Today, many people do not talk about Bible stories as much as they used to. Sometimes this happens because people start thinking that Bible stories are pretend stories, like fairy tales. But the Bible is very special, and everything in it is true. It teaches us about God, about people, and about how much God loves us.
Some people read the Bible and choose which stories they want to believe. For example, they may believe that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, but they may not believe the story of Jonah being swallowed by a big fish. They think this story is too hard to believe because scientists say fish do not swallow people. But the Bible reminds us that nothing is too complicated for God. If God says something happened, then it truly did.
The Bible tells us that God inspires it. This means God guided the people who wrote it?prophets, apostles, and scribes?so that everything written in the Bible is precisely what God wanted us to know. Even if something seems strange or hard to understand, God understands it perfectly. He wants us to trust His words, not pick and choose the parts we like.
The Bible comprises 66 books, written by various authors. Some lived in other countries and different times, but all of them were guided by God's Spirit. That is why the Bible tells a single, unified story from beginning to end.
There are many themes in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament?love, friendship, hope, bravery, danger, sadness, joy, and forgiveness. But the biggest message in the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is that people need help because of sin, and God sent a Saviour?His Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus isn't only in the New Testament?He is also in the Old Testament! The Bible has been pointing to Jesus from the very beginning.
The Bible is unlike any other book in the world. It has sold more copies than any other book. It has been translated into thousands of languages. But these things are not what make it special.
What makes the Bible truly unique is this:
When we read it, it can change our hearts and our lives.
Many books can teach us things or make us feel happy for a little while, but they cannot change us on the inside like the Bible does. The Bible gives us strength, courage, and peace. It helps us understand right from wrong. It teaches us how much God loves us.
Jesus once said that the words written in the Bible are "Spirit and life." They are like seeds planted in our hearts. When we believe them, they grow and help us become more like God wants us to be.
Christians believe that God will use the Bible to judge our lives?not to scare us, but to show us the best way to live. The Bible is like God's blueprint for the world?His perfect plan. Jewish people also believe something similar: that God made the universe using the words of the Torah, the first part of the Bible.
This illustrates the importance of God's word. The Bible is not pretend. It is not a fairy tale. It is God's message to us, filled with truth, love, life, peace and hope.
These stories you're about to read are taken from the Book of Genesis. This book means "Beginnings." It tells the beginning of how God created this universe and everything in it. In this volume, you'll read and learn about the creation of the world to the death of Joseph.
