1. B.I.B.L.E. – Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth
2. Today we are going to look at some basic information about the Bible
3. The Bible’s Content
I. Start with a Definition
A. The Word, “Bible,” Means “Book”
The Bible was written over a period of 1600 years in over a dozen countries on three continents by people from all walks of life in Three languages by Forty people.
1. No Contradictions in the Story
2. Could be done by ONE person, but not by Forty
Poets; prophets; princes; kings; sailors; soldiers; attorneys; doctors; farmers; scholars; shepherds; priests; historians; fishermen; tax collectors; businessmen – wrote in Caves; ships; homes; palaces; prisons; and deserts – How did they come up with ONE Story?
B. “Holy” Bible Means it is a “Set Apart” Book
1. Books are not Chronological
2. Books are arranged by Types of Literature
a. OT – English Bible – Law – History – Poetry – Prophets
b. NT – Biography – History – Epistles – Prophecy
II. A Look at Authorship
A. Forty Writers, Only ONE Author – God
B. God’s Autobiography –
1. His Story – Exodus 33.21-23 (NLT)
21 The LORD continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. 22 As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.”
2. With Purpose and Application for Us 2 Timothy 3.14-17 (ESV)
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
A preacher went to China to conduct a seminar for the state-mandated church Ministers; at the conference a Professor from the University of Beijing, who was in charge of the MBA program, asked him to bring this teaching to their business college; He did not want Jesus and the faith issues but wanted the principles of business in the bible; he told the preacher that every place in the world that has had the Judeo-Christian work ethic has prospered and that they wanted it to – in other words, it works;
III. Analyzing the Parts of Speech of the Bible
[Diagramming Sentences
A. Subject of the Bible – Jesus – John 5.39-40 (NCV)
39 You carefully study the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. They do in fact tell about me, 40 but you refuse to come to me to have that life.
1. Jesus is all through the Bible – Luke 24.27 (NCV)
27 Then starting with what Moses and all the prophets had said about him, Jesus began to explain everything that had been written about himself in the Scriptures.
Acts 8.35 35 Philip began to speak, and starting with this same Scripture, he told the man the Good News about Jesus.
2. Examples:
Genesis – Seed of Woman
Exodus – Passover Lamb
Isaiah – Suffering Servant
Malachi – Sun of Righteousness
Philippians – Our Joy
Revelation – Alpha and Omega
B. Verb of the Bible – Give – John 3.16
C. Object of the Bible – US
1. A Good stopping point for this lesson – God gave extravagant love, what no one else could
2. The Bible is the “Book of books about the God of gods who give the Love of loves”
3. The intended cycle – He Gave – We Receive – We Give
a. First we give our lives to God
b. Then we give to others – 1 John 3.16
16 This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters.
