What is the Bible?

(You Might be Surprised)

The Bible is the Word of God recorded in a collection of books that reveals God and His redemptive story

Word of God

God starts by giving his Word to the people in the Ten Commandments

• Read Exodus 31:18

All the words in the Bible are God’s Words

• Thus says the Lord (same idea as Thus says the king) it would be someone speaking on their behalf
  • Occurs 417 times in the Bible
  • 2 Sam 7:8, 2 Sam 12:7, 2 Sam 12:11

• All Scripture is God- Breathed
  • 2 Timothy 3:16

• Prophecy is God speaking through men by the Holy Spirit
  • 2 Peter 1:21

• Matthew 19:5 the words of the author in Gen. 2:24
  • Quoted by Jesus as “God said”

Ravi Zackarias, an apologist, says the bible answers each of these concerns when considering a worldview

1. Origin – Where do the universe and human beings come from?
2. Meaning – What is the meaning or purpose of life?
3. Morality – How do we know what is right and wrong?
4. Destiny – What happens to us after we die?

Authoritative, Inerrant, Relevant

Collection of Books (66, 39 OT and 27 NT)

TaNaK

Time Frames

1400 B.C. to 400 B.C. (Pentateuch to Malachi)

Torah (Law)

• Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Nevi’im (Prophets)

• Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings
• Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, 12 minor prophets

Ketuvim (Writings)

• Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles

Apostles’’ Writings

Time Frames

45  A.D. to 95 A.D. (James to Revelation)

Gospels (4)
Acts of the Apostles
Epistles of Paul (14)
Epistles (7)
Revelation

Reveals God

Give examples of where God is revealed in Scripture? Give scripture references if you can.

• Deuteronomy 4:12
• Exodus 33:20
• Isaiah 6
• John 14:8-9

What does the Bible tell us about who God is?

• Patient, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love (Exodus 34:6-7)
• Independent (Acts 17:24-25)
• Unchangeable (James 1:17)

Redemptive Story

If you look at the bible as one continuous story, what is the redemptive story?

• Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration

What is the gospel message (the good news)?

• Gospel Primer (resource available for people)