OLD+TESTAMENT

Licensed to Jorge Lisboa - prjorgelisboa@aol.
com - HP43616833903875
Licensed to Jorge Lisboa - prjorgelisboa@aol.com - HP43616833903875
Old TESTAMENT
Old Teame
Ini ally, the Old Testament consists of 46 wri ngs about the Jewish people,
their history and their religion. In addi on, it integrates the first part of the
Chris an Bible (before the birth of Jesus) and the en re Hebrew Bible, the
Torah.
But far beyond the history of the Hebrew people, the Old Testament contains
historical narra ves and the pillars of Chris anity and Judaism.
The Old Testament, also called the Old Testament, is the por on of the Bible
that records the history of redemp on in the period before the advent of
Christ. This even explains the designa on "Old Testament". The word
"testament", from the La n testamentum, translates the Greek word
diatheke, which indicates a covenant, a pact or a contract.
The Old Testament was wri en over a period of approximately one thousand
years, between the middle of the second millennium and the middle of the
first millennium before Christ. The first book was probably wri en in about
1440 B.C., at the me of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.
Bible Study Plan

Main Books
There are in the Old Testament, the books of the Pentateuch (Genesis,
Exodus, Levi cus, Numbers and Deuteronomy), the Historical Books (Joshua,
Judges, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings, I Chronicles, II Chronicles, the
Septuagint and the Vulgate), the Poe cal and Sapien al Books (Job, Psalms,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom and Ben Sirach or
Ecclesias cus) and the Prophe c Books, of the early prophets and the minor
prophets.
It is in the Prophe c Books, for example, that for many the arrival of Jesus
Christ is predicted, as well as many other important predic ons and
prophecies for mankind as a whole.
Therefore, for Chris ans in general, the Old Testament is a must-read, among
other things, for telling and narra ng the trajectory of humanity before Jesus
Christ.
The Old Testament records a history that goes from the beginning of me to
the post-exile period, when the Jewish people rebuilt the city of Jerusalem
that had been destroyed by the Babylonians. Obviously this means that there
is a wealth of detail in the Old Testament accounts.
Specifically, the background of the Old Testament events was the Ancient
Near East. The Old Testament stories took place in the regions of
Mesopotamia, Syro-Phoenicia, Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula, Pales ne and
the Anatolian Peninsula.
Therefore, due to all this scope, the Old Testament books were wri en in the
most diverse contexts, such as: migra ons, wars, defeats, victories,
cap vi es, deliverances, restora ons, etc.
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Lineage of Jesus
King David
Amon Adi Nathan
Solomon
Melchi Mattathah
Rehoboam Josiah
Neri Menna
Abijah Jehoahaz Salathiel Meleah
Asa Jehoiakim Zorobabel Eliakim
Jehoshaphat Jeconiah Resha Jonã
Joram Shealtiel Joanan Joseph
Jodo Judah
Ahaziah Zerubbabel
Joseph Simeon
Joash Abiud Shemei Levite
Amaziah Eliakim Mattathias Mattan
Jotham Azor Mahath Jorim
Ahaz Shadok Naggi Eliezer
Hezekiah Aquim Esli Joshua
Elihud Nahum Er
Manasseh
Amos Elaman
Mattathias Cosan
Eleazar
Mattan Joseph
Janai
Jacob
Melqui
Joseph Levi
Matã
Heli
Maria
Jesus Chri
Bible Study Plan

Biblical Chronology
Principle 2200 Patriarchs

B.C.
1900 Israel in Egypt

B.C. and the Exodus
Canaan and Judges 1400

B.C.
1300
United Kingdom
B.C.
Kingdom Divided 931

B.C.
700
End of Judah
B.C.
Captivity and 587

Restoration B.C.
400 Period
B.C. Intertestamentary Period
Approximate dates*
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Priarcas
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Genesis
1st Book
Chapters Verses Author Date

50 1.533 Moisés 1.400 b.C
The book of Genesis has some mes been called the "seed-plot" of the en re
Bible. Most of the major doctrines of the Bible are introduced in "seed" form
in the book of Genesis. Along with the Fall of man, God's promise of salva on
or redemp on is recorded (Genesis 3:15). The doctrines of crea on,
imputa on of sin, jus fica on, atonement, depravity, wrath, grace,
sovereignty, responsibility, and many others are addressed in this book of
origins called Genesis.
Many of life's great ques ons are answered in Genesis. (1) Where did I come
from? (God created us - Genesis 1:1) (2) Why am I here? (We are here to have
a rela onship with God - Genesis 15:6) (3) Where am I going? (We have a
des ny a er death - Genesis 25:8). Genesis is appealing to the scien st, the
historian, the theologian, the homemaker, the farmer, the traveler, and the
man or woman of God. It is a fi ng beginning to God's story of His plan for
mankind, the Bible.
Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
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Genesis 1-4. Moses describes the Crea on of the Earth and all life forms on it.
Adam and Eve partake of the forbidden fruit and are driven out of the Garden
of Eden. They have children. Cain kills Abel.
Genesis 5-11. Because of mankind's iniquity, God promises to flood the earth.
Noah obeys God's command to build an ark, and his family is saved from the
Flood. Noah and his family mul ply and fill the Earth. The Lord confuses the
language of the people and sca ers them over the Earth a er they build the
Tower of Babel.
Genesis 12-23. The Lord promises that Abram will become a great na on and
that his seed will bless the Earth. Abram travels with his wife, Sarai, to Hebron
and then to Egypt. The Lord makes a covenant with Abram. He changes
Abram's name to Abraham and Sarai's name to Sarah and promises them a
son. Lot, Abraham's nephew, is spared in the destruc on of Sodom. Sarah
gives birth to Isaac in her old age. Abraham proves his faithfulness to the Lord
by showing his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Genesis 24-26. The Lord guides Abraham's servant by choosing Rebekah as a

wife for Isaac. Esau and Jacob are born. Esau sells his birthright to Jacob. The
Lord renews the Abrahamic covenant with Isaac.
Genesis 27-36. Isaac gives the blessing of the firstborn to Jacob. Esau hates
Jacob and plans to kill him. The Lord promises Jacob the same blessings given
to Abraham and Isaac. Jacob serves Laban and marries his daughters, Leah
and Rachel. The Lord appears to Jacob and changes his name to Israel. Jacob
returns to Canaan and makes peace with Esau.
Genesis 37-50. Joseph is Jacob's favorite. Joseph dreams that his parents and
brothers will honor him and submit to him. Joseph's brothers sell him into
slavery and he is taken to Egypt. Po phar's wife tempts Joseph and falsely
accuses him. Joseph is thrown into prison. He interprets the dreams of
Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker and then those of Pharaoh. Pharaoh makes
Joseph a ruler in Egypt and Joseph prepares Egypt for the me of famine.
When Joseph's brothers go to Egypt, Joseph tests them and forgives them.
Jacob's en re family goes to Egypt and Jacob blesses his sons. Joseph
prophesies and dies in Egypt.
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Abraham's
´ story
And their descendants
ABRAHAM SARA
ISAQUE REBECA
ESAÚ
ZILPA LIA JACÓ RACHEL BILA
GADE RUBEN JOSEPH DÃ

ASER SIMEON BENJAMIN NAFTALI
LEVI
JUDÁ
ISAACAR
ZEBULON
Through Isaac, the heir of promise, Abraham became the father of the
Israelite people, from whom came the Messiah. Even through Esau, Jacob's
son, Abraham became the ancestor of the Edomites.
BibleStudy Plan
Noah’s Ark
Curiosi es
13,5 mt
135 mt
22,5 mt
The Ark Days in e Ark

135m wide, 22.5m wide and 13.5m 1 year and 6 days
high. 3 floors An ark, not a boat, built
to float, not to sail. The Ark’s occupants
(Genesis 6:18; 7:7; 7:13)
Boeing 747SP Noah, Shem, Ham, Jafet and
wives.
56.31m of length and capacity for
440 passengers. Material (Genesis 6.14)
cypress and bitun tableros
The Bible says that Noah's Ark was established in

the Turkish mountains of Ararat on the 150th day
of the flood. (Genesis 8)
Bible
Study Plan
World Division
a er the flood
According to some historians, a er the Flood the world was divided in this
way:
JAFÉ - Father of the Europeans, Persians and Indians, (Indo-Europeans);

CAM - Father of the Africans (Blacks);
SEM - Father of the Semites (Jews and Arabs).
Biblical Na ons Descended

from the Sons of Noah
SHEM HAM JAPHETH
hebrews cananians greeks
cauldrons egyp ans traits
asirios philis nes contribu ons
Elamites Hi tes phrygians
Syrians amorous giblets
The first genera ons a er the Flood lived a long me, with some men
outliving their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. This set
them apart. Noah's 16 grandsons were the heads of their family clans, which
became large popula ons in their respec ve areas. Several things
happened: People in various areas called each other by the name of the man
who was their common ancestor. They called their land, and o en their
main city and main river, by his name. Some mes the various na ons would
fall into ancestor worship.
When this happened, it was natural for them to name their god a er the
name of the man who was the ancestor of them all, or claim their long-lived
ancestor as their god.
Bible
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Exodus
2st Book

40 1.213 Moses 1.400 b.C
The word "exodus" means departure. At the me set by God, the exodus of
the Israelites from Egypt marked the end of a period of oppression for the
descendants of Abraham (Genesis 15:13), and the beginning of the
fulfillment of the covenant promise to Abraham that their descendants
would not only live in the Promised Land, but would also mul ply and
become a great na on (Genesis 12:1-3, 7). The purpose of this book can be
defined as outlining the rapid growth of Jacob's descendants from Egypt to
the establishment of the theocra c na on in their Promised Land.
Exodus 1:8, "In the mean me there arose a new king over Egypt, who had not
known Joseph."
Exodus 2:24-25, "When God heard their groaning, He remembered His

covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God saw the
children of Israel and looked at their condi on."
Exodus 12:27, "You shall answer, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who
passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the
Egyp ans and delivered our houses. Then the people bowed down and
worshipped."
Bible
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Exodus begins where Genesis ended: with God dealing with His chosen
people, the Jews. This book traces the events from when Israel entered Egypt
as guests of Joseph, who was powerful in Egypt, to when they were
eventually delivered from the cruel slavery they had been forced into by ...
"new king over Egypt, who had not known Joseph" (Exodus 1:8).
The middle part of the book of Exodus is devoted to the wilderness

wandering and God's miraculous provision for His people. But even though
God provided bread from heaven, sweet water from bi er, water from a
rock, victory over those who would destroy them, His Law wri en on tablets
of stone by His own hand, and His presence in the form of a cloud and pillars
of fire, the people con nually grumbled and rebelled against Him.
The third part of the book describes the building of the Ark of the Covenant
and the plan for the Tabernacle with its various sacrifices, altars, furniture,
ceremonies and forms of worship.
Israel murmurs because of the lack of food and water in the desert. The Lord
sends manna and quail for Israel's sustenance and commands Moses to pour
water from a stone. Israel defeats the armies of Amalek. Moses sets rules for
Israel.
At Mount Sinai, the Lord reveals the condi ons of His covenant, and Israel
covenants to obey the Lord.
Moses receives instruc ons regarding the building of the tabernacle, the
consecra on of the priests, and the making of sacrifices. Moses receives two
stone tablets containing the Lord's covenant with Israel.
Israel worships a golden calf. Moses breaks the tablets of stone and prays to
the Lord for Israel. A er the people repent, the Lord makes another
covenant with Israel and writes it on two new tablets of stone.
Exodus 35-40 Skilled men build the tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord
rests therein.
Bible Study Plan

Plagu of Egypt
BLOOD ULCERS
The Nile and every pool of Ulcers appeared on the skin of the
water in Egypt became Egyptians and their animals.
blood.
HAIL
FROGS Hail rained down on everything in the
Frogs covered the land of fields, men, animals and plants.
Egypt.
LICES LOCUSTS
The dust of the earth became Locusts devoured all the trees and
lice, which covered people plants in the land of Egypt.
and animals in Egypt.
DARKNESS
Darkness covered the land of Egypt
MOCKS
for three days.
Flies filled the houses in the
land of Egypt.
PRIMOGEN:
Every firstborn son in the Land of
PESTILENCE Egypt died and then finally Pharaoh
All the Egyptians' livestock let the Israelites go, but changed his
died. mind and chased them until they
reached the Red Sea.
A er leaving Egypt, God opens the Red Sea for the people of Israel to escape
during the persecu on of the Egyp an soldiers.
On Mount Sinai, God gives Moses the ten commandments to give to the
Israelites. The ten commandments are rules of worship and the laws for
those families to be made into a na on.
With Moses' delay at Mount Sinai, the people begin to worship a golden calf,
bringing upon themselves a plague.
Moses returns and restores order. The book of Exodus ends with the people
con nuing their journey to the promised land.
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Exodus 25-27, 30 contains the instruc ons given by the Lord to Moses about
the building of the tabernacle. The tabernacle was a sacred place for the
children of Israel, just as the temple is a sacred place for us today.
"And God spoke all these words, 'I am the Lord, your God, who brought you
out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 'You shall have no other gods besides
me.'" Exodus 20:1-5
God establishes the laws
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Levicus
3rd book

27 859 Moses 1.400 b.C
Because the Israelites had been held cap ve in Egypt for 400 years, the
concept of God had been distorted by the pagan and polytheis c Egyp ans.
The purpose of Levi cus is to provide instruc ons and laws to guide a sinful
but redeemed people in their rela onship with a holy God. There is an
emphasis in Levi cus on the need for personal holiness in response to a holy
God. Sin must be atoned for through the offering of self-sacrifices (chapters 8-
10). Other topics covered in the book are diets (pure and unclean foods),
childbirth, and diseases which are carefully regulated (chapters 11-15).
Chapter 16 describes the Day of Atonement, on this day an annual sacrifice is
made for the cumula ve sin of all people. In addi on, God's people are to be
discreet in their personal, moral, and social lives, in contrast to the current,
pagan prac ces around them (chapters 17-22).
Levi cus 1:4: "And he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that
it may be accepted on his behalf for his atonement."
Levi cus 17:11: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood. I have given it to you
on the altar to make atonement for your soul, for it is the blood that will make
atonement on behalf of life."
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Study Plan
Chapters 1-7 outline the offerings required of both laymen and priests.
Chapters 8-10 describe the consecra on of Aaron and his sons to the
priesthood. Chapters 11-16 are the instruc ons for the various types of
uncleanness. In the final 10 chapters we find God's direc ons to His people
for prac cal holiness. Various feasts were ins tuted as the people worshiped
Jehovah God, gathered together and prac ced according to God's laws.
Blessings or curses would accompany both obedience and abandonment of
God's commandments (chapter 26). Vows to the Lord are addressed in
chapter 27.
The main theme of Levi cus is holiness. God's demand for the holiness of His
people is based on His own holy nature. A corresponding theme is that of
atonement. Holiness must be kept before God, and it can only be achieved
through a proper atonement.
Much of the ritualis c prac ces of worship portray in many ways the person
and work of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10 tells us that the
Mosaic Law is "a shadow of the good things to come," by which it is
understood that the daily sacrifices offered by the priests as a subs tu on
for the people's sin were a representa on of the ul mate sacrifice -- Jesus
Christ, whose sacrifice would be offered once and for all on behalf of those
who believe in Him. The holiness temporarily granted by the Law would one
day be replaced by the permanent a ainment of that holiness, when
Chris ans would exchange their sin for the righteousness of Christ (2
Corinthians 5:21).
BibleStudy Plan
Numbers
4rd book

36 1.288 Moses 1.450 to
1.410 b.C
The message of the Book of Numbers is universal and eternal. It reminds

believers of the spiritual warfare in which they are engaged, for Numbers is
the book of the service and walk of God's people. The Book of Numbers
essen ally fills the gap between the Israelites receiving the Law (Exodus and
Levi cus) and their prepara on to enter the Promised Land (Deuteronomy
and Joshua).
Numbers 6:24-26, "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face
to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD li up his face upon you
and give you peace."
Numbers 12:6-8, "Then he said: Hear my words now; if there is a prophet

among you, I, the LORD, in vision make myself known to him, or speak to him
in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses, who is faithful in all my house.
Mouth to mouth I speak to him plainly, and not in riddles; for he sees the form
of the LORD: how then have ye not feared to speak against my servant, against
Moses?"
BibleStudy Plan
Regarding God's nature, the book reports three main aspects: His faithful,
puni ve and holy character.
The book of Numbers also contains a prophecy that announced the

achievements of the Messianic reign (Numbers 24:15-19). Although at first
this prophecy was fulfilled in David, its final fulfillment rests on the person
and work of Christ, the great King whose achievements will never end.
In fact the book of Numbers points in various ways to Christ. The New
Testament indicates how events recorded in the book of Numbers
foreshadowed the work of the Lord Jesus (e.g. Numbers 19; cf. Hebrews
9:13; Numbers 20:11; cf. Corinthians 10:4; Numbers 21:4-9; cf. John
3:14,15).
Even the centrality of the Tabernacle emphasized in the early chapters of

the book of Numbers also typifies Christ. He tabernacled with men at His
first coming, and through His redemp ve work He opened the way for the
redeemed to the heavenly Tabernacle (Hebrews 6:19; 20). So no doubt the
book of Numbers is par cularly helpful to the people who are currently
marching no longer to an earthly homeland, but to a heavenly homeland.
BibleStudy Plan
Deeronomy
5th book

34 959 Moses 1.450 to
1.410 b.C
Deuteronomy is the fi h book of the Bible. It is part of a set of five books called
the Pentateuch, also known as the Torah or sacred law. The word
Deuteronomy comes from the Greek language. It means "Second Law":
deutero (second), nomos (law). It is the second presenta on of God's Law to
the people, made by Moses at the end of the 40 year wilderness journey (Deut
1:1-5; 4:46).
The name Deuteronomy also has to do with God's command to the kings of
Israel. He said:
When he ascends the throne, he [the king] shall have wri en in a book, for his
own use, a copy of this law, dictated by the Levite priests. It shall always
remain with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, so that he may
learn to fear Yhwh his God, observing all the words of this law and pu ng
these statutes into prac ce (Deut 17:18-19).
Deuteronomy deals with themes fundamental to the faith and spirituality of

God's people. The central theme is well expressed in this sentence from the
book itself:
Hear, O Israel: Yhwh our God is the only Yhwh! Therefore you shall love Yhwh
your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Let
these words which I command you today be in your heart! You shall teach
them to your children, and you shall talk about them while si ng in your
house, while walking on your path, while lying down, while standing up. You
shall bind them also upon your hand as a sign, and they shall be as a frontal
between your eyes; you shall write them on the doorposts of your house, and
on your gates (Deut. 6:4-9).
Bible
Study Plan
The first of these, relates Horeb's journey to the Promised Land and
emphasizes the conquest of Transjordan.
The second is the most important of the book, which contains an

exhorta on of how the individual should give himself wholeheartedly to the
Covenant God, and then presents the laws of that Covenant. This discourse
contemplates a repe on of the ten commandments and a prac cal
explana on of them.
The third speech is a solemn renewal of the covenant between God and
Israel and a declara on of the blessings that obedience provides and the
curses that accompany rebellion.
Forty years have passed since God gave Moses His laws on Mount Sinai, and
every genera on that experienced this important event has died.
Then, Moses makes the new genera on

remember the past of his people and
reinforces God's laws for them to prepare to
enter Canaan.
The invasion will be led by Joshua, since

Moses will only be able to see the Promised
Land from the top of Mount Nebo.
M o s es ' l i ste n ers h a d n o t p e rs o n a lly

experienced the Red Sea rescue, nor the
adop on of the Law, at Mount Sinai, so it was
necessary to remind them.
So there Moses died at the age of 120, a

servant of the Lord, and He was buried in the
valley of the land of Moab, and the place of His
burial has never been known.
BibleStudy Plan
Joshuah
6th book

24 658 Joshuah 1.375 b.C
The book of Joshua provides an overview of the military campaigns to conquer

the area of land that God had promised. Following the exodus from Egypt and
the subsequent forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the newly formed
na on is now ready to enter the Promised Land, conquer its inhabitants, and
occupy the territory. The vision we have here gives us abbreviated and
selec ve details of many of the ba les and the condi ons under which the
land was not only conquered, but also divided into tribal areas.
The Book of Joshua con nues the story of the Israelites a er the exodus from
Egypt. The book recounts about 20 years of Joshua's leadership over the
people a er Moses anointed him at the end of Deuteronomy. The 24 chapters
of the book of Joshua can be summarized as follows:
• Chapters 1-12: Introduc on and conquest of the Promised Land

• Chapters 13-22: Instruc ons for distribu ng the por ons of the Promised
Land
• Chapters 23-24: Joshua's Farewell Address
The story of the pros tute Rahab and her great faith in the God of the
Israelites gives her a place with those honored by faith in Hebrews 11:31.
From her is a story of God's grace to sinners and salva on by faith alone. More
importantly, by God's grace she was part of the Messianic lineage (Ma hew
1:15).
Bible
Study Plan
Judges
7th book

21 619 Samuel 1.050 b.C
The book of Judges can be divided into two sec ons: 1) Chapters 1-16 narrate
the wars of deliverance beginning with the defeat of the Canaanites and
ending with the defeat of the Philis nes and the death of Samson; 2) Chapters
17-21 are known as an appendix and do not refer to the previous chapters.
These chapters are seen as a me when "there was no king in Israel" (Judges
17:6; 18:1, 19:1, 21:25). Judges 2:16-19, "The LORD raised up judges, who
delivered them from the hand of those who plundered them. But they did not
obey their judges, but played the harlot a er other gods and worshiped
them. They quickly turned aside from the way their fathers walked in obeying
the commandments of the LORD, and did not do as they did. When the LORD
raised up judges unto them, the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them
out of the hand of their enemies all the days of that judge: for the LORD had
compassion on them for their groaning by reason of them that pressed upon
them and oppressed them. But it came to pass, when the judge was dead,
that they relapsed and became worse than their fathers, following a er other
gods, serving them, and worshipping them; they le nothing of their works,
nor of the obs nacy of their ways."
The book of Judges is a tragic account of how Yahweh [God] was "taken for
granted" by His children year a er year, century a er century. Judges is a sad
contrast to the book of Joshua, as Joshua recounts the blessings God
bestowed on the Israelites for their obedience to God in conquering the land.
In Judges the Israelites were disobedient and idolatrous, which caused their
many defeats. However, God never failed to open His arms of love to His
people whenever they repented of their evil ways and called upon His name
(Judges 2:18). Through Israel's 15 judges, God honored His promise to
Abraham to protect and bless his descendants (Genesis 12:2-3).
Bible
Study Plan
A er the death of Joshua and his contemporaries, the Israelites went back to
serving Baal and Ashtaroth. God allowed the Israelites to suffer the
consequences of worshiping false gods. It was then that God's people cried
out to Yahweh for help. God sent judges to His children to guide them in
righteous living. However, they repeatedly kept turning their backs on God
and turning to their wicked lives. However, to keep His part of the covenant
with Abraham, God always saved His people from their oppressors
throughout the 480-year period of the Book of Judges.
Probably the most notable judge was the 12th judge, Samson, who came to
lead the Israelites a er a 40-year cap vity under the rule of the cruel
Philis nes. Samson led God's people to victory over the Philis nes, where he
lost his own life a er 20 years as judge of Israel.
The announcement to Samson's mother that she would have a son to lead
Israel is a foreshadowing of the announcement to Mary about the birth of
the Messiah. God sent His Angel to both women and told them, "Behold, you
will conceive and bear a son" (Judges 13:7, Luke 1:31) who would lead God's
people.
God's compassionate deliverance of His people, despite their sins and

rejec on of Him, presents a picture of Christ on the cross. Jesus died to
deliver His people - all those who would come to believe in Him - from their
sins. Although most of the people who followed Jesus during His ministry
would eventually fall away and reject Him, He s ll remained faithful to His
promise and went to the cross to die for us.
BibleStudy Plan
Rh
8th book

4 85 Samuel 1.100 b.C
The Book of Ruth was wri en for the Israelites and it teaches that true love
can some mes require uncompromising sacrifice. Regardless of what life
brings, we can live according to God's precepts. Genuine love and kindness
will be rewarded. God abundantly blesses those who seek to live an obedient
life. Obedient living does not allow for "accidents" in God's plan. God extends
mercy to the merciful.
Ruth 1:16, "But Ruth said: Do not urge me to leave you and compel me not to
follow you; for wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you land, there I will
land; your people are my people, your God is my God."
Ruth 3:9, "He said: Who art thou?" she answered, "I am Ruth thy handmaid:
spread thy cloak over thy handmaid, for thou art a ransomer."
The se ng of the Book of Ruth begins in

the pagan country of Moab (northeastern
region of the Dead Sea) and then moves to
Bethlehem. This true account takes place
during the Period of the Judges, a period
marked by dark days of failure and
rebellion by the Israelites. Famine causes
Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, to leave
their Israelite home to the country of
Moab. Elimelech dies and ends up leaving
Naomi with his two sons, who soon end up
marrying two Moabite girls, Orpah and
Ruth. Later the two sons die and Naomi is
le alone with Orphe and Ruth in a
strange land. BibleStudy Plan
Orpah returns to her parents, but Ruth decides to stay with Naomi as they
travel to Bethlehem. This story of love and devo on tells of Ruth's eventual
marriage to a rich man named Boaz, by whom she has a son, Obed, who
becomes the grandfather of David and the ancestor of Jesus. Obedience
brings Ruth into the privileged lineage of Christ.
One of the main themes of the Book of Ruth is that of redemp on. Boaz, a
rela ve of Ruth because he was related to her husband, acted according to
his duty as outlined in the Law of Moses to rescue a poor rela ve from his
circumstances (Levi cus 25:47-49). This scenario is repeated by Christ, who
redeems us, the spiritually poor, from the bondage of sin. Our Heavenly
Father sent His own Son to the cross so that we might become children of
God and brothers and sisters of Christ. Because He is our Redeemer, we have
become His rela ves.
BibleStudy Plan
1 Samuel
9th book

31 811 Unknown 1.100 b.C
First Samuel records the history of Israel in the land of Canaan as they go
through the transi on from the rule of judges to a unified na on under kings.
Samuel emerges as the last judge and anoints the first two kings, Saul and
David.
"But this word pleased not Samuel, when they said, Give us a king, that he
may rule over us. So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said unto
Samuel, hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for
they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign
over them" (1 Samuel 8:6-7).
"And Samuel said unto Saul, Thou hast done foolishly in not keeping the
commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee: for now had the
LORD confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever. Now your kingdom shall not
con nue. The LORD has sought out for himself a man whom he pleases, and
has ordained for him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept
what the LORD commanded you" (1 Samuel 13:13-14).
Bible
Study Plan
The book of 1 Samuel can be clearly divided into two sec ons: the life of
Samuel (chapters 1-12) and the life of Saul (chapters 13-31).
The book begins with the miraculous birth of Samuel in answer to his
mother's fervent prayer. As a child, Samuel lived and served in the temple.
God chose him as a prophet (3:19-21), and the child's first prophecy was one
of judgment on the corrupt priests.
The Israelites go to war with their perennial enemies, the Philis nes. The
Philis nes capture the ark of the covenant and are in temporary possession
of it, but when the Lord sends judgment, the Philis nes return the ark.
Samuel calls Israel to repentance (7:3-6) and then to victory over the
Philis nes.
The people of Israel, wan ng to be like other na ons, desire to have a king.
Samuel is dissa sfied with their demands, but the Lord tells him that it is not
Samuel's leadership that they are rejec ng, but His own. A er warning the
people of what having a king would entail, Samuel anoints a Benjamite
named Saul, who is crowned in Mispa (10:17-25).
Bible Study Plan

Saul experiences ini al success, defea ng the Ammonites in ba le (chapter

11). But then he makes a series of blunders: he presumptuously offers a
sacrifice (chapter 13), makes a foolish vow to the detriment of his son
Jonathan (chapter 14), and disobeys a direct command from the Lord
(chapter 15). As a result of Saul's rebellion, God chooses another to take his
place. Meanwhile, God withdraws His blessing from Saul and an evil spirit
begins to torment him to madness (16:14).
Samuel travels to Bethlehem to anoint young David as the next king (chapter
16). Later, David has his famous confronta on with Goliath, the Philis ne,
and becomes a na onal hero (chapter 17). David serves in Saul's court,
marries Saul's daughter, and befriends Saul's son. Saul himself becomes
jealous of David's success and popularity and tries to kill him. David escapes
and so begins an extraordinary period of adventure, intrigue, and romance.
With supernatural help, David narrowly but consistently escapes the
bloodthirsty Saul (chapters 19-26). Through it all, David maintains his
integrity and his friendship with Jonathan.
Near the end of the book, Samuel dies and Saul is a lost man. On the eve of a
ba le with Philis a, Saul seeks answers. Having rejected God, he receives no
help from heaven and ends up seeking the advice of a medium. During the
séance, Samuel's spirit rises from the dead to give one last prophecy: Saul
would die in ba le the next day. The prophecy is fulfilled; Saul's three sons,
including Jonathan, fall on the ba lefield and Saul commits suicide.
BibleStudy Plan
2 Samuel
10th book

24 695 Unknown 1.010 to
970 b.C
2 Samuel is the record of King David's reign. This book places the Davidic
covenant in its historical context.
"But your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you;
your throne shall be established forever" (2 Samuel 7:16).
"When the king had covered his face, he cried with a loud voice, 'My son
Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!'" (2 Samuel 19:4).
"And he said: The LORD is my rock, my citadel, my deliverer; my God, my rock

in which I take refuge; my shield, the strength of my salva on, my
stronghold, and my refuge. O God, from violence you save me. I call upon the
LORD, who is to be praised, and I shall be saved from my enemies" (2 Samuel
22:2-4).
The book of 2 Samuel can be divided into

two main sec ons - David's triumphs
(chapters 1-10) and David's troubles
(chapters 11-20). The last part of the book
(chapters 21-24) is a non-chronological
appendix that contains more details of
David's reign.
The book begins with David receiving

news of the death of Saul and his sons. He
proclaims a me of mourning. Soon a er,
David was crowned king of Judah, while
Ish-bosheth, one of Saul's surviving sons,
is crowned king of Israel (chapter 2).
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Study Plan
David moves the capital of the country from Hebron to Jerusalem and then
moves the Ark of the Covenant (chapters 5-6). David's plan to build a temple
in Jerusalem is vetoed by God, who then promises David the following
things: 1) David would have a son who would rule a er him; 2) David's son
would build the temple; 3) the throne occupied by David's line would be
established forever and 4) God would never remove his mercy from David's
house (2 Samuel 7:4-16).
David leads Israel to victory over many of the enemy na ons that surrounded
them. He also shows kindness to Jonathan's family by caring for
Mephibosheth, Jonathan's crippled son (chapters 8-10).
Then David falls. He lusts a er a beau ful woman named Bathsheba,

commits adultery with her, and then has her husband murdered (chapter
11). When the prophet Nathan confronts David with his sin, David confesses
and God graciously forgives. However, the Lord tells David that trouble could
arise from within his own household.
Trouble indeed arises when David's firstborn son, Amnon, rapes his half-
sister, Tamar. In retalia on, Tamar's brother Absalom kills Amnon. Absalom
then flees Jerusalem rather than face his father's wrath. Later, Absalom leads
a revolt against David and some of David's former companions join the
rebellion (chapters 15-16). David is forced out of Jerusalem and Absalom
posi ons himself as king for a short me. However, the usurper is
overthrown and - against David's wishes - is killed. David laments the death
of his son.
A general feeling of uneasiness plagues the rest of David's reign. The men of
Israel threaten to secede from Judah, and David must have to suppress yet
another rebellion (chapter 20).
BibleStudy Plan
1 Kings
11th book

22 817 Unknown 970 to
850 b.C
This book is a con nua on of 1 and 2 Samuel and begins by tracing

Solomon's rise to the throne a er David's death. The story begins with a
united kingdom, but ends in a na on divided into two kingdoms known as
Judah and Israel. 1 and 2 Kings are combined into a single book in the
Hebrew Bible.
1 Kings 1:30, "I will do this day, as I have sworn to you by the LORD, the God of
Israel, saying, Your son Solomon shall reign a er me and sit on my throne in
my place."
1 Kings 9:3, "and the LORD said to him: I have heard thy prayer and thy
supplica on which thou hast made before me; I have sanc fied the house
which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever: mine eyes and my
heart shall be there all the days."
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Study Plan
The Book of 1 Kings begins with Solomon and ends with Elijah. The
difference between the two gives us an idea of what happened. Solomon
was born a er a royal scandal between David and Bathsheba. Like his
father, he had a weakness for women that would even bring him down.
Solomon did well, at first, by praying for wisdom and building a temple to
God that took seven years. Next, however, he spent 13 years building a
palace for himself. His accumula on of many wives led him to worship his
idols and turn away from God. A er Solomon's death, Israel was ruled by a
series of kings, most of whom were wicked and idolatrous. This in turn led
the na on away from God to such an extent that not even the preaching of
Elijah would be able to bring them back. Among the most wicked kings were
Ahab and his queen, Jezebel, who brought Baal worship to new heights in
Israel. Elijah tried to get the Israelites to return to the worship of Jehovah,
even going so far as to challenge the idolatrous priests of Baal to a
confronta on with God on Mount Carmel. Of course God won. This greatly
angered Queen Jezebel (to say the least). She ordered Elijah's death, so he
fled and hid in the desert. Depressed and exhausted, he said, "Let me die."
But God sent food and encouragement to the prophet and whispered to
him "a quiet and gentle cicio," saving his life in the process for future work.
The Temple in Jerusalem, where the Spirit of God dwells in the Holy of
Holies, is a harbinger of the followers of Christ in whom the Holy Spirit
resides from the moment of our salva on. Just as it was for the Israelites to
abandon idolatry, we must also put aside anything that separates us from
God. We are His people, the temple of the living God. Second Corinthians
6:16 tells us, "What connec on is there between the temple of God and
idols? For we are the sanctuaries of the living God, as he himself has said, I
will dwell and walk among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my
people."
Bible Study Plan

Who were e Hebrews?

Basically, we can consider that the Hebrews are a branch of the descendants
of Shem, that is, they are a Semi c people. They are the largest group that
contains the Israelites and the Jews as well.
It is believed that the term 'Hebrew' originated from the name Eber, as in the
verse below:
Unlike other peoples such as Jews and Israelites, the Hebrews do not have an
exact limit on who can or cannot be called a Hebrew, because from Sem other
peoples were generated with a culture and customs different from what we
know. It is s ll valid to point out that this term began to be used a er the
people were already formed, which makes it even more difficult to limit these
terms.
What we can consider is that all Jews and Israelites, as well as all their
ancestors, are categorically Hebrews too.
Who were e Israelites?

The Israelites are a part of the Hebrew people. They are the descendants of
Israel, who was formerly called Jacob. From Jacob on, all his descendants are
Israelites, each of his sons being the representa ve of his own tribe, thus
giving rise to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Who were e Jews?

The Jews form a smaller part of the Hebrew people, who also belong to the
Israelite people. In short, the Jews are the descendants of Judah.
In the Bible, it is easier to delimit the members of this people, if compared to

the Hebrews, because they are only those who descend from Judah.
HEBREW: Abraham, Isaac, Esau, Terah, Lot, Shem, Eber

ISRAELITES: Jacob, Aaron, Joseph, Moses, Levi, Benjamin, Simeon
JEWS: Jesus, Hezekiah, David, Solomon
Bible Study Plan

The twelve tribes of Israel came from the twelve sons of Israel. "Israel" is the
name God gave to Jacob (Genesis 32:28). His twelve sons are Reuben,
Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph,
and Benjamin (Genesis 35:23-26; Exodus 1:1-4; 1 Chronicles 2:1-2). When
the tribes inherited the Promised Land, the descendants of Levi were not
given a territory for themselves (Joshua 13:14). Instead, they became priests
and had several ci es sca ered throughout the territory of Israel. The tribe
of Joseph was divided in two - Jacob adopted Joseph's two sons, Ephraim
and Manasseh, essen ally giving Joseph a double por on for his faithfulness
in saving his family from famine (Genesis 47:11-12). This means that the
tribes that received territory in the Promised Land were Reuben, Simeon,
Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Ephraim, and
Manasseh. In some places in Scripture, the tribe of Ephraim is men oned as
the tribe of Joseph (Numbers 1:32-33).
A er King Solomon died, Israel split

into two kingdoms. Judah, in the
south, included Judah, Simeon, and
Benjamin. The other tribes combined
to make the kingdom of Israel in the
north. Israel was destroyed by the
Assyrians and most of the Israelites
were killed or deported; the Israelites
who remained probably became part
of the kingdom of Judah.
Bible Study Plan

2 Kings
12th book

25 719 Unknown 800 b.C
The story of 1 Kings con nues, and in it are recounted the ac ons of bad
rulers and some good ones, as well as that of some familiar prophets. We are
also told of the ul mate loss of two Jewish na ons.
At the beginning of 2 Kings, Elijah becomes the second man to go straight to

heaven without dying (the first was Enoch in Gen. 5:24). His successor, Elisha,
performs many miracles and spreads the word of God to the "common
people" of Israel.
The rulers of the northern kingdom are evil, and under the leadership of their
last king, Hosea "the King of Assyria overpowered Samaria, depor ng the
Israelites to Assyria in 722 BC.
The kingdom of Judah, having a few

good kings (such as Hezekiah and
Josiah) lasts a few more years, but in
586 BC, the capital of the southern
kingdom of Jerusalem is besieged by
Babylonian armies under King
Nebuchadnezzar.
Besides taking everything of value

that is in the temple and the palace of
the Jewish king, the Babylonian king
also "carried off all Jerusalem and all
the princes.
The book of 2 Kings can be divided into four parts:
• The end of Elijah's ministry
• Elisha's ministry
• The fall of Israel
• The fall of Judah Bible
Study Plan
1 Chronicles
13th book

29 942 Unknown 1.010 to
970 b.C
The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles are devoted to lists and genealogies.
Other lists and genealogies are also sca ered throughout the rest of 1
Chronicles. In between, the Book of 1 Chronicles records David's ascension to
the throne and his ac ons therea er. Special a en on is reserved for the
Levites, in the genealogical lists and in the narra ve itself, the Levites have a
marked presence also with their word and ideology, which indicates that the
author would be a Levite, who seeks to recover the tradi ons of the northern
tribes, who well preserved the democra c and egalitarian ideals.
The book ends with David's son Solomon becoming king of Israel. The book of
1 Chronicles can be briefly outlined as follows: Chapters 1:1-9:23 - Selec ve
genealogies; Chapters 9:24-12:40 - David's rise; Chapters 13:1-20:30 -
David's reign.
In his song of thanksgiving to God in 1 Chronicles 16:33, David refers to the

me when God will come to "judge the earth." This foreshadows Ma hew
25, in which Jesus describes the me when He will come to judge the earth.
Through the parables of the ten virgins and the talents, He warns that those
who are found without the blood of Christ covering their sins will be cast
"into darkness." He encourages His people to be ready, for when He comes,
He will separate the sheep from the goats during the judgment.
Part of the Davidic covenant that God reiterates in chapter 17 refers to the
future Messiah who would be a descendant of David. Verses 13-14 describe
the Son who will be established in the house of God and whose throne will be
established forever. This can only refer to Jesus Christ.
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2 Chronicles
14th book

500 b.C
2 Chronicles 29:1-3, "Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he began to

reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was
Abijah, and she was the daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the
sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. In the first
year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the House of the
LORD and repaired them." 2 Chronicles 36:23, "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia,
'The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and has
charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah; whoever
among you is of all his people, let him go up, and the LORD his God be with
him." The book of 2 Chronicles records the history of the Southern Kingdom
of Judah, from Solomon's reign to the conclusion of the Babylonian exile. The
fall of Judah is disappoin ng, but the emphasis is on the spiritual reformers
who zealously tried to help the people turn to God. Li le is said about the bad
kings or the failures of the good kings; only goodness is highlighted. Second
Chronicles ends with the final destruc on of Jerusalem and the temple.
Even the best of Israel's kings had the faults of all sinful men and led the
people imperfectly. But when the King of Kings lives and reigns over the earth
in the millennium, he will establish himself on the throne of the whole earth
as the righ ul heir of David. Only then will we have a perfect king who will
reign in righteousness and holiness, something about which the best of
Israel's kings could only dream. Likewise, the great temple built by Solomon
was not designed to last forever. Only 150 years later, that temple was already
in need of repair due to deteriora on and deforma on caused by future
genera ons who had turned to idolatry (2 Kings 12). But the temple of the
Holy Spirit - those who belong to Christ - will live forever. We - those belonging
to Jesus - are the temple, not made by hands, but by the will of God (John
1:12-13).
BibleStudy Plan
Ezra
15th book

400 b.C
The Book of Ezra is devoted to events that occurred in the land of Israel at the
me of the return from Babylonian cap vity and in the years following,
covering a period of about a century beginning in 538 BC. The emphasis in
Ezra is on the rebuilding of the Temple. The book contains extensive
genealogical records, primarily for the purpose of establishing the claims to
the priesthood by Aaron's descendants.
Ezra 7:6, "He was a scribe versed in the Law of Moses, given by the LORD God
of Israel; and according to the good hand of the LORD his God which was
upon him, the king granted him all that he had asked."
The book can be divided as follows: Chapters 1-6 - the first return under
Zerubbabel and the building of the Second Temple. Chapters 7-10 - the
ministry of Ezra. Since well over half a century had elapsed between chapters
6 and 7, the characters in the first part of the book had already died by the
me Ezra began his ministry in Jerusalem. Ezra is the only person who stands
out in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Both books end with prayers of
confession (Ezra 9; Nehemiah 9) and a subsequent separa on between the
people and the sinful prac ces they had fallen into.
The Book of Ezra covers the period between the return from cap vity to
rebuild the Temple un l the decree of Artaxerxes, the event men oned at
the beginning of Nehemiah's book. Haggai was the chief prophet in Ezra's day
and Zechariah was the prophet in Nehemiah's day. Ezra finds that many Jews,
including leaders, disobeyed the Lord by marrying non-Israelites who
prac ced idolatry. Those who are guilty confess their sin and separate
themselves from their foreign wives.
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Nehemiah
16th book

13 406 Ezra 445 b.C
The book of Nehemiah, one of the history books of the Bible, con nues the
story of Israel's return from Babylonian cap vity and the rebuilding of the
temple in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 1:11, "Ah, Lord, let your ears therefore be
a en ve to the prayer of your servant and to that of your servants who are
pleased to fear your name; grant that your servant may succeed today and
give him favor before this man. At that me I was the king's cupbearer."
Nehemiah 6:15-16, "So the wall was finished on the twenty-fi h day of the
month of Elul, in fi y-two days. And it came to pass, when all our enemies
heard it, that all our surrounding Gen les were afraid, and greatly decreased
in their own conceit; for they acknowledged that it was by the interven on of
our God that we had done this work." Nehemiah was a Hebrew in Persia when
he heard that the Temple in Jerusalem was being rebuilt. He was anxious to
hear that there was no wall to protect the city. Nehemiah asked God to use
him to save the city. God answered his prayer by so ening the heart of the
Persian king Artaxerxes, who not only gave his blessing, but also material to
be used in the project. Nehemiah receives permission from the king to return
to Jerusalem, where he became governor.
The people, inspired by Nehemiah, thed much money, material and labor to
complete the wall in a remarkable 52 days, despite much opposi on. This
united effort is short-lived, however, because Jerusalem returns to apostasy
when Nehemiah leaves for a me. A er 12 years, he returns and finds the
walls strong, but the people weak. He did not mince words as he began the
task of teaching the people about morals. "I contended with them, and
cursed them, and beat some of them, and plucked out their hair" (13:25). He
restores true worship through prayer and by encouraging people to
revitaliza on through reading and adhering to God's Word.
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Study Plan
Eher
17th book

465 b.C
The Book of Esther records the ins tu on of the Feast of Purim and the
obliga on of its permanent observance. Esther 2:15: "Esther, the daughter
of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, when
her turn came to go to the king, asked nothing but what Hegai, the king's
eunuch, the keeper of the women, said. And Esther obtained favor from all
who saw her."
Esther 4:14, "For if thou altogether holdest thy peace now, there will arise for
the Jews help and deliverance from another place, but thou and thy father's
house shall perish; and who knows whether it is for conjunctures like this
that thou hast been made queen?"
Esther 6:13, "If Mordecai, before whom you have already begun to fall, is of
the seed of the Jews, you will not prevail against him; rather, you will surely
fall before him." In Esther, we get a "behind the scenes" look at Satan's
ongoing struggle against God's purposes and especially against His promised
Messiah. Christ's entrance into the human race was predicated on the
existence of the Jewish race. Just as Haman is defeated on the gallows he
built for Mordecai, so Christ uses the same weapon His enemy planned to
destroy Him and His spiritual seed.
For the cross, the instrument by which Satan planned to destroy the
Messiah, was the very means by which Christ "having canceled the wri ng of
debt, which was against us and contained ordinances, which was prejudicial
to us, removed it en rely, nailing it to the cross; and having stripped away
principali es and powers, He publicly exposed them to contempt,
triumphing over them on the cross" (Colossians 2:14-15). Just as Haman was
killed on the gallows he built for Mordecai, the devil was crushed by the cross
he erected to destroy Christ.
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Study Plan
Job
18th book

42 1.070 Unknown 2.000 b.C
The Book of Job helps us understand the following: Satan cannot afflict us
with physical and financial destruc on without God's permission. God has
power over what Satan can and cannot do. This is beyond our human ability
to understand the "why" behind all the suffering in the world. The wicked will
receive payment for their ac ons. We cannot always blame our suffering and
sin on our lifestyles. Suffering can some mes be allowed in our lives to purify,
test, teach, or strengthen the soul. God is s ll sufficient and deserving and
desiring our love and praise in all circumstances of life.
Job 1:1, "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; a man
upright and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil."
Job 1:21, "And he said, naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked I
will return; the LORD gave him and the LORD took him; blessed be the name
of the LORD!"
Job 38:1-2: "A er this the LORD answered Job out of the midst of a
whirlwind, Who is this that darkeneth my purposes with words without
knowledge?"
Job 42:5-6, "I knew you only by hearing, but now my eyes see you. Therefore I
abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes."
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Study Plan
The book opens with a scene in heaven where Satan appears before God to
accuse Job. He insists that Job only serves God because the Lord protects him.
Satan then asks for God's permission to test Job's faith and loyalty. God grants
His permission, but only within certain limits. Why do the righteous suffer?
This is the ques on asked a er Job loses his family, his wealth, and his health.
Job's three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) show up to "comfort" him
and discuss his huge series of tragedies. They insist that his suffering is in
punishment for the sin in his life. Job, however, con nues to be dedicated to
God for all of this and claims that his life has not been one of sin. A fourth man,
Elihu, tells Job that he needs to humble himself and submit to God's use of
hardship to purify his life. Finally, Job ques ons God Himself and learns
valuable lessons about His sovereignty and his need to trust the Lord
completely. God then restores his health, happiness, and prosperity far
beyond his former state.
As Job ponders the cause of his misery, three ques ons came to his mind, all
of which are answered only in our Lord Jesus Christ. These ques ons occur in
chapter 14. First, in verse 4, Job asks, "Who out of uncleanness can bring forth
a pure thing? None!?" Job's ques on comes from a heart that recognizes that
it cannot please God or jus fy itself before Him. God is holy, we are not.
Therefore, there is a great gulf between God and man that has been caused
by sin. But the answer to Job's anguished ques on is found in Jesus Christ. He
paid for the penalty of our sins and exchanged it for His righteousness, thus
making us acceptable in God's sight (Hebrews 10:14, Colossians 1:21-23, 2
Corinthians 5:17).
Bible Study Plan

Salmos
19th book

150 2.461 Various 1.400 to
500 b.C
The brief descrip ons that introduce the psalms list David as the author in 73
cases. David's personality and iden ty are clearly stamped on many of these
psalms. While it is clear that David wrote many of the individual psalms, he is
definitely not the author of the en re collec on. Two of the psalms (72 and
127) are a ributed to Solomon, David's son and successor. Psalm 90 is a
prayer a ributed to Moses. Another group of 12 psalms (50 and 73-83) is
a ributed to the family of Asaph. The sons of Korah wrote 11 psalms (42, 44-
49, 84-85,87-88). Psalm 88 is a ributed to Heman, while Psalm 89 is
a ributed to Ethan the Ezrahite. With the excep on of Solomon and Moses,
all of these addi onal authors were priests or Levites responsible for
providing music for worship in the sanctuary during David's reign. Fi y of the
psalms do not men on any specific person as their author.
The Book of Psalms is the longest book in the Bible, with 150 individual
psalms. It is also one of the most diverse, as the psalms deal with such topics
as God and His crea on, war, worship, wisdom, sin and evil, judgment,
jus ce, and the coming of the Messiah.
Psalm 22:16-19, "Dogs surround me; a band of evildoers encircle me; they
have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; they are
watching and staring at me. They divide my garments among them, and cast
lots for my robe. But you, O LORD, do not depart from me; my strength, make
haste to help me."
Psalm 23:1, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing."
Bible
Study Plan
The Book of Psalms is a collec on of prayers, poems, and hymns that

transform the worshiper's thoughts about God into praise and worship.
Parts of this book were used as a hymnal in the worship services of ancient
Israel. The musical heritage of the psalms is demonstrated by their tle. It
comes from a Greek word meaning "a song sung to the accompaniment of a
musical instrument.
God's provision of a Savior for His people is a recurring theme in the Psalms.
Prophe c pictures of the Messiah are seen in numerous psalms. Psalm 2:1-
12 depicts the triumph of the Messiah and the kingdom. Psalm 16:8-11
foreshadows His death and resurrec on. Psalm 22 shows us the Savior's
suffering on the cross and presents detailed prophecies of the crucifixion,
all of which were fulfilled perfectly. The glories of Messiah and His bride are
on display in Psalm 45:6-7, while Psalms 72:6-17, 89:3-37, 110:1-7 and
132:12-18 present the glory and universality of His reign.
BibleStudy Plan
Proverbs
20th book

31 915 Salomon 970 to
930 b.C
Solomon reveals the mind of God in higher and noble ma ers, as well as in
ordinary ma ers and everyday situa ons. It seems that no subject escaped
King Solomon's a en on. Issues concerning personal conduct, sexual
rela ons, business, prosperity, love, ambi on, discipline, debt, child-rearing,
character, alcohol, poli cs, revenge, and piety are among the many topics
covered in this rich collec on of proverbs.
Summarizing the book of Proverbs is a bit difficult, because unlike many

other books of the Bible, there is no plot or storyline found in its pages;
likewise, there are no main characters in the book. Wisdom is its focus - a
great and divine wisdom that transcends all history, peoples and cultures.
Proverbs also tells us - and repeats - that the fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledge (1:7, 9:10). Our fear of the Lord's wrath and righteousness is
what leads us to Christ, in Him we find the embodiment of God's wisdom
expressed in His glorious rescue plan for humanity. In Christ "all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge are hidden" (Colossians 2:03). In Him we find the
answer to our quest for wisdom, the remedy for the fear of God's
righteousness, and the "righteousness and sanc fica on and redemp on"
that we so desperately need (1 Corinthians 1:30). The wisdom found only in
Christ stands in contrast to the foolishness of the world that encourages us to
be wise in our own eyes.
Bible
Study Plan
Ecclesiaes
21th book

12 222 Unknown 900 b.C
Ecclesiastes is a book of perspec ve. The narra ve of the "Preacher," or

"Wise Man," reveals the depression that inevitably results from seeking
happiness in worldly things. This book gives Chris ans the opportunity to
see the world through the eyes of a person who, though very wise, is trying
to find meaning in human and temporary things. Almost all forms of worldly
pleasure are explored by the Preacher, and none of them give him any
meaning.
In the end, the Preacher comes to accept that faith in God is the only way to
find personal meaning. He decides to accept the fact that life is brief and
ul mately useless without God. The preacher advises the reader to focus on
an eternal God, rather than temporary pleasure.
Ecclesiastes 1:2: "Vanity of vani es, says the Preacher; vanity of vani es, all
is vanity."
Ecclesiastes 1:18: "For in much wisdom there is much weariness; and he that
increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow."
Ecclesiastes 2:11: "I considered all the works that my hands had done, and
also the labor that I with toil had done; and, behold, all was vanity and
running a er the wind, and there was no profit under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 12:1, "Remember your Maker in the days of your youth, before
the evil days come, and the years come, of which you will say, I have no
pleasure in them."
Bible
Study Plan
Two phrases are repeated many mes in Ecclesiastes. The word translated as
"vanity" appears many mes and is used to emphasize the temporary nature
of worldly things. Ul mately, even the most impressive human
achievements will be le behind. The expression "under the sun" occurs 28
mes and refers to the mortal world. When the preacher refers to "all things
under the sun," he is talking about earthly, temporary, human things.
The first seven chapters of the book of Ecclesiastes describe all the worldly
things "under the sun" in which the Preacher tries to find sa sfac on. He
tries scien fic discoveries (1:10-11), wisdom and philosophy (1:13-18 ), joy
(2:1), alcohol (2:3), architecture (2:4), possessions (2:7-8), and lust (2:8). The
Preacher focused on different philosophies to find meaning, such as
materialism (2:19-20) and even moral codes (including chapters 8-9). He
found that it was all vanity, a temporary distrac on that, without God, had
no purpose or longevity.
Chapters 8-12 of Ecclesiastes describe the Preacher's sugges ons and

comments on how life should be lived. He comes to the conclusion that
without God, there is no truth or meaning to life. He had seen many evils and
realized that even man's best accomplishments are worthless in the long
run. Thus, he advises the reader to know God from a young age (12:01) and
to follow His will (12:13-14).
Bible Study Plan

Songs
22th book

8 117 Salomón 970 to
930 b.C
The Book of Songs of Solomon is a lyrical poem wri en to extol the virtues of
love between a husband and his wife. The poem clearly presents marriage as
God's plan. A man and a woman are to live together within the context of
marriage, loving each other spiritually, emo onally, and physically.
This book combats two extremes: asce cism (the denial of all pleasure) and
hedonism (the pursuit of pleasure only). The marriage exemplified in Songs
of Solomon is a model of a en veness, commitment, and pleasure.
Songs of Solomon 2:7; 3:5; 8:4 - "...neither s r up love, un l it wants it."
Songs of Solomon 5:1 - "Eat and drink, friends; drink abundantly, O beloved."
Songs of Solomon 8:6-7 - "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon
your arm, for love is strong as death, and hard as the grave, jealousy; its
embers are coals of fire, they are vehement flames.
The many waters could not quench love, nor the rivers, drown it; though
anyone should give all the goods of his house for love, he would be u erly
despised."
BibleStudy Plan
The poetry takes the form of a dialogue between a husband (the king) and his
wife (the sulamite). We can divide the book into three sec ons: the
courtship (1:1-3:5), the wedding (3:6-5:1), and the matura on of the
marriage (5:2-8:14).
The song begins before the wedding, showing how the bride longs to be with
her groom and receive his in mate caresses. However, she advises to let love
develop naturally, in its own me. The king praises the Sulamite's beauty,
overcoming his feelings of insecurity about her appearance. The Sulamite
has a dream in which she loses Solomon and searches all over the city for
him. With the help of the city guards, she finds her beloved and stays with
him un l she takes him to safety. Upon waking, she repeats her advice not to
force love.
On the wedding night, the husband again praises his wife's beauty, and in
highly symbolic language, the woman invites her spouse to share in all that
she has to offer. They make love and God blesses their union.
As the marriage matures, the husband and his wife go through a difficult
me, symbolized in another dream. In this second dream, Sulamita repulses
her husband and he leaves. Feeling guilty, she looks for him all over town;
this me, however, instead of helping her, the guards beat her up -- symbolic
of her guilty conscience. Things have a happy ending, with the lovers
mee ng and reconciling.
When the song ends, the husband and wife are confident and secure in their
love, they sing about the permanent nature of true love, and make it clear
that they very much want to be in each other's presence.
BibleStudy Plan
Greater Prophet
Isaiah
23th book

66 1292 Isaiah 740 to
700 b.C
The prophet Isaiah was first called to prophesy to the Kingdom of Judah.
Judah was going through mes of revival and mes of rebellion. Judah was
threatened with destruc on by Assyria and Egypt, but was spared because of
God's mercy. Isaiah proclaimed a message of repentance from sin and
hopeful expecta on of God's deliverance in the future.
Isaiah 6:8, "A er this I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send,
and who will go for us? I said, Here am I, send me."
Isaiah 9:6: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: the government
is upon his shoulder; and his name shall be: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 14:12-13, "How are you fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son
of the morning! How you have been cast to the ground, you who weakened
the na ons! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend into heaven; above the stars
of God I will exalt my throne, and on the mount of the congrega on I will sit, in
the u ermost parts of the north."
Isaiah 53:5-6, "But he was pierced for our transgressions and ground for our
iniqui es; the chas sement that brings us peace was upon him, and by his
stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned
every one to the way, but the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Isaiah 65:25, "The wolf and the lamb shall graze together, and the lion shall
eat straw like the ox; dust shall be the serpent's food. No harm or damage
shall be done in all my holy mountain, says the LORD."
Bible
Study Plan
The Book of Isaiah reveals God's judgment and salva on. God is "holy, holy,
holy" (Isaiah 6:3) and therefore He cannot allow impunity for sin (Isaiah 1:2;
2:11-20; 5:30; 34:1-2; 42:25). Isaiah portrays God's coming judgment as a
"consuming fire" (Isaiah 1:31; 30:33).
At the same me, Isaiah understands that God is a God of mercy, grace, and
compassion (Isaiah 5:25; 11:16; 14:1-2, 32:2, 40:3, 41:14-16). The na on of
Israel (Judah and Israel) is blind and deaf to God's commands (Isaiah 6:9-10,
42:7). Judah is compared to a vineyard that must be, and will be, trampled
underfoot (Isaiah 5:1-7). Just because of His mercy and promises to Israel,
God will not allow Israel and Judah to be completely destroyed. He will bring
both restora on and forgiveness and healing (43:2, 43:16-19, 52:10-12).
In an apparent paradox, the Book of Isaiah also presents the Messiah as the
one who will suffer. Isaiah chapter 53 vividly describes the Messiah suffering
for sin. It is through His wounds that healing is achieved. It is through His
suffering that our iniqui es are removed.
In His sovereignty, God orchestrated all the details of the crucifixion to fulfill
all the prophecies of this chapter, as well as all the other messianic
prophecies of the Old Testament. The images in chapter 53 are sad and
prophe c and are, at the same me, a complete picture of the Gospel. Jesus
was despised and rejected (v. 3, Luke 13:34, John 1:10-11), wounded by God
(v.4, Ma hew 27:46) and pierced for our transgressions (v. 5, John 19: 34, 1
Peter 2:24). By His suffering, He paid the punishment we deserved and
became for us the supreme and perfect sacrifice (v. 5; Hebrews 10:10).
Bible Study Plan

Greater Prophet
Jeremiah
24th book

52 1364 Jeremiah 586 b.C
Jeremiah calls upon the na on to turn to God. At the same me, Jeremiah
recognizes the inevitability of Judah's destruc on due to its idolatry and
unrepentant immorality.
Jeremiah 1:5: "Before I formed you in a mother's womb I knew you, and
before you came out of the womb I consecrated you, and I made you a
prophet to the na ons."
Jeremiah 17:9: "Decei ul is the heart more than all things, and desperately
corrupt; who shall know it?"
Jeremiah 29:10-11, "Thus says the LORD, 'As soon as seventy years are
fulfilled for Babylon, I will look to you others and fulfill my good word toward
you, bringing you again to this place. It is I who know what thoughts I have
concerning you, says the LORD; thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you
the end you desire."
Jeremiah 52:12-13, "On the tenth day of the fi h month, in the nineteenth
year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the chief of the guard
and servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. And he burned the
house of the LORD and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; and
he also commi ed all the important buildings to the flames."
Bible
Study Plan
The Book of Jeremiah is essen ally a message of judgment on Judah for its
rampant idolatry (Jeremiah 7:30-34, 16:10-13, 22:9; 32:29; 44:2-3). A er
the death of King Josiah, the last righteous king, the na on of Judah had
almost completely abandoned God and His commandments. Jeremiah
compares Judah to a pros tute (Jeremiah 2:20; 3:1-3). God had promised
that He would judge idolatry more severely (Levi cus 26:31-33,
Deuteronomy 28:49-68) and Jeremiah was warning Judah that God's
judgment was near. God had delivered Judah from destruc on on
numerous occasions, but His mercy was at an end. Jeremiah records King
Nebuchadnezzar conquering and overpowering Judah (Jeremiah 24:1).
A er more rebellion, God brought Nebuchadnezzar and the armies of
Babylon back to destroy and desolate Judah and Jerusalem (Jeremiah
chapter 52). Even in the most severe judgment, God promises the
restora on of Judah back to the land God had given her (Jeremiah 29:10).
Jeremiah 23:5-6 presents a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus

Christ. The prophet describes Him as a Branch of the house of David (v. 5;
Ma hew 1), the King who would reign with wisdom and jus ce (v. 5,
Revela on 11:15). It is Christ who will finally be recognized by Israel as their
true Messiah as He offers salva on to His chosen ones (v. 6, Romans 11:26).
Bible Study Plan

Lameions
25th book

5 154 Jeremiah 586 b.C
As a result of Judah's con nued unrepentant idolatry, God allowed the

Babylonians to siege, plunder, burn and destroy the city of Jerusalem.
Solomon's Temple, which had existed for about 400 years, was totally burned.
The prophet Jeremiah, an eyewitness to these events, wrote the Book of
Lamenta ons as a lament for what had happened to Judah and Jerusalem.
Lamenta ons 2:17: "The LORD has done what he intended; he has carried out
the threat which he pronounced from the days of old; he has overthrown and
not pi ed; he has made the enemy rejoice because of you, and has exalted the
power of your adversaries."
Lamenta ons 3:22-23, "The LORD's mercies are the cause that we are not
consumed, for his mercies have no end; they are renewed every morning.
Great is your faithfulness."
The Book of Lamenta ons is divided into five chapters. Each chapter
represents a dis nct poem. In the original Hebrew, the verses are acros cs,
with each verse beginning with a successive le er of the Hebrew alphabet. In
the Book of Lamenta ons, the prophet Jeremiah understands that the
Babylonians were God's instrument to bring judgment on Jerusalem
(Lamenta ons 1:12-15, 2:1-8, 4:11). Lamenta ons makes it clear that sin and
rebellion were the causes of God's wrath being demonstrated (1:8-9, 4:13,
5:16). Lamenta on is appropriate in a me of distress, but must quickly give
way to contri on and repentance (Lamenta ons 3:40-42, 5:21-22).
Jeremiah compares the condi ons of the Jews before and a er the
destruc on of Jerusalem. He is saddened to see the sorry state of the people
and recognizes that this situa on is the result of sin.
Bible
Study Plan
Greater Prophet
Ezekiel
26th book

48 1273 Ezekiel 590 to
570 b.C
Ezekiel ministered to the genera on of his day, an extremely sinful and

completely hopeless genera on. Through his prophe c ministry, he tried to
lead them to immediate repentance and confidence in the distant future.
He taught that:
1- God works through human messengers;

2- Even in defeat and despair, God's people need to affirm God's sovereignty;
3- God's Word never fails;
4- God is present and can be worshiped anywhere;
5- People have to obey God if they want to receive blessings and
6- the Kingdom of God will come.
Ezekiel 2:3-6, "He said to me, 'Son of man, I am sending you to the children of
Israel, to the rebellious na ons who have rebelled against me; they and their
fathers have transgressed against me, even to this very day. The children are
of hard countenance and stubborn in heart; I will send thee to them, and thou
shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD God.
Whether they will hear or not, because they are a rebellious house, they will
know that a prophet has been among them. You, son of man, do not fear
them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are toward you,
and you dwell with scorpions; do not be afraid of their words, nor be
dismayed at their faces, for they are a rebellious house."
Bible
Study Plan
How can you deal with a wayward world? Ezekiel, des ned to begin his life's
ministry as a priest at the age of thirty, was taken from his homeland and
sent to Babylon at the age of 25. For five years he lived in despair. At the age
of thirty, he had a majes c vision of the glory of the Lord that cap vated his
being in Babylon. The priest/prophet discovered that God was not limited
by the narrow restric ons of Ezekiel's na ve land. Instead, He is a universal
God who commands and controls people and na ons. In Babylon, God
granted Ezekiel His Word to the people. The experience of His call
transformed Ezekiel. He became avidly devoted to God's Word. He realized
that he personally had nothing to help the cap ves in their bi er situa on,
but he was convinced that God's Word spoke to their condi on and could
give them victory. Ezekiel used various methods to convey God's Word to his
people. He used art by drawing a picture of Jerusalem, symbolic ac ons,
and unusual conduct to secure their a en on. He cut his hair and beard to
demonstrate what God would do to Jerusalem and its inhabitants.
The book of Ezekiel can be divided into four sec ons:
• Chapters 1-24: prophecies about the ruin of Jerusalem

• Chapters 25-32: prophecies of God's judgment on the surrounding
na ons
• Chapter 33: a last call for repentance by Israel
• Chapters 34-48: prophecies about Israel's future restora on
Ezekiel 34 is the chapter in which God denounces Israel's leaders as false

shepherds for their poor care of His people. Instead of taking care of Israel's
sheep, they took care of themselves. They ate well, were well clothed and
well cared for by the very people who had been placed under their
authority (Ezekiel 34:1-3). In contrast, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays
down his life for the sheep and protects them from the wolves who would
destroy the flock (John 10:11-12). Verse 4 of chapter 34 describes the
people to whom the shepherds failed to minister as being weak, sick,
wounded, and lost. Jesus is the Great Physician who heals our spiritual
wounds (Isaiah 53:5) through His death on the cross.
Bible Study Plan

Greater Prophet
Daniel
27th book

12 357 Daniel 605 to
538 b.C
Daniel served in the royal palace of Nebuchadnezzar and several other

leaders a er Nebuchadnezzar. The Book of Daniel records the ac ons,
prophecies, and visions of the prophet Daniel.
Key Verses: Daniel 1:19-20: "Then the king spoke to them; and there were not
found among them any like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah;
therefore they stood before the king. In every ma er of wisdom and
understanding about which the king asked them ques ons, he found them
ten mes more learned than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all
his kingdom."
Daniel 3:17-18, "If our God whom we serve wants to deliver us, he will deliver
us from the fiery furnace of fire and from your hands, O king. If not, be it
known, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden
image that you have set up."
Daniel 4:34-35, "But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, li ed up my

eyes to heaven, and understanding came again to me, and I blessed the Most
High, and praised, and glorified him who lives forever, whose dominion is
everlas ng, and whose kingdom is from genera on to genera on. All the
inhabitants of the earth are reputed by him for nothing; and according to his
will he works with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth; there
is none who can stay his hand, nor say to him, 'What are you doing?"
Bible
Study Plan
Daniel can be divided into three sec ons. Chapter 1 describes the conquest
of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Along with many others, Daniel and his
three friends were deported to Babylon and because of their courage and
God's clear blessings on their lives, they were "promoted" to the king's
service (Daniel 1:17-20).
Chapters 2-4 record Nebuchadnezzar having a dream that only Daniel could
interpret correctly. Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great statue represented
the kingdoms that would arise in the future. Nebuchadnezzar made a great
statue of himself and forced everyone to worship him. Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-Nego refused and were miraculously spared by God, even though
they were thrown into a fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar is judged by God for
his pride, but later restored when he came to the point of recognizing and
admi ng God's sovereignty.
Chapters 8-12 contain a vision involving a ram, a goat and several horns -
also referring to future kingdoms and their rulers. Daniel chapter 9 records
Daniel's "70 weeks" prophecy. God gave Daniel the precise meline of when
the Messiah would come and be done away with. The prophecy also
men ons a future ruler who will make a seven-year covenant with Israel
only to break it a er three and a half years, being briefly followed by a great
judgment and consumma on of all things. Daniel is visited and
strengthened by an angel a er this great vision and that angel explains
Daniel's vision in great detail.
We see in the stories of the furnace and Daniel in the lions' den a
foreshadowing of the salva on offered by Christ. The three men declare
that God is a saving God who can provide a way of escape from the fire
(Daniel 3:17). Likewise, by sending Jesus to die for our sins, God provided an
escape from the fire of hell (1 Peter 3:18). In Daniel's case, God provided an
angel to close the lions' mouths and save Daniel from death.
Bible Study Plan

Minor Prophet
Hosea
28th book

14 197 Hosea 748 b.C
Hosea's message is also one of warning to those who would turn their backs
on God's love. Through the symbolic representa on of the marriage of Hosea
and Gomer, God's love for the idolatrous na on of Israel is displayed in a rich
metaphor with themes of sin, judgment, and forgiving love.
Hosea was one of the few prophets from the northern kingdom (Israel) who
le wri en prophecies. The book uses many metaphors and symbolism that
illustrate the breadth of God's love for His people.
The Lord commands Hosea to marry, and Hosea chooses a woman named
Gomer. A er their marriage, Gomer decides to be unfaithful to Hosea and
commits adultery. The Lord uses the symbol of this marriage to describe His
rela onship with Israel. Israel (the wife) is unfaithful to the Lord (the
husband) and goes a er other lovers, whose unfaithfulness symbolizes
Israel's worship of false gods.
A er detailing the judgments that would come to the Israelites for breaking
their covenants, the Lord mercifully invites them to repent.
Through Hosea, the Lord proclaims how He will punish the people of Israel for
their sins. However, He also expresses His mercy and kindness. The Lord
reminds them that He brought the people of Israel out of Egypt, but they
rejected their God. Through prophets, visions, and symbolism, the Lord
teaches and guides His people. The Lord will rescue us from death. The
people of Ephraim will repent of their sins in the last days.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Joel
29th book

3 73 Joel 586 b.C
The na on of Judah, the se ng for the book, is ravaged by a vast horde of

locusts. This locust invasion destroys everything -- the wheat fields, the
vineyards, the gardens, and the trees. Joel symbolically describes the locusts
as a human army marching and sees all this as divine judgment on the na on
for its sins.
The book of Joel focuses on the prophecies Joel made a er the land of Judah
was afflicted by a severe drought and a plague of locusts. The first two
chapters recount a terrible locust invasion that ravages the na on's crops. In
the face of this, Joel asks everyone (prophets, priests and people) to
par cipate, with repentance and general fas ng, to beg God to remove the
catastrophe. God shows his mercy and announces deliverance from the
plague and blessings for a new plan ng. Since the prophet compares these
locusts to an army, one might think that he is talking about an enemy
invasion.
It seems that the first part has nothing to do with the second part, but one
expression unites the whole book: the day of Jehovah. What in the first part
were locusts or an enemy army, in the second part becomes God's army; the
plague becomes just a picture of the great day when mankind will give an
account to God.
When the Holy Spirit descended on the believers during Pentecost, the
apostle Peter quoted this passage to explain what had happened (Acts 2:17).
Joel prophesies about the last days and states that every country in the
world will be at war just before the Second Coming. The Lord will dwell with
His people when He comes again.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Amos
30th book

9 146 Amos 760 b.C
Amos is a shepherd and fruit picker from the Jewish village of Tekoa when
God calls him, although he has no priestly educa on or knowledge. Amos'
mission was directed toward his northern neighbor, Israel.
His messages of impending ruin and cap vity for the na on because of their
sins were widely unpopular and ignored, however, because they were living
in the best mes since the days of Solomon.
Amos can see that behind Israel's external power and prosperity, the na on
is completely corrupt internally. The sins for which Amos chas ses the
people are extensive: neglect of God's Word, idolatry, pagan worship, greed,
corrupt leadership, and oppression of the poor. Amos begins by
pronouncing judgment on all the surrounding na ons, then on his own
na on of Judah, and finally the harshest sentence is given to Israel. His
visions of God reveal the same empha c message: judgment is near. The
book ends with God's promise to Amos of future restora on of the remnant.
The book of Amos ends with a glorious promise for the future. "I will plant
them in their land, and from this land that I have given them they shall no
longer be uprooted, says the LORD your God" (9:15). The final fulfillment of
God's promise of land to Abraham (Gen. 12:7; 15:7; 17:8) will occur during
Christ's millennial reign on earth (see Joel 2:26,27). Revela on 20 describes
Christ's thousand-year reign on earth, a me of peace and joy under the
perfect rule of the Savior Himself. At that me, gullible Israel and Gen le
Chris ans will be combined into the Church and will live and reign with
Christ.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Obadiah
31th book

1 21 Obadiah 586 b.C
Obadiah is a prophet of God who uses this opportunity to condemn Edom for
sins against God and Israel. The Edomites are descendants of Esau and the
Israelites are descendants of their twin brother, Jacob. The feud between the
brothers has affected their descendants for over 1,000 years. This division
caused the Edomites to forbid Israel to cross their land during the exodus of
the Israelites from Egypt. The sins of pride on the part of Edom now demand a
strong word of judgment from the Lord.
Obadiah's message is definite and certain: the kingdom of Edom will be

destroyed completely. Edom has been arrogant, rejoicing in Israel's
misfortunes and when enemy armies a ack Israel and the Israelites ask for
help, the Edomites refuse and choose to fight against them, not for them.
These sins of pride can no longer be ignored. The book ends with the promise
of Zion's fulfillment and deliverance in the last days, when the land will be
restored to God's people during His rule over them.
Verse 21 of the Book of Obadiah contains a foreshadowing of Christ and His

Church: "Saviors shall come up to mount Zion, to judge the mount of Esau;
and the kingdom shall be the LORD's." These "saviors" are Christ's apostles,
ministers of the Word, and especially the preachers of the Gospel in these last
days. They are called "saviors" not because they obtain our salva on, but
because they preach salva on through the Gospel of Christ and show us the
way to obtain that salva on. They, and the Word preached by them, are the
means by which the good news of salva on is delivered to all men. While
Christ is the only Savior who has come to pay for salva on, and is its author,
the saviors and deliverers of the Gospel will become more and more evident
as the end mes draw near.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Jonas
32th book

4 48 Jonas 760 b.C
Disobedience and revitaliza on are the main themes of this book. Jonah's
experience in the belly of the whale provides him with a unique opportunity
to seek deliverance by repen ng during this rather different retreat. His
ini al disobedience leads him not only to his personal revitaliza on, but to
that of the Ninevites as well. Many rate the restora on he brought to
Nineveh as one of the greatest evangelis c efforts of all me.
He does not want to go to Nineveh to preach repentance to the people, as

God has commanded, because he feels that the Ninevites are his enemies
and is convinced that God will not follow through with his threat to destroy
the city. Instead, he boards a ship for Tarshish, a city in the opposite direc on.
A great storm soon causes the crew to cast lots to determine that Jonah is the
problem. They throw him overboard, and he is swallowed by a large fish. In
his belly for 3 days and 3 nights, Jonah repents of his sin to God, and the fish
vomits him out onto dry land (one wonders why it took him so long to
repent).
Jonah then makes the journey of

about 500 miles to Nineveh and
leads the city into a great revival.
H o w e v e r, t h e p r o p h e t i s
d i s s a s fi e d ( a c t u a l l y, h e
complains), rather than grateful,
when Nineveh repents. Jonah
learns his lesson, however, when
God uses a wind, a plant, and a
worm to teach him that He is
merciful.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Micah
33th book

7 105 Micah 700 b.C
The message of the Book of Micah is a complex mixture of judgment and

hope. On the one hand, the prophecies announce judgment on Israel for
social evils, corrupt leadership, and idolatry. It was expected that this
judgment would culminate in the destruc on of Samaria and Jerusalem. On
the other hand, the book proclaims not only the restora on of the na on,
but the transforma on and exalta on of Israel and Jerusalem.
The prophet condemns the rulers, priests and prophets of Israel who exploit
and deceive the people. It is because of their deeds that Jerusalem will be
destroyed. The prophet Micah proclaims the deliverance of the people from
Jerusalem to Babylon, and concludes with an exhorta on for Jerusalem to
destroy the na ons that have gathered against her. The ideal ruler would
come from Bethlehem to defend the na on, and the prophet proclaims the
triumph of the reminiscent of Jacob, also predic ng a day when the Lord
would cleanse the country of idolatry and reliance on military power.
The prophet presents a concise

and powerful summary of the
Lord's demand for jus ce and
loyalty and announces judgment
on those who have followed the
ways of Omri and Ahab.
The book ends with a prophe c

liturgy and elements of a lament.
Israel confesses its sin and
receives assurance of deliverance
through the Lord's mighty acts.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Nahum
34th book

3 47 Nahum 660 b.C
This book is a "pronouncement against Nineveh," the capital of the Assyrian

Empire.
Nahum is a kind of con nua on of Jonah, part two. Although the city once
avoided God's judgment by absorbing Jonah's preaching into its heart and
repen ng, now, more than a century later, it will experience the most
terrible consequence of its sins.
Nahum directed a significant por on of his prophecy to the people of

Nineveh. These were not the same people who had repented of their sins
a er Jonah had preached in Nineveh more than a century earlier. The
people of Nineveh had returned to iniquity in Nahum's day and their ac ons
led them to destruc on. The destruc on of Assyria can be compared to the
destruc on of the wicked that will occur in the last days.
"Poor city covered with blood!" cries

Nahum (3:1). Nineveh, capital of
Assyria's bloodthirsty empire, had been
targeted for God's judgment - who says,
"I will constrain you, and make a scene of
you" (3:6) - for its sins of idolatry and
cruelty.
Nahum's prophecy came true when the

Babylonian empire fell upon Nineveh in
612 BC. The ruin of Nineveh, capital of
Assyria (2:2-3:19), is described in a
grandiose and unabashed way, leaving
no doubt about who destroys the
bloodthirsty and idolatrous capital: it is
God Himself (2:14; 3:5).
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Habakkuk
35th book

3 56 Habakkuk 600 b.C
Habakkuk was wondering why God was allowing his chosen people to suffer
at the hands of their enemies. God answers and Habakkuk's faith is restored.
The book of Habakkuk begins with Habakkuk crying out to God for an answer
to why His chosen people have been suffering in cap vity (Habakkuk 1:1-4).
The Lord gives His answer to Habakkuk, essen ally sta ng, "you would not
believe me if I told you" (Habakkuk 1: 5-11). Habakkuk then says, "Okay, you
are God, but s ll tell me more about why this is happening" (Habakkuk 1:17-
2:1). God then answers him again and gives him more informa on, then says
that the earth is to be silent before Him (Habakkuk 2:2-20). Then Habakkuk
writes a prayer expressing his strong faith in God, even going through these
tribula ons (Habakkuk 3:1-19).
The apostle Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 on two different occasions (Romans
1:17, Gala ans 3:11) to reiterate the doctrine of jus fica on by faith.
The faith that is God's gi and available

through Christ is both a faith that saves
(Ephesians 2:8-9) and sustains for life.
We a ain eternal life by faith and live the
Chris an life by that same faith. Unlike
the "proud" at the beginning of the
verse, his soul is not right within him and
his desires are not right. However, we
who are made righteous by faith in
Christ are so declared because He
exchanged His perfect righteousness for
our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) and has
enabled us to live by faith.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Zephaniah
36th book

3 53 Zephaniah 640 to
620 b.C
Zephaniah's message of judgment and encouragement contains three main

doctrines: 1) God is sovereign over all na ons. 2) The wicked will be
punished and the righteous will be rewarded on judgment day. 3) God
blesses those who repent and trust in Him.
Zephaniah pronounces the judgment of the Lord on the whole earth, on

Judah, on the surrounding na ons, on Jerusalem, and on all na ons. This is
followed by proclama ons of the Lord's blessings on all na ons and
especially on the faithful remnant of His people in Judah.
Zephaniah had the courage to speak openly because he knew he was

proclaiming the Word of the Lord. His book begins with "The word of the
Lord" and ends with "says the Lord."
He knew that neither the many

gods the people worshipped nor
the might of the Assyrian army
could save them. God is merciful
and compassionate, but when all
His warnings are ignored,
judgment is to be expected. God's
Judgment Day is o en men oned
in Scripture. The prophets called it
the "Day of the Lord." They
referred to various events (such as
the fall of Jerusalem) as
manifesta ons of God's Day, each
of which pointed to the final Day of
the Lord.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Haggai
38th book

2 38 Haggai 520 b.C
Haggai sought to challenge God's people concerning their priori es. He

called them to reverence and glorify God through the building of the Temple,
despite local and official opposi on. Haggai urged them not to be
discouraged because this temple would not be as richly decorated as
Solomon's. He also urged them to abandon the impurity of their ways and to
trust in God's sovereign power. The Book of Haggai is a reminder of the
problems God's people faced at that me, how the people courageously
trusted God, and how God provided for their needs.
Will God's people reassess their priori es, take courage and act on God's
promises? God sought to warn the people to heed His words. God not only
warned them, but He also offered promises through His servant Haggai in
order to mo vate them to follow Him. Because God's people reversed their
priori es and did not put God first in their lives, Judah was sent into
Babylonian exile. In answer to Daniel's prayer and as a fulfillment of God's
promises, the Lord directed the Persian king of that me, Cyrus, to allow the
Jews in exile to return to Jerusalem. A group of Jews returned to their land
with great joy, put God first in their lives, worshipped Him, and began to
rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem without the help of the local people living in
Pales ne.
Their courageous faith met with opposi on from the local popula on as well
as the Persian government for about 15 years.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Zechariah
39th book

14 211 Zechariah 520 to
475 b.C
History shows that in this period prophecy fell into disrepute among the
Jews, ushering in the inter-testamental period when no las ng prophe c
voice spoke to God's people. The book of Zechariah teaches that salva on
can be obtained by all. The last chapter describes people from all over the
world coming to worship God, who wants all people to follow him. This is not
the doctrine of universalism, that is, that all people will be saved because
saving is part of God's nature. Instead, the book teaches that God desires all
people to worship him and to accept those who do, regardless of their
na onal or poli cal expressions, as in the libera on of Judah and Jerusalem
from their poli cal enemies. Finally, Zechariah preached that God is
sovereign over this world, despite any appearance to the contrary. His visions
of the future indicate that God sees everything that will happen.
The depic ons of God's interven on in the world teach that He will
ul mately bring human events to the end He chooses. He does not remove
the individual's freedom to follow God or rebel, but keeps people
accountable for the choices they make. In the last chapter, even the forces of
nature respond to God's control.
Prophecies about Jesus Christ and the Messianic age are abundant in
Zechariah. From the promise that the Messiah would come to dwell in our
midst (Zechariah 2:10-12, Ma hew 1:23), to the symbolism of the Branch
and the Stone (Zechariah 3:8-9, 6:12-13, Isaiah 11:1; Luke 20:17-18), to the
promise of His Second Coming, where those who pierced Him would look to
Him and mourn (Zechariah 12:10, John 19:33-37), Christ is the theme of the
book of Zechariah from beginning to end.
Bible
Study Plan
Minor Prophet
Malachi
40th book

4 55 Malachi 450 b.C
The book of Malachi is an oracle: "A sentence pronounced by the LORD

against Israel through Malachi" (1:1). This was God's warning through
Malachi to tell the people to turn to God. As the last book of the Old
Testament closes, the pronouncement of God's jus ce and the promise of His
restora on through the coming of the Messiah are ringing in the ears of the
Israelites. Four hundred years of silence pass, but that period ends when
God's next prophet, John the Bap st, delivers a similar message and
proclaims, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Ma hew 3:2).
Malachi wrote the Lord's words to God's chosen people who had gone astray,
especially the priests who had forsaken the Lord. The priests were not taking
seriously the sacrifices they were supposed to make to God. Defec ve
animals were being sacrificed, even though the law required animals without
defect (Deuteronomy 15:21). The men of Judah were being disloyal to the
wives of their youth and wondering why God did not accept their sacrifices. In
addi on, the people were not offering thes in the way they should (Levi cus
27:30, 32).
Bible
Study Plan
intertestamentary
The me between the last part of the Old Testament and the appearance of
Christ is known as the intertestamentary (or "between the testaments")
period. Because there were no prophe c words from God during this period,
some call it the "400 years of silence". The poli cal, religious and social
atmosphere in Pales ne changed significantly during this period. Much of
what happened was foretold by the prophet Daniel (see Daniel chapters 2,7,8
and 11 and compare the historical events).
Israel was under the control of the Persian Empire between 532-332 B.C. The
Persians let the Jews prac ce their religion with li le interference, even giving
them permission to rebuild and worship in the temple (2 Chronicles 36:22-23;
Ezra 1:1-4). This period includes the last 100 years of the Old Testament and
roughly the first 100 years of the intertestamentary period. This me of peace
and contentment was one of calm well before the storm.
Alexander the Great defeated Darius of Persia, thus introducing Greek rule to
the world. Alexander was a student of Aristotle and was well educated in
Greek philosophy and poli cs. He demanded that Greek culture be promoted
throughout conquered territory. As a result, the Hebrew Old Testament was
translated into Greek, becoming the transla on known as the Septuagint.
Alexander allowed religious freedom to the Jews, although he strongly
promoted Greek lifestyles.
A er Alexander died, Judea was reigned by a series of successors, culmina ng

with An ochus Epiphanius. He did much more than just refuse religious
freedom to the Jews. In about 167 B.C., he abolished the priesthood line and
desecrated the temple with unclean animals and a pagan altar (see Mark
13:14). This was a kind of religious rape. Eventually the Jewish resistance to
An ochus restored the priests and rescued the temple.
Bible Study Plan

In about 63 B.C., Pompey of Rome conquered Pales ne, bringing all of Judea
under Caesar's control. This eventually caused the Roman emperor and
senate to make Herod the king of Judea. This would be the na on that
demanded much from the Jews, controlling them too much and eventually
execu ng the Messiah on the Roman cross. Roman, Greek and Hebrew
cultures were now mixed in Judea, with all three languages spoken
commonly.
During the period of Greek and Roman occupa on, two very important
poli cal and religious groups came into existence. The Pharisees added to the
Law of Moses through oral tradi on - eventually considering their own laws
to be more important (see Mark 7:1-23). While Christ's teachings o en
agreed with those of the Pharisees, He was against their legalism and lack of
compassion. The Sadducees represented the aristocrats and the wealthy. The
Sadducees, who had a lot of power through the Sanhedrin (something like
the Supreme Court), rejected all the books of the Old Testament except the
Mosaics. They refused to believe in the resurrec on, and were like a shadow
of the Greeks, whom they greatly admired.
This collec on of events se ng the stage for the coming of Christ had a great
influence on the Jewish people. Jews and pagans from other na ons were
unhappy with their religion. Pagans were beginning to ques on the validity of
polytheism. Romans and Greeks moved away from their mythologies toward
the Scriptures, which could be read in Greek and La n. The Jews, however,
were disheartened by the situa on. Once again, they were conquered,
oppressed and polluted.
Hope was on its last legs, faith even more so. They were convinced that the
only thing that could save them and their faith was the appearance of the
Messiah.
Bible Study Plan

Old TESTAMENT
The material was based on Bible studies, the Bible itself, and research. The images are merely illustra ve, taken from
the internet and own crea on.
Material developed by: Jéssika Reis - Marke ng and Designer.


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Principle 2200 Patriarchs

1900 Israel in Egypt

Canaan and Judges 1400

Kingdom Divided 931

Captivity and 587

Chapters Verses Author Date

Genesis 24-26. The Lord guides Abraham's servant by choosing Rebekah as a

Bible Study Plan

GADE RUBEN JOSEPH DÃ

The Ark Days in e Ark

The Bible says that Noah's Ark was established in

JAFÉ - Father of the Europeans, Persians and Indians, (Indo-Europeans);

Biblical Na ons Descended

Chapters Verses Author Date

Exodus 2:24-25, "When God heard their groaning, He remembered His

The middle part of the book of Exodus is devoted to the wilderness

Bible Study Plan

Bible Study Plan

God establishes the laws

Bible Study Plan

Chapters Verses Author Date

Chapters Verses Author Date

The message of the Book of Numbers is universal and eternal. It reminds

Numbers 12:6-8, "Then he said: Hear my words now; if there is a prophet

The book of Numbers also contains a prophecy that announced the

Even the centrality of the Tabernacle emphasized in the early chapters of

Chapters Verses Author Date

Deuteronomy deals with themes fundamental to the faith and spirituality of

The second is the most important of the book, which contains an

Then, Moses makes the new genera on

The invasion will be led by Joshua, since

M o s es ' l i ste n ers h a d n o t p e rs o n a lly

So there Moses died at the age of 120, a

Chapters Verses Author Date

The book of Joshua provides an overview of the military campaigns to conquer

• Chapters 1-12: Introduc on and conquest of the Promised Land

Chapters Verses Author Date

God's compassionate deliverance of His people, despite their sins and

Chapters Verses Author Date

The se ng of the Book of Ruth begins in

Chapters Verses Author Date

Bible Study Plan

Saul experiences ini al success, defea ng the Ammonites in ba le (chapter

Chapters Verses Author Date

"And he said: The LORD is my rock, my citadel, my deliverer; my God, my rock

The book of 2 Samuel can be divided into

The book begins with David receiving

Then David falls. He lusts a er a beau ful woman named Bathsheba,

Chapters Verses Author Date

This book is a con nua on of 1 and 2 Samuel and begins by tracing

Bible Study Plan

Who were e Hebrews?

Who were e Israelites?

Who were e Jews?

In the Bible, it is easier to delimit the members of this people, if compared to