The Bible was written over a number of centuries
… by 40 different authors
… from three continents
… who wrote in three different languages.
Wow - These facts alone make the Bible one of a kind! How could 40 different authors who lived in various centuries write stories that all perfectly fit together in God's master design? Because each of these 40 writers was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. Some of the authors we’re going to talk about soon are:
Since these 3 authors are all descendants of Abraham, they are all part of God’s “Chosen People.” But in the Bible, this group of people goes by several different names, so let’s clear that up so there won’t be any confusion as we continue reading:
=> When God first called Abraham to be the Father of His “Chosen People,” they were called the Hebrews, because Hebrew is the language they spoke.
= > Abraham was the father of Issac, who was the father of Jacob. When Jacob became a man, God changed Jacob’s name to “Israel,” so now these same people were called the Israelite people. You may remember that Israel (formerly Jacob) had twelve sons who became the “12 Tribes of Israel,” from which all future Israelites descended.
=> Even later still, these people became known as Jewish people, or the “Jews” – this word originating from the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah.
So writers from this "Hebrew/ Israelite/ Jewish" group of people are responsible for everything in the Old Testament – just like Christian writers are responsible for everything in the New Testament.
But the ONE central message consistently carried by all 40 writers of the Bible is this: God, who created us all, desires a relationship with us. He calls us to know Him and trust Him.
The Bible not only inspires us, it explains life and God to us. It does not answer all the questions we might have, but it does show us how to live with purpose and compassion. It encourages us to rely on God for strength and direction, and to enjoy His love for us. So it's our desire to understand as much of the Bible as we can to honor Him, and to have a happy life. When we memorize Scripture, we are fulfilling Psalm 119:11, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
We hope you enjoy Tyler's "tricks" on how to find verses ... and later to memorize some of them! If you want to practice the songs with him, replay the audio at 3:53 to hear him say the books of the O.T., and go to 9:50 to hear the books of the N.T.
We love you,
Pappy & GiGi
P.S. One other thing about the Bible: It also tells us how we can have eternal life. That’s Good News!
