Thus far, we have seen that the Bible as a whole is the speaking from God by men borne by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). God, with the cooperation of forty writers, authored the Bible. It was primarily written in the good land, although certain portions were written in Gentile lands, including Babylon and Rome. It took nearly 1,600 years, from 1500 B.C. to A.D. 96, to complete the Bible.
[The subject of the Bible is contained in only four sentences: God planned and created, Satan rebelled and damaged, man fell and was lost, and Christ redeemed and built.]
[The subject of the Old Testament is that God created, Satan damaged, man fell, and God promised the coming of Christ for redemption.]
[The subject of the New Testament is Christ coming to redeem sinners and to build up the church according to God’s plan.]
Man was created by God to contain God so that he may express God and represent Him. However, man fell away from God, becoming useless to God and destined to eternal perdition. But God still loved man and desired to save man that He may accomplish His eternal purpose.
[The central thought of the Bible is Christ and the church. The Bible not only reveals Christ Himself; it also reveals the bride and the Body of Christ, which is the church.]
[The Old Testament leads man to Christ that man would be redeemed by Him.]
[The New Testament shows us how the church is redeemed and built up in Christ.]
The Bible reveals God, Christ, the Spirit, the work of Christ, man, salvation, the eternal life, the believers, the church, the kingdom, the New Jerusalem, the covenants, the dispensations, and Satan. It is God who planned and Christ who created man according to God’s plan. Satan came in to corrupt man and Christ came to save man. Those who believe God’s salvation receive eternal life and, as a corporate expression, are the church in this age, the manifested kingdom in the next age, and the New Jerusalem in eternity. God made eight covenants with man concerning His purpose. God carried out His eternal purpose in four dispensations, that is, four periods in which He deals with man. Ultimately, Satan is judged, and God is glorified by the mingling of Himself with man.
a. The books of law, the Pentateuch by Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
b. The books of history, twelve books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.
c. The books of poetry, five books: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.
d. The books of prophecy, eleven books: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
a. The books of history, five books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts.
b. The epistles, twenty-one books: Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude.
c. The book of prophecy, one book: Revelation.