The more you read the Bible, the more you’ll appreciate memorizing the order of the books in it. You’ll love the way you’ll be able to flip through the actual pages of a “paper-and-print” Bible in which you’ll see things relating in ways you just cannot get when you only read “online”. Both have their place. Online can do some tricks a paper book cannot. But that goes for paper books, too. Please give this song a sing-along listen, then join us in the song notes as we get a fifty-thousand foot view of “covenants”.

What is the Old Testament?

I’m told it has been common practice since late in the second century to refer to the two large sections of the Bible as the “Old Testament” and the “New Testament”. The word “Testament” connects back to a Greek word that usually means “covenant”, which in English often means “contract” or “agreement”. As you might expect, the writings in these two “testaments” are associated with two “contracts” or “agreements” — one “old” and one “new” — between God and His people. In the Bible we find details of each agreement, history surrounding them, instruction, prophesies and even poetry. The Bible is much, much more than a simple declaration of the “terms” of these “contracts”, but the contracts are laid out in detail in these writings.

Both of these covenants include promises from God to His people along with certain expectations of things His people should do. We can read details of the “old” covenant God gave to Moses in Exodus chapters 20-24. Highlights include:

The Ten Commandments
Idolatry Forbidden
Rules regarding Hebrew Servants
Personal Injury Laws
Property Laws
Laws of Social Responsibility
Justice and Mercy
Sabbath Laws
Feasts
People to be Lead and Protected by Angels

In Exodus 24:3,4 & 7 we find the record of God’s people agreeing to this “old” covenant with God: “When Moses came and told the people all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all responded with one voice: ‘All the words that the LORD has spoken, we will do.’ And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. … So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.’ “ [BSB]

Jeremiah foretold that a new covenant would eventually arrive. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” [Jeremiah 31:31 BSB]

After the “new” covenant was in place, we read a remarkable truth in Hebrews. We see it clearly spelled out that the new covenant made the old one obsolete. “By speaking of a new covenant, He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.” [Hebrews 8:13 BSB]

People read this in Hebrews and ask, “Do Christians even need to read the Old Testament?”

Christians should read the Old Testament

That is the short answer. There are a thousand ways to approach this question. One would be to read and enjoy the fine article by Jason S. DeRouchie (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) titled “10 Reasons the Old Testament Matters to Christians.” Lots there to chew on.

2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” If we want to know how to believe rightly, want to know when we are missing it in practice or missing it in what we teach — if we want to be instructed in righteous living — then we need to know Paul told Timothy that all scripture God revealed is profitable to those ends.

But make no mistake, there are several keys Bible readers need to use to understand what they are reading. For instance, we need to pay attention to the biblical — not necessarily the modern — use of words. We watch the context when we read the Bible. We factor in other references in the Bible regarding the same idea or incident. We need to consider that everything in the Bible is addressed to one or more of three groups — to Jews, Gentiles or the Church of God. If we are reading something addressed to the Jews under the old covenant, we need to check with the details of the new covenant to see if they still apply to us. There are many, many things in the Bible we can learn from, but that are not addressed to us. There are many things in the New Testament that were not even available to people living in Old Testament times. We need to pay attention to which “set of rules” were in effect relating to verses we are looking at.

Through it all, we can’t be sloppy or lazy with the Scriptures. We should line our efforts up with the admonition in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.”

Paul charged Timothy to do better than just quote words from the Bible. Perhaps a silly example, but just to make the point — a person might quote the Bible — “correctly” — by saying, “There is no God”. He could even give chapter and verse to support his claim. (Psalm 14:1). But — do you imagine such handling of Scripture would earn him God’s approval as a workman who accurately handles the word of truth? Hmmm.

Why memorize the books of the Bible?

In these amazing days of calculators, robot vacuum cleaners and online Bibles with search, you might well ask, “Why learn the books of the Bible?”. I hope you’ve already received good coaching — and seen benefits — of memorizing multiplication tables, basic spelling and rules of grammar. I hope you are learning to sing songs and that many of you are — or will — spend time learning to play a musical instrument. If I’m describing you, I’m confident you see value of mastering such skills, and would know you would benefit from learning the books of the Old & New Testaments by heart. I committed them to memory many years ago, and still draw on that often when I’m reading, teaching or just thinking about God’s wonderful Word.

I heard a fellow quip, “I tried to read the dictionary from cover to cover, but found it changed subjects so often I couldn’t follow it.” Unless you want to learn the books of the Bible, this song might strike you the same way. But you DO want to learn them, I just know it. And songs like this can help you get it done.

So, for kids of all ages who want to memorize the books of the Bible, I wish you well and I offer both the New Testament Books Song and this Old Testament Books Song.

God bless you lots
-Dale R.

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Download this song sheet

LYRICS – Old Testament Books song
Arranged by Dale Reichel (2024)

(Note – […]bold added to help sing the beat correctly 🙂)

Genesis, Exodus,
[Le]viticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy,
Joshua, Judges, Ruth,
First and Second Samuel.
First Kings, Second Kings,
First and Second Chronicles
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther,
Job, Psalms and Proverbs.
[Ec]clesiastes, Song of Solomon,
[I]saiah, Jeremiah,
[Lamen]tations, Ezekiel,
Daniel and Hosea.
Joel, Amos, [clap] Obadiah,
Jonah, Micah, Nahum,
Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai,
Zechariah, Malachi.

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