Genesis — God’s enduring grace setting forth the plan to reconcile the fallen world and reclaim those that desire to enter into a relationship of covenant love to those that live in Faith through Him.

Exodus — God’s covenant to rescue and deliver us from the bondage of the world delivering His people into promised life.

Leviticus —God establishes a sacrificial system to atone for sins that will paint a picture of holy living dedicated to God and will eventually set the stage for the messiah that all might be reclaimed and enter into a new exodus and new covenant in Christ.

Numbers — God’s mercy towards those that do not fully follow His ways; He continually continues to draw us back to Him.

Deuteronomy — God’s promises to guard and Keep his people in covenant love that is all encompassing.

Joshua — God displays his amazing provincial power to those that follow Him. The promise of sacred life and land is given to His people in a picture of reciprocal gift giving by a picture of grace and lasting inheritance.

Judges — A span of 300 years where God wrestles with His people that don’t honor their relationship with Him. We see God continually meeting His people where they are and forgiving them over and over in love.

Ruth — God demonstrates that his plan is to honor those even in the worst of situations. That He is faithful through and through and not only cares for the destitute, but also gives way to drawing those outside of His chosen people (those that seemed lost) into his covenant family and giving them the greatest honor imaginable, to be in the seed of the messiah.

1 Samuel —God meets Israel by granting them a king showing His dynamic love for them and hoping that his anointed leader might lead the people back to Him. Unfortunately. 1 Samuel is a story of leaders that are given everything by God and turn on Him. But the story ends with the hope of a new king who will turn the hearts of the Bible back towards God, a man whose, heart is after the Lords… David.

2 Samuel — God re-stablished his sacred land and Kingdom through a man whose heart is for Him. A promise is granted to Him that His son will rule forever. We see a picture of a relationship that thrives between God and His servant David; in spite of continual sin, God cares for David and honors Israel.

1 Kings — Despite Israel still wavering in their relationship to God, King Solomon is blessed by God with great wisdom, riches, and honor. But as most of Israel’s kings were wicked leading the people farther from God not closer to Him. God send a prophet Elijah, to point the people back to God revealing himself again in grace abounding in hope and love for his people that continue to turn on Him.

2 Kings — Elijah is translated to heaven, and Elisha takes his place as God’s prophet in Israel. There are some glimmers of hope in Godly kings but eventually the leadership of Israel completely turns on God and turns to idol worship and adultery against the Lord. The Lord allows judgement on them through captivity of the Assyrians and Babylon’s in hopes that through their anguish they might return to Him. He hasn’t given up on them despite many generations of turning away from God resulting in wickedness rather than holiness.

1 Chronicles — We see a deep picture of the life of David being imperfect and broken yet still having a heart and intimate relationship for God. We see that God honors faithful steps towards Him despite our shortcomings.

2 Chronicles — This book is about Holiness and connects worshipping God with sacred space and land through a temple. It reminds us that everything is the Lords and that we honor Him when we offer it back to Him.

Ezra — After 70 years of captivity God’s people are given another chance to return to their land and rebuild the temple, yet many don’t return and fall short of God’s expectations again. God sends more of His prophets to once again urge them to live as those set apart for holiness.

Nehemiah — God blesses the remnant, those that decide to rebuild the temple and return to God’s way. This leads to celebration, joy, and life.

Esther — Is a story of a Jew who didn’t return. Some would not have considered her holy because of that yet God smiles on her. It is a message that he is also still interested in those that might still be short of God’s expectations for them. He is going to seek them out and show them the way. It is also a story of God using someone to step out and claim Him in the midst of possible persecution and even death. There is hope that some still seek him and he not only meets them where they are but blesses them beyond their expectations.

Job — God is God, and His ways are higher than ours and sometimes we won’t see things through the eyes of God; but must still have faith and trust in Him. God overwhelms Job with His majesty, wisdom, and power.

Psalms — Reminders of praise to the Lord, cries of the needy, worshipful adoration, laments, thanksgiving, prophecy, and the full spectrum of human emotion. These are continual pictures of how God interacts with His people.

Proverbs — A collection of moral teachings and general observances about life dedicated to the Lord.

Ecclesiastes —Nothing in this world satisfies: riches, pleasure, knowledge, or work. Without God in the equation, all is vanity.

Song of Solomon — A look at the bride and groom as an undying strength of love. This is a metaphorical picture of how much God loves his people.

Isaiah — Is a book of Gods struggles with His people. God miraculously saves Jerusalem from an attack by the Assyrians. Isaiah predicts the fall of Judah at the hands of Babylon, but he also promises a restoration to their land. Isaiah sets the tone of a kingdom of redemption, peace and prosperity to come; it gives hope to the broken.

Jeremiah — Jeremiah is a story of God calling his people to repent over and over, but is ignored and even persecuted. Through Jeremiah, God promises that He will one day establish a new covenant with Israel.

Lamentations — God’s people have left Him and all seems lost. Yet God is just in His discipline, and He is merciful in not destroying the rebellious nation completely; God’s people will yet see God’s compassion.

Ezekiel — God allows judgment for idolatry but promises a miraculous restoration of God’s people to their land, the reconstruction of the temple, and God’s rule over all the nations of the earth. God desires hope and reconciliation.

Daniel — God’s remnant continues to shine in the dark and are blessed in many ways such as being given the eyes to see predicting the rise and fall of many nations and the coming rule of God’s chosen king, the Messiah.

Hosea — Hosea’s mission is to call Israel to repentance as an illustration of Israel’s spiritual adultery and the fact that a loving God is still pursuing them to redeem them and restore them to their proper place. God doesn’t give up.

Joel — Joel ministers in Judah during a time of drought. We learn how to experience God’s love even throughout the most difficult of times. Joel’s final promise is that the Lord will dwell with His people in Zion and bring great blessing to the restored land.

Amos — Amos contrasts destruction with restoration in view of the Lord.

Obadiah — God’s justice revealed. God’s people will be the ultimate victors.

Jonah — Is a rare OT story of God desiring other nations to follow Him.

Micah — Micah is a call to re-examine the word of the Lord. It is a story for hope and restoration in the midst of extreme hurt.

Nahum — Is a book of justice on a nation that that had once terrorized the rest of the world. Unlike God’s judgment against Israel, the judgment against Nineveh will have no respite, and the destruction will not be followed by restoration.

Habakkuk — God is sovereign and faithful no matter what we might see or feel. The just will live by faith.

Zephaniah —Jerusalem is called to repent, and the book ends with a promise from God to restore His people to favor and glory.

Haggai —Haggai preaches a series of four sermons to spur the people back to work so that the temple can be completed.

Zechariah —Zechariah encourages the people of Jerusalem to finish the reconstruction of the temple, a work that has languished for about 15 years. Judgment on Israel’s enemies is promised, along with God’s blessings on His chosen people. Several messianic prophecies are included, predicting the Messiah’s coming, His suffering, and His eventual conquering glory.

Malachi — Ministering to post-exilic Israel, Malachi calls God’s people to repentance. The prophet condemns the sins of divorce, bringing impure sacrifices, withholding tithes, and profaning God’s name. It seems that all might be completely lost, but God ends the book with hope of a coming savior.

New Testament:

Matthew — The ministry of Jesus Christ is the rightful king to rule from Israel’s throne. Jesus offers the kingdom to His people, but Israel rejects Him as their king and crucifies Him. Jesus rises again and sends His disciples into all the world to proclaim His teaching.

Mark —Jesus is the Righteous Servant of God. Jesus is victorious in His mission.

Luke —Jesus is the Son of Man who came to save the whole world. Jesus shows the love of God to all classes of people, regardless of race or gender. He is unjustly betrayed, arrested, and murdered, but He rises again and offers reconciliation to all.

John —Jesus speaks at length of His nature and work and the necessity of faith, and He proves that He is the Son of God through a series of public miracles.

Acts —The Holy Spirit empowers Jesus’ followers and the church of Christ begins.

Romans — The righteousness of God and how God can declare guilty sinners to be righteous based on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Having been justified by faith, believers live in holiness before the world.

1 Corinthians — How to deal with various issues, including sin and division in the church, marriage, idolatry, spiritual gifts, the future resurrection, and the conduct of public worship.

2 Corinthians — Encouragement to the church and how to live in peace.

Galatians — Salvation and sanctification are all of grace. Christ’s salvation has set us free. We rely on the Spirit’s work, not our own.

Ephesians — Salvation comes by grace through faith in Christ, and not by our own works. The life Jesus gives, to Jew and Gentile alike, results in a new heart and a new walk in this world. The church is the Body of Christ, and marriage is a picture of Christ and the church. God has provided spiritual armor to wage spiritual battle.

Philippians —The gospel of Christ is advancing in the world, despite hardship, and Christians can rejoice in that. We are urged to humble ourselves as Christ did, be unified, and press toward the goal of pleasing the Lord in all things.

Colossians — In Christ, all believers are made alive and complete; the new life we have in Christ should impact our relationships with spouses, parents, children, masters, and servants.

1 Thessalonians — encouragement in steadfast faith. Believers are encouraged to live pure lives and to maintain the hope that Jesus will return.

2 Thessalonians —God will protect His children. Until the time that Christ returns, keep doing what is right.

1 Timothy —A pastor must be qualified spiritually, be on guard against false doctrine, pray, care for those in the church, train other leaders, and above all faithfully preach the truth.

2 Timothy — Encouragement to hold fast to the faith, focus on what is truly important, persevere in dangerous times, and preach the Word of God.

Titus — Encouragement to be spiritually qualified, avoid distractions, model the Christian life, and enjoin all believers to practice good works.

Philemon —Show the love of Christ and be reconciled to grace for the sake of Christ.

Hebrews — Move on to full spiritual maturity, by faith. Jesus Christ is everything we need.

James —True, saving faith will affect our prayer life, our words, our response to trials, and our treatment of others.

1 Peter — Our grace in God should exhibit holiness in suffering throughout the journey of sanctification.

2 Peter — Exhortation to follow the Word of God, and live in holiness as you await the second coming of Christ.

1 John — God is light, love, and truth. Those who truly belong to Christ will seek fellowship with His redeemed; walk in the light, not in darkness; confess sin; obey God’s Word; love God; experience a decreasing pattern of sin in their lives; demonstrate love for other Christians; and experience victory in their Christian walk.

2 John — The Christian life is a balance of truth and love.

3 John — Living in truth and love through hospitality.

Jude — The message of the gospel will not change.

Revelation — Jesus is the Lord of the church, the Lamb of God returns to earth setting up His kingdom of peace in a recreated new heaven and new earth.