Know Your Bible – Part 2
A Survey of God’s Word
To gain a better understanding of the Bible we must be able to…
1)Understand the layout of the Bible
2)Identify key people of the Bible
3) Locate key places of the Bible
4) Understand key events and subjects of the Bible
5) Understand the historical stages of the Bible
Understanding the Layout:
Old Testament (4 sections) – covers about 3,600 years (4,000 B.C. – 400 B.C.)
1)The Law (Pentateuch; Books of Moses) – Genesis—Deuteronomy
2)History – Joshua—Esther
3)Poetry (Wisdom Books) – Job—Song of Solomon
4)Prophecy – Isaiah—Malachi
New Testament (4 sections) – covers about 100 years (4 B.C. – 95 A.D.)
1)Gospels – Matthew—John
2)History – Acts
3)Epistles – Romans—Jude
4)Prophecy – Revelation
Identifying Key People:
Aside from the names of God which are found more than 10,000 times in the Bible and the names of Christ which are found about 1,400 times in the Bible, these are the names mentioned most frequently in the Bible. Let’s call them the “Bible’s Top Twenty People.”
1. David (1,118 times)8. Joseph (214)15. Hezekiah (124)
2. Moses (804)9. Joshua (201)16. Elijah (95)
3. King Saul (388)10. Peter (183)17. Ezekiel (93)
4. Aaron (339)11. Paul (180)18. Nebuchadnezzar (91)
5. Abraham (307)12. Joab (138)19. King Ahab & John the Baptist (90)
6. Solomon (297)13. Jeremiah & Samuel (134)20. Daniel (87)
7. Jacob (252)14. Isaac (128)
(Source: Harold Willmington, Willmington’s Bible Handbook, 860)
Locating Key Places:
Important Old Testament Places
1. Genesis – Garden of Eden, Babel, Ur, Canaan, Egypt
2. Exodus—Deuteronomy – Egypt, Red Sea, Mt.Sinai
3. Joshua—1 Kings - Jordan River, Canaan, Jerusalem
4. 2 Kings—Malachi – Assyria, Babylon, Nineveh
Important New Testament Places
1. Matthew—John – Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem, Capernaum, Sea of Galilee, Judea, Samaria
2. Acts—Revelation –Jerusalem, Antioch, Asia Minor, Corinth, Athens, Rome
Understanding Key Events and Subjects:
Genesis 1-11 – Creation, Fall of Man, the Flood, Tower of Babel
Genesis 12-50 – Lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
Exodus – Plagues, Israel freed from slavery, the Law, the tabernacle
Leviticus—Numbers – Instructions for worship, wilderness wanderings
Deuteronomy – Final instructions of Moses
Joshua – Conquest of the Promised Land
Judges – Israel’s rebellion, Samson, Gideon
Ruth – Marriage of Boaz and Ruth
1 Samuel—1 Kings 11 – United Kingdom under Saul, David, and Solomon
1 Kings 12—2 Chronicles – DividedKingdom and captivity
Ezra—Esther – Return and restoration of the Jews
Job – Suffering of a saint and the sovereignty of God
Psalms – Songs of worship
Proverbs – Wisdom for daily life
Ecclesiastes – Search for the meaning of life
Song of Solomon – Celebration of love
Isaiah—Jeremiah – Final warnings and promise of restoration
Lamentations – Grieving and learning from Israel’s fall
Ezekiel – Israel in captivity and promise of restoration
Daniel – Israel in captivity, future world empires, and the Messiah
Hosea – God’s love for Israel
Joel--Amos – Warnings of judgment and promise of the Messiah
Obadiah – Judgment on Edom
Jonah – A disobedient prophet and revival in Nineveh
Micah – Warning to Judah
Nahum – Judgment on Nineveh
Habakkuk—Zephaniah – Judgment and restoration of Judah
Haggai—Zechariah - Encouragement to rebuild temple
Malachi – Warning to Israel after restoration and promise of the Messiah
Malachi—Matthew – No Scripture written; 400 silent years
Matthew—John – Life and ministry of Christ, His death and resurrection
Acts – Early history of the church and spread of the Gospel
Romans—Jude – Letters to Christians; doctrinal and practical teaching
Revelation – God’s plan for the future
Understanding the Historical Stages of the Bible:
4,000 – 2165 B.C. Creation StageGenesis 1-11
2165 – 1804 B.C.Patriarchal StageGenesis 12-50; Job
1804 – 1405 B.C.Exodus StageExodus—Deuteronomy
1405 – 1382 B.C.Conquest StageJoshua
1382 – 1043 B.C.Judges StageJudges—1 Samuel 7
1043 – 931 B.C.United Kingdom Stage1 Samuel 8—1 Kings 11;
1 Chronicles—2 Chronicles 9;
Psalms—Song of Solomon
931 – 605 B.C.Divided Kingdom Stage1 Kings 12—2 Kings; 2 Chron. 10—36;
Isaiah—Lam.; Hosea—Zephaniah
605 – 538 B.C.Captivity StageDaniel—Ezekiel
538 – 400 B.C.Return StageEzra—Esther; Haggai—Malachi
400 – 4 B.C.Inter-testament StageNo Bible books written
4 B.C. – A.D. 30Gospel StageMatthew—John
A.D.30 – 68Early Church StageActs
A.D.45 – 100Epistle StageRomans—Revelation
Know Your Bible – Part 2
A Survey of God’s Word
To gain a better understanding of the Bible we must be able to…
1)Understand______of the Bible
2)Identify______of the Bible
3) Locate______of the Bible
4) Understand______of the Bible
5) Understand______of the Bible
Understanding the Layout:
Old Testament (4 sections) – covers about 3,600 years (4,000 B.C. – 400 B.C.)
1)The Law (Pentateuch; Books of Moses) – ______
2)History – ______
3)Poetry (Wisdom Books) – ______
4)Prophecy – ______
New Testament (4 sections) – covers about 100 years (4 B.C. – 95 A.D.)
1)Gospels – ______
2)History – ______
3)Epistles – ______
4)Prophecy – ______
Identifying Key People:
Aside from the names of God which are found more than 10,000 times in the Bible and the names of Christ which are found about 1,400 times in the Bible, these are the names mentioned most frequently in the Bible. Let’s call them the “Bible’s Top Twenty People.”
1. ______(1,118 times)8. ______(214)
2. ______(804)9. ______(201)
3. ______(388)10. ______(183)
4. ______(339)11. ______(180)
5. ______(307)12. ______(138)
6. ______(297)13. ______(134)
7. ______(252)14. ______(128)
15. ______(124)18. ______(91)
16. ______(95)19. ______(90)
17. ______(93)20. ______(87)
(Source: Harold Willmington, Willmington’s Bible Handbook, 860)
Locating Key Places:
Important Old Testament Places
1. Genesis – ______
2. Exodus—Deuteronomy – ______
3. Joshua—1 Kings – ______
4. 2 Kings—Malachi – ______
Important New Testament Places
1. Matthew—John – ______
______
2. Acts—Revelation – ______
______
Understanding Key Events and Subjects:
Genesis 1-11 – ______
Genesis 12-50 – ______
Exodus – ______
Leviticus—Numbers – ______
Deuteronomy – ______
Joshua – ______
Judges – ______
Ruth – ______
1 Samuel—1 Kings 11 – ______
1 Kings 12—2 Chronicles – ______
Ezra—Esther – ______
Job – ______
Psalms – ______
Proverbs –______
Ecclesiastes – ______
Song of Solomon – ______
Isaiah—Jeremiah – ______
Lamentations – ______
Ezekiel – ______
Daniel – ______
Hosea – ______
Joel--Amos – ______
Obadiah – ______
Jonah – ______
Micah – ______
Nahum – ______
Habakkuk—Zephaniah – ______
Haggai—Zechariah – ______
Malachi – ______
Malachi—Matthew – ______
Matthew—John – ______
Acts – ______
Romans—Jude – ______
Revelation – ______
Understanding the Historical Stages of the Bible:
4,000 – 2165 B.C. ______StageGenesis 1-11
2165 – 1804 B.C.______StageGenesis 12-50; Job
1804 – 1405 B.C.______StageExodus—Deuteronomy
1405 – 1382 B.C.______StageJoshua
1382 – 1043 B.C.______StageJudges—1 Samuel 7
1043 – 931 B.C.______Stage1 Samuel 8—1 Kings 11;
1 Chronicles—2 Chronicles 9;
Psalms—Song of Solomon
931 – 605 B.C.______Stage1 Kgs. 12—2 Kgs; 2 Chr. 10-36;
Isaiah—Lam.; Hos.—Zeph.
605 – 538 B.C.______StageDaniel—Ezekiel
538 – 400 B.C.______StageEzra—Esther; Haggai—Malachi
400 – 4 B.C.______StageNo Bible books written
4 B.C. – A.D. 30______StageMatthew—John
A.D.30 – 68______StageActs
A.D.45 – 100______StageRomans—Revelation