THE BIBLE

Read the Bible in one year. How many times have we heard or read something that was going to guide us to accomplish that goal? How many of us have actually read the entire Bible? Even better, for those who have read the Bible from ‘one end to the other’ has it been understood? Okay too many questions too early in the day. Many of us start reading the Bible as one unbroken story from beginning to end. We believe the following information can give you a deeper understanding of what you are reading.




The Bible can be one of the most confusing books you will ever read. We have thirty-nine books written by twenty-eight different authors written over a two thousand year span, which is just the Old Testament. The New is twenty-seven books written by nine men over a period a little less than one hundred years. Am I boring you yet? We have then sixty-six books written by 37 different men. We could state the fact that the book appears to have been put together out of order. We have the same story told differently by different men, which is not odd, but they seem to get the main point totally different. Exactly how many times do we need to read Adam begat Cain and Abel!




We hope that we can make it a little easier for you. There are different levels of reading. Some people want to just read a little and go. Others get a little deeper and compare scriptures. Then there are people like LJG and myself who enjoy studying one scripture for hours and days even. God did not create us alike. We believe that a few simple facts can help anyone in their study reading of the Bible.




There are three different kinds of Books in the Old Testament: Historical, Poetical, and Prophetical. Historical is about history, Poetical are poetry, and prophetical books are prophecy. If you know what kind of book you are reading, then you will know what kind of information to expect. The New Testament is also broken down into three: Historical, Pauline, and General. What is a Pauline, who is she? Pauline is books written to Churches and Individuals by Paul.

The Old Testament is the story of God and the Hebrew people, their poets, and prophets. The New Testament is the story of Jesus of Nazareth, the Church He founded, and its growth under the leadership of His Apostles after His death.




The Old Testament: the first 17 books are the history/story of the Hebrew nation. Poetry is the next five books, and the final 17 books are prophecy. Over simplified yes, but if you keep this is mind the Old Testament will begin to take shape for you. LJG and I would want to dig deep into the fact that Job was written during the time frame of Genesis. We are trying to keep it simple.




The New Testament: the first five books are Historical, the next 13 are Pauline, and the next nine are general. Pauline is in two parts those letters written to churches, and those written to individuals.




You might find it helpful to print out the following and place it in your Bible.




Tomorrow we will continue with this study.




Recj/LJG













Old Testament

Historical
•Genesis
•Exodus
•Leviticus
•Numbers
•Deuteronomy
•Joshua
•Judges
•Ruth
•1 Samuel
•2 Samuel
•1 Kings
•2 Kings
•1 Chronicles
•2 Chronicles
•Ezra
•Nehemiah
•Esther
•Job
•Psalm
•Proverbs
•Ecclesiastes
•Song of Solomon
•Isaiah
•Jeremiah
•Lamentations
•Ezekiel
•Daniel
•Hosea
•Joel
•Amos
•Obadiah
•Jonah
•Micah
•Nahum
•Habakkuk
•Zephaniah
•Haggai
•Zechariah
•Malachi




New Testament
•Matthew
•Mark
•Luke
•John
•Acts
•Romans
•1 Corinthians
•2 Corinthians
•Galatians
•Ephesians
•Philippians
•Colossians
•1 Thessalonians
•2 Thessalonians
•1 Timothy
•2 Timothy
•Titus
•Philemon
•Hebrews
•James
•1 Peter
•2 Peter
•1 John
•2 John
•3 John
•Jude
•Revelation