Your study and teaching have more meaning when you see how it all fits into God’s plan for man on earth.
That’s where teaching principles along with a Bible timeline adds power and excitement to your teaching. A Biblical timeline chart with World history is even more useful. You see His hand directing all of the world events and the Bible set against that background. Let’s start with first things first.
Here are the five tips. Study or teach
- The Biblical Principles
- The Order
- The Overlap
- The World
- The Why
The Principles: Most of us know the stories included in the Bible are there to teach us principles. Unfortunately we often just grab a story when we need to teach or learn a principle and just go for it. But that leaves a lot of questions. When did Ruth live compared to Esther? Or how about Daniel and Solomon? Who was first? Some of us don’t know, even after years of Bible study classes. When we know the order of events in God’s overarching plan the principles gain greater meaning.
The Order: The order and the timing of people and events. Most people have no idea how much time passed between Adam and Noah or between Noah and Abraham. Using a timeline makes it visual. You can literally see the passage of time; long, short or in between. The long, slow building of a strong foundation for 2500 years from Adam to Moses, a short 500 years from Moses to Solomon as the Israelites are prepared and taught and then 1000 years of ripening before Christ at last comes. Now the 2000 years of the Christian doctrine being spread through out the world from that small center in Israel is seen in a much larger context of God’s overall plan and timing.
The overlap: What can we get from that? When we see mapped out in front of us that Enos, Adam’s grandson lived until Noah was in his 90’s and that Noah’s son Shem lived until after Abraham was born (and was still alive in Isaac’s youth) – that’s a wow moment. Do you suppose that Abraham and Isaac heard about the flood from people who actually lived through it? And about the garden from a person who knew a person who knew Adam? Talk about your six degrees of separation!
Other world events: Most of us have bits of history floating around in some kind of hazy mess; like looking at an out of focus picture. Some parts are less blurry but the picture as a whole doesn’t make sense. Using a Bible timeline with World history on it as well brings it all into sharp focus. We see the whole not just random bits.
When we discover that Daniel and Confucius lived at the same time, or that the Greek poet Homer and Solomon lived in the same century, we begin to connect all those bits of history into a solid map in our minds. These aren’t isolated events happening “somewhere in time.” History is a series of connected events all under God’s direction.
Why: We see God’s hand dealing with all of His children, the descendants of Noah, scattered across the globe to bring about the saving of the human family through Jesus Christ. That’s your why. We see His hand orchestrating major events to bring about prophetic promises of blessing or cursing. Especially now during the wrapping up years as the entire world is in contact and relationship with each other. Now we see His hand played out on a world stage, all of that history coming together into one grand finale. A Bible World History Timeline gives us that whole world view of God’s plan.
There are your five steps.
- Teach or study your principle.
- Orient the story in time. Place it in order on the timeline.
- View the overlap and what that tells us.
- Consider other events going on in the world at the same time.
- Why. See it all as part of the God’s great plan for man.
Now that’s powerful study and teaching.
Learn more about the Amazing Bible World History Timeline →
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- Unique circular format - over 1,000 references at your fingertips on this wonderful study companion
- Discover interesting facts - Biblical events with scripture references plotted alongside world history showcase fun chronological relationships
- Attractive, easy to use design - People will stop to look at and talk about this beautifully laid out Jesus history timeline poster ideal for your home, office, church ... Click here to find out more about this unique and fun Bible study tool!