The Wisdom Books Outlined and Introduced Now Available

Last week my fourth book was released, titled, The Wisdom Books Outlined and Introduced: For Parents, Pastors, and Other Practitioners of God’s Word (available for purchase here: https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Books-Outlined-Introduced-Practitioners/dp/1934952869). Published by Kress Biblical Resources, and based on the Old Testament teaching outlines that many have come to know and love, the purpose of this book (like the first in the series) is to equip Christians to study and teach verse by verse through the Old Testament—the Wisdom literature of the Bible in particular, in this case. This is another volume intended to be a “legacy” resource—one pulled off the shelf regularly over the years—and thus printed in hardcover form so as to retain its quality and shape. If you’re a parent, my hope is that you would use this book to disciple your son, and then give it to him so he can do likewise with his son. For those more technologically-minded though, the book is also available in Kindle edition.

Although the Wisdom books are among the most read and beloved in all of Scripture, it’s possible that some of the meaning has been lost in familiarity. I think this is especially true for Psalms and Proverbs, which are often treated like a random assortment of passages. Beyond that, Job and Ecclesiastes have been known to leave the casual reader with more questions than answers. Finally, there’s no shortage of egregious misinterpretation when it comes to the Song of Solomon, as the subject matter is handled in a wide variety of ways. My hope is to help in all of these ways. In taking a “forest and trees” approach, the book provides an introduction/overview of each Wisdom book (providing the “forest”) followed by an outline of every section of the book (providing the “trees”). In my estimation, this provides the best of both worlds, helping the reader understand the major themes and flow of each of the Wisdom books, followed by a detailed—yet not complex—framework to walk through the entire book and see how it unfolds.

My thoughts for the project are summarized in the preface I wrote:

For those committed to verse-by-verse exposition, the road is long, but the time is short.

As it’s been well said, it takes a whole Bible to make a whole Christian. Thus, knowing and teaching the full counsel of God ought to be our life’s ambition. At the same time, the reality of our own mortality, in addition to the imminence of Christ’s return, means that any moment could be our last.

If you feel the weight of this predicament, these outlines and introductions have been prepared precisely for you. They’re intended to expedite your efforts to understand and communicate God’s Word in an accurate and efficient way.

In the course of my own study, I’ve found that some Bible outlines are more homiletical or devotional in nature, working well for deriving spiritual principles from the text. Unfortunately, they often utilize generic language that doesn’t help the reader grapple with the particulars of the passages. On the opposite end, there are outlines that are much more exegetical in nature, interacting with Scripture at a precise and granular level. Unfortunately, these tend to yield complicated, multi-layered outlines that lose connection with the overall theological developments of the book. The outlines and introductions provided here have been written to strike a balance between these.

First, the introductions are intended to help the reader understand each book of the Bible as a whole, following its progression, themes, and purpose. In each introductory narrative, my goals are as follows: touch on the historical context, explain the major movements, provide subtle hints for interpreting difficult passages, give direction for doctrines that can be derived from the text, explain redemptive elements particularly as they relate to Christ, and briefly connect the book to believers today for reflection and application.

Then, the outlines are intended to help the reader break down each section, not only to comprehend the material, but also to provide a structure for teaching others. The outlines have been intentionally kept at only two tiers for each section: a main heading and sub-headings. The main heading in each section gives the primary theme, and in some cases (especially with larger books) is written to show the way in which it is connected to other sections. The sub-headings are provided to show how the section is divided up into its supporting points. The simplicity of this format is intentional.

With that in mind, there’s no doubt that you’ll also need to consult other works, such as commentaries, lexicons, atlases, and other Bible resources, as you prepare to teach God’s Word. But with the help of these introductions and outlines, my hope is that you would quickly feel equipped and confident to carry out the task. The road is long, but the time is short.

As one who knows what it's like to sit in front of an open Bible, feeling as lost as the Ethiopian eunuch (cf. Acts 8:30-31), I never want anyone else to feel like that. With the right help, the Bible can be understood—I know because I’ve lived that reality. Of course, some passages are more difficult to understand than others. Even the Apostle Peter recognized that (cf. 2 Pet. 3:16). But difficult doesn’t mean impossible. Hard to understand doesn’t mean impossible to understand. And if we really believe that “all Scripture is… profitable” (2 Tim. 3:16), then we must conclude that all Scripture is knowable. In fact, we should strive to have thorough knowledge of Scripture. Especially when it comes to the Wisdom books, there is far more below the surface than a daily reading on a surface level might suggest. I hope you see some of those well-worn paths of Scripture in an even greater light with the help of this resource.

Finally, it’s been my honor and privilege to have endorsements for the book from the following men:

Josh Niemi has provided a great resource for every teacher in the church, but especially Christian parents who desire to teach the whole counsel of God to their children. As a parent, I often found teaching parts of the Old Testament to my children to be a challenge. Unlike any other resource I have seen, The Wisdom Books Outlined and Introduced is careful exposition of Old Testament wisdom literature that will help you teach it to young and old alike in a way that is faithful, understandable, and accessible. Whether you have taught OT wisdom literature before or have avoided it because it seems too complex, this book is for you.
Tom Buck, pastor, First Baptist Church, Lindale, Texas

Josh Niemi has served Christ's church with a work that will prove helpful to pastors, to teachers, to Biblical counselors, and to Bible students of all levels. Clearly a lot of thought has been invested in producing pithy introductions and distinctive, memorable, clarifying outlines of these rich books of the Bible. As I read, I often marveled at Josh's gift for catching the flow of the Biblical text, and framing it in striking, insightful, and memorable form, using the time-proven (and Biblical!) device of alliteration. For readers who, like me, are more accustomed to alphanumeric outlines, it is easy work to convert Josh's hard work to that form. Recommended!
Dan Phillips, pastor, Copperfield Bible Church, Houston, Texas; author of The World-Tilting Gospel (Kregel: 2011), and God’s Wisdom in Proverbs (Kress Biblical Resources: 2011)

In The Wisdom Books: Outlined and Introduced, Josh Niemi (continuing the series he began with The Prophets Outlined and Introduced) provides his readers with cogent introductions to, and clear outlines of, the theologically rich but sometimes perplexing wisdom books of the Old Testament. The introductions provide the reader with a helpful “flow-of-thought” overview of the books, highlighting main themes and pointing the reader to the biblical writers’ intent and purpose. When covering larger portions of text (like the speeches in Job) the outlines make dense sections more manageable; when dealing with shorter portions (like many Psalms) the outlines are like effective “signposts” of the content; others insightfully trace the theme of the passage (i.e. the outline of Proverbs 15). This book will serve as a trusted resource for parents (and grandparents) who are serious about giving their children an accurate overview about, and a doctrinally sound précis of, these important Old Testament books. It will also serve as a handy (and valuable) reference guide for any student of the Word.
Kevin Zuber, author of The Essential Scriptures; Professor of Theology, Chairman of the Theology Department, The Master’s Seminary

It’s my honor and privilege to be counted among these men.

Lord willing, more volumes will be out in the years to come, ultimately equipping believers to study and teach through the entire Old Testament. Pray for me. The road is long, but the time is short.