“The word of God is living and operative” (Hebrews 4:12a). It is “living” and not just letter because it gives life. The Scriptures are “operative” because they contain not only theological ideas to be pondered but also spiritual realities to be experienced. For “every scripture is divinely inspired [God-breathed], and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, fully fitted to every good work” (II Timothy 3:16-17).
“Ye search the scriptures,” said the Lord Jesus Christ, “for ye think that in them ye have life eternal, and they it is which bear witness concerning me; and ye will not come to me that ye might have life” (John 5:39-40). It behooves us, therefore, to diligently read the Bible and meditate on it.
To encourage God’s people to study God’s word, brother Stephen Kaung delivered a series of messages on the sixty-six books of the Bible. Commencing in 1983, each Lord’s day the survey of one book was shared from the New Testament; and a similar sharing from the Old Testament commenced in 1986. Each message is merely a panoramic view of each book of the Bible; a tasting of the sweetness of God’s word. The aim is to provide the saints with some basic understanding in their search of God’s word. These being spoken messages, no acknowledgement of the names of the many commentaries consulted is indicated.
This survey of the Holy Bible will be published as Volume I and Volume II under the overall title of God Has Spoken: with Volume I bearing the subtitle, Seeing Christ in the Old Testament, and consisting of two physical volumes—Part One (Genesis to Song of Songs) and Part Two (Isaiah to Malachi); and Volume II bearing the subtitle, Seeing Christ in the New Testament. May God use these volumes to increase our love for His word.