Purpose in the Bible

David assembles all Israel's leaders and reveals the temple plans God gave him by the Spirit. He publicly charges Solomon to build the temple and gives him the detailed blueprints, assuring him that God will be with him until every task is finished.

Paul addresses divisions in the Corinthian church where factions claim different leaders. He argues that the message of the cross is foolishness to the world but the power of God to those being saved. God chose the foolish things to shame the wise, so that no one may boast before Him.

Paul addresses marriage, singleness, and divorce. He teaches that each person should remain in the situation God called them. He commends singleness as a gift that allows undivided devotion to the Lord, while affirming marriage as good and honoring.

Paul defends his apostolic rights while explaining why he voluntarily forfeits them for the gospel's sake. He becomes all things to all people so that by all means some might be saved. He compares the Christian life to a race, urging discipline to win the prize.

Paul teaches about spiritual gifts, using the metaphor of the body. Just as a body has many parts with different functions, so the church has diverse gifts—all given by the same Spirit. No part can say to another it is not needed. God arranged the parts as He willed.

Solomon makes an alliance with King Hiram of Tyre to obtain cedar and cypress timber for the temple. He conscripts laborers and arranges the massive workforce needed for the construction project.

After Mount Carmel, Jezebel threatens Elijah's life, and he flees to the wilderness in despair. God ministers to him with food and rest, then speaks to him not in wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a still small voice. Elisha is called as Elijah's successor.

God calls young Samuel in the night at Shiloh. After Eli helps him recognize God's voice, Samuel receives a sobering message of judgment against Eli's family. Samuel is established as a prophet throughout Israel.

Saul, a tall and handsome man from Benjamin, is searching for his father's lost donkeys when God directs him to Samuel. God reveals to Samuel that Saul is the one chosen to be Israel's first king.

Samuel anoints Saul as king privately, and the Spirit of God transforms him. Saul prophesies among the prophets, astonishing those who knew him. At Mizpah, Saul is publicly chosen by lot and presented to the people.

God sends Samuel to anoint David, the youngest son of Jesse, as the next king. God tells Samuel that He looks at the heart, not outward appearance. David is brought to Saul's court as a musician to soothe the king's troubled spirit.

Paul writes his final letter from prison, urging Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God. He reminds him that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline. He calls Timothy to join in suffering for the gospel, not being ashamed of the testimony of the Lord.

Saul, breathing threats against Christians, encounters the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus in a blinding light. He is converted, baptized, and begins preaching that Jesus is the Son of God. Ananias obeys God to minister to Saul. Peter raises Tabitha from the dead in Joppa.

Peter defends his ministry to Gentiles before the Jerusalem church, recounting his vision and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius' household. The church in Antioch is established, where believers are first called Christians. Barnabas and Saul teach together in Antioch.

The church in Antioch commissions Barnabas and Saul for their first missionary journey. They preach in Cyprus and Pisidian Antioch, where Paul delivers a major sermon about Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel's story. Some believe, but jealous leaders oppose them, and they turn to the Gentiles.

Paul arrives in Corinth, meets Priscilla and Aquila, and stays eighteen months planting the church. The Lord assures him in a vision not to be afraid. Apollos, an eloquent Alexandrian, begins preaching and is further instructed by Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus.

Paul addresses the hostile Jerusalem crowd from the temple steps, sharing his testimony: his former persecution of Christians, his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road, and his commission to the Gentiles. The crowd erupts when he mentions Gentiles, and the Roman commander orders him examined.

Paul stands before the Sanhedrin and divides the Pharisees and Sadducees by invoking the resurrection. The Lord appears to Paul at night, encouraging him that he must testify in Rome. A conspiracy to kill Paul is uncovered, and he is transferred under heavy guard to Caesarea.

Paul presents his most eloquent defense before King Agrippa, recounting his Pharisee background, his persecution of Christians, and the Damascus road encounter. He passionately proclaims the gospel to the king, who famously responds: Do you think in so short a time you can persuade me to become a Christian?

The Teacher declares everything is meaningless—a chasing after the wind. Generations come and go but the earth endures. There is nothing new under the sun. Increasing wisdom brings increasing sorrow.

The Teacher tests pleasure, wealth, work, and achievement. He builds great works and acquires everything—then declares it all meaningless. A wise person and a fool share the same fate: death. He concludes that enjoyment of work is a gift from God.

The famous "time for everything" poem: a time to be born and die, weep and laugh, love and hate. God has made everything beautiful in its time and set eternity in the human heart. No one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

All share the same fate—death—regardless of righteousness or wickedness. The living at least know they will die. The Teacher advises: eat, drink, and enjoy life with the one you love, for this is your lot. Time and chance happen to everyone. Wisdom is better than strength but is often overlooked.

Paul praises God for every spiritual blessing in Christ—He chose us before the foundation of the world, predestined us for adoption, redeemed us through His blood. He prays for the Ephesians to know the hope of their calling and the incomparable greatness of God's power.

Paul reveals the mystery hidden for ages: that Gentiles are fellow heirs with Israel in Christ. He prays one of Scripture's most powerful prayers—that they may know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, being filled with the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

A search for a new queen brings the Jewish orphan Esther (raised by her cousin Mordecai) into the king's palace. She finds favor and is crowned queen, while hiding her Jewish identity. Mordecai uncovers a plot to assassinate the king, which is recorded in the royal chronicles.

Mordecai mourns in sackcloth and urges Esther to intercede with the king. Esther fears approaching the king uninvited (punishable by death) but Mordecai delivers the famous challenge: Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther calls for a three-day fast.

King Ahasuerus's greatness and Mordecai's rise to second in rank are summarized. Mordecai is described as working for the good of his people and speaking peace to all his descendants, a fitting conclusion to a story of God's hidden providence.

Moses is born and hidden for three months, then placed in a basket on the Nile where Pharaoh's daughter finds and adopts him. As an adult, Moses kills an Egyptian who is beating a Hebrew and flees to Midian. There he marries Zipporah and lives as a shepherd while God hears Israel's groaning.

God appears to Moses in a burning bush that is not consumed on Mount Horeb. He reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and commissions Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt. When Moses asks God's name, God replies with the famous declaration: I AM WHO I AM.

God commissions Ezekiel to speak to rebellious Israel, warning that they are stubborn and hard-hearted. God gives him a scroll written on both sides with words of lament, mourning, and woe — and tells him to eat it.

Ezekiel eats the scroll and it tastes like honey. God appoints him as a watchman for Israel — responsible for warning the wicked or sharing in their guilt. The Spirit lifts him up and he sits overwhelmed among the exiles for seven days.

Paul expresses astonishment that the Galatians are turning to a different gospel. He defends his apostolic authority, insisting his gospel came by direct revelation from Jesus Christ, not from any human source. He recounts his conversion and early years of ministry.

God creates the heavens and the earth in six days, forming light, sky, land, vegetation, celestial bodies, sea creatures, land animals, and finally mankind in His own image. God declares all creation good and rests on the seventh day.

God forms Adam from dust and breathes life into him, placing him in the Garden of Eden to tend it. God creates Eve from Adam's rib as a suitable helper, establishing the first marriage and the one-flesh union.

The people build the Tower of Babel to make a name for themselves, but God confuses their language and scatters them across the earth. The chapter then traces the genealogy from Shem to Abram, bridging the primeval history to the patriarchal narrative.

God calls Abram to leave his homeland and go to a land He will show him, promising to make him a great nation and bless all families of the earth through him. Abram obeys and travels to Canaan, then goes to Egypt during a famine where he deceives Pharaoh about Sarai.

God makes a formal covenant with Abram, promising him descendants as numerous as the stars and the land of Canaan. Abram believes God and it is credited to him as righteousness. God reveals that Abram's descendants will be enslaved for 400 years before returning to the land.

Joseph, Jacob's favoured son, receives a special coat and has dreams foretelling his family's future submission to him. His jealous brothers plot to kill him but instead sell him to Midianite traders heading to Egypt. They deceive Jacob with Joseph's bloodied coat, and Jacob mourns believing his son is dead.

Judah separates from his brothers and marries a Canaanite woman. After his sons Er and Onan die, Judah fails to give his daughter-in-law Tamar his third son. Tamar disguises herself and conceives twins by Judah, who acknowledges she is more righteous than he.

Joseph serves in the house of Potiphar in Egypt and prospers because the Lord is with him. Potiphar's wife repeatedly tries to seduce Joseph, but he refuses, saying he will not sin against God. She falsely accuses him and Joseph is thrown into prison, where the Lord continues to bless him.

In prison, Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker. The cupbearer's dream means he will be restored to his position in three days; the baker's dream means he will be executed. Both come true exactly as Joseph predicted, but the cupbearer forgets to mention Joseph to Pharaoh.

Joseph can no longer contain himself and reveals his identity to his brothers, weeping loudly. He tells them not to be angry with themselves, for God sent him ahead to preserve life. Joseph sends for Jacob and Pharaoh invites the whole family to settle in the best land of Egypt.

Jacob gathers his twelve sons and delivers prophetic blessings over each, foretelling the character and destiny of the twelve tribes. Judah receives the sceptre and ruler's staff prophecy pointing to the Messiah. Jacob gives instructions for his burial in the cave of Machpelah and then dies.

Isaiah's dramatic throne room vision of God's holiness. Seraphim cry Holy Holy Holy as Isaiah is undone by his uncleanness. A burning coal purifies his lips, and he responds to God's call with the famous words: Here am I, send me.

The second Servant Song: the Servant is called from the womb as a light to the nations. Though Israel feels forgotten, God inscribes them on His palms. The Servant's mission expands beyond Israel to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

Israel is oppressed by Midian for seven years. The angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, calling him a mighty warrior while he threshes wheat in hiding. Gideon tears down his father's Baal altar and asks God for signs with a fleece.

The angel of the Lord appears to a barren woman from the tribe of Dan, announcing she will bear a son set apart as a Nazirite from birth. Samson is born, and the Spirit of the Lord begins to stir him.

God calls Jeremiah as a prophet before he was born, overcoming his objection of being too young. God touches his mouth and commissions him to uproot and plant among the nations. Two visions — an almond branch and a boiling pot — confirm his calling.

Jeremiah writes to the exiles in Babylon: build houses, plant gardens, seek the welfare of the city, and pray for it. The massive promise: I know the plans I have for you — plans for welfare, not evil, to give you a future and a hope. After seventy years, God will restore them.

Jesus heals a man born blind, demonstrating that He is the light of the world. The Pharisees investigate and expel the man for testifying about Jesus. The healed man's growing faith contrasts with the willful blindness of the religious leaders.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead after four days in the tomb, demonstrating His power over death. He declares: I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though they die, yet shall they live. This miracle becomes the catalyst for the plot to kill Jesus.

Jesus prays His high priestly prayer for Himself, His disciples, and all future believers. He prays for unity among believers, that they may be one as He and the Father are one. He asks the Father to protect them and sanctify them in truth.

The risen Jesus appears at the Sea of Tiberias and orchestrates another miraculous catch of fish. He restores Peter with three questions—do you love me?—commissioning him to feed His sheep. Jesus hints at Peter's martyrdom and the beloved disciple's future. John closes noting Jesus did many other things not recorded.

Job breaks his silence and curses the day of his birth. He longs for death and questions why life is given to those in misery. This raw lament opens the poetic dialogue section of the book.

Job pours out his complaint to God, questioning why God formed him only to destroy him. He asks God to remember that he was made from clay and pleads for a brief respite before death.

Jesus is tempted in the wilderness for forty days. He reads from Isaiah in the Nazareth synagogue, declaring the Scripture fulfilled, but is rejected and nearly thrown off a cliff. He demonstrates His authority by casting out demons and healing the sick throughout Galilee.

Jesus calls His first disciples after a miraculous catch of fish, telling Simon Peter he will now catch people. He cleanses a leper, heals a paralytic lowered through the roof, and calls Levi the tax collector. He teaches that new wine must go into new wineskins.

The resurrection: women discover the empty tomb, and an angel announces that Jesus has risen. Jesus appears to the women and then to the disciples in Galilee. He delivers the Great Commission, commanding them to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching, with the promise that He is with them always to the end of the age.

Women come to the tomb at sunrise and find the stone rolled away and a young man in white who announces Jesus has risen. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, to two disciples on the road, and to the Eleven. He commissions them to go into all the world and preach the gospel.

Paul writes from prison with joy, confident that God who began a good work in the Philippians will carry it on to completion. He expresses his desire to depart and be with Christ but knows remaining is more necessary for their sake. For him, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Paul counts all his religious credentials as rubbish compared to knowing Christ. He presses on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call. He warns against enemies of the cross and declares that our citizenship is in heaven, from which we await a Savior who will transform our bodies.

Proverbs on God's sovereignty over human plans. The heart plans but God directs the steps. Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Gray hair is a crown of splendour.

A hymn of wonder at creation and humanity's place in it. David marvels that the God who set his glory above the heavens cares about human beings, crowning them with glory and honour as stewards of creation.