The Principles Of Observation And Genre Series

(Leviticus and huge chunks of Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)

• This is tied to the Old or Mosaic Covenant (not ours)

• It’s primary function for Christians is to teach us about the kind of holiness God and the depth of relationship He desires to have with us.

• Some of OT Law was renewed in the New Covenant (Love God, Love your neighbor, do not murder), most was not)

• But even the laws that were not renewed… try to find the principle behind the law. What was God teaching them about Himself, about how he wanted them to live.

H) Acts

Is the historical record of the both the birth and the incredible growth of the early church.

• It shows how the early functioned and what they were devoted to giving us many times a pattern to follow.

• We see the church confronting real issues from persecution, famine, doctrine, disagreements.

• There are many great sermons recorded in this book.

I) Apocalyptic

(Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Matthew 24, Revelation)

A very common genre in the first century

Highly figurative literature consisting of visions, dreams and symbols… that communicated a message of judgment on God’s enemies and hope for God's people in a time of tribulation…

One of the most common images is crazy stuff happening in the heavens… sun and stars falling, moon melting, darkness…etc.

All of which were signs of God’s judgment about to fall upon a nation.

• Since apocalyptic cries out in hopeless situations, it is intended to give hope for those who repent and induce fear in those who refuse

• Focus on that big picture – that God is always in control and our hope is in him.

• Revelation is best understood not as a calendar of coming events, but rather as a template to be laid over any period of suffering to help us see what is really going on.

J) Parables

I love the parables… Jesus told many of them about 35.

Some are just one verse and others are much longer.

A parable is basically and earthly story with a heavenly meaning.

Greek (parabole) – to cast a long side of.

Parables cast a powerful truth along side of a good story.

• Parables reveal difficult truths in simple language

• They are easy to remember

• Stories are easy to listen to and grab people’s attention

• They are intended to persuade people to action, to embrace a new or difficult truth or to convict them of ungodly behavior – with strong language that is often shocking.

• Most parables have one central meaning (they are not allegories where every part of the story has a specific meaning)… AND - people frequently miss that by trying to figure what the oil in the lamp of the 10 virgins represents. When the point is to be ready when the Lord comes…

• All of Jesus parables (35) are about the Kingdom telling us what it is like and how we are to live within it.

• Many times they have 3 main characters… one that represents God, one a person who is doing the right thing, and a 3rd character doing the wrong thing

• Look for the context… often there is a reason that Jesus tells a parable.

OKAY - those are the main Genre’s found in the bible…