Key Verse:

John 20:31

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. 

Introduction:

Why is the Bible the greatest work of literature, history and theology ever written? Why has it been constantly the world’s best-selling non-fiction book and the most widely distributed book? Why did Tyndale hazard his life in 1526 to translate the Bible into English and was put to death for his efforts? In what way is the Bible different from other books?

1.What is the Word of God about?

• The Author and message

- God is Author...thus saith the Lord... about 3,800 times

- it is God’s message to communicate with man

• The central theme is Jesus Christ

• The complete story of the world from beginning to end

• The structure of the Bible

- 39 Old Testament books (law 5, history 12, poetry 5, prophecy 17)

- 27 New Testament books (history 5, epistles 21, prophecy 1)

2. Purposes of the Bible

a) What it does

• it is powerful, exposes man’s inner hearts Hebrews 4:12
• pure, revives man’s soul with new life Psalm 19:7-11
• permanent, incorruptible, never to pass away Matthew 5:18

b) Purposes of God’s Word

• to lead us to have eternal life John 20:31
• to return us to relationship with God, to know Him John 17:8
• to reveal truth in a world of fake news Psalm 119:89
• as lamp, gives direction, so we do not stumble Psalm 119:105
• as mirror, exposes sin James 1:23,24
• as food, feeds soul and spirit, unlike physical food Matthew 4:4
• as cleanser, cleans us when we remain in Christ John 15:3,4

3b) Have a bird’s eye-view of the Bible

1.Genesis: God the Creator launches the beginnings, elects people

2.Exodus: God redeems His people because of grace (starting out faith)

3.Leviticus: He sanctifies His people because He is holy

4. Numbers: He leads them because He is trustworthy (going on faith); portrait of Christ (bronze serpent, crucifixion Numbers 21:4-9)

5.Deuteronomy: Conditions for the blessings Beware lest you forget

• reminder to hear His instructions (listen 50 times)
• to keep it (177 times)
•  to remember that it is out of love (21 times) that He commanded
• remember the past

- their deliverance and judgement on their unbelief - His rule, our duties

- cursings and blessings

6.Joshua: Possessing the land, journey of faith- entering, conquering, occupying the land

7. Judges: ... when all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.Judges 2:10

7 cycles of oppression and deliverance because they were disobedient to God and compromised their faith.

8.Ruth: Kinsmen - Redeemer

• Naomi’s bitterness turned to pleasantness
• Ruth’s loyalty... your God shall be my God ... Ruth 1:16

9-14 Samuel, Kings, Chronicles (6 books) (Samuel, Saul, David)

• Saul, rejected when he disobeyed God’s commands, started well, finished badly• David a man after God’s heart; accepted by God.