01-13-13 Bible Breakdown

Psalm 119:18  “Open my eyes to see the wonderful things in your word.”

Scripture:                          2 Peter 1:16-21, 1 Peter 1:22-25

Hebrews 5:11-14

 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

You Tube – Discovering the Bible Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpu8hEyz1qs

 

The Bible has estimated annual sales of 25 million copies, and has been a major influence on literature and history, especially in the West where it was the first mass printed book.

The Old Testament has…

§  39 books

§  929 chapters

§  23,214 verses

§  593,493 words

§  Longest book: Psalms

§  Shortest book: Obadiah

The New Testament has…

§  27 books

§  260 chapters

§  7,959 verses

§  181,253 words

§  Longest book: Acts

§  Shortest book in the Bible: 3 John

 

The Bible’s books are arranged by TYPE, rather than chronologically.

     LAW                  HISTORY            WRITINGS             PROPHETS

Gen-Deut 5        Josh-Esther 12          Job- SoS 5             Isaiah-Malachi 17

 

    GOSPEL             HISTORY            LETTERS               PROPHECY

  Matt-John  4              Acts 1             Rom-Jude 21              Revelation 1

 

OLD TESTAMENT: §  Genesis §  Exodus §  Leviticus §  Numbers §  Deuteronomy §  Joshua §  Judges §  Ruth §  1 & 2 Samuel §  1 & 2 Kings §  1 & 2 Chronicles §  Ezra §  Nehemiah §  Esther §  Job §  Psalms §  Proverbs §  Ecclesiastes §  Song of Solomon §  Isaiah §  Jeremiah §  Lamentations §  Ezekiel §  Daniel §  Hosea §  Joel §  Amos §  Obadiah §  Jonah §  Micah §  Nahum §  Habakkuk §  Zephaniah §  Haggai §  Zechariah §  Malachi

NEW TESTAMENT: §  Matthew §  Mark §  Luke §  John §  Acts §  Romans §  1 Corinthians §  2 Corinthians §  Galatians §  Ephesians §  Philippians §  Colossians §  1 & 2 Thessalonians §  1 Timothy §  2 Timothy §  Titus §  Philemon §  Hebrews §  James §  1 Peter §  2 Peter §  1 John §  2 John §  3 John §  Jude §  Revelation

Number of different writers (authors):   Over 40

Number of languages the Bible has been translated into:   More than 1,200 (as of 2001)

Number of new Bibles distributed (sold or given away) in the U.S.:  About 168,000 per day (as of 2001)

The English word Bible is from the Latin biblia, and ultimately from Koine Greek τὰ βιβλία "the books" (singular βιβλίον).

The word βιβλίον itself had the literal meaning of "paper" or "scroll" and came to be used as the ordinary word for "book". The Greek ta biblia (lit. "little papyrus books") was "an expression Hellenistic Jews used to describe their sacred books (the Septuagint 72 scribes 6 ea 12 tribes of Israel translate Torah into Greek for Alexandrian library). Christian use of the term can be traced to ca. 223 AD. The biblical scholar F.F. Bruce notes that Chrysostom appears to be the first writer around 387 to use the Greek phrase ta biblia ("the books") to describe both the Old and New Testaments together.

 

 The time between the last book of the Old Testament and the first book of the New Testament is just over 400 years.

The Bible was divided into chapters in the 13th century by Stephen Langton and into verses in the 16th century by French printer Robert Estienne.

 

SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS

You have been shown a skeleton, but just like the valley of dry bones, a skeleton alone is nothing better than death.  Let’s put some meat on the bones – some vital living organs that provide a reason for even looking at the skeleton.

2 Peter 1:16-21

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."   18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. (Mt 17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.) New covenant supersedes the old, Jesus supersedes the law and the prophets but the NT does NOT supersede the OT.

19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. (Rev 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to

give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”) 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (The spoken word becomes the written word to point to the living word)

1 Peter 1:22-25

 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.   For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

"All men are like grass,

And all their glory is like the flowers of the field;

the grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of the Lord stands forever."

And this is the word that was preached to you.

Notice these NT words are a loose quoting from the OT.  Isaiah 40:6-8  A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”

 

Do you know the living word of God as your personal Lord and Savior?  Trust the OT and NT the Law/Gospel the History, the Wrtings/letter, the prohets and prophecy – Jesus is who the bible says (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.