Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Get the Chronological Picture of the Bible Timeline

One of the most powerful and effective things you can do for the people you're teaching is to help them grasp the chronology of the Bible story, and how it aligns with other events in world history. Relatively few Christians have a good understanding of this.

You can certainly steer people to a chronological Bible, or a reading plan that takes them through the Bible in chronological order. Fortunately many study Bibles give some chronological information.

I recommend you help them by using a Bible timeline tool. This not only helps them understand the order and time-spacing of the Biblical accounts, but connects it with what else was going on in the world at that time.




Rose Publishing produces a 20 foot long card stock timeline that would be nice to post on the wall.

Years ago I found a small size foldout that I still carry in my Bible, but I can't find that online for sale anywhere now. (Let me know if you have a source.)

The most detailed Bible timeline tool I've ever seen is available as a PDF file at a modest price, well worth it. The advantage of the PDF file is it's versatility. You can enlarge just a section of it and put it in a handout. You can pull it up on a computer screen and project it on the wall if you have that technology. You can print it off for your own purposes in different sizes. If your printout is damaged or dirty, simply print a fresh copy.

Walking a group through the biblical timeline makes for a wonderful class or study group series. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how interested people are when they see the biblical story laid out this way, and the questions that will surface.

2 comments:

Amazing Bible Timeline said...

Hi Glenn: Bill and I are impressed with your teaching philosophy and straightforward blog. We'd like to send you a copy of our Amazing Bible World History Timeline for your review. No strings attached. May we do that? You can read about it at http://bibletimeline.net or download part of it in pdf at http://agards-bible-timeline.com/timeline_online.html

Glenn said...

Maggie, I went ahead and purchased a copy of the timeline -- looks very interesting!

Duck, WV is just off I79, northwest of Charleston, isn't it? I know I've driven by that area, but don't think I've been in Duck itself. (I grew up in a holler off the Ohio river, not far from Parkersburg.)

Looking forward to receiving the timeline and then I'll write up a review.