Knowing the Bible 101:

Chapter 3—The Bible: Never a Dull Moment

Romans 15:4

4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

_________15:___

4 For _______that was _______in the _____was written to ______ us, so that _______the _______taught in the __________and the ______________ they _______ we might have ______.

66 books – 39ot and 27nt

One Book, One Story, One Plot “Christ is not only the theme of both Testaments of

the Bible, but He may also be seen as the subject in the sequence of each of the eight sections of the Scriptures.” –Norman Geisler

Behind 10,000 events stands God, the builder of history, the maker of the ages.

There is one great purpose moving through the ages: the eternal design of the Almighty God to redeem a wrecked and ruined world.

Three-sentence mini-summary1. God is the author.

2. We are the characters.

3. Jesus is the theme.

One Book, One Story, One Plot Cont’d

Old + New = A Binding Agreement. The word testament means “covenant.” A covenant is a compact or agreement between two parties.

Therefore, the Old Testament is about the Old compact, and the New testament is about the New compact, both established by God.

Old Testament 39 books

Agreement between God and His chosen people, the Israelites (or Hebrews, or Jews)

New Testament 27 books

Covenant (or agreement) between God and the rest of humankind through the life of Jesus and His followers.

Old Testament in Parts

The Books of Moses (5 books) Genesis-Deuteronomy

The Books of Generals, Judges, and Kings (12 books) Joshua-Esther

The Books of Poetry and Wisdom (5 books) Job-Song of Songs (aka Song of Solomon)

The Books of Prophets (17 books) Isaiah-Malachi

New Testament Books in Parts

The Gospels (4 books) Matthew-John

The Book of Acts (1 book) You guessed it…Acts

The Epistles (21 books) Romans-Jude

The Book of Revelation (1 book) Yep…not rocket science. Revelation

Prologue: Once Upon an Eternity

Mutiny in the Heavens: God created an army of angels who served and worship Him. But something went wrong. One of the angels attempted a mutiny.

Lucifer (aka Satan) believed he was better than God and recruited some other over-confident angels to revolt against heaven…quite unsuccessfully.

Satan and his other angel stooges were kicked out of heaven. God planned eventual punishment for them in a lake of fire

(hell), but His timetable spans eternity, so that penalty is yet to come.

Disclaimer: Not all details supported by Scripture, although commonly accepted by Christians.

Essentials that are explicitly stated in scripture: Angels were created before earth (Job 38), Jesus saw Satan fall (Luke 10), and pride had something to do with his (the devil) fall (1 Tim 3:6).

Tuesday—Act 1: The Human Race was Lost as soon as it Began

At the first stage in His plan for mankind, God spoke our universe into existence by the mere command of His voice.

God designed man in God’s own image, meaning that humans would have a spiritual dimension to their lives.

God created Adam, the first man, in a beautiful oasis called the “Garden of Eden.” Next, God created Eve, the first woman.

God Commissioned Adam and Even to raise a family: “Be fruitful and multiply.”

They were placed in charge of all of His other creations. One restriction: God told them not to eat the fruit from a tree at the

center of the garden (the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”) because its fruit would cause death.

Act 1: The Human Race was Lost as soon as it Began Cont’d

Disguised as a snake, Satan told Even that she wouldn’t die if she ate the fruit from the forbidden tree.

He also said that the fruit would make her as smart as God.

God had equipped Adam and Eve with a “free will,” meaning they were free to make their own decisions.

They made their choice based on selfish desires. They picked the fruit and ate it.

Immediately, they knew they had rebelled against God.

Act 1: The Human Race was Lost as soon as it Began Cont’d

Consequences for Adam and Eve: Consequence #1: Exiled: Banishment form the Garden of

Eden and eventual experience of physical death. Consequence #2: Guilty: The sin tainted the entire human

race; every member of humanity is now born into a sinful world and will be guilty of his or her own sins. The punishment for those sins is eternal spiritual death.

Consequence #3: Waiting for Rescue: Satan will continue to plague mankind, but eventually God’s plan will bring a descendant of Even who can be a Savior for mankind and who will conquer Satan forever. This Savior can pay the penalty for our sins so that we can have eternal life with God.

Temptation

“Temptations are certain to ring your doorbell, but it’s your own fault if you ask them in to stay for dinner.”

Act II: How Odd of God to Choose the Jews

God would select a certain group of people to be His “chosen nation.”

God would reveal Himself to the entire world through this one extended family.

His chosen people would be evidence of the blessings that come from obedience to God and the consequences that accompany disobedience.

God selected Abraham to be the patriarch of this new nation.

Promises to Abraham (IMPORTANT FOR COVENANT REPORT LATER IN YEAR)

His descendants would become a great nation

The land of Canaan would be their homeland

All of mankind would be blessed by one of his descendants

Act II: How Odd of God to Choose the Jews

Abraham and Sarah bore Isaac miraculously. (Dude was 100 and she was 90!!!)

Isaac had two sons: Jacobs and Esau Jacobs had 12 sons—who became the 12

tribes of Israel

Act II: How Odd of God to Choose the Jews Enslaved in Egypt

Over 400 years, Jacob’s clan had gotten a little too prolific for the Pharaohs. The population of the Jews had exploded.

Worried Pharaohs had two problems: how to keep these prolific foreigners under control, and how to get a lot of work done.

The Great Escape Moses, the leader of the Jews, persuaded Pharaoh to “Let me people go!”

God miraculously parted the water of the Red Sea to help the Jewish caravan of approximately 2 million people escape the Egyptian soldiers.

A 40-year Detour God wanted the Israelites to invade Canaan, the “Promised Land,” but the

Israelites lost faith in God.

For the next 40 years, God’s people wandered in the desert until a whole generation had passed off the scene. He provided them with food and water, but they still kept whining.

Thursday—Act III: The Rise and Fall of Israel

Moses died, and Joshua took over as general and leader of the Jews.

About 1400 B.C., Joshua led the Jews across the Jordan River into their first battle to recapture the Promised Land.

The Jews frequently lost faith in God’s provision and protection, and they didn’t completely drive out the pagans.

God appointed “judges” to lead the nation and give spiritual guidance.

Four hundred years later, the Israelite’s descendants were still whining.

God gave the Jews (Israelites) what they wanted, even though He knew it wasn’t what they needed.

Act III: The Rise and Fall of Israel Cont’d David because Israel’s most famous and

admired king. He loved God dearly and wrote many poems to and about

God (Psalms).

After David’s death, his son Solomon became king. Solomon was known as the wisest man who ever lived.

A divided kingdom is taken captive. Only days after Solomon’s death, civil war broke out.

The ten northern tribes formed their own confederacy, calling themselves “Israel.”

The two southern tribes (with Jerusalem as their capital) took the name of “Judah.”

Act III: The Rise and Fall of Israel Cont’d As many years passed, God continued to warn His delinquent

children that they were in for trouble unless they turned their hearts back to Him.

This alert was sounded by several messengers whom God designated (aka prophets).

The message of the prophets was clear: Turn back to God or you will be taken captive by invaders.

Northern nation (Israel) was invaded by Assyrians in 722 B.C.; the cities were destroyed, and the Jews were taken into exile, never to see their homeland again.

Southern nation (Judah) was captured by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.; the city of Jerusalem was destroyed, and the beautiful temple was looted and leveled.

Act III: The Rise and Fall of Israel Cont’d

Messenger of Hope—God’s promises: God would send a Savior (Messiah) who would lead Israel

out of slavery> but He would also be a suffering servant who would carry the sorrows of His people.

The place and circumstances of His birth, and His lineage as a descendant of King David, were predicted.

Returning and Rebuilding Cyrus, king of Persia, allowed the Jews to begin returning to

their homeland.

Cyrus gave them permission to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.

Act IV: Jesus—A Very Personal Plan to Save the World

God Gets Down to Earth Mary had been selected by God to be the mother of the

Messiah. Mary and Joseph were told through angels that God’s Spirit

was inside her and she would give birth to a son, to be named Jesus, who would be the Savior of the world.

Herod, king of Judea, felt threatened by this toddler and issued a decree that all male baby boys must be killed.

An angel warned Joseph in advance, and he escaped with his wife and child to Egypt. They returned only after Herod had died.

Act IV: Jesus—A Very Personal Plan to Save the World Cont’d

Stories about Jesus contained in the Bible start when He was about 30 years old.

John the Baptist was an itinerant (traveling) preacher who challenged people to return to God. If people confessed their sins, he would immerse them in the Jordan River

(baptize) to symbolize how God can cleanse a person from sin.

Jesus and His Band of Hairy Men Jesus attracted large crowds wherever He went, but He tried to

spend quality time with 12 close followers (disciples).

These disciples would be responsible for carrying His message to the world after He was gone. He spent most of His three-year ministry teaching them what thee needed to learn about God’s plan for mankind.

Act IV: Jesus—A Very Personal Plan to Save the World

The religious leaders (Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes) interpreted the laws literally, so they considered themselves righteous if they obeyed every one of them.

Jesus taught that no man could ever be righteous in God’s sight because God’s laws also apply to feelings and attitudes.

He explained many concepts through the use of stories with a point (parables).

Jesus was arrested on false charges trumped up by the Pharisees. He went through a series of phony trials in the middle of the night,

and He was sentenced to death. The next day He was hanged on a cross on a hill (Calvary) with

several common criminals. Within hours, Jesus was dead.

Act IV: Jesus—A Very Personal Plan to Save the World

Some of the women followers of Jesus went to visit His tomb.

An earthquake struck and an angel rolled the rock away.

When the women leaned down to look into Jesus’ tomb…they were the first ones to see it was empty!

Jesus appeared to more than 500 people over the next several weeks.

He made a final appearance and explained to the disciples and the other followers that He was going back to heaven.

He told his group that they should spread the message of His salvation for all people around the world.

He promised to send God’s Spirit (Holy Spirit) to live inside those people who believed in him.

Act V: Christianity Spreads Around the World

The news of the resurrection of Jesus spread quickly throughout Jerusalem and the neighboring regions.

One night in an upstairs room in Jerusalem, what seemed like a mighty wind entered that house, and all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to speak to them in foreign languages that were recognized by all of the foreigners in the crowd.

Act V: Christianity Spreads Around the World Cont’d

The followers of Jesus became known as “Christians.”

Each local group became known as a “church.”

God’s plan of salvation was for every color, every race.

Act V: Christianity Spreads Around the World Cont’d

A Pharisee named Saul dedicated himself to stoning Christians or throwing them in jail.

On one of his excursions, however, he was blinded by a light from heaven and the voice of Jesus spoke from heaven: “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me? …I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting (Acts 9:4-5).

This experience was enough to make a believer out of Saul. He later changed his name to Paul and became a missionary to bring the message about Jesus to distant cities throughout the Roman empire.

The disciples (later called apostles) and Paul (also called an apostle) were recognized as experts in understanding the spiritual concepts about Christianity.

Act V: Christianity Spreads Around the World Cont’d

Since they couldn’t be at all of the churches all of the time, they wrote letters to 1. Explain how to know Jesus personally and know

Him better.

2. Give reassurance of God’s care during times of hardship and persecution.

3. Describe Jesus’ principles for relationships with family, friends, and enemies.

4. Provide instructions for organizing the church.

Epilogue: The End of the World (As We Know It)

In the last book of the Bible, the disciple John wrote about visions he received from God concerning the end of the world.

What should God’s people keep in mind about the future? At a time unknown to any man, and when people least expect it, Jesus is

going to return to earth from the heavens. This “second coming” of Christ will be accompanied by heavenly fanfare, which will be heard throughout the universe.

This will be a time of judgment for sins. Those who accepted Jesus and His death as the sacrifice for their since will be spared, and they will enter the presence of God in heaven for eternity. Everyone else will be sentenced to eternity in hell as the punishment that their sin deserves.

The end of the world will also be marked by the greatest and last battle between God and Satan. God will prevail, and Satan and his demon forces will be thrown into hell forever. Sin and rebellion and death will be no more.