Overview of The Bible ( Part 2 )

The entire Bible can be divided into eight major sections: four in the Old Testament and four in the New Testament.

The Old Testament

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 Law - Foundation for Christ
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History - Preparation for Christ
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Poerty - Aspiration for Christ
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Prophecy - Expectation of Christ
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The New Testament
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Gospel - Manifestation of Christ
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Acts - Propagation of Christ
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Epititels - Interpretation of Christ and Application

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Revelation - Consummation in Christ
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Jesus Is the Theme of Both Testaments

In the Old Testament

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Anticipation of Christ
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He is coming
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He is prophesied
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He is contained
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He is enfolded
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He is in shadow
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He is found in type
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In the New Testament

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Realization of Christ
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He has arrived
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He is present
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He is explained
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He is unfolded
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He is in substance
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He is found in truth
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Jesus in Every Section of the Bible

The Bible is divided into eight major sections: four in the Old and four in the New. In each Old Testament section there is a different direction.

1. Law—Downward Look

There are five books of the Law (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). In these books God moves down into human history by choosing a nation (Genesis), redeeming them (Exodus), sanctifying them (Leviticus), guiding them (Numbers), and instructing them (Deuteronomy).

2. History—Outward Look

In the next twelve books of the Old Testament there is an outward look. Moses brought Israel out of bondage, but Joshua took them into the blessing of the Promised Land. God had to get the Holy Nation into the Holy Land so they could bring forth the Holy Son of God (the Savior) and the Holy Word of God (the Scriptures). In Joshua they possessed the land; in Judges they were oppressed by the people of the land. Ruth is a lily in contrast to the mud pond of Judges. It is a story of faithfulness in a day of unfaithfulness. In 1 Samuel the nation is established under Saul (the people’s choice). In 2 Samuel the nation is expanded under David (God’s choice). In 1 Kings the nation is declining because of polygamy, idolatry, and disunity. In 2 Kings the nation is deported, the northern ten tribes going into Assyria in 722 BC and the southern two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) going into captivity under Babylon in 605 BC. In Ezra the remnant of the nation is returned, in Nehemiah they are rebuilt, and in Esther they are protected. Thus the messianic nation returns to its land and begins to rebuild, preparing for the coming Messiah.

3. Poetry—Upward Look

By the end of the historical books (Nehemiah) we are at the end of the Old Testament at about 400 BC. So all the poetic and prophetic books fit back into this historical structure. This can be illustrated by a biblical bookshelf.

The poetic books show the aspiration of the nation for Christ in spiritual and moral matters. In Job the aspiration is for mediation (see 9:33), of which Christ is the ultimate fulfillment (1 Tim. 2:5). In Psalms the aspiration is for communion with God, which is also fulfilled in Christ who taught us to pray (Matt. 6:5–15). Proverbs manifests the aspiration for wisdom, which Christ personified for “in [Him] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). In Ecclesiastes the aspiration is for ultimate satisfaction (1:8) found only in the “one Shepherd” (see 12:11–13). And in the Song of Solomon the aspiration is for intimate union with the Lover of our souls. Hence, all the poetic books find their ultimate focus in Christ.

4. Prophecy—Forward Look

The last seventeen books of the Old Testament look forward to Christ. These prophetic books are divided into two sections: the five Major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel) and the Minor prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi).

The prophets all looked forward in anticipation of Christ. Before the seventy-year captivity (the exile), the prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, stressed exhortation.

The prophetic books, written during the captivity, were Lamentations (which looked back in lamentation on the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple), Ezekiel (which looked forward to Israel’s spiritual restoration), and Daniel (which anticipated their political restoration).

After the captivity, three books were written. Haggai exhorted the people to build the temple of the present (under Zerubbabel), and Zechariah urged them to behold the temple of the future (under Christ). While these writers spoke of the nation’s spiritual restoration, Malachi wrote of their moral restoration.

After Malachi, four hundred “silent years” passed before “the fullness of the time had come” (Gal. 4:4) and the next Jewish prophet declared: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). In Christ the anticipation of the Old became the realization of the New. The prophetic expectation became a historical manifestation.

5. Gospels—Downward Look

In the New Testament there is an exact four-directional parallel with the four sections of the Old Testament. In the Gospels there is a downward move. God does not simply act in history as he did in he law, but he entered history in the life of his Son. He does not merely manifest himself in laws for his people (as through Moses), but he manifests himself in the life of his people (through Christ). Christ is manifest as King to the Jews in Matthew, as Servant to the Romans in Mark, as the Perfect Man to the Greeks in Luke, and as God to the world in John.

6. Acts—Outward Look

At the end of the Gospels Jesus died, rose again, and ascended into heaven (Luke 24:51; Mark 16:19). In Acts he promised the Holy Spirit would come and empower the apostles to be witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea (Acts 1–7), Samaria (chap. 8), and to the uttermost parts of the earth (chaps. 9–28). Herein is the outward movement of the church.

7. Epistles—Upward Look

Once Jesus ascended to heaven and took his place at the right hand of the Father (Heb. 1:2–3), he became head over all things to his body, the church (Eph. 1:22–23). Hence, the church looks upward to its Head in the Epistles. It is he who through his Spirit gave instructions to the churches through the apostles. Thus they were to build up one another (internally—Eph. 4:7–16) and reach out (externally—Matt. 28:18–20) to disciple believers in all nations, awaiting his blessed return (1 Thess. 4:13–18; Titus 2:11–14).

8. Revelation—Forward Look

The last section of the Bible, like the last section of the Old Testament, is prophetic. It looks forward to the consummation of all things in Christ. Not only was the world created by him (John 1:3; Col. 1:16), but it “consists” (is held together) by him (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3), and it will find its consummation in him (Rev. 11:15). He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End of all things.

So each of these eight sections of the Bible unfolds in a Christocentric way.

    1.      Law—Foundation for Christ

    2.      History—Preparation for Christ

    3.      Poetry—Aspiration for Christ

    4.      Prophecy—Expectation of Christ

    5.      Gospels—Manifestation of Christ

    6.      Acts—Propagation of Christ

    7.      Epistles—Interpretation of Christ and Application

    8.      Revelation—Consummation in Christ

Christ in Every Book of the Bible

Christ is the theme of each book in the Bible. Indeed, in most books Christ is presented in many ways, but there is one significant way he is presented in connection with the theme of each book:

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    Genesis—the Seed of the woman
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    Exodus—the Passover Lamb
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    Leviticus—the Atoning Sacrifice
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    Numbers—the Smitten Rock
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    Deuteronomy—the Prophet
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    Joshua—our Leader
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    Judges—our Deliverer
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    Ruth—our Kinsman Redeemer
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    1 Samuel—the Anointed One
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    2 Samuel—the Son of David
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    1 and 2 Kings—the Glorious King
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    1 and 2 Chronicles—the Priestly King

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    Ezra—the Restorer of the temple
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    Nehemiah—the Restorer of the nation

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    Esther—our Protector
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    Job—our Mediator
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    Psalms—our All in All
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    Proverbs—the Wisdom of God
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    Ecclesiastes—the Chief Good
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    Song of Solomon—the Lover of our soul

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    Isaiah—the Messiah
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    Jeremiah—a Man of Sorrows
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    Lamentations—the weeping Prophet
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    Ezekiel—the Restorer of God’s glory

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    Daniel—the Great Rock
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    Hosea—the Healer of the backslider

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    Joel—the Hope of his people
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    Amos—the Husbandman
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    Obadiah—the Savior
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    Jonah—the Resurrected One
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    Micah—the Witness
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    Nahum—the Avenger
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    Habakkuk—the Holy God
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    Zephaniah—the Judge
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    Haggai—the Restorer of the temple’s glory

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    Zechariah—the Righteous Branch
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    Malachi—the Sun of Righteousness
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    Matthew—the King of the Jews
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    Mark—the Servant of the Lord
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    Luke—the Son of Man
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    John—the Son of God
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    Acts—our risen Lord
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    Romans—our Righteousness
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    1 Corinthians—our Sanctification
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    2 Corinthians—our Sufficiency
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    Galatians—our Liberty
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    Ephesians—the Head of the church
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    Philippians—our Joy
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    Colossians—the Preeminent One
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    1 Thessalonians—the Coming One
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    2 Thessalonians—the Glorified One
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    1 Timothy—our Teacher
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    2 Timothy—our Helper
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    Titus—the Great God and Savior
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    Philemon—our Substitute
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    Hebrews—our Great High Priest
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    James—our Wisdom
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    1 Peter—our Rock
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    2 Peter—our Hope
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    1 John—the Life
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    2 John—the Truth
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    3 John—the Way
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    Jude—our Advocate
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    Revelation—King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Overview of The Bible ( Part 2 )

Bible Study Review