In any book, after the consideration of the theme, we look for the
form and the plan. In order to study a book to the best advantage, the
different parts and their relation to each other and to the whole must
be made plain. The Bible readily lends itself to an investigation of
its structure.
The Bible is One Book with one thought running through it, God's
purpose to redeem man, and may be so read and studied.
The Bible is Composed of Many Books written by different authors in
different languages, at different times. Some of the books were
circulated separately before they were gathered either into the canon
of the Old or New Testaments. The gathering together of the books and
the placing them in the order that we have them now was a slow
process, but all in the order and interest of a progressive revelation
of God and because of a common sympathetic subject.
The books take different forms and have different classifications,
such as books of the law, wisdom, history, poetry, etc. In studying
any book it is necessary to attend to its classification; there has
been much misunderstanding of the Bible books because of the
interpretation of a book of poetry as history or the holding the free
style of a letter to the hard and fast standards of a carefully worded
court document. The standpoint of the author of a book, and some
consideration for the age in which he lives, must always be taken into
consideration; in this way a book, which may seem to us now to be
behind the age in its thought, will be seen to be far ahead of the age
in which the author lived and making and marking an important epoch in
a progressive revelation.
Each Bible book has a well considered plan, a special aim, a
historical setting and a practical value. For instance, in Genesis we
have a book of beginnings; a broad explanation of the origin of the
world, man, sin, salvation; and the revelation of God as Creator,
Preserver, Lawgiver, Judge and Merciful Father. After the introduction
the book, if we look into the book itself, is divided into ten parts
with the recurring formula, "These are the generations of." This book
cannot be overestimated from a religious standpoint. The fact of a
Creator is the fundamental teaching of its cosmogony. God, one God, is
here clearly distinguished from a host of heathen gods. He is over and
above matter, everything in the universe is subject to Him. Again in
this book we have the early history of the human race shown in large
outline and also the story of the fathers of the Jewish race from the
calling of Abraham to the death of Jacob. Behind any theory of the
construction of Genesis the great representative truths stand
firm. Every Bible book can be considered and its plan and purpose
shown in this way. Even a small book like Ruth, which seems to be
only a little pleasant story, has an important part to perform.
Without it the times of the judges would present only a very somber
picture, but with it we can see that in those dark and troublous times
there were noble, God fearing men like Boaz and true women like
Ruth. We could not spare a single book of the New Testament, for with
one lacking something would be wanting in the picture of early
Christianity.
The Bible is Composed of Groups of Books Which Relate to Special
Eras.--They show God revealing Himself and also dealing with the
chosen nation, under different forms of administration; they indicate
the steps leading up to Christ and His appearance on the earth.
First Era, the Time of Beginnings (Genesis 1-11:32). This extends from
the creation of the world to the call of Abraham. We have here set
forth the connection of the world with God, the beginning of life and
beginning of sin, which rendered salvation necessary.
Second Era, the Theocracy. The record is found in the books of
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth
and 1 Samuel. This period is known as the Theocracy because it marks
the direct rule of God over His people. It lasted from the covenant of
God with Abraham to the anointing of Saul as king. We here see the
beginning of the chosen family, and nation, what laws and precepts
were given it and what fortunes befell it. This training time shows
God's high standards in the laws and precept given this Israelitish
people.
Third Era, the Monarchy. The record is found in the books of 1 and 2
Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Psalms, Jonah, Amos, Hosea,
Micah, Joel, Isaiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk and Jeremiah. We have
here the story of the rise, glory, division and fall of the Jewish
monarchy. The people desired a king and the king sought to rule by his
own will rather than the will of God. We note God's desire to make
this nation a "Holy Nation" and its sin and failure. The function of
the prophets was to declare the sin of the nation, to set the right
way before it and seek to lead it back to God, but the nation would
not heed the voices of the prophets, hence the fall of the
monarchy. The coming of the perfect king and kingdom under the Messiah
is prophesied. The work and place of Christ is foretold by the
prophets.
Fourth Era, the Captivity. The record is found in the books of 2
Chronicles, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel and Obadiah. The people
rejecting God are taken into captivity. In this captivity the people
turn to God in their affliction, their worship is purified and the
hope of the coming of the Messiah grows very strong.
Fifth Era, the Restoration. The record is found in the books of Ezra,
Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. The people purified by their
captivity and uplifted by their hope of the coming Christ are restored
to their own land.
Sixth Era, the Christian. The record is found in the books of the New
Testament. The Christian era is ushered in by the coming of Christ and
the fulfillment of God's promises. The mission of the Jewish nation
finds its fruition in Christ and the coming of the Saviour of all
mankind.
It will be seen from this very brief summary of the eras how God
gradually revealed Himself and His plan for the spiritual
enlightenment of all men. The necessity also of studying each book,
not only in its own plan but in its group place, in order to find its
meaning, cannot be too earnestly commended.