Book Review

I was thrilled when Thomas Nelson publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of the book, Chronological Guide to the Bible. This book is a guide through the history and culture of the Bible. It divides the Biblical history into nine epochs. Some of the features are archaeological information, outlines, chronological reading guides, time lines, and maps.

From the introduction: “If we are to understand and appropriate the Bible's life-giving message today, we need some sense of the historical and cultural context in which its diverse parts appeared.... thousands of years later, we read the same words under entirely different circumstances [than the original recipients] and risk misunderstanding or only dimly understanding them if we neglect their historical and cultural background.”

This is so true. For example, without the explanation on page 88 we might not grasp the significance of the warning in Jeremiah 2:13. Likewise, we might miss the significance of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well without the additional insights on page 157. This book is a valuable teaching tool for my family and I predict we will use it for years to come.

For more information, click here: Thomas Nelson