Christians should have a good reference book at arm’s length on the subject of bibliology (the study of the nature, origin and reliability of the Bible). A General Introduction to the Bible by Geisler and Nix does a great job in filling this need.
The book is not a small book (it weighs in at a healthy 724 pages). However, it is a great resource. In addition to the chapters themselves, there are plenty of charts, photographs, indexes, a glossary, and a well annotated bibliography.
The book is divided up into four major parts,
Part one: Inspiration of the Bible
Part two: Canonization of the Bible
Part three: Transmission of the Bible
Part four: Translation of the Bible
You will find the authors articulating the traditional evangelical view of verbal plenary inspiration. Their chapters on the claims of inspiration in the Old and New Testaments are particularly helpful. They also interact in some detail with the divergent views on revelation and inspiration.
Canonization tends to be a bit of a blind spot for evangelicals. The authors do a terrific job in articulating a God-centered and historically consistent view of canonization. This is obviously quite helpful in light of the contemporary fascination with Gnostic writings. One quote that is particularly helpful:
“Canonicity is determined by God. A book is not inspired because men made it canonical; it is canonical because God inspired it. It is not the antiquity, authenticity, or religious community that makes a book canonical or authoritative. On the contrary, a book is valuable because it is canonical, and not canonical because it is or was considered valuable. Inspiration determines canonization, and confusion at the point not only dulls the edge of authority but it mistakes the effect (a canonical book) for the cause (inspiration of God). Canonicity is determined or established authoritatively by God; it is merely discovered by man.” (p. 221)
A General Introduction to the Bible is a great resource to further equip and encourage you as to the ways and means by which God has given us his world.