This presentation will cover answers to last week’s questions concerning the Book of Job and its basic hermeneutics (these answers are also available on a separate post earlier this week). We will also look at a framework for the Bible’s “big picture” that will help us as we study through the Old Testament. Understanding the big picture will help us not to take things out of context, or twist Scripture to fit a particular agenda. It will also help us be wise discerners of truth when others ask questions, or when we see error in interpretation.

Watch this week’s class presentation on this topic:

Overview Notes from the presentation

2023 A Case for the Old Testament

Session 2, Part 2: The Big Picture of the Bible

Prayer and Reflection

1. Write out your prayer cards and exchange them at the end of the class.
2. Review last week’s presentation on the hermeneutics of the books of Moses, and the basic themes of Genesis 1-11.
3. Recite to practice the memory verse below from your study in the book of Job:

Memory Verse

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” 

Job 19:25 (NASB)

THE BIG PICTURE OF THE BIBLE AND UNDERSTANDING THE OLD TESTAMENT

Understanding and knowing the big picture of the Bible, and focusing from there, will help us not fall into the trap of twisting Scripture—it will help keep us in the right context as we study

Overarching Framework
A simple way to read each book of the Bible is to look for a few basic things:

• God’s original intention for His creation was to be in perfect relationship with Him in His Kingdom (we get a glimpse of this in the Garden of Eden), but human’s fell in disobedience and were separated from direct relationship with God ( and this continues today)
• God made an immediate promise of a rescue plan, and this plan is worked out throughout the people, stories and events we read about in the Old Testament.
• God’s Hesed: An indescribable Hebrew word that reflects God’s heart and covenant love for His people, and Jesus’ offer of salvation is rooted in this term.

The entire Bible points to the person of Jesus:

• His role in the Trinity
• The Old Testament Covenants are a promise of His mission as Messiah
• The Old Testament foreshadowings and prophecies point to His life, ministry, sacrifice and resurrection
• His Kingdom is revealed along with His final victory over death and Satan
• His preparation of an eternal home for us who trust in Him

Old Testament: “Big Picture”

1. God creates us to be in relationship with Him (Genesis 1-2)
2. Humans lose that relationship at “the Fall” when they disobey God’s only command (Genesis 3) and we live with the consequence of that today
3. God immediately Promises a way of salvation and begins to work that [rescue] plan out in “Covenants” throughout the Old Testament—giving encouragement, warning and hope through the prophets (Genesis 3:15; Genesis 12:2-3; Genesis 15:5-19; Genesis 26:3-5; Genesis 28:10-15; Genesis 49:9-12; Exodus 12-15; 19-20; 2 Samuel 7:5-17; Jeremiah 31:31)
4. Every book (39), story, and event contain a foreshadow, model, or prophecy of Jesus (who He would be and what He would do)—the Scarlet Thread of the Old Testament
5. The Nation of Israel was chosen to be God’s people and role-model to the other nations (but they failed all the time), showing the need for a Savior, and it would be through this Nation that Messiah would come

New Testament: “Big Picture”

THE GOSPEL:

6. Jesus is born, the promised Messiah from the tribe of Judah and line of David (Luke 3:23-37)
7. Jesus is the New Covenant in fulfillment of God’s Old Covenant and the hundreds of prophecies made about Him centuries before (Luke 22:20; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 8:7-13; 9:1-15)
8. Jesus’ ministry proves that He is God incarnate evidenced by His sinless life and multitude of miracles attesting to His power over the natural order and His love for humanity (evidenced throughout the Gospels)
9. Jesus dies as a substitute for all humanity, then resurrects from the grave in defeat of death and Satan, restoring that lost relationship with humankind and providing a path for eternal life (John 3:11-21)

THE CHURCH:

10. Jesus’ followers begin to spread this good news at Jesus’ command and giving of the Holy Spirit to all believers (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:7-8)
11. The early Church begins as disciples gathering in various places worshipping and studying Scripture (book of Acts)
12. Jesus promises to come back bringing the full Kingdom of God creating a New Earth and New Heaven with no more pain, suffering, or death (John 14; Revelation 21:1-7)

CONCLUSION:

Our job, or purpose, until then is to share this good news with as many people as we can, living as God’s Ambassadors for the Kingdom, preparing for eternity

• Matthew 28:18-20
• 2 Corinthians 5:20
• 1 Peter 3:15

The Christian Bible gives us a linear storyline that we can follow, beginning to end:

(Humm…Just like any good movie, play or novel)

1. The curtain opens in Genesis: God creates a perfect world and humans have a perfect relationship with Him
2. The Conflict occurs in Genesis 3: Sin changes everything and affects the rest of the story, humans need to be saved from this fate
3. The Old Testament is the unfolding of God’s rescue plan of salvation given to a particular man (Abraham), and carried through a particular nation (Israel), with every person, story, and event pointing to that fulfillment in Jesus
4. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the rescue plan through Jesus with redemption offered to everyone by way of the Holy Spirit
5. The curtain closes in Revelation: We are back to that original place of relationship and perfection with God through Jesus Christ our LORD

Going Deeper

Check out Allen Parr’s presentation on verses taken out of context:

Bible Study

Each week we will have Bible study following the presentation. There will be questions presented here on the weekend, and basic answers will be part of the next presentation or posted mid-week for your review, depending on the topic. This can also be used to make a leader’s guide for your own small group and future studies!

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

The Book of Job

To finish our chronological study of the book of Job we will look at some specific question from the narrative. As an early narrative chronologically, we will keep in mind the story is said to have happened after the flood and the other events of Genesis 1-11, but prior to the time of Abraham in Genesis 12.

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

Reading and reflection:

If you have not done so already, read through the book of Job (or listen to an audio version) in one sitting to get the big picture of the narrative. Use this framework as the lens for your reading:

• God’s Kingdom and His sovereignty throughout the story
• Humanity’s fallen nature and imperfect interaction with each other and with God – thus the need for a Savior (Jesus)
• God’s restorative power and promise of a return to perfection – a picture of the Redeemer and Promised Messiah of Genesis 3:15 (Jesus)

Context of the reading: Look for answers to these key questions from your reading:

1) What was the interaction between God and Satan, and how does this interaction show God’s sovereign control over all things?

2) Who were the four people that came to talk to Job after Satan had afflicted him? List a few of the good things they did to help Job, and some of the bad things they said or did that actually hurt Job.

3) What was Job’s overall demeanor and attitude during this ordeal, give a few examples? Did he ever reject God?

4) How did God finally respond to Job in the last few chapters (what are some important points to remember)?

5) Where is Jesus? What are some things we see in this book that point to, or foreshadow, Jesus and the promise God has made of salvation through Him?

6) Application: Looking at the overall context of the book, what are some personal life applications you can take away from this teaching in God’s Word (how does this help us understand our own struggles and sufferings today)?

7) Going Deeper for an apologetics’ discussion: Based on your reading of Job, do you think there is an equal power struggle between good and evil, or even the idea that evil does not exist, as many schools of thought say today, and why? Defend your answer using Scripture.

8) The Shelf: Are there any additional questions, comments or concerns you have after reading and discussing this book?