Welcome to this week’s blog. For the next several weeks I will continue to focus on my favorite book, the Holy Bible.
I will lay out the Old Testament (The Bible, Part 1) and the New Testament (The Bible, Part 2), identify the purpose of each book, the author of each book, the date written, key verses and key people involved to help give you a better understanding of the Bible before you dive into it on your own.
Let’s pick up where we left off a few weeks ago in the Old Testament. When you open your Bible, you will find 39 books in the Old Testament, starting with Genesis (50 chapters) and ending with Malachi (4 chapters). The New Testament has 27 books, starting with Matthew (28 chapters) and ending with Revelation (22 chapters).
The authors and compilers of the next five books of the Old Testament are Joshua, Phinehas, Samuel, Nathan, Zabud and Gad.
6th Book – Joshua: Chapters 1-24
Purpose: Joshua is recording the history of Israel’s conquest of the promised land. Joshua led the nation while crossing Jordan. They entered the promised land, conquered the promised land and then divided the promised land between the tribes. Out of over a million people, Joshua and Caleb were the only two who left Egypt and entered the promised land.
Purpose: Joshua is recording the history of Israel’s conquest of the promised land. Joshua led the nation while crossing Jordan. They entered the promised land, conquered the promised land and then divided the promised land between the tribes. Out of over a million people, Joshua and Caleb were the only two who left Egypt and entered the promised land.
Author: Joshua. The ending may have been written by the high priest, Phinehas, who was the eyewitness of the events recounted.
Date Written: 1450 to 1370 B.C. (Before Christ)
Key Verse: Joshua ordered the officers of the people, “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’” (Chapter 1:11)
Key People: Joshua, Rahab, Achan, Phinehas, and Eleazar
7th Book – Judges: Chapters 1-21
Purpose: Samuel wrote that God’s judgment against sin is certain, but his forgiveness of sin and a restoration to relationship is just as certain for those who repent.
Author: Anonymous, but it’s assumed that it was Samuel the Prophet.
Date Written: 1086-1004 B.C. (Before Christ)
Key Verse: In those days, Israel had no king: everyone did as they saw fit. (Chapter 17:6)
Key People: Othneil, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Abimelek, Jephthah, Samson and Delilah
8th Book – Ruth: Chapters 1-4
Purpose: To show how three people remained strong in character and true to God even when the society around them was collapsing.
Author: Samuel the Prophet
Date Written: 1375 – 1050 B.C. (Before Christ)
Key Verse: But Ruth replied, don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God, my God. (Chapter 1:16)
Key People: Ruth, Naomi and Boaz
9th Book – 1 Samuel: Chapters 1-31
Purpose: To record the life of Samuel, Israel’s last judge; the reign and decline of Saul, the first king; and the choice and preparation of David, Israel’s greatest king.
Author: Samuel, but it also includes writings from prophets Nathan and Gad.
Date Written: 550 B.C. (Before Christ)
Key Verse: And the Lord told him: Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. . . Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king, who will reign over them, will claim them as his rights. (Chapter 8: 7, 9)
Key People: Eli, Hannah, Samuel, Saul, Jonathan and David
10th Book – 2 Samuel: Chapters 1-24
Purpose: There were five main purposes for 2 Samuel: 1) to record the history of David’s reign; 2) to demonstrate effective leadership under God; 3) to reveal that one person can make a difference; 4) to show the personal qualities that please God; 5) to depict David as an ideal leader of an imperfect kingdom, and to foreshadow Christ, who will be the ideal leader of a new and perfect kingdom.
Author: It has been suggested it was Nathan’s son Zabud, and it also includes writings of Nathan and Gad.
Date Written: 930 B.C. (Before Christ), written soon after David’s reign, 1010-970 B.C. (Before Christ)
Key Verse: Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. (Chapter 5:12)
Key People: David, Joab, Bathsheba, Nathan and Absalom
Let’s recap. This week we covered the next five books (6-10) of the Old Testament (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel). Next week I will pick up with 1 Kings (11) in the Old Testament with the same format. I am hoping you find this format an easy, quick overview of each chapter as we make our way through the Old Testament (The Bible, Part 1). Once we have covered the Old Testament, we will then move into the New Testament (The Bible, Part 2) in the next several weeks.
Blessings until next week,
Debra Pauli
Unstoppable Believer
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