UNDERSTANDING THE OLD TESTAMENT the Old Testament is very simple. dons people have problems vith the Old Testanen 1. Te Ge very large. 2: There is tometines an unclear floy of events in the King Janes Version. 3. People get "stuck" in the aore difficult sections, so they do not get to the easy and fun parts. it faithfully and remember what you read, The Recomngadations for learaing the Old Testament are: 1. Do got start by reeding books about the Old Testament. The best thing to do is read the Bible itself. History is actually easy aad fan to learn, but there is no vay to learn it except by qultiple readings. Also, you cannot gain the eatire scope of {t all at once ch book becomes familiar, the whole ‘sequence will begin to make sense. 2. Read the parte that have more “straight history." A person can understand the basic story line of Hoby Dick with's single reading, yet can Sit down to read the Old Testament and get lost. Most of the Ristocieal sections are easy reading. Genealogies, lave, lists, ete., slov'a persoa dova and break the "story Line." They will be necessary Later, but they are not helpful to the beginner. Tend 11 Samuel Land TT Kings Read these sections of the Old Testament a fev tim understanding. Th Teis vill start to give you s basic historical ead Chronicles. Again, stay avay from the genealogies. They vill slov you dovn Sad discourage you. By the tine you have done that, you should be gaining « more complete scope of the Old Testament, vecause Chronicles starts with Adam and covers gost of the Old Testament. Skip the first fine chapters the first fev tines you reed it and start with chapter tea, vhich parallels I Semuel 31. ‘Also, Chronicles should be read in close aesociation with Kings to get the best understanding of both. Atter you get a basic historical understanding of the Old Testament, it is ieportant to gain an under- standing of the Mosaic lav. Unde Continuing to develop your understanding of the history. As you get the history in your mind, read more ‘and more books. ‘The adce you leara, the faster you will leara. a Do not get in a hurry to learn the later prophets: Isaiah, Jereni: speaks ina historical context. The majority of the prophets ‘bout the tines they Lived (a3 st is easentinl to first Learn the history from Kings and Chronicles, as vell as che law. prophets and other weitings. Eaca, Nehemiah, and Esther are important to read because they are the historical close of the Old Testament. Ezekiel, ete. Every prophet 3. Get a Bible Atlas, As you learn, you need to know the geographical are: eacioned. Be aure to take the time to leara how to use the atl: Once you gain ¢ basic understanding of the Old Testament, you can start to read books about it that vill be helpful. “There are s umber of books oa history, archaeology, geography, customs, Language, etc., thet are also heipéul- There is a0 "easy vay” to gain a scope of the Old Testament. It mist be read and rere: fun, hovever, aad a great blessing to anyone vio decides to do it. The reading is