Often we just assume we know all these facts about the Bible but the reality is, they aren’t taught very often!
Even if we were taught them at one time, we all know that review is helpful—especially when it comes to our faith! So here is a quick review of some basic Bible facts we should all learn.
The Breakdown of the Bible
The Bible:
The Bible was written by God through man. This means that every word written in the Bible was inspired by God. (2 Timothy 3:16). In addition, the Bible is alive and active and able to work in your heart and mind as you continue to read it. (Hebrews 4:12)
Old Testament:
The first 39 books of the Bible are called the Old Testament. These 39 books are full of wisdom, history, the law, and prophecy pointing towards the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ,
New Testament:
The last 27 books of the Bible are called the New Testament. They begin with the birth of Christ and end with the book of Revelation, a prophecy book about the 2nd coming of Christ.
The Torah or Law:
These are the first 5 books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Torah describes the beginning of time and establishes the creation of God’s people, the Israelites. In addition, these first 5 books set the foundation for a relationship with God throughout the rest of the Bible.
The Gospels:
The first 4 books of the New Testament are called the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John all tell the story of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. These books focus on Christ.
Why is it important to know these terms?
The Bible is one big story:
The Bible is not merely a bunch of random books put into a random order. Rather, the Bible is one big story from start to finish. When we begin to read the Bible as one big story, we can begin to understand more about who God is and what we are reading.
The Bible is primarily a book about God.
The primary purpose of the Bible is to reveal God and his plans. When we understand the Bible is one big story and we begin to see God as the main character in the story, our understanding of God’s Word increases. As a result, we are able to correctly apply the truths His Word reveals.
The Bible reveals a pattern for our relationship with God.
Starting in Genesis, we see repentance and faith are the two requirements for a relationship with God. Read Hebrews chapter 11 and discover all the people throughout the Old Testament who needed to repent and live by faith in order to follow God. In addition, this idea continues through the New Testament as Jesus calls people to repent and believe. Throughout all of history, repentance and faith have been the driving factors for a relationship with God.
Understanding this basic breakdown of God’s Word is important as you continue to read your Bible and get to know God better. Are there other questions you’re wondering about though? Drop a question in the comment below and I will answer them as they get posted!
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