Year: 2014

Obadiah

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 27, 2014

The book of Obadiah records the messages of the prophet Obadiah. As with most prophets, Obadiah’s message focuses on current events — in this case for the people of Edom.

The book of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, and nothing is known about Obadiah except that he lived during the fall of Jerusalem.

His message was focused on the people of Edom (the descendants of Esau), and was critical of them for their failure to come to the aid of Judah. This message carries with it a sense of justice and does not include any forgiveness toward Edom.

Obadiah is sometimes called a minor prophet. This doesn’t mean he wasn’t important, but merely that the book named after him is shorter. (Compare this to the major prophets, whose books are much longer.)

Dig into the intriguing lives and ministries of the Bible’s twelve minor prophets in Peter DeHaan’s book Dear Theophilus, Minor Prophets: 40 Prophetic Teachings about Unfaithfulness, Punishment, and Hope.

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

Tags minor prophet, Obadiah

Books of the Bible

First Peter

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 27, 2014

First Peter was written by Jesus’s disciple, Peter. Its audience was Gentile (that is non-Hebrew) followers of Jesus, joining together many aspects of the Jewish history with Christian beliefs.

This book is a warm and attractive read that is ideal for those who have just begun to follow Jesus, yet it’s equally instructive for more seasoned followers, as well.

A reoccurring theme in this book is suffering. This concept may be antithetical to the popular notion that in effect says, “follow Jesus and life will be easy”. This attitude is a social gospel that isn’t supported by the Bible.

In truth there may be risk and suffering for those who follow Jesus.

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Books of the Bible

Second Peter

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 27, 2014

Second Peter was written by Jesus‘ disciple, Peter. It addresses Jesus’ return to earth (his “second coming”) and counters misunderstandings and false teachings (“heresies”) about it.

The literary style of the letter is that of a last will and testament of Peter to the church. This was not done to ensure Peter’s place in history but instead, as a final, lasting effort to teach, guide, and encourage the followers of Jesus before Peter died.

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Books of the Bible

Philemon

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 27, 2014

The book of Philemon was written by the Apostle Paul (who wrote about half of the New Testament). It is a letter, or epistle, to Philemon and the church that met in his home.

On the surface, Paul’s letter to Philemon seems more like a personal letter, and its inclusion in the Bible is initially perplexing. However, given that it’s also addressed to the church that met in Philemon’s house, it’s clear that Paul intended it as more than a private communication.

The book of Philemon addresses doing what is right in God‘s eyes and forgoing personal rights and what would be acceptable action from a legal or societal standpoint. The ramifications of this example have wide-reaching applications.

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Books of the Bible

Philippians

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 27, 2014

The book of Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul (who wrote about half of the New Testament). It is a letter, or epistle, to the church in the city of Philippi.

The book of Philippians is Paul’s most joy-filled letter. The word joy (and variations thereof) occur frequently throughout the letter. This results in an encouraging and uplifting text that celebrates faith and the confidence that can be had from following Jesus.

Tags books by Paul, Philippians

Books of the Bible

Proverbs

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 27, 2014

The Old Testament book of Proverbs is another wisdom/poetry book in the Bible. It contains the wise sayings of King Solomon, King David’s son. Solomon’s sage advice is formatted in a series on concise and direct statements of truth and fact.

Some of these sayings are religious in nature, whereas others are more earthy, resulting from experience and observation.

Learn more in our overview of Proverbs.

Tags Proverbs, wisdom-literature

Books of the Bible

Psalms

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 27, 2014

The book of Psalms is a collection of songs (poetry) of the Hebrew people. It boasts a multitude of authors over many centuries, some unidentified, though many are attributed to King David.

There are three basic styles of Psalms: hymns of praise, laments, and songs of thanksgiving.

Some Psalms mention not only the author but also the time or circumstances under which they were written. Others even include musical notations and names of tunes, both of which have little significance at this time.

Many people adore the Psalms, while others remain unaffected. In English translations, the wording often tends to be smooth and flowing, while in Hebrew they come out as more worldly and rough. The Message version of the Bible best captures the original intensity of Psalms.

Interesting trivia: Psalms has more chapters than any book of the Bible (150 chapters) and has the greatest length. It also contains the longest chapter (Psalms 119), as well as the shortest (Psalm 117).

The oldest Psalm was written by Moses (Psalms 90). Psalms is frequently quoted in the New Testament (the other most quoted books are Isaiah, Deuteronomy, and Genesis).

Tags Psalms, wisdom-literature

Books of the Bible

Revelation

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 27, 2014

The book of Revelation was written by John, most likely the disciple John (who also wrote the John, First John, Second John, and Third John. Revelation is about the apocalypse. Revelation is the second apocalyptic book in the Bible; the first is Daniel.

The book starts with an introduction in chapter one, laying the foundation for the rest of the book.

Chapters 2 and 3 contain seven visions or messages for the churches in seven cities. There strengths, weaknesses, struggles, and triumphs are illustrative to all Jesus‘ followers.

The remaining chapters (4 through 22) paint an imaginative and vivid picture of the end times, showcasing the power, majesty, and awesome might of God the Father and his Son, Jesus. This should be our primary focus when reading this passage.

Although much time and effort has been given to study and interpret the meaning of these chapters and how close we might be to the end of the world, the Bible makes it quite clear that this is not for us to know (Acts 1:7).

Therefore, read these chapters for the joy they provides, the awe they elicit, and the hope they offer.

Tags Apostle John, Revelation

Books of the Bible

Romans

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 27, 2014

The book of Romans was written by the Apostle Paul (who wrote about half of the New Testament). It’s a letter, or epistle, to the people of Rome, and by extension the Roman empire (the dominate world power of the day) and ostensibly the entire world.

Romans is an organized summary of Paul’s message, which is found scattered throughout his other writings. It’s an esteemed and profoundly influential book that lays out the importance and significance in salvation through Jesus. As such its focus is on the fundamentals of theology.

With a casual read, the first eleven chapters of Romans may seem to be a rambling discourse. However, Paul’s frequent restating and repetition of themes, often with slight variation, is done to add emphasis.

A common practice of the day was to repeat important and significant ideas three times. Therefore, when reading Romans, pay special attention to concepts that are repeated.

A different writing style is adopted in chapter 12 and following. This section is reminiscent of Ecclesiastes with its concise listings of commands, instructions, and advice.

The book’s conclusion, in chapter 16, is notable for the many people listed and the interesting reasons given for their inclusion.

Tags books by Paul, Romans

Books of the Bible

Tobit

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 23, 2014

The book of Tobit, sometimes called Tobias, is named after its main character, Tobit (Tobias). Listed as an historical book, some say the book of Tobit is more appropriately understood as a cross between history and wisdom literature. Regardless, Tobit is an epic story.

The book is the account of Tobit, an Israelite originally from the Northern Kingdom of Israel, who was deported to Nineveh. In distress over his life, misfortune, and blindness, he asks God to let him die.

In another city, Sarah also giving up on life, makes a similar request. God hears both their prayers, sending the angel Raphael in disguise to help them both, with the help of Tobit’s son Tobiah.

Tobiah makes a journey with Raphael on his father‘s behalf to retrieve some money. Along the way he is attacked by a fish, which he seizes at Raphael’s prompting. He later meets and marries Sarah.

From the fish he makes a potion that he uses to drive the demon Asmedeus from Sarah and to restore his father’s sight.

Raphael reveals his true identity as an angel, and Tobit sings a song of praise. The book ends with Tobit telling Tobiah to leave Nineveh before it is destroyed. Tobit dies at the ripe age of 112.

Tobit is an Apocrypha book and not included in all versions of the Bible.

The New Jerusalem Bible, Revised Standard Version (RSV), New American Bible (NABRE), Wycliffe Bible (WYC), Common English Bible (CEB), Good News Translation (GNT), and Douay-Rheims (DRA) all include Tobit.

Interestingly, the original Authorized King James Version (KJV) contains Tobit, but the text was removed almost two centuries later. The Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures, which was widely used in Jesus’s day, also includes the book of Tobit.

For more information, see why “Christians Should Consider the Entire Bible.”

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Tags Apocrypha, historical-books, Tobit