The booklet which is attached to this page of the WRF website was written by WRF member Gordon Woolard and it is offered here as a resource for WRF members around the world. As with other materials like this which we post on our website, the specific views presented in this material are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the WRF.

The title of this booklet is: A Royal Residence for the Prince of Peace: A Blueprint of the Structure of the Old Testament

To provide prospective readers with a sense of the content of the booklet, we offer below the introduction to the booklet.

Rev. Woolard may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Introduction -  A Way to Picture the Old Testament

For many years I’ve looked for a concrete way to picture the structure of the OT. As a facilitator for Langham Preaching International in French-speaking Africa, I’ve had the privilege of introducing hundreds of pastors and church leaders to the preaching of the grace of God from OT texts. (This booklet is not an L.P.I. textbook but simply draws on my experience as a teacher.)

It’s been a real challenge. Why? Certainly not because of the capacity of the students. They are both capable and passionate for Scripture. No, the challenge lies elsewhere.

Surveying the OT, we are impressed by its vast grandeur. It starts with the beginning of all things. The OT introduces a majestic Creator God and covers centuries of history. It also presents us with thousands of people with difficult names. It tells us of a complex religion lived out by people long ago. Yet, in spite of all these challenges, God the Father still tells His servants to preach the word.

2 Timothy 4: I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

To preach the word means to preach the Old Testament alongside the New Testament. Our assignment is clear: first, understand and then, teach this part of the Bible which tells the story of the work of God before the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I offer you in this booklet a way to understand the main framework of the OT.

This is not a commentary on all the books. Those brilliant commentaries already exist. Rather, this booklet introduces the two great themes of the Bible: the kingdom of God and the covenants of God.

We will see how these themes complement each other. From the perspective of the unity of these themes we will picture the OT as the construction of a royal residence for Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

For the moment, think of yourself as an architect while reading the Bible. An architect starts the project by looking at the big picture. All of the details will come along later. We, too, look at the as a vast building project of God. In the OT God gives us His plans for a royal palace, a home for the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:5). Let’s look at the overall design of this magnificent work to discover first the foundation, then the walls, and then the roof. Each chapter will reveal another part of the residence. When the whole palace is complete by the end of the OT, we’ll then be able to see how Jesus comes in the NT to claim His rightful place on his throne as Lord. Jesus is the accomplishment of the entire plan of God for our salvation.

So now, dear readers, get your hard hats on and let’s get to work! Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying,

Behold, the dwelling of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.

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