The Bible Period by Period: A Manual for the Study of the Bible by Periods

In Short

This book is a structured college-level manual designed to guide readers through the historical periods of the Old and New Testaments. Organizing the Biblical narrative into distinct chronological eras—from the creation of man and the early patriarchal movements to the ministry of Christ, the missionary journeys of Paul, and the close of the apostolic era—it offers analytical summaries, ethical evaluations, and study questions. It has endured as an accessible, systematic study aid that bridges raw text with historical background and moral reflection.

The Story

The narrative arc begins in the garden planted in the far distant east, where the first human pair is given work to exercise mind, body, and soul. Disobedience introduces sin into the world, setting off a pattern of human rebellion and divine response. The early generations demonstrate that outward culture without true religion cannot save a people, leading to the divine judgment of the global flood, where Noah and his family preserve the human race inside the ark. Following the flood and the dispersal of humanity, the narrative shifts focus from general human history to a single chosen line. God calls Abraham out of Chaldea into Canaan, initiating a covenantal promise to bless all nations through his descendants.

This promise passes to Isaac and Jacob, whose family eventually migrates to Egypt. There, their descendants fall into bondage until Moses arises to lead them out through miraculous plagues and the crossing of the sea. At Mount Sinai, the Hebrews receive the law, establishing a new civilization founded on divine worship and civil liberty. A forty-year period of wilderness wandering follows due to the people’s lack of faith, culminating in the conquest of Canaan under Joshua. God uses this conquest to purge idolatrous practices and establish a nation intended to demonstrate free self-governance under divine law.

After a turbulent period under local emergency leaders, the Hebrew tribes demand a centralized monarchy to protect against neighboring threats like the Philistines. Saul, David, and Solomon rule a united kingdom at the height of its material power. David establishes Jerusalem and prepares for the building of the central temple, though his later life is marred by personal failings. Solomon builds the temple, but after his death, the kingdom fractures into two nations: Israel in the north and Judah in the south.

The northern kingdom of Israel succumbs to persistent idolatry, leading to its conquest by Assyria and the dispersal of the ten tribes. Judah survives longer but is eventually carried into Babylonian exile through three successive invasions that culminate in the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. Seventy years later, a remnant returns under leaders like Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah to rebuild the temple and restore the law, supported by prophets like Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

The final era opens with the birth and ministry of Jesus Christ. After his baptism by John and a period of wilderness temptation, Christ preaches, teaches, and performs miracles before facing a corrupt trial, crucifixion, and burial. His resurrection and the subsequent descent of the Holy Spirit empower his followers to spread the gospel beyond Jerusalem to the wider heathen world, driven largely by the extensive travels of Paul. The narrative concludes with the death of John on Patmos, closing the scriptural canon and leaving the established Christian churches to witness to the world through ordinary grace.

How It Unfolds

Creation and the early fall Man is placed in a bountiful eastern garden to tend it and enjoy fellowship with God, but falls to temptation through a cunning serpent. The resulting disobedience brings a shift in human nature, leading to the rapid spread of wickedness across early generations.

The flood and a new start As human evil grieves God, Noah is commanded to build an ark to preserve life through a sweeping judgment of waters. After leaving the ark, Noah offers sacrifice and receives a new covenant, though human vulnerability quickly reappears in his personal life.

The call of the patriarchs God selects Abraham to leave his homeland and enter Canaan, establishing a covenant that promises future national greatness and a universal blessing. The line continues through Isaac and Jacob, ending with Joseph leading the family into Egypt to escape famine.

Exodus and the wilderness wanderings Moses is raised up to confront Pharaoh, delivering the Hebrews from heavy bondage through severe plagues. The nation travels to Sinai to receive the divine law and organize its society, spending forty years in the wilderness before reaching the border of Canaan.

Conquest and the rise of the monarchy Under Joshua, the Israelites wage a war of purification to eradicate idolatry and settle the land. Facing external threats from surrounding nations, the tribes eventually demand a human king, leading to the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon.

Division, exile, and return The kingdom splits into Israel and Judah, both eventually succumbing to decline; Assyria destroys the northern kingdom, while Babylon carries Judah into a seventy-year exile. Later, a restored remnant rebuilds Jerusalem and the temple under the guidance of post-exilic prophets.

The ministry of Christ and the early church Jesus enters public ministry through baptism, wins disciples, teaches, and suffers crucifixion before rising again. His apostles carry the message to the broader Roman world, concluding with Paul's extensive missionary journeys and the final writings of John.

The People

• Adam and Eve: Placed in the garden to care for it and grow in fellowship, they succumb to a temptation that appeals to natural appetites and the desire for knowledge. Their choice brings severe consequences upon their lineage, establishing the need for divine redemption.
• Noah: A righteous man in a wicked generation who obeys God's command to build the ark, saving human and animal life from total destruction. After the flood, he becomes a husbandman, plants a vineyard, and falls into a helpless state through fermented wine.
• Abraham: Called out of Chaldea to settle in Canaan, he becomes the foundational figure of the covenant line. He demonstrates faith through obedience and altars of worship, securing promises of a future nation and universal blessing.
• Moses: Trained in both Egypt and the wilderness, he acts as the lawgiver and deliverer of the Hebrews. He leads them out of Egyptian bondage and through forty years of desert instruction, establishing their civil and religious laws.
• David: The central king of the united monarchy who conquers Jebus, organizes the kingdom, and composes many of the Psalms. Though divinely appointed and victorious in war, his later years are shadowed by deep personal sins and family turmoil.
• Jesus Christ: The promised redeemer who begins his public work through baptism and wilderness trial, spending his ministry preaching, teaching, and healing. He endures a brutal crucifixion under Roman and Jewish authorities, rising again to provide salvation.
• Paul: A key figure in the expansion of the early church who travels over eight thousand miles on multiple missionary journeys. Guided by the Holy Spirit, his labors transform the religious and philosophical landscape of the heathen Roman world.

In Its Own Voice

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Lev. 19:18). It is the final word in all right relations to others." — This Mosaic command is highlighted as the ultimate principle governing all ethical interactions between human beings.

"In all this it will be noted that the temptation was to fall upward." — The entry of sin into the garden is described as an appeal to natural, inherently worthy desires for beauty, knowledge, and self-improvement.

"Christianity must always make its way against opposition." — Reflecting on the close of the apostolic age, this observation underlines the constant struggle required of the early church to survive and spread.

What It's Really About

The text centers on the unfolding of a divine plan of redemption carried out through real historical events and human choices. It argues that while human beings possess genuine moral freedom—often using it to thwart right living and bring about self-destruction—God consistently works through history to preserve a faithful line. Civilization, outward culture, and material prosperity cannot save a society if true spiritual character and moral obedience are absent. The narrative demonstrates how personal actions carry inescapable consequences that affect entire communities and subsequent generations. Ultimately, the entire historical progression of laws, covenants, kingdoms, and prophetic warnings serves to prepare humanity for the arrival and global spread of the Messianic redemption.

Why Read It Today

Readers seeking a clear, highly organized overview of the biblical narrative will value this work for its disciplined layout and objective tone. It reads like an energetic lecture series, cutting through dense historical records to highlight key structural turning points and underlying ethical principles. Rather than getting lost in stylistic flourish, the prose focuses entirely on scannability, cause-and-effect relationships, and practical moral deductions.

The work does demand a reader comfortable with early twentieth-century academic outlines and strict instructional categories. It reflects traditional period assumptions, treating historical events with a straightforward, literal emphasis and assessing ancient cultures through a firm moral framework. At times, the rapid movement across centuries leaves little room for deep narrative detail on secondary figures. Yet, its strength lies precisely in that broad scope. By laying out the sweeping connection between early patriarchal promises, the rise and fall of nations, and the eventual emergence of the early church, it leaves the reader with a clear sense of how individual biblical eras connect into a single continuous history.