Is the Bible Chronological?

Attempting to read the Bible as if it is in chronological order can cause a lot of confusion...

Is the Bible Chronological? The word "Genesis" literally means "beginning," or "origin." And the very end of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, gives an account of the "end times," or what we can expect in the future. So, beginning with the first book of the Bible, it might seem as if the Holy Scriptures could be in historical order. The 66 books of the Bible, however, are divided into different forms of literature, and not listed entirely in chronological order. Reading the Bible as if it is in chronological order can cause confusion, especially when reading the Old Testament. When we understand how each of the books fit together, we are able to look beyond the individual stories and see the one incredible Divine narrative that weaves throughout all of Scripture. While presented in 66 individual books, the Bible tells one story, where many people are characters, but the ultimate focus is on the one true King who created, loves, and redeems His people.  LEARN MORE ABOUT iBIBLE Where do these 66 books fit into the timeline of the Divine narrative? The Old Testament The first five books of the Bible make up what is called the "Pentateuch," or the "Torah," meaning "Teaching." These books, penned by Moses, give an account of God's work among His people. It includes the creation account, the patriarchs, the Exodus from Egypt, the history of the establishment of God's people (the Israelites), and the law given by God to Moses, among many other things. Many of the stories we tell our children come from these five books, like Noah's Ark, and the story of Joseph.  Next in the Bible, we have twelve books of history, spanning from when the Israelites enter the Promised Land with Joshua (13th c. BC) to the Israelite's return after the Babylonian Captivity, and the rebuilding of the temple with Nehemiah (around 400 BC). These books tell of the history of the Israelites, the descendants of Abraham. In these books, we also read about David, the man after God's own heart, and Solomon, the wisest man to ever live. We read about battles, betrayals, God's judgment on those who were rebellious, and His provision for those who loved Him.  After the historical books, the remaining three sections of the Old Testament, as worded by DTS Professor, Dr. Yarbrough, "Can be picked up and dropped into the books of history." The books of Poetry (5 books), Major Prophets (5 books), Minor Prophets (12 books) all occur within the time span of the historical books. These sections are where we find the poetry of David and wisdom of Solomon, we find the prophecies not only about the Jewish people, but also of the coming Messiah. All throughout the Old Testament, the Scriptures point to Jesus's coming. He would fulfill all that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all of Israel. God had a plan that would end with His people being saved forever.  All throughout the Old Testament, the Scriptures point to Jesus's coming. The New Testament The ministry of Malachi (420 BC), was the last prophecy included in the Old Testament. About 400 years passed between the completion of the Old Testament and when Jesus was born. 400 years of waiting, yet God did what He said He would do: He sent a Savior for the salvation of His people. The New Testament begins with the four Gospel accounts. Written by the apostles, these four books detail the life and ministry of Jesus, His miraculous birth, His incredible teachings, His life, and His death. In the same way that the Old Testament began with the history of God's people, the New Testament begins with the true history of the fulfillment of His promise made to His people. These books tell the same story of Jesus, each from a different perspective, some including different stories of the work of Jesus, or providing different details during the same timeframe.  After the Gospels, we find the book of Acts. Some Bible translations call this book "The Acts of the Apostles." And that is just what it is: the historical events following Jesus's life and ministry and the establishment of the church through the apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit. Missionary journeys, miracles, and martyrs, the book of Acts reveals God's provision for His church as it begins to grow. Following these historical books, we find 21 letters written to the early churches. These letters contain wisdom, instruction, interpretation of the Old Testament, and teachings. God used His apostles to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to the entire world, writing down their messages for the benefit of the whole church—even to this day!  Finally, the last book in the Bible is the book of Revelation. It is the only book of apocalyptic literature in the Bible. Though there is much debate about how the book should be interpreted, and what exactly each image means, the book of Revelation shows what will happen when Jesus returns. The message, at its core, is simple: Jesus wins.  Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecies, the promised Son–the one who was, and is, and is to come. Jesus is the Word of God, and the Word of God testifies to Him. iBIBLE is the first Bible of its kind. It will reveal the one true story of God's plan in chronological order. Each story is beautifully animated, and told with dramatic audio. The unfolding of the Divine story in a visually engaging, narrative format will open the Scriptures to those who cannot read, who cannot hear, and those who have otherwise never engaged with a written Bible. And, iBIBLE only uses Scripture for its scripts, making it an accurate representation of the Biblical accounts, and allowing teachers, parents, and grandparents to offer interpretation.  iBIBLE reveals the story of God's unfailing love for His people. And, following the Great Commission, iBIBLE is a tool to bring the Good News to the ends of the earth. Every chapter of iBIBLE will be made available to the global missions community for free so that it can be translated into any language.  Join with us today, and consider making a generous contribution to fund the creation of iBIBLE. With your help, we will bring the one true story of God's incredible love to the entire world.  SUPPORT THE PRODUCTION OF iBIBLE Be a Part of the iBIBLE Team iBIBLE will present the entire Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, in a format that has the potential to reach people speaking the 7,000+ living languages of the world. With your help, we can completely and freely distribute iBIBLE to the global missions community, and to the world. Become a part of this historical revolution in Bible distribution today! As our thank you for being such an integral part of our team, we will send you an iBIBLE gift pack which includes a selection of DVDs, books, and an iBIBLE T-shirt. It's our way of showing our appreciation for your generosity. SUPPORT THE PRODUCTION OF iBIBLE Follow us on Social Media Copyright © 2021 RevelationMedia, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. 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