The Learn to Read the Bible Effectively Seminar

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The Learn to Read theBible Effectively Seminar
Week 1
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Introduction

• Goal
• Help you to learn to read the Bible effectively
• Why?
• More people familiar with Gods Word
• Share what we have learned
• Concern for your salvation
• But NOT attempt to convert you

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Overview

• Week 1
• Introduction
• Background of the Bible
• The Bible interprets itself
• Overview of the books of the Bible - Part 1
• Why the Bible is difficult to read

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A Beginning (but crucial) tip!

• Whose is this image and superscription? (Mark
  1213-17)
• Look for Bible echoes echoes echoes
• So God created man in his own image, in the
  image of God created he him. (Gen 1.27)
• Not a mysterious connection an association
  gained by careful reading.

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Section 2

• Background of the Bible

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Background to the Bible

• Holy Bible - Separate Book
• 66 Books
• Old Testament - 39 books
• New Testament - 27 books
• More than 40 writers
• Written over 1600 years
• 2930 characters in 1551 places
• BUT no contradiction - Perfect harmony

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Inspiration

• God is the author
• God breathed 2 Tim 3.15-17
• Thus saith the Lord.
• Gods words not mans - 2 Peter 119-21
• Gods word never fails - Isaiah 40.6
• Bible is source of Truth - Psalm 19.7-9
• Provides direction for daily living - Ps 119.105

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How Readest Thou?

• Lets read
• carefully
• eagerly
• humbly
• heedfully
• and prayerfully!

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Section 3

• The Bible Interprets Itself

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The Bible Interprets itself

• When all else fails read the instructions
• Key to easier understanding is found within the
  Bible.

Your questions about what the Bible teaches are
answered in the Bible
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Look around.

• Look in same or surrounding chapters
• Parable of the sower
• Matt 13.3-8
• Matt 13.18-23
• Look in other books of the Bible
• My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
• Matt 27.46
• Psalm 22

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Dos and Donts
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Section 4

• Overview of the Books of the Bible (Part 1)

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Overview of Books of the Bible
Part 1 The Old Testament
The Bible
New Testament
Old Testament
The Law The Prophets The Writings
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Overview of Books of the Bible
Part 1 The Old Testament

• The Law
• Gen, Ex, Lev, Num, Deut
• The Prophets
• Former prophets
• Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings
• Latter prophets
• Major
• Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel
• Minor
• Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum,
  Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malach

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Overview of Books of the Bible
Part 1 The Old Testament

• The Writings
• Poetical
• Psalms, Proverbs, Job
• Five Rolls
• Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations,
  Ecclesiastes, Esther
• Historical
• Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles
• The Apocrypha
• Not part of Hebrew scriptures
• Included in Greek version of OT

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Overview of Books of the Bible
Part 1 The Old Testament

• Session Outlines
• Part 1 - Overview of Bible
• Part 2 - Exodus to David
• Part 3 - Solomon to Northern Exile
• Part 4 - Southern Exile to Christ
• Part 5 - Gospels, Acts, Letters to churches
• Part 6 - Personal letters, General letters,
  Revelation

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Overview of Books of the Bible
Part 1 The Old Testament

• Genesis
• Can we start in the New Testament?
• Matthew 1.1
• Single most important book
• Book of beginnings
• Genesis and Revelation
• End posts of Gods revelation to man
• How it all began - How it all will finish

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Genesis and Revelation

• Spiritual creation(Rev 3.14)
• Serpent restrained(Rev 20.2)
• Curse removed(Rev 22.3)
• Sorrow and death taken away (Rev 21.4)
• Access to tree of life opened (Rev 2.7)
• Paradise opened to man (Rev 21.25)

• Natural creation (Gen 1)
• Serpent speaks (Gen 3.1-5)
• Curse imposed (Gen 3.17)
• Sorrow and death appear (Gen 3.16-17)
• Access to tree of life denied (Gen 3.24)
• Paradise closed to man (Gen 3.23)

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DO!

• Write down any major events you think are
  recorded in Genesis.
• Write down the names of any major people you
  think are recorded in Genesis.

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Overview Genesis

• Two parts
• Primeval history - chapters 1 to 11
• Creation
• Fall of Man
• Flood
• Tower of Babel
• Patriarchal history - chapters 12 to 50
• Abraham
• Isaac
• Jacob
• Joseph

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Overview of Genesis

• SOME POINTS TO CONSIDER
• Gods first promiseGen 3.15
• Gods promise to AbrahamGen 12,13,15,22
• How Israel ended up in EgyptGen 15, 37-50

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Section 5

• Why the Bible is Difficult to Read

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Why the Bible is Difficult to Read
REMEMBER It is the glory of God to conceal a
thing but the honour of kings to search out a
matter (Proverbs 25.2)

• Why did Jesus speak in parables?
• Separation processMatthew 13.10
• Is this fair?Romans 9.18-21

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Why the Bible is Difficult to Read

• Who is Truth revealed to?
• Babes - Matthew 11.25-26
• NOT to the wise - 1 Cor. 1.17-31
• How do you gain understanding?
• Putting in time and energy
• Money and status of no advantage - Isaiah 551-3
• Slowly.
• Slowly revealed - Hebrews 1.1
• Prayerfully and Patiently - Matt 7.7-8

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Remember.
You cannot speed-read the Bible Search it
Carefully and Prayerfully
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Conclusion

• This week we looked at.
• Introduction
• Background of the Bible
• The Bible interprets itself
• Overview of the books of the Bible - Part 1
• Why the Bible is difficult to read

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Conclusion

• Next week we look at.
• Why 2 Testaments
• The Role of Prophecy
• Tips on Reading
• Overview of the books of the Bible - Part 2
• Terminology - Part 1