Bible Overview: A Simple Introduction to God’s Word

In 2019, Ancestry.com surpassed 15 million customers in its DNA database. According to their blog, “It is a true sign of how deeply important it is for people to connect and learn about their past.” Indeed, something deep inside drives us to discover our roots and understand who we are.

While we can learn a lot from genetic testing, only the Bible reveals our origins, strengths, weaknesses, and divine purpose. Beginning with the Garden of Eden, it surveys thousands of years of history, emphasizing our relationship with Almighty God. Ephesians 1:4 tells us, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes” (NLT). We never need to wonder who we are or how we got here. God’s Word contains the answers to these questions and many more.

God’s Word: Our Shared Story

The first five books of the Bible are known as the Pentateuch (or Torah). From Creation to Israel’s arrival at the Promised Land, they help us understand how sin separated us from God and how quickly the effects of sin spread throughout the world. 

Joshua marks the beginning of twelve historical books which chronicle pivotal events in Israel’s history as a nation. Next, we arrive at the poetic books: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Also known as “wisdom literature,” these books contain poetry and wisdom from the psalmists and King Solomon.

The last seventeen books of the Old Testament are prophetic. They warn the people of Israel that hardship will follow their disobedience. But they also offer hope: God will send a Messiah to rescue His people.

In the New Testament, we find four accounts of the Messiah’s life. These are known as the Gospels, which means “Good News.” Next comes the book of Acts, which describes the birth of the Church. Then, we find 21 instructional letters written by leaders of the Early Church that guide believers and churches through doctrinal issues, worship practices, and more. Finally, the prophetic book of Revelation describes earth’s final days.

The Old Testament: There Are No Good People

The second Friday in January has been dubbed “Quitter’s Day” because research suggests that most people give up their resolutions just days into the year. Millions of people resolve to improve themselves on January 1, but fewer than 8% succeed.

The roots of our predicament run deep. Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world, but still, they wanted more. As the appointed father of the Hebrew nation, Abraham lied about Sarah being his wife. David was a king and a man after God’s heart, but he committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband. The prophet Jonah refused God’s instructions to witness in Nineveh.

We could continue the list, but it would end with you and me. In the words of Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In all of history, there is only One perfect Man, and He is Jesus.

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, we have been striving to restore the perfection humanity once enjoyed. A few souls may manage to hit the gym more often, but not one of us can resolve the problem of evil. Someone has said the Old Testament is a mirror that reveals our sinfulness, while the New Testament is the washcloth that can make us clean.

Studying the Old Testament helps us to understand the New Testament. If we could live sinless lives, we would not need to be set free from the bondage of sin. Christ’s death would be unnecessary. The Old Testament exposes our true nature: “[Our] iniquities have separated [us] from [our] God” (Isaiah 59:2).

Throughout the Old Testament, we find glimpses of God’s plan. In the New Testament, we see the redemptive work of Christ’s death and resurrection in action. As saints of God who wrestle with sinful inclinations, every verse of God’s Word points us back to Him.

The New Testament: God’s Solution for Our Sin Problem

After the last book of the Old Testament was written, Scripture fell silent for four hundred years. This period is called the Intertestamental Period. Alexander the Great defeated the Persians during this prolonged silence, and the Roman Empire began to expand, eventually claiming Judea and Jerusalem. Because of Rome’s occupation, the Jews’ longing for their promised Messiah intensified. He did not come as they expected, but when He came, His arrival changed world history forever.

The word gospel means “Good News.” When we share the Gospel, we share the Good News that Jesus is the Savior of the world and that new life is available through His life, death, and resurrection when we repent and trust in Him as our Savior and Lord. The first four books of the New Testament are commonly called the Gospels because they relate to the life and ministry of Christ.

In the book of Acts, we read how the Early Church took the Gospel to other parts of the world. Later in the New Testament, the epistles teach us how the Gospel impacts our daily life. They teach us how to love and serve God, live in harmony with one another, support the ministry of the Church, and take the Good News of Jesus around the world.

One recurring theme binds the Old and New Testaments together: redemption. This idea of being released from bondage is the prevalent theme of God’s Word and why the Living Word, Jesus Christ, came to earth. Throughout the Old Testament, we find glimpses of God’s redemptive plan. In the New Testament, we behold the redemptive work of Christ’s death and resurrection in action—the Son of God becoming a Man so that He might redeem us from our sin.

As believers, it is our high calling to share this Good News with the lost and dying in our world today: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Bible Overview: A Simple Introduction to God’s Word

Reflection Questions

1. Read Psalm 19:7-11 and Psalm 119:129-136. How do these passages describe God’s Word? What impact can it have on your life?
2. Review the books of the Bible. Could you give a summary of each one? Which ones would you struggle with the most? How will you commit to growing your understanding of these books?
3. Pray. As you commit to journeying through God’s Word, ask Him to guide and bless your time in Scripture.
4. Look up Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; James 5:16; and 1 John 1:9. Based on these verses, what happens when we confess our sins?
5. Some people believe it’s possible to please God by being a good person. Based on Romans 2:15, how would you answer them?
6. Taking responsibility for our actions isn’t easy, but we can do it with three simple words: “I have sinned.” Are you carrying unconfessed sins? Take them to the Lord.
7. Read John 8:31-32; 13:34-35. What are the marks of discipleship? On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate yourself in these areas?
8. Read Ephesians 1:1-14. When did God choose us to be part of His family? List some of the blessings described in this passage that flow from that truth.