Discover the story, structure, and purpose of the Old Testament, from creation to the prophets, and see how every book prepares the way for the coming of Christ.
Big Picture
The Old Testament tells the story of God's relationship with His people – from creation and the fall to the promises, covenants, kingdom, exile, and hope of restoration. It lays the foundation for the entire Bible and points forward to the coming Messiah.
Rather than being a collection of unrelated books, the Old Testament reveals one unfolding story of God's faithfulness, justice, mercy, and redeeming plan for the world.
Story of Scripture
Every stage reveals God's faithfulness and moves the biblical story toward the coming of Jesus Christ.
01
God creates the world and humanity.
02
Sin enters the world and separates humanity from God.
03
God calls Abraham and establishes His covenant.
04
God delivers Israel from Egypt and gives His people His law.
05
Israel enters the land God promised to Abraham.
06
Israel struggles with faithfulness and eventually becomes a kingdom.
07
Israel and Judah become divided and turn increasingly away from God.
08
The prophets call God's people to repentance and point toward future restoration.
09
God's people are taken into exile because of their continued rebellion.
10
A remnant returns and Jerusalem and the temple are rebuilt.
11
The Old Testament closes looking forward to God's promised salvation.
Book Collections
Joshua to Esther — the history that joins the Torah to the prophets and explains them.
Job to Song of Songs, where wisdom means living rightly before God, situation by situation.
The Twelve: shorter books carrying the same call to repent, return, and trust the promise.
Key Themes
01
God establishes His covenant with His people.
02
God rules over His people and His creation.
03
God calls His people to reflect His character.
04
God continually rescues and restores His people.
05
The Old Testament points to the coming Messiah.
Christ in the Old Testament
The Old Testament is more than history. Through its promises, sacrifices, kings, prophets, and covenants, it consistently points to Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of God's plan of redemption.
Understanding these connections helps readers see the unity of Scripture and appreciate how the New Testament fulfills what the Old Testament anticipates.
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Related Resources
Still Have Questions?
The Old Testament introduces God's character, His covenant with His people, and His unfolding plan of redemption that ultimately points to Jesus Christ.
Start with this overview to understand the larger story, then read a Bible Summary for the book you're interested in before continuing with a Study Guide.
Not necessarily. You can begin with any book, but reading through the Old Testament in its biblical order helps you see how God's redemptive plan unfolds throughout history.
An Overview introduces a section of Scripture, a Bible Summary explains one book, and a Study Guide helps you explore it more deeply.
Yes. While the Overviews and Summaries provide foundational understanding, the Study Guides are especially designed for personal study, family devotions, and small group discussions.
