The Flow of the OT

Intro• It is very import that we know the flow or the sequence of the bible

events. • The Bible is HISTORY I mean HIS- STORY (God’s Story)• We should be able to tell God’s story to the Church, our children, the

lost etc…• Psalm71:18• Can you tell your conversion story?• Can you tell the story of the ICOC?• Can you tell the story of the Lagos church?• If we don’t know where we are coming from we will not know where

we are going • Unless we know the flow, we will be disoriented when we reading

the Bile, both historically and theologically

Stephen told the story of the OT Acts7

• In 52 verses Stephen told the story of the OT, a story covering a period of about 4000 years.• Stephen know the scriptures• He even quoted scriptures from the OT• His approach was from FACTS (what the Jews were familiar

with) to FAITH ( belief in Jesus the Christ)• The sermon delivered by Stephen was on point simply

because he knew the flow of the OT events.• Note: the Crowd did not stone him because he was

preaching false doctrine (the audience were familiar with the truth he told)• He was stoned because they felt insulted when convicted of

their stiff-necked attitude to the will of God.

12 historical periods

• I. Primeval period• II. Patriarchal period• III. Egypt and the

Exodus• IV. Desert wanderings• V. Conquest and

Judges• VI. United Kingdom

• VII. Divided kingdom• VIII. Assyrian exile and Judah alone• IX. Babylonian Exile• X. Persian period• XI. Greek period’• XII. Roman period

Primeval period

• Primeval means the first age• This is about the creation and it covers Genesis 1

to the tower of Babel in Gen.11• A lot of things took place within this period• The creation in 6 days• The 7th day being the Sabbath• The fall of man• The story of Cain killing Abel • Sinful people in Noah’s days• The flood• life after the flood• The Tower of Babel

II. Patriarchal period

• A Patriarch is simply a family head• To the Jews the key family heads was Abraham• Abraham’s Linage was :Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,

Judah, Jesus.• By extension Jews, Christians and Muslims all

claim to be Abraham’s legacy • The book of Genesis and Job are linked with

this period

Egypt and the Exodus

III. Egypt and the Exodusabout1864-1446 BC

• The history is found in Genesis 46-Exodus 13• Jacob’s family moves to Egypt • Acts7:14 vs. Genesis 46:27 not necessarily a

contradiction• Exodus 1 tells us that another king took over who did

not know bout Joseph and saw Israel as a threat so he subjected them to slavery.• In all Israel spent 430 years in Egypt then the exit

took place (Exo.12:40-41• The exodus took place under the leadership of Moses• Moses’ life line was in 3 divisions of 40s• The exodus was the last 40 years of his life

Desert wanderings

IV. Desert wanderingsAbout 1446-1406BC

• The history is found from Exo13-Joshua 2• Some key events within this period are:• i. the giving of the Law (Torah)• ii. disobedience and wanderings • iii. Spying of the Land• The books written during this period were: • Exodus, (Exit)• Leviticus ( Priestly)• Number (Censuses)• Deuteronomy (the 2nd law giving)• Note some books overlap in some historic periods.

Conquest and Judges

V. Conquest and Judges

• The history is found in Joshua 1-1samuel8• Spies sent out• Crossing of the Jordan• Conquest and apportionment of the Land• Leaders rising up after the death of Joshua• Israel seemingly was not under a unified

leadership after Joshua• They formed a confederation and different Judger

lead at different times in different territories• Literature: Joshua, Judges, Ruth and 1Samuel

The Judges of Israel• Othniel (3:7-11) 1st Judge after Joshua's death• Ehud (3:12-30) Fought the Moabites• Shagmar (3:31) Led Israelites against the Philistines• Deborah (4-5) Prophetess, guided Barak to victory over the Canaanites, only

female judge• Gideon (6-8) Defeated Midianites with 300 men• Abimelech (9) Only judge to win leadership through treachery• Tola (10:1-5) Judged Israel for 23 years• Yair (10: 1-5) Judged Israel for 22 years• Jepthah (10:17-12:7) Defeated Ammonites• Ibzan (12:8-15) Judged people for 7 years• Elon (12:8-15) Judge for 10 years• Abdon (12:8-15) Ruled for 8 years• Samson (13-16) Fought Philistines singlehandedly• Eli (1 Samuel 1:9) Priest, ruled people from the sanctuary at Gilo• Samuel Last judge before the kingdom came under the rule of Saul

VI. United Kingdom(3kings)

• History: 1Samuel 9-1kings 11,1Chro10-2Chro.9 • In 1Samuel 8 Israel rejected God as their king• God gave them 3 kings: • Saul, 1050-1010BC• David 1010-970BC• Solomon 970-930BC• They all ruled for a period of about 40 years

each• David was the most faithful of the 3• Israel was more peaceful during the reign of

Solomon• David set the “stage” but Solomon built the

Temple• Literature: 1-2 Samuel, 1kings, many Psalms,

proverbs, Ecclesiastes, songs of songs etc…

VII. Divided kingdom9(2Kingdoms)

• Kings of Judah(the South) One continuous dynasty• No consistent dynasty for the Northern kingdom• There was not a silgle good king in the northern

kingdom (this does not suggest that there were no acts of good deeds done by some)• The kings and priests who were the anointed ones of

Israel mostly failed to withhold the standards of God but largely encouraged the people to sin• That was why God raised prophets to speak against

the corrupt system and call the People, kings and priests back to obeying God• Literature: 1-2kings,2chro, Isaiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos,

Micah, Jonah

List of the Kings of Judah Name Reign (BC) Good /Bad King

Rehoboam 930-913 Bad

Abijah 913-910 Bad

Asa 910-869 Good

Jehoshaphat 869-848 Good

Jehoram 848-841 bad

Ahaziah 841 Bad

Athaliah 841-835 Bad

Joash 835-796 Bad

Amaziah 796-7670 Good

Azariah 767-739 Good

Jotham 739-731 Good

Ahaz 731-715 Bad

Hezekiah 727-698 Good

Kings of Israel (Northern Kingdom)name Reign (BC) Good/ Bad

Jeroboam 930-910 Bad

Nadab 910-909 Bad

Baasha 909-886 Bad

Elah 886-885 Bad

Zimri 885 Bad

Omri 885-874 Bad

Ahab 874-853 Bad

Ahaziah 8523-852 Bad

Jehoram 852-841 Bad

Jehu 841-814 Bad

Jehoahaz 814-798 Bad

Jehoash 798-782 Bad

Jeroboam II 782-753 Bad

Zachariah 753-752 Bad

Shallum 752 Bad

Kings of Israel (Northern Kingdom)Cont.

Name Reign (BC) Good / Bad

Menaham 752-742 Bad

Pekahiah 742-740 Bad

Pekah 740-732 Bad

Hoshea 732-722 Bad

Assyrian exile and Judah alone722-587BC

• History: (2kings 18024, 2chro.28-36)• Assyrians take Northern Israel into captivity in 722BC• They threatened Judah in 701BC but Hezekiah Prays

and God acts • More kings of Judah:• Manasseh 697-642 Bad• Amon 642-640 Bad• Josiah 640-609 Good• Jehoahaz 609 Bad• Jehoiachim 609-598 Bad• Jehoiachin 598-597 Bad• Zedekiah 597-587 Bad

Babylonian exile• Babylon finally took over Assyria in 612BC taking along

the Northern kingdom that was in the hands of the Assyrians

• Defeated Egypt in 605BC (Jeremiah46:2)

• Captivity in bits for the people in Judah (605, 597, 587BC)

• 587BC Jerusalem was taken captive by the Babylonians and the city was destroyed, articles from the Temple were taken to Babylon.

• Literature: 2kings, 2Chro, Ezekiel, Daniel, Habakkuk, Obadiah

Persian period• The fall of Babylon (539BC)• Resettling Jews in homeland• Temple construction (520-516BC)• Work lies inactive (536-516BC) after foundation laid• Work revived under preaching of Haggai and Zachariah

(520BC)• Esther foils the plot to exterminate the Jews (480BC)• Ezra teaches the Law to those who have returned form

Exile (458BC)• Nehemiah rebuilds the wall of Jerusalem (445BC)• Literature: Ezra- Nehemiah, Esther, 2Chro. Daniel,

Haggai - Zachariah, Malachi

Greek period 333-63BC

• History: Extra Biblical sources• Alexander the Great takes control of Syria (333BC)• Completely defeated the Persia (331BC)• Tries to force Greek culture on Jews• Rise of Pharisees• Institution of Synagogues• Maccabean Revolt• Literature: Apocrypha -1. Maccabees, Greek History

The Roman Period • The Romans took over from the Greeks in 63BC• It was during the period of the Romans that Jesus the Christ was born

Home work

• Q1.Memories the 12 Historic Periods in their proper order and write them down • Q2. Write out the story of the ICOC considering where

we came from, leadership, growth, strengths and weaknesses etc…• Q3. Do a research on one of the 3 king: Saul, David or

Solomon and write an orderly Account about him.

Thanks for listening

www.icocnigeria.com Email: info@icocnigeria.com Twitter: @icocnigeria FB: International Church Of Christ Nigeria

www.icocnigeria.com Email: info@icocnigeria.com Twitter: @icocnigeria FB: International Church Of Christ Nigeria