Genesis: Genesis means birth or beginning. This book includes reports on the creation, the garden of Eden, the antediluvians, or people before the flood; the flood; the tower of Babel; the dispersion or scattering of the races; and the lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. The word patriarch means father governor. The patriarchal system is government by the male head of the clan. Genesis has been called the seedpod book because all the other books of the Bible seem to spring from it.Exodus: Exodus means going out, referring to the going out from Egypt of the children of Israel. This book includes an account of the birth and early life of Moses; the ten plagues; the journey from Egypt to Sinai; the giving of the law; and a description of the tabernacle. The pilgrimage of the children of Israel from Egypt to the promised land has often been likened to the Christian's Journey through life. The first 17 verses of the 20th chapter of Exodus contain the Ten Commandments, the basis of the moral code of civilization.
Leviticus: Leviticus and Levite are derived from Levi, the name of one of the 12 sons of Jacob. The tribe descended from Levi was the priestly tribe. It was charged with carrying out rites and cermonies in the sacrifices and teaching the law of Moses. The book gives the ritual of the tabernacle services and the duties of the priests.
Numbers: The book of Numbers takes its name from the two numberings of the children of Israel. The tenth chapter continues the narrative of the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan, which was dropped in Exodus 19. The Israelites in their journey from Sinai had planned to go northward and enter Canaan from its souther boudnary. But they were frightened by the spies reports of the size of the inhabitants. As a resust, they wandered 40 years in the wilderness and ultimately entered Canaan from the east, crossing the river Jordan. The experiences of those wilderness years are recorded in this book.
Deuteronomy means second law or the second giving of the law. Most of the adults who had received the law at Sinai had died by this time in Israel's history. So it was necessary to repeat the law for the benefit of the new generation. Deuteronomy is in the form of eight addresses by Moses. The final chapter records his death.
The book of Joshua is named after one of the two spies who later became Moses' successor. Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan, attacked and conquered the Canaanites, and divided up the land among his followers. the later chapter contains an address by Joshua in which he directs his people to high standards of personal conduct, admonishing them to honor God.
Judges carries on the history of Israel from the death of Joshua to the time of Samuel. This period during which the people repeatedly disobeyed and departed from God is one of the darkest times in their history. As they repented of their sins and turned to God, He raised up leaders, or judges, who delivered them.
The book of Ruth is a love story from the time of the Judges. It gives a remarkable picture of the life and customs of those early days. The story is told in such a quaint and interesting way that you seem to see the characters as they enter the picture. The passage, 1:16,17, is one of the most beautiful in all literature. Ruth was David's great grandmother, so she was in the earthly lineage of Christ. See Matthew 1 for more on this subject.
First and Second Samuel. These two books are one unit in the Hebrew Bible. They relate in detail the closing days of the theocracy (in which God ruled directly through the Judges), and the days of the Kingdom. Israel rejected Jehovah, their God, and requested a king like other nations. Their first king was Saul, a man of handsome appearance and a skillful warrior, but not a man after God's own heart. At Saul's death, David, God's choice as king, was proclaimed ruler. These books cover the life of David, together with an account of Samuel, the last of the Judges.
First and Second Kings. These two books, also one unit in the Hebrew Bible, continue the history of the people of Israel from the crowning of Solomon, David's son, as king to the carrying away of the people into captivity. They record the death of David, the reign of Solomon, and the revolt of Jeroboam and his ten tribes during the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon's son. From this time on, the narrative intermingles the histories of the two kingdoms until the captivity of each.
First and Second Chronicles. The two books of Chronicles duplicate to a large extent the books of Samuel and Kings. These latter writings are thought to have come from a source in the Northern Kingdom, and the two Chronicles from one in the Southern Kingdom. Chronicles exphasize the history of Judah and the temple worship.
Ezra. The book of Ezra gives an account of the return of some of the Jewish exiles from captivity in Babylon and the rebuilding of their ruined temple. The task of rebuilding the house of worship, carried on in a hostile, heathen environment, was hampered further by the spiritual condition of the people themselves.
Nehemiah. Largely biographical in nature, the book of Nehemiah is the last historical book in the Old Testament. As a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, Nehmiah enjoyed a high station in life. But upon learning of conditions in Jerusalem, he renounced his life of luxury to return to the city of his forebears, where he rebuilt the walls. A man of aciton, he was a strong leader. Under Nehemiah important religious and social reforms were accomplished.
Esther. This book records a deliverance of the Jews. It is read by their modern descendants in the synagogues at the Feast of Purim in commemoration of this deliverance. Esther is a literary gem read with interest and pleasure by young and old alike. It furnishes a good example of the providence of God. He foresees what will take place and arranges matters so that His children are cared for.
Job. Job is thought by many to be one of the oldest pieces of literature in existance. The patriarch Job, a righteous man, suddenly loses his property, and, one after another, the members of his family as well. As if this were not enough, he himself is plunged into great physical suffering. A large portion of the book is devoted to a philosophical discussion of suffering between Job and his friends. According to the laws of nature, his friends charge, suffering came as a punishment for sin. Job insists that he is a godly man, that his suffering must have another purpose. The last chapter tells how his prosperity returned.
Psalms. The book of Psalms was the hymn book of the Hebrews. About 70 of the Psalms are ascribed to King David, the remainded to others. A large number of the hymns and anthems that Christians sing today are taken from the Psalms. The book is composed of 150 lyrics, some of beautiful imagery and expression. Of these Psalms 1,19,22,23,90,100, and 103 are perhaps the most noteworthy.
Proverbs. A proverb is a short sentence conveying a moral truth in a concise and pointed form. Proverbial teaching originated in the east. It is one of the most ancient forms of instruction. The essential message of these proverbs is that wisdom begins with God.
Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes means preacher or speaker. The book seems to have been written as a soliloquy-in the form of an old man talking to himself. According to Jewish tradition, Solomon was the author. But some scholars believe it was written after his time. The word 'vanity' which occurs many times in this book, means fleeting and impermanent. When the author says that all things are vanity, he means they will pass away. The last chapter, very frequently quoted, is the most interesting and instructive. The symbolic references are to the parts of the human body-head, eye, etc.
Song of Solomon. This book is known also as the Song of Songs and the Canticles. Authorship is ascribed to Solomon. The story is of a deep, pure love between a man and a woman. Solomon writes of the beauty and sacredness of such devotion. The story symbolizes the great love of God for His people.
Isaiah. This book was written in stirring times. The people were irreligious, corrupt, and debased. The prophet Isaiah predicted the captivity of Babylon of both Israel and Judah. But he prophesized also the return of the exiles and the coming of the Messiah. In chapters 9, 11, and 53 are Isaiah's stirring descriptions of Christ and His kingdom, written more than 500 years before Christ's time. The book is one of the world's greatest masterpieces. Composed by an educated man in the purest Hebrew, it is elevated in style, vehement in expression, fervent in feeling, and vivid in its imagery. It is more widely quoted in the New Testament than any other book.
Jeremiah. The prophet Jeremiah lived in a sad time in the history of the Hebrews. During his day the people of the Southern Kingdom, or Judah, were carried by Nebuchadrezzar into captivity to Babylon, although Jeremiah himself was left in Jerusalem. He wrote with authority of the certainty of the judgement of God upon a sinful people as well as the greatness of His love.
Lamentations. In this book, Jeremiah-standing in the midst of the ruins of the city of Jerusalem and the temple-grieves over its destruction which he had predicted. In the Hebrew, Jeremiah is in the form of a series of poems describing the ruin of the city and the cause of its desolation. The book has been called a funeral dirge over Jerusalem.
Ezekiel. As a young man Ezekiel was carried captive from Judah 11 years before the destruction of Jerusalem. The subjects of his prophecy are the destruction of Jerusalem, judgement upon the people, and finally, the return of the exiles and a glorious future for Israel.
Daniel. The prophecy of Daniel is one of the most readable and interesting books in the Bible. Its stories (ch 1-6) are vivid and exciting, and the visions in the rest of the book (ch 7-12) are most significant. The four beasts of Daniel 7:3 are thought to be the four great world powers-the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Greco-Macedonian, and the Roman. The second vision, Daniel 8:1 is thought to refer to the rule of the Greeks under Alexander the Great. The kingdom referred to in chapter 9 is the Messianic rule of the kingdom of Christ. The visions in chapter 10-12 refer to events at the end of time.
Hosea. The message of the prophet Hosea was addressed mainly to Israel. The first three chapters give an account of his own domestic troubles. They are intended to portray Israel's sins and God's love. The remainder of the book contains denunciations of the people for their idolatry and sins.
Joel. The book of Joel is divided into two parts, 1, a great calamity caused by an army of locusts, 2, God's answer to the people's prayers. The book contains a prophecy frequently found in the writings of the prophets: that the Jews would establish a great nation in Palestine in later times.
Amos. Amos is one of the earliest of the prophetic books. The author prophesied that God loves mercy and not mere formal sacrifices. Amos was born 12 miles south of Jerusalem, but his prophesies were directed to the Northern kingdom, Israel. He taught that Israel's future greatness was not to be secured through power and wealth but by justice and judgement.
Obadiah. Obadiah lived in Jerusalem after Judah's deportation to Babylon. He was God's messenger announcing the doom of the Edomites, the descendents of Esau, who had gloried over Judah's downfall. He also prophesied a future when the Jews would again rule over all the lands formerly under David's contorl.
Jonah. The book of Jonah is the most readable of all the minor prophets. Some Bible students regard it as a historical narrative, while others look upon it as a symbolic story, teaching that as Jonah failed to do his duty by the people of Nineveh, so Israel failed in its moral and religious obligations to other naitons. Jesus' reference to Jonah, Matthew 12: 38-41, seems to indicate that Jonah is a historical narrative.
Micah. Micah lived during the time of Isaiah. Like Isaiah, he preached against the sins of his time and especially against the oppression of the poor by the rich. He prophesied the destruction of both Israel and Judah just before that punishment fell on Israel.
Nahum. This book, divided into two major sections, prophesies the destruction of Nineveh. The first part presents the judge and the second the judgement upon this wicked city. Very little is known about Nahum. He lived about 505 B.C
Habakkuk. Habakkuk prophesied in Judah during the reign of Jehoiakim. He wrote of the wickedness of Israel and of its impending defeat by the Chaldeans. He also described the sinfulness of the Chaldean conquerors and prophesied their ultimate downfall. The book concludes with his prayer of faith.
Zephaniah lived in the time of Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Nahum. Like these other prophets, he spoke out against the sins of the people. He prophesied judgement upon Judah and surrounding nations as well as blessings for a restored Jerusalem.
Haggai. The book of Haggai contains four prophecies, all dealing with the rebuilding of the temple under Zerubbabel. God raised up Haggai and Zechariah to stir up the people to rebulid His house. For a picture of the conditions during this period, see the early chapter of Ezra.
Zechariah. The message of Zechariah is divided into two parts. The first part ch 1-8 deals with the restoration of the temple and the last part, ch 9-14 with the kingdom of Christ.
Malachi. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets. He lived after the temple had been rebuilt and worship was restored, but he saw the people slipping back into their old life of sin. Rebuking them for their spirtual condition, he also predicted the coming of the Messiah.
Matthew. Written particularily for the Jews, Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. Sometimes called the Gospel of the Kingdom, it begins with the genealogy of Jesus, the son of David, and quotes frequently from the Old Testament. It is ascribed to Matthew, the tax collector, one of the 12 disciples. The best evidence identifies it as the second oldest biography of Christ. It was probably written before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
Mark. Mark's Gospel is generall thought to be the oldest of the four. Most scholars date it earlier than A.D. 70. As Matthews's gospel was written to the Jews, so Mark's was written to the Romans. A companion of Peter, Mark probably heard his friend preach many times. Because of the close association between Mark and the apostle Peter, his gospel reflects the influence of this energetic and impulsive disciple. Mark portrays Christ in all His power and authority, emphasizing His deeds.
Luke was the author of the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. Unlike Matthew and Mark, he was a Greek and an educated man. A physician, he had been a companion of Paul, joining him at Antioch on Paul's second missionary journey, probably acting as his physician and assistant. The gospel of Luke was writen to the Greeks, so it portrats Christ as the perfect man, the One who surpassed the highest ideals of the Greeks. Luke presents Christ as the Son of Man as well as the Son of God.
John, the youngest of the 12 apostles, wrote his gospel some time after Matthew, Mark, and Luke to supplement their message. The first three gospels are called the Synoptics from the Greek, a view together, because they present much the same general view of the life and teaching of Christ. The gospel of John is an extraordinary book. It deals with the deepest questions of life, which using a simple and direct style, John portrays Jesus as the Son of God and the only begotten of the Father. The 16th verse of the third chapter is often referred to as the heart of the Gospel.
Acts. Written by Luke while in Rome with Paul, Acts continues the narrative of his gospel, beginning with the events following the crucifixion of Christ. Its record covers a period of about 30 years, beginning with A.D. 30. It includes an account of the organization and early history of the Christian church. One of the most readable and best organized books in the Bible, the central purpose of the book is to show that Christ continues His work through the believers and the church under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Romans. Paul was in Corinth in A.D. 58 when he wrote this stirring letter to the Christians in the capital city of Rome. Considered by many to be Paul's most important work, Romans is also one of the most important books of the Bible. Its major theme is justification by faith. A controversy was dividing the Jewish and Gentile Christians. Some felt Jews should have first place over the Gentiles. Paul points out that God is just. Since "all have sinned" both Jew and Gentile, the Jews have no preference in His eyes over the Gentiles.
First Corinthians. This epistle to the Corinthians was written from Ephesus about a year after the establishment of the church at Corinth. Corinth was a cosmopolitian city in an age when moral restraints were few. Naturally, it was difficult to establish a church and keep it pure in such surroundings. Paul's purpose in writing this letter was twofold: to direct the church away from error and disorder, and to answer specific questions submitted to him.
Second Corinthians. The second letter to the Corinthians was written a few months after the first, to which it is a sequel. From Titus Paul learned that his first letter had caused many of the Corinthian Christians to repent. But he also learned that Judaizers had come there, preaching a false gospel and denouncing his authoriy. He wrote this second letter not only to express pleasure at the reported repentance but also to warn against false teachers and to defend his apostleship.
Galations. The apostle Paul visited Galatia on his first missionary journey and established a church there. Some years later word came to him that Judaizers had infiltrated the Galatian church. The people were being led away from true Chrisianity by accepting Jewish rites and cermonies as a substitute for the religion they had been taught. Paul recognized this crisis in the Galatian chuch. In this letter he again focused on the fundamental doctrine of justification by faith.
Ephesians. This letter has been called the crown of Paul's writings. Although written in the form of a letter, it is really more of a discourse on this truth: Christ is the center and the church is united in Him. The mystery of the ages is explained in Christ.
Phillippians. The church at Phillippi was the first one organized in Europe. see Acts 16: 8-40. Philippians was written by Paul-probably from Rome-near the end of his first imprisonment. the year was about A.D 62. Philippians is sometimes called the Epistle of Christian Experience for it deals with person conduct rather than theology. Its predominant note is joy in the Christian life.
Colossians. Colossae was a city of Phrygia, a central province of Asia Minor. Judaizers had worked in the Colossian church, and other had tried to introduce oriental mysticism. Paul, writing from his last imprisonment in Rome, tells the Colossians that this mysticism means nothing, that there is little of value in empty rites and ceremonies. Christ is above all, he writes, and real joy is gained by living the Christian life.
First Thessalonians. This letter written to the church at Thessalonica, established on Paul's second missionary journey, was the first of Paul's epistles, written from Corinth about A.D. 51. Paul was pleased with the vitality of this church. It was made up of converts from many different backgrounds. But he felt it necessary to correct some errors in their thinking, particularily the second coming of Christ. Both this letter and second Thessalonians expound on the doctrine of the second coming.
Second Thessalonians. This letter was sent from Corinth a few months after the writing of First Thessalonians. Misunderstandings about the first letter and Paul's points about the period of tribulation at the end of time made it necessary for Paul to write this second epistle.
First and Second Timothy. First Timothy was written after Paul's release from his first imprisonment, probably about A.D. 63. Second Timothy, the last epistle written by Paul, was sent from prision in Rome, where he was awaiting execution. Timothy, the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother, had been converted under Paul's ministry. He later became a missionary companion of the great apostle. He was then pastor of the church at Ephesus. Paul wrote as a spiritual father to this young pastor, instructing him in matters of doctrine and behavior. This is one of Paul's pastoral epistles, so named because it was written to an individual rather than a congregation.
Titus. The epistle to Titus is also a pastoral epistle. Pastor of the church at Crete, Titus was a Gentile. The church at Crete had been in a state of disorder, with heresy evident. Paul wrote to encourage and counsel Titus. Although it was written before the epistles to Timothy, this letter is one of Paul's last writings.
Philemon. The shortest of the Pauline epistles, this letter to Philemon is private in nature. Onesimus, a slave who had belonged to Philemon, a rich member of the church at Colassae, had stolen from his master and fled to Rome. there he was converted under the ministy of Paul. The great apostle requested that Philemon forgive the crime and receive Onesimus as a brother in Christ. This epistle was written during Paul's first imprisonment in Rome.
Hebrews. This letter was written to a group of Jewish Christians, proabaly around A.D. 64. These Christians, who had fallen under persecution, were despairing of the faith and were tempted to return to Judaism. The author wrote this letter to point out the superiority of the Christian religion and to encourage them in the faith. He emphatically points out that Christ is greater than the prophets, angels, Moses, Joshua, and Aaron. God had spoken through each of these, but now He spoke through Christ, His Son! Next to Romans, Hebrews has exerted the greatest influence on the thinking of succeeding generations of Christians.
James. James, along with the epistles of Peter, John, and Jude, is called a general epistle, because it is not addressed to a particular church or individual, but to the church in general. The letter contains very little doctrine. It focuses on morals, ethics, and the practical demonstration of one's faith.
First Peter. Another of the general epistles, 1 Peter was sent to Christians in Asia Minor. It is mainly an exhoration to them to stand fast under persecution. The writer of this epistle was the apostle Peter. It was proabably written between A.D 62-69.
Second Peter. In contrast to First Peter, which was written to encourage Christians under persecution, 2 Peter warns of false teachers. It contains many references to the reality of the second coming of Christ.
First, Second, and Third John. The epistles of John are unlike other general epistles in that the first is a homily on doctrine, while the other two are primarily private letters to individuals. The first epistle was written to correct heresy and to extol the qualities of the Christian life. Second John, probably addressed to a Christian woman, emphasizes the truth of the gospel of Christ and warns against false teachers. The third epistle, addressed to Gaius, commends him for his treatment of his fellow Christians. Although some have suggested that these letter were written by a person other than the apostle John, there is strong evidence that was the author.
Jude. The general epistle of Jude is a plea to Christians to remain consistent in faith and life. It points to the penalties of immorality and closes with a benediciton, underlining the truth that only Christ can keep the believer from yielding to the temptations of life. Jude, a brother of James, hence a half brother of Jesus, was the author of this epistle.
Revelation. Of all the New Testament writings, Revelation is the most difficult to interpret. Scholars differ about the exact meaning of some of the most important passages in the book. But its basic purpose remains clear: to reveal Jesus Christ as Lord, triumphant over evil. Written by the aged disciple John while prisoner on the Island of Patmos around A.D 95, Revelation has been a source of comfort and inspiration to Christians of every generation.
Disclaimer: This writing is not my own.
