Wake Chapel Missionary Baptist Church

Basic Bible Introductory Class

Pastor:  Reverend John J Wilkins Jr.
Assistant to the Pastor: Reverend Tyrone  K Ashley, Sr.

Class #1, February 5, 1998
Topic: Bible History

Instructor: Minister Jackie Brown
BBIC1.doc

Overview

1. Foundation Scripture all scripture( 2 Tim 3:6) God's Word to the people had to make its own impact upon human minds. We treasure the Bible because it gives us firm anchorage in history and is the source from which we can continually draw inspiration for renewing our faith and finding the path to follow in serving the Lord.

1.       Bible Introduction

2.       Division of the Bible

3.       The Book of the English Bible

4.       The Book of the Old Testament and New Testament

          Food for thought

1.  Bible Introduction

The word "Bible" is the English translation of the Greek and Latin word  "Biblia", meaning "books,".
The name which in the fifth century began to be given to the entire collection of sacred books, the "Library of Divine Revelation." 

In acient times, these books were written on "Papyrus Reed".  The papyrus reed grew abundantly in the Nile Valley.  It resembled a stalk of corn.  It was used not only in making paper but also for fuel, food, medicine, chewing gum and many other things.  About 20 sheets would be joined together to form a roll, each sheet was 12 to 15 inches in length.  For a book of considerable length several rolls would be joined together.  The Gospel of Luke, for example would have required 30 feet.  These rolls were referred to as scrolls.

Another Greek New Testament word for the Book, or Bible is "Scriptures". The "Scripture," or collection of sacred  writings. We have now a completed "Scripture," consisting of the Old and New Testaments.

These scared writing became part of the Old and New Testament Canon.
Canon -  "List of religious writing deemed authoritative". 

This word is derived from a Hebrew and Greek word denoting a reed or cane. Hence it means something straight, or something to keep straight; and hence also a rule, or something ruled or measured.  This list had the function of helping beievers distinguish among the great varity of religious writings available and identify those titles approved within their own religious community for such purposes as reading at services of worship or establishing moral norms.  In 4th century an effort was made to assemble all of the writing into a single volume, called the Bible.

Division of the Bible

The Bible is Divided into two main sections:
Old Testament - 39 Books
New Testament - 27 Books
sometimes referred to as
Old Covenant
New Covenant
these Covenants are also sometimes called
The Law Covenant
Grace Covenant

There are a total of 66 books in the Bible
Each book is divided into chapters
Each chapter is divided in verses

Books of the Old Testament
OLD TESTAMENT The first part of the Christian Bible, taken over from Israel. It tells the history of the nation Israel and God's dealings with them to the return from Exile in Babylon. For Jews it is the complete Bible, sometimes called Tanak for its three parts (Torah or Law, Nebiim or Prophets, Kethubim or Writings). Christians see its complement in the New Testament, which reveals Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. The Old Testament has three major divisions: Law, Prophets (Former and Latter), and Writings.

 The Law (Genesis--Deuteronomy) begins with the creation of the world and concludes as Israel is about to enter the Promised Land. The Prophets--Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets--continue with the nation in the land of Palestine until the Exile and includes prophetic messages delivered to the nation. The Writings (all other books) contain the account of the return from Exile, collected wisdom literature from throughout the nation's history, and selected stories about God's leading in individual lives. See Bible, Formation and Canon.

 Book of the  New Testament

NEW TESTAMENT The second major division of the Christian Bible with twenty-seven separate works (called "books") attributed to at least eight different writers. Four accounts of Jesus' life are at the core. The first three Gospels (called "Synoptic") are very similar in content and order. The fourth Gospel has a completely different perspective.
A history of selected events in the early church (Acts) is followed by twenty letters to churches and individuals and one apocalypse. The letters deal mainly with the interpretation of God's act of salvation in Jesus Christ. Matters of discipline, proper Christian behavior, and church polity also are included. The apocalypse is a coded message of hope to the church of the first century which has been reinterpreted by each succeeding generation of Christians for their own situations.

New Testament Books

Dispensations:
Some authors refer to 9 Dispensations others refer to 7 Dispensations:

Scofield Study Bible refe r to 7.
he Role of C. I. Scofield Darby visited the United States on several occasions and won many advocates to his theology. However, C. I. Scofield popularized the dispensational system in his study Bible of 1909. He set forth seven dispensations in God's dealing with human beings.
1. Innocency (Gen. 1:28) This is the period of time in the Garden of Eden.
2. Conscience (Gen. 3:23) This is the awakening of human conscience and the expulsion from the garden.
3. Human Government (Gen. 8:20) This is the new covenant made with Noah, bringing about human government.
4. Promise (Gen. 12:1) This is the new covenant made with Abraham.
5. Law (Ex. 19:8) This is the period of acceptance of the Jewish law.
6. Grace (John 1:17) This dispensation begins with the death and resurrection of Jesus.
7. Kingdom (Eph. 1:10) This constitutes the final rule of Christ.

Eschatology

Program of Eschatology Beyond the seven dispensations, the Darby movement had a definite program of eschatology in five steps.
1. A two-stage coming of Christ--rapture and parousia.
2. Seven years of tribulation on earth for those not raptured. The last three and a half years will be the time of the antichrist. One hundred forty-four thousand Jews will accept Christ and become evangelists.
3. Christ will return with the church, conclude the battle of Armageddon, and rule for a thousand years.
4. Belief in an unconditional covenant with Israel. Thus God is working through Israel and the church. In the millennium, national Israel will be restored.
5. All Old Testament prophecy will be fulfilled literally.
Some of the more popular advocates of dispensationalism have been C. H. MacKintosh, W. E. Blackstone, H. A. Ironside, A. C. Gaebelein. More recently Hal Lindsey has made the system a best seller in The Late Great Planet Earth. The Book of Revelation has become a key book in the dispensational approach. Dispensationalists see the rapture taking place in Revelation 4:1 and the rest of the book (chs. 4-18) dealing with the seven years of tribulation. Thus the book has very little significance for Christians who will not be on earth during that time. See Millennium; Revelation.