Today, we begin a series all about the Bible, covering things like what it is, who wrote it, and ultimately its relevance to us and our time. 

 

It seems that even today, even in the United States, a country some folks consider a traditionally Christian nation, there’s a severe lack of knowledge about the Bible. Now some would say otherwise, but the Bible is really a pretty straightforward account of how God has worked in the world from the beginning. In fact, in Genesis, which literally means beginnings, we see a rundown of God’s creative powers.

 

Compiled over time, the Bible is not a single book, but rather a collection of 66 books that trace human history from beginning to end. There’s disagreement as to exactly when the Bible was written and compiled. But we do know from archeology that writing had developed even before the time of Moses in Egypt. The conservative view is that the biblical accounts of history were written down at or near the time they occurred. In general, the 66 individual books of the Bible were at least written down over a period of 1,500 years by as many as 40 writers. 

 

Jeremiah 2:4 says, “Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.” This concept of people being able to hear and read God’s Word is all through the Bible. Luke 11:28 says, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” 

 

Structurally, the Bible is made up of 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 in the New. From the original written accounts, some were broken into two books. The Old Testament, sometimes called the Hebrew or Jewish Scriptures, reveals history from the creation of the world until a few hundred years before Jesus Christ came into the world. 

 

The New Testament is the account of the rise of the church. It begins with the family tree of Jesus and finishes with the Book of Revelation, a vision of the future into eternity. Overall, the Bible is the most famous book of all time. For believers, it is the very Word of God. 

 

Let’s pray. 

 

Father God, you’ve told us that your Word is available to all, that we can claim your promises for our lives. Thank you for communicating to us in this way. The Bible is our guide for life, and tells us how we can be reconciled to you and saved. In Jesus’ name, amen.