How is the Bible arranged?

Though designed by God to speak to all people in all times and places, the Bible contains His dealings with man at specific points in history. It is a real-world book. Written by dozens of people over hundreds of years, the intention was not to create a best-seller. The Bible is primarily meant to be a reflection of God's nature and character-His revelation of Himself to mankind-not a storybook saga.

Basically, the books from Genesis to Esther chronicle God's workings in the lives of ancient Israel, His chosen people. The books of Job through Song of Solomon are writings of wisdom and literary verse. The remaining seventeen books of the Old Testament contain messages given by God's prophets, set apart in the Bible but actually positioned chronologically within some of the earlier historical books.

The New Testament begins with four parallel accounts of Jesus' life, each intended for a different original audience, and therefore looking at His ministry from various perspectives. The book of Acts gives the history of the church immediately after Jesus' return to heaven. Then the balance of the New Testament includes letters written by church leaders (like Paul, John, and Peter) to some of the earliest believers in Christ.