He Is

The Bible was written by approximately forty men through the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit over a span of sixteen-hundred years. Even with the diversity of authors, time, language and form it is through the Scriptures that God reveals Himself to mankind. The Bible has two major divisions: The Old Testament and the New Testament, also referred to as the Old Covenant and the New Covenant from the Greek word διαθήκη. Giving the name “Covenant” to these two divisions of the Bible in the Christian faith emphasizes the image that the relationship between God and man is established by covenant. God’s revelation to man through His written Word is progressive with the Old Testament laying the foundation for the ultimate manifestation of God in the person of Jesus Christ revealed in the New Testament. Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa state that “The New is in the Old concealed, and the Old is in the New revealed.” It has been said that “history is loom on which the Old Testament is woven.” If history is the loom, we can be sure that Jesus Christ is the thread which binds it all together.

The entire Bible is understood to be Christocentric, or Christ-centered. The progression of the Old Testament incites belief that its history is leading to a climax of full redemption. It is history blazing the trail to salvation. The New Testament is the revelation of the Messiah in the person of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is looking forward to the Messiah while the New Testament sees Him come to earth and looks back to the events of His birth, life, death and resurrection in order to encourage and instruct the believers who become the Church.

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.­—Hebrews 1:1-3

“And the Father who sent me has Himself testified concerning me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, nor does His word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one He sent. You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.”—John 5:37-39

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”—Matthew 5:17