This book will enable the reader to understand the Old Testament. It is an overview of the Old Testament books of the Bible. It presents a glimpse of the contents of each of the thirty-nine books that form the Old Testament and shows the overall plan and purpose of God. For more than three thousand years God was laying the foundation for people to learn about him through the patriarchs and prophets and thus discover how they could form a relationship with him. This book identifies the predictions that were made about the One who would make this relationship possible - the Messiah/Saviour/Christ. Details of his life and death are anticipated throughout the Old Testament - in numerous prophecies, theophanies and types. Over one hundred are explained in this book. By reference to the New Testament record, the life, suffering and death of Jesus of Nazareth are clearly seen to fulfil these many Old Testament predictions. When Jesus was challenged about his claims to being the Messiah/Christ he presented, as one of a number of proofs, the content of Old Testament Scripture. Indeed on the great day of his resurrection he refers to the Old Testament as the abiding proof of his Person and Work. This book identifies many of the Scriptures to which he would have referred. Each chapter deals with an Old Testament book and follows this format: introduction, author, historical setting, outline of contents, predictions about Christ and his Church, application and conclusion. As the title makes evident, each chapter is carefully explained and then applied for today. Over fifty maps, charts and illustrations are included showing for example the line of descent from Adam to Noah, Israel's journey from Mount Sinai to the Promised Land and the inter-relationship of kings and prophets. The relevance of the Old Testament is brought out in over one hundred and thirty applications, for example, prayer in time of trouble, relying upon the promises of God, and repentance and its fruit. To understand the Old Testament is to understand the meaning and purpose of life.

Table of Contents:
List of maps, illustrations and charts, Introduction, The inspiration of Scripture, The central theme of the Old Testament, Chart (Chronology of the Old Testament), Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Chart (Harmony of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah), 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, The Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, Appendices (charts) Placing the prophets, The message of the writing prophets, Notes, Select Bibliography, Christ and his church: topical index, Index of application topics.