05.04. The Structure Of The Bible
The Structure Of The Bible The Bible is divided into two parts – the Old Testament and the New Testament - separated in their writing by some 500 years (circa 400 BC to 100 AD). The Old Testament is the first two-thirds of the Bible primarily consisting of the Law and the Prophets, with the history of Israel as the backdrop. The Old Testament was written and completed some 400 years before Jesus Christ came into the pages of human history. The Old Testament was translated by Jewish scholars from Hebrew into Greek some 200 years before Jesus’ time on earth. This is an important fact because the prophetic pronouncements on Jesus Christ: His identity, His lineage, His mission, specifics related to His birth including His birth through a virgin, His ministry, His death and His resurrection, His being referred to as the Son and the Messiah, were all written in both Hebrew and Greek by Jewish scribes and scholars centuries before His advent! The New Testament is the last one-third of the Bible. The New Testament records the Gospel (meaning the Good News) of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Gospel of the Kingdom of GOD [Matthew 4:23-25; Luke 8:1] declaring that GOD will establish His Kingdom on earth as prophesied by the prophet Daniel [Daniel 2:26-49; Daniel 7:13-14 – circa 550 BC].
Through the Gospel of the Kingdom of GOD, the yoke of sin and death will be destroyed – ultimately, in cosmic terms [Romans 8:18-22; Revelation 21:1-2; Revelation 22:1-3].
Salvation will unfold a new man in the image [Romans 8:29] and fullness of Jesus Christ [John 1:16-17]. This is a new man who will function by actual communion with GOD! In this light of the Gospel of the Kingdom of GOD, the New Testament (in tandem with many, many prophecies in the Old Testament) also predicts the outcome of human history which culminates with the second coming of Jesus Christ on earth [Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-28]. The biblical composite of the Law, the Prophets and, the Gospel of Jesus Christ that proclaims the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, represent GOD’s Testimony to the human race.
And, GOD’s Testimony to mankind is profound and an amazing expression of His goodness and, His willingness to work His goodness into man and into creation.
GOD’s Testimony to the human race has its actual fulfillment in personal, corporate and cosmic terms! The Bible is a book written – in profound detail - for actual fulfillment! The personal fulfillment proposed to each one of us – by the hand of GOD - is the blessing GOD proposes to us and our families in eternity. It is through this fulfillment that GOD enables us to see Him, so as to come to know Him and to love Him. Amen!