View of the Old Testament

Wayne Jackson wrote this concise outline of the Old Testament. It appeared in the June 1974 edition of the "Christian Courier", published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California and edited by Jackson.

One of the more neglected areas of Bible study is that of the Old Testament. Though many people have some knowledge of scattered and isolated people and events in the Old Testament, very few are able, to use a current expression, to "get it all together." Many students of the Bible have only a vague idea of the sequence of the major historical scenes of the OT, thus, within this issue, we hope to give a sketch which will assist this end. the period of OT history may be divided, for the sake of convenience, into some seven phases.

PERIOD OF BEGINNINGS - The first eleven chapters of Genesis covers what has been properly styled the "period of beginnings." It is a section concerned with great events near the dawn of time. It places a major emphasis on: (a) The Creation; (b) The Fall of the Human Family; (c) The Flood; and (d) The Origin of Nations and Languages.

THE HEBREW FAMILY - Commencing with Genesis 12, God selects Abraham to be the head of a new race (through whom the Christ will ultimately come) hence, the balance of Genesis traces the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. Significant also is the selection of the land of Canaan as an ideal spot from which to influence the great powers of the world for the future advent of the Messiah. This period spans some 215 years.

EGYPTIAN BONDAGE - Exodus begins with the descendants of Jacob migrating to Egypt where an era of bondage is inaugurated. Scholar are disagreed as to the actual time of the bondage. Some passages (e.g. Exodus 12:40) seem to indicate that it was 430 years (though the LXX and Samaritan Pentateuch include the patriarchs' sojourn in Canaan in this figure) while others, based on Galatians 3:16-17 feel that the bondage period was only 215 years. Edward Mack says that modern archaeological discoveries, better knowledge of history, etc. seem to favor the 215 year figure. Within this age, Moses spends 80 years of his life being prepared for his work of delivering the children of Israel from bondage.

WILDERNESS WANDERING - As a penalty for the faithless report of the ten spies (who spied out Canaan for 40 days) the Israelites were compelled to wander for 40 years in the barren wilderness of Sinai. In fact, all 20 years old and upward (Joshua and Caleb excepted) who had murmured against the Lord died in the wilderness. Within this span of time, the law of Moses was given, the tabernacle was erected and the Israelites were taught many valuable lessons concerning absolute dependence upon God Almighty.

CONQUEST AND SETTLEMENT OF CANAAN - After the death of Moses on Mt. Nebo, Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan. With a series of essentially three campaigns (central, southern, then northern sections) Palestine was virtually taken. Subsequent to this was an era known as the "Dark Ages" of Hebrew history, in which it is frequently said that, "Israel did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah." God thus sent a series of oppressors to punish His people; when they cried for deliverance, "Judges" were raised up to save them. Based upon the figure in I Kings 6:1, this period possibly lasted for some 356 years. In the time of Samuel, the people tired of judges and wanted a king, to be like the nations around them.

THE UNITED KINGDOM - For the next 120 years, the people were united under three kings; Saul, David and Solomon. Saul was one of the most tragic examples of apostasy in OT history. He started well, but did not persevere. David, in spite of his weaknesses, was easily Israel's greatest king. In the administration of Solomon, the temple was built and the Hebrew borders extended to their furthest bounds. Sadly however, Solomon's life is also marred by his departure from God, though there may be evidence in Ecclesiastes that he saw his folly in his declining years.

THE DIVIDED KINGDOM -  Around 975 B.C., there was a formal split in the united monarchy. In his book The Prophets of Israel, H.L. Ellison observes that the seeds of the division had existed for some years (Chapter 1). For the next several centuries, the people of God generally speaking, move increasingly farther from their Creator.
     (a) ISRAEL - Under the leadership of Jeroboam, the Northern Kingdom of Israel (consisting of 10 tribes) was established. Shrines were set up at Bethel and Dan. Jerusalem was "too far" to go for worship and thus Israel was well on the road to apostasy. For the next 254 years the Northern Kingdom sank into deeper rebellion against God. Such valiant men as Elijah, Elisha, Amos and Hosea sought to bring them back, but to no avail. In 721 B.C. God brought the Assyrain power as the rod of His anger (Isaiah 10:5) against profane Israel and she was taken captive.
     (b) JUDAH - Under the direction of Rehoboam (and some 19 subsequent rulers) the Southern Kingdom (2 tribes collectively called "Judah") struggled for some three and one half centuries with intermittent periods of faithfulness and apostasy. Finally, time for punishment came. From 606 to 536 B.C., the Hebrews suffered the indignities of Babylonian captivity. Afterwards, under the leadership of Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah the Jews returned from captivity and rebuilt the temple and their city. About a century later, their spirits sagged again and the OT closes with the prophet Malachi rebuking their indifference and directing their attention to the coming Messiah (who appeared approximately 400 years later).

Not until the student of the Bible has mastered these main epochs of OT history, will he be prepared to appreciate the manifold details found from Genesis through Malachi.