Bible Organization

The chronology depicted in The Prophets Speak indicates that the Times of the Gentiles are already history, and that the world has transitioned into the initial stage of the Kingdom Age. If this is the case, it becomes vital that those living during this period understand where they fit into God's Plan, and where in the Bible may be found matters of doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction pertaining to this time. The first step must certainly involve the identification of those books in the Bible that might provide such insight, so it is with this objective that the following topical arrangement of the entire Bible is displayed.

Genesis	Exodus	Joshua	Job	Isaiah	Jeremiah	Hosea
	Leviticus	Judges	Psalms		Lamentations	Joel
	Numbers	Ruth	Proverbs		Ezekiel	Amos
	Deuteronomy	I Samuel	Ecclesiastes		Daniel	Obadiah
		II Samuel	Song of Songs			Jonah
		I Kings				Micah
		II Kings				Nahum
		I Chronicles				Habakkuk
		II Chronicles				Zephaniah

		Ezra				Haggai
		Nehemiah				Zechariah
		Esther				Malachi

Matthew	Acts	Romans	I Timothy	Hebrews
Mark		I Corinthians	II Timothy	James
Luke		II Corinthians	Titus	I Peter
John		Galatians	Philemon	II Peter
		Ephesians		I John
		Philippians		II John
		Colossians		III John
		I Thessalonians		Jude
		II Thessalonians		Revelation

Although this is the organization of present-day English Bibles, it is readily admitted that this particular arrangement of books is not the only one used throughout history, or even the one used in the current Jewish Old Testament. Nevertheless, it will now be shown that it is one that makes God's Redemptive Plan for mankind stand out most clearly.

Notice that the particular arrangement of the books in the Bible shown above divides the Old Testament into groupings of books that create a symmetry around the five books of the "Writings", that fall in the center of the Old Testament. Notice also that the prophetic books are grouped in a way that cause them to repeat the organizational pattern of the historic books, thereby mirroring the tendency of the prophets to first dwell on historic judgements consequent to Israel's violations, but then conclude with prophetic future blessings consequent to God's love. This characteristic of current Bibles to produce symmetry between the historic and prophetic portions of the Old Testament seems to highlight the superlative way that God's Redemptive Plan is destined to overcome Israel's failure to keep the Law, with a New Covenant that will one day turn Israel's sorrow into joy. Each of these Old Testament sections may be summarized as follows, with greater detail provided in that portion of Olive Tree Studies titled "God's Redemptive Plan".

Genesis begins with the creation of all things. However, it is far from a simple history book, for it carries an undercurrent of prophecy, developing the beginning of the genealogic thread that eventually produced the Messiah. In this regard, Abraham, the 20th generation from Adam, began the line of Issac and Jacob, from whom the nation of Israel was created, and it was that nation that brought forth Jesus the Messiah.

Exodus to Deuteronomy describe primarily the story of one man, and the redemption of one people. They recount the story of Moses, chosen by God to deliver the Hebrews out of a time of grievous bondage in Egypt. Moses was first commissioned, then empowered, to bring his people out of Egypt back to their promised inheritance in the land of Canaan. The books of Exodus and Numbers contain the historic accounts of that exodus followed by forty years of wandering in the Sinai wilderness. Then Deuteronomy was composed by Moses at the end of that forty-year sojourn, as Israel was first directed to look back at those wilderness years, then directed to look forward as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.

Joshua to Chronicles recount a period of about 800 years, starting from the time the twelve Tribes first entered the Land with high hopes, until they were tragically rejected by God because of sin, and exiled into the Babylonian empire. They had flagrantly disregarded the Law given through Moses, violating its conditions prescribed by God for their continuance in the Land.

EZRA, NEHEMIAH, AND ESTHER narrate the period following the Babylonian Exile by describing the situation of the Jews in the years following the fall of Babylon, when only a remnant returned to the Land during the dominance of the Medo-Persian empire. Although the Jews described in Esther constituted the majority of that original nation, they chose to remain in foreign lands, so that only a small returning remnant propagated the fulfillment of those numerous Old Testament Messianic prophecies anticipating His coming.

These books constitute the "heart" of the Old Testament, both literally and figuratively. They were actually written during the period of " ISRAEL'S HISTORY", but organizationally appear together in the center of this topical organization of the Old Testament. Though some of the historic books may seem out-of-touch with modern times, the "WRITINGS" are timeless, striking to the heart of the human soul. They are styled poetically with profound spiritual and prophetic meanings for persons in all times and circumstances.

The Lord's solution to Israel's problem under the Old Covenant may be outlined in three phases.

ISAIAH sets the stage for all of the prophecies to follow. It begins with foundations in the Law but then moves to the end of time when God will create a "new heaven" and "new earth" following the Millennial Kingdom. In keeping with this panorama of Biblical history, Isaiah is organized prophetically in a manner similar to the entire Bible, with the first 39 chapters emphasizing God's Judgement, but the final 27 chapters highlighting His redemptive grace.

JEREMIAH, LAMENTATIONS, EZEKIEL, AND DANIEL deal with the advent and times of the Babylonian Exile of the Southern kingdom of Judah, when all three of these prophets were taken into captivity. It was a sobering time of transition as they witnessed the final demise of Israel's Old Testament kingdom, when Israel moved from possession of the Promised Land to a long period of subjection under the authorities of successive Gentile powers.

The final 12 prophetic books in the Old Testament are typically termed the "MINOR PROPHETS", possibly because the subjects of their prophecies tend to be more restricted in scope. Their prophecies deal with immediate judgements to befall Israel and surrounding Gentile nations, but then leapfrog over Messiah's first coming as the Savior, prophetically viewing the advent of the End Times and Israel's eventual blessings during the Millennial Kingdom Age.

HOSEA TO ZEPHANIAH prophesied during the period preceding the Babylonian Exile.

HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH, AND MALACHI prophesied during the period following the Babylonian Exile.

Thus the Minor Prophets provide prophetic perspectives both before and after the Babylonian Exile just as did those earlier historic books.

MATTHEW TO JOHN constitute the four Gospels. They focus on the life of Jesus Christ and His bringing a New Covenant of Grace in the progress of God’s Redemptive Plan. In this respect, the books must be considered epochal with respect to God's Redemptive Plan, for they record the life of Jesus the Messiah in a way that shows how He not only fulfilled specific prophecies given in the Old Testament, but the Law itself. These books record His life in terms of His birth, life, death, and resurrection, as He was displayed as the "Anointed One", i.e. "Christ" (Greek) or "Messiah" (Hebrew), for all the world to witness.

ACTS recounts the first few decades of Church history, starting with its beginning on the day of Pentecost and ending just a few years before the AD 70 destruction of Israel. Those years began with an all Jewish Church, but ended with Israel's corporate rejection of their Messiah, causing the Gospel message to be redirected to the Gentiles. Thus, the book of Acts is essentially a transition book, describing how Israel turned away from the New Covenant of Grace, while the Gentiles were simultaneously embracing it.

ROMANS TO II THESSALONIANS were penned by the Apostle Paul, and constitute nine letters written to seven churches located in regions of the Roman Empire north of the Mediterranean Sea, as far West as Rome itself. They were intended to ground those early Christians in the fundamentals of their newly found faith, and to instruct them with respect to the mystery of the "Body of Christ", a concept in God's Plan that had been revealed to the Apostle Paul.

I TIMOTHY TO PHILEMON are often called the Pastoral Letters, because they have to do with the organized Church and with instructions for Church leadership. They were also written by Paul, but written to specific individuals within the Church.

HEBREWS TO REVELATION complete the 27 books of the New Testament. Notice that, like the Church Letters, these are also nine in number, thereby producing a symmetry about the Pastoral Letters. However, unlike Paul's Church Letters, the Hebrew Letters are not written to churches, and unlike the Church, the Hebrew Letters have a definite Jewish flavor. In this regard, James, Peter, and John, who are the principal writers of the Hebrew Letters, are all identified by Paul in (Galatians 2.9) as having their ministry to the "circumcised", i.e. Jews. In some respects, their message is quite harmonious with that of the Church Letters, but in other respects they pose doctrinal dilemmas that many Bible scholars have struggled with over the centuries. They treat a diverse set of Christian related subjects, from doctrine, to the new Covenant’s relation to the Law, to practical Christian living, to end-of-age apostasies, and finally to apocalyptic events leading up to the Lord’s return.

The New Testament should be regarded as the fulfillment of the Old Testament, not as a self-standing Testament in isolation. Therefore, it is organized in the previous chart so as to reflect the way it completes those Old Testament patterns and promises. Notice how these groupings of books in the Old and New Testaments highlight certain comparisons and/or contrasts.

Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy

COMPARE: MOSES WITH JESUS

Moses' prophetic relation to Jesus is implied by his declaration:

"The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear." (Deuteronomy 18.1)

Peter indicated that prophecy was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus when he quoted this verse then made the following connection.

"To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." (Acts 3.26)

Indeed, there was much likeness between these two individuals:

Moses was commissioned at the burning bush to deliver Israel out of Egypt. (Exodus 3.1-16)

Jesus was commissioned at the Jordan River to deliver Israel out of sin (Matthew 3.1-12)

Moses was tried and proved by Pharaoh to begin his ministry. (Exodus 5)

Jesus was tried and proved by Satan to begin His ministry. (Matthew 4.1-11)

Moses delivered those who followed by miracles, culminating in the Passover sacrifice of the lamb required for their exodus out of Egypt. (Exodus 12.1-42)

Jesus delivered those who followed by miracles, culminating in the Passover sacrifice of Himself as the "Lamb" required for their exodus out of sin. (Matthew 27.1-61)

God gave the Law through Moses. (Exodus 19.1-20.17)

God fulfilled the Law through Jesus. (Matthew 5.17-48)

Moses received the pattern for the physical Tabernacle. (Exodus 25.1-9)

Jesus became the pattern for the human "Tabernacle". (John 2.13-22)

The Old Testament Hebrews rejected Moses, initially refusing their physical inheritance. (Exodus 14.1-10)

The New Testament Hebrews rejected Jesus, initially refusing their spiritual inheritance. (Luke 23.20-25)

Matthew
Mark
Luke
John


Joshua Judges Ruth I Samuel II Samuel I Kings II Kings I Chronicles II Chronicles	CONTRAST: ISRAEL'S OT HISTORY WITH NT BOOK OF ACTS The books of Joshua to Chronicles document Israel's eventual acceptance of the Promised Land as their inheritance, in fulfillment of the Old Covenant of Law. Thus, this nine fold Old Testament grouping of books prophetically declares the fullness of the blessing that Israel received in the Land. In contrast, the book of Acts records the offer of a new and better spiritual inheritance rejected by the Jews. Unlike the nine fold fullness of the blessing received by ancient Israel in the Promised Land, the single book of Acts represents a brief interval of about 32 years following Messiah's sacrifice when Israel repeatedly rejected the Covenant of Grace purchased by the shed blood of Messiah. Notice how the book of Acts begins with a fully Jewish audience on the day of Pentecost, but ends with Israel cut short of their blessing when Paul reproves the Jews and declares his future ministry would be to the Gentiles. In like manner, Acts begins with Peter, the chief Apostle to the "circumcised" (Jews), but ends with Paul, the chief Apostle to the "uncircumcised" (Gentiles).

Acts


Genesis	CONTRAST: GENESIS WITH ISAIAH Genesis is that historical book that spans a period from eternity past till the advent of the giving of the Law. It describes man's basic problem caused when he fell from the likeness of God (Genesis 1.26), to the likeness of Adam (Genesis 5.3). Conversely, Isaiah is that prophetic book that spans the period from the Law to eternity future, for it is the only one that ends with a discussion of the New Heaven and New Earth. Thus it mirrors the book of Genesis by foretelling the solution to man's basic problem created earlier in the first book, showing that the solution will require a purging of sin through the blood of a perfect sacrifice, so that mankind can be restored back to the likeness of God. In this respect, the two books pivot about the law. It is the justice of God that produced Israel's problem, but it is the grace of God that will enable the solution forecast in Isaiah. COMPARE: ISAIAH WITH NT CHURCH LETTERS It is Isaiah who portends the coming Times of the Gentiles; remember the faces of the "Living Creatures" who are covered in Isaiah but revealed in Revelation. While the other prophets obscurely blurred Messiah's first coming as Savior with His second coming as King, Isaiah supplies details of His crucifixion like those in (Isaiah 53). He even provides glimpses, albeit veiled, of the Church Age to follow in (Isaiah 54-55). It is therefore appropriate that Isaiah be juxtaposed with the Church Letters written by Paul. The new Covenant of Grace was rejected by Israel, but accepted by the Gentiles, so they, rather than Israel, received the nine fold fullness of the blessing during the Church Age represented by these nine Church Letters. Isaiah clearly prophesied of Messiah's first coming, and His work was fulfilled in the record of Paul's letters to the "complete" seven Churches throughout the Church Age. Paul's Church letters were written during a few brief years in the first century, but have been applied by the Church for a period of almost 2000 years, as they explain how the Lord has mysteriously integrated both Jews and Gentiles into one body of believers (Romans 11.24). Paul's Letters have instructed untold millions of people over the centuries how, and what it means, to become integrated members into the Body of Christ.	Isaiah

		Romans I Corinthians II Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians I Thessalonians II Thessalonians


Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy	CONTRAST: OLD COVENANT WITH MAJOR PROPHETS The Old Covenant books of Exodus and Leviticus describe the giving of the Law on tablets of stone in the wilderness at Mt. Sinai. In contrast, the prophetic books of Jeremiah and Lamentations describe the abolishment of that Old Covenant with respect to national Israel. The Old Covenant books of Numbers and Deuteronomy identify two "generations" of Hebrews. The first generation died in the wilderness in unbelief, but the second generation was permitted to enter and remain in their inheritance, conditional to their obedience of the Law. In contrast, the prophetic books of Ezekiel and Daniel each begin with a time of judgement that befell those ancient Hebrews because of their failure to obey the Law. Ezekiel focuses on God's departure from the Temple, and Daniel on their Exile into Babylon. Consequently, ancient Israel never received the full blessing intended in God's Redemptive Plan. COMPARE: MAJOR PROPHETS WITH NT PASTORAL LETTERS In one respect, the three prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel all lived during a transition period. Each of their writings began with the demise of ancient Israel under the Law, but each then looked forward to a time when a new Covenant would be proffered to Israel. Jeremiah speaks of a future time when the Law will be written on their hearts and minds rather than on tablets of stone (Jeremiah 31.31-37). Ezekiel predicts a future time after Israel is scattered among the nations, when they will be reassembled back in the Land with a new Temple (Ezekiel 36-48). Daniel is given a period of "70 Weeks" which spans the Times of the Gentiles, when Daniel's people will finally receive the forgiveness of their sins and enjoy everlasting righteousness. In comparison, Timothy, Titus, and Philemon also lived during a period of transition near the end of Paul's ministry (II Timothy 4.6-8). The corresponding Pastoral Letters also seem to portray a transition about to occur. In them, Paul writes of a great apostasy to come (I Timothy 4.1-5; II Timothy 3.1-9), of the fact that all those historic churches of Asia (listed in Revelation) had abandoned his teachings (II Timothy 1.15), and of those who say the the resurrection is already past (II Timothy 2.14-16). As such, these Pastoral Letters, while of historic verity, also stress subjects that fit the End Times. Moreover, they collectively possess a quality that is latently prophetic, being inserted between the nine fold Church Letters depicting the fullness of the blessing for the Church Age, and a second nine fold set of Hebrew Letters, written specifically to the "Hebrews".	Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel

		I Timothy II Timothy Titus Philemon


Joshua Judges Ruth I Samuel II Samuel I Kings II Kings I Chronicles II Chronicles	CONTRAST: ISRAEL'S HISTORY WITH MINOR PROPHETS The first nine fold historic books describe Israel's occupation of the entire Land, beginning on a high note with victories under the leadership of Joshua, but ending on a low note, with the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians, then later the southern kingdom of Judah by the Babylonians. In contrast, the first nine corresponding books of the minor prophets were written in the latter phases of that same time period in the Land, beginning on a low note with pronouncements of imminent judgement because of Israel's failure to obey the Law, but generally ending on a high note with Israel restored and blessed in the Millennial Kingdom. The final three historic books show the Jews scattered among Gentile nations following the exile, but with a remnant back in the Land. Likewise, the final three prophets were among those Jews who returned, but provide dates for both the first and second returns when the Lord did and will take specific actions to restore and bless Israel following both the Babylonian Exile, and their scattering among the nations during the Times of the Gentiles.. COMPARE: MINOR PROPHETS WITH NT HEBREW LETTERS The Old Testament Minor Prophets consistently blurred Messiah's first coming, but predicted a future time when Israel would again be in the Land, receiving God's blessings. The chronology of The Prophets Speak shows that the dates used by these Minor Prophets following the Babylonian exile were repeated during a 1988-1995 seven-year interval of the 20th century. Since that period had all the properties of Daniel's 70th Week, the evidence indicates that we are presently living in a period of the End Times following the Times of the Gentiles. In comparison, these nine New Testament books to which they correspond should represent a nine fold blessing to the Hebrews, so unless the Bible is incomplete or there are to be no instructions for those people who will live during the Millennial Kingdom, they must be identified with that final period of Israel's Millennial restoration.	Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah
Babylonian Exile		Babylonian Exile
Ezra Nehemiah Esther		Haggai Zechariah Malachi

		Hebrews James I Peter II Peter I John II John III John Jude Revelation

The contrasts and comparisons of Bible organization highlighted in these charts naturally lead to the view that the Church Letters and Hebrew Letters signify two separate nine fold blessings, intended for applications in two different ages of God's economy. In this regard, the Pastoral Letters are clearly in the correct location within the canon of Scripture to fulfill their role as transition books between these two ages. After ancient Israel rejected their Kingdom in the first century and was forced to "sit on the shelf" during the Times of the Gentiles, this arrangement would seem to fulfill God's Plan by introducing Israel to a new Covenant through the Hebrew Letters during the End Times.

Such a conclusion implied by this organization is not original. Consider the remarks by a well known Bible scholar in commenting on the Pastoral Letters.

"In this, are these two Timothy epistles latently prophetic? Coming, as they do, just at the end of the nine Christian Church Epistles, do they throw on the screen an advance picture of tragic break-away and break-down which are to characterize organized Christianity at the end of this present Church Age?" --- "Yes, undoubtedly Paul is directly thinking about these eventualities; but the further point which we are here making is that perhaps in a way which he himself did not suspect, his two Timothy letters as a whole (not just their occasional direct references to the latter days) give a prophetic photograph of our own twentieth century Christendom. If this is so, how carefully ought the Lord's Timothies to be studying them, and praying over them again today!"

J. Sidlow Baxter, "Explore the Book"

The doctrinal difficulties that separate the "Hebrew" Letters from the earlier "Church" Letters have long been recognized, and many arguments have been advanced trying to explain them. Some of those specific texts will be looked at in more detail in later sections of this study, however it is fair to say that most Christians read both sets of New Testament Letters without distinction, though they are privately troubled by doctrinal questions spawned when attempts are made to reconcile the two sets of books.

The difficulties have been generally attributed to struggles that occurred within Judaism in the first century, as Hebrew Christians strove to understand the interface between the New Covenant of Grace and Old Covenant of Law. In keeping with this view, most students of the Bible have either overlooked or outright dismissed the possible significance of the relative placement of the books in the Bible, as depicted above.

However, if one holds the view that the Bible is inerrant and infallible, not only verbally but also organizationally, then the location of those Hebrew Letters at the very end of the New Testament, coupled with their association with those Old Testament Minor Prophets, gives rise to another possible reason for their existence. Suppose that the Hebrew Letters were never intended to be interpreted simply as an amalgamation of instruction for the Church Age. Instead, suppose that they are intended to provide specific doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction to other groups of God's people who will be living, either when that transition into the Kingdom period occurs, or who will be among those who continue to live the remainder of their lives on earth during the Millennial Kingdom period?

Admittedly, such a view does not conform to more conventional understandings of the Hebrew Letters, but if it were found to be correct, the traditional historic interpretations attributed to these Hebrew Letters would be missing a profound truth vital to those people of God who will enter that Kingdom period. Since The Prophets Speak has already assembled considerable evidence showing that we are among those people, it should become one of our chief objectives to explore the reasons why the prophetic overtones of the Hebrew Letters highlighted above seem to suggest their Millennial Kingdom applicability, to determine whether they might be especially pertinent for us in the 21st Century.