Old Testament Major Prophets – 5 Books

From Isaiah through the end of the Old Testament, there is a section of Scripture called prophecy. The first 5 of these books are categorized as the Major Prophets. I’m sure there are many good reasons for these designations, but for our purpose of familiarizing ourselves with the books of the Bible in their order, we’ll keep it simple. They are longer than the writings of the Minor Prophets. Major by virtue of sheer bulk. Not more important, but perhaps more familiar to most Bible students; especially Isaiah.  All of them contain important scripture. These men spoke God’s Word to a nation that was descending into pagan rebellion. They proclaimed warnings about what will happen to such a nation, because of its own negative volition to God’s standards and its ingratitude for God’s grace provision. The kingdom had split into two: Northern--Israel (10 tribes), and Southern--Judah (2 tribes). Both  kingdoms were under constant threat of annihilation by neighboring heathen nations. Israel’s and Judah’s only hope of security was to maintain their close relationship with God. Seems they were more interested in pleasure and pride than in securing their national future by obedience to their creator and redeemer.

Qualifications of God’s prophet: Deuteronomy 18:20-22

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’—when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

These men predicted local events for the immediate future, as well as events with distant future application. The fulfillment of the near and local predictions gave credibility to the prophet’s whole message. If his local pronouncements didn’t occur, he was labeled a false prophet. There are no messages of false prophets in the inspired scriptures. Hundreds of prophecies by these men have been fulfilled literally. Therefore we know that the long-term future prophecies will also come to pass, just as they have predicted.

“Their message….was not one of doom and gloom alone, for they saw the Day of the Lord and the glory to follow. All of them looked through the darkness to the dawn of a new day.” J. Vernon McGee

Isaiah – Book of God’s Servant. His ministry took place during some extremely dark days in Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel was carried away into captivity by Assyria during this period. The kings of Judah during Isaiah’s time were Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. That gives us the historical perspective. Isaiah’s prophecies concern God’s Justice in chapters 1-35. Chapters 36-39 are historic and deal with a time when the seat of world power was changing from Assyria to Babylon. Chapters 40-66 reveal to us the Savior, the Redeemer Who is coming to Zion.

As Isaiah saw national destruction coming, he warned of it and also made reference to God’ remnant:
If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. Isaiah 1:9

Isaiah is the one who told us about Satan’s 5 “I wills” of pride that got him tossed from God’s throne room. Isaiah 14:13-14 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God. I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’

Very early on, however, in Isaiah 7:14, the prophet told of the coming supernatural virgin birth of God’s Own Son, Immanuel. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Then, in all of chapter 53 Isaiah presents the gospel message, having this statement of propitiation in vss 10-11…Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Jeremiah – Book of Impending Judgment. Jeremiah’s ministry began about 60 years after Isaiah’s death. Contemporaries of his whole span of work were Zephaniah, Habakkuk and Daniel. God made it clear to Jeremiah when he called him to service that He had been preparing Jeremiah’s soul from eternity past for this very work. Jeremiah 1:5 - “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah’s ministry was to be an intense one, verse 7: But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.” No excuses, Jeremiah. I prepared you, I consecrated you, I send you. I’ll tell you what to say, you say it. Simple instructions for a burdensome job. Jeremiah spoke God’s words to the people, alright, and they didn’t want to hear those words. They hated Jeremiah for speaking those words of judgment to them. He became frustrated and wanted to just walk away from it. Chapter 20:9 - If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name, there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.” His responsibility, his compulsion was to deliver the message. The message was rejected. 

Jeremiah 7:16 “As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you.” No one can or should interfere with God’s chastening. These rebels were practicing idolatry all the while they called themselves the children of God. Sound familiar? “Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. And they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.” Vss 17-18 

Jeremiah prophesied disaster and destruction, and he also prophesied restoration and refreshment for God’s remnant, who would be carried away captive into Babylon “for their good,” chapter 24:5. Jeremiah’s prophecies and proclamations make it clear that the discipline of God’s disobedient people was by God’s design, for God’ purpose and for the people’s good. His message broke his own heart. He not only prophesied, but also experienced, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity.

Even as the horrendous events were destroying Judah, God was promising them a return to peace and prosperity under His tender care. Jeremiah 33:3,7 “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” “I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and rebuild them as they were at first.” 14-16 “I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah…..I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.”

Lamentations – Book of Mourning. This is also considered a book of poetry, but it is Jeremiah’s lament, and follows his prophecy. It is Jeremiah’s hymn of heartbreak; dirge of desolation; account of agony.  Jerusalem had been destroyed and the remnant were carried away captive. Jeremiah was among them. The closest we can come to envisioning this is the film footage we’ve seen of the holocaust from WW2.

Chapter 1:1 She who was a princess among the provinces has become a slave. 1:2 she has none to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies. 1:3 Judah has gone into exile because of affliction and hard servitude; she dwells now among the nations, but finds no resting place; 1:8 Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns her face away. 1:9  Her uncleanness was in her skirts; she took no thought of her future; therefore her fall is terrible; she has no comforter 1:11 All her people groan as they search for bread; they trade their treasures for food to revive their strength. “Look, O Lord, and see, for I am despised.”

Chapter 5:8 Slaves rule over us; there is none to deliver us from their hand. We get our bread at the peril of our lives, 5:11-12 Women are raped in Zion, young women in the towns of Judah. Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders. 5:21 Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored!  What commentary could a 21^st century American add to this Lament?

Ezekiel – Book of Divine Visions. Ezekiel was a young man when Jerusalem was destroyed and Judah’s remnant was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. While in captivity, Ezekiel’s ministry was to keep reminding the exiles of the disobedience that had brought about God’s judgment on their nation. Jeremiah was an old man, speaking to the remnant who remained in the land. Daniel had been taken captive in the first captivity, about 8 years before Ezekiel’s group. Daniel spoke in the court of the king of Babylon. Ezekiel spoke to the captives who were exiled along the rivers of Babylon.

Before the judgment, during the execution of the judgment, and after the judgment on God’s people, He provided His spokesmen to prophesy, to teach, to exhort and to always give comfort regarding future fulfillment of God’s covenant with Israel.

Ezekiel was the prophet of God’s glory. He experienced amazing visions of the glory of God, beginning in chapter 1 with the four living creatures which represent God, and whose characteristics correspond to those of Jesus Christ as seen in the 4 gospels. They had faces of human, lion, ox and eagle, each of which symbolizes an eternal truth about God. This symbolism is explained in my blog post of October 10, 2011, titled The Gospels. Ezekiel is the prophet who reported the visions of the abominations being committed by the priesthood in the temple, the visions of the cherubim, the vision of the dry bones. He was appointed as God’s watchman on the wall to warn Israel of all the destruction they would incur by their rebellion, all the while they were telling each other “God does not see, He has abandoned us.” (ch. 9:9).

Daniel – Book of Prophecy. Daniel’s life and ministry bridge the entire seventy-year period of Babylonian captivity. Deported to Babylon at the age of sixteen, and handpicked for government service, Daniel becomes God’s prophetic mouthpiece to the Gentile and Jewish world declaring God’s present and eternal purpose. Nine of the twelve chapters in his book revolve around dreams, including God-given visions involving trees, animals, beasts, and images. In both his personal adventures and prophetic visions, Daniel shows God’s guidance, intervention, and power in the affairs of men.

Nelson, Thomas (2006-04-11). Open Bible, NKJV (Kindle Locations 99473-99474). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

The message of the book. The book is the key to all biblical prophecy. Apart from an understanding of the great eschatological disclosures of this book, the entire prophetic program of the Word of God remains sealed. Jesus’ great Olivet Discourse (Mt 24-25; Mk 13; Lk 21), as well as 2 Thess 2 and the entire book of Revelation, can be unlocked only through an understanding of the prophecies of Daniel. The great themes of NT prophecy, the manifestation of the Antichrist (the man of sin), the Great Tribulation, the second advent of Messiah, the times of the Gentiles, and the resurrections and judgments are all treated in Daniel.

Unger, Merrill F.; Unger, Merrill F. F. (2005-04-01). The New Unger's Bible Handbook (Kindle Locations 9190-9194). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

In Daniel we have close, personal accounts of his life in the courts of Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel had the gift of interpretation of dreams, and some of Neb’s dreams were quite prophetic. This is the book that tells of the 3 young Jewish men who were thrown in the fiery furnace, Daniel’s night in the lions’ den, the colossal image of the kingdoms of world history; and in chapter 9, the revelation of the 70 weeks, which show a definite time period allotted to Israel on earth, which has been interrupted by the Church age.

Daniel 12:1-4 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Old Testament Books of Poetry - 5 Books

The term poetry does not refer to imaginative, entertaining or rhythmic writings, but has to do with the form of the content. Other ancient literary examples of poetry are The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer. Conversational tone and repetition of ideas characterize poetic writings.

Job, the book of Undeserved Suffering, is thought to be the earliest writing of the Bible. There is no reference to the Mosaic Law, so it predates Exodus. It highlights the ongoing controversy between God and Satan which we call the angelic conflict. It is troubling to read, because of the undeserved, intense suffering in time of a man God has declared perfect (complete, mature) and upright (righteous)—Job 1:8. Satan smarted off that Job was faithful only because God kept him protected (hedged about) from the world’s pressures. Satan then was allowed to put pressure on Job; everything short of killing him. God knew his man, but Satan didn’t. I believe Job really didn’t, either, until he had endured the test. But Job knew God! Much like Abraham, Job knew that whatever happened, God would never change, and that what God had promised He would produce. He knew that God had given him everything and God had the authority to take it all back. Job 1:21 “And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” He knew that Sovereign God “stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing.” Job 26:7. Think about that! He knew, because Jesus Christ told him in 38:7 “the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy” at the creation of the earth. Job knew Jesus Christ as his eternal Savior, and even in his deepest distress, he wanted to leave a lasting witness to the world. Job 19:23-26:

Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

Job was a mature believer in Jesus Christ before the testings began, and he was a severely chastened and even more humbled mature believer in Jesus Christ after the testings were over. Throughout it all, he knew his sufferings were undeserved and that God had a purpose in the unspeakable adversities He was allowing His servant, Job, to endure. Even when he was reeling from the shock of loss; even when he was writhing in pain and wishing for death, Job never lost his faith in his Sovereign Savior. The book of Job is not about the suffering, it is about the response of a mature believer to the suffering.

Psalms, the book of Praise. Several writers contributed their inspired writings, but David is the predominant author of these poems of experiential blessings, sufferings, victories, dejection, elation, remorse, unconditional love, deep devotion, thanksgiving and total trust in the faithfulness of God.

The pattern of 5 is evident in the Psalms, as it is in the Old Testament. There is a section of Psalms which corresponds to the events of Genesis, about Man: Psalms 1-41; Exodus, about Israel: Psalms 42-72; Leviticus, about the Sanctuary: Psalms 73-89; Numbers, about Earth: Psalms 90-106; Deuteronomy, about the Word: Psalms 107-150

There is nothing haphazard about the arrangement of the book of Psalms. We could spend the rest of our lives on this topic alone. They are organized in a fascinating system. They are believed to have been set to music and sung in the worship service. There are churches even today that use no music except the Psalms in their worship. There are  23 or more studies of the Psalms archived in this blog beginning May 7, 2012.

Proverbs, the book of Wisdom. Recorded by Solomon, but not all originally written by him. Quote from J. Vernon McGee’s outline: “Proverbs are short sentences, drawn from long experience.” They are designed to advise a young man about his personal choices in life; which ones will be good and beneficial for his spiritual growth and which ones will be destructive. They are pointed and pithy, and the older we grow, the more we realize the truth in these statements.

Key verse: Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
My personal favorite: Proverbs 14:7 “Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge.” Remember the definition of a fool: he despises wisdom and instruction. Therefore, he will not only reject your wisdom, but will do everything he can to distract you from it.

I learned years ago from my favorite Southern Baptist preacher (my son), that since there are 31 chapters of Proverbs, we can read one chapter a day every month for guidance in life. I like that plan. It is a comforting practice to cultivate.

Ecclesiastes, the book of Human Viewpoint. Solomon started strong, using his great, godly wisdom to rule his nation. God blessed him abundantly with not only the wisdom he had asked for, but also with great discernment, good values, and a sense of purpose and destiny in life. That is divine viewpoint. He loved and worshipped the Lord, whom he recognized and honored in all he did. He also acquired even more riches than he had inherited from his father, David. Then Solomon began to acquire wives, plural, from all parts of the world. Partly because of an out of control lust pattern, but largely for political purposes, he married many women. Many pagan women. They brought their trousseaux, their delicacies, their entourages and their gods into the kingdom which Solomon ruled. Big mistake, Solomon. When one wallows with unbelievers, one loses one’s keen identity of soul. Such a one becomes cynical, depressed, sour on the world, negligent and unresponsive to God’s Word. That’s when human viewpoint sets in. We revert to natural man, who doesn’t even understand the things of the Spirit of God, for they are spiritually discerned (I Corinthians 2:14 states the principle). Not loss of salvation. Loss of fellowship with Jesus Christ. No identification, no spiritual production in life. Boredom. Restlessness. Aimless busy-ness.

That is the subject of Ecclesiastes. He calls himself the Preacher. It means lecturer. He’s world-weary and ready to impart his experienced knowledge to his subjects. And the world is what he knows, since he has dulled his spiritual understanding by self-indulgence. He’s thinking like an unbeliever. It’s a pretty tiresome outlook. Emptiness.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-4 “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.”

Solomon eventually did recover fellowship, though, and shared the correct answer to all his own cynical questions: “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. Well, at least he remembered Who is in charge. 

Song of Solomon, the book of Marital Love is actually a portrait of the bond between Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, and His Church, the Shulamite Woman. She is poor and seems common, but the Shepherd loves her. As human life finds its highest fulfillment in the love of man and woman, so spiritual life finds its highest fulfillment in the love of God for His people and Christ for His church. The Shepherd Lover turns out to be King Solomon, who can rescue the Shulamite from her drudgery and make her his beloved queen forever.

This book illustrates the real significance of human marriage. In marriage, one woman submits herself physically and emotionally to one man, for life. In marriage, one man gives his life, strength, provision and protection to one woman for life. He initiates, she responds. He fulfills her, she completes him. They become one flesh. This happens spiritually in their soul relationship to one another. It happens physically in their production of children, whose bodies are a blend of both parents’ DNA. This explains the sacredness of marriage. It is not a convenience, it is a living entity. Knowing that and honoring that truth will positively affect your marriage. This is God’s gift to humanity, to teach us His commitment to us.

When we believe in Jesus Christ’s finished Work, we become one with Him. He has given Himself for us. We have received Him into ourselves. We are IN HIM. We are what He is. Our production is His production. This is intimacy which cannot be adequately explained by language. Human marriage, in the Biblical model, explains it, like Jesus in His incarnation explained the Person of God (John 1:18).

Song of Solomon 2:4 “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

Song of Solomon 6:3 “I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine…”

Song of Solomon 8:6 "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm,
for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave."

National Rebellion

Josiah was a good king, and tried to get the nation back on track with God's Word, but after his reign, there was a succession of evil kings in Judah who had no regard for God or His Word. This attitude has certain consequences, which the Lord had repeatedly warned His people about.

"The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged. He gave them all into his hand.....And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its palaces with fire and destroyed all its precious vessels. He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons..." 2 Chronicles 36:15-20

Our loving Lord is gracious and longsuffering. He will, however, allow the mockers and scoffers who despise His words to destroy themselves by their own negative volition. The result is not pretty, for the individual or for the nation who consistently reject the truth of God’s Word. 

Blessings, Thorns and Discipline

“And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed." Joshua 23:14

This verse stands between 13, in which Joshua tells the people that God will no longer drive out the heathen, but will allow them to remain as "a snare, a trap, a whip and thorns in your eyes," (just in case we wonder why such evil continues)...and verse 15, where Joshua reminds God's people, the Jews, that even as God has faithfully fulfilled all the good things He promised them, He will also fulfill the judgments He has pronounced against them for continued disobedience to His direct will. This is not eternal damnation; it is divine discipline of God's own children.

This is why we need to be familiar with ALL the Bible. We believers will take verse 14, soar with it and quote it to others with great zeal, because we know and appreciate the truth of that statement. We must not, however, ignore the Justice of God. In His Justice He protects and provides for His children. In His Justice He also disciplines His own. In the history of Israel we can see these principles clearly. God's Justice is always fair and God's Justice never fails.

See also The Doctrine of Thorns, posted May 24, 2012 

Old Testament History – 12 Books

When teaching children or anyone to memorize the books of the Bible, it helps to establish a cadence. I divided the books of history into 3 lines of titles. We “chanted” these names, rhythmically, until they would roll off our tongues like a song:

Joshua, Judges, Ruth !

1st & 2nd Samuel, 1st & 2nd Kings, 1st & 2nd Chronicles !

Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther !

These books tell of the Nation Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land, and their struggles to establish order among themselves while fending off the enemies all around them.

Joshua tells the story of the conquest of Canaan and its division among the twelve tribes of Israel, under Joshua’s strong and faithful leadership. Joshua was an obedient man who had survived the disciplinary wanderings in the desert after Israel failed to believe God for victory in Canaan. He was one of the spies who was optimistic about their ability to take the land, because God was leading them to do so. Moses had groomed Joshua to be Moses’ own successor when it became clear that Moses, himself, would not be allowed to enter the land. The book of Joshua is the sixth book of the Old Testament and the first of the books of history. A favorite quote is from Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Lesson: victory comes through faith in God and obedience to His word, rather than through military might or numerical superiority. Joshua’s name means salvation and is symbolic of the fact that, although he is the leader of the Israelite nation during the conquest, the Lord is the Conqueror.

Judges , the book of failure, stands in stark contrast to Joshua. In Joshua an obedient people conquered the land through trust in the power of God. In Judges, however, a disobedient and idolatrous people are defeated time and time again because of their rebellion against God. In seven distinct cycles of sin to salvation, Judges shows how Israel had set aside God’s law and in its place substituted “what was right in his own eyes” (21:25). The recurring result of abandonment from God’s law is corruption from within and oppression from without. During the nearly four centuries spanned by this book, God raises up military champions to throw off the yoke of bondage and to restore the nation to pure worship. But all too soon the “sin cycle” begins again as the nation’s spiritual temperature grows steadily colder.The Hebrew title is Shophetim, meaning “judges, ” “rulers, ” “deliverers, ” or “saviors.” Shophet not only carries the idea of maintaining justice and settling disputes, but it is also used to mean “liberating” and “delivering.” First the judges deliver the people; then they rule and administer justice. The Septuagint used the Greek equivalent of this word, Kritai (“Judges”). The Latin Vulgate called it Liber Judicum, the “Book of Judges.”

 Ruth, the book of redemption is a cameo story of love, devotion, and redemption set in the grim context of the days of the judges. It is the story of a Moabite woman who forsakes her pagan heritage in order to cling to the people of Israel and to the God of Israel. Because of her faithfulness in a time of national faithlessness, God rewards her by giving her a new husband (Boaz), a son (Obed), and a privileged position in the lineage of David and Christ (she is the great-grandmother of David).

Nelson, Thomas (2006-04-11). Open Bible, NKJV (Kindle Location 61608). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

1 and 2 Samuel  were originally one book of transition. Samuel was the last judge and the first prophet of Israel. It was he of whom the Israelites demanded a king to be “like the other nations” (!). Therefore, God allowed Samuel to anoint the first king of Israel, Saul. Saul was an outwardly decent man, but in reality he was disobedient to the direct will of God. Samuel also anointed David the shepherd boy to be Saul’s eventual successor to the throne of Israel. David was sensitive to God’s will and mostly obedient, though very contrite when he sometimes lapsed into sin and had to deal with sin’s consequences on himself, his family and the nation. David was a great leader and beloved king, “a man after God’s heart.” His reign set the standard for kings of Israel.

1 and 2 Kings also started as one book of disruption and captivity, which was later divided. 1 Kings tells of the life and reign of Solomon, David’s son who started really well but descended into political correctness through the idolatry of his pagan wives. During this period, the kingdom became split into northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) divisions. For the next century, the Book of 1 Kings traces the twin histories of two sets of kings and two nations of disobedient people who were growing indifferent to God’s prophets and precepts. Nineteen consecutive evil kings ruled in Israel, leading to the captivity by Assyria. The picture was somewhat brighter in Judah, where godly kings occasionally emerged to reform the evils of their predecessors. In the end, however, sin outweighed righteousness and Judah was marched off to Babylon.

1 and 2 Chronicles, the book of hope. Originally one book. Covers the same period of Jewish history described in 2 Samuel through 2 Kings, but the perspective is different. 2 Samuel and Kings tell of the political history of Israel. Chronicles presents a spiritual history of David’s dynasty. Chronicles focuses on those kings who pattern their lives and reigns after the life and reign of godly King David. The temple and temple worship, central throughout the book, befit a nation whose worship of God is central to its very survival. The book begins with Solomon’s glorious temple and concludes with Cyrus’s edict to rebuild the temple more than four hundred years later.

Nelson, Thomas (2006-04-11). Open Bible, NKJV (Kindle Locations 70606-70608). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

Ezra, the book of return. After 70 years of captivity in Babylon, a remnant of God’s people were allowed to leave. Ezra relates the story of two returns from Babylon—the first led by Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple (1–6) and the second under the leadership of Ezra to rebuild the spiritual condition of the people (7–10). Sandwiched between these two accounts is a gap of nearly six decades, during which Esther lived and ruled as queen in Persia. Ezra and Nehemiah were originally bound together as one book because Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah were viewed as one continuous history.

Nehemiah, the book of rebuilding. Nehemiah, contemporary of Ezra and cupbearer to the king in the Persian palace, led the third and last return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. Nehemiah challenged his countrymen to arise and rebuild the shattered wall of Jerusalem. In spite of opposition from without and abuse from within, the task was completed in only fifty-two days, a feat even the enemies of Israel must attribute to God’s enabling. By contrast, the task of reviving and reforming the people of God within the rebuilt wall demanded years of Nehemiah’s godly life and leadership.

Esther, the book of preservation. Esther’s story gives evidence that God’s provision is perfect, and that any believer in God can and will be His instrument to achieve His will for His people. The Jews who chose to remain in Persia rather than return to their own land, did so at great risk. They came under the oppression of extreme anti-Semitism and were about to be destroyed. Chapter 3:13 “…letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.” Esther had become queen. She was in the right place at the right time to have maximum influence on the King of Persia, the man with authority to overrule the wicked plot of his political machine. At the urging of her uncle Mordecai, Esther intervened for her people and risked her own life to arouse the king’s attention to the evil plot against them. “…when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.” Esther 9:25.

These historical books of Israel are full of exciting and colorful accounts of God’s people as they learned to relate to God and to each other while defending their nation against the hostile world. Being human, the majority repeatedly failed to uphold God’s standards. Being God, He maintained steadfast faithfulness to them through all circumstances. God always has a right man for the job. The stories are presented chronologically, with some overlap, so there is a definite flow to the narrative as we study them. Learning bits and pieces, promises and principles as we study Bible doctrine is a very good thing. We need the  foundational truths and the frame of reference to build upon as we grow. At some point, however, we need to develop an overview of the entire story, and we must train ourselves to locate in short order the scriptures that tell us this story.

That is called Bible Skills.

The Pentateauch

Pentateauch means 5 (penta) scroll cases (teuchos) and is the Latin term for the first 5 books of the Bible. The Hebrew term is Torah, meaning instruction or law. These are not words found in scripture, but words used by students and teachers of scripture to define a category of scriptural writings. Remember our associational tags for the Old Testament: 5 and 12. The Pentateauch is our first group of 5. Moses wrote these books, which record the creation of all things, the beginnings and fall of the human race, and God’s earliest dealings with His people in the earth.

Genesis: book of beginnings. Genesis means beginnings, or origin, of anything. In the first book of the Bible, it tells of the beginning of EVERYTHING. Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” No explanation, no speculation. This is what happened. This is Who did it. Genesis also tells us of the first water, plants, animals, and God’s crowning creation: the first man. Then came the first sin, the first murder, and in chapter 3, the first promise of a Savior; to be born of woman, the first sinner.

Many momentous events occurred in the early centuries of human history, which have affected the lives of all of us since that time. In Genesis we find Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, the great flood, the Tower of Babel, Abraham, Lot, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the births of Ismael and Isaac, the Mt. Moriah experience, where God provided for Himself a Lamb. Isaac’s sons Jacob and Esau had a lifelong blood-feud. When Jacob encountered Jesus Christ up close and personal, and knew Him as Lord, his name was changed to Israel. Israel means Soldier of God. Israel and his sons spent 400 years in Egypt, first as guests of Pharaoh, then as his slaves.

In the final few verses of Genesis 50, Israel’s favorite son Joseph, who had been responsible for the protective care of his family in Egypt for many years, realized he was dying. He made his brothers promise not to bury him in Egypt, but to keep his body above ground. Genesis 50:25-26 “And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.”

That was an important agreement, for as we move into the book of Exodus, we see the political climate in Egypt change against the Children of Israel. The Pharaoh became extremely bigoted against this people, because he saw them as a rapidly multiplying threat to his kingdom.

Exodus: book of departure. Exodus means “going out, marching out (in droves, as we modern Americans would say). This didn’t happen immediately after Joseph died, but the ruler of Egypt gradually turned against the Hebrews and made life as hard for them as possible. He even commanded the slaughter of all Israelite boy babies. That’s why Moses’ parents hid him in the bulrushes, where Pharaoh’s daughter found the infant and took him for her own. As Moses grew up, however, he identified with his Hebrew brethren to the point of killing an Egyptian who was abusing a Jew, and he fled into the desert to avoid Pharaoh’s punishment. Having grown up a member of that royal family, this was a drastic turn in Moses’ life. The whole book of Exodus deals with this story of Moses, his encounter with God at the burning bush, his commission from God to go back to Egypt and “bring forth my people the Children of Israel out of Egypt” Exodus 3:10. “Who are You, Lord?” They will demand to know your name. “I AM THAT I AM.”  Perfect, absolute existence. The source of all creation.

Moses’ task was not easy, but he followed through, and after a long, difficult conflict with Pharaoh as well as the Children of Israel (they were always obstinate), the plagues took their toll and Pharaoh ordered them to leave. They left, but their struggles and rebellions were by no means over. When they arrived at Sinai (Exodus 19-20), God called Moses up into the mountain and gave him the ten commandments also called the Decalogue, which would be the basis for the intricate laws God would give to His people as they began to build a nation and learn His standards.

Exodus ends with Moses and the Children of Israel following God’s instruction to set up a tabernacle for worship in the wilderness, make an ark to contain the symbols of God’s covenant and man’s failure, establishing the Aaronic priesthood, and the pillar of fire/smoke leading them through the desert in their journey toward the Promised Land. They also had the bones of Joseph with them on that journey. Those bones had represented their hope of redemption for generations. Now their redemption from Egypt was a reality, and where they went, Joseph's bones would also go. They did not yet have a written Bible, so Joseph's bones, as well as the Ark of the Covenant and its contents served as teaching tools for the generations as they journeyed through the unfamiliar desert to the land of promise.

Leviticus: book of the Levites is the part of the Pentateuch dealing with the function of the priests who were of the tribe of Levi (a portion of the tribe acted as assistants to the priests in the temple-worship). The Hebrew title is Torath Kohanim, literally "the law of the priests." 27 chapters on law and regulations for civilized life as the People of God. This is the portion of scripture that unbelievers seem to be most rebellious against, when they choose to spew their contempt for God and His Word and His people. God’s people were coming out of demonic paganism and had no idea how to order their lives or establish a nation. These laws spell out God’s expectations, provisions and protection of His people. This is important history for us to learn. Since the propitiation of Jesus Christ, we are not under the Law of Moses, but the principles of right and wrong as a way of life do not change. Principles do not change, but grace covers.  “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” Matthew 5:17.

Numbers: book of the census of Israel. The tribes were numbered and given their assignments in the nation. 36 chapters of regulation and training to respect God’s authority as well as the delegated authority of His spokesman, Moses. Rejection of authority brought swift justice on the usurpers, including Aaron and Miriam, Moses’ own siblings and fellow leaders of Israel.

Deuteronomy: second law. The book is a repetition, with comments, of the Decalogue and most of the laws of Exodus. It also records the death of Moses in chapter 34: 5-7,10  "So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated...And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face..." It isn't likely that Moses wrote of his own death, so scholars believe Joshua probably wrote this part of Deuteronomy.

So there we have the first 5 books of the Bible; the Pentateauch, or the 5 scroll cases, of Moses. We have identifying numbers, names and historical events to associate with these books. As we study them in more detail, we’ll amass even more fascinating facts about them.

Now, isn’t this fun?

Sixty-Six

The Gospel of John chapter 1 verse 1 tells us the Word of God was with God and was God from eternity past. It is this supernatural Word, or Logos…the actual expression of God’s thoughts, that took human form and came to live among mankind for the purpose of bringing us into the Family of God.

Before He came, there had been many hundreds of years in which God communicated His thoughts to certain selected men, who recorded the words they were given in scrolls which were preserved for the ages. By about 300 BC, all the Old Testament scriptures had been collected and recognized as canonical (accepted as authoritative). There are 39 of those books.

After Jesus came, lived His perfect life, died for our sins, was resurrected and ascended, His Church began to receive scripture through men chosen by the Holy Spirit to write the New Testament. Those writings were completed about 96 AD, when the apostle John finished writing The Revelation. In 397 AD, the Third Council of Carthage (early Church fathers) approved the 27 books that make up the New Testament.

Those of us who love the Bible and want to be familiar with all of it find early on that we need to understand the makeup of it; who wrote what, when, and how it is organized in the canon. As we study and grow toward spiritual maturity, we need a mental picture; a “feel” for the order of the books, their positions in human history and their relationship to the other books, for cross-referencing and panorama. The words of God recorded in the Bible are inspired (God-breathed, 2 Timothy 2:16). To comprehend their meaning and importance, we must be enabled by the Holy Spirit. We receive Him at salvation and continue in His tutelage through keeping in fellowship with Christ by means of 1 John 1:9. There are also mechanics to learn, which help us to keep the doctrines organized in our minds, what the Bible calls “hearts,” cardia - the thinking part of our souls). Another term for categorical doctrine is systematic theology. Both terms mean learning by categories, precept upon precept, line upon line; comparing scripture with scripture; building doctrine upon doctrine (Isaiah 28:10). 

Important to all these systematics and Bible comprehension is our ability to navigate the printed scriptures. We learn the stories of creation, the fall, the promise of redemption, the fulfillment of Jesus Christ, the birth of the Church, the doctrines of future things, sometimes without having a fix on where they are taught in the Bible. Learning our way around the scriptures is really not hard to do, but it may not be stressed enough in our congregations as we study together. Certainly, we must learn to use this skill as we study alone.

There is a pattern to the way the books of the Bible are arranged. Just seeing that pattern in the table of contents helps us to get our minds organized for study. Learning the repetition of certain numbers helps us to recall the arrangement of books. Remember 5 and 12. I would not hazard a guess as to why, but there are 5 sections of Old Testament books grouped by 5 and 12.

5 books of Law; also called the Pentateuch and the Torah; also called the books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. They actually teach the beginning history of mankind and of Israel.

12 books of History; dealing with Israel in the promised land and their periods of obedience and rebellion: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.

5 books of Poetry; Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. These books portray an intimate relationship between the believer and God, and how that relationship can become dulled as in Ecclesiastes by the believer’s worldly distractions.

5 Major Prophets; warnings of discipline to a people in rebellion and promises of a coming Savior. Called “major” because of the length of the books and the apparent prominence of the prophets quoted. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel.

12 Minor Prophets; smaller books, though quite intense prophecies regarding near and future things to come for Israel. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

There was a 400 year gap between the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, and the time of Christ’s incarnation, told of in the gospels. By the time Jesus started to preach openly, at age 33, His people the Jews had received nothing for centuries but traditional religion from the Pharisees and Sadducees; formalities and distortions that had been crafted by men to try and control men. "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men....they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 15:8-9,14

How hungry they must have been for God’s own truth! Jesus dished out God's truth, and many of the common Jews believed and followed Him. A few of the more prominent Jews did, too, but the religionists hated Him for disturbing their domain, so they plotted against Him until His crucifixion, which served to sacrifice the Lamb of God, taking away our sins.

The pattern of the 6 sections in the New Testament is not quite as numerically neat, but very sensible, nevertheless. The first 4 books are the ones labeled “Gospel,” which literally means “good news.” The good news, of course, is that the Messiah has come. Our sins are paid for in full, and all who believe will receive eternal life. Those 4 books tell the story of the unique birth of God’s perfect Son, and His fulfillment of His mission in the earth.

The Gospels: Matthew shows us Jesus as the legitimate King of the Jews, beginning with His royal lineage through David. Mark tells us of Jesus, the Servant Son, and seems directed toward Romans, who were the rulers of the known world at that time. Luke, the Gentile physician, analyzes Jesus as the Son of Man, a concept Greeks could appreciate. John gives us Jesus, the Word Incarnate. Eternal God in human flesh.

There is no contradiction in the Gospels! Each of these writers was chosen to portray Jesus from his perspective, to give us the picture of the complete God-Man. These 4 Gospels also correspond to the 4 living creatures which were seen in heaven by Ezekiel in chapters 1-3. Those angelic beings had the faces of a lion (king), an ox (servant), a man, and an eagle (authority of God). So, even over the thousands of years, the ebb and flow of history, the progression of mankind; God’s Word is self-supporting, self-interpreting, timeless and powerful.

After Jesus ascended back to heaven and the Holy Spirit came upon His Church, the apostles of the Church began to teach doctrine and write epistles to the Churches they pastored.

History: The Acts of the Apostles, written by Luke; the only book of New Testament History, tells of the missions and ministries of the earliest Christians after the Lord had ascended. That is where we find the story of Saul’s conversion in chapter 9, after which he became known as Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. After his initiation and 3 years of intense doctrinal training (Galatians 1:17-19), Paul began to preach and to write what the Holy Spirit wanted the Churches to understand about Christianity and the Lord they represented. Paul wrote 13 letters to the New Testament Churches. They are known as the Pauline Epistles (letters).

Pauline Epistles:  Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon. He wrote as he served among the Churches, and he wrote from prison, so the people he was responsible to teach and lead would have the doctrines they needed to grow up.

Better Things: The epistle to the Hebrews is a stand-alone epistle, because there is no authorship given of this book. In it, the author stresses the better things of Christ.

General Epistles: The last 7 New Testament epistles are known as the General Epistles, written by different apostles to their congregations: James, 1&2 Peter, 1,2&3 John, Jude. Very meaty material in very small packages that came to be shared with all Christians. 

Prophecy: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, the final book of the Bible, is the only book of New Testament Prophecy. It was written by a very old Apostle John, in exile on the Isle of Patmos.

These 66 wonderful books have been preserved, translated, printed, bound, and distributed to all mankind for hundreds of years, so we never have to wonder who God is, or what He wants from us, or what He has done for us. We have His perfect plan in writing, and there is nothing more important to have in this life.

Matthew 4:4 (Jesus speaking)”….It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Acts 20:27-28 (Paul speaking) "...I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood."