Overview Of The Bible By Michael A. H. Back
(13) 1 Chronicles Theme: Recounting the events of Samuel and Kings with special focus on David and Solomon Key People: David, Solomon Interesting Facts: 1 and 2 Chronicles were originally one book named, “Words of the Days.” It was renamed and separated into two books by the Septuagint translators.
(14) 2 Chronicles Theme: Recounting the events of Kings, focusing on the kings of Judah. Key People: Solomon, Queen of Sheba, Rehoboam, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Joash, Uzziah, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Josiah Interesting Facts: Includes a record of the construction of Solomon’s temple so detailed it is being followed today by Israelis planning the rebuilding of the temple.
(15) Ezra Theme: First two waves of Jewish exiles returning from Babylon (led by Zerubbabel – 536 BC and Ezra - 457 BC). Recounts the re-building of the temple. Key People: Cyrus, Zerubbabel, Haggai, Zechariah, Darius, Artaxerxes I, Ezra Interesting Facts: Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book called, “Ezra.” They were separated by the translators of the Septuagint. Along with Esther, they comprise the “post Babylonian captivity” history books. The prophets of this period were Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.
(16) Nehemiah Theme: The third wave of Jewish exiles returning from Babylon (lead by Nehemiah – 445 BC). Recounts rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. Key People: Nehemiah, Ezra, Sanballat, Tobiah Interesting Facts: This book recounts the fulfillment of prophesies made by Daniel (roughly 100 years before) and Zechariah (roughly 40 years before) concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls.
(17) Esther Theme: Slice of life in the capital city of the Persian Empire during the period of Ezra and Nehemiah. Recounts how a Jewish woman comes to be queen of the empire, her battles against the political maneuvers of the enemies of the Jews, and how she is successful in saving the Jews in the empire from extermination. Key People: Esther, Mordecai, King Xerxes I, Haman Interesting Facts: The only book in the Bible in which God is never directly mentioned. This bothered the Jewish scribes, so when they made copies of Esther, they “hid” the name of God in the text in five places by making the Hebrew letters “YHWH” (for “Yahweh”) and “EHYEH” (meaning “I am that I am”) larger so they stood out on that line. The verses where they did this are 1:20, 5:4, 5:13, and 7:7 for “YHWH,” and 7:5 for “ENYEH.” When the line was read, it looked something like the following example from Esther 1:20 in English: “Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.” Poetry (Songs, Wisdom)
(18) Job Theme: The story of a believer during the period of Abraham (prior to the law of Moses). It examines the issue of sin and suffering, and concludes that not all suffering is the result of sin (sometimes God uses suffering to purify, instruct, and test his saints). The first glimpse of Satan, and his dedication to the destruction of the righteous, as well as the principle that “all things ultimately work together for the good of those who love the Lord.” Key People: Job, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, Zophar the Naamathite, Elihu the Buzite. Interesting Facts: There is the strong possibility that this was the first book of the Bible to actually be written. Job is an ancient forerunner to the Shakespearean approach to recording real life events, in that it presents them in a poetic, “play-like” form.
(19) Psalms (“Songs”) Theme: A collection of the songs of worship and praise of early Israel. It is extremely prophetic in nature and contains many prophecies concerning the Messiah. Jesus quoted from Psalms often, including His last Old Testament quotation prior to His death (“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” – Psalm 22:1). Key People: David, Moses Interesting Facts: Psalms is the most quoted book in the New Testament (of the 283 Old Testament quotations in the New Testament, 116 come from this book). The Psalms were originally separated into 5 books in the ancient Hebrew texts, and named according to the five books of the Torah.
Genesis book: Psalms 1 – 42;
(20) Proverbs Theme: Practical application of godly wisdom in everyday life. Key People: No particular people are mentioned Interesting Facts: Proverbs is a virtual grammar book of literary forms (poems, parables, rhetorical questions, pointed questions, couplets) and devices (antithesis, comparison, metaphor, analogy, allegory, personification, simile).
(21) Ecclesiastes Theme: No amount of worldly pursuits (human knowledge and wisdom, physical pleasure, alcohol, power, prestige, riches, sex, etc.) are ultimately satisfying. They leave us feeling empty and hollow. Only in reverence to God can we find the real source of purpose and meaning to life. Notable verse (12:13). Key People: No particular people are mentioned. Interesting Facts: Ecclesiastes is a Greek word that refers to the leader of a fellowship or congregation, although frequently translated “preacher” or “teacher,” strictly speaking, it does not mean either (Greek has other words for both). One of the most telling lessons to come out of Ecclesiastes is that knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom are NOT the same as, nor are they indicators of morality and holiness.
(22) Song of Solomon Theme: The joy and wonder of intimate physical love between a husband and wife. Paul reveals in Ephesians 5:23-33 that marriage is symbolic of our relationship with God, which confirms that there is underlying symbolism in this book as well. Key People: King Solomon, the Shulamite woman, friends Interesting Facts: The Hebrew text, guided primarily by the use of masculine and feminine pronouns, as well as singular and plural, separates the book into spoken lines identified by the titles Lover (male), Beloved (female), and Friends (mixed group). The book was usually read much like a play script, with a man, a woman, and a “chorus” (group of people) reading the various parts. Prophets
(23) Isaiah Theme: History and God’s messages to Israel during the period of 2 Kings. Chapters 1-39 deal mostly with the events of Isaiah’s lifetime, 40-66 are mostly prophetic of the future of Israel and the entire earth. Key People: Isaiah, his two sons: Shear-Jashub and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz Interesting Facts: Isaiah probably has more examples of “double reference prophecies” (prophecies using the same passage to foretell soon-to-occur events and distant future events simultaneously) than any other book. The other book with sizable sections of double reference prophecies is Ezekiel.
(24) Jeremiah Theme: Shortly after Zephaniah, contemporary of Nahum and Habakkuk, just before Daniel and Ezekiel. The dealings of God with Israel during the last part of the period covered in 2 Kings. It recounts how Jeremiah did NOT want to be a prophet, but was obedient to God’s call anyway, and of how anguished he often was at the hard-heartedness of his countrymen, particularly in their refusal to listen to his warnings. Key People: The last five kings of Judah (Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah), Baruch, Ebed-Melech, King Nebuchadnezzar, the Racabites Interesting Facts: Like Ezekiel (who started his ministry just a few years before the end of Jeremiah’s), Jeremiah often used symbolism and actions to communicate his message.
(25) Lamentations Theme: The heart-felt anguish of a man with a broken heart over the sin of his people and the destruction of his nation. Key People: Jeremiah, people of Jerusalem Interesting Facts: This book shows vividly why Jeremiah is often called “the weeping prophet.” Lamentations is a poetic lament written in the rhythm and style of ancient Jewish funeral songs. It is a composition of five poems (each chapter is a separate poem).
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