Old Testament: History and Structure

The Holy Bible

• The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word biblia, which means “books”. The Bible is really a collection or library of many books.

• These books are divided into two main parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament.

• “Testament” means “covenant or agreement”.

• The Old Covenant is an agreement that God made with the nation of Israel.

The Holy Bible● It contains73 books, 46 (39 main books plus 7 Second

Canonical books removed by Protestants) in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament

• More than forty writers over more than 1,500 years.

• It is one book as God inspires it.

• A variety of writings, stories, tales, biographies, poems, and proverbs, but one focus the message of salvation, carried out by our Lord Jesus Christ.

• We find the crimson line clear in all its books and we notice clearly how the wonderful Divine plan in the Old Testament prepared humanity for salvation and how the events and topics were symbols of the Lord and His work of expiation.

The Old Testament

• The Old Testament tells the history of the people of Israel.

• This history is based on their faith in the God of Israel and on their religious life as the people of God.

• The authors of these books wrote about what God had done for them as a people and how they were to worship and obey God in return.

Languages of the Old Testament

• The Old Testament language was Hebrew. Some of the chapters were written in Aramaic.

• Scripture was translated into Aramaic which was spoken by Jews people after the exile.

• Hebrew was known as the sacred language. The books of the Old Testament were written in Hebrew and gradually after the exile the Scripture was written in Hebrew using the Aramaic alphabet.

• The Hebrew language is written from right to left. They used to write without leaving space between the words, so it depends on the reader who knows how to read. Even if there is not enough space to finish the word on the line, the rest of it will be written in the next line.

Why do I struggle with the Old Testament?

Understanding the:– Structure– History

of the Old Testament are Key to understanding and spiritual benefit.

THE BIBLE IS NOT ONE BOOK

But a library of 66 books

Over a period of more than 1,500

years

Written by more than 40 men

30 A.D.

2000 A.D.

1500-1400 B.C.

Moses

Of the 66 books, 39 were written before the birth of Jesus

These 39 are called the Old TESTAMENT