WORDS OF FAITH
“… nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine …”
1 Tim. 4:6
Central Church of Christ
January 22, 2012
Number 73
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A Valuable Basic Outline Of The Bible Part 2
V. AND FOUR SUB-DIVISIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
There are the 4 books commonly called “the gospel” – Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John, written to convince. There is the book
of Acts, written to convert men to the gospel of Jesus Christ. There
are the 21 epistles (Romans through Jude) written to confirm. And,
there is the Revelation, written to console.
VI. AND WITH FIFTEEN NATURAL PERIODS
1. The ante-diluvian, from the creation to the flood.
2. The post-diluvian, from the flood to the call of Abram, l921 B.C.
3. The patriarchal, from the call of Abram (l921 B.C.) to
the descent of Jacob’s family into Egypt (1706 B.C.).
4. The Egyptian period, from the descent into Egypt (1706
B.C.) to the crossing of the Red Sea (the Exodus, 1491 B.C.).
5. The period of Wandering, from the crossing of the Red
Sea to the crossing of the Jordan River (in 1451 B.C.).
6. The period of Conquest, from the crossing of the Jordan
to the appointment of the first Judge (1431 B.C.).
7. The period of the Judges, from the appointment of the
first Judge to the establishment of the Kingdom (in l095 B.C.).
8. The period of the United Kingdom, from the establishment
of the Kingdom (1095 B.C.) to the division of
the Kingdom (in 975 B.C.).
9. The Divided Kingdom, from the division of the Kingdom
(975 B.C.) to the fall of Samaria (in 722 B.C.)
10. The period of Judah Alone, from the fall of Samaria
(722 B.C.) to the fall of Jerusalem (in 586 B.C.).
11. The period of the Captivity, from the fall of Jerusalem
(in 586 B.C.) to the decree of Cyrus the Great (in
536 B.C.). [The captivity proper began in 606 B.C.
with the first carrying away, notice the “seventy
years of Jeremiah’s prophecy (Jer. 29:10; Dan. 9:2). – Editor]
12. The period of Restoration, from the decree of Cyrus (in
536 B.C.) to the end of Nehemiah’s great career (in 432 B.C.).
13. The period Between the Testaments, from the end of
Nehemiah’s career (432 B.C.) to the coming of John
the Baptizer (A.D. 26).
14. The Period of the Christ, from the coming of John the
Baptizer, to Pentecost of Acts 2.
15. The Period of the Church, from Pentecost of Acts 2 to
the close of the Revelation (perhaps A.D. 96).
This is the great basic outline of the Bible, upon which is
fastened every person and every event dealt in the Bible. How important
it is for us to know this outline!
We have sought to emphasize (as a basic tool in our studying
and learning and living and teaching the Bible) : that the Bible
is one book, made up of two major divisions, and three dispensations,
with four subdivisions in the Old Testament, and four subdivisions
in the New Testament, and with fifteen distinct, natural divisions
or periods. This we submit as a “Skeleton Outline of the Bible.”
– Roy Deaver, “How Effective Proper Bible Study Promotes
And Prevents Change” in Changes In The Church Of Christ,
Bellview Church of Christ, 1994, pg. 53-56.