Book excerpt: The central goal of studying God's Word is to know God better. Since God gave us the Bible as a written book that contains much history, He expects us to use literary and historical principles when we study it. In "The Bible in Its Context," we look at how to study God's Word for ourselves, by examining the context of Bible verses, whole-book context, cultural background, and some specific principles for understanding different kinds of writings found in the Bible (such as psalms, proverbs, laws, and prophecies). This book teaches essential principles for learning what God was saying to the first readers of the Bible, a necessary step in hearing how to apply God's message today.