THE OLD TESTAMENT LIBRARY

 

BOOKS OF LAW: Written about 1,400 B.C. by Moses.

                           Chap.                                     CONTENTS

Genesis

50

BEGINNINGS” (of the world, man, sin, and promises for Israelite nations)

Exodus

40

GOING OUT” (from Egypt under Moses.  The Law given at Mount Sinai)

Leviticus

27

LAWS FOR PRIESTS (tribe descended from Levi, one of Jacob’s twelve sons)

Numbers

36

CENSUS” (Counting the people at beginning and end of the wilderness wanderings)

Deuteronomy

34

REVIEWING THE LAW” (Before crossing into the Promised Land.) 

 

BOOKS OF HISTORY: From Moses’ death until the return from Babylonian Captivity.

Joshua

24

CONQUEST OF CANAAN (Palestine), under Joshua. (About 1,400 B.C.)

Judges

21

THEOCRACY (God ruled through Judges) (about 1371 B.C.)

Ruth

4

LOVE STORY. Moabitish girl (descendent of Lot) Married Boaz.  Ancestor of Jesus.

1 Samuel

31

SAUL:  First king over Israel.  Anointed by Samuel. (1053 B.C.)

2 Samuel

24

DAVID:  King (40 years) replaced Saul who disobeyed. (1013 B.C.)

1 Kings

22

SOLOMON and DIVISION:  Solomon King 40 years.  Kingdom divided under his son, Rehoboam (King of Judah), and Jeroboam (King of the 10 northern tribes of Israel).

2 Kings

25

DECLINE AND CAPTIVITY: 721 B.C., (by Assyria), and Judah, 606 B.C. (by Babylon).

1 Chronicles

29

SAUL AND DAVID:  “Records” of national history to David’s death.    

2 Chronicles

36

SOLOMON THROUGH THE CAPTIVITY (“Records” continued)

Ezra

10

TEMPLE REBUILT.  After 70 yrs in Babylon. (538 B.C. & Return, 536 B.C.)

Nehemiah

13

WALLS OF JERUSALEM REBUILT.  Worship and laws reestablished (445 B.C.)

Esther

10

JEWISH QUEEN OF PERSIA saves her people. (480 B.C.)

 

BOOKS OF POETRY (or “Devotion.”)

Job

42

PATIENCE IN AFFLICTION. Patriarchal drama on problem of the righteous suffering.

Psalms

150

BOOK OF SONGS to be accompanied by instrumental music (mostly by King David)

Proverbs

31

WISE SAYINGS” Collections of wise sayings in poetic style (mostly by King Solomon)

Ecclesiastes

12

THE PREACHER” Solomon’s sermon on vanity of men’s values “under the sun.”

Song of Sol.

8

LOVE SONG BY SOLOMON (Also known as, “Canticles”)

 

BOOKS OF MAJOR PROPHETS

Isaiah

66

ISRAEL’S CAPTIVITY BY ASSYRIA.  Jerusalem saved (700 BC) Coming Messiah.

Jeremiah

52

JUDAH’S CAPTIVITY BY BABYLON (or Chaldeans) (600 BC)

Lamentations

5

WEEPING” FOR JERUSALEM” Jeremiah laments consequences of unfaithfulness.

Ezekiel

48

JERUSALEM TO BE DESTROYED (Written in Babylon around 580 BC)

Daniel

12

GOD REIGNS.  Coming kingdom of Messiah (“Anointed One”)  (530 BC)

 

BOOKS OF MINOR PROPHETS 

Hosea

14

UNFAITHFUL WIFE of Hosea pictures Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. (c.721 BC)

Joel

3

LOCUST PLAGUE upon Judah.  Coming restoration through God’s Spirit. (c. 800 BC)

Amos

9

ISRAEL DOOMED for luxurious indifference.  (Music, wine, ivory beds) (c. 760 BC)

Obadiah

1

EDOM DOOMED (Descent of Esau) Indifference to suffering of Israel. (c. 585BC)

Jonah

4

NINEVEH  SPARED Capital of Assyria warned and repents of wickedness. (c. 800 BC)

Micah

7

ISRAEL AND JUDAH WARNED.  Messiah to come from Bethlehem. (c. 721 BC)

Nahum

3

NINEVEH DOOMED.  Capital of Assyria, to be destroyed for cruelty.  (c. 720 BC)

Habakkuk

3

EXPLANATION God use of the wicked Babylonians to punish Jews. (610 c. BC)

Zephaniah

3

DAY OF GOD” Wrath to come upon Judah and surrounding nations. (c. 630 BC)

Haggai

2

ZERUBBABEL (Gov. of Judah) exhorted to speed rebuilding the temple (c. 520 BC)

Zechariah

14

VISIONS OF MESSIAH. To encourage rebuilding the temple (c. 520 BC)

Malachi

4

CORRUPTION and indifference.  Defective sacrifices, Elijah coming. (c. 420 BC)