The English word "Bible" comes from bíblia in Latin and bíblos in Greek.

The term means book, or

books, and may have originated from the ancient Egyptian port of Byblos (in modern-day Lebanon),
where papyrus used for making books and scrolls was exported to Greece. Other terms for the Bible are
the Holy Scriptures, Holy Writ, Scripture, or the Scriptures, which mean sacred writings.

The Bible is a compilation of 66 books and letters written by more than 40 authors during a period
of approximately 1,500 years. Its original text was communicated in just three languages. The Old
Testament was written for the most part in Hebrew, with a small percentage in Aramaic. The New
Testament was written in Koine Greek. Going beyond its two main sections--the Old and New
Testament--the Bible contains several more divisions: the Pentateuch, the Historical Books, the Poetry
and Wisdom Books, the books of Prophecy, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

Take an in-depth look at the divisions of the Books of the Bible.

Originally, the Holy Scriptures were written on scrolls of papyrus and later parchment, until the
invention of the codex. A codex is a handwritten manuscript formatted like a modern book, with pages
bound together at the spine within a hardcover. The Inspired Word of God, the Christian faith is based
on the Bible. A key doctrine in Christianity is the Inerrancy of Scripture, meaning the Bible in its original,
handwritten state is without error.

The Bible itself claims to be the inspired Word of God, or "God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter
1:21). It unfolds as a divine love story between the Creator God and the object of his love--man. In the
pages of the Bible we learn of God's interaction with mankind, his purposes and plans, from the
beginning of time and throughout history.

The central theme of the Bible is God's plan of salvation--his way of providing deliverance from sin
and spiritual death through repentance and faith. In the Old Testament, the concept of salvation is
rooted in Israel's deliverance from Egypt in the book of Exodus. The New Testament reveals the source
of salvation: Jesus Christ. By faith in Jesus, believers are saved from God's judgment of sin and its
consequence, which is eternal death.

In the Bible, God reveals himself to us. We discover his nature and character, his love, his justice,
his forgiveness, and his truth. Many have called the Bible a guidebook for living the Christian faith. Psalm
119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (NIV)

On so many levels, the Bible is an extraordinary book, from its diverse content and literary styles
to its miraculous preservation down through the ages. While the Bible is certainly not the oldest book in
history, it is the only ancient text with existing manuscripts that number in the thousands. For a long
period in history, common men and women were forbidden access to the Bible and its life-transforming
truths. Today the Bible is the best-selling book of all time, with billions of copies distributed throughout
the world in more than 2,400 languages.

Bible Story Summaries (Index)

Old and New Testament Bible Stories

1. The Creation Story

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 The simple truth of the creation story is that God is the author of creation. In Genesis 1
we are presented with the beginning of a divine drama that can only be examined and
understood from the standpoint of faith. How long did it take? How did it happen, exactly? No
one can answer these questions definitively. In fact, these mysteries are not the focus of the
creation story. The purpose, rather, is for moral and spiritual revelation.

The opening chapter of the Bible begins with these words, "In the beginning, God created
the heavens and the earth." (NIV) This sentence summarizes the drama that was about to
unfold. We learn from the text that the earth was formless, empty, and dark, and God's Spirit
moved over the waters preparing to perform God's creative Word. And then God began to
speak into existence his creation. A day by day account follows.

7 DAYS OF CREATION
Day 1 - God created light and separated the light from the darkness, calling light "day" and
darkness "night."
Day 2 - God created an expanse to separate the waters and called it "sky."
Day 3 - God created the dry ground and gathered the waters, calling the dry ground
"land," and the gathered waters "seas." On day three, God also created
vegetation (plants and trees).
Day 4 - God created the sun, moon, and the stars to give light to the earth and to govern
and separate the day and the night. These would also serve as signs to mark
seasons, days, and years.
Day 5 - God created every living creature of the seas and every winged bird, blessing them
to multiply and fill the waters and the sky with life.
Day 6 - God created the animals to fill the earth. On day six, God also created man and
woman (Adam and Eve) in his own image to commune with him. He blessed them
and gave them every creature and the whole earth to rule over, care for, and
cultivate.
Day 7 - God had finished his work of creation and so he rested on the seventh day,
blessing it and making it holy.

POINTS OF INTEREST FROM THE CREATION STORY

Genesis 1, the opening scene of the biblical drama, introduces us to the two main
characters in the Bible: God and man. Author Gene Edwards refers to this drama as The Divine
Romance. Here we meet God, the Almighty Creator of all things, revealing the ultimate object of
his love—man—as he concludes the stunning work of creation. God has set the stage. The
drama has begun.

In summary, the simple truth of the creation story is that God is the author of creation. In
Genesis 1, we are presented with the beginning of a divine drama that can only be examined
and understood from the standpoint of faith. How long did it take? How did it happen, exactly?
No one can answer these questions definitively. In fact, these mysteries are not the focus of the
creation story. The purpose, rather, is for moral and spiritual revelation. God was very pleased
with his creation. Six times throughout the process of creating, God stopped, observed his
handiwork and saw that it was good. On final inspection of all that he had made, God regarded
it as "very good." This is a great time to remind ourselves that we are part of God's creation.

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Even when you don't feel worthy of his pleasure, remember that God made you and is pleased
with you. You are of great worth to him.

In verse 26, God says, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness ..." This is the only
instance in the creation account that God uses the plural form to refer to himself. It's interesting
to note that this happens just as he begins to create man. Many scholars believe this is the
Bible's first reference to the Trinity. On the seventh day, God rested. It's hard to come up with a
reason why God would need to rest, but apparently, he considered it important. Rest is often an
unfamiliar concept in our busy, fast-paced world. It's socially unacceptable to take an entire day
to rest. God knows we need times of refreshing. Our example, Jesus, spent time alone away
from the crowds. So, we should not feel guilty when we take time each week to rest and renew
our bodies, souls, and spirits.

Questions for Reflection

The story clearly shows that God was enjoying himself as he went about the work of
creation. As noted previously, six times he stops and savors his accomplishments. If God takes
pleasure in his handiwork, is there anything wrong with us feeling good about our
achievements? Do you enjoy your work? Whether it's your job, your hobby, or your ministry
service, if your work is pleasing to God, then it should also bring pleasure to you. Consider the
work of your hands. What things are you doing to bring pleasure to both you and God?
1. The Garden of Eden Explore the Garden of Eden, a perfect paradise created by
God for his people. Through this story we learn how sin entered the world, creating a barrier
between men and God. We also see that God had a plan to overcome the problem of sin. Learn
how Paradise will one day be restored to those who choose obedience to God. After God
completed the creation, he placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the perfect dream
home for the first man and woman. And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east,
and there he put the man whom he had formed. (Genesis 2:8, ESV)

References to the Garden of Eden Story in the Bible

1. Genesis 2:8, 10, 15, 2:9–10, 16, 3:1–3, 8, 10, 23-24, 4:16;
2. 2 Kings 19:12; Isaiah 37:12, 51:3; 3.
3. Ezekiel 27:23, 28:13, 31:8-9, 16, 18, 36:35; Joel 2:3.

The origin of the name "Eden" is debated. Some scholars believe it is derived from the
Hebrew word Eden, which means "luxury, pleasure, or delight," from which we get the term
"Paradise." Others think it comes from the Sumerian word Eden, meaning “plain” or “steppe,"
and relates to the location of the garden. Where Was the Garden of Eden?
The precise location of the Garden of Eden is a mystery. Genesis 2:8 tells us that the
garden was situated in the eastern region of Eden. This suggests an area east of Canaan,
generally believed to be somewhere in Mesopotamia. Genesis 2:10-14 cites four rivers (the
Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and the Euphrates) that converged in the garden. The identities of the
Pishon and Gihon are difficult to discern, but the Tigris and Euphrates are still known today.
Thus, some scholars place Eden near the head of the Persian Gulf. Others who believe the
surface of the earth was altered during the catastrophic flood of Noah's day, say the location of
Eden is impossible to pinpoint.

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Garden of Eden: Story Summary

The Garden of Eden, also called the Garden of God, or Paradise, was a lush and beautiful
utopia of vegetable and fruit trees, blooming plants, and rivers. In the garden, two unique trees
existed: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God put Adam and Eve
in charge of tending and keeping the garden with these instructions: "And the LORD God
commanded the man, saying, 'You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely
die.' " (Genesis 2:16–17, ESV)

In Genesis 2:24-25, Adam and Eve became one flesh, suggesting that they enjoyed sexual
relations in the garden. Innocent and free from sin, they lived naked and unashamed. They were
comfortable with their physical bodies and their sexuality.

In chapter 3, the perfect honeymoon took an unfortunate turn toward disaster when
Satan, the serpent, arrived unannounced. The supreme liar and deceiver, he convinced Eve that
God was holding out on them by forbidding them to eat from the fruit of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. One of Satan's oldest tricks is to plant seeds of doubt, and Eve took
the bait. She ate the fruit and gave some to Adam, who ate it too. Eve was deceived by Satan,
but according to some teachers, Adam knew exactly what he was doing when he ate, and he did
it anyway. Both sinned. Both rebelled against God's instructions. And suddenly everything
changed. The couple's eyes were opened. They felt ashamed of their nakedness and sought to
cover themselves. For the first time, they hid from God in fear.

God could have destroyed them, but instead, he lovingly reached out to them. When he
asked them about their transgressions, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent.
Responding in a typically human way, neither was willing to accept responsibility for their sin.

God, in his righteousness, pronounced judgment, first on Satan, then on Eve, and finally
on Adam. Then God, in his profound love and mercy, covered Adam and Eve with garments
made from animal skins. This was a foreshowing of animal sacrifices that would be instituted
under the Law of Moses for the atonement of sin. Ultimately, this act pointed to the perfect
sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which covered the sin of man once and for all.

Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden is known as the fall of man. As a
result of the fall, paradise was lost to them; Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has
become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand rand take also
of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the LORD God sent him out from the
garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the
east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way
to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:22–24, ESV)

Lessons from the Garden of Eden

This passage in Genesis contains numerous lessons, too many to cover entirely here. We'll
simply touch on a few. In the story, we learn how sin came into the world. Synonymous with
disobedience to God, sin destroys lives and creates a barrier between us and God. Obedience
restores lives and relationships with God. True fulfillment and peace come from obeying the

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Lord and his Word, just as God gave Adam and Eve a choice, we have the freedom to follow God
or choose our own way. In the Christian life, we will make mistakes and bad choices, but living
with the consequences can help us grow and mature. God had a plan all along to overcome the
effects of sin. He made a way through the sinless life and death of his Son Jesus Christ.

When we turn from our disobedience and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we
renew our fellowship with him. Through God's salvation, we inherit eternal life and entrance
into heaven. There we will live in the New Jerusalem, where Revelation 22:1-2 describes a river
and a new tree of life. God promises Paradise restored for those who obey his call.

The fall of Man

The Fall of Man explains why sin and misery exist in the world today. Every act of violence,
every illness, every tragedy that happens can be traced back to that fateful encounter between
the first human beings and Satan.

The fall of Man - Bible Story Summary

God created Adam, the first man, and Eve, the first woman, and placed them in a perfect
home, the Garden of Eden. In fact, everything about Earth was perfect at that moment in time.
Food, in the form of fruit and vegetables, was plentiful and free for the taking. The garden God
created was spectacularly beautiful. Even the animals got along with one another, all of them
eating plants at that early stage. God put two important trees in the garden: the tree of life and
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam's duties were clear. God told him to tend the
garden and not eat the fruit of those two trees, or he would die. Adam passed that warning on
to his wife. Then Satan entered the garden, disguised as a serpent. He did what he is still doing
today. He lied:

“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “ For God knows that when you
eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. ” (Genesis
3:4-5, NIV)

Instead of believing God, Eve believed Satan. She ate the fruit and gave some to her
husband to eat. Scripture says "the eyes of both of them were opened." (Genesis 3:7, NIV) They
realized they were naked and made hasty coverings from fig leaves. God invoked curses on
Satan, Eve, and Adam. God could have destroyed Adam and Eve, but out of his gracious love, he
killed animals to make clothes for them to cover their newly-discovered nakedness. He did,
however, cast them out of the Garden of Eden. From that time on, the Bible records a sad
history of humanity disobeying God, but God had put his plan of salvation in place before the
foundation of the world. He responded to the Fall of Man with a Savior and Redeemer, his Son
Jesus Christ.

Points of Interest from the Fall of Man

The term "Fall of Man" is not used in the Bible. It is a theological expression for the
descent from perfection to sin. "Man" is a generic biblical word for the human race, including
both men and women.

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 Adam's and Eve's disobedience to God were the first human sins. They forever ruined
human nature, passing on the desire to sin to every person born. God did not tempt Adam and
Eve, nor did he create them as robot-like beings without free will. Out of love, he gave them the
right to choose, the same right he gives people today. God forces no one to follow him.

Some Bible scholars blame Adam for being a bad husband. When Satan tempted Eve,
Adam was with her (Genesis 3:6), but Adam did not remind her of God's warning and did
nothing to stop her. God's prophecy "he will crush your head and you will strike at his heel"
(Genesis 3:15) is known as the Proto-evangelism, the first mention of the gospel in the Bible. It
is a veiled reference to Satan's influence in Jesus' crucifixion and death, and Christ's triumphant
resurrection and the defeat of Satan. Christianity teaches that human beings are unable to
overcome their fallen nature on their own and must turn to Christ as their Savior. The doctrine
of grace states that salvation is a free gift from God and cannot be earned, merely accepted
through faith.

The contrast between the world before sin and the world today is frightening. Disease
and suffering are rampant. Wars are always going on somewhere, and closer to home, people
treat one another cruelly. Christ offered freedom from sin at his first coming and will close the
"end times" at his second coming.

Question for Reflection

The Fall of Man shows I have a flawed, sinful nature and can never earn my way into
heaven by trying to be a good person. Have I put my faith in Jesus Christ to save me?

Noah's Ark and the Flood

The story of Noah's ark and the flood is found in Genesis 6:1-11:32.

God saw how great wickedness had become and decided to wipe humankind off the face
of the earth. But one righteous man among all the people of that time, Noah, found favor in
God's eyes. With very specific instructions, God told Noah to build an ark for him and his family
in preparation for a catastrophic flood that would destroy every living thing on earth. God also
instructed Noah to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, both male and female, and
seven pairs of all the clean animals, along with every kind of food to be stored for the animals
and his family while on the ark. Noah obeyed everything God commanded him to do. After they
had entered the ark, rain fell for a period of forty days and nights. The waters flooded the earth
for a hundred and fifty days, and every living thing was wiped out. As the waters receded, the
ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Noah and his family continued to wait for almost
eight more months while the surface of the earth dried out.

Finally after an entire year, God invited Noah to come out of the ark. Immediately, Noah
built an altar and offered burnt sacrifices with some of the clean animals to give thanks to God
for deliverance. God was pleased with the offerings and promised never again to destroy all the
living creatures as he had just done. Later God established a covenant with Noah: "Never again
will there be a flood to destroy the earth." As a sign of this everlasting covenant, God set a
rainbow in the clouds.

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Points of Interest from Noah's Ark Story

Noah was the grandson of Methuselah, the oldest person in the Bible, who died at 969
years old in the year of the flood. Noah's father was Lamech, but we are not told his mother's
name. Noah was a tenth generation descendant of Adam, who was the first human being on
earth. Scripture tells us Noah was a farmer (Genesis 9:20). He was already 500 years old when
he fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Noah lived 350 years after the flood and died
at 950 years old.

God's purpose in the flood was not to destroy people but to destroy wickedness and sin.
Before God decided to wipe the people from the face of the Earth, he first warned Noah, making
a covenant to save Noah and his family. The whole time Noah and his family labored constantly
on the ark, he also preached for repentance, but the violent generation ignored him. Sin was
not wiped out in the flood. Noah planted a vineyard, made wine, and got drunk on it, lying
naked in his tent. Ham told his brothers but did not protect his father. Shem and Japheth took a
garment, backed into the tent and covered Noah without looking at him. When Noah woke, he
blessed Shem and Japheth but cursed Ham's offspring, Canaan. Noah was righteous, but like
every person, he inherited a sinful nature from Adam. Noah's sin was getting drunk; Ham's sin
was disrespecting his father.

With more detail in Genesis 7:2-3, God instructed Noah to take seven pairs of every kind
of clean animal, and two of every kind of unclean animal. Bible scholars have calculated that
approximately 45,000 animals might have fit on the ark. Like Adam, Noah was a father of the
human race. God told Noah and his family the same thing he told Adam: "be fruitful and
multiply." (Genesis 1:28, 9:7).

Genesis 7:16 interestingly points out that God shut them in the ark, or "closed the door,"
so to speak. Noah was a type or forerunner of Jesus Christ. Just as Christ was sealed in the tomb
after his crucifixion and death, so was Noah shut in the ark. As Noah became the hope for
humanity after the flood, so Christ became the hope for humanity after his resurrection. The
ark was exactly six times longer than it was wide. According to the Life Application Bible study
notes, this is the same ratio used by modern shipbuilders. In modern times, researchers
continue to look for evidence of Noah's Ark.

Question for Reflection

Noah was righteous and blameless, but he was not sinless (see Genesis 9:20-21). Noah
pleased God and found favor because he loved and obeyed God with his whole heart. As a
result, Noah's life was an example to his entire generation. Although everyone around him
followed the evil in their hearts, Noah followed God. Does your life set an example, or are you
negatively influenced by the people around you?

The Tower of Babel

The tower of Babel story is one of the saddest and most significant stories in the Bible. It
is sad because it reveals the widespread rebellion in the human heart. It is significant because it
reshaped the development of future cultures.

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 The story is set in Babylon, one of the cities founded by King Nimrod, according to Genesis
10:9-10. The location of the tower was in Shinar, in ancient Mesopotamia on the eastern bank of
the Euphrates River. Bible scholars believe that the tower was a type of stepped pyramid called
a ziggurat, common throughout Babylonia. Until this point in the Bible, the whole world had
one language, meaning there was one common speech for all people. The people of the earth
had become skilled in construction and decided to build a city with a tower that would reach to
heaven. By building the tower, they wanted to make a name for themselves and also prevent
the people from being scattered:

Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the
heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole
earth." (Genesis 11:4, ESV) God came to see their city and the tower they were building. He
perceived their intentions, and in his infinite wisdom, he knew this "stairway to heaven" would
only lead the people away from God. The goal of the people was not to glorify God and lift up
his name but to build a name for themselves.

In Genesis 9:1, God told humankind: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth." God
wanted people to spread out and fill the whole earth. By building the tower, the people were
ignoring God's clear instructions. God observed what a powerful force their unity of purpose
created. As a result, he confused their language, causing them to speak many different
languages so they would not understand each other. By doing this, God thwarted their plans. He
also forced the people of the city to scatter all across the face of the earth.

Lessons from the Tower of Babel Story

What was so wrong with building this tower? The people were coming together to
accomplish a notable work of architectural wonder and beauty. Why was that so bad?

The tower was about convenience, not obedience. The people were doing what seemed
best for themselves and not what God had commanded.

The tower of Babel story emphasizes the sharp contrast between man's opinion of his
own achievements and God’s point of view on man's accomplishments. The tower is a grandiose
project -- the ultimate man-made achievement. It resembles the modern masterstrokes humans
continue to build and boast about today, such as the International Space Station.

To build the tower, the people used brick instead of stone and tar instead of mortar. They
used "man-made" materials, instead of more durable "God-made" materials. The people were
building a monument to themselves, to call attention to their abilities and achievements,
instead of giving glory to God.

God said in Genesis 11:6:

"If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing
they plan to do will be impossible for them." (NIV)

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 With this, God pointed out that when people are unified in purpose, they can accomplish
impossible feats, both noble and ignoble. This is why unity in the body of Christ is so important
in our efforts to accomplish God's purposes on earth.

By contrast, having unity of purpose in worldly matters, ultimately, can be destructive. In

God's viewpoint, division in worldly matters is sometimes preferred over great feats of idolatry
and apostasy. For this reason, God at times intervenes with a divisive hand in human affairs. To
prevent further arrogance, God confuses and divides people's plans, so they don't overstep
God's limits on them.

Points of Interest From the Story

When God speaks in this story, He uses the phrase, "let us go," referencing the Trinity.
Some scholars believe that this marks the point in history where God divided the earth
into separate continents.

Questions for Reflection

Are there any man-made "stairways to heaven" you are building in your life? If so, stop
and reflect. Are your purposes noble? Are your goals in line with God's will?

Sodom and Gomorrah

Three angels visited Abraham, God's hand-picked founder of his chosen nation, Israel.
They came disguised as men, travelers along the road. Two of them went down to Sodom and
Gomorrah, to observe firsthand the wickedness in those cities. The other visitor, who was the
Lord, stayed behind. He revealed to Abraham that he was going to destroy the cities because of
the evil ways of their people. Abraham, a special friend of the Lord, began to bargain with God
to spare the cities if there were righteous people in them.

First, Abraham asked if the Lord would spare the cities if 50 righteous people lived there.
The Lord said yes. Boldly, Abraham kept bargaining down, until God agreed not to destroy
Sodom and Gomorrah if even ten righteous people lived there. Then the Lord departed. When
the two angels arrived at Sodom that evening, Abraham's nephew Lot met them at the city gate.
Lot and his family lived in Sodom. He took the two men to his home and fed them. Then all the
men of the city surrounded Lot's house and said, "Where are the men who came to you tonight?
Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." (Genesis 19:5, NIV)

By ancient custom, the visitors were under Lot's protection. Lot was so infected by the
wickedness of Sodom that he offered the homosexuals his two virgin daughters instead. Furious,
the mob rushed up to break down the door. The angels struck the rioters blind. Leading Lot, his
wife, and two daughters by the hand, the angels hurried them out of the city. The daughters'
fiancés would not listen and stayed behind. Lot and his family fled to a tiny village called Zoar.
The Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying the buildings, the
people, and all the vegetation in the plain. Lot's wife disobeyed the angels, looked back, and
turned into a pillar of salt.

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Points of Interest from the Story of Sodom and Gomorrah

God was mercifully willing to spare the cities for the sake of a few righteous people, but
none lived there. The Bible tells us all the inhabitants were depraved. One of the reasons God
destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was because he did not want the Jews to be influenced by this
evil. As the Creator of all things, God has the divine right to destroy evil as he sees fit. Lot and
his family were spared, but his future sons-in-laws were destroyed because they thought Lot
was joking about God's wrath. Millions of people today think God and sin are things to joke
about. God does exist, and he does punish unrepentant sinners.

The Bible clearly states that the fire and sulfur, or brimstone, rained down "from the Lord
out of the heavens" (Genesis 19:24, NIV), not upward from a volcano. Lot's wife, whose name is
not given, became a pillar of salt. Why would God turn her into a pillar of salt? While salt has
other associations in the Bible, it is often used as a symbol of death, destruction, judgment, and
disobedience. Although some scholars believe Lot's wife was covered with molten material.

Sodom and Gomorrah in Modern times

Similar to the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, evil is all around us in today's society, from lying
and stealing to pornography, drugs, illicit sex, and violence. God calls us to be holy people set
apart, not influenced by our wicked culture. Sin always has consequences, and you should take
sin and God's wrath seriously.

Jacob's Ladder
The true meaning of the dream of Jacob’s ladder would be hard to understand, without a
statement by Jesus Christ that he, in fact, is that ladder. Although it runs only a dozen verses,
this Bible story affirms Jacob’s legitimacy as an heir to God’s promises to Abraham and also
supplies a critical piece of Bible prophecy about the Messiah. One of the less admirable
characters in Scripture, Jacob still withheld his full trust in the Lord until after a wrestling match
with God himself.

Scripture Reference; Genesis 28:10-22.

Jacob's Ladder Bible Story Summary

Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, was fleeing from his twin brother Esau,
who had vowed to kill him. Esau was furious with Jacob because Jacob had stolen Esau's
birthright, the Jewish claim to inheritance and blessing. On his way to his relative's house at
Haran, Jacob lay down for the night near Luz. As he was dreaming, he had a vision of a ladder, or
stairway, between heaven and earth. God's angels were on it, ascending and descending. Jacob
saw God standing above the ladder. God repeated the promise of support he had made to
Abraham and Isaac. He told Jacob his offspring would be many, blessing all the families of the
earth. God then said, "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring
you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
(Genesis 28:15, ESV)

When Jacob awoke, he believed that God was present in that place. He took the stone he
had been using to rest his head, poured oil on it and consecrated it to God. Then Jacob made a

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vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me
bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the
LORD shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And
of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you." (Genesis 28:20-22, ESV) Jacob called the
place Bethel, meaning "house of God."

Major Characters

Jacob: Son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, Jacob was in the special family God had
singled out to produce his chosen people. Jacob lived from approximately 2006 to 1859 B.C.
However, his faith in the Lord was still immature at the time of this episode, evidenced by his
character as a schemer, liar, and manipulator. Jacob repeatedly trusted in his own devices
rather than in God. Jacob cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright in exchange for a bowl of
stew, and then later deceived their father Isaac into blessing him instead of Esau, through an
elaborate ruse. Even after this prophetic dream and God’s personal promise of protection,
Jacob’s resulting vow was still conditional: “If God will be with me...then the Lord shall be my
God...” (Genesis 28:21-22, ESV). Years later, after Jacob physically wrestled with the Lord all
night, he finally understood God could be trusted and put his full faith in him.

God the Father: The Creator, God of the universe, put his intricate plan of salvation in
place starting with Abraham. One of Jacob’s sons, Judah, would lead the tribe from which the
Messiah, Jesus Christ, would come. So great is his power that God manipulated individuals,
kingdoms, and empires to make this plan come about. Through the centuries, God revealed
himself to key people in this plan, such as Jacob. He guided and protected them, and in the case
of Jacob, used them in spite of their personal flaws. God’s motivation for saving humanity was
his boundless love, expressed through the sacrifice of his only Son.

Angels: Angelic beings appeared on the ladder in Jacob’s dream, ascending and
descending between heaven and earth. Divine creatures created by God, angels serve as
messengers and agents of God’s will. Their activity symbolized getting their orders from God in
heaven, going to earth to carry them out, then returning to heaven to report and receive further
orders. They do not act on their own.

Throughout the Bible, angels transmit instructions to humans and help them carry out
their missions. Even Jesus was ministered to by angels, following his temptation in the
wilderness and his agony at Gethsemane. Jacob’s dream was a rare glimpse behind the scenes
into the invisible world and a promise of God’s support.

Themes and Life Lessons

Dreams were a way God communicated with Bible characters to reveal information and
give direction. Today God speaks primarily through his written word, the Bible. Rather than
trying to interpret circumstances, we can act on the clear principles in Scripture to help us make
decisions. Obedience to God should be our priority. Like Jacob, we are all stained by sin, yet the
Bible is a record of God using imperfect people to accomplish his perfect plans. None of us may
use our faults to disqualify ourselves from God’s service.

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 The more fully we trust God, the sooner his blessings will become manifest in our lives.
Even during hard times, our faith assures us God is always with us for comfort and strength.

Historical Context

One key concept in Genesis was the act of blessing. A blessing was always bestowed from
the greater to the lesser. God blessed Adam and Eve, Noah and his sons, Abraham, and Isaac.
Abraham, in turn, blessed Isaac. But Jacob knew he and his mother Rebekah had deceived the
half-blind Isaac into blessing Jacob instead of his older brother Esau. In his guilt, Jacob must have
wondered whether God considered this stolen blessing valid. Jacob’s dream was confirmation
that Jacob was approved by God and would receive his help for the rest of his life.

Points of Interest

Most scholars interpret Jacob's ladder as a connection between heaven and earth, with
God taking the initiative to reach out to man. The perfect "ladder" is Jesus Christ, who was God
come to earth to save humanity. Jesus refers to himself as this ladder in John 1:51: "And he
(Jesus) said to him, 'Truly, truly I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” In the NIV translation of the Bible, the term
"stairway" is used instead of ladder. Bible scholars note that some hills in that region have series
of stone shelves that resemble stair steps. The word ladder appears in the King James Version,
New King James Version, English Standard Version, and New American Standard Bible.

Jacob vowed to give one-tenth of his income to God's work. This observance, called
tithing, is still practiced today by many Christian denominations. "Jacob's Ladder" is the title of a
1990 movie starring Tim Robbins, dozens of books, and a 1987 number one hit song written by
Bruce Hornsby and performed by Huey Lewis and the News.

Question for Reflection

Scholars sometimes contrast Jacob's ladder, God's outreach from heaven to earth, with
the Tower of Babel, man's grasping from earth toward heaven. The apostle Paul makes it clear
we are made righteous through the death and resurrection of Christ alone and not through any
of our own strivings. Are you trying to climb to heaven on a "ladder" of your own good works
and behavior, or are you taking the "ladder" of God's plan of salvation, his Son Jesus Christ?

The Birth of Moses

Moses was a prophet of the Abrahamic religions and the youngest son of Amram and
Jochebed. It was Moses who was destined to lead the children of Israel from Egypt and receive
for them the Holy Torah on Mount Sinai.

Story Summary of the Birth of Moses

Many years had passed since the death of Joseph. New kings were enthroned in Egypt
who had no appreciation for how Joseph had saved their country during a great famine. The
birth of Moses would mark the beginning of God's plan to free his people from 400 years of
Egyptian slavery.

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 The Hebrew people became so many in Egypt that Pharaoh began to fear them. He
believed if an enemy attacked, the Hebrews might ally themselves with that enemy and conquer
Egypt. To prevent that, Pharaoh ordered that all newborn Hebrew boys must be killed by the
midwives to keep them from growing up and becoming soldiers. Out of loyalty to God, the
midwives refused to obey. They told Pharaoh that the Jewish mothers, unlike Egyptian women,
gave birth quickly before the midwife arrived. A handsome male child was born to Amram, of
the tribe of Levi, and his wife Jochebed. For three months Jochebed hid the baby to keep him
safe. When she could do that no longer, she got a basket made of bulrushes and reeds,
waterproofed the bottom with bitumen and pitch, put the baby in it and set the basket on the
Nile River. Pharaoh's daughter happened to be bathing in the river at the time. When she saw
the basket, she had one of her handmaidens bring it to her. She opened it and found the baby,
crying. Knowing he was one of the Hebrew children, she took pity on him and planned to adopt
him as her son.

The baby's sister, Miriam, was watching nearby and asked Pharaoh's daughter if she
should get a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for her. Ironically, the woman Miriam brought
back was Jochebed, the child's mother, who nursed her own baby until he could be weaned and
raised in the house of Pharaoh's daughter. Pharaoh's daughter named the child Moses, which in
Hebrew means "drawn out of the water" and in Egyptian was close to the word for "son."

Points of Interest From the Birth of Moses

Raised in the Egyptian court, Moses learned to read and write, equipping him to later
write the first five books of the Bible. Pharaoh's order to kill all male babies must have been
withdrawn because Moses' brother Aaron was younger than him. Aaron played key roles as
Moses' spokesman and later as high priest. After the birth of Moses, we are told nothing about
his upbringing. We don't know whether Pharaoh knew his adopted grandson was a Hebrew or
whether Pharaoh's daughter eventually got married. Just as Moses was drawn out of the water,
God would later draw the Hebrew people out of the water--the Red Sea--to save them from the
pursuing Egyptians. Moses was a type of Christ--that is, a foreshadowing of the Messiah.
Pharaoh ordered the killing of Hebrew male babies, and King Herod ordered the slaughter of all
male babies in Bethlehem to try to eliminate Jesus. Moses' mother took him to safety on the
Nile, and Jesus' parents took him to safety in Egypt. Moses freed God's people from slavery in
Egypt, and Jesus freed God's people from the slavery of sin.

Moses and the Burning Bush Story Summary

While tending his father-in-law Jethro's sheep in the land of Midian, Moses saw a baffling
sight on Mount Horeb. A bush was on fire, but it did not burn up. Moses went over to the
burning bush to investigate, and the voice of God called to him. God explained that he had seen
how miserable his chosen people, the Hebrews, were in Egypt, where they were being held as
slaves. God had come down from heaven to rescue them. He picked Moses to carry out that
task. Moses was terrified. He told God he was not capable of such a huge undertaking. God
assured Moses he would be with him. At that point, Moses asked God his name, so he could tell
the Israelites who had sent him. God replied, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the
Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD,
the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent
me to you. This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation."

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(Exodus 3:14-15, NIV) Then God revealed that he would perform miracles to force the king of
Egypt to let the enslaved Israelites go. To show his power, the Lord turned Moses' staff into a
snake, and back into a staff, and made Moses' hand white with leprosy, then healed it. God
instructed Moses to use those signs to prove to the Hebrews that God truly was with Moses.
Still afraid, Moses complained that he could not speak well "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have
never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of
speech and tongue." The Lord said to him, "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes
them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I
will help you speak and will teach you what to say." (Exodus 4:10-12, NIV)

God was angry with Moses' lack of faith but promised Moses that his brother Aaron
would join him and speak for him. Moses would tell Aaron what to say. After saying goodbye to
his father-in-law, Moses met Aaron in the desert. Together they went back to Goshen, in Egypt,
where the Jews were slaves. Aaron explained to the elders how God was going to free the
people, and Moses showed them the signs. Overcome that the Lord had heard their prayers and
seen their affliction, the elders bowed down and worshiped God.

Points of Interest From the Burning Bush Story

God used a burning bush to get Moses' attention. He chose this shepherd to lead Israel
out of bondage. The names Mount Horeb and Mount Sinai are used interchangeably in the
Bible. Several sites in the Sinai Peninsula have been proposed by scholars, including Jebel Musa
(Mount Moses) and Jebel al-Lawz, but the Bible does not give a specific geographic location.

Scientists have tried to deny the miracle of the burning bush with various theories. Some
say it was a "gas-plant," vegetation which emits a flammable substance. Others claim the fire
was caused by a volcanic vent near the bush. Still others say it was merely a plant with red
flowers and there was no fire at all, but the Bible clearly states the bush burned but was not
consumed. God's name, "I AM", reveals his independent existence and eternal nature, unbound
by past, present or future. Jesus Christ used this term to express his divinity: "Very truly I tell
you," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58, NIV) The Jews picked up
stones to kill Jesus, claiming he committed blasphemy. After Moses completed his assignment
of leading the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, he returned to this same holy mountain, where
God gave him the Ten Commandments.

Question for Reflection

God promised Moses from the burning bush that he would be with him throughout this
difficult ordeal. In predicting the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah said, "The virgin will conceive
and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").
(Matthew 1:23, NIV) If you take hold of the truth that God is with you every moment, how
would that change your life?

(Sources: The New Compact Bible Dictionary, edited by T. Alton Bryant; The Bible
Almanac, edited by J.I. Packer, Merrill C. Tenney, and William White Jr.; The Bible as History, by
Werner Keller; Bible.org, and gotquestions.org)
the Ten Plagues

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 The Ten Plagues of Egypt is a story related in the Book of Exodus. It is the second of the
first five books of the Judeo-Christian Bible, also called the Torah or Pentateuch. According to
the story in Exodus, the Hebrew people living in Egypt were suffering under the cruel rule of the
Pharaoh. Their leader Moses (Moshe) asked Pharaoh to let them return to their homelands in
Canaan, but Pharaoh refused. In response, the 10 plagues were inflicted on the Egyptians in a
divine demonstration of power and displeasure designed to persuade Pharaoh to "let my people
go," in the words of the spiritual "Go Down Moses."

Enslaved in Egypt
The Torah relates that Hebrews from the land of Canaan had lived in Egypt for many
years, and had become numerous under kind treatment by the kingdom's rulers. The Pharaoh
became intimidated by the sheer number of Hebrews in his kingdom and ordered them all to be
enslaved. Lives of bitter hardship ensued for 400 years, at one time including a decree from the
Pharaoh that all male Hebrew children be drowned at birth. Moses, the son of a slave who was
raised in the palace of the Pharaoh, is said to have been chosen by his God to lead the Israelite
people to freedom. With his brother Aaron (Aharon), Moses asked the Pharaoh to let the people
of Israel leave Egypt in order to celebrate a feast in the wilderness to honor their God. The
Pharaoh refused.

Moses and the 10 Plagues

God promised Moses that he would demonstrate his power to convince Pharaoh, but at
the same time, he would be convincing the Hebrews to follow his path. First, God would
"harden the heart" of the Pharaoh, making him adamantly against the Hebrews' leaving. Then
he would produce a series of plagues with escalating severity that culminated with the death of
every firstborn Egyptian male. Though Moses asked Pharoah before each plague for his
people's freedom, he continued to refuse. Ultimately, it took all 10 plagues to convince the
unnamed Pharaoh to free all of Egypt's Hebrew slaves, who started their exodus back to Canaan.
The drama of the plagues and their role in the liberation of the Jewish people are remembered
during the Jewish holiday of Pesach, or Passover.

Views of the Plagues: Tradition vs. Hollywood

Hollywood's treatment of the Plagues as portrayed in movies such as Cecil B. DeMille's

"The Ten Commandments" is decidedly different from the way that Jewish families regard them
during the celebration of Passover. DeMille's Pharaoh was an out-and-out bad guy, but the
Torah teaches that God was the one who made him so intransigent. The Plagues were less about
punishing the Egyptians than showing the Hebrews—who were not yet Jews since they had not
received the Ten Commandments—how mighty their God was?
At the seder, the ritual meal accompanying Passover, it is customary to recite the 10
plagues and remove a drop of wine from each cup. This is done to remember the suffering of
the Egyptians and to diminish in some way the happiness of a liberation that cost so many
innocent lives.

When Did the 10 Plagues Happen? The historicity of anything in ancient texts is dicey.
Scholars argue that the story of the Hebrews in Egypt is told about the Egyptian New Kingdom
during the late Bronze Age. The Pharaoh in the story is thought to be Ramses II.

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 The following Biblical passages are line references to King James' Version of Exodus.

01of 10
Water to Blood
Water to blood
Universal Images Group / Getty Images

When Aaron's staff hit the Nile River, the water became blood and the first plague began.
The water, even in wood and stone jars, was undrinkable, fish died, and the air was filled
with a horrid stench. Like some of the plagues, Pharoah's magicians were able to replicate this
phenomenon.

Exodus 7:19 And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch
out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their
ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be
blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.

02 of 10
Frogs
Plague of frogs
Bettmann / Contributor / Getty Images

The second plague brought an influx of millions of frogs. They came from every water
source around and inundated the Egyptian people and everything around them. This was also
duplicated by the Egyptian magicians.

Exodus 8:2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with
frogs:
8:3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine
house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and
upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs:
8:4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy
servants.

03 of 10
Gnats or Lice
Cloud of mosquitoes
Michael Phillips / Getty Images

Aaron's staff was used again in the third plague. This time he would strike the dirt and
gnats flew up from the dust. The infestation would take over every man and animal around. The
Egyptians could not recreate this one with their magic, saying instead, "This is the finger of
God."
Exodus 8:16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite
the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

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 04 of 10
Flies
Digital Vision / Getty Images

The fourth plague affected only the lands of Egypt and not those where the Hebrews lived
in Goshen. The swarm of flies was unbearable and this time Pharoah agreed to allow the people
to go into the desert, with restrictions, to make sacrifices to God.

Exodus 8:21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies
upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of
the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

05 of 10
Livestock Diseased
Livestock plague
Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images

Again, affecting only the herds of the Egyptians, the fifth plague sent a deadly disease
through the animals they relied on. It destroyed the livestock and flocks, but those of the
Hebrews remained untouched.

Exodus 9:3 Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the
horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a
very grievous murrain.

06 of 10
Plague of boils
Peter Dennis / Getty Images

To bring on the sixth plague, God told Moses and Aaron to toss ashes into the air. This
resulted in horrendous and painful boils appearing on every Egyptian and their livestock. The
pain was so excruciating that when the Egyptian sorcerers tried to stand in front of Moses, they
could not.

Exodus 9:8 And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes
of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.

9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking
forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

07 of 10
Thunder and Hail
Luis DíazDevesa / Getty Images

In Exodus 9:16, Moses conveyed a personal message to Pharoah from God. It said that he
had purposely brought the plagues upon him and Egypt "to shew in thee my power; and that my
name may be declared throughout all the earth. "

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 The seventh plague brought torrential rains, thunder, and hail that killed people, animals,
and crops. Despite the fact that Pharoah admitted his sin, once the storm calmed he again
refused freedom to the Hebrews.

Exodus 9:18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail,
such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.

08 of 10
Plague of Locusts
SuperStock / Getty Images

If Pharoah thought frogs and lice were bad, the locusts of the eighth plague would prove
to be the most devastating. These insects ate every green plant they could find. Afterwards,
Pharoah admitted to Moses that he had sinned "once."

Exodus 10:4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the
locusts into thy coast:

10:5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth:
and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail,
and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field.

09
of 10
The plague of darkness
ivan-96 / Getty Images

Three days of complete darkness stretched over the lands of Egypt—not those of the
Hebrews, who enjoyed light by day—in the ninth plague. It was so dark that the Egyptians could
not see each other.

After this plague, the Pharoah attempted to negotiate the freedom of the Hebrews. His
bargain that they could leave if their flocks were left behind was not accepted.

Exodus 10:21 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that
there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness
in all the land of Egypt three days.

10 of 10
Death of first-born
Fine Art Images / Heritage Images / Getty Images

Pharoah was warned that the tenth and final plague would be the most devastating. God
told the Hebrews to sacrifice lambs and eat the meat before morning, but not before they used
the blood to paint their doorposts.

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 The Hebrews followed these directions and also asked for and received all the gold, silver,
jewelry, and clothes from the Egyptians. These treasures would later be used for the tabernacle.

Over the night, an angel came and passed over all of the Hebrew homes. The firstborn in
every Egyptian household would die, including Pharoah's son. This caused such a clamor that
Pharoah ordered the Hebrews to leave and take all they owned.

Exodus 11:4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the
midst of Egypt:

11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that
sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and
all the firstborn of beasts.

Crossing the Red Sea - Bible Story Summary

After suffering devastating plagues sent by God, the Pharaoh of Egypt decided to let the
Hebrew people go, as Moses had asked. God told Moses he would get glory over Pharaoh and
prove that the Lord is God. After the Hebrews left Egypt, the king changed his mind and was
angry that he had lost his source of slave labor. He summoned his 600 best chariots, all the
other chariots in the land, and marched his massive army in pursuit. The Israelites seemed to
be trapped. Mountains stood on one side, the Red Sea in front of them. When they saw
Pharaoh's soldiers coming, they were terrified. Grumbling against God and Moses, they said
they would rather be slaves again than die in the desert. Moses answered the people, "Do not
be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The
Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to
be still." (Exodus 14:13-14, NIV)

The angel of God, in a pillar of cloud, stood between the people and the Egyptians,
protecting the Hebrews. Then Moses stretched his hand out over the sea. The Lord caused a
strong east wind to blow all night, parting the waters and turning the sea floor into dry land.
During the night, the Israelites fled through the Red Sea, a wall of water to their right and to
their left. The Egyptian army charged in after them. Watching the chariots race ahead, God
threw the army into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels to slow them down. Once the
Israelites were safe on the other side, God commanded Moses to stretch out his hand again. As
morning returned, the sea rolled back in, covering the Egyptian army, its chariots and horses.
Not one man survived. After witnessing this great miracle, the people believed in the Lord and
his servant Moses.

Points of Interest from the Crossing the Red Sea Story

The exact location of this miracle is unknown. It was common practice among ancient
kings not to record military defeats or to remove them from accounts of their country's history.
Some scholars argue that the Israelites crossed the Reed Sea or a shallow, weedy lake, but
the Bible account notes that the water was like a "wall" on both sides and that it "covered" the
Egyptians.
Despite being eyewitnesses to God's power in the crossing of the Red Sea, the Israelites
did not trust God to help them conquer Canaan, so he set them wandering in the desert for 40

19
years until that generation was dead. The Israelites took with them the bones of Joseph, the
Hebrew who had saved the entire country of Egypt some 400 years earlier with his God-given
wisdom. After their ordeal in the desert, the 12 tribes, representing descendants of Joseph and
his 11 brothers, reorganized. God finally let them enter Canaan, and they conquered that land,
led by Moses' successor, Joshua. The Apostle Paul pointed out in 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 that the
Red Sea crossing was a representation of New Testament baptism.

Question for Reflection

The God who parted the Red Sea provided for the Israelites in the desert, and raised Jesus
Christ from the dead is the same God we worship today. Will you put your faith in God to
protect you too?

The Ten Commandments

Moses and the Ten Commandments Story Summary

Shortly after God delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt by crossing the Red Sea, they
traveled through the desert to Sinai where they camped in front of Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai,
also called Mount Horeb, is a very significant place. There God met and spoke with Moses,
telling him why he had rescued Israel from Egypt. God had chosen the people of Israel to be
made into a holy nation of priests for God, his treasured possession. One day God called Moses
to the top of the mountain. He gave Moses the first part of his new system of laws for the
people--the Ten Commandments. These Commandments summarized the absolutes of spiritual
and moral living that God intended for his people. For a modern-day paraphrase visit the Ten
Commandments Paraphrased.

God continued to give direction to his people through Moses, including civil and
ceremonial laws for managing their lives and their worship. Eventually, God called Moses to the
mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. This time he gave Moses instructions for the tabernacle and
the offerings.

Tablets of Stone
When God finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him two tablets of stone
inscribed by the very finger of God. The tablets contained the Ten Commandments.

Meanwhile, the people of Israel had become impatient while waiting for Moses to return
with a message from God. Moses had been gone for so long that the people gave up on him and
begged Aaron, Moses' brother, to build them an altar so they could worship.

Aaron collected offerings of gold from all the people and built an idol cast in the shape of
a calf. The Israelites held a festival and bowed down to worship the idol. That quickly they had
fallen back into the same type of idolatry they were accustomed to in Egypt and disobedience to
God's new commands.

When Moses came down from the mountain with the tablets of stone, his anger burned
as he saw the people given over to idolatry. He threw down the two tablets, smashing them to
pieces at the foot of the mountain. Then Moses destroyed the golden calf, burning it in the fire.

20
 Moses and God proceeded to discipline the people for their sin. Later God instructed
Moses to chisel two new stone tablets, just like the ones he had written with his own finger.

The Ten Commandments Are Important to God

The Ten Commandments were spoken to Moses in God's own voice and then later written
on two tablets of stone by the very finger of God. They are extremely important to God. After
Moses destroyed the tablets inscribed by God, he made Moses write new ones, just like the
ones he had written himself.

These Commandments are the first part of God's law system. In essence, they are a
summary of the hundreds of laws found in the Old Testament Law. They offer basic rules of
behavior for spiritual and moral living. They were designed to guide Israel into a life of practical
holiness. Today, these laws still instruct us, expose sin, and show us God's standard. But,
without the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are utterly helpless to live up to God's holy standard.

Moses destroyed the tablets in his anger. His breaking of the tablets was symbolic of the
laws of God being broken in the hearts of his people. Moses had righteous anger at the sight of
sin. Anger at sin is a sign of spiritual health. It is appropriate to experience righteous anger,
however, we should always be careful that it does not lead us to sin.

Questions for Reflection

While Moses was away with God on the mountain, why did the people beg Aaron for
something to worship? The answer, I believe, is that humans are created to worship. We will
either worship God, ourselves, money, fame, pleasure, success, or things. An idol can be
anything (or anyone) you worship by giving it more importance than God. Louie Giglio, founder
of Passion Conferences and author of The Air I Breathe: Worship as a Way of Life, said, "When
you follow the trail of your time, energy, and money, you find a throne. And whatever or
whomever is on that throne is the object of your worship."

Do you have an idol that is keeping the one true God from being on the center of your
throne of worship?

Balaam and the Donkey

Balaam, a sorcerer, was summoned by King Balak of the Moabites to curse the Israelites
as Moses was leading them toward Canaan. Balak promised to pay Balaam handsomely for
bringing evil upon the Hebrews, whom he feared. In the night God came to Balaam, telling him
not to curse the Israelites. Balaam sent the king's messengers away. Balaam did, however, go
with a second set of Balak's messengers after being warned by God to "only do what I tell you."

On the way, Balaam's donkey saw the angel of God standing in their path, brandishing a
sword. The donkey turned, drawing a beating from Balaam. The second time the animal saw the
angel, she pressed against a wall, crushing Balaam's foot. Again he beat the donkey. The third
time the donkey saw the angel, she lay down under Balaam, who beat her severely with his
staff. At that, the Lord opened the donkey's mouth and it said to Balaam:

"What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?" (Numbers 22:28, NIV)

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 After Balaam argued with the beast, the Lord opened the sorcerer's eyes so he too could
see the angel. The angel scolded Balaam and ordered him to go to Balak but to speak only what
God told him. The king took Balaam to several mountains, ordering him to curse the Israelites on
the plains below, but instead, the sorcerer gave four oracles, repeating God's covenant of
blessing on the Hebrew people. Finally, Balaam prophesied the deaths of pagan kings and a
"star" that would come out of Jacob. Balak sent Balaam home, angry that he had blessed rather
than cursed the Jews. Later, the Jews warred against Midian, killing their five kings. They put
Balaam to death by the sword.

Take aways From the Story of Balaam and the Donkey Balaam knew God and carried out
his commands, but he was an evil man, driven by money rather than love for God. His inability
to see the angel of the Lord revealed his spiritual blindness. Moreover, he saw no significance in
the donkey's odd behavior. As a seer, he should have been keenly aware that God was sending
him a message. The angel threatened Balaam because Balaam was obeying God in his actions,
but in his heart, he was rebelling, thinking only of the bribe.

The "oracles" of Balaam in Numbers correspond to the blessings God promised to

Abraham: Israel will be as numerous as the dust of the earth; the Lord is with Israel; Israel will
inherit the promised land; Israel will crush Moab, and from the Jews will come a Messiah.
Numbers 31:16 reveals that Balaam enticed the Israelites to turn from God and worship idols.

The fact that the angel asked Balaam the same question as the donkey indicates that the
Lord was speaking through the donkey.

Questions for Reflection

Are my thoughts consistent with my actions? When I obey God am I doing it grudgingly or
with impure motives? Does my obedience to God flow from my love for him and nothing else

Crossing the Jordan River - Story Summary

After wandering in the desert 40 years, the Israelites finally approached the boundary of
the Promised Land near Shittim. Their great leader Moses had died, and God had transferred
power to Moses' successor, Joshua. Before invading the hostile land of Canaan, Joshua had sent
in two spies to scout the enemy. Their story is told in the account of Rahab, the prostitute.
Joshua ordered the people to consecrate themselves by washing themselves, their
clothes, and refraining from sex. The next day, he assembled them a half mile behind the ark of
the covenant. He told the Levite priests to carry the ark to the Jordan River, which was swollen
and treacherous, overflowing its banks with snowmelt from Mount Hermon.

As soon as the priests waded in with the ark, the water stopped flowing and piled in a
heap, 20 miles north near the village of Adam. It was also cut off to the south. While the priests
waited with the ark in the middle of the river, the entire nation crossed over on dry ground.

The Lord commanded Joshua to have 12 men, one from each of the 12 tribes, pick up a
stone from the center of the riverbed. About 40,000 men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and
the half-tribe of Manasseh had crossed over first, armed and ready for battle.

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 Once everyone had crossed, the priests with the ark came out of the riverbed. As soon as
they were safe on dry land, the waters of the Jordan rushed in.

The people camped that night at Gilgal, about two miles away from Jericho. Joshua took
the 12 stones they had brought and stacked them into a memorial. He told the nation it was a
sign to all the nations of the earth that the Lord God had parted the waters of the Jordan, just as
he had parted the Red Sea in Egypt.

Then the Lord commanded Joshua to circumcise all the men, which he did since they had
not been circumcised during the desert wanderings. After that, the Israelites celebrated
Passover, and the manna that had fed them for 40 years stopped. They ate the produce of the
land of Canaan. The conquest of the land was about to begin. The angel who commanded
God's army appeared to Joshua and told him how to win the battle of Jericho.

Points of Interest from the Story

God wanted Israel to learn two lessons from this miracle. First, God was with Joshua as
he had been with Moses. Second, the Lord's wonder-working strength would enable the people
to conquer every enemy they faced. Most of the year, the Jordan River was about 100 feet wide
and only three to ten feet deep. However, when the Israelites crossed, it was at flood stage,
overflowing its banks. Nothing but the might of God could have parted it and made it safe for
his people. The Ark of the Covenant was God's throne on earth. Literally, the Lord went into
the dangerous river first, demonstrating his role as Israel's protector. Except for a few, the
people of Israel who had witnessed the crossing of the Red Sea in their escape from Egypt had
died. Parting the Jordan reinforced God's love for this new generation. Crossing into the
Promised Land represented a break with Israel's past. When the manna stopped, it forced the
people to conquer their enemies and subdue the land God intended for them.

Question for Reflection

Joshua was a humble man who, like his mentor Moses, understood he could not
accomplish the awesome tasks before him without complete dependence on God. Do you try to
do everything in your own strength, or have you learned to rely on God when life gets tough

Battle of Jericho
The battle of Jericho (Joshua 1:1 - 6:25) featured one of the most astounding miracles in
the Bible, proving that God stood with the Israelites. After the death of Moses, God chose
Joshua, son of Nun, to be the leader of the Israelite people. They set about to conquer the land
of Canaan, under the Lord's guidance. God said to Joshua: "Do not be terrified; do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, NIV). Spies
from the Israelites sneaked into the walled city of Jericho and stayed at the house of Rahab, a
prostitute. But Rahab had faith in God. She told the spies:

"I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us,
so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the
Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt ... When we heard
of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your
God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. (Joshua 2:9-11, NIV)

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 She hid the spies from the king's soldiers, and when the time was right, she helped the
spies escape out a window and down a rope, since her house was built into the city wall. Rahab
made the spies swear an oath. She promised not to give their plans away, and in return, they
swore to spare Rahab and her family when the battle of Jericho began. She was to tie a scarlet
cord in her window as a sign of their protection.

Meanwhile, the Israelite people continued to move into Canaan. God commanded Joshua
to have the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant into the center of the Jordan River, which was
at flood stage. As soon as they stepped into the river, the water stopped flowing. It piled up in
heaps upstream and downstream, so the people could cross on dry ground. God performed a
miracle for Joshua, just as he had done for Moses, by parting the Red Sea.

A Strange Miracle
God had a strange plan for the battle of Jericho. He told Joshua to have the armed men
march around the city once each day, for six days. The priests were to carry the ark, blowing
trumpets, but the soldiers were to keep silent. On the seventh day, the assembly marched
around the walls of Jericho seven times. Joshua told them that by God's order, every living thing
in the city must be destroyed, except Rahab and her family. All articles of silver, gold, bronze,
and iron were to go into the Lord's treasury.
At Joshua's command, the men gave a great shout, and Jericho's walls fell down flat! The
Israelite army rushed in and conquered the city. Only Rahab and her family were spared.

Lessons from the Battle of Jericho Story

Joshua felt unqualified for the monumental task of taking over for Moses, but God
promised to be with him every step of the way, just as he had been for Moses. This same God is
with us today, protecting and guiding us. Rahab the prostitute made the right choice. She went
with God, instead of the evil people of Jericho. Joshua spared Rahab and her family in the battle
of Jericho. In the New Testament, we learn that God favored Rahab by making her one of the
ancestors of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. Rahab is named in Matthew's genealogy of
Jesus as the mother of Boaz and great-grandmother of King David. Although she'll forever bear
the label "Rahab the harlot," her involvement in this story declares God's peculiar grace and
life-transforming power.

Joshua's strict obedience to God is a key lesson from this story. At every turn, Joshua did
exactly as he was told and the Israelites prospered under his leadership. An ongoing theme in
the Old Testament is that when the Jews obeyed God, they did well. When they disobeyed, the
consequences were bad. The same is true for us today.

As Moses' apprentice, Joshua learned firsthand that he wouldn't always understand God's
ways. Human nature sometimes made Joshua want to question God's plans, but instead he
chose to obey and watch what happened. Joshua is an excellent example of humility before
God.

Questions for Reflection

Joshua's strong faith in God led him to obey, no matter how illogical God's command
might be. Joshua also drew from the past, remembering the impossible deeds God had
accomplished through Moses.

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 Do you trust God with your life? Have you forgotten how he brought you through past
troubles? God has not changed and he never will. He promises to be with you wherever you go.

Samson and Delilah

Samson and Delilah Story Summary

Samson was a miracle child, born to a woman who had previously been barren. His
parents were told by an angel that Samson was to be a Nazirite all his life. Nazirites took a vow
of holiness to abstain from wine and grapes, to not cut their hair or beard, and to avoid contact
with dead bodies. As he grew up, the Bible says the Lord blessed Samson and "the Spirit of the
Lord began to stir in him" (Judges 13:25). However, as he grew into manhood, Samson's lusts
overpowered him. After a series of foolish mistakes and bad decisions, he fell in love with a
woman named Delilah. His affair with this woman from the Valley of Sorek marked the
beginning of his downfall and eventual demise.

It didn't take long for the rich and powerful Philistine rulers to learn of the affair and
immediately pay a visit to Delilah. At the time, Samson was judge over Israel and had been
taking out great vengeance on the Philistines.

Hoping to capture him, the Philistine leaders each offered Delilah a sum of money to
collaborate with them in a scheme to uncover the secret of Samson's great strength. Smitten
with Delilah and infatuated with his own extraordinary talents, Samson walked right into the
destructive plot.

Using her powers of seduction and deception, Delilah persistently wore down Samson
with her repeated requests, until he finally divulged the crucial information. Having taken the
Nazirite vow at birth, Samson had been set apart to God. As part of that vow, his hair was never
to be cut.

When Samson told Delilah that his strength would leave him if a razor were to be used on
his head, she cunningly crafted her plan with the Philistine rulers. While Samson slept on her
lap, Delilah called in a co-conspirator to shave off the seven braids of his hair. Subdued and
weak, Samson was captured.

Rather than killing him, the Philistines preferred to humiliate him by gouging out his eyes
and subjecting him to hard labor in a Gaza prison. As he slaved at grinding grain, his hair began
to grow, but the careless Philistines paid no attention. And in spite of his horrible failures and
sins of great consequence, Samson's heart now turned to the Lord. He was humbled. He prayed
to God — and God answered.

During a pagan sacrificial ritual, the Philistines had gathered in Gaza to celebrate. As was
their custom, they paraded their prized enemy prisoner into the temple to entertain the jeering
crowds. Samson braced himself between the two central support pillars of the temple and
pushed with all his might. Down came the temple, killing Samson and everyone else in the
temple.

25
 Through his death, Samson destroyed more of his enemies in this one sacrificial act, than
he had previously killed in all the battles of his life.

Points of Interest from the Story of Samson and Delilah

Samson's calling from birth was to begin the deliverance of Israel from Philistine
oppression (Judges 13:5). When reading the account of Samson's life and then his downfall with
Delilah, you might tend to think Samson wasted his life. He was a failure. Even still, he
accomplished his God-assigned mission.

In fact, the New Testament doesn't list Samson's failures, nor his incredible acts of
strength. Hebrews 11 names him in the "Hall of Faith" among those who "through faith
conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised ... whose weakness
was turned to strength." This proves that God can use people of faith, no matter how
imperfectly they live their lives.

We might look at Samson and his infatuation with Delilah, and consider him gullible —
stupid even. His lust for Delilah blinded him to her lies and her true nature. He wanted so badly
to believe she loved him, that he repeatedly fell for her deceptive ways.

The name Delilah means "worshipper" or "devotee." Nowadays, it has come to mean "a
seductive woman." The name is Semitic, but the story suggests that she was a Philistine. Oddly
enough, all three of the women Samson gave his heart to were among his gravest enemies, the
Philistines.

After Delilah's third attempt at luring out his secret, why didn't Samson catch on? By the
fourth enticement, he crumbled. He gave in. Why didn't he learn from his past mistakes? Why
did he give into temptation and give up his treasured gift? Because Samson is just like you and
me when we give ourselves over to sin. In this state, we can easily be deceived because the
truth becomes impossible to see.

Questions for Reflection

Spiritually speaking, Samson lost sight of his calling from God and gave up his greatest gift,
his incredible physical strength, to please the woman who had captured his affections. In the
end, it cost him his physical sight, his freedom, his dignity, and eventually his life. No doubt, as
he sat in prison, blind and zapped of strength, Samson felt like a failure.

Do you feel like a complete failure? Do you think it's too late to turn to God?

At the end of his life, blind and humbled, Samson finally realized his utter dependence
upon God. Amazing grace. He once was blind, but now could see. No matter how far you've
fallen away from God, no matter how big you've failed, it's never too late to humble yourself
and return to God. Ultimately, through his sacrificial death, Samson turned his miserable
mistakes into victory. Let Samson's example persuade you — it's never too late to return to
God's open arms.
1. David and Goliath Bible Story Study Guide
The Philistines were at war with Saul. Their champion fighter, Goliath, taunted the armies
of Israel daily. But no Hebrew soldier had dared to face this giant of a man.

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 David, newly anointed but still a boy, was deeply offended by the giant's haughty,
mocking challenges. He was zealous to defend the Lord's name. Armed with the inferior
weapons of a shepherd, but empowered by God, David killed the mighty Goliath. With their
hero down, the Philistines scattered in fear.

This triumph marked Israel's first victory at the hands of David. Proving his valor, David
demonstrated that he was worthy to become Israel's next King.

David and Goliath Bible Story Summary

The Philistine army had gathered for war against Israel. The two armies faced each other,
camped for battle on opposite sides of a steep valley. A Philistine giant measuring over nine feet
tall and wearing full armor came out each day for forty days, mocking and challenging the
Israelites to fight. His name was Goliath. Saul, the King of Israel, and the whole army were
terrified of Goliath. One day David, the youngest son of Jesse, was sent to the battle lines by his
father to bring back news of his brothers. David was just a young teenager at the time. While
there, David heard Goliath shouting his daily defiance, and he saw the great fear stirred within
the men of Israel. David responded, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy
the armies of God?"

So David volunteered to fight Goliath. It took some persuasion, but King Saul finally
agreed to let David oppose the giant. Dressed in his simple tunic, carrying his shepherd's staff,
sling, and a pouch full of stones, David approached Goliath. The giant cursed at him, hurling
threats and insults.

David said to the Philistine:

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the
name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied ... today I will
give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air ... and the whole world will know
that there is a God in Israel ... it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the
Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands." (1 Samuel 17:45-47)

As Goliath moved in for the kill, David reached into his bag and slung one of his stones at
Goliath's head. It found a hole in the armor and sank into the giant's forehead. He fell face down
on the ground. David then took Goliath's sword, killed him and cut off his head. When the
Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. The Israelites pursued, chasing
and killing them and plundering their camp.

Major Characters
In one of the Bible's most familiar stories, a hero and a villain take the stage:

Goliath: The villain, a Philistine warrior from Gath, was over nine feet tall, wore armor
weighing 125 pounds, and carried a 15-pound spear. Scholars believe he may have descended
from the Anakim, who were ancestors of a race of giants living in Canaan when Joshua and
Caleb led the people of Israel into the Promised Land. Another theory to explain Goliath's
gigantism is that it may have been caused by an anterior pituitary tumor or excessive secretion
of growth hormone from the pituitary gland.

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 David: The hero, David, was Israel's second and most important king. His family was from
Bethlehem, also called the City of David, in Jerusalem. The youngest son of Jesse’s family, David
was part of the tribe of Judah. His great-grandmother was Ruth.

David's story runs from 1 Samuel 16 through 1 Kings 2. Along with being a warrior and
king, he was a shepherd and accomplished musician.

David was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, who was often called "Son of David." Perhaps
David's greatest accomplishment was to be called a man after God's own heart. (1 Samuel
13:14; Acts 13:22)

Historical Context and Points of Interest

The Philistines were most likely the original Sea People who left the coastal areas of
Greece, Asia Minor, and the Aegean Islands and permeated the eastern Mediterranean coast.
Some of them came from Crete before settling in Canaan, near the Mediterranean coast. The
Philistines dominated the region including the five fortified cities of Gaza, Gath, Ekron, Ashkelon,
and Ashdod.

From 1200 to 1000 B.C., the Philistines were Israel's principal enemies. As a people, they
were skilled at working with iron tools and forging weapons, which gave them the ability to
make impressive chariots. With these chariots of war, they dominated the coastal plains but
were ineffective in the mountainous regions of central Israel. This put the Philistines at a
disadvantage with their Israelite neighbors.

Why did the Israelites wait 40 days to begin the battle? Everyone was afraid of Goliath. He
seemed invincible. Not even King Saul, the tallest man in Israel, had stepped out to fight. But an
equally important reason had to do with the characteristics of the land. The sides of the valley
were very steep. Whoever made the first move would have a strong disadvantage and probably
suffer great loss. Both sides were waiting for the other to attack first.

Life Lessons From David and Goliath

David's faith in God caused him to look at the giant from a different perspective. Goliath
was merely a mortal man defying an all-powerful God. David looked at the battle from God's
point of view. If we look at giant problems and impossible situations from God's perspective, we
realize that God will fight for us and with us. When we put things in proper perspective, we see
more clearly, and we can fight more effectively.

David chose not to wear the King's armor because it felt cumbersome and unfamiliar.
David was comfortable with his simple sling, a weapon he was skilled at using. God will use the
unique skills he's already placed in your hands, so don't worry about "wearing the King's armor."
Just be yourself and use the familiar gifts and talents God has given you. He will work miracles
through you.

When the giant criticized, insulted, and threatened, David didn't stop or even waver.
Everyone else cowered in fear, but David ran to the battle. He knew that action needed to be
taken. David did the right thing in spite of discouraging insults and fearful threats. Only God's
opinion mattered to David.

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 Questions for Reflection
Are you facing a giant problem or impossible situation? Stop for a minute and refocus.
Can you see the case more clearly from God's vantage point?
Do you need to take courageous action in the face of insults and fearful circumstances?
Do you trust that God will fight for you and with you? Remember, God's opinion is the only one
that matters.
Old Testament Life and Literature (1968)
Gerald A. Larue

Chapter 1 - What Is the Old Testament?

THE Old Testament is a collection of selected writings composed and edited by members
of the Hebrew-Jewish community between the twelfth century B.C. and the beginning of the
Christian era. It includes such diverse materials as prophetic oracles, teachings of wise men,
instructions of priests and ancient records of the royal courts. Some material is historical, some
is legendary; some is legalistic, some is didactic. For the most part the literature was written in
Hebrew, but a few passages were written in Aramaic, a kindred language which came into
common usage among the Jews during the post-Exilic era (after the sixth century B.C.). The
Aramaic portions include Dan. 2:4b-7:28; Ezra 4:8-6:18, 7:12-26; Jer. 10:11; and one phrase in
Gen. 31:47 "Jegar-sahadutha," translated "Heap of Witness."

The term "Old Testament,"1 or more properly "Old Covenant," is a Christian designation,
reflecting the belief of the early Christian Church that the "new covenant" mentioned in Jer.
31:31-34 was fulfilled in Jesus and that the Christian scriptures set forth the "new covenant,"
just as the Jewish scriptures set forth the "old covenant" (II Cor. 3:6-18; Heb. 9:1-4). Jewish
scholars prefer the term "Tanak," a word formed by combining the initial letters of the three
divisions of the Hebrew Bible: Torah (Law), Nebhiim (Prophets), and Kethubhim (Writings).

The Bible, as we know it today, is the end product of a long process of writing, editing and
selecting of literature primarily concerned with Jewish religious concepts, and, as such, it has a
long literary history. It cannot be assumed that a group of men composed writings echoing what
they thought God was dictating. The Bible reflects historical situations, human events, men's
reactions to these happenings, and the belief that God was also involved in events.

The literary history of the Bible can be said to have begun in the time of Solomon when
two men, or groups of men, produced what was to become the nucleus of the Old Testament.
One concentrated on the story of David, drawing, no doubt, from court records and other
sources, to produce a rather matter-of-fact and intimate account of David's rise to power, the
weaknesses and strengths of the man and his family, and the successful coup by which his son,
Solomon, gained the throne. The other writer or writers delved into the oral and written
traditions of the past to enrich the understanding of the present. Stories of patriarchal
ancestors, songs and folk-tales of the tribes, explanations concerning the origin of the world,
and accounts of the action of God in the affairs of men, were gathered and woven into a saga
explaining how the nation Israel came to be, and how God, who had acted in the past on behalf
of his chosen people, was acting in the present and could be counted upon to act in the future.
The theologized tradition or "sacred history," as it has been called, was probably utilized in the
festivals and cultic rites of the temple.

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 But the writing did not stop in the tenth century. New events and new monarchs required
the extension of national history, and a developing theology saw new facets of the relationship
believed to exist between God and the nation. Some materials were undoubtedly discarded
over the years, for the Bible reflects selectivity of materials, as we shall see. Study of the sacred
literature and new historical events developed new insights and resulted in the addition of new
materials. an extension of the creation narrative, detailed genealogies to account for various
nations, and new traditions about the patriarchs to explain how history had developed. Even
David's story was reinterpreted as David became, more and more, the prototype of the ideal
king and, ultimately, of the Messiah. Other literary forms were added: sermonic utterances of
the prophets, teachings from the schools of the wise men, devotional hymns of the temple,
parables, and material related to the nation's understanding of itself and its divine purpose.

Differing theological insights are often apparent, so that as one writing reflects a
universalistic spirit, another stresses particularism. Over and over again, however, it is made
clear that the writers believed that traditions of what God had done for his people in the past
symbolized what he could be counted upon to do in the future. Thus, a people in captivity to the
Babylonians could see that as God once delivered others from the Egyptians, he would do the
same for those presently enslaved. The literature had, therefore, a dynamic rather than a static
quality; being more than a record of the past, it constituted a narrative of the activity of God on
behalf of his people.

In its present form, the Old Testament opens with religious traditions concerning the
origin of the world and of mankind. In broad literary strokes, the transition is made to the
beginnings of the Hebrew people with the adventures of the patriarchs-Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob-as they dwelt in the land of Canaan. Because of famine, the Hebrews migrated to Egypt
where Joseph attained high office and his descendants were treated well. Change in Egyptian
leaders altered their attitude to the newcomers, and the Hebrews were pressed into virtual
slavery. Led by Moses, they escaped to the wilderness. After Moses' death, under the leadership
of Joshua, a successful invasion of Canaan gave them control of the land, a mastery maintained
with great difficulty and many wars. Ultimately, internal and external pressure became so great
that a single leader, a king, became a necessity. Under Saul, David, and Solomon, Canaan was
united into a single empire.

When Solomon died, the Hebrew kingdom split into northern (Israel or Ephraim) and
southern (Judah) sections, and during the next few centuries the great prophetic figures (Amos,
Hosea, Isaiah, etc.) proclaimed their messages. Israel fell to the Assyrians in 721 B.C. and was
absorbed by the Assyrian empire, never again to become a nation. In 586 B.C. Jerusalem was
conquered by the Babylonians and Judaeans (Jews) were taken into exile in Babylon, where they
managed to maintain their identity.

Release came with the conquest of Babylon by the Persians under Cyrus the Great in 539
B.C. The exiled Judaeans were permitted to return to their homeland, reestablish themselves,
and rebuild Jerusalem. Two leaders in the restoration movement, which reached its peak about
the middle of the fifth century, were Ezra and Nehemiah. For two centuries, or until the coming
of the Greeks tinder Alexander the Great in 333 B.C., 'Judah was ruled as a Persian province and
the Jews enjoyed comparative freedom in matters of religion and social conduct. The
introduction of Greek culture brought drastic changes.

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 When Alexander died in 323 B.C., his kingdom was divided among his generals and Judah
was eventually controlled by the Seleucids of Syria. From this time onward, Greek social and
cultural patterns made inroads into Jewish life, causing anguish and suffering to those who
opposed change. Unable to endure the situation any longer the Jews rebelled and won freedom.
For a short time, under Maccabaean leadership, Judah enjoyed the status of an independent
nation, only to come under the control of the Roman empire. Here we leave the Old Testament
period and enter the Christian era. However, as we shall see, there is far more than history or
the interpretation of historical events within the literature of the Old Testament.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE CANON

Writings accepted as authoritative for faith and teaching are said to be canonical, and
when gathered together constitute a canon. The term "canon," the Anglicized form of the Greek
word kanon designating a rod used for measuring, is related to a Semitic root appearing in
Hebrew as kaneh, meaning a "reed." Used metaphorically in reference to religious matters, it
signifies the measure or guide or standard for principles of belief and practice.

The number of books constituting the canon of Old Testament Scripture varies among
different religious groups. The Jewish Bible contains twenty-four books;2 the Protestant Bible,
thirty-nine books; the Eastern Orthodox Bible, forty-three books; and the Roman Catholic Bible,
forty-six books. The difference between the Jewish and Protestant versions is easily explained:
one book in the Jewish Bible entitled "The Twelve" (Dodecapropheton), actually contains twelve
prophetic writings which, in Christian versions, are counted individually, and four other writings
which are treated as individual units in Jewish Bibles are each sub-divided into two books by
Christians (I-II Samuel, I-II Kings, I-II Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah) . The additional books in the
Orthodox and Roman Catholic Bibles include writings not accepted as canonical by Jews and
Protestants, who place them in a collection known as "The Apocrypha." (See Chart 1.) The term
"Apocrypha" as applied to writings is first known to us through the work of Clement of
Alexandria ( Stromata iii, 5), a Christian theologian-philosopher living in Egypt at the close of the
second and beginning of the third centuries A.D. In the preface to his translation of Samuel and
Kings (PrologusGaleatus) in the fourth century, Jerome, the great Christian scholar who made
the Latin translation of the Bible known as the "Vulgate" (see Part Ten), applied the term to
books found in the Greek translation of Hebrew scriptures but excluded from the Jewish canon.

Etymologically, "apocrypha" is derived from a Greek word meaning "hidden" or

"concealed." The explanation as to why certain books were hidden may give to the word
"apocrypha" either a complimentary or derogatory significance. In one sense, the books were
hidden because they contained esoteric knowledge to be revealed only to members of a
particular group. In another sense ' they were concealed because they were heretical writings
not acceptable in the canon of scriptures. How parts of the Apocrypha came to be accepted by
some and rejected by others is part of the story of the development of the canon. (See Part
Ten.)

It is estimated that close to 1,000,000 Jews lived in Alexandria, Egypt, during the third
century B.C. Having been separated from Palestinian Judaism for many generations, the
Alexandrian Jews spoke only Greek and could not understand the Hebrew scriptures. According
to a legend preserved in "The Letter of Aristeas,"3 in response to a request that the Jewish

31
scriptures be translated into Greek, seventy Jewish scholars (another tradition says seventy-two)
went to Egypt and translated the first five books of the Bible (the Law or Torah). These books,
believed to be the work of Moses, had achieved a relatively fixed form and canonical status
during the fifth century B.C.

Subsequently other Jewish writings were translated: first the prophetic writings (the
Prophets or Nebhiim), which had almost achieved canonical standing, and finally the Writings or
Kethubhim, which incorporated all other authoritative religious documents. The tradition of the
translation by the seventy was extended to include the entire Greek version which came to be
known as "The Seventy" or in the Latin form as Septuaginta, now Anglicized to "Septuagint" and
given a numerical abbreviation LXX.

CHART I.
THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

Jewish Protestant Roman Catholic

The Law (Torah) Genesis Genesis
Exodus Exodus
Genesis Leviticus Leviticus
Exodus Numbers Numbers
Leviticus Deuteronomy Deuteronomy
Numbers Joshua Josue (Joshua)
Deuteronomy Judges Judges
Ruth Ruth
The Prophets (Nebhiim) I Samuel I Kings (=I Samuel)
The Former (Earlier) II Samuel II Kings(=II Samuel)
Prophets: I Kings III Kings(=I Kings)
Joshua II Kings IV Kings(=II Kings)
Judges I Chronicles I Paralipomenon
I Samuel II Chronicles (= I Chronicles)
II Samuel Ezra II Paralipomenon
I Kings Nehemiah (= II Chronicles)
II Kings Esther I Esdras (Ezra)
The Latter Prophets: Job II Esdras (Nehemiah)
Isaiah Psalms ** Tobias (Tobit)
Jeremiah Proverbs ** Judith
Ezekiel Ecclesiastes Esther (with additions)
The Twelve: Song of Solomon Job
Hosea Isaiah Psalms
Joel Jeremiah Proverbs
Amos Lamentations Ecclesiastes
Obadiah Ezekiel Song of Songs
Jonah Daniel ** Book of Wisdom
Micah Hosea ** Ecclesiasticus
Nahum Joel Isaias
Habakkuk Amos Jeremias

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 Zephaniah Obadiah Lamentations
Haggai Jonah ** Baruch (including the
Zechariah Micah Letter of Jeremiah)
Malachi Nahum Ezechiel
Habakkuk Daniel
The Writings Zephaniah Osee (Hosea)
(Kethubhim) Haggai Joel
Zechariah Amos
Psalms Malachi Abdias (Obadiah)
Proverbs Jonas (Jonah)
Job The Apocrypha Micheas (Micah)
Song of Songs * I Esdras (or III Esdras) Nahum
Ruth II Esdras (or IV Esdras)Habacuc
Lamentations * TobitSophonias (Zephaniah)
Ecclesiastes * Judith Aggeus (Haggai)
Esther Zacharias (Zechariah)
Daniel * Additions to Esther Malachias (Malachi)
Ezra * Wisdom of Solomon ** I Machabees
Nehemiah * Ecclesiasticus ** II Machabees
I Chronicles * Baruch
II Chronicles Letter of Jeremiah
* Prayer of Azariah and
* The Song of the Three Young Men
Susanna
* Bel and the Dragon
Prayer of Manasseh
* I Maccabees
* II Maccabees
* Books accepted by The Eastern Orthodox Church but not included in the Jewish Canon.
** Books accepted by Roman Catholics but not included in the Jewish Canon.

The contents of the Law and the Prophets had been determined by usage in the Jewish
community prior to the LXX translation, but the limits of the Kethubhim had not been defined
and books were included that were not to achieve canonical status among all Jews.4 When the
Christian Church began to move into the Greek-speaking world during the first century A.D., the
scripture used by the missionaries was the LXX. The authors of the New Testament Gospels
drew upon the LXX to prove that Jesus was the Messiah and the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy,
using some passages which the Jews argued had been inadequately translated from the Hebrew
to the Greek (particularly Isaiah 7:14; compare with Matt. 1:23). The destruction of the Temple
by the Romans in 70 A.D. gave Judaism a new direction, centering in scripture rather than
sacrificial rites, so that it became imperative to define the limits of the authoritative writings.
Consequently, in 90 A.D. at Jamnia (Jabneh) , situated west of Jerusalem near the
Mediterranean, a council met under the leadership of Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai to determine
the Jewish canon. Long debates ensued over the Song of Songs, Esther, Ecclesiastes, and Ezekiel.
The books agreed upon by the Council constitute the Jewish canon of today. Concerning other
writings, both Jewish and Christian, the Council stated:

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 The Gospel and the books of the heretics are not Sacred Scripture. The books of Ben Sira
and whatever books have been written since his time, are not Sacred Scripture. (TosefYadaim
2:13)

Meanwhile the Christians continued to use the LXX including books of the Apocrypha
rejected by the Jamnia Council. There was, however, some uneasiness among Christian scholars
concerning certain of the books and just prior to the Protestant Reformation questions were
being raised about the authority of the Apocrypha. Seeking to go back to ancient sources,
Protestant reformers accepted the Jewish canon and relegated the Apocrypha to the status of
writings without authority for doctrine, partially, no doubt, because certain unacceptable
doctrines were based upon these writings.5 For Protestants, the writings of the Apocrypha are
separated from canonical scriptures and held to be non-authoritative for doctrine.

The Roman Catholic Church took the opposite stand at the Council of Trent held in
Tridentum, Italy from 1545 to 1563 and, partially on the basis of traditional usage among
Christians, declared the books of the Apocrypha, with the exception of I and II Esdras and the
prayer of Manasseh, to be canonical and pronounced anathema upon all who denied their
status. The accepted books are labeled "Deuterocanonical"6 by Roman Catholic scholars who
restrict the use of the term "Apocrypha" to designate writings purporting to be inspired but not
accepted into the Roman Catholic canon. The latter writings are labeled "Pseudepigrapha" (False
Writings) by Protestant scholars. Later, in 1672, at the Council of Jerusalem, the Eastern
Orthodox Church accepted I Esdras, Tobit, Judith, the Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus,
Baruch, the Prayer of Azariah and The Song of the Three Young Men, Bel and the Dragon, and I
and II Maccabees into the canon, for reasons that are not completely clear.7

Thus, the term "Old Testament" has a wider and a narrower meaning, depending upon
who uses it. This book will discuss the literature common to Jewish, Protestant, Roman Catholic,
and Eastern Orthodox Bibles, and the writings called the "Apocrypha" by Protestants and Jews
or "Deuterocanonical" by Roman Catholics.

WHY DO WE READ?
For those with religious training received in Church or Synagogue, the answer to the
question "Why do we read?" may seem obvious. One reads for religious, theological, devotional,
or inspirational reasons, for spiritual edification, to nourish and nurture faith. The Jew
recognizes Tanak as God's word revealed to Israel, requiring neither supplement nor fulfillment.
It is used in public and private worship linking the individual Jew to the household of faith
throughout history, providing strength in time of need, offering hope in moments of darkness,
and giving assurance that the Covenant made with God in the past has relevance today.8

For the Christian, the Old Testament is that part of Holy Scripture known and quoted by
Jesus and the New Testament writers. Often, it is viewed as the prologue to the New Testament,
as a document which, pointing forward to Jesus, is to be interpreted in the light of the New
Testament, where Old Testament promises find fulfillment.9 Through the Bible God speaks to
man, and one may read of God's outreach or search for man, or, to reverse the idea, man's
search for God.10

The very reverence and respect paid to the Bible in services of worship by Jew and
Christian symbolizes its importance. The approach of the Synagogue or Church directs attention

34
to the essentially religious nature of the Bible, to the fact that the Old Testament is the product
of a community of faith reflecting theological convictions, and to the subsequent fact that this
ancient document is still a powerful factor in shaping and sustaining beliefs. However, the
purposes of Bible study as defined or understood by religious organizations do not determine
the goals of the classroom.

Often hailed as a "literary classic," the Bible has been approached as great literature, and
there have been those who have read with deep appreciation, particularly in the King James
Version, the magnificent prose and poetry appearing in many passages. Biblical themes have
been compared with those of other literary masterpieces.11 The impact of the Bible upon the
literature of the Western world has been traced and recognition given to the permeation of our
culture by this great document.12 Such an approach may ignore the intention of the authors of
the Bible and the relevance of what they said to their own time, or, in stressing literary
characteristics, may slight the religious convictions of the writers.

The remarkable historical record preserved in the Old Testament13 has led archaeologists
and historians to study it for contributions to the understanding of Near Eastern history. The
great American archaeologist, W. F. Albright, has commented upon the significant role the Bible
has played in the identification of Palestinian sites,14 and in some instances the Bible has led to
the discovery of ancient places by describing locations.15 But, as archaeologists would be quick
to assert, the Bible is more than an historical record or a guide to buried cities.

Beyond the study of the Old Testament for the contribution it may make to personal and
corporate piety or to literary, historical, and archaeological studies, is the recognition of the role
this body of writings has played and continues to play in shaping human concepts and values
through the adherents of three great religions that acknowledge its authority: Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. To study these ancient writings is, therefore, to study works that for
centuries have influenced social, literary, musical, artistic, ethical, moral, and many other
aspects of society.16 Understandably, no single introductory volume has been able to deal with
the relationship of the Bible to all of these themes.17

It is the purpose of this volume to introduce the literature of the Old Testament, the
vehicle by which the concepts of the ancient Hebrew-Jewish community are conveyed to us, in
terms of the situations out of which these writings developed (so far as they can be known) ,
giving attention to the beliefs and commitments of the authors. Whether or not one believes
that the religious, social and ethical concepts of the Old Testament are acceptable as
authoritative guides for present day belief and conduct must remain a personal matter. If, from
such study, one committed to the religious teaching of Church or Synagogue can gain enriched
awareness of the foundations of his convictions, or, if one without such commitments can
develop sensitive understanding of the basis of another's beliefs, and, if both are able to
broaden their appreciation of concepts that are fundamental to western religious thought,
perhaps this will be enough to answer the question, "Why read?" But, to read with
understanding the words of another is, to some degree, to apprehend the person. if, through
empathy and imagination, the barriers of time and space can be transcended and some identity
with the writer - his mood, his situation, his thinking, his values, and the generating sentiment of
his writing - can be attained, then it is possible to discover, not only another sentient human
being, but, to an extent, oneself. The question then becomes, "Why not read?"

35
 Endnotes

The earliest use of the term "Old Testament" is attributed to Melito, Bishop of Sardis
about A.D. 180. Tertullian, a Roman centurion who became a Christian, is believed to have been
the first to designate the Christian writings as the "New Testament" (about A.D. 200).
Josephus, the Jewish historian of the first century A.D. in his first book against Apion
(Contra Apion), section 8, mentions twenty-two books. He unites Ruth and Judges, and Jeremiah
and Lamentations
A Greek document, probably written in Alexandria, Egypt, during the second century B.C.
Cf. Moses Hadas, Aristeas to Philocrates (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1961) .
The Qumran Jewish community located near the Dead Sea, which produced the so-called
"Dead Sea Scrolls," included among their writings all of the books of the Old Testament (with the
possible exception of Esther), the book of Enoch and Jubilees, plus numerous writings of their
sect including "The War of the Children of Light versus the Children of Darkness," many hymns,
and a community rule book. It should be noted that at least some members of the early
Christian community used the book of Enoch (cf. Jude, vss. 14-16).
For example, the doctrine of Purgatory (cf. II Macc. 12:43-46).
Indicating that they were written later. The other books in the canon are called
"Protocanonical."
See The Old Testament Canon, Part Ten, chap. 31 for greater detail.
Cf. Leo Trepp, Eternal Faith, Eternal People (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1962), pp. 78 ff.; H.
J. Schoeps, The Jewish-Christian Argument (New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1963) , p. 4.
For a different evaluation, cf. J. L. Liebman, "New Trends in Jewish Reform Thought," Reform
Judaism (Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1949) , pp. 58-65.
Cf. Aldo J. Tos, Approaches to The Bible: The Old Testament (New Jersey: Prentice-Hall,
1963), pp. vii f.; H. C. Kee, The Renewal of Hope (New York: Association Press, 1959), pp. 49 ff.;
A. Richardson, A Preface to Bible Study (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1944) pp. 65 ff.
R. M. Brown, The Bible Speaks to You (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1955), pp. 15 ff.;
E. P. Blair, The Bible and You (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1953), pp. 27 ff.; S. Mowinckel,
The Old Testament as the Word of God, trans. by R. B. Bjornard (New York: Abingdon, 1959);
John T. Wilkinson, Principles of Biblical Interpretation (London: Epworth Press, 1960).
Mary Ellen Chase, The Bible and the Common Reader (New York: Macmillan, 1944); C. A.
Dinsmore, The English Bible as Literature (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1931); Joseph Frank,
Literature from the Bible (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1963).
L. A. Nelson, Our Roving Bible (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury, 1945).
Records preserved in II Sam. 9-20 and I Kings 1-2 have been recognized as unique
documents, conveying to the reader a sense of factuality that indicates intimate familiarity with
the events described. Cf. John Bright, A History of Israel (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1959),
P. 163.
Wm. F. Albright, The Archaeology of Palestine (Baltimore: Penguin, 1960), pp. 227 ff.
Nelson Glueck, Rivers in the Desert (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Cudahy, 1959), pp. 30
ff.
Areas of academic inquiry affected by the Old Testament include: art, archaeology,
comparative literature, ethics, history, music, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and, in a
controversial way, biological and geological sciences, to name but a few.
Cf. H. H. Watts, The Modern Reader's Guide to the Bible (New York: Harper and Brothers,
1959) ; W. Irwin, The Old Testament: Keystone of Human Culture (New York: H. Schuman, Inc.,
1952) for volumes cognizant of the cultural aspects.

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 Old Testament Life and Literature is copyright © 1968, 1997 by Gerald A. Larue. All rights
reserved.
The electronic version is copyright © 1997 by Internet Infidels with the written permission
of Gerald A. Larue.
Qqq
The Old Testament (abbreviated OT) is the first part of Christian Bibles, based primarily
upon the Hebrew Bible (or Tanakh), a collection of ancient religious writings by the
Israelites[1][need quotation to verify] believed by most Christians and religious Jews to be the
sacred Word of God.[2] The second part of the Christian Bible is the New Testament.

The books that comprise the Old Testament canon, as well as their order and names,
differ between Christian denominations. The Catholic canon comprises 46 books, and the
canons of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches comprise up to 51 books[3]
and the most common Protestant canon comprises 39 books. The 39 books in common to all the
Christian canons correspond to the 24 books of the Tanakh, with some differences of order, and
there are some differences in text. The additional number reflects the splitting of several texts
(Kings, Samuel and Chronicles, Ezra–Nehemiah and the minor prophets) into separate books in
Christian bibles. The books which are part of a Christian Old Testament but which are not part of
the Hebrew canon are sometimes described as deuterocanonical. In general, Protestant Bibles
do not include the deuterocanonical books in their canon, but some versions of Anglican and
Lutheran bibles place such books in a separate section called Apocrypha. These extra books are
ultimately derived from the earlier Greek Septuagint collection of the Hebrew scriptures and are
also Jewish in origin. Some are also contained in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Old Testament consists of many distinct books by various authors produced over a
period of centuries.[4] Christians traditionally divide the Old Testament into four sections: (1)
the first five books or Pentateuch (Torah); (2) the history books telling the history of the
Israelites, from their conquest of Canaan to their defeat and exile in Babylon; (3) the poetic and
"Wisdom books" dealing, in various forms, with questions of good and evil in the world; and (4)
the books of the biblical prophets, warning of the consequences of turning away from God.

1. What are the five books of the Old Testament?

Pentateuch.means the first five books of the Bible. These books are Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The word Pentateuch comes from two Greek words that
mean "five books" or "five scrolls".
2. How many books are in the Old Testament of the Bible?
Content. The Old Testament contains 39 (Protestant), 46 (Catholic), or more (Orthodox
and other) books, divided, very broadly, into the Pentateuch (Torah), the historical books, the
"wisdom" books and the prophets.

3. What book does the New Testament begin with?

The familiar New Testament begins with the Gospels and concludes with Revelation
for obvious reasons. Jesus is the central figure of Christianity and so the New Testament
begins with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.Aug 31, 2012

4. What is the difference between the New and Old Testament?

The Old Testament records the giving of God's Law, and the New Testament shows
how Jesus the Messiah fulfilled that Law (Matthew 5:17; Hebrews 10:9). In the Old

37
Testament, God's dealings are mainly with His chosen people, the Jews; in the New
Testament, God's dealings are mainly with His church (Matthew 16:18)

5. How many books are there in the New Testament?

The Catholic Church and Eastern Christian churches also hold that certain
deuterocanonical books and passages are part of the Old Testament canon. The second part
is the New Testament, containing 27 books; the four Canonical gospels, Acts of the Apostles,
21 Epistles or letters and the Book of Revelation.

6. How many gospels are there in the Bible?

Now, from early on, of course, we have the four main gospels that we now see in the
New Testament; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but there were many others that we know
existed. There's the Gospel of Peter and the Gospel of Thomas, each of which may go back
to a very early tradition.

7. How many books did Paul write in the New Testament?

Although 13 of the books of the New Testament are traditionally ascribed to Paul,
modern scholars think that he only wrote 8 of them. Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians,
Galatians, Colossians, Philippians, Philemon, and 1 Thessalonians.

8. Who are the authors of the book of Genesis?

Tradition credits Moses as the author of Genesis, as well as Exodus, Book of Leviticus,
Numbers and most of Book of Deuteronomy, but modern scholars increasingly see them as
a product of the 6th and 5th centuries BC.

9. What is the shortest book in the Bible in the New Testament?

The Book of Obadiah is an oracle concerning the divine judgment of Edom and the
restoration of Israel. The text consists of a single chapter, divided into 21 verses, making it
the shortest book in the Hebrew Bible.

10. Who wrote most of the books in the New Testament?

The Pauline epistles are the thirteen New Testament books that present Paul the
Apostle as their author. Six of the letters are disputed. Four are thought by most modern
scholars to be pseudepigraphic, i.e., not actually written by Paul even if attributed to him
within the letters themselves.

11. What is the Old and New Testament?

The Christian Bible has two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The
Old Testament is the original Hebrew Bible, the sacred scriptures of the Jewish faith, written
at different times between about 1200 and 165 BC. The New Testament books were written
by Christians in the first century AD.Jul 12, 20

12. Which books are in the Old Testament?

The books of the Old Testament in order from first to last are:

Genesis (50 Chapters)

Exodus (40 Chapters)
Leviticus (27 Chapters)

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 Numbers (36 Chapters)
Deuteronomy (34 Chapters)
Joshua (24 Chapters)
Judges (21 Chapters)
Ruth (4 Chapters)
1 Samuel (31 Chapters)
2 Samuel (24 Chapters)
1 Kings (22 Chapters)
2 Kings (25 Chapters)
1 Chronicles (29 Chapters)
2 Chronicles (36 Chapters)
Ezra (10 Chapters) (a)
Nehemiah (13 Chapters)
Esther (10 Chapters)
Job (42 Chapters)
Psalms (150 Chapters)
Proverbs (31 Chapters)
Ecclesiastes (12 Chapters)
The Song of Solomon (8 Chapters)
Isaiah (66 Chapters)
Jeremiah (52 Chapters)
Lamentations (5 Chapters)
Ezekiel (48 Chapters)
Daniel (12 Chapters) (d)
Hosea (14 Chapters)
Joel (3 Chapters)
Amos (9 Chapters)
Obadiah (1 Chapter)
Jonah (4 Chapters)
Micah (7 Chapters)
Nahum (3 Chapters)
Habakkuk (3 Chapters)
Zephaniah (3 Chapters)
Haggai (2 Chapters)
Zechariah (14 Chapters)
Malachi (4 Chapters)

The 35 authors of the Bible

All the illustrations you’ll see below (art by Laura Kranz) and even more Bible author
facts are also available in a free guide to the authors of the Bible.

1. Moses (Genesis | Exodus | Leviticus | Numbers | Deuteronomy | Psalms)

Authors of the Bible Moses

Moses is the prophet who leads Israel from slavery in Egypt to the edge of the
promised land. He also wrote about 20% of your Bible. Of all the Old Testament prophets,
nobody’s like Moses (Dt 34:10–12).

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 Moses is a Hebrew born in Egypt and raised in Pharaoh’s house. After killing an
abusive Egyptian slave driver, Moses escapes the death penalty by running to the
wilderness, where he marries and takes up life as a shepherd. Forty years go by, and God
meets Moses in the wilderness (there’s a burning bush involved).

God commissions Moses: tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Moses does so, Pharaoh
resists, God judges Egypt with 10 plagues, and the Israelites leave. Moses takes the new
nation to Mount Sinai, where the Lord brings Israel into a special relationship: from now on,
Israel is God’s people, and God is Israel’s deity. Moses writes out the details of what that
relationship looks like. These details are called the “Law,” and they take up most of the
books attributed to Moses in the Bible.

The first book, Genesis, sets the stage for the other four books. It explains where the
Jewish people came from, and how they ended up in Egypt. The next four books chronicle
Israel’s physical and spiritual journey from Egypt to the promised land.

But Moses’ works aren’t over at Deuteronomy! He’s also the one who wrote Psalm
90.
2. Ezra (1 & 2 Chronicles | Ezra)
Bible author portrait EzraEzra is born long, long after Moses. But like the ancient
prophet, Ezra leads a group of Israelites from exile in another nation back to the promised
land.

Ezra is a scribe (someone who reads, writes, and interprets documents), and he’s
especially well-versed in the Law of Moses (Ezra 7:6). He’s actually related to Moses: Ezra is
a great-great-great(…)-grandson of Moses’ brother Aaron, which means he’s also got some
priest blood in him (7:1–5). Ezra grows up in Babylon, but he is determined to move to
become a missionary to his homeland (7:10), so he takes a group of Jews back to Jerusalem
and begins teaching the people God’s ways.

Ezra is a key player in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. He’s a religious leader in
Jerusalem who calls the people around him to holiness.

The Jewish Talmud says Ezra wrote the book of 1 & 2 Chronicles (yes, they’re really
two parts of the same book), and the book of Ezra. If this is the case, it makes Ezra the
second-most prolific author of the Bible. Not bad for a guy you never hear about, right?

3. Nehemiah (Nehemiah)
Authors of the Bible NehemiahNehemiah is a cupbearer to the king of Persia when he
gets some disturbing news: his countrymen back in Jerusalem are in dire straights, and the
city is in shambles (Neh 1:3). Nehemiah then gets the go-ahead from King Artaxerxes to
rebuild the city walls and gates, and takes off for Jerusalem.

And get this: he gets the wall rebuilt in just 52 days (6:15).

Nehemiah’s more than a wallbuilder, though. Artaxerxes makes him the governor of
Judah (Neh 5:14), and Nehemiah uses this position to point the people to God. He’s the one
stationing soldiers, commissioning singers in the temple, and making sure the temple stays

40
clean. Plus, he teams up with Ezra to rededicate the people to God (10:28–39) and hold
them to their promises (13:4–31).

Nehemiah wrote the book that bears his name—and he wrote it in first person.
Nehemiah has a very transparent writing style, often breaking from his story to record a
prayer he made to God (4:4; 13:22).

4. David (Psalms)
Authors of the Bible DavidYou’ve all heard of this guy. He’s the shepherd boy who
killed Goliath the giant. He’s the war-hero king who delivered Israel from her enemies and
established Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He’s the jerk who killed off Uriah so he could
have Uriah’s wife. And maybe most importantly, he’s a messiah: someone anointed by God
to rule the people in wisdom and justice.

David is the focal character in the books of 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Chronicles, and the
books of Ruth and Kings tell us all about his family. David’s one of the Bible’s most important
characters, but that doesn’t have all that much to do with David. He’s important because
God makes a special promise to him: from David will come an everlasting kingdom with an
everlasting king. Spoiler alert: that’s Jesus.

Somebody may have told you that David wrote the book of Psalms, but that’s not
really the case. David only wrote about half of the Psalms—73 out of all 150, to be precise
(though the Latin Vulgate and Septuagint credit a few more to him). Even so, that’s a lot
more than any other psalmist.

These ones are his, specifically:

Psalms 3–9
Psalms 11–41
Psalms 51–65
Psalms 68–70
Psalm 86
Psalm 101
Psalm 103
Psalms 108–110
Psalm 122
Psalm 124
Psalm 131
Psalm 133
Psalms 138–145
If you throw in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) and Latin
Vulgate credits, it brings the count as high as 85.

Sidenote: another common myth about the book of Psalms is that it’s the longest
book of the Bible. But that’s not really true, either.

5. Solomon (Psalms | Proverbs | Ecclesiastes | Song of Solomon)

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 Authors of the Bible SolomonWhen Solomon succeeds his father David as king of all
Israel, the Lord appears to him in a dream. He gives Solomon the ultimate “blank check”:
Solomon names anything he wants, and God will give it to him. Instead of asking for cash or
the heads of his enemies, Solomon just asks God for wisdom. And boy, does God deliver:

Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like
the sand that is on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of
the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite,
Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding
nations. (1 Ki 4:29–31)

Solomon came up with 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs (1 Ki 4:32). Lucky for us, a lot
of that wisdom is part of our Bibles.

Solomon is traditionally credited for authoring the books of Ecclesiastes and Song of
Solomon. In the first, he asks, “What’s the point of even existing?” In the second, he
celebrates love, marriage, and all kinds of sexual privileges that come with that.

Solomon contributes to two more books of the Bible as well. He’s the main writer in
Proverbs, which is a book of principles for making decisions in wisdom and justice. Most of
the first 29 chapters were written or curated by Solomon. The wise king also joins his dad in
the book of Psalms: numbers 72 and 127 are Solomon’s.

6. Asaph and family (Psalms)

WAuthors of the Bible Asaphhen David commissions the temple in Jerusalem, he
appoints Asaph and his family to lead worship (1 Ch 16:5). We don’t know much about
Asaph, except that he’s a singer from the tribe of Levi (2 Ch 5:12). He and his family must
have been some awesome songwriters, because 12 of the Psalms are credited to him (Ps 50;
73–83).

7. Sons of Korah (Psalms)

Authors of the Bible sons of KorahWhen Moses is leading Israel through the
wilderness, a Levite named Korah challenges Moses’ leadership. That doesn’t end well—the
earth swallows up Korah and his followers. But Korah’s sons survive, and they have quite a
legacy in the Bible through their music. The descendants of Korah wrote 11 psalms:

Psalm 42
Psalms 44–49
Psalms 84–85
Psalms 87-88
8. Heman (Psalms)

Authors of the Bible: HemanBefore anyone gets overly excited, no, a Masters of the
Universe character did not author part of the Bible (as far as I can tell). But the similarity in
name is pretty funny. Heman was a wise man who co-authored the eighty-eighth psalm
with the sons of Korah. He was wise enough to compare to Solomon, but not wiser (1 Ki
4:31).

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 9. Ethan (Psalms)
Authors of the Bible EthanOh, look, another psalmist! Like his relative Heman, Ethan
was one of the wisest men in the world. You know, besides Solomon (1 Ki 4:31). He wrote
Psalm 89.

10. Agur (Proverbs)

Authors of the Bible AgurWe don’t know much about the author of Proverbs 30. He
must have been wise enough for the Jews to include in their book of wisdom, but he doesn’t
think to highly of his smarts compared to God’s:

Surely I am more stupid than any man,

And I do not have the understanding of a man.
Neither have I learned wisdom,
Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. (Pr 30:2–3)

11. Lemuel (Proverbs)

Authors of the Bible LemuelAgain, the Bible tells us very little about this author.
Lemuel was a king. possibly of a place called Massa (31:1). Some Bibles translate his intro to
call him the “king of Massa,” but we’re not sure where that would be.

Here’s something cool about Lemuel: his contribution to the Bible is pretty much a
tribute to his mom. She taught her son well, and now he’s passing on her wisdom to his
readers.

12. Isaiah (Isaiah)isaiah-bible-author

Isaiah is the earliest,and arguably the most preeminent of the Major Prophets. His
ministry spans the reign of four kings, and he seems to be responsible for some of the royal
records (2 Ch 2622; 32:32). Isaiah marries a prophetess (Is 8:3) and has two sons.

In addition to proclaiming the word of God to the nation, Isaiah gives personal advise
to the kings of Judah. He tells King Ahaz not to worry when the kingdom of Israel and Aram
make war against Jerusalem (Is 7:3–4). He reassures King Hezekiah that the Lord will protect
Judah from Assyrian armies (2 Ki 19:1–7; Is 37:1–7), but warns him that Jerusalem will one
day be sacked by the Babylonians (Is 39:5–7).

And of course, the book of Isaiah is traditionally credited to him (though his disciples
seem to have contributed to the body of work overtime). His prophecies cover the rise of
Persian emperor Cyrus, the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the coming kingdom
of God.

13. Jeremiah (Jeremiah | Lamentations)

Authors of the Bible JeremiahHe’s the famous “weeping prophet” from the priests in
the land of Benjamin (Jer 1:1). Jeremiah begins his prophetic ministry at a young age (Jer
1:6), and spends most of his time warning the nation of Judah that judgment is coming. He
warns them about multiple Babylonian attacks, but the kings of Judah just won’t hear it.
Jeremiah outlasts all the kings, though, and ends up offering counsel to the refugees of
Jerusalem and the surrounding area. But even they don’t listen.

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 Jeremiah is like the Peter Parker of the Bible: the dude just can’t catch a break.

Books of the Bible Jeremiah wrote

Forget what you’ve been told about Psalms: Jeremiah is actually the longest book of
the Bible. And that’s not all of Jeremiah’s writings. According to tradition, Jeremiah wrote
the book of Lamentations, too. This book is a group of five acrostic poems that mourn the
fall of Jerusalem. Jeremiah also wrote a few more dirges when the good king Josiah died in
battle (2 Ch 35:25).

14. Ezekiel (Ezekiel)

Authors of the Bible EzekielEzekiel is one of the many Jews taken captive to Babylon
(Ezek 1:1). He’s a priest from the tribe of Levi (1:3), but the Lord chooses him to do much
more than make sacrifices. God sets up Ezekiel as the “watchman” for the Jews, because as
bad as it is now, they’re about to get themselves into a lot more trouble.

Ezekiel makes a lot of sacrifices in his ministry. He eats cakes cooked over poop (4:12–
15). He lies on his side for 430 days(4:4–6). His wife dies, but he doesn’t get a chance to
mourn (24:15–24). He doesn’t have it easy.

But his prophecies are phenomenal. He sees the Lord enthroned above the cherubim
(10:1–2). He sees the temple of God destroyed and rebuilt. He sees dry bones growing
ligaments and flesh. He’s the watchman, and he watches some crazy things.

15. Daniel (Daniel)

Who wrote the Bible DanielYou’ve heard of this guy and his lion’s den episode. Daniel
is a young nobleman from Judah who’s taken captive to Babylon (Da 1:3, 6). He quickly
distinguishes himself from the other boys in Babylon for his wisdom (1:20), and he’s one of
the few characters in the Bible that reliably interprets other people’s dreams (2:28). He
becomes a chief government officer in both the Babylonian and Persian empires (2:48; 5:29;
6:1–3).

And he also has some pretty intense visions. His prophecies tend to concern two
major themes.

The future of the world’s kingdoms: Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the
unshakable kingdom of God.
The future of God’s people: the Messiah, the temple, and Israel’s part in God’s long-
term plan.
Daniel’s a wise man and he wrote an important book for those who want to study
biblical prophecy.

16. Hosea (Hosea)

Authors of the Bible HoseaHosea’s claim to fame: God told him to enter a really
unhealthy marriage.

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 Seriously, God has Hosea marry a prostitute and have a few kids (Hos 1:2). And Hosea
does. When his wife takes up her old trade and starts sleeping with other men, God tells him
to go bring her back home as his wife again.

Why? Because Israel has turned away from her relationship to God and chased idols
instead. Israel is going to deal with the consequences of her actions, but the Lord plans to
bring her back to him, just like Hosea brings back his wife (3:5).

17. Joel (Joel)

Authors of the Bible JoelAll we know about this prophet is his father’s name: Pethuel.
Joel writes a brief book of prophecy that explains two important phenomenon: the current
plague of locusts and the coming day of the Lord.

18. Amos (Amos)

Authors of the Bible AmosAmos is a shepherd from Tekoa, a little town in the
Southern Kingdom of Judah. The Lord gives him visions and calls him to journey north to
prophesy against the king of Israel. As you can imagine, the false priests in Israel want to
shut this Southerner down (Am 7:12–13).

Amos is an interesting character in that it seems he has no background in public

ministry. When the false priest Amaziah tells Amos to go prophesy somewhere else, Amos
responds: “I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet; for I am a herdsman and a
grower of sycamore figs (Am 7:14).”

19. Obadiah (Obadiah)

Authors of the Bible ObadiahWe don’t know much about this guy, except that he
made a short prophecy against Edom. We don’t even get an “Obadiah, son of X” intro to his
book, either, so we really don’t have much to go on.

But hey, if you love underdogs, you should check out his book. It’s the least-read book
of the Bible!

20. Jonah (Jonah)

Authors of the Bible JonahOne of the more famous characters in the Bible (albeit his is
one of the least-read books). Jonah is a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel (2 Ki
14:25), but the Lord sends him to Nineveh to warn the Assyrians of God’s coming judgment.
Jonah sails in the other direction instead, gets thrown overboard, and spends three days in
the belly of a big fish.

The fish spits him up, and Jonah is again called to preach in Nineveh. This time, Jonah
obeys. But when the Ninevites repent, God spares them—and Jonah isn’t too pleased about
that.

He is traditionally credited as the author of Jonah. If that’s the case, he must have had
a moment of clarity after the events took place.

21. Micah (Micah)

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 Authors of the Bible MicahMicah is a prophet from Moreshetch in the Southern
Kingdom of Judah, but he preaches to both the people in both the North and the South (Mic
1:1). We don’t know much more about Micah, but we do know that by the time of Jeremiah
(around a century later), the elders in Judah considered him to be a true prophet.

In fact, the people quote Micah to save Jeremiah from the death sentence. When
Jeremiah prophesies that Jerusalem and the temple will be sacked, the priests and false
prophets try to get him killed (Jer 26:8, 11). But the officials and the people of the city
remember Micah’s prophecies against Jerusalem, and stop the priests from murdering
Jeremiah (26:17–19).

22. Nahum (Nahum)

Authors of the Bible NahumNahum is a prophet, and calls himself an “Elkoshite” in his
oracle against Nineveh (Na 1:1). We’re really not sure where Elkosh is, and so we don’t
know much more about Nahum.

23. Habakkuk (Habakkuk)

Authors of the Bible HabakkukWe don’t know much about this minor prophet, aside
from his songwriting ability. The third chapter of his book is a prayer-psalm, one of the only
shiggaion examples in the Bible ( Hab 3:1).

24. Zephaniah (Zephaniah)

Authors of the Bible ZephaniahZephaniah has some royal blood in him. He opens his
tiny book of the Bible with his genealogy—which traces back to Hezekiah, the righteous king
(Zep 1:1).

25. Haggai (Haggai)

Authors of the Bible HaggaiHaggai writes a very brief account of his ministry in the
Bible. He encourages the Jews to finish rebuilding the temple of God, and his ministry is
noteworthy enough for the scribe Ezra to give him a nod (Ezr 5:1–2). His recorded ministry
spans about three months and 24 days (Hag 1:1; 2:10).

Haggai is the most specific of the Minor Prophets when it comes to dates: he gives the
month and day of every message God sends him. Way to clock in your hours, Haggai!

26. Zechariah (Zechariah)

Authors of the Bible ZecheriahZechariah’s ministry gears up about halfway through
Haggai’s (Zec 1:1), and he too encourages the people to get off their duffs and complete the
temple (Ezr 5:1–2). Like Jeremiah, Zechariah begins delivering messages from God as a
young man (Zec 2:4). He wrote down his visions and messages, giving us the book of
Zechariah in the Bible.

In addition to being a prophet, Zechariah seems to be among the priests (Zec 7:2–5;
Neh 12:16), which would mean he’s from the tribe of Levi.

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 27. Malachi (Malachi)
Authors of the Bible MalachaiMalachi is the last of the prophets to contribute to the
Old Testament. He calls the post-exilic Jews to reconnect with the Lord, but apart from this,
we don’t know much about him.

28. Matthew/Levi (Matthew)

Authors of the Bible MatthewMatthew is one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, and one of
the four evangelists who wrote down Jesus’s story. When we meet Matthew, he’s a tax
collector for Rome. Tax collectors weren’t very popular in Israel, because they collected
money from fellow Jews to pay a heathen king. But when Jesus calls Matthew to follow him,
Matthew closes his booth down to serve the true King of the Jews. Then he brings Jesus
over for dinner (Mt 9:9–10).

Matthew is called Levi in the other gospels, which may indicate that he’s from the
tribe of Levi—we’re not sure (Mk 2:14–15; Lk 5:27–29).

29. John Mark (Mark)

Authors of the Bible John MarkMark’s an interesting character in the background of
the New Testament. We first meet Mark in the book of Acts. When Peter miraculously
escapes from prison, he goes to Mark’s mother’s house (Ac 12:12). Later, Paul and Barnabas
bring Mark along on their missionary journey as a helper, but he leaves them and goes back
to Jerusalem (13:5, 13). When Paul and Barnabas prepare for their second journey,
Barnabas suggests bringing John Mark again, but Paul won’t hear it (15:37–38). Paul and
Barnabas disagree so sharply that they split up: Barnabas takes Mark to Cyprus, and Paul
starts a new missionary team (15:39–40).

Mark matures, though. Decades later, Mark is considered useful to Paul (2 Ti 4:11)
and a son to Peter (1 Pe 5:13). According to tradition, Mark is the one who writes down
Peter’s stories of Jesus—which is how we got the Gospel of Mark.

30. Luke (Luke | Acts)

Authors of the Bible LukeLuke is a physician who accompanies Paul through thick and
thin (Co 4:14; 2 Ti 4:11). His skills probably come in handy, because Paul takes a lot of
beatings (2 Co 24ff).

But Luke’s greatest legacy is his contribution to the New Testament. Luke write more
of the NT than anyone else (yes, even more than Paul). Luke’s a meticulous journalist who
sets out to record the life and ministry of Jesus in consecutive order (Lk 1:1–4), and later
records the history of the early church (Ac 1:1–2). He composes these accounts on behalf of
a mysterious Christian named Theophilus, who wants to learn more about his Christian
faith.
31. John (John | 1 John | 2 John | 3 John | Revelation)
Authors of the Bible JohnHe’s another member of the 12 apostles, a former fisherman
from Galilee who follows Jesus (Mk 1:19–20). The Lord gives John and his brother James the
nickname “Sons of Thunder” (Mk 3:17). The Bible doesn’t say how he earned this nickname,
but John does seem to have a stormy personality at times (Lk 9:51–56).

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 After the resurrection, John becomes a pillar of the early church (Ga 2:9). He writes a
persuasive account of Jesus’ earthly ministry, death, and resurrection, and then writes four
letters (the last one, Revelation, includes many apocalyptic visions). According to tradition,
John becomes an elder at the church at Ephesus. He is eventually exiled to the Isle of
Patmos (Rev 1:9).

Fun fact: of all the epistles in the New Testament, John writes the longest (Revelation)
and the shortest (3 John). In fact, 3 John is the shortest book of the Bible.

32. Paul (Romans–Philemon)

Authors of the Bible PaulPaul may not have the word count that Moses has, but he
writes more individual documents than any other biblical author—13, to be exact.

When we first meet Paul, he’s not leading the church: he’s leading the charge against
it. Paul (also called Saul) kidnaps Christians from the regions around Judea and brings them
to Jerusalem to suffer the punishment for blasphemy. That punishment was often prison or
death (Ac 8:3; 9:1–2).

But when Jesus stops Paul on the road to Damascus, Paul is forever changed. He
becomes an apostle, the face of the church to the non-Jews around the Roman empire (Ep
3:1, 8). He travels across the world planting churches and spreading the gospel of Jesus
Christ.

Paul’s letters to the Christians spread across the world make up his contribution to
the Bible. Some of these letters were written to churches he had planted, others were to
churches he hoped to visit someday. Paul also wrote to specific leaders in the local
churches, like Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

33. James (James)

Authors of the Bible JamesJames the Just is the younger brother of Jesus (Mt 13:55;
Mk 6:3), the son of Mary and Joseph. James doesn’t believe in Jesus while the Lord is going
about his earthly ministry (Jn 7:5). But that all changes after Jesus rises from the dead. Jesus
specifically appears to James (1 Co 15:7), and afterward James becomes one of the main
leaders in the early church.

James is especially savvy when it comes to balancing freedom in Christ with respect
for God’s holiness. When the church is undecided on how Gentiles should treat the Law of
Moses, James settles the matter with a few pointers (Ac 15:13–21).

Later, James writes a letter to the Christian Jews scattered across the world,
encouraging them to keep working out their faith. We call this letter the book of James.

34. Peter (1 Peter | 2 Peter)

Authors of the Bible PeterYou all know Peter. He’s the leader of the 12 apostles (Mt
10:2) and a pillar in the early church (Ga 2:9). Just as Paul is entrusted with bringing the
gospel to the Gentiles, Peter is the face of the gospel to the Jews (Ga 2:7).

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 This guy is pretty hardcore. He walks on water (Mt 14:29), he cuts off some guy’s ear
to protect Jesus (Mk 14:29, 31; Jn 18:10), and boldly declares that Jesus is the anointed one,
the Christ (Mt 16:16). Yes, he’s also the one who denies Jesus three times at the Lord’s trial
(Jn 18:15–16), but the resurrection totally transforms him. When the Holy Spirit comes to
the church, Peter openly preaches the gospel of Jesus in the city.

Peter wrote two books of the Bible, and both are named after him. The first explains
how Christians should live as aliens in this world: even though we’ll suffer, it’s nothing
compared to the glory to come. The second letter urges Christians to remember what Peter
has taught them even after he dies (2 Pe 1:13–14).

35. Jude (Jude)

Authors of the Bible Jude is Jesus’ and James’ younger brother (Jude 1). Like James, he
didn’t believe in Jesus during Jesus’ ministry on earth (Jn 7:5), but after the resurrection, he
became a Christian. Jude writes one book of the Bible: a letter urging believers to “contend
for the faith” (Jude 3–4).

Now you know who wrote the Bible!

Whew! And we haven’t even covered the books of the Bible written by mystery
writers. I plan to tackle those in future blog posts.
A Summary of the Contents of Each Bible Book
Contents
Old Testament
New Testament
Old Testament
GENESIS
Describes the creation; gives the history of the old world, and of the steps taken by
God toward the formation of theocracy.

EXODUS
The history of Israel's departure from Egypt; the giving of the law; the tabernacle.

LEVITICUS
The ceremonial law.

NUMBERS
The census of the people; the story of the wanderings in the wilderness.

DEUTERONOMY
The law rehearsed; the death of Moses.

JOSHUA
The story of the conquest and partition of Canaan.

JUDGES
The history of the nation from Joshua to Samson.

RUTH

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 The story of the ancestors of the royal family of Judah.

1 SAMUEL
The story of the nation during the judgeship of Samuel and the reign of Saul.

2 SAMUEL
Story of the reign of David.

1 AND 2 KINGS
The books of Kings form only one book in the Hebrew MSS. They contain the history
of the nation from David's death and Solomon's accession to the destruction of the kingdom
of Judah and the desolation of Jerusalem, with a supplemental notice of the liberation of
Jehoiachin from his prison at Babylon, twenty-six years later; they comprehend the whole
time of the Israelitish monarchy, exclusive of the reigns of Saul and David.

THE BOOKS OF CHRONICLES

are so called as being the record made by the appointed historiographers of the
kingdoms of Judah and Israel; they are the official histories of those kingdoms.

EZRA
The story of the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, and of the
rebuilding of the temple.

NEHEMIAH
A further account of the rebuilding of the temple and city, and of the obstacles
encountered and overcome.

ESTHER
The story of a Jewess who becomes queen of Persia and saves the Jewish people from
destruction.

JOB
The story of the trials and patience of a holy man of Edom.

PSALMS
A collection of sacred poems intended for use in the worship of Jehovah. Chiefly the
productions of David.

PROVERBS
The wise sayings of Solomon.

ECCLESIASTES
A poem respecting the vanity of earthly things.

SOLOMON'S SONG
An allegory relating to the church.

ISAIAH

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 Prophecies respecting Christ and his kingdom.

JEREMIAH
Prophecies announcing the captivity of Judah, its sufferings, and the final overthrow
of its enemies.

LAMENTATIONS
The utterance of Jeremiah's sorrow upon the capture of Jerusalem and the
destruction of the temple.

EZEKIEL
Messages of warning and comfort to the Jews in their captivity.

DANIEL
A narrative of some of the occurrences of the captivity, and a series of prophecies
concerning Christ.

HOSEA
Prophecies relating to Christ and the latter days.

JOEL
Prediction of woes upon Judah, and of the favor with which God will receive the
penitent people.

AMOS
Prediction that Israel and other neighboring nations will be punished by conquerors
from the north, and of the fulfillment of the Messiah's kingdom.

OBADIAH
Prediction of the desolation of Edom.

JONAH
Prophecies relating to Nineveh.

MICAH
Predictions relating to the invasions of Shalmaneser and Sennacherib, the Babylonish
captivity, the establishment of a theocratic kingdom in Jerusalem, and the birth of the
Messiah in Bethlehem.

NAHUM
Prediction of the downfall of Assyria.

HABAKKUK
A prediction of the doom of the Chaldeans.

ZEPHANIAH
A prediction of the overthrow of Judah for its idolatry and wickedness.

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 HAGGAI
Prophecies concerning the rebuilding of the temple.

ZECHARIAH
Prophecies relating to the rebuilding of the temple and the Messiah.

MALACHI
Prophecies relating to the calling of the Gentiles and the coming of Christ.

New Testament
GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW
A brief history of the life of Christ.

GOSPEL OF ST. MARK

A brief history of the life of Christ, supplying some incidents omitted by St. Matthew.

GOSPEL OF ST. LUKE

The history of the life of Christ, with especial reference to his most important acts and
discourses.

GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN

The life of Christ, giving important discourses not related by the other evangelists.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

The history of the labors of the apostles and of the foundation of the Christian
Church.

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

A treatise by St. Paul on the doctrine of justification by Christ.

FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

A letter from St. Paul to the Corinthians, correcting errors into which they had fallen.

SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

St. Paul confirms his disciples in their faith, and vindicates his own character.

EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS

St. Paul maintains that we are justified by faith, and not by rites.

EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS

A treatise by St. Paul on the power of divine grace.

EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS

St. Paul sets forth the beauty of Christian kindness.

EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS

St. Paul warns his disciples against errors, and exhorts to certain duties.

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 FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS
St. Paul exhorts his disciples to continue in the faith and in holy conversation.

SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS

St. Paul corrects an error concerning the speedy coming of Christ the second time.

FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO TIMOTHY

St. Paul instructs Timothy in the duty of a pastor, and encourages him in the work of
the ministry.

EPISTLE TO TITUS
Epistle to Titus. St. Paul encourages Titus in the performance of his ministerial duties.

EPISTLE TO PHILEMON
An appeal to a converted master to receive a converted escaped slave with kindness.

EPISTLE TO HEBREWS
St. Paul maintains that Christ is the substance of the ceremonial law.

EPISTLE OF JAMES
A treatise on the efficacy of faith united with good works.

FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES OF PETER

Exhortations to a Christian life, with various warnings and predictions.

FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN

Respecting the person of our Lord, and an exhortation to Christian love and conduct.

SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN

St. John warns a converted lady against false teachers.

THIRD EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN

A letter to Gaius, praising him for his hospitality.

EPISTLE OF ST. JUDE

Warnings against deceivers.

THE REVELATION
The future of the Church foretold.

CONTENT DISCLAIMER:
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative
Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and
audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas
and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by
this ministry.

Genesis to Malachi

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 by Wayne Blank

The Old Testament is composed of 39 books - 17 historical, 5 poetic, 17 prophetic.

Their order, relative size, and authors are:
Historical (47% of the Old Testament)

Noah's Ark
Genesis - 50 chapters, Moses
Exodus - 40 chapters, Moses
Leviticus - 27 chapters, Moses
Numbers - 36 chapters, Moses
Deuteronomy - 34 chapters, Moses
Joshua - 24 chapters, author not identified
Judges - 21 chapters, author not identified
Ruth - 4 chapters, author not identified
1 Samuel - 31 chapters, author not identified
2 Samuel - 24 chapters, author not identified
1 Kings - 22 chapters, author not identified
2 Kings - 25 chapters, author not identified
1 Chronicles - 29 chapters, author not identified, possibly Ezra
2 Chronicles - 36 chapters, author not identified, possibly Ezra
Ezra - 10 chapters, Ezra
Nehemiah - 13 chapters, author not identified, possibly Nehemiah or Ezra
Esther - 10 chapters, author not identified
Poetic (22% of the Old Testament)

Job - 42 chapters, author not identified

Psalms - 150 chapters, various authors including David, Asaph, Solomon, the sons of
Korah, and Ethan
Proverbs - 31 chapters, at least partly by Solomon
Ecclesiastes - 12 chapters, Solomon
Song Of Songs - 8 chapters, Solomon
Prophetic (31% of the Old Testament)

Elisha Watching Elijah In A Chariot Of Fire

Isaiah - 66 chapters, Isaiah
Jeremiah - 52 chapters, Jeremiah
Lamentations - 5 chapters, Jeremiah
Ezekiel - 48 chapters, Ezekiel
Daniel - 12 chapters, Daniel
Hosea - 14 chapters, Hosea
Joel - 3 chapters, Joel
Amos - 9 chapters, Amos
Obadiah - 1 chapter, Obadiah
Jonah - 4 chapters, Jonah
Micah - 7 chapters, Micah
Nahum - 3 chapters, Nahum
Habakkuk - 3 chapters, Habakkuk

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 Zephaniah - 3 chapters, Zephaniah
Haggai - 2 chapters, Haggai
Zechariah - 14 chapters, Zechariah
Malachi - 4 chapters, Malachi
Fact Finder: What are the first 5 books of the Old Testament known as?
See The Pentateuch

This Week's Bible Quiz

Male or female?

1. Bathsheba?

2. Boaz?

3. Hadassah?

4. Absalom?

5. Hagar?

6. Haman?

7. Herodias?

8. Keturah?

9. Omri?

10. Rahab?

For the answers to this December 24 2002 quiz, see the Bible Quiz Answers Page

By The Book - Genesis

by Wayne Blank

1. When does the book of Genesis begin? (Genesis 1:1) (see also The Seven Days Of Creation and
The Logos)
2. How long is the normal maximum lifetime set by God? (Genesis 6:3)

The Garden3. How long did The Flood in the time of Noah last? (Genesis 7:24) (see also How Big
Was Noah's Ark?)

4. What are the names of Noah's 3 sons? (Genesis 9:18) (see also The Sons Of Noah)

5. What was the name of Abraham's wife? (Genesis 18:9) (see Abraham, Man Of Faith and Sarah)

6. What was the name of Isaac's wife? (Genesis 24:67) (see Isaac and Rebekah)

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 7. What is the name of Jacob's older brother who sold his birthright for a bowl of stew? (Genesis
25:29-30) (see Esau)

8. What are the names of Jacob's (Israel's) 2 wives? (Genesis 29:28) (see Leah, Rachel)

9. Which of Jacob's sons was sold away, by his own brothers, to the Midianites who then took him
to Egypt? (Genesis 37:28) (see Coat Of Many Colors and Children of Jacob)

10. What are the names of the 2 sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt, and who later
themselves developed into 2 individual tribes of Israel? (Genesis 48:1,5) (see The Tribes Of Israel)

11. Who was the oldest son of Jacob, the firstborn? (Genesis 49:3) (see Reuben)

12. Jacob was buried in the "Tomb of the Patriarchs" in Hebron (today a place of much tension
because of claims to it by both the Jews and Arabs). Who are the other 5 people that are also
buried in that tomb? (Genesis 49:29-31)

The Seven Days Of Creation

by Wayne Blank

See also these later studies:

Genesis 1: In the Beginning Was The Word
By Him Were All Things Created
A History of Jerusalem: In the Beginning (a 20 study series)
Israel in History and Prophecy: Roots and Branches (a 40 study series)

The Bible begins with the creation of the universe: "In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1 NIV). This single verse describes the actual transformation
of invisible energy into all of the fundamental physical matter (as summed up in Albert Einstein's
famous E=mc2 equation) that would be formed into stars, planets and everything else -
including us. Scientists now estimate that the great event took place approximately 15 billion
years ago.

Stars The next verse describes the earth after its creation, long after the creation of the
universe: "Now the earth was [or became] formless and empty, darkness was over the surface
of the deep, and The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (Genesis 1:2 NIV). Scientists
estimate the age of the earth to be about 5 billion years old - leaving an estimated 10 billion
years between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.

There has been a tremendous amount of disagreement between science and religion,
each side armed with its own obvious facts to refute the other. People of science and religion
need not disagree so often if they would realize that their different observations are the result
of each looking only at opposite sides of the same coin. The contradictory evidence is actually an
illusion, caused by omission, which virtually guarantees that alone, either scientific theory or
religious doctrine can only be half-right in their understanding of the creation of the universe or
the origin of humanity. Together however, the picture is complete and harmonious.

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 We all realize that God was Creator, but how often do we consider what was involved in
that creation? God was a chemist, a physicist, an astronomer, a biologist. He was most certainly
an artist, a maker of all of our world's beauty. He was the lawmaker of all of the unseen forces
that make "nature" orderly and predictable.

The universe as it exists was not produced by some cosmic accident. The conditions of
creation were intricately planned and considered. A mindless uncontrolled "big bang" would
result in destruction and chaos, not the life and order we now see.

On the other hand, a great initial expansion (explosion) of physical matter that had just
been transformed (created) from pure energy (from a physical point of view, literally nothing),
followed by orderly development (from natural laws put into force beforehand by a Creator) of
stars, galaxies and everything else, is reasonable and logical. It satisfies both religion and
science.

The First Day

The first recorded Words of God that we have are "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3 NIV).
The sun was already shining brightly, but God made the earth's thick new atmosphere allow
diffuse light to penetrate to the surface. And so it was that the light was made separate from
darkness. The first day of earth's creation was literally the first "day" as someone on earth's
surface would experience it - a period of opaque light, and a period of darkness. (Genesis 1:3-5)

The Second Day

The separation of the waters. There was yet no liquid water, no oceans. All of the water
was in the form of a vapor, a worldwide super-fog, extending a number of kilometers/miles up
from the very hot (above the boiling temperature of water) bare-rock earth's surface (the
earth's core remains molten right to the present day). God's "hovering over the waters" in verse
2 describes His being above that gaseous-water atmosphere, not a liquid ocean. God then
caused most of the water to condense onto the cooling earth which simultaneously formed a
whole-planet ocean and cleared the sky. (Genesis 1:6-8)

EarthThe Third Day

The first appearance of dry ground. The further cooling of the surface set in motion a
process of natural contraction, uplifting and motion of the crust (the process continues today,
called "plate tectonics"). The earth changed from a smooth one-level molten "cue ball" to a
planet with an irregular surface with ocean basins and continental landmasses. With dry ground
available, the first plants were made to grow in great abundance. (Genesis 1:9-13)

The Fourth Day

With the sky now clear, the sun, moon and stars were dependably visible. They were to
"serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years." The sun marked the day (sunset to sunset),
the moon the month (new moon to new moon), and the stars the seasons (constellations are
seen in particular seasons e.g. "Orion" is visible in winter in the northern hemisphere, which is
summer in the southern hemisphere). (Genesis 1:14-19)

The Fifth Day

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 Great numbers of birds and sea creatures. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and
increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."
(Genesis 1:20-23)

The Sixth Day

Vast numbers of land animals. Man. From the man, woman (humans today are just now
discovering how to genetically alter fertilized embryos, and even to create one human from the
tissue of another - known as "cloning"). (Genesis 1:24-31)

The Seventh Day

The Sabbath Day. "By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so
on the seventh day He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it
holy, because on it He rested [or ceased] from all the work of creating that He had done." The
day that is the basis for The Fourth Commandment. (Genesis 2:2-3)

The question of whether the seven days of creation were literal days, or symbolic of
stages of development is actually irrelevant to the undeniable reality that Creation happened.
The observable universe, the earth beneath our feet, and every one of us exist. Who needs
more proof than that?

Fact Finder: What did the first humans eat?

(a) plants (b) animals (c) plants and animals
Genesis 1:29

1. Which is the longest book of the prophets in the Bible?

The terms "minor prophets" and "twelve prophets" can also refer to the twelve
traditional authors of these works. The term "Minor" relates to the length of each book (ranging
from a single chapter to fourteen); even the longest is short compared to the three major
prophets, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah.
2. What is the largest chapter in the Bible?
Psalm 119 (Greek numbering: Psalm 118) is the longest psalm as well as the longest
chapter in the Bible. It is referred to in Hebrew by its opening words,
"Ashreitemimeiderech" ("happy are those whose way is perfect").

3. What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?

There are 260 chapters in the New Testament. This gives a total of 1,189 chapters (on
average, 18 per book). Psalm 117, the shortest chapter, is also the middle chapter of the
Bible, being the 595th Chapter. Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter of the Bible.
4. What is the shortest in the Bible?
"Jesus wept" (Greek: ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, edákrysen o Iesoús lit. "Jesus shed tears")
is a phrase famous for being the shortest verse in the King James Version of the Bible, as
well as many other versions. It is not the shortest in the original languages. It is found in the
Gospel of John, chapter 11, verse 35.
5. What is the longest verse in the Bible?
Ester 8:9 with 90 words. The longest verse in the Bible is Esther 8:9 (78 words in the
King James).Jun 5, 200
6. Which is the shortest chapter in the Bible?

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 There are 1189 chapters in the Bible. The very center chapter of the Bible is the 595th
chapter. This is Psalm 117 which also happens to be the shortest of Psalms or chapters in
the Bible. 1.Feb 28, 201

VISION: A globally-linked Christian university nurturing people and communities for

transformative leadership and nation building.

MISSION:

FCU commits to

1. Instill Christian values among people and communities through holistic education;
2. Innovate models of development through research, knowledge management and
community building;
3. Inspire transformative leadership and exemplary lives;
4. Initiate collaborative linkages and partnership with national and international
organizations.

GOALS:

1. Perpetuates the Christian heritage of the school as a Church-related institution

maintaining an ecumenical stance;
2. Demonstrates Christian love by reaching out and participating in the society
building through community service;
3. Designs research-based development models on knowledge management and
community building;
4. Establishes institutional self-sufficiency and sustainability;
5. Strengthens collaborative regional and international partnerships and linkages.

HOME ABOUT FILAMER ADMISSIONS ACADEMICS SUPPORT SERVICES

INTERNATIONAL LINKAGES ALUMNI
HOME >ABOUT FILAMER > BRIEF HISTORY OF FILAMER
BRIEF HISTORY OF FILAMER

Filamer Christian University, founded in 1904, is adorned with multicolored

centenarian history. With a legacy of more than 100 years of Christian education, the school
remains steadfast in its commitment to provide holistic and relevant education to its
clientele.

FilamerThrough the Years

Filamer Christian University indeed can claim a significant historical existence. It

began in a small and unpretentious way as a home for orphans.

Rev. Joseph C. Robbins and his wife started it all when sometime in August, 1904;
they were entrusted with the care of three little children, two boys and a girl. The children’s
father then the ladron chief of the mountains was captured and condemned to life
imprisonment, and the mother was dead. So the commanding officer of the Capiz

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Constabulary wrote to the Robbins who eventually went to the barracks and took home
with them the three children. This situation of neglected, homeless children particularly in
this District touched their hearts which led to the establishment of Baptist Home School
with the first building as a gift from the American Women. Thus, Filamer Christian University
began as an orphanage which offered Christian nurture under the sponsorship of the
American Baptist Foreign Mission Society.

Miss MargareteSuman, formerly serving with the Belgian Congo, joined the work in
Capiz, 1903. She took over the Baptist Home School at the beginning. It was said of this work
at Capiz, “This School which was began for the poor homeless orphans has deeply impressed
the people with love which actuate our Missionaries in their services”. This Baptist Home
School had been designed for girls. The 1907 report for 1906 confirms this when it said; “the
Home School in Capiz is very popular, the number of girls now in the home having increased
to fifty three.”

The school continued to accept pupils, and associated with early history are such
unforgettable missionaries as Margaret Suman, Emma Nicolet, Misses Goldenberg, Adam,
Stump, Dolby and Pettit. These were the missionaries who worked in school before the last
World War.

Soon after the War, when the civil government was reconstituted and peace and
order restored, the school immediately re-opened with the directorship of Mrs.
JacobaIbañez who before the war also served as the first Filipino Principal in the elementary
department. It was also at this time that the secondary department was opened and Rev.
Agustin E. Masa, who was concurrently serving as Pastor of the Capiz Evangelical Church,
served as principal. Those who bear the main burdens of teaching together with Mrs. Ibañez
and Rev. Masa were Judge Roman Ibañez and his children and the teachers of Capiz High
School.

In 1947, the Rev. Masa left for the United States to continue his higher studies. The
Ibañezes also had to leave. The directorship was given to Rev. Harold Kuhlman. Rev.
Kuhlman was followed by other Missionaries serving either as director or classroom
teachers, namely, Miss Lettie Archer, Miss Emma Brodbeck, Miss Dolores Logsdon, Miss
Winnifred Stanford and Miss Helen Maly.

Both the elementary and the secondary education received recognition in 1950. The
Capiz Home School became Filamer Christian Institute in 1952. The unusual name of
“FILAMER” signifies the joint venture of Filipinos and Americans in establishing and running
this educational institute.

In 1971, Filamer Christian Institute had complete training up to the college level. Since
then, there is no stopping in the progress and expansion in terms of its population, the
increasing number of professional courses offered and the acquisition of properties and
buildings. It was in 1985 when Filamer Christian Institute became officially known as Filamer
Christian College.

Deregulated status was first awarded to the school by the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) on October 6, 2009, which was eventually extended until December 2015.

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On July 14, 2010, the university status was granted thus Filamer Christian College officially
became Filamer Christian University.

In July 2014, the University opened its doors to International Service Learning (ISL)
with students coming from different parts of Asia conducting community immersions in the
school's adopted barangays. The ISL was initiated by the United Board for Christian Higher
Education in Asia (UBCHEA) in which Filamer affiliates.

Recognized for her significant contribution in history and rich heritage as a beacon for
the youth’s development, Filamer was declared Historical Landmark by the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines last October 8, 2014. A national marker was
unveiled in front of the school’s century-old Suman Building that acknowledged the
enduring legacy of the founders to later generations.

Presently, the University is headed by Dr. George O. Cortel who was appointed as
President for the next five years.

Other Forerunners of the School

The school is also associated with the Hernandez- Viterbo family whose members
have become chairmen of the Board of Trustees, starting from the late Mrs. JosefaAcuña
Hernandez, and the late Professor Antonio Viterbo, Mrs. Corazon A. Hernandez and Dr.
George H. Viterbo. Others who served as chairmen are Dr. Linnea Nelson, Dr. Agustin E.
Masa, Judge Ramon Ibañez, Mr. ProcopioPunsalan, Rev. Expedito A. Señeres, Dr. Victor A.
Dela Cruz, Atty. Zacarias D. Bedona Jr., Dr. Agustin Pulido, Mr. Jessie Contreras, and Mr.
BonifacioEslaban.

Other Filipino Educators who have participated in the administration of the school are
the late Mr. Raymundo Julian, Engr. Salvador Cantiller, Mr. Carlos Somosiera, Atty.
Rodriguez Obligacion, Mr. Lorenzo Molino, Dr. George H. Viterbo, Dr. Agustin E. Masa, Dr.
VirgiliaDomin (executive Dean of CPU Management Team of which Pres. Agustin Pulido was
the Chairman), Dr. Victor A. Dela Cruz, the Management Team chaired by Atty. Zacarias D.
Bedona, Jr., Rev. Dr. Domingo J. Diel, Jr., Dr. Expedito A. Señeres, Dr. Salvio E. Llanera, and
the Management Committee chaired by Rev. EliseoFantilaga.

Filamer Today

Situated on a hilly terrain, the school site covers more than five hectares with the
Main Campus located at Roxas Avenue. Several buildings are interconnected by steps and
cemented walks, and the surrounding century-old trees provide a healthy “pollution-free”
environment conducive to learning. Since the school continues to acquire properties and
construct new buildings, the Annex Campus which is situated in Barangay Punta Tabuc, was
developed which accommodated the Elementary, Technology, and Library buildings. It is
also in this site that the Kindergarten Building and the University Dormitory will soon rise.

The 17-hectare Dinginan property of the University, which is strategically located near
the vicinity of a multimillion landscape, is currently being developed to become an Organic
Farm that will showcase natural farming and ecologically-sound practices. Once the

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Dinginan Organic Farm is developed, this will also serve as one of the travel destinations in
Capiz.

Institutional Distinctions and Recognitions

At present, Filamer Christian University enjoys the distinction of being the first and
the only private university in the province of Capiz. It was granted Deregulated Status by the
CHED last 2009 until 2015. Last April 2016, Filamer was elevated to the highest status,
AUTONOMOUS, also by the CHED. FCU is one of the only two higher education institutions
in Region VI which was granted with this status. Deregulation and Autonomy is awarded to
private higher education institutions that have consistently shown exemplary performance
in the provision of education, research and extension services.

In 2014, the CHED short-listed Filamer as one of the Top 20 schools in the country to
participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) International Mobility for
Students starting 2015.

Majority of the programs offered by the University undergo accreditation by the

Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities - Accrediting Agency Inc. (ACSCU-
AAI) for quality assurance. The ACSCU-AAI is under the umbrella organization of accrediting
agencies in the country which is the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines.
The Bachelor of Secondary Education and Bachelor of Elementary Education programs were
granted with highest accreditation level which is Level IV; while Nursing, Business
Administration, Liberal Arts, Elementary, and High School programs were awarded Level III.
Other programs of the University are Accredited Level II.

Filamer's College of Teacher Education was identified "Center of Excellence Satellite

Institute" in Roxas City by the CHED in recognition of the contribution of the College in the
training of quality teachers.

The University is a participating member of the Association of Christian Universities

and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA), University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific (UMAP) students
exchange programs, and the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities.

All course offerings of the University operate with government permits and
recognitions.

FCU CORE VALUES

SPIRITUALITY
(Related Values: Faith in God, courage to do His will; study of His words and learning
to apply it in day-to-day life)

TRUTH
(Related Values: Critical thinking, creativity and imaginativeness)

LOVE
(Related Values: Goodness, kindness, sympathy and empathy)

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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
(Related Values: Responsible parenthood, respect for others, fidelity, social justice
and gender equality)

ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY
(Related Values: Work ethics, entrepreneurship, hard work and industry)

NATIONALISM & PATRIOTISM

(Related Values: Eradication of graft and corruption, service- oriented Political
Leadership and impartial implementation of laws)

CULTURAL IDENTITY
(Related Values: Appreciation of Philippine history, affirmation of Heroes, Pride for
the Cultural Language and Cultivation of Culture)

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1. Isaiah 43:2
"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you."

2. Psalm 37:5
"Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in Him, and He will act."

3. Romans 8:18
"The pain that you've been feeling, can't compare to the joy that's coming."

4. Proverbs 31:25
"She is clothed in strength, and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future."

5. Joshua 1:9
"Be bold. Be brave. Be courageous."

6. Ecclesiastes 3:1
"There is a time for everything and a reason for every activity under the heavens."

7. Isaiah 41:10
"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

8. Isaiah 66:9
"I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born, says the Lord."

9. Psalm 91:4
"He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you will find refuge; His
faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."

10. Psalm 62:1-2

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 "My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him, He alone is my rock
and my salvation."

11. Philippians 4:13

"I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength."

12. Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to
give you hope and a future."

hose who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those
who seek you.

~ Psalm 9:10

Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets
and you will be successful.

~ 2 Chronicles 20:20

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be
discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

~ Joshua 1:9

Be still, and know that I am God.

~ Psalm 46:10

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

~ Psalm 13:5

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our
God.

~ Psalm 20:7

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

~ Psalm 56:3

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
~ Proverbs 3:5-6

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 New Testament Bible Verses About Faith:
For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.

~ Galatians 5:5

For we live by faith, not by sight.

~ 2 Corinthians 5:7

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the
flaming arrows of the evil one.

~ Ephesians 6:16

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

~ Mark 11:22

He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from
your suffering.”

~Mark 5:34

Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.”

~ Matthew 9:29

Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And
her daughter was healed at that moment.

~ Matthew 15:28

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was
strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

~ Romans 4:20

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do
what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself
into the sea,” and it will be done.

~ Matthew 21:21

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is
Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you
can all see.

~ Act 3:16

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 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and
followed Jesus along the road.

~ Mark 10:52

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

~ Luke 7:50

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by

faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

~ Romans 1:17

Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

~ Luke 17:19

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being
reported all over the world.

~ Romans 1:8

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

~ Romans 1:11-12

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard
through the word about Christ.

~ Romans 10:17

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

~ 1 Corinthians 16:13

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

~ Ephesians 3:12

Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your
progress and joy in the faith.

~ Philippians 1:25

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 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,
rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing
with thankfulness.

~ Colossians 2:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

~ 2 Timothy 4:7

Which of these bible verses about faith is your go-to? Share your favorite scripture
with us!

Which one speaks directly to your heart?

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