Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Thursday, January 8, Bible Books in Order: Introduction

Law, History, Poetry/Wisdom, Prophets: Major/Minor, New Testament

I'm still contemplating what I shall work on next, and I'm still mastering 2 Corinthians 5. Since it is a new year, I thought it might be a good idea to go right to the very basics of Bible Memory. That is, finding one's way around the Bible.

As an old believer, I'm surprised at how many Christians still have to dig their way around the Bible, not knowing where the books are, or why they are in the order that we see them. It was one of the first things I wanted to do, so I could get to a book as quickly as possible.

Some churches did a great job teaching their children how to do it with a game I believe was called "the Sword Game", where they would call out a random verse and the kids competed to be the first to find it and read it. Also, there were some who wrote little songs to remember them by. I made a board game of the Old Testament and another of the New Testament, and of course, wrote memory songs as well.

It's funny. We use all these memory techniques to teach our kids, and then when we grow up we think that they are unnecessary. They were the very things that helped us learn. When we ignored them, our learning of the Bible, or anything for that matter, diminished rapidly. There are a lot of kids who are smarter with their Bibles than their parents as a result. Unfortunately, when they grow up with no impetus to continue the memory process, they get as dumb as the rest of us.

So the next few days you can remedy this, and we'll start from the very beginning. The Bible consists of two "Testaments": the Old and the New. The Old went from the beginning of Creation until to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, about four centuries before Jesus inserted Himself into our world, and the New goes from His Birth to the turn of the first century, closing with the "Revelation" of His Return to set up the New Heaven and Earth.

The New Testament is about ¼ the size of the Old, so if you take your Bible and open at about a quarter of the way, you'll find the New Testament. That is, a Bible that isn't filled with all the notes, maps and stuff like that. Just the Word of God.

There are 66 total books in the "Canon": 39 books in the Old Testament, and 27 in the New Testament. We'll memorize the locations of the Old Testament books first.

The Old Testament in the Christian divisions has a particular order to help us remember where to find things. I think of it in four distinct sections: Law, History, Wisdom/Poetry, and the Prophets. I also immediately divide the Prophets with Major and Minor, so I can see a 5-12-5-5-12 book pattern.

So, today, if you have an interest in finding your way around the Bible once and for all, begin here. We'll break it down further tomorrow.

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

Memory Helps:

Memory process:

Bible: 66 books,

Two Testaments: Old: 39 books, New: 27 books (New T about ¼ size of Old T)

Old Testament: Four basic divisions: Law, History, Poetry/Wisdom, Prophets (Major/Minor)

Book pattern: 5-12-5-5-12.

Repeat that all day today!