The Bible is somewhat like a library because it is actually a collection of books. Those books were written over many centuries, and they were only gradually brought together into their present form.

The first “collection” was probably the first five books of the Bible (often called the “Torah,” which is the Hebrew word for God’s Law). As time went on, other books were added, including some that told about God’s dealings with His people, as well as the prophets and other writings. The whole Old Testament was finished about four centuries before the time of Jesus. Only a few decades after His ministry, the books of the New Testament were written and then accepted by Christians.

The most important fact about the Bible, however, is that God watched over its writing and He has preserved it down to the present time. The Bible isn’t just another ancient book of human wisdom—it is God’s Word, given to us to tell us how we can know God. The Bible says, “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).

What place does the Bible have in your life? God wants to speak to you through its pages—are you listening? Most of all, He wants you to come to know Him by discovering Jesus Christ, who is the Bible’s center.