Delve Into The Old TestamentSample

DAY 3 – THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament is a collection of books that makes up the first three-quarters of the Bible. It begins a story that’s completed in the last quarter of the Bible, in the books of the New Testament. The story tells first how God created a world of beauty and harmony and made people – creative, relational beings like himself – to care for this world and develop its potential. 

It then tells how people disastrously turned away from God, and how, ever since, God has been working to bring them back. An essential aspect of God’s plan was to enter into a special relationship with a man named Abraham and with his descendants, who became the people of Israel. Through them, God planned to extend His blessings to people of every nation.

The Old Testament records that the people of Israel looked to three distinct sources of authoritative teaching to guide them in their relationship with God. The prophet Jeremiah described them as “the teaching of the law by the priests,” “counsel from the wise,” and “the word from the prophets.” The books of the Old Testament are drawn from these three sources. 

In Hebrew versions of the Bible, the books are divided into three groups that correspond roughly to these three streams of authoritative teaching: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings (which include the books in the “wisdom” tradition). 

If you want to dive even deeper into the rest of the Bible, check out our reading plans "Delve Into Covenant History," "Delve Into The Prophets," "Delve Into The Writings," and "Delve Into the New Testament."

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for giving us Your Word. Open my eyes, ears, and heart to understand it.