Thursday: Books and Their Message
The largest units in Scripture are books of the Bible. Biblical books were written for different purposes and in different settings. Some served as prophetic messages; others were compilations, like the Psalms. There are historical books like 1 and 2 Kings, and there are letters to various churches, such as those written by Paul and others.
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As we seek to understand a book’s meaning and message, it is important to begin with authorship and setting. Many books of the Bible are assigned authors. The first five books of the Old Testament are identified as having been authored by Moses (Josh. 8:31, 32; 1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 14:6; 2 Kings 21:8; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 13:1; Dan. 9:11-13; Mal. 4:4). This is confirmed by Jesus (Mark 12:26; John 5:46-47; John 7:19) and the Apostles (Acts 3:22, Rom. 10:5). In other cases, some biblical authors are not identified. (For example, the authors of the books Esther and Ruth as well as the authors of many of the historical books like Samuel and Chronicles are not identified.)
Read Genesis 15:1-5 and Genesis 22:17-18. What significance is it to us that Moses wrote the book of Genesis?
Exodus through Deuteronomy were written by Moses after, of course, the Exodus. But because Genesis is foundational as a history of God’s acts from Creation to the patriarchal period, it is logical that this book was written before the Exodus.
“As the years rolled on, and he [Moses] wandered with his flocks in solitary places, pondering upon the oppressed condition of his people, he recounted the dealings of God with his fathers and the promises that were the heritage of the chosen nation, and his prayers for Israel ascended by day and by night. Heavenly angels shed their light around him. Here, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote the book of Genesis”. — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 251.
With the book of Genesis, we are told not only about our origins but about the plan of salvation, or the means by which God will redeem fallen humanity. This plan becomes even more apparent with the covenant that God makes with Abraham, which involves His promise to establish through him a great nation to be made up of “descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore” (Gen. 22:17, NKJV).
| What other great truths have we been taught through the book of Genesis, truths about which we might otherwise not know? What does this teach us about how important the Word of God is to our faith? |
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One of the methods I use to get more message out of a book is to sit and read it through without pausing too much on details. Best to do this with a small book first and read it through some 10 or 12 times in such a manner. It is amazing how one's view of that book changes as you see the flow of thought as a whole.
Genesis – Creator; Exodus – Deliverer; Leviticus – Redeemer; Numbers – God of structure and order; Deuteronomy – Book of the law (most quoted book by Jesus); Joshua – God who keeps His promise; Judges – Presiding Judge; Ruth – inclusive God; 1 Samuel – Rejection of God; 2 Samuel – A man after my own heart;
Each book of the bible has a message for us. We study the bible to have a relationship with Him. We can read the bible once a year from cover to cover, yet may not have the relationship with Him. When the Magi’s came and asked the question about the birth of the king in Israel. Herod (heathen king) knew to ask the chief priest’s and teacher of the law in Israel knew the prophecy in regards to the birth of Messiah. Magi’s traveling from a far worshipped the Lord but the leaders of Israel did not worship the Lord or at least none of the gospel writers credited them with worshipping the Lord.
Are you reading to gain knowledge or are you reading to have a relationship with Him?
If you want to have a relationship with Him, you cannot continue to live every which way.
If you allow Him, He will redeem, deliver, recreate, provide structure and order, include you into His fold following after His own heart and in the end judge you in favor of His kingdom.
Story telling is the most powerful way of developing a community, for leaders to have influence, teach and inspire.
The importance of story telling for social change is because stories engage people at every level, not just in their minds but in their emotions, values and imaginations which together are the drivers of change. These are truths that people have discovered about story telling which the LORD in His Word has always used since the Creation of the world. The stories in the Bible are not fiction, they are true, about actual people and events, historicals (per Doug)
The Big Story of the Bible is the progressive revelation of the character of the LORD, His triune nature, His loving kindness, His self sacrifice, all contained in a series of smaller stories to keep our attention.
Many pastors start their sermons with a story to capture peoples attention, even our Maurice often shares his stories.
Jesus' parables were stories to capture the people's attention and to teach a point. Growing up we used to read Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories - anyone remember them- which always had a moral lesson in them?
What is my point? The Bible is not a dry history lesson or a text book to use to justify a doctrine it is a love letter from the most powerful being in (and out) of the Universe, it is exciting, it tells us from where we come and where we are going, it is our most precious possession,don't you agree?.
To trust completely in God! He knows what is best. God's ways is always best...
Books and their Messages
In Genesis, Jesus Christ is the seed of the woman.
In Exodus, He is the passover lamb.
In Leviticus, He is our high priest.
In Numbers, He is the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.
In Deuteronomy, He is the prophet like unto Moses.
In Joshua, He is the captain of our salvation.
In Judges, He is our judge and lawgiver.
In Ruth, He is our kinsman redeemer.
In 1st and 2nd Samuel, He is our trusted prophet.
In Kings and Chronicles, He is our reigning king.
In Ezra, He is the rebuilder of the broken down walls of human life.
In Esther, He is our Mordecai.
In Job, He is our ever-living redeemer.
In Psalms, He is our shepherd.
In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, He is our wisdom.
In the Song of Solomon, He is the loving bridegroom.
In Isaiah, He is the prince of peace.
In Jeremiah, He is the righteous branch.
In Lamentations, He is our weeping prophet.
In Ezekiel, He is the wonderful four-faced man.
In Daniel, He is the forth man in life's "fiery furnace."
In Hosea, He is the faithful husband, forever married to the backslider.
In Joel, He is the baptizer with the Holy Ghost and fire.
In Amos, He is our burden-bearer.
In Obadiah, He is the mighty to save.
In Jonah, He is our great foreign missionary.
In Micah, He is the messenger of beautiful feet.
In Nahum, He is the avenger of God's elect.
In Habakkuk, he is God's evangelist, crying, "revive thy work in the midst of the
years."
In Zephaniah, He is our Saviour.
In Haggai, He is the restorer of God's lost heritage.
In Zechariah, He is the fountain opened up in the house of David for sin and
uncleanness.
In Malachi, He is the Sun of Righteousness, rising with healing in His wings.
In Matthew, He is King of the Jews.
In Mark, He is the Servant.
In Luke, He is the Son of Man, feeling what you feel.
In John, He is the Son of God.
In Acts, He is the Savior of the world.
In Romans, He is the righteousness of God.
In I Corinthians, He is the Rock that followed Israel.
In II Corinthians, He is the Triumphant One, giving victory.
In Galatians, He is your liberty; He sets you free.
In Ephesians, He is Head of the Church.
In Philippians, He is your joy.
In Colossians, He is your completeness.
In 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, He is your hope.
In I Timothy, He is your faith.
In II Timothy, He is your stability.
In Philemon, He is your Benefactor.
In Titus, He is truth.
In Hebrews, He is your perfection.
In James, he is the Power behind your faith.
In I Peter, He is your example.
In II Peter, He is your purity.
In I John, He is your life.
In II John, He is your pattern.
In III John, He is your motivation.
In Jude, He is the foundation of your faith.
In Revelation, He is your coming King. He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End