4 Contents of the Bible 📖

JN
Apr 3, 2021
3 min read

Updated: May 15, 2021

Ps: 我用英文学习圣经，所以有关圣经的分享，我都会用英文分享。

The 4 contents in the bible can be broadly summarized as (1) History, (2) Instructions, (3) Prophecy and (4) Fulfilment. Every religion has their own scripture which forms the basis of the doctrines being preached. What separates the bible from the other scriptures is the fulfilment of prophecies, because it is impossible for God to lie [Hebrews 6:18].

1. History

[1 Cor 10:11] These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the end of the ages has come.

History is being recorded in the bible to serve as an example and warning for us today - that we should not make the same mistakes as the previous generations and be destroyed as punishment for rebelling against God.

Refer to blog posts: 6000 years of God's history , 3 'C's of a covenant

2. Instructions

[2 Tim 3:16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

Instructions are given to us to help us keep the covenant of our era. If we continuously disregard instructions, we might end up like Judas Iscariot, the person who betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ.

Judas Iscariot is one of Jesus' 12 disciples. He started out well and believed in Jesus even when many people turned their backs on Jesus after a hard teaching [John 6:60-70]. However, Judas Iscariot was also ignoring Jesus' instructions and as a thief, he constantly helped himself out of the money bag [John 12:4-6]. Eventually, Judas Iscariot completely gave in to greed and betrayed Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver [Matthew 26:14-16, Matthew 27:3-5].

There are 2 types of instructions - Instructions from God to help us keep God's covenant and instructions from satan to draw us away from God.

Refer to blog post: Food @ Proper Time & Yeast that Transforms Us

However, note that instructions can change with time and hence, some instructions are not being observed today (e.g. washing of hands, covering of heads etc.) We need wisdom from God to understand which instructions are still relevant for us to keep today, and which instructions are no longer relevant and recorded in the bible as part of history.

3. Prophecy

There are just soooooooooo many verses that talk about prophecies -- I don't even know where to begin. Yet, churches barely preach on 'prophecies' -- but I'll just leave it as that.

I'll just share some verses below on prophecies. You should read the bible for yourself to discover the rest, and to know for sure that I am not "smoking" you.

Amos 3:7 For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.
1 Peter 1:10-12 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
Deuteronomy 18:18-22 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

4. Fulfilment

[John 14:29] I have told you these things before it takes place, so that when it does happen you will believe.

As shared in the lesson on Abraham's faith, mature faith comes when we recognize the fulfilment of God's promises/prophecies. Prophecies that have been fulfilled are recorded in the bible, to give us assurance that God is still working towards our salvation even when all seems silent [2 Peter 3:3-4].

In the 1st coming, the life of Jesus has fulfilled >300 prophecies -- something which is impossible for man to accomplish by manipulating circumstances. Some of the prophecies Jesus fulfilled are below: