CHAPTER VIII
STORIES FROM THE BIBLE
Suppose someone who had never heard of the Bible wanted to know what it was, how could we explain, or describe, its nature and character, most clearly and truly? The meaning of the word Bible is simply the book: the greatest and most important book in the world.
In the first place, the Bible is made up of a number of other books; there are thirty-nine of these books in the Old Testament, and twenty-seven in the New Testament; that is, there are sixty-six books in the Bible altogether.
These parts, or books, are of many different kinds. They contain traditions, histories, genealogies, biographies, songs of victory or love, hymns, psalms, wise sayings, censures and encouragements by the prophets of God, dramas, stories, and essays. In the New Testament, we find the gospel story of Christ; annals, which are a simple form of history; and letters from one person to another or from one person to a church.
Many years ago, some writers used to call the Bible the Divine Library, _Bibliotheca Divina_; at that time, writing generally was in the Latin language.
The first book in the Bible, Genesis, as you know begins by telling about the creation of the world. The story of the development of mankind {49} spiritually,---this means in learning to know about God--is pictured for us in all the books of the Bible. Man's knowledge of God grows, from the creation, slowly but steadily, higher and deeper and wider; and we read about this growth in the Bible. Slowly the people of the world lose some of their ignorance of God, and as they learn of God they begin to give up, or as the Bible says, they forsake, their evil practices. For instance, the practice of keeping slaves was once followed in all parts of the known world. Then, presently, men began to see that they could not keep other men as slaves, because a better knowledge of God taught them that all men are brothers. But, even yet, in some parts of the world there are slaves waiting to be freed. Mankind's progress towards God and what is good, told about in the Bible, is still going on.
The revelation of God reaches its consummation in Christ. Now, the Old Testament, from the beginning to the end, is the story of the world being prepared for the coming of Christ; the New Testament tells the story of His coming. We learn from Christ what God truly is.
The Bible tells us of Christ. This is perhaps the clearest and simplest answer to the question as to what the Bible is. The Bible, because it tells us of Christ, is intended for every one. It is printed in many different languages, and read all over the world.
There are many stories in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments, which we can find and read for ourselves, interesting and beautiful stories. Probably you have read most of them {50} already, or have heard them read aloud. But, as you know, we like to hear or read a true story many times, and these are true stories. A list of a number of these stories from the Bible is printed at the end of this chapter, with the names of the different books in which we find them, and chapters and verses for each story.
Many of the stories, perhaps most of them, are about boys and girls. But the first on the list is the story of how the world was made. Notice how splendidly the man who wrote the story makes clear that it was God who made the world. Notice too, in the story of the Little Maid, II Kings chap. v, 1-19, what fine people Naaman, the Syrian, and his wife, must have been; the happy relations between them and the people who worked for them are very evident in the story, and indeed are used to help in Naaman's cure.
The list ends with the history of Paul's voyage and shipwreck, a wonderful, true story of the sea.
FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT
The Creation of the World Genesis, chap. i, 1-31; chap. ii, 1-3
Noah and the Flood Genesis, chap. vi, 9-22; chap vii, 1-24; chap viii, 1-22
Jacob's Dream Genesis, chap. xxviii, 10-22
Joseph and his Brethren Genesis, chap. xxxvii, 5-28
Pharaoh's Dream Genesis, chap. xli, 1-57
Joseph's Brethren come to Genesis, chap. xiii, 1-38 buy Corn
Joseph Entertains His Genesis, chap. xliii, 1-34 Brethren
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Joseph makes Himself Genesis, chap. xliv, 1-13, Known to His Brethren 18-34; chap. xlv, 1-15
Jacob comes to His Son Genesis, chap. xlv, 25-28; Joseph chap. xlvi, 1-7, 28-30; chap. xlvii, 1-10
The Birth and Upbringing Exodus, chap. i, 7-14; of Moses chap. ii, 1-10
God Speaks to the Child I Samuel, chap. ii, 18, 19; Samuel chap. iii, 1-21
Samuel Anoints David to I Samuel, chap. xvi, 1-23 be King
David Slays Goliath I Samuel, chap. xvii, 1-49
David and Jonathan I Samuel, chap. xviii, 1-4; chap. xx, 1-23, 35-42
The Widow's Cruise I Kings, chap. xvii, 1-24
The Translation of Elijah II Kings, chap. ii, 1-12
The Child of the Shunammite II Kings, chap. iv, 8-37
The Little Maid II Kings, chap. v, 1-19
The Angel Guards II Kings, chap. vi, 8-17
THE NEW TESTAMENT
The Birth of Christ Luke, chap. ii, 4-19
The Star of Bethlehem Matthew, chap. ii, 1-12
Christ when he was Luke, chap. ii, 40-52 Twelve Years Old
The Sower Matthew, chap. xiii, 3-9, 18-23
The Mustard Seed Matthew, chap. xiii, 31, 32
The Hidden Treasure and Matthew, chap. xiii, 44-46 the Pearl of Great Price
The Unforgiving Servant Matthew, chap. xviii, 23-35
The Labourers in the Vineyard Matthew, chap. xx, 1-16
The Two Sons Matthew, chap. xxi, 28-32
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The Wicked Husbandmen Matthew, chap. xxi, 33-46
The Marriage of the King's Son Matthew, chap. xxii, 1-14
The Good Samaritan Luke, chap. x, 25-37
The Foolish Rich Man Luke, chap. xii, 13-21
Humility Luke, chap. xiv, 7-11
The Great Supper Luke, chap. xiv, 12-24
The Lost Sheep and the Luke, chap. xv, 1-10 Lost Piece of Silver
The Prodigal Son Luke, chap. xv, 11-32
The Pharisee and the Publican Luke, chap. xviii, 9-14
The Entombment and the Luke, chap. xxiii, 50-56 Resurrection John, chap. xx, 1-29
The Evening Walk to Emmaus Luke, chap. xxiv, 12-32
Paul's Voyage and Shipwreck Acts, chap. xxvii, 1-44
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