Lesson 1: INTRODUCTION
The Bible can be surveyed in several different ways:

1. By studying the lives of the main Bible characters.
2. By studying themes such as “the blood”, “the covenants”, etc.
3. By working out the chronological order of the events.
   a) Also what was happening in the rest of the world to give perspective.
4. By studying each book in order.
5. By studying the history and culture of the peoples.

Other items of note and specific helps include:

1. WHO WERE THE AUTHORS
   Kings and princes, poets and philosophers, prophets, and statesmen, unschooled fishermen, a tax gatherer, etc.
2. PRINCIPLE CHARACTERS Old Testament and New Testament
   A. Principle places
   B. Principle Facts – Old Testament
   C. Principle Periods

III. THE BIBLE – The Bible is one story, one history, His story, the story of Jesus Christ. All through the ages we find the promise of a savior, (Luke 19:10) (Matt. 20:28)

1. The Bible can be read in approximately 80 hours. Please do not dip in here or there, but instead read systematically.
2. No Scripture should be privately interpreted, but Scripture is to interpret Scripture. (2 Peter 1:20) However, the Holy Spirit has promised to lead us into all truth. (John 16:13)
3. The Old Testament is an account of a nation. The New Testament is an account of a Man (the Son of man). The Nation was founded and nurtured by God to be a vehicle to bring The Man into the world. (Genesis 12:1-3).

VII. God became a man so that we might know what to think of when we think of God. (John 1:14; 14:9)
A. His appearance on the earth is the central event of all history. The Old Testament sets the stage. The New Testament describes it.
B. He is not a historical character – dead and gone, but a living Person – the most vital force in the world today.

VIII. The Word
A. It is God given. 2 Tim. 3:10-17
B. It should be treasured. Deut. 11:1-9, Josh. 1:8,9
C. It should be kept. Ps. 119:9-18
D. It is a lamp. Ps. 119:105-117
E. It is food. Isaiah 55:1-11; Matt. 4:4
F. It has been and is being fulfilled. Luke 24:36-45
G. It is complete. Rev. 22:8-21

Therefore, we must systematically study God’s Word. Let us first look at the Word of God as it is organized, to give us a clearer understanding.

THE OLD TESTAMENT – FOUNDATION AND HISTORY OF A PEOPLE

BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

The Old Testament consists of 39 books. In these books we find the history of God’s dealing with a people, and the foundation for the revelation to come in the New Testament. Many scholars have stated that there is no need for the study of the Old Testament since the birth of Christ. They feel that only the Gospels and the Book of Revelation matter, because in their way of reason, the old is “passed away.” This concept is of course absurd. All of God’s Word is precious and significant. Jesus and the Apostles taught from the Old Testament. Our foundation of faith is presented there. Further, we are told in Hebrews that the Old Testament carries the types of things to come. We need to understand the Old Testament to clearly understand the New Testament.

BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

We can begin to reduce the 39 books of the Old Testament into three major divisions: History, Experience and Prophesy. Under these divisions, we have sections of emphasis, which will be further broken down throughout the text. Under history there are 17 books in all. We have sections of Basic Law, consisting of five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy); the nine 9 pre-exile books (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I and II Samuel, I and II Kings, I and II Chronicles). The three post-exile books are Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.

The Experience books reveal the inner life of the heart, teaching us about God’s wisdom and man’s folly, the place and power of praise and worship of our Almighty God, and the futility of self-service ventures. These books also teach how to face suffering. These books include Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. Finally, we see the 17 books of prophesy of which five (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel) are considered major and 12 (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) are referred to as minor prophets.

When studying the Old Testament (or Old Covenant as it is also known) it is important to remember that the books cannot be separated from the people. The Old Testament reveals to us a picture of a people in relationship with their God. From the beginning, God Almighty has been a covenant making and keeping God. He has desired a relationship with a people, the Hebrew people, and the Old Testament chronicles the story of His marvelous dealings with this most remarkable and resilient culture.

While reading the Old Testament it is important to recognize the great love of God for the Hebrews, as well as His absolute demand for holiness. When the people of God obey the commands and kept the covenant of God, prosperity, blessings, health and protection were afforded them. When rebellion entered in, and subsequent sins of idolatry, fornication, etc. decline and eventual punishment ensued. However, lest we sense that God is cruel, we should notice the marvelous promises and fulfillments of promises by God to restore His people.

Finally, the Old Testament was, as is well put by the writer of the book of Hebrews, a type and shadow of things to come. Through our study of the Old Testament, we gain an understanding of God’s dealings in our lives as we apply the types and shadows to our understanding.
Those who would say that the Old Testament is no longer necessary for Godly instruction miss out on the revelation it contains.

THE NEW TESTAMENT: The Revelation of Christ: Redemption Fulfilled

NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY

The New Testament (written in Jesus’ blood…) consists of (27) twenty-seven individual books or letters. In these books can be found the revelation of God’s love for mankind fulfilled in Christ’s death and resurrection. Further, we find the history of Jesus, the Apostles and the early church, as well as the various letters (epistles) of instruction and doctrine necessary for Christian living. In each page one senses the pulsing of God’s love and compassion for all mankind.

As with the Old Testament, it is helpful to reduce the 27 books of the New Testament into categories. For our study, we will divide the New Testament into three divisions.
The first division has to do with the historic foundations of the church and includes the 5 books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Book of Acts). Second and third we see a combination of experience and doctrine broken down further into 9 Christian Church letters (Romans, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians). The four pastoral and personal letters (Titus, I and II Timothy and Philemon) and 9 Hebrew Christian epistles (Hebrews, James, I and II Peter, I, II, and III John, Jude and Revelations. These are arbitrary divisions intended as a help to the study of the New Testament.

As with the Old Testament, systematic study of God’s Word is essential. The student should begin his/her study by reading the word of God with the perspectives outlined in this text. However, it must be recognized that the Holy Spirit is sovereign, and can and will guide into all truth. The student must keep his/her heart open to the Holy Spirit as the study of God’s Word begins.

ERAS———KEY FIGURES———LOCATIONS

Throughout this book the student will find mention of eras, (Time frame), Locations (Geography-where the book was written and where events took place), and Key Figure(s) for that particular book. I have summarized each of them by Old and New Testament.¹ There are three “nines” for the Old Testament and three “threes” for the New Testament as outlined below:

THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE NEW TESTAMENT THREES

30 DAYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE, MAX E. ANDERS