I’ve entitled this post “Where They Fit” because in this post I want to show you where each book of the Old Testament fits within the story of Jesus the Bible tells.
1. God made a good world.
This is covered in Genesis 1-2.
2. Mankind messed it up through sinful rebellion, bringing God’s judgment on himself.
This is covered in Genesis 3-11. The punishment for sin is covered in Genesis 3:3.
3. In love, God initiated a three phase plan of salvation so we wouldn’t have to die for our sins.
- Phase 1: God would turn Abram (a single man) into a great nation.
- Phase 2: God would give this great nation a great big chunk of land to live in.
- Phase 3: God would bring forth from the nation and out of the land the promised Savior, who would deal with the problem of sin.
This is covered primarily in Genesis 12.
4. The Old Testament records how God executed phases 1 and 2 of his plan.
Phase 1 is covered (roughly) from Genesis 12 through Exodus 1. Phase 2 is covered (roughly) from Exodus 2 through Joshua 24.
Ok, so far we’ve covered Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua. But that’s only six of the thirty nine books that make up what we know as the Old Testament. What about the other thirty three? That’s what we’re going to talk about now.
Judges recounts the following cycle: Israel sins against the Lord, the Lord gives them over to an enemy nation, then the Lord send a judge to deliver them, but the nation falls back into sin.
Ruth illustrates how God continues to work out his sovereign plan even in the midst of national religious apostasy.
1 & 2 Samuel tell the stories of Israel’s first two kings: Saul and David. First Samuel covers Saul’s Rise (chapters 1-15) and then David’s Rise and Saul’s Decline (chapters 16-31). Second Samuel covers David’s Rise to Power in Judah (chapters 1-4) and then David’s Reign over All Israel (chapters 5-24).
1 & 2 Kings detail the history of the monarchy from Solomon to the fall of Jerusalem. Northern Israel fell to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. Judah fell to the Babylonians in 587 B.C.
1 & 2 Chronicles are commentaries on the Books of Samuel and Kings.
Ezra recounts Israel’s rebuilding of the Temple after they returned to the Promised Land from exile in Babylon.
Nehemiah recounts Israel’s rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem after they returned to the Promised Land from exile in Babylon.
Esther illustrates how God protects the nation of Israel from extinction while in exile in Babylon.
Job wrestles with the question “Why do bad things happen to good people?”
Psalms is hymnbook for the nation of Israel.
Proverbs gives us timeless and practical principles for wise living.
Ecclesiastes explores the meaning of life.
Song of Solomon celebrates romantic love.
Isaiah shared the Lord’s messages primarily to the nation of Judah (the southern kingdom) and to Jerusalem, urging the people to repent from their sins and return to God.
Jeremiah shared the Lord’s messages with southern Judah during her last forty years (627-587 B.C.) before exile.
Lamentations. Jeremiah also wrote the book of Lamentations, which is his lament over Jerusalem’s fall when the Babylonians exiled southern Judah.
Ezekiel served as a prophet in Babylon. He ministered primarily to the Jews in Babylon, but also by correspondence to those in Jerusalem (those not yet exiled). Ezekiel warned the Jew in Jerusalem they soon would join their brothers and sisters already in Babylon if they did not repent.
Daniel. Chapters 1-6 relate the events of Daniel and his ministry in the foreign courts of Babylon and Persia. Daniel served the Babylonians when they were in power and then the Persians when they took over. Chapters 7-12 relates Daniel’s various visions.
Hosea lived and prophesied in northern Israel prior to the Assyrian exile in 722 B.C. Although he had an occasional word about southern Judah, Hosea primarily focused on Israel.
Joel. During Joel’s day, a locust plague came upon the land such as its citizens had never seen. Joel described it as “the Day of the Lord” and called southern Judah to repentance. He also warned that an even more terrible day of judgment was coming, one for which the people needed to prepare themselves.
Amos. Like Hosea, Amos had a little to say to southern Judah, but mainly prophesied to northern Israel. Like Hosea, Amos prophesied shortly before 722 B.C. when Assyria exiled northern Israel.
Obadiah. The Edomites, descendants of Esau had treated southern Judah cruelly, especially when Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 587 B.C. When Jerusalem fell, the Edomites captured Judean fugitives and either killed them or turned them over to the Babylonians. Because of this and because they rejoiced at Jerusalem’s defeat God promised judgment.
Jonah. God sent his prophet Jonah to proclaim the destruction of Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria. Probably to Jonah’s great surprise, the people believed God’s message! They humbled themselves with fasting and sackcloth. When God saw their repentance, he relented and did not destroy Nineveh.
Micah prophesied concerning the evils of Samaria and Jerusalem. The prophet singled out Samaria and Jerusalem because they were Israel and Judah’s capital cities (Samaria was the capital of Israel and Jerusalem the capital of Judah).
Nahum. God sent Nahum to Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, to prophesy its destruction. About a hundred years earlier through Jonah’s ministry Nineveh repented, but their repentance was short-lived. Because of their bloodshed, practice of magic and divination, God judged them via the Babylonians.
Habakkuk lived during Judah’s last days. Habakkuk wrestled with a theological struggle. He knew God loved justice and hated injustice, so why did God let Judah’s injustice continue? God told Habakkuk that he was raising up the Babylonian army to judge sinful Judah. This didn’t help Habakkuk at all. In fact, it made him even more confused. Habakkuk now wanted to know why God would choose to use a nation more sinful than Judah to judge her. God answered that in his timing he would also judge Babylon. (This would be fulfilled when the Persian Empire overthrew the Babylonian Empire)
Zephaniah. Zephaniah’s ministry was geared primarily towards southern Judah, although he also prophesied to foreign nations (i.e. Philistia, Moab, Ammon, the Cushites, the Assyrians). God’s judgment would fall because the nation had become corrupt, starting at the top (royalty, judges, prophets and priests) and trickling its way down.
Haggai prophesied about fifteen years after the exiles had returned from Babylon. When they initially returned they began rebuilding the temple but quit due to opposition. Haggai’s message was that they should prioritize rebuilding God’s house before their own.
Zechariah began his ministry two months after Haggai. He also encouraged the people to rebuild God’s temple. Additionally, Haggai prophesied concerning God’s promised Messiah – both his first and second coming.
Malachi lived in post-exilic Judah. Malachi challenged his audience to give the Lord their best in everything. Malachi’s ministry took place around the same time as Ezra and Nehemiah.