Old Testament

The Old Testament was written prior to the coming of Jesus Christ and tells us how God called the nation of Israel into existence. God made the Jewish people a special nation, and from this nation Jesus Christ, God's only Son, was born. The Old Testament is filled with stories of the sin of the people of Israel, of God's judgment and forgiveness, and of their final banishment into exile. Mingled with the history of Israel are the poems and songs Israel used in worship, the laws that governed the nation, and the messages of the prophets whom God sent to warn Israel about sin and judgment and to communicate his promises about deliverance and the coming of Christ. There are four types of books in the Old Testament:

Story Books

These books are filled with accounts of the creation of the world, the fall of man into sin, the flood, and the formation of Israel. With the exception of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, they are the first books you will find in the Old Testament going from Genesis to Esther.

Law Books

The books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are primarily books of law, containing both the civil laws that governed the nation of Israel, the religious rituals that governed worship, and the moral laws that governed relationships. They do have some stories of history mixed in along with section of law.

Poetry Books

Five books of the Old Testament fall into this category: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. The easiest one to read, and probably the most loved book of the Old Testament, is the book of Psalms. A poem like Psalm 23 can be understood by the smallest child and is filled with promises of God's tender care for those who love him.

Prophecy Books

The last section of books are difficult to read-the books written by the prophets (or religious teachers) of Israel. These books deal with warning about sin, impending judgments of God, promises of salvation, and predictions of Christ's coming. They begin with Isaiah and go to the end of the Old Testament.