Post by Zac Loh on Jun 8, 2006 23:28:18 GMT -5
It is commonly accepted that the Bible is made of two parts: The Old Testament books and The New Testament books (identifying the two covenants). The four Gospel books (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were included as part of The New Testament books.
I would like to put forth that the Bible can also be divided into three parts.
1. The Old Testament: the books of Genesis to Malachi; and
2. The Gospels: the books of Matthew to John; and
3. The Epistles: the books of Acts to Revelation.
Let me explain why, using the illustrations below.
PREPARATION, MANIFESTATION & APPLICATION
1. The Old Testament part of the Bible is the PREPARATION of Christ. The laws and the prophetic of the Old Testament (typologies, symbols, analogies, metaphors, parallels and messages) were pointing towards the eventual coming of Christ.
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” (Luke 24:44)
2. The Gospels part of the Bible is the MANIFESTATION of Christ, the incarnation of Christ through the virgin birth.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
3. The Epistles part of the Bible is the APPLICATION of Christ - how Christ, the Word, is spiritually applied into the believers’ life.
My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, (Galatians 4:19)
METAL: MINING, MELTING & MOLDING: SOURCING, SUBSTANCE & SHAPING
Just supposing Christ is metal, picture then the following.
1. The Old Testament part is the MINING of the metal, it is the SOURCING part. It is the part of the Bible where you look for typologies, symbols, analogies, metaphors, parallels and messages – talking about Christ.
2. The Gospels part is the MELTING of the metal, the process of heat to separate the metal from the rock. This part of the Bible is where you see the SUBSTANCE being produced. This is where you read Christ taking the human form in the flesh.
3. The Epistles part of the Bible is the MOLDING of the metal. This is the part where you see the SHAPING taking place, turning the metal into intricate jewelries and usable tools. The Epistles is where you read Christ in the everyday life – turning the believers into beautiful people, and powerful instruments for God.
DOORWAY: DOOR FRAME, HINGES AND DOOR
Just supposing the Bible is a DOORWAY, picture this.
The HINGES connect the DOOR to the DOOR FRAME. Without the HINGES, there wouldn’t be a proper DOORWAY. Because of the HINGES, the DOOR is able to swing open, and people can go in. You can see now that The Gospels part is the HINGES. The Gospels part holds the DOOR FRAME and the DOOR together. The Gospels part holds The Old Testament part and The Epistles part together.
HOUSE: ARCHITECT, ENGINEER AND DECORATOR
Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches. (Proverbs 24:3-4; underline mine)
1. The ARCHITECT can see the whole picture of what is needed. He lays out the master plan for the house. We find God’s master plan for Christ in The Old Testament part of the Bible. God took time to draw out the master plan. All of the preparation of spiritual and natural - circumstance and people – had to be done. The settings had to be in place.
2. The ENGINEER is involved in the actual physical process of building the house. The house is actually built when he is involved. God engineered the virgin birth of Christ, and from infancy to maturity. Christ became the door that people can enter-in so that we can have eternal-and-abundant life. We see this in The Gospels part of the Bible.
3. The DECORATOR knows that, finally, it is the real people who would actually live in that house. His job is to add-on to the house so as to make it aesthetically beautiful and enjoyable to live-in. He knows the occupants’ lifestyles and preferences. The Epistles part of the Bible is where we finally find different individuals, with different personalites - experiencing the same life of Christ, in all of His beauty and passion - the application of the life of Christ into individual lives.
I would like to put forth that the Bible can also be divided into three parts.
1. The Old Testament: the books of Genesis to Malachi; and
2. The Gospels: the books of Matthew to John; and
3. The Epistles: the books of Acts to Revelation.
Let me explain why, using the illustrations below.
PREPARATION, MANIFESTATION & APPLICATION
1. The Old Testament part of the Bible is the PREPARATION of Christ. The laws and the prophetic of the Old Testament (typologies, symbols, analogies, metaphors, parallels and messages) were pointing towards the eventual coming of Christ.
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” (Luke 24:44)
2. The Gospels part of the Bible is the MANIFESTATION of Christ, the incarnation of Christ through the virgin birth.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
3. The Epistles part of the Bible is the APPLICATION of Christ - how Christ, the Word, is spiritually applied into the believers’ life.
My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, (Galatians 4:19)
METAL: MINING, MELTING & MOLDING: SOURCING, SUBSTANCE & SHAPING
Just supposing Christ is metal, picture then the following.
1. The Old Testament part is the MINING of the metal, it is the SOURCING part. It is the part of the Bible where you look for typologies, symbols, analogies, metaphors, parallels and messages – talking about Christ.
2. The Gospels part is the MELTING of the metal, the process of heat to separate the metal from the rock. This part of the Bible is where you see the SUBSTANCE being produced. This is where you read Christ taking the human form in the flesh.
3. The Epistles part of the Bible is the MOLDING of the metal. This is the part where you see the SHAPING taking place, turning the metal into intricate jewelries and usable tools. The Epistles is where you read Christ in the everyday life – turning the believers into beautiful people, and powerful instruments for God.
DOORWAY: DOOR FRAME, HINGES AND DOOR
Just supposing the Bible is a DOORWAY, picture this.
The HINGES connect the DOOR to the DOOR FRAME. Without the HINGES, there wouldn’t be a proper DOORWAY. Because of the HINGES, the DOOR is able to swing open, and people can go in. You can see now that The Gospels part is the HINGES. The Gospels part holds the DOOR FRAME and the DOOR together. The Gospels part holds The Old Testament part and The Epistles part together.
HOUSE: ARCHITECT, ENGINEER AND DECORATOR
Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches. (Proverbs 24:3-4; underline mine)
1. The ARCHITECT can see the whole picture of what is needed. He lays out the master plan for the house. We find God’s master plan for Christ in The Old Testament part of the Bible. God took time to draw out the master plan. All of the preparation of spiritual and natural - circumstance and people – had to be done. The settings had to be in place.
2. The ENGINEER is involved in the actual physical process of building the house. The house is actually built when he is involved. God engineered the virgin birth of Christ, and from infancy to maturity. Christ became the door that people can enter-in so that we can have eternal-and-abundant life. We see this in The Gospels part of the Bible.
3. The DECORATOR knows that, finally, it is the real people who would actually live in that house. His job is to add-on to the house so as to make it aesthetically beautiful and enjoyable to live-in. He knows the occupants’ lifestyles and preferences. The Epistles part of the Bible is where we finally find different individuals, with different personalites - experiencing the same life of Christ, in all of His beauty and passion - the application of the life of Christ into individual lives.