The Old Testament was written, mainly in Hebrew, from probably around 1500BC-1300BC to 400BC.

It has 4 distinct sections:

• The Pentateuch or "five books"(1) covers the period from the creation of the world until the exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt.  It begins, logically enough, with the creation and then explains the entry of sin into the perfect world that God had made, and the curse that followed.  The rest of it traces God's love in choosing and guiding a holy ("set apart") people for himself.  It describes the flood and how Noah with his family alone was saved.  Then it traces the establishment of God's covenant with Abraham and a "warts and all" account of the lives of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.  The bulk of the latter part of this section is concerned with the giving of the law by God on Mount Sinai, including the 10 commandments, and the establishment of the worship in the Tabernacle.  It ends with the death of Moses, with Israel about to enter the "promised land" of Canaan.
• Next are a number of other historical books, covering God's dealings with his people from the conquest of the "promised land" of Canaan, through the time of the Judges; the establishment of the kingdom of Israel - first under Saul, and then by David; the civil war after the period of the great king Solomon and the subsequent division of the kingdom; the lives of the kings of the divided nation - Israel to the north, and Judah to the south; the eventual decline and exile of first Israel, to Assyria, and then Judah, to Babylon; and an account of the return of the much-chastened "remnant" with Zerubbabel and, later, Ezra and Nehemiah.
• The Old Testament also contains various books of poetry and "wisdom":
  • There is poetry interspersed throughout it, of course.  However, Job, the Psalms, Proverbs and the Song of Solomon are distinctively poetic, while providing many lessons in, for example, prayer, right worship, God's gift of love between men and women, and understanding suffering and God's dealings with men. 
  • Similarly, the Old Testament contains many wise sayings and much good advice.  However, particular collections of such wisdom can be found in Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes.  They each have distinct themes, but urge the reader to fear God and to make him central to his life.
• The writings of the prophets make up about one-third of the Old Testament.  There are 4 "major" (longer) prophetic books(2) and 12 "minor" (shorter) ones.  The prophets were men through whom God spoke directly to his people.  They lived mainly just prior to, and during, the time of the exile; their main theme is to warn the people of the consequence of sin, and to urge a return to God.  While much of what they have to say is full of dread and judgement, there is also much encouragement and hope as they speak of the promises of God to bring the people back to him and to send the Messiah (the "anointed one") who would save his people from their sins.

One key to understanding the Old Testament is provided by Jesus himself.  "Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."(3).  The Old Testament points forward to the coming of the Messiah, who is revealed in the New Testament to be the Lord Jesus Christ.