The Essential Bible Companion

by John H. Walton

Publisher:

Zondervan

, 2006

Overview

The Essential Bible Companion gives you what it promises: the essentials. The most vital, absolutely indispensable information you need for reading and truly understanding God’s Word. Developed by two world-class Bible scholars and the creator of The Bible in 90 Days curriculum, this unique, easy-to-use reference guide gives you clear, crisp insights into the Bible book by book.

Striking a balance between too little and too much information—between the brief introductions provided in a Bible and the potentially overwhelming detail of a standard reference handbook—this well-designed, extremely helpful volume condenses the most important information in a highly visual, easy-to-understand format. However you use it, this richly informative volume will assist you on your journey toward a well-grounded biblical faith.

Key Features

• Details of each book of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation
• Background information
• Timelines
• Introductions to important Bible characters
• All Scripture references linked to the Bibles in your digital library

Contents

Top Highlights

“The focus of creation is the establishment and maintenance of order and operation.” (Page 14)

“The Bible is all about connecting with God. Three key words will help us to get the big picture: Presence, Revelation, and Relationship. Everything God does in the Bible shows us that he deeply desires to be in relationship with us. That is why he created us.” (Page 9)

“An important secret must be recognized to understand the book of Job. Job and his friends all believe that he is on trial, but the secret is that it is God’s policies that are on trial. Satan claims that God’s policy of bringing blessing on righteous people is flawed because they will then be motivated by prosperity rather than simply the desire to be righteous. When Job begins to experience suffering, he likewise concludes that God’s policies are flawed if righteous people can be treated so harshly. So the question is established: How should God run the world with justice in mind and still promote true righteousness?” (Page 41)

“Through the plagues and the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, the theme is constantly repeated: ‘You will know that I am the Lord Your God.’ His presence will result in revelation (you will know) and relationship (your God).” (Page 10)

“But being in the presence of a loved one is only one part of what is essential to a relationship” (Page 9)

Praise for the Print Edition

For someone who is trying to read the Bible without getting bogged down this is an excellent book. . . . I highly recommend this book for its ease of use, content, price and attractiveness.

—Online Reviewer

Product Details

• Title: The Essential Bible Companion
• Author: John H. Walton
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Print Publication Date: 2006
• Logos Release Date: 2010
• Pages: 152
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible › Introductions
• ISBNs: 9780310591429, 9780310266624, 0310591422, 0310266629
• Resource ID: LLS:ESSBBLCOMPN
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T23:42:38Z

About John H. Walton

Dr. John H. Walton, professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College, spent 20 years teaching at Moody Bible Institute.

In his college years, he developed a passion for archaeology and Bible history. Instead of training to be an archaeologist, though, he focused his attention on studies comparing the culture and literature of the Bible and the ancient Near East. He has never lost his fascination with this subject, but comparative studies only provide one of the means by which he tries to get people excited about the Old Testament. He’s saddened by how little exposure to and understanding of the Old Testament many Christians have, but he’s passionate in doing whatever he can to remedy this spiritual and theological loss.

For 25 years, Dr. Walton was active at South Park Church in Park Ridge, Illinois—teaching at every level, from adults through preschool. He’s driven by the desire to offer people a greater familiarity with God’s Word and a greater confidence in understanding God’s revelation of himself in its pages. Since moving to Wheaton, he has gotten involved in the same areas of ministry at Glen Ellyn Bible Church.

Whether in teaching or writing, he’s constantly challenged in his own life because the material he’s presenting stretches him as much as it stretches his students and readers. Whatever he’s writing or teaching also has a way of infiltrating his family. His wife, Kim, was trained as a biochemist, which made for interesting dinner conversations—especially when he was working on his Genesis commentary. His three kids have often gotten involved in the discussions, and he’s had fun responding to them and seeing his family grow together.