Books of the Bible

Old Testament - (contains 39 books)
The Law
The first five books of the Bible are called "The Law" or the Pentateuch or the Torah.  The Law contains stories about the creation of the world, the flood, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the children of Israel in Egypt, the Exodus, and the time the children of Israel spent in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land.  The books of the Law also recorded the law God gave to the people on Mt. Sinai which laid down the regulations for sacrifice, worship, and daily living.

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy

History
The 12 History books continue with the story of the people of Israel and the conquest of the Promised Land in the book of Joshua, the continuous cycle of disobedience in the book of Judges, the first kings and the United Kingdom, Divided Kingdom, the Assyrian invasion, Babylonian invasion the years in exile, and the return from exile during the Persian rule.

• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Esther

Poetry & Wisdom
The Five Poetry and Wisdom books include hymns, proverbs, and dramas.  They illustrate the creative ways the people of Israel expressed themselves to God and to each other.

• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Solomon

Major Prophets
The Five Major Prophets are not called "major" because of their message or quality, but rather because of the length of the books.  The prophets brought God's word which included warning of judgment, warnings and hope for the immediate future, (as well as warnings and hope for the distant future), and hope in the coming Messiah.

• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Ezekiel
• Daniel

Minor Prophets
The 12 Minor Prophets, called "The Book of the Twelve" in the Hebrew Bible, are just as important as the Major Prophets.  They were called "minor" because of the shorter length of the books.  The Minor Prophets also brought God's word to the people regarding judgment and hope.

•  Hosea
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Malachi

New Testament - (contains 27 books)
Gospels & Acts
The Gospels, which are the first four books of the New Testament, record the good news of God's plan for a Savior through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Each writer has a particular method or style to communicate the life and message of Jesus Christ.

• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John

Acts is the record of the radically changed "acts" or "actions" of the followers of Jesus Christ after the resurrection.  Acts opens with the out-flowing of the Holy Spirit and describes the missionary efforts of the early followers of Jesus as they spread the message of the gospel to Judea and Samaria.  Acts also records the actions of the apostle Paul as he and other courageous believers continued to spread the good news of Jesus to the Jews and Gentiles of the Roman Empire.

• Acts

Paul's Letters (Epistles)
The apostle Paul wrote 13 letters to young churches, pastors, and friends in order to guide, encourage, and correct them.  Most of these letter served a specific purpose or addressed a specific question or problem.

• Romans
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians
• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon

General Epistles & Revelation
The eight General Epistles were written by other apostles and leaders including Simon Peter, James, John, and Jude.  The General Epistles were addressed to the early Christians to provide guidance, encouragement through persecution, and warnings of false teachings.

• Hebrews
• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude

The book of Revelation addressed seven churches in Asia Minor (Turkey today).  It encourages believers who are experiencing persecution.  Revelation illustrates that God is in control and that all people were created to love and worship God.

• Revelation

Editor: Christopher Ortiz

Source: Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, & Time Lines, Rose Publishing

Images: http://jonlovesjen.blogspot.com/2011/07/books-of-bible-puzzle.html

Giants

Genesis 6:1-4

1 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of  God saw that the daughthers of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.  3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days - and also afterward-when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them.  They were the heroes of old, men of renown. (Quest Study Bible NIV)

     

Who were the sons of God? (6:2)
Some suggest they were supernatural being such as angels.  In the Book of Job the phrase is used for angelic or nonhuman being (Job 1:6; 2:11)  (however, nowhere else in the Bible is there even a hint that nonhuman and human beings can mate.  There are many parallels in pagan thought, but none in biblical thought.  Also Jesus stated that angels do no marry (Matt. 22:30).  Thus, "sons of God" in this passage must refer to human beings.)  (New Illustrated Bible Dictionary - Nelsons)
Others say they were godly men descended from Seth who married sinful women descended from Cain.  A better interpretation may be that they were human rulers who emerged as heads of city-states in the ancient Middle East and flaunted their power by having large harems.  Rulers and judges are sometimes called gods or God in the Hebrew text.  (commentary Quest study Bible NIV)



     

 Who were the daughters of men?

Adam and Eve's offspring.  (Cain was Adam and Eve's first born)



Who were the Nephilim? (fallen ones)
May refer to persons of great physical stature.  But in Gen. 6:4, it probably means prince or aristocrats - men of political stature.  Nephilim is linked to another term that indicates a heroic person with both power and influence. (commentary Quest Study Bible NIV)
The offspring of marriages/union between the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men" (Gen.6:4).  The word "Nephilim" is translated as "giants" by the KJV and NKJV.
Giants - human beings of abnormal size and strength.  Races of giants are first mentioned in the Old Testament where giant godlike beings were produced.  These abnormal unions displeased God (Gen 6:5-6). 
Rephaim were primitive giants who lived in Canaan, Edom, Moab, and Ammon.  They were also known as Emim (Deut. 2:11) and Zamzummim (Deut. 2:20).  King Og of Bashan (Deut. 3:11) was the last of these giants.  His iron bed was about 13 feet by 6 feet).
Goliath is the most famous giant in the Bible (1 Sam. 17:4), measuring about (9) nine feet tall.  (New Illustrated Bible Dictionary - Nelsons)



Genesis 6:5-8
5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.  6  The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.  7  So the LORD said, "I will wipe earth - men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air - for I am grieved that i have made them."  8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 

9 This is the account of Noah.

Editor: Christopher Ortiz

images:  www.jameslyonart.com;
http://www.thevesselofgod.com/giantsonearth.html

www.familywikinut.com;

www.myspace.com/childrenofadam/blog;

www.herebedragons.weebly.com/nephilim;

www.hotspotsz.com

Gospel For Asia (GFA)

We finally got this in the mail!!!
     

"Dear Isela,

I praise God for your heart.  Thank you so much for partnering with GFA.  Know that your life is making huge difference in Asia.  May the Lord be your source of peace and strength.  PS. 32:8 "

~Clara~

Back in Dec. 2011 - Christmas.  Me and the boys decided to give a very small gift to some of the most unreached regions of our world - Asia.  We sat down, logged on to http://www.gfa.org/ website, and browsed through their donation categories and items.  After a long discussion we decided to buy a pair of chickens and (1) one goat.

What can a pair of chickens do and mean for these people?
- For the family of a Bridge of Hope child, a rooster and hen are not pets. They are the source of up to 40 dozen eggs a year! When the pair produces chicks, a flock develops that will provide nourishment and income for years.  (text from gospel for asia website)

A goat?
 - When a Dalit family receives your present of a goat or a pair of goats it will be a special day! Goats are hardy and can live in almost any climate. And a pair of goats produces at least two kids each year. Their manure is also good fertilizer. Your gift of goats will be a good way to bring a little joy to a poor family's world.  (text from gospel for asia website)

Angels

This has got to be one of my favorite supernatural topics.  I bought this cool book at a local store about a year ago.  The Amazing Bible Factbook for Kids by: American Bible Society.

Types of Angels

Cherubim (plural for cherub)
     After He {God} drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24).
Description:
-A cherub has (4) four faces (one like a man, one like a lion, one like and eagle and one like an ox) (Ezekiel 1:5-6, 10-12).
- Has huge crossed wheels covered in eyes surround a cherub, whirling inside each other (Ezekiel 10:12-13).
- A cherub has four wings - two touch the other cherubs and two hang down covering its human hands (Ezekiel 1:5-6).
- Also has straight legs that sparkle like bronze and has hooves like a calf (Ezekiel 1:7).
- A cherub "shines like chyrsolite" (a greenish stone) (Ezekiel 1:16).

Seraphim (plural for seraph)
   A seraph is fiery burning angel (Isaiah 6:6).  The name seraph comes from a Hebrew word, saraph, that means "burning" (it means burning one in the Bible).  When Isaiah says he has unclean lips, a seraph touches his lips with a holy burning coal to clean him (Isaiah 6:7).  Seraphim shout so loud in Isaiah 6:4 that they shake the temple.
Description:
- The seraphim have six wings (Isaiah 6:2)
      (2) two to cover thier faces
      (2) two to cover thier feet
      (2) two to fly with
~fun fact: Saraph (Seraph) is the name that the Israeli Air Force calls its Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters~

Archangels
     There is only one angel in the Bible named as an archangel - Michael (Jude 9).  The prefix arch can mean "prince," "highest," or "chief."  Some people beleive that Gabriel is an archangel as well, because Michael comes to help him fight an evil angel, the Prince of Persia, in Daniel 10:13.  In that chapter Gabriel tell Daniel that Michael is the "chief prince."
Description:
- When Jesus returns, there will be a trumpet blast and a loud shout, the voice of the archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Messenger Angels
     God's messengers.  The angels we see most often in the Bible are messengers.  Angels can deliver their messages in person or in dream like the one Jacob had in Genesis 28:10-15, or the one Mary's husband Joseph had, in which the angel told him to name Mary's son Jesus (Matthew 1:20-21).  Gabriel is most famous for telling Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus in Luke 1:26-38.

Which is your favorite angel?

* Both my and my oldest son's favorite angel is Michael the archangel.
* My youngest son's favorite angel is a cherub angel. 

images/photos obtained from: www.google.com/images

www.arch-angels.info/st.michael

www.novelnovice.com

www.yourcaringangels.com/blog 

The Big Picture

The book of Revelation has always been my desire to read and understand.  After a very long wait and some research, I can honestly say my little heart is now content.  Here is an overview of the book of Revelation and other biblical prophecies from: "The Book of Revelation Unlocking The Future by: Edward Hindson":

(photo - describes scene in Revelation 4)

1.  The Church will continue to grow.  But it will have varying degrees of success and difficulty.  Jesus promised to continue to build His Church and empower it to attack the gates of hell (Matt. 16:18).  But He also warned of persecution and rejection (Matt. 24:9-12).

2.  Satanic opposition will intensify.  Things will get worse as we get closer to the toime of the end.  "Difficult times" will come (2 Tim. 3:1-5).  Scoffers will mock the idea of Christ's second coming (2 Pet. 3:3-4; Jude 17-18).  False prophets will increase and apostate religion will rival the true Church (1 Tim. 4:1;  2 Pet. 2:1-3; 2 Cor. 11:13-14).

3.  Israel will return to the Promised Land.  The great end-times regathering has already begun (since 1948).  Israel is once again a nation in her own land (Ezek. 20-:34; 37:12-21; Is. 43:5-6).  But her return will touch off a storm of protest and conflict in the Middle East (Joel 3:2-14; Ezek 38:1-6).

4.  The Church will be raptured to heaven.  When our Lord departed to heaven, He promised His disciples He would return to take them home with Him (John 14:3).  The apostle Paul predicted that the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we that are alive and remain shall be caught up into heaven (1 Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-52).

5.  Judgements of the tribulaiton period will follow.  The great judgments of the End Times vividly described in the book of Revelation are called "the hour of testing" (3:10), "the great day of their wrath" (6:17) or "great tribulation" (7:14).  These judgments relate to the seals, trumpets, and bowls of the Apocalypse.

6.  Marriage of Christ and the church.  The Church's absence from chapter 4 through chapter 18 is best explained by the fact that she has already been raptured to heaven to participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb (19:7-9).  Here she receives her rewards, crowns, and robes of righteousness prior to her procession back to earth with the Savior.

7.  Triumphal return of Christ.  The climax of the Apocalypse comes in 19:11-21, when the glorified Christ returns as King of kings and Lord of lords with His Bride, the Church, at His side.  He returns to conquer all opposition to His reign and to establish His Millennial Kingdom on earth (19:19-20:4).

8.  Millennial Kingdom.  Jesus Christ will reign upon the earth for one thousand years (a millennium) while Satan is bound in the "abyss".  During this time, God's promises to Israel will be fulfilled.  The Messiah shall reign from Jerusalem over all the earth in peace, blessing, and prosperity (Rev. 20:1-6; Is. 2:2-4; 9:6-7).

9.  Final triumph.  Even after one thousand years of earthly blessing, Satan will once again attempt to destroy the kingdom of God by one final act of rebellion.  This time his defeat is final, and he is cast into the lake of fire (20:7-10).  The Great White Throne Judgment follows, when even death and hell are cast into the lake of fire (20:11-15).

10.  Eternal state.  The Revelation describes eternity as "a new heaven and new earth" (21:1).  It also emphasizes the significance of the New Jersusalem in the celestial state (21:2).  God is pictured dwelling with His people in an eternity of peace and blessing.  Suffering and death are no more and every tear is wiped away.  Paradise is truly restored, and the saved have access to the tree of life (21:3-22:5).



Source: 

Video: youtube.com

Image: http://tankstotractors.blogspot.com/2011/01/revelation-of-peacenot-violence.html 

Romans 12 and 13

Romans 12:17
(part of verse 17)  ...Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 
 
Romans 12:19
19)  Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is Mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 
  
Romans 13:3
   3) For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. 

Lent

Hebrews 9

Before Jesus died on the cross, the high priest had to sacrifice an animal and offer it's blood for the forgiveness of sins.

[high priest]  "But only the high preist entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and the sins the people had committed in ignorance" (Hebrews 9:7 NIV).  [Jesus] "He {Jesus} did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption (Hebrews 9: 12 NIV).

25) Nor did He {Jesus} enter Heaven again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.  26) Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.  But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.  27) Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. 28) so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to this who are waiting for Him.  (Hebrews 9:25-28 NIV)