One of the important things to know when studying the Bible is that we need to see it as a big story.We can't just "parachute into" a passage without considering the place and time in the biblical narrative.  This overview/timeline of the Bible is fairly simple as Bible Timelines go, but it should be a helpful tool as you study the Bible and discern where you are in the larger story of God's plan unfolding from Genesis to Revelation. Looking at the full picture (at least, as much as God has chosen to reveal to us) may help you understand why God is saying what He is saying and doing what He is doing.  The large solid bar shows the division between Old Testament and New Testament.