Burning Bush Blogs
Equipping Men with Biblical Knowledge and Leadership Skills
Personal Bible Studies for those new to the Bible
These basic studies are designed to accomplish the following:
- Explain the structural layout of the Bible, making it easier to know what you are reading and why each book is there.
- Describe foundational characters and places in the Bible, and the reasons why they are important
- Model a simple 4-step approach to studying Scripture
- Present 15-minute or less learning snippets that can be easily digested
- Engage men (but women can enjoy too)
Other types of studies
- Personal Bible Studies
- Small group studies
- Family studies (coming soon)
List of “New to the Bible” Studies
This section lists and describes the studies published to date, arranged by thread. They are intended for personal use, but also contain material that is useful as a reference.
The Structure of the Bible
Okay, so there’s a New Testament and an Old Testament with a bunch of books in each. Why? And how are they arranged? This series describes each grouping of books within each testament, and even gives some high-level teaching from key verses of Scripture.
- Old Testament Structure Overview – A high-level overview of the entire Old Testament. This page contains only content and no specific story.
- OT Books of the Law – Describes the first five books of the Bible, using some of the final words of Moses as inspiration.
- OT Books of History – Describes the Old Testament books that teach the history of the Hebrew nation after Moses, including their judges and kings. The post focuses on the cycle of sin, repentance, and redemption found in these books.
- OT Books of Poetry – The poetic books of the Old Testament provide plenty of food for thought. This post describes these books, focusing on the theme of wisdom found within each of them.
- OT Books of Prophecy – Describes both the major and minor prophets and their messages of repentance to God’s people.
- New Testament Structure Overview – A high-level overview of the entire New Testament. This page contains only content and no specific story.
- NT Gospels – The first four books of the New Testament are known as The Gospels, which means the good news. These books tell the good news of Jesus life, death, and resurrection.
- NT Church History – What happened after Jesus left earth? How did the Church get started? The book of Acts tells this story. This post covers Jesus’ last words, known as the great commission.
- NT Letters – Many of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity were refined by studying the many letters by the apostles of Jesus, most sent to various churches. This post describes the purpose and importance of those letters.
- NT Prophecy – The book of Revelation describes the end of our current age and the new kingdom to be established by Jesus.
Geography of Israel
Understanding the geography of Israel is critical to comprehending the unfolding of God’s plan throughout the Bible. This series explains why God chose this small strip of land and why it is revered as the “Holy Land.”
- Promises, Promises – This post describes why this land is called “the promised land.” It also asks the question – Where is our promised land?
- Milk and Honey and Spies – After the exodus from Egypt, the people arrived at the edge of the promised land. God had described it as a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses sent in spies to check it out, and they agreed. But one BIG problem…
- Why God chose this spot– Explore why God chose this particular land bridge to execute his plan for humanity’s redemption and to establish his Church.
The Patriarchs – the good, the bad, and the ugly
If the Bible were a fairy tale, it’s hero’s wouldn’t be so flawed. Discover more about the very human founders of the nation of Israel. (Under construction)
How to use these studies
Overall Approach
These studies are meant to provide a few personal takeaways while establishing a baseline of foundational knowledge that is sometimes assumed in Christian circles. You can read the individual studies as devotionals, but can also use them as reference materials where maps and charts are provided. Don’t feel the need to memorize everything here. It will come together over time.
Read the scripture
If you have time, click the main Scripture link and read the whole passage. If pressed for time, just read the key verse(s) displayed before Observations. Note that on a desktop, you can hover over the references for a preview of the verses.
Observations
These are simply observations about what the text says. Often you will observe things not included in the list. This is good.
Note the context of the passage, as that can aid in the understanding. Don’t skip past maps and other visual aids.
Interpretation
This is where you start to think about what your observations mean. You might derive some takeaways besides what is listed. This is good – you are sharpening your own interpretation skills.
The imagination sub-section, if provided, puts you at the scene in the shoes of one of the characters. It is meant to spur your imagination. Think of it as a short snippet of historical fiction. Considering how an individual would have responded in the moment can be a good tool for understanding.
Correlation
This section finds other Bible passages that will add nuance to what you are studying and will (hopefully) corroborate your interpretations.
Application
This is an attempt to apply the passage to your life. Not all suggested applications will apply to you. Pray about what God wants you to take away from the study.
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Bible study methodology adapted from Searching the Scriptures with permission from Tyndale House:
Swindoll, Charles, Searching the Scriptures. Tyndale House Publishers, 2016.