KNOWING YOUR BIBLE
October, 17, 2021: Dear Friends: Today we will continue our series on learning about people that are important in biblical history. This series started on August 22,2021 and can be found by going to the website above and returning to the August 22 blog. Progress forward to review the series through today’s series.
Learning about different biblical characters broadens perspective and knowledge as one progresses in learning the Bible. Often, in Bible verses, names of different persons will be written about several hundred years after the person mentioned lived on earth.
For newcomers to this blog, another series on learning the Bible is written in the April 11, 2021 blog and extends through the July 4, 2021 blog. This series of blogs discuss how to learn the books of the Bible, how to search for to read Bible verses, the organization of the books of the Bible, the approximate timeline of when the events written in the books of the Bible occurred and how the books of the Bible are related. Again, return to the April 11 blog, and progress forward to the July 4th blog, to review and focus on learning the Bible.
There are many ways the books of the Bible are related. When first trying to learn the Bible, confusion may arise over how the books of the Bible are related. After all, there are 66 books in the Bible, 39 in the Old Testament, and 27 in the New Testament. The books were written by one or more authors covering a timeline of hundreds of years. One might ask, “What does the book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament, have in common with the book of Hebrews in the New Testament.?”
This author chose to write about how common geographic sites that are found throughout the books of the Bible help connect the books together. Also noteworthy, is that there are many common words and ideas that transverse throughout the Bible conveying common beliefs and thoughts that influence thinking and actions. Common words that God used in inspiring the writers of the books to write, (2nd Timothy, verses 16-17), tell its readers how God wants us to think and act, illustrating another way the books of the Bible are related.
During learning about the organization of the Bible books as well as the timeline of when the events that happened in the books, try to think about where in the organizational chart is the book listed and when the book the verse was written in, was written. When reading a verse in a particular book of the Bible, one may realize that the book the verse is in is a law book, a history book, a wisdom book, and so on; and that the writing took place 700 BCE, or 70 AD and so on. This knowledge helps to broaden one’s perspective when trying to learn the Bible. Perspective in understanding the Bible will be learned.
Last week”s blog was focused on Moses, his life and actions as a major leader of the Israelite’s in early biblical history. The leading of the Israelite’s out of slavery and bondage in Egypt was a major historic event in the Old Testament and is referred to in several of the books of the Bible. It has been thought that Moses composed most of the 1st 5 books of the Bible, Genesis through Deuteronomy, referred to as the Law Books. He also composed some of the Psalm, chapters 90-95. The events that occurred in these books happened approximately in the 1400 BCE timeline.
During Bible study this week, read more chapters in Exodus, from chapter 14 through chapter 28. If time allows read as many of the chapters left to read in Exodus. Note that the 10 commandments are written in chapter 20. Spend time contemplating on what has been read.
A few Bible verses referring to Moses and the leading of the Israelite’s from Egypt will be listed below. Use the timeline in the April-July series on when the book that the verse is in was written. Then estimate how many years had past since Moses had lived on earth when the book the verse was in was written. This exercise will help in reinforcing the knowledge that is being learned when reading the Bible. MAY GOD BLESS YOUR BIBLE STUDY THIS WEEK! BIBLE VERSES: Joshua, chapter 34, verse 5; Judges, chapter 1, verse 5; 1st Samuel, chapter 10, verse 18; and chapter 12, verses 6-8; 1st Kings, chapter 8, verse 53; Jeremiah, chapter 2, verse 6; Amos, chapter 2, verse 10; and Micah, chapter 6, verse 4.