BookbyBookBible Study

The book of Genesis is the book of beginnings. It sets the scene for everything else in the whole Bible. Study of the book of Genesis will show us why humanity was created as we are, and where evil, death, and suffering come from. Throughout Genesis we meet interesting characters such as Abraham, the great man of faith in the Promised Messiah; Jacob, the deceitful schemer until he finally trusts in the Lord and Joseph, who lives out his faith in pressurised circumstances.

The book of Exodus provides the theological framework for the rest of the Bible. Whilst Genesis sets the scene, it is Exodus that maps out the doctrinal logic of the Bible. We learn how sin has affected our relationship with God, and how the Lord bringing His people out of Egypt is a powerful prophecy of the way the Promised Messiah would rescue His people through all history from the power of sin and the devil. Exodus teaches us about the Trinity, why Jesus died at the Feast of the Passover, and how the Tabernacle instructs us about the whole universe and the effects of sin upon it.

If the book of Genesis set the stage for the Bible's story and Exodus established the theological framework, then the book of Leviticus takes us into that theological framework to explain the inner workings. The book of Leviticus takes us down into the theological engine of the Scriptures to show us how and why the work of the Messiah is what it is.

The Book of Numbers takes us deep down into the workings of Church. In this book of the Bible we see how the structure and organisation of a local church is one of the most important matters in human life. In a local church, we are learning to be truly human and how to live a full life together, filled with the life of God and walking onwards and upwards to His great and certain hope. Do we seek first this Heavenly Kingdom? Do we care more for His Kingdom, His Church, His righteousness, than for all the momentary comforts of this passing age? These are the questions that the book of Numbers puts to us over and over again.

Deuteronomy is a record of how Moses prepared the ancient Church to enter into the Promised Land. It is a collection of his final sermons, preached to the ancient people of God as they were waiting to cross the Jordan river. They had been on the banks of the Jordan 40 years before, but they had been too frightened of the Canaanite giants to enter in. They did not trust in the Divine Angel of the LORD to fight for them... and so they were defeated by their own fear and doubt. It took 40 years of wilderness wandering to get a new generation ready to fight giants! Deuteronomy is a training manual for fighting giants - not just the ancient physical giants of ancient times but the "giants" of sin that we all have to face. Deuteronomy teaches us how to love the LORD with everything we have and then to obey His commands - so that we can possess all that he has promised.

The conquest and settlement of the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership.

The transition from judges to kingship in Israel, featuring Samuel, Saul, and David. The book of 1 Samuel reveals how the LORD is the true King of all kings, working through His anointed ones to bring His people back to Himself.

The history of David's reign, from his ascension to the throne through his greatest triumphs and most devastating failures. This study explores how Christ the King secures His kingdom through justice, faithfulness, and redemption.

Reviving the worldly church. The story of the second Exodus and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, as the LORD revives His marginalised people and calls them to make Him their first priority.

God's providential care for His people through Queen Esther's courage.

Wrestling with suffering and God's sovereignty through Job's trials.

Songs of worship, lament, and praise that express the full range of human emotion before God.

Wisdom for daily living in the fear of the Lord.

The whole earth is filled with the glory of Jesus and there can be no room for any of the shame, pride and sin of the human kingdoms or religions. The book of Isaiah shows us how the kingdoms of this world all fall under the judgment of Immanuel, the Anointed Servant, as He knocks down all that stands in His way as His Church goes out to all the peoples of the world. Isaiah chapter 53 is quoted in the New Testament more than any other part of the Old Testament. Yet the whole book of Isaiah is referred to and quoted over and over again by Jesus and His apostles. When they wanted to display the glory of Jesus (His mission and character), then Isaiah was of such great help. Long ago, hundreds of years before the human birth of Jesus of Nazareth, Isaiah met Jesus and saw His glory. As John says in John 12:41 - Isaiah "saw Jesus' glory and spoke about Him". That is the great theme of Isaiah's mighty book: the glory of Jesus. Isaiah challenges the Church and the world of his day (and every age) to turn away from the shame of the world, the flesh and the devil and turn to the revolutionary glory of Jesus, the Suffering Servant, Immanuel, the Mighty God, the Divine King. Though the fallen human world has "no soundness" yet Jesus is full of righteousness. Even though we are corrupt from head to toe, even though all human religion is worthless, even though the nations are full of idolatry and greed, yet the Living God has formed His own Church for a righteous eternal destiny through the glorious suffering work of Jesus. Both Jew and Gentile are joined together in the Church by the glorious Cross of Jesus, 'conquering' the world with His gospel. The Holy Spirit had opened Isaiah's eyes to the worthless glory and shameful corruption of the human condition. Yet, the glory of the conquering King of Heaven, displayed most in His weakness and suffering, stands forever. The nations and the 'glory' of this passing age are decaying away, but the glory of Jesus grows on into that new creation future when even the lion and the lamb will live peacefully together. We need to keep Deuteronomy 28 in mind as we read through Isaiah. The language of the blessings and curses of the Law come up time after time after time. Yet, Isaiah reminds us that the Law was looking at more than just the land of Canaan. The Law was always looking to that new creation future when Christ will renew the whole creation and pour out those blessings on the new heavens and the new earth. This great book of Isaiah begins by telling us how many kings came and went while Isaiah was preaching: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. Isaiah saw these human kings come and go while he was preaching the gospel of Christ the LORD, the Everlasting King, perfect in righteousness and humble in service. Isaiah must have experienced all the hopes, fears and disturbance that each of these political orders brought, and he was appointed to preach about the Divine, Righteous King who was and is and always will be. Isaiah's preaching work began the year that king Uzziah died (as we learn in chapter 6) around 739BC. Throughout more than 50 years Isaiah saw the terrible way that the nation of Judah tried to find security in religion or political alliances rather than in Christ the LORD. In the first five chapters Isaiah gives us a general picture of the society he lived in through his 50 years of preaching. Uzziah was a good king who did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. He developed agricultural production; he defeated the Philistines and built new towns in their place; and he built up the army to over 300,000 well-equipped soldiers with advanced military technology. However, in his pride he tried to offer incense in the temple as if he were an Aaronic priest and the LORD inflicted leprosy on him as he was trying to push through the protesting priests. He also failed to get rid of all the places of pagan worship. Uzziah had leprosy for the rest of his life so he had to live apart from everyone else, and his son Jotham effectively managed the kingdom for him. After Uzziah died, when Jotham was 25 years old, he became king. Jotham also did what was right before the LORD but he did not root out the pagan practices in the country. Still there remained centres of pagan worship in the high places and the pagan shrines from Solomon's time were allowed to continue. However, when his son Ahaz became king, aged 20, he actually promoted pagan worship. He made idols for worshipping the Baals and sacrificed his children in the fire. So the LORD allowed the king of Israel to inflict heavy casualties on Judah, although Israel was unable to take Jerusalem. Ahaz tried to make an alliance with the king of Assyria, using the treasure from the temple. Ahaz's son Hezekiah became king when he was 25 years old and he was faithful to the LORD God. He did his best to cleanse the temple of pagan influences and he led the whole of Israel and Judah in an incredible Passover celebration. While the temple was being consecrated so many animals were sacrificed that the ordinary Levites had to help the Aaronic priests with the preparation of the animals. In the people of Judah started to celebrate all the different festivals, tithes and offerings that were originally described in the Law of Moses. Though Hezekiah led these wonderful reforms, to what extent were the hearts of the people reformed as well? These outward 'means of grace' are only pleasing to the LORD if they come from hearts that are full of love and trust towards Him. The rituals and offerings were only ever pointers towards the Person and Work of Jesus Christ the LORD and if He was ignored, if His glory was forgotten, then the 'Church activities' were meaningless. Hezekiah looked to Christ the LORD for his security so when the armies of Assyria arrived, with great arrogance and blasphemy, the Angel of the LORD (one of the titles of Jesus in the Old Testament) went out and defeated the entire Assyrian army overnight. This is the great theme that Isaiah sets before us in his book. At the centre of reality is King Jesus in His great glory. He is the Servant King who lays down His life for His people, the conquering Messiah who in His resurrection redeems the whole creation to be the future home of righteousness forever and ever. Yet, our hearts and minds so easily put creatures of empty glory in His place: human power; money; religion and self-improvement. Isaiah thunders out against anything that takes the place of the glorious LORD Jesus, whether in the Church or in the societies outside. Jesus is for everybody, whether religious or not, whether Jew or Gentile, whether 'inside' or 'outside'.

God's sovereignty over kingdoms and prophetic visions of the future.

A prophet's call for justice and warning against complacency.

God's compassion for all nations through a reluctant prophet.

God's judgment on Nineveh and His faithfulness to His people.

The Gospel of the suffering servant - Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

Believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and finding life in His name.

The Continuing Acts of Jesus in all the nations. The book of Acts is the second volume of Luke's work, showing what Jesus continued to do after His ascension through His apostles and by His Holy Spirit. Through Peter and Paul we see the gospel spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, as Israel becomes a truly global family of every nation.

The Book of Romans is a mission manifesto - stirring up the church at Rome to see that the Way of Jesus in Church is the answer for everybody, everywhere. The ancient promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that all the nations of the world would receive gospel blessings through their seed, are at the very heart of the book. Romans is a pocket mission manifesto - showing how Jesus answers every need and how everybody can be right with God through faith in Jesus. Church is the answer for everybody, everywhere.

Paul's defense of his ministry and the gospel of reconciliation.

The Gospel of Abraham, the Law of Moses. Galatians gives us a vision of true freedom - freedom from social boundaries, traditions, pretence and slavish conformity - and shows how it can be a reality in our own local church. Paul writes to rescue the Galatians from a false teaching that trusted in the Law of Moses rather than in the Messiah prophesied in it. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Our identity in Christ and living as His united body.

Joy in Christ despite circumstances and the mind of Christ.

The supremacy of Christ over all things.

Living in light of Christ's return and the day of the Lord.

Paul's final charge to Timothy - guard the gospel and endure suffering.

Church leadership and the transforming power of the gospel in relationships.

Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever - how Jesus is greater than the angels, Moses, the priests and the sacrifices.

Faith that works - practical wisdom for living out the Christian life.

1 Peter is all about the sufferings of Christ and the glories that follow. Peter, who once tried to turn Jesus away from the Cross and later denied Him, learned the profound, hidden wisdom of the LORD Jesus: the Way of the Cross is the way of true, eternal, resurrection life. Written to encourage the 'chosen exiles' scattered throughout the world to stand fast in the true grace of God, this letter takes us into the heart of suffering, showing us the pattern of suffering first, glory later.

The unveiling of Jesus Christ and His final victory over evil.