon, Queen of Sheba, Rehoboam, Elijah, Ahab, Jezebel, Elisha,  Naaman,  multiple Kings both good (Hezekiah, Josiah, Asa) & bad, (Jeroboam, Manasseh), Ezra, Nehemiah, King Cyrus (Artaxerxes), Esther, Mordecai, Haman, King Ahasuerus; King Nebuchadnezzar  

Key Events:

•  Israel’s efforts, under the leadership of Joshua, to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan, and take the Promised Land.
• Israel fails to trust God to drive out all the idol worshiping pagans from the Promised Land resulting in continued temptation to idolatry.
• Settlement of the 12 tribes in the promised land and Joshua’s death.   
• Book of Judges narrates significant events in God’s dealing with His covenant people Israel early in their history in the Promised Land.
• Theme of Judges- “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes,” as Israel confirmed the natural preference of men’s hearts for this world and the things of this world (idolatry) rather than for God and His Kingdom. 
• Glorious displays of God’s mercy, patience, and grace during this time.
• Rejection of theocracy (God’s rule) for a monarchy (man’s rule). Saul appointed King.
• Saul’s failure as first King of Israel.
• God’s identification of David as a “man after God’s own heart”, who for the most part, loved, trusted, worshiped and obeyed God.  David provided peace and prosperity for Israel under his rule. 
• David’s great defeat of Goliath and Israel’s arch enemies, the Philistines.
• God establishes covenant with David, promising that it is through David’s linage the promised “seed” would come. 
• David sins greatly, committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband Uriah murdered.  
• David repents of his sin (Psalm 51). God graciously forgives David, although there were temporal consequences to his sin.
• Solomon becomes heir to throne of his father David.  He builds God’s earthly Temple, to represent God’s glorious presence with Israel.
• Rapid demise of the nation of Israel under King Solomon, who despite starting well, let the allurements of the world win his heart and destroy the nation.
• Under reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, the nation is split into two, (Israel/Judah) never to be united again under a King until the establishment of Messiah’s earthly kingdom. 
• Prophetic ministry of Elijah and Elisha.
• The northern Kingdom (Israel) set up a system of false worship and as God promised, is exiled from the land, taken into captivity by the Assyrian Empire.
• The southern Kingdom (Judah), does not learn from what happened to the northern Kingdom (Israel) and continues in idolatry. Thus God, who has been extremely patient with them for over 200 years, runs out of patience. Judah is besieged by the Babylonian Empire; the temple and city of Jerusalem destroyed; thousands of men and women and children murdered and most of the rest of the population is taken into captivity by Babylon for 70 years. 
• The books of Nehemiah and Ezra describes the release of Israel from Babylon and the people’s efforts to return to the Promised Land to rebuild the city and temple and reestablish their covenant with God.

WISDOM LITERATURE Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon  

 Key Players: GOD, Satan, Job & Friends, King David, King Solomon

 Human Authors:  King David and multiple other psalmists; King Solomon;  Job’ author is unknown.

 Key Events:

• Magnifies God as superintendent of the universe, in sovereign control of all that occurs in this world and in our individual lives including the day we are born and the day we die.
• Emphasizes the sovereignty of God over human suffering.
• Confirms God’s desire for personal intimacy with His people as the object of their deepest love and source of their greatest joy.
• Emphasizes the insanity of sin, the vanity/futility of pursuing our joy, pleasure, satisfaction, significance, and security in this world independent of God and/or in opposition to God.
• Provides practical principles for living a holy and relatively happy life amid the unholy and sin cursed world we in.
• Describes qualifications/precepts for acceptance into the presence of a Holy God (Psalms 24:3-6)
• Contains prophetic Psalms regarding the promised Messiah

PROPHETIC  WRITINGS   Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

 Key Players: GOD, the prophetic authors, the nation Israel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-Nego, King Nebuchadnezzar, King Belshazzar, Archangel Gabriel.

 Human Authors:  The Prophets noted above. Prophets were agents of Divine revelation, God’s human messengers to the nation Israel and subsequently to the world in the revelation of His glorious person, purposes and plans for achieving those purposes.  God communicated revelation to them through dreams, visions, angels, audible voice, heart to heart, and as personal witnesses of supernatural events, which they subsequently wrote down as inspired by the Holy Spirit. (Hebrews 1:1-2)  (2 Peter 1:16-21)

 Key Events:

• The prophets communicated revelation from God regarding His person, plans and purposes and His worthiness to be worshiped above all His creation.
• The prophets reminded Israel of their covenant responsibilities; confronted them on their sins; called them to repent of (turn away from) their idolatry and to trust in God’s merciful and gracious promises of redemption.
• The prophets warned them (and us) of God’s judgment, both temporal and eternal, for failure to repent of sin.
• The prophets prophesized of the coming of the promised “seed”, the Messiah; who in His first coming, through His obedience and suffering, would graciously bring salvation and redemption to those who would receive Him, redeeming them from the power and eternal consequences of their sin and receiving them into His eternal kingdom, which will be consummated at His second coming. 
• The prophesies contained “markers” identifying Messiah’s nature and character and His redemptive activates (Isaiah 7, 9, 50, 52 53); as well as historical events which will mark His first coming as Savior and second coming as the judge of all mankind. 
• Jeremiah and Ezekiel spoke directly to man’s need for a “new heart” from which it would be their nature to love and trust and obey God. Outlined a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) in which God would forgive all of their sins; grant them this “new heart” and would Himself do everything required by the covenant to reconcile and restore men and women, Jew and Gentile,  to the glorious relationship with God for which they were created through faith in the promised Messiah
• Revealed an end to this world/age, when at the Messiah’s second coming He will put an end to man’s rebellion and this world as we know it;  judge the nations and its peoples in a final judgment against sin and rebellion; and establish a new heavens and new earth, an eternal kingdom where He will rule and reign with His redeemed people in true righteousness, wherein God will be all in all.    

 NEW (COVENANT) TESTAMENT OVERVIEW

 The New Testament introduces us to Jesus Christ as the “seed of the women;”  the promised Messiah: the eternal Son of God; the Creator of all that exists apart from God; who through His virgin birth, sinless life, sacrificial death, and miraculous resurrection fulfills all of the promises/prophecies regarding the “seed of the women” in the Old Testament. In Him all the types and symbols of the coming Messiah presented in the Old Testament become reality as He is introduced, exalted and glorified as the One who will save His people from their sins, (Matthew 1:21) and restore them to the glorious life with God for which they were created.   

The New Testament writers proclaim Jesus’s worthiness to be known and loved and trusted and obeyed and worshiped and adored above all else in His creation.

His main message is that of “the Kingdom of God/Heaven” – and the need for people to repent of their sin and trust in His saving work to be accepted into that Kingdom. (Mark 1:14-15)

The Apostle John writes in John  20:31  that all that has been written about Jesus was written “so that you would believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that in believing you might have eternal life through His name.”   

 FOUR GOSPELS (Good News)   

 Human Authors:  Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

 Key Players:  JESUS, GOD the FATHER, GOD The HOLY SPIRIT, John the Baptist, Mary and Joseph, Zechariah and Elizabeth The Scribes, Pharisees, & Sadducees, Herod the Great, Herod Antipas,  Pontius Pilate, Joseph Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin,  The 12 Apostles (Matthew, Simon Peter, Andrew, John, Thomas, Judas, Phillip, James, Bartholomew, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, James the son of Alphaeus,)  Satan,  Simon of Cyrene,  Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalene

 Key Events:

• The miraculous birth of Jesus to a virgin in Bethlehem as prophesied in the Old Testament.
• John the Baptist calling the nation of Israel to repentance proclaiming Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”.
• Jesus’ baptism by John and concurrent announcement from Heaven by God the Father, of Jesus being His “beloved Son in whom He is well pleased.”
• Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God/Heaven and the qualifications for entry into that Kingdom. (Mark 1:14-15)   (John 3:3)
• Jesus’ presentation the principles for living as subjects of that Kingdom while in this world. (Matthew Chapters 5,6,7)
• The supernatural ministry of Jesus in which through His miracles He demonstrated His power and authority over nature, Satan and his demons, physical death, and the hearts of men; the one who alone can forgive sins; all of which attested to Him being the Messiah, the Son of God.
• The revelation of the nature and character of God in Jesus’s display of love, mercy, grace, compassion, wisdom, patience, justice; as well as His condemnation of self-righteousness.  
• The sinless life of Jesus amid multiple temptations and injustices done to Him, wherein He loves God with all His heart and soul and mind and strength and His neighbor as Himself.  In doing so he achieves the perfect righteousness required for man to live in the presence of God, which He  then imputes/credits to all who entrust their lives to Him.    
• The unjust arrest/trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin and Pontius Pilate and His unjust conviction and execution . 
• The infinitely agonizing crucifixion and death of Jesus on the Cross at Calvary, wherein He took upon Himself in HIs body and soul, the just penalty for sin deserved by all who while in this world, would repent of their sin and entrust their lives to Him.
• Jesus’ miraculous resurrection from the dead, signifying His defeat of death on behalf all who entrust their life to Him, who themselves will be resurrected from the dead unto eternal life at His second coming.
• Establishment of the “New Covenant” prophesied in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. (Matthew 26:26-30)
• Promise of final judgment of all mankind by Jesus, as the Son of Man.(Matthew 25:31-46)
• Jesus commissions His disciples to go into all the world and preach the Gospel – the Good News of what He has done through His life, death and resurrection to rescue from Hell and qualify for Heaven all who entrust their life to Him.

 BOOK OF ACTS   Historical narrative of the expansion of the “Church” of Jesus Christ from Jerusalem to the nations.

Human Author:  Luke

Key Players:   JESUS,  GOD the FATHER,  GOD The HOLY SPIRIT, Luke, Peter, John, Phillip, Ethiopian Servant,  Saul/Paul, (Apostles);  Stephen,  Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin,  Ananias and Sapphira,  Cornelius,  Herod Antipas, Herod Agrippa, Barnabas, Silas,  Philippian Jailer,  Lydia,  Felix-Guv of Caesarea

Key Events:

• Jesus’ commissions His Apostles to build His Church through the preaching of the Gospel. (Acts 1:1-4)
• Ascension of Jesus and promise of His return. (Acts 1:9-11)
• Confirms Jesus as the promised Messiah, the One Who fulfills Old Testament promises and prophesies to Israel, and the Savior of all who believe and submit to His sovereign rule over their lives. (Acts 13:13-40)
• Reveals the ministry of the Holy Spirit in building the Church, enabling men to repent and believe the Gospel, and to live Holy lives. (Acts 2:1-4)
• Persecution of the Apostles for preaching about Jesus (Acts 5:12-42)
• Stephen as the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:51-60)
• Conversion of Saul the Pharisee from chief persecutor of the Church to the Apostle Paul, and a summary of his missionary work.  (Acts 9:1-22)
• Increasing persecution of the early church, the dispersion of Christian Jews, and the spreading of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire as a result. (Acts 8:1-8)

EPISTLES (Letters/sermons that provide commentaries on the Gospels, presenting the meaning, significance, and personal application of all that Jesus taught and accomplished in His life, death, resurrection and ascension. The Epistles as a whole proclaim that salvation (rescue from Hell and reconciliation to the relationship with God for which we were created) is by grace alone (freely provided by God), through our faith in Jesus and  and all that He has accomplished on our behalf.   

Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude 

Human Authors:  Apostle Paul; Apostle John; Apostle Peter; Jude and James (Jesus’ half-brothers)

Key Players:  HOLY SPIRIT, Apostle Paul, Barnabus, Titus, Timothy, Apostle Peter, James, Jude, Demas, Apostle John

Key Events:

• Clearly presents the doctrines – principle truths of the Christian faith.   Timothy 4:1-16).
• Reveals the universality of sin, wickedness, and rebellion in the hearts of all mankind – without exception – and God’s just judgement on it. (Romans  1,2,3)
• Emphasizes that a person is saved from the judgement of God and restored to the glorious relationship with God for which man was created only by the grace of God alone, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, for the glory of God alone –  apart from the works of the law.    (Romans 3:21- 4:25)   (Galatians 3)  (Ephesians 2:1-10)
• God’s love for and desire to save sinners through the death of God the Son is highlighted. (Romans 5:8)    (Romans 8:31-39)
• Jesus presented as the mediator of New Covenant, fulfilling the Old Covenant requirements  and promises of forgiveness of sins; a new heart with new affections for God; reconciliation to God as His beloved children, joint heirs with Jesus of the promised new creation.   (Hebrews 9:15)  (Romans 3:21-24)  (2 Corinthians 5:16-19)   (Romans 8:14-17)
• Emphasizes the need for the renewal of our minds through the study of God’s word as the means of knowing and doing God’s will.    (Romans 12:1-2)
• Warned of false teaching/teachers, who would corrupt or deny the Gospel of Grace.  (2 Peter 2:1-3)   (2 Timothy 4:1-4)
• Establishment of rules/guidelines for church order and discipline, and requirements for leadership roles. (Titus1:1-6)   (1 Timothy 3:1-7)  
• Identified love and unity as the signs of Christ’s “true” Church (Ephesians 4:1-6  (1 Corinthians 13)
• Outlines evidences of true salvation (Holiness).     1 John 1-5
• Provides consistent reminders of God’s love and faithfulness to encourage faith, patience, joy and contentment in the face of unjust suffering, persecution and rejection for one’s faith in Christ. (1 Corinthian 10:12-13)         (1 Peter 4:14-19)   (Hebrews 11)   (James 1:1-4)

BOOK OF REVELATION

Human Author:  Apostle John

Key Players:  JESUS CHRIST- RISEN AND REIGNING, John the Apostle, The Seven Churches;  Satan/The Dragon, The Two Witnesses,  The 144,000 witnesses,  The Beast, The False Prophet,  Demons,  Holy Angels,  The Great Harlot, The 24 Elders, The redeemed saints from every era/every nation

Key Events:

• Literally dictated to John the Apostle by the LORD and His Angel
• Uses imagery and metaphor to describe the indescribable. Prophetic symbolism from the Old Testament used to connect redemptive history.
• Revels Jesus, as the supreme and sovereign ruler of history, the one who has designed, ordained and is in control of all that occurs in space and time, who will ultimately judge all men and angels.   (Revelation 4:1-11)
• Reveals the reality of Satan’s kingdom; the direct influence it exerts on human actions and history; the spiritual conflict that fuels all human conflict; and the need for Divine intervention to overcome its destructive influence on God’s creation.  (Revelation 12)
• Reveals Jesus warnings to His true Church to remain dependent upon and faithful to Him amid the world’s persecution and pressure to compromise His truth.  Rewards for faithfulness are revealed.                                  (Revelation 2, 3)
• Reveals God’s temporal judgments on the false church, apostate Israel and the unbelieving world throughout history. 
• Reveals the triumph of the Kingdom of God over the rebellious beastly nations/kingdoms of this world, and His final judgement over Satan, and all who followed him in his rebellion against God, both men and angels    (Revelation 11:15-18)  (Revelation 20:1-15)
• Reveals the coronation of Jesus Christ as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”, and the fulfillment of His promises to His saints as joint heirs of His eternal Kingdom. (Revelation 5:8-18)  (Revelation 19:1-16)
• Reveals the ultimate and actual fulfillment of all of God’s exceedingly great and precious promises in Jesus, resulting in the resurrection of all of His people to eternal life in a gloriously renewed creation, a new heavens (universe) and new earth, wherein sin and suffering and death will be no more; and where His people will know only fulness of joy and ever increasing – ever diverse pleasures forevermore.  (2 Peter 3:1-13)   (Revelation 21:1-8) (Psalm 16:11)

 READ – STUDY- LOVE – TRUST – OBEY – REJOICE