Old Testament Summary Chart When I was first saved, one of e most instructive sessions in church at I had was a guest speaker who summarized e Old Testament for us in about 45 minutes. The general information which he gave is below, which I have expanded. I do not recall is person s name, but e overview was very helpful to me. The dates given herein are not precise dates, but simply approximate time frames for you to hang your hat on. The Torah (e Law of Moses) + Job Approximately 6000 1400 B.C. Genesis Job Exodus Leviticus The book of beginnings: e ear, mankind, e Jews. Included are e seedlings of e most fundamental doctrines of e Bible. It is very difficult to study is book in detail and not come away wi e conclusion at is is e Word of God. The entire book of Genesis takes place prior to Moses. At e end of e book, e family of Jacob moves to Egypt because of a famine. They will live in Egypt for about 400 years, which is e chronological gap between e end of Genesis and e beginning of Exodus. A book of poetry about a man named Job who was tested by Satan, which testing God allowed. This probably took place prior to e life of Moses. This is an extremely tough book to exegete, as it is essentially a eological discussion between Job and 3 friends. I believe at e key to is book is, Job and his ree friends have a reasonable understanding of Who and What God is, and how God functions. However, what seems to be missing from eir understanding (and e key to e book of Job) is e proper application of eir understanding of God wi regards to e Angelic Conflict. We know from e very beginning at is book is all about e Angelic Conflict; however, at never appears to be taken into consideration by Job or any of his friends. God does enter into e picture at e end of e book to straighten everying out. The book of redemption and deliverance. The Jews living in Egypt had become enslaved by e Egyptians. God raises up Moses, a Jew raised up to be a ruler in Egypt; but who leaves Egypt and later returns to lead e Jews out of Egypt. This parallels Jesus Christ leading us from slavery to e sin nature and to e cosmic system into e Kingdom of God, represented by a land flowing wi milk and honey. What we see here is potential but not fulfillment. Key to is book is, ere are two generations of Jews: Gen X and e Generation of Promise. Gen X will have eir corpses scattered in e desert; e Generation of Promise will enter into e Land of Promise. Circa 1520 1440 B.C. Leviticus is e book of worship. The sacrifices and e ceremonial days are covered. The animal sacrifices all represent e dea of our Lord on e cross, which is why e animals used must be wiout spot and wiout blemish.
Numbers Deuteronomy The book of wanderings. After receiving e Law of God, e Jews go to Land of Promise, but back away in fear of ose in e land. God keeps ese Jews in e desert wilderness until e adult generation (Gen X) dies off. This leaves ose who were children at e time of e exodus or who were born after e exodus. This is e Generation of Promise. Circa 1440 1400 B.C. Summary of e Law. Moses, who is not allowed to go into e Land of Promise, speaks to e Jews, reminding em of e Law of God and what is expected of em once ey enter into e land of Canaan. There are several lengy sermons of Moses herein, and is book probably takes place over a mon or so. What is particularly remarkable about Deuteronomy is, in previous books, Moses is very careful to distinguish between e events which took place and e words of God. Deuteronomy are primarily e words of Moses, but ey are given wi e auority of God e Holy Spirit. Joshua Judges Ru The Jews Enter e Land of Promise 1400 1100 B.C. A book of success. Joshua leads e Jews into e Land of Promise and ey conquer e land and e peoples in it. One key verse: This book of e law will not depart from your mou, but you will study it day and night so at you may be careful to do all at is written in it, so at when you make your way, you will be prosperous and enjoy success (Joshua 1:8). Circa 1400 1390 B.C. A book of failures. The cyclical nature of e Jews in e land. They had freedom, ey would worship idols, God would discipline em by means of anoer nation, ey would call out for a deliverer; and God would send em a deliverer who would free em. Key verse: ere was no king in Israel in ose days, and every man did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 21:25). Circa 1390 1100 B.C. A book of fai and redemption. A Gentile woman (Ru, a Moabite) goes to Israel wi her moer-in-law after eir husbands have died, and eir misery and hardship is turned to blessing and prosperity rough e Kinsman- Redeemer, Boaz (a type of Christ). Alough Boaz is a type of Christ, so was Abraham, Joseph, Moses and Joshua before him. The United Kingdom 1100 930 B.C. 1Samuel 2Samuel 1Kings 1 11 Preparation. Samuel s ministry; Saul s reign; e life of David. st Establishment. David s reign. David represents Jesus Christ in His 1 and nd 2 Advents. Therefore, David is nearly constantly at war. The kingdom achieved. Solomon s reign. Solomon represents Jesus Christ in His millennial reign; erefore, e Tabernacle (a temporary place of residence), is replaced by e Temple, a permanent place of residence.
Literature of e Kingdom Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon These are poetry written primarily by David, but at least one was written by Moses; and many were written even a century or two after e time of David. Solomon wrote most is set of couplets about wisdom, and ey appear to have come from his notebook on lessons from his faer David. Solomon delves into philosophy. Solomon, despite have 1000 wives and mistresses, chases after is Shulamite woman, who rejects him. The relationship between a man and a woman is all about quality and not at all about quantity. The Kingdom Divided 930 586 B.C. 1Kings 12 22 2Kings 1 17 2Kings 18 25 1Chronicles 2Chronicles Division. The history of Israel (e 10 tribes in e Norern Kingdom) and Judah (e 2 tribes in e Souern Kingdom) is followed side-by-side in 1Kings 12 2Kings 17. Elijah is a prophet during e end of 1Kings. Major events and e kings of bo kingdoms are covered. Division. Elijah continues as a prophet at e beginning of 2Kings, en being replaced by Elisha. Major events and e kings of bo kingdoms are covered. Israel (e Norern Kingdom) undergoes e 5 Cycle of Discipline circa 721 B.C. (e 5 Cycle of Discipline is where God removes e Jews from e land). The Souern Kingdom s history and kings and prophets are recorded and we are taken from e fall of e Norern Kingdom down to e 5 Cycle of Discipline of Judah (e Souern Kingdom), circa 586 B.C. The Chronicles is God s Post Mortem. Chronicles, like Samuel and Kings, is actually one book. However, Chronicles is written after long e fact; from e dawn of man in e genealogies to e proclamation to return e Jews to e land after e dispersion of bo kingdoms. The first 9 or so chapters of 1Chronicles are genealogies; 1Chron. 10 picks up wi e dea of Saul and parallels e history of e last couple chapters of 1Samuel, and all of 2Samuel and 1 and 2Kings. Prophets to e Norern (apostate) Kingdom Joel (850 700 B.C.) Jonah (800 B.C.) Amos (780 755 B.C.) A great locust invasion of e land is e basis for Joel s warning to Israel, at eir land would be invaded. His ministry appeared to be successful. Jonah is really more of a prophet to Nineveh in Assyria, alough he was not at interested in at particular assignment. Jonah is one of e best known of e prophets, simply because God prepared a great fish which swallowed him for 3 days. However, few know much about Jonah apart from is. He represents e concept of heaen evangelism during e Age of Israel. Amos is one of e easiest prophets to place into time, as in e first verse, he identifies e kings of e Norern and Souern Kingdoms during his ministry. Amos warned bo Israel and Judah of judgment to come.
Prophets to e Norern (apostate) Kingdom Hosea (760 710 B.C.) Hosea s life wi Gomer, e woman he loves, parallel s God s relationship to Israel. Hosea s love was powerfully strong and could not be destroyed; Gomer s unfaifulness was wicked, hurtful, and resulted in her own undoing. We often wonder, why do we, as faiful believers in Jesus Christ, face incredible difficulties at time; an examination of is book may help to explain how God uses our personal pain and how He is able to comfort us. Prophets to e Souern Kingdom (which had good and bad kings) Micah (740 B.C.) Isaiah (740 680 B.C.) Obadiah (685 B.C.) Nahum (666 615 B.C.) Zephaniah (630 620 B.C.) Habakkuk (627 586 B.C.) Jeremiah (626 580 B.C.) and Lamentations Micah makes predictions concerning e destruction of Israel and Judah; however, souern kingdom kings are mentioned in e text. He warns of an attack by Assyria. Micah tells us at e Eternal Ruler will come out of Belehem. Isaiah had a long public ministry to several kings in Judah. His presentation of e gospel is clear and unmistakable in Isa. 53. He also presents e Trinity in Isa. 48:16. Isaiah is one of e greatest prophets of e Old Testament. Obadiah is e shortest book in e Old Testament, and some place him during e captivity and oers prior to. This deals wi Edom and e Day of e Lord. The date here is only a wild guess. Nahum warns of e eventual destruction of Nineveh. This should be taken as a parallel book to Jonah. Zephaniah warned of e impending judgment against Judah. Habakkuk is a contemporary of Jeremiah. Whereas Jeremiah seemed to be concerned at God s people would not turn from eir evil ways, Habakkuk seemed to be more concerned at God was not judging Judah more quickly. Jeremiah was one of e last prophets to warn Judah of its imminent discipline. He had a long public ministry. His book may be difficult for some, as it is not in chronological order. Interestingly enough, Jeremiah did not encourage e Jewish people to resist eir Babylonian captivity, when it became clear at ey would not refrain from eir evil. Jeremiah also wrote e book of Lamentations, his sad elegies about Israel being conquered. Like Isaiah, his ministry cannot be summed up in a few words. 70 Years in Captivity 586 516 B.C. The Prophets listed below wrote during e time at Judah was in captivity. However, even ough some Jews did return to e land under e edict of Cyrus, many remained outside e land, having been born and raised ere. The book of Eser deals wi ose who remained in e land.
Prophets While in Captivity Daniel (604 535 B.C.) Ezekiel (593 570 B.C.) Daniel is well known for his prophecies concerning e coming kingdoms, as well as giving us a time line for future events. Daniel s 70 Week is equivalent to e 7-year Tribulation. Ezekiel was a prophet to e people during eir Exile. God continued to speak to His people rough Ezekiel, despite e fact at ey were under e 5 Cycle of Discipline. Interestingly enough, we find many of e same Hebrew words in Leviticus and in Ezekiel. The Jews Return to e Land 516 400 B.C. Eser Ezra Nehemiah The Book of Eser, like e book of Haggai below, is dated according to e reign of Ahasuerus, e Persian king. Eser is one of e best known books among Jews, and rarely studied by Church Age believers. God is clearly involved in e lives of e Jews, but He acts in e background. I believe at is book, almost more an any oer, will evangelize e Jews at e beginning of e Tribulation. They will recognize e similarities between e Jews of is book (who do not even mention e God of eir faers) and ose Jews who are scatted roughout e world. Circa 483 479 B.C. We have e history of e Jews, from e time at Cyrus, king of Persia, conquered Babylon, and en allowed Ezra to return to e land and to build e Temple of God ere. Circa 538 457 B.C. Nehemiah was a high ranking official in Persia, and he chose to return to Jerusalem to build walls about e city. Circa 445 444 B.C. Prophets During e Return to e Land Haggai (520 B.C.) Zechariah (520 518 B.C.) Malachi (450 400 B.C.) Haggai was involved wi e building of e Temple. Alough Zechariah was a prophet to Judah when e remnant returned to e land, what stands out in my mind is Zech. 12:10: I will pour on e house of David, and on e inhabitants of Jerusalem, e spirit of grace and of supplication; and ey will look to me whom ey have pierced; and ey shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn. Malachi was e final prophet to Judah, bo in time, and in e Bible. There are approximately 400 years of silence between e testaments. There are no prophets after Malachi until John e Baptizer, e herald of e King. Then Jesus begins His public ministry. There is also a New Testament summary chart and a brief history of Israel available.