Beginning Bible Study

How Do We Study the Bible?

What is the Bible? – The Book

1)     It is the inspired Word of God.

2)     It is a collection of 66 books.

3)     It consists of an Old and New Testament

4)     It is intended to be a guide for our lives.

5)     What and how do we study it?

 1)           It is the inspired Word of God.

 (2 Tim 3:16-17 NKJV)  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, {17} that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

 Jesus explained inspiration.

 (John 16:13 NKJV)  "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

 Peter spoke of the Inspiration of Prophecy

(2 Pet 1:19-21 NKJV)  And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; {20} knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, {21} for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s go back to where we started:

(2 Tim 3:16-17 NKJV)  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, {17} that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

For the church of the 1^st century, “all scripture” was the Old Testament.  The New Testament was in the process of being written.

Paul also told of the role of the Old Testament

 (Gal 3:24-25 NKJV)  Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. {25} But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

 The Old Testament was a tutor, or schoolmaster as the old King James Version states, but we are no longer “under” it.  The laws of the old covenant do not apply to us any longer.  Is that what the verse says?  Exactly what does that mean?  Are we now a people without law? 

There are some things that we can clearly say have changed.  The entire system of animals sacrifices has been done away.  Instead, Paul says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." (Rom 12:1 NKJV)

The Priesthood has changed

 (Heb 7:11-12 NKJV) Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? {12} For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.   Christ is now our high priest, and every Christian is a priest; that is, we do the same things that the Old Testament priests did.  We pray through Christ.  We offer the sacrifice of ourselves and the Hebrew writer says, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (Heb 13:15 NKJV)
 

 So why study the Old Testament?

(1 Cor 10:11 NKJV)  Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

The Old Testament contains:

·         The story of creation

·         The story of God’s relationship with His people.

·         The prophecies about Christ, and other things to come.

·         The Psalms

·         Great moral lessons that we can learn from.

·         The civil laws upon which many of our civil laws are based.

·         These are only a few reasons to study the Old Testament.

The Bible is a collection of 66 books.

There are 39 books in the Old Testament.

There are 27 books in the New Testament.

 The Old Testament has been divided into the following divisions:

Law	5 books
History	12 books
Poetry	5 books
Major Prophets	5 books
Minor Prophets	12 books

The Law

 The first five books are often referred to as law.

They are also called the Pentateuch.

The Jews call these five the Torah

They are also called the books of Moses.

 

 Jesus referred to basically these same divisions:

 (Luke 24:44 NKJV)  Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."

 Jesus said

Law of Moses	Law	5 books
	History	12 books
Psalms	Poetry	5 books
the Prophets	Major Prophets	5 books
the Prophets	Minor Prophets	12 books

 As you can see, most of these divisions were referred to by Christ.  He did not distinguish between major and minor prophets, and He only referred to the Psalms, and not the other 4 books, nor did He refer to the books we call books of history, but remember He said the others spoke of Him.

 

 It’s a little bit like the story of the little boy who wanted to know about creation.  His mother didn’t have a clue as to where she should turn.

 The law (the first five books)

Name of book	Meaning or why
Genesis	beginning
Exodus	Going out
Leviticus	Levi (law)
Numbers	Census -- Numbering
Deuteronomy	Second giving of law

 Time

Remember, it’s God’s book!  He doesn’t keep time like we do! 

 According to Usher’s chronology, there are about 4,000 years of history covered by the Old Testament.

 Turn to Genesis 9, and you’ve covered the first 2,000 years of history.  God doesn’t keep time like we do!

 How does time flow in the Old Testament?

Genesis – ends with the death of Jacob

Exodus – basically begins with the birth of Moses and Moses wrote the book.

Leviticus – Various laws for the children of Israel

Numbers – Counting the people, but other stories including Balaam and the donkey that talked.

Deuteronomy – the second giving of the law.  It concludes with the death of Moses.

To sum up:

Almost 2,000 years of history in the first 9 chapters of Genesis.

120 years of history in the next 4 books combined.

 Chronological order goes well for the next several books.

Joshua – Joshua takes over the leadership of the children of Israel.

(Josh 1:5-6 NKJV)  "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. {6} "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

Judges

Judges is life after Joshua and almost to the first king.

Ruth

I have to pause a moment when you come to the book of Ruth.  It’s a story about a woman – a heathen woman, but what a woman!

(Ruth 1:16-17 NKJV)  But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. {17} Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me."

Whatever Happened to this heathen woman?

Her name is listed with the others who were part of the ancestry of Christ!

(Mat 1:5-6 NKJV)  Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, {6} and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.

God’s book tells it all!  The good the bad, and the ugly.

But the story of these women is a heart warming story.  Rahab and Ruth were not of the children of Israel, but their hearts were great hearts, and God saved them.

 

I Samuel	From Samuel to Saul
II Samuel	Life & reign of David
I Kings	Solomon & Divided Kingdom
II Kings	From Jehoshaphat to captivity.  Basically the end of Old Testament history.
I Chronicles	Begins with Adam ends with David
II Chronicles	Ends with Cyrus sending some of the Jews back to their homeland.

 Timeline? We are at the end of the Old Testament

 What about the rest?  It took place during the time we are talking about in the books we have covered.

Why the Old Testament?  It’s our teacher!

List of Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Beginning Bible Study #2