THE OVERALL STORY OF THE BIBLE

Creation Fall Redemption Glorification

1. God created the world perfectly - Genesis 1

2. God required man to be perfect - Genesis 2

3. Man ruined this creation and did not live perfectly - Genesis 3

4. God established a special people - Genesis 15 and 17

5. God gave His clear instructions on how His people were to live perfectly - Exodus 20

6. God’s people did not obey - Amos 2:6-16

7. God decided to bring perfection in a new way - Jeremiah 31:31-37 and Ezekiel 36:22-32

8. God promises to send His Son to carry out this covenant - Isaiah 53

9. The Son of God, Jesus, comes - John 1

10. Jesus comes to establish the kingdom of God - Matthew 12:22-37

11. Jesus dies - Mark 14-15

12. Jesus comes back to life - Luke 24

13. Jesus ascends to heaven and takes His throne as King of all things - Acts 1:1-11

14. The Holy Spirit comes to carry out the covenant - Acts 2

15. The people who have the Holy Spirit are being made perfect again, able to obey God’s commands, just like God created it in the beginning. - Ephesians 2:1-10

16. Jesus is coming again to transform everything in this world into His perfection - Revelation 22





WHAT ARE THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE ABOUT?


THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Law – God’s commands for how to live

1. Genesis – Man’s sin, and the initial steps taken for his redemption by a divine covenant made with a chosen race

2. Exodus – The deliverance of God’s people out of captivity

3. Leviticus – How can sinful man approach a holy God?

4. Numbers – Unbelief bars entrance to abundant life

5. Deuteronomy – The divine requirements of obedience

The Former Prophets – Stories of what life looks like while obeying or disobeying God

6. Joshua – How to succeed in the battle against evil

7. Judges – What happens when we quit the battle against evil

8. Ruth – How loving one’s neighbor brings fulfilling salvation

9. 1Samuel – The establishment of the king of God’s people

10. 2 Samuel – The effects of obedience and disobedience of the annointed king.

11. 1 Kings – The prophets of the Lord call the king and the Israelites back to obedience

12. 2 Kings – The effects of the disobedience and obedience of the kings of Israel and Judah.

13. 1 Chronicles – The sovereignty of God over the reign of David

14. 2 Chronicles – The inability of David’s descendents to recognize the sovereignty of God

15. Ezra – The power of the Word of God in human life

16. Nehemiah – The rebuilding of God’s kingdom through prayer and obedience

17. Esther – The effect of obedience in the face of great risk

Wisdom – A description of what life looks like with and without God

18. Job – A Godly example of complaint against the King

19. Psalms – Expressions of praise and sorrow to the sovereign God

20. Proverbs – A map of the life of wisdom

21. Ecclesiastes – A stark description of life on earth without acknowledgement of God

22. Song of Solomon – Human love expressed in a Godly manner

Prophets – Calling the people back to obedience, and looking forward to the Obedient One, Jesus

23. Isaiah – Condemnation and deliverance of the people of God in the nation of Israel

24. Jeremiah – Condemnation and deliverance of the people of God in the nation of Judah

25. Lamentations – Expressing sorrow and repentance for the sin of God’s people

26. Ezekiel –God turns His back on His people, but not without the promise of returning and restoring.

27. Daniel – How to live in a world that rejects the one true God

28. Hosea – A human portrayal of the adultery of God’s people

29. Joel – A call for the nation to repent before they are destroyed in the Day of the Lord

30. Amos – All of the nations are judged because of their sin, but there is still hope to found in the salvation that God offers.

31. Obadiah – One nation is to be destroyed because of how it treated God’s people

32. Jonah – The futility of resisting God, and the expanse of God’s mercy

33. Micah – The concern God shows towards the oppressed

34. Nahum – The promise of deliverance for God’s people, and the promise of destruction for those who persecute God’s people.

35. Habakkuk – The mysteries of providence

36. Zephaniah – There is no hiding from God’s judgment, except in the safety of His salvation.

37. Haggai – God’s judgment on Judah because they neglected the worship of God

38. Zechariah – A vision of God’s judgment and cleansing

39. Malachi – In spite of social sins and corruption in worship, God promises to send amessenger of the covenant



THE NEW TESTAMENT


The Gospels – The life and work of the Savior, who obeys the law

40. Matthew – Emphasizes the royalty of Jesus, and His fulfillment of the law of Moses

41. Mark – Christ is the suffering servant

42. Luke – A connected and orderly narrative of the life of Christ, so that we can know that the gospel is certain

43. John – Emphasizes Jesus as the Light of the world, as well as the full divinity and full humanity of Jesus




44. Acts – The work of the Holy Spirit as an effect of Christ’s death and resurrection


The Epistles – The description of the effect Jesus’ work has on people’s lives. They also tell us how we can follow the law as we follow Christ.

45. Romans – The plan of salvation, and the effects of being saved.

46. 1 Corinthians – God calls for unity and purity in His church

47. 2 Corinthians – The motives for being God’s worker

48. Galatians – The futility of works and the effectiveness of grace for salvation

49. Ephesians – The diverse church is to be unified in purpose

50. Philippians – The church is encouraged to be pure in the middle of suffering

51. Colossians – The church is taught to avoid heresy and stay true to the pure gospel

52. 1 Thessalonians – The church is encouraged to live in the hope of the future coming of Christ

53. 2 Thessalonians – The teaching about the second coming of Christ is clarified

54. 1 Timothy – How to conduct oneself as a servant of Jesus Christ in His church

55. 2 Timothy – More teaching and encouragement for serving Jesus in His church

56. Titus – The importance of good works to support the sharing of the gospel

57. Philemon - Forgiveness shows the effect of salvation and the work of the Holy Spirit.

58. Hebrews – The fulfillment of the Old Testament is found in Jesus

59. James – Salvation is found through grace by faith, but is confirmed through righteous acts

60. 1 Peter – Strength for a suffering church

61. 2 Peter – A warning against false teachers, and a call to rely only on the Word of God

62. 1 John – Encouragement for Christians to not fall into sin in the face of false teaching, and to give them the assurance of eternal life

63. 2 John – Warnings against heresy and false teachings

64. 3 John – Encourages Christian hospitality

65. Jude – Warnings against immorality and untrue teachings about Jesus and the gospel


66. Revelation – A poetic history picturing the struggle between God’s people and the world, with Christ as victor