It is one thing to "curse the darkness" of Bible ignorance, as we did in our last "News & Views"; it is another thing to "light a candle" that hopefully will help people to better understand the Bible, as we seek to do in today's "News & Views."
An overview of the Bible can be summarized on a single page of paper. Fifteen historical periods make up the Bible. With a knowledge of these fifteen periods, one can turn to any book of the Bible and have a general idea of what it is about. These fifteen periods are listed below, with the Bible books and chapters in blue that provide the continuing story line of the Bible and the books and chapters in orange that cover corollary and supplementary matters occurring during that period. The earnest student of the Bible should reduce these fifteen periods of Bible history to a single page of paper and attach it to the inside cover of his or her Bible as a quick reference to the Bible's contents.
1. Creation and Early Civilization (Genesis 1-5).
2. Noah and the Flood (Genesis 6-11).
3. Lives of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph) (Genesis 12 -15). (The Book of Job likely belongs to this period).
4. Israelites in Egypt and the Wilderness (Exodus – Deuteronomy).
5. Israelites Enter the Land of Canaan (Joshua).
6. Israelites Ruled by Judges (Judges; I Samuel 1-8;Ruth).
7. Israelites Constitute One United Kingdom under Saul, David, and Solomon (I Samuel 9 – II Samuel 24; I Kings 1-11; I Chronicles 1 – II Chronicles 9). (The Books of Psalms [for the most part], Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon belong to this period).
8. Israelites Divide into Two Kingdoms:Israel/Northern Kingdom (10 Tribes, with Capital at Samaria); Judah/Southern Kingdom (2 Tribes, with Capital at Jerusalem) (I Kings 12 – II Kings 25; II Chronicles 10-36). (Elijah and Elisha were two of the major oral prophets during this period. The following books of the literary prophets [in the likely order of each prophet's ministry] belong to this period: Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Lamentations).
9. Israelites into Captivity: (Israel into Assyrian Captivity in 722 B.C.; Judah into Babylonian Captivity in 606 B. C.) (Ezekiel; Daniel deal withJudah's captivity and promised return to Canaan).
10. Judah Returns from Babylon to Canaan (Ezra; Nehemiah; Esther). (The following books of the literary prophets belong to this period: Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi). (Note: Chronologically, the Old Testament ends with the book of Nehemiah; every book coming after it can be taken back and placed somewhere in the framework of events covered from Genesis through Nehemiah, as we have attempted to do above).
11. The 430 Years Between the Old and New Testaments.
12. The Earthly Life and Ministry of Christ (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).
13. Beginning and Growth of the Church (Acts)
14. Christianity Applied: Individually and Congregationally (Romans – Jude).
15. The Ultimate Victory of the Church (Revelation).
May Speaking Schedule:
May 6-9: Center Hill Church of Christ, Florence,AL
May 20: Nashville Road Church of Christ, Gallatin,TN (all services)
May 23: Nashville Road Church of Christ, Gallatin,TN
May 27: Portland Church of Christ, Portland, TN(all services)
Hugh Fulford
May 1, 2012
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