Frank Nelson Palmer - A Bird\'s Eye View of the Bible
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Frank Nelson Palmer >> A Bird\'s Eye View of the Bible
A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE BIBLE
[SECOND EDITION]
BY
FRANK NELSON PALMER
Instructor of English Bible, Winona Schools, 1903-1911
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
REV. J. WILBUR CHAPMAN, D.D.
(To First Edition)
CINCINNATI
MONFORT & COMPANY
1914
Copyright, 1914, by FRANK N. PALMER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION 7
PREFACE TO THE SERIES 8
PREFACE TO THE BOOK 10
CHART OF THE SIXTY-SIX BOOKS OF THE BIBLE 13
THE KINGDOM FORESHADOWED 17
THE KINGDOM FORMING 29
THE KINGDOM CONQUERING 39
THE KINGDOM UNDIVIDED AND THE KINGDOM DIVIDED--
The Historical Books 47
The Poetical Books 55
The Prophetical Books 65
THE KINGDOM IN CAPTIVITY 73
THE KINGDOM RESTORED 79
THE KINGDOM'S TRUE KING 89
THE KINGDOM CONQUERING THE WORLD 97
The Acts 98
The Pauline Epistles 103
The General Epistles 111
THE KINGDOM TRIUMPHANT 117
INTRODUCTION
TO FIRST EDITION
The Bible is a Lamp to our feet and a light to our pathway. To know it
thoroughly is to be kept from stumbling, and to walk in the light is
fellowship with Him who is the heart of the Book.
The Bible is a Rock; to be familiar with its pages is to be established
in character, in hope and in faith, and while we may sometimes tremble,
the rock is immovable. The Bible is the true water of life. Mr. Moody
used to say that it comes down from on high and rises again in mighty
power to the throne on the principle that water seeks its own level. To
know the Bible is, therefore, to live a heavenly life and to be filled
with all the fullness of the spirit of Christ.
The author of this text book knows his Bible thoroughly and he has the
God-given ability of making it plain to others. What is here presented
he has worked out in the class room and in his own rich Christian
experience. I count it a privilege to write this line of introduction.
The members of the Young People's Societies in the churches, Christian
Associations, Bible study classes and Christian workers generally will
find it most helpful. A busy business man by means of it could think his
way through much of God's Word. It is a timely presentation of a great
subject. I am sure that God will bless it richly to all who attempt to
study it.
J. WILBUR CHAPMAN.
PREFACE TO THE SERIES
* * * * *
SEARCH Series of Bible Study Text Books
* * * * *
_"Be Ye Explorers of the Writings."_--JOHN 5:39
* * * * *
Teachers of the Scriptures are issuing many valuable aids to Bible
study. This series of text books is based upon the "Search" idea. We
believe this idea is fundamental. It is commended to the student public
for the following reasons:
_It is the Divine Method._
"_Seek_ ye out of the book of Jehovah" is the God-given command in
Isaiah 34:16 "Search ye the Scriptures" is the command of the God-man in
John 5:39. The God who wrote the Book and the God who knows man will
prescribe the best method by which man shall become acquainted with the
Book.
_It is the Pedagogic Method._
"What seest thou?" One basic pedagogic principle is to train the pupil's
physical and mental eyes to see things for himself. The first and
largest gate to knowledge is the _eye_ gate.
_It is the Scientific Method._
The scientist searches for facts. He hunts for facts in the stars, in
the rocks, in the plants, in the animals. From these facts he deduces
principles. "What saith the Scriptures?"
_It is the Interesting Method._
The search of the hunter, the explorer, the experimenter, the excavator,
the student, is a joyous labor. Every sense is alert There is no
drudgery, no fatigue. The "eureka" stirs a song of gladness. There is
much joy in bearing this testimony: "I have found Micah 6:8, or Isaiah
12, or Jeremiah 45:5, or Philippians 4:19," etc.
Now this is a Workable Method. The teacher can apply it. Give every
pupil a certain definite Search task. The teacher can adapt it to every
age, and to every degree of Biblical knowledge. This series of text
books will suggest plans of applying this basic method of Bible study in
becoming acquainted with the rich contents of the verses, the chapters,
the books of this most practical Word of God.
PREFACE TO THE BOOK
1. THE PURPOSE
This book is designed to be used in Bible Study Classes in churches, in
communities, in academies, in colleges. The author has endeavored to
furnish a text book of outlines and questions that shall unfold the
general contents of the Word of God. Its primary aim is to impart a
swift and comprehensive acquaintanceship with the material of the books
of the Bible.
2. THE CHARACTER OF THE WORK
It is not an exhaustive study. From its aim it could not be such. Some
of the sixty-six books are passed over in brief space, and some (chiefly
in the prophecies and epistles) are omitted altogether. It is a surface
study. The title so suggests. It does not enter into the deeper things.
It simply aims to lay bare the surface facts. It is expressly designed
to serve as a foundation for later detailed searching of the Word. It is
flexible. The teacher can add or subtract as time or local conditions
demand, and is earnestly exhorted so to do. One book may be omitted and
another added at the teacher's discretion. A part of the questions may
be omitted, or additional ones inserted. The outlines may be enlarged or
diminished or changed to suit the needs of the class according to the
teacher's personal judgment.
3. REQUISITES FOR STUDY
Let each scholar be provided with a cheap tablet, a well-bound blank
book of two hundred pages, a small Bible Dictionary of recognized
merit, and a copy of the American Revised Version of the Bible.
(Standard Edition of Nelson & Sons, 1901, bourgeois 8vo, is good.) The
teacher should provide for reference, to which the pupils should have
constant access, a copy of the Rand-McNally Bible Atlas, by J.L.
Hurlbut, D.D., a copy of Young's Complete Analytical Concordance, and a
copy of a large and complete Bible Dictionary.
4. SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS
To secure the best results the following plan, tested by experience, is
suggested: Let the assigned lesson be wrought out and recorded by the
pupil in the cheap tablet. At the next recitation let this recorded
lesson be read and corrected. At the following recitation this lesson
first assigned and corrected is to be recited from memory. So at each
recitation the following will be the general order: (1) The assigning of
the advance lesson. (2) The reading and correction of the lesson
assigned at the previous recitation. (3) The reciting from memory of the
lesson corrected at the previous recitation.
The work as soon as corrected is to be recorded by the scholar in the
blank book according to a simple set of rules. The following rules have
been used with good results:
DIRECTIONS FOR BIBLE BOOKS
1. Record each lesson the evening after its correction. (Commit the
work, as you record, for recital.)
2. Begin each large division at the top of the page.
3. Capitalize and underline all headings.
4. Leave a vacant line between small divisions.
5. Where questions are used, record both questions and answers.
6. The books will be graded substantially as follows:
Correctness of record, 35. (Includes spelling and grammar.)
Fullness of record, 35.
Neatness and care, 10.
Mechanical accuracy, 10.
Originality, 10.
It would be well to place a printed copy of these rules in the hands of
each student, to be pasted in the front of the blank book. These blank
books should be examined and graded every four or six weeks and should
constitute at least a third of the student's grade. The recording of the
work in the blank books may be omitted in the community or church
classes, at the option of the teacher. But the record of the work by
pencil in a cheap tablet _should be insisted upon as absolutely
necessary for the best results_. In the academy and college classes the
painstaking record in ink has been found by experience to be a most
valuable portion of the study.
Let the teacher review constantly. Drill the students, singly and
collectively, in the recitation material. Emphasize the avoidance of
mechanical study. Secure as much consecutive reading of the Word as
possible. Feed upon rich truths. Make practical and personal
applications of the Word. "All Scripture is profitable."
CHART OF THE SIXTY-SIX BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
INTRODUCTORY LESSON. CHART OF THE SIXTY-SIX BOOKS
+--------------+------------+-------------+-----------+---------------+--------------+
| | I | II | III | IV | V |
|NAMES OF |THE KINGDOM | THE KINGDOM |THE KINGDOM| THE KINGDOM | THE KINGDOM |
|DIVISIONS |FORESHADOWED| FORMING |CONQUERING | UNDIVIDED | DIVIDED |
+--------------+------------+-------------+-----------+---------------+--------------+
|Beginning and | 4004-1689 | 1571-1451 | 1451-1095 | 1095-975 | 975-606 B.C. |
|Ending Dates | B.C. | B.C. | B.C. | B.C. | |
+--------------+------------+-------------+-----------+---------------+--------------+
|Names of Books|Genesis |Exodus |Joshua |I and II Samuel|I and II Kings|
| | ---- |Numbers |Judges |I Chronicles |II Chronicles |
| |Job | ---- | ---- | ---- +--------------+
| | |Leviticus |Ruth |Psalms | ISRAEL |
| | |Deuteronomy | |Song of Solomon| 975-721 |
| | | | |Proverbs +--------------+
| | | (Read Psalms| |Ecclesiastes |Jonah |
| | | 8, 90, | | |Amos |
| | | 105-107) | | |Hosea |
| | | | | +--------------+
| | | | | | JUDAH |
| | | | | | 975-606 |
| | | | | +--------------+
| | | | | |Joel |
| | | | | |Isaiah |
| | | | | |Micah |
| | | | | |Nahum |
| | | | | |Zephaniah |
| | | | | |Habakkuk |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
+--------------+------------+-------------+-----------+---------------+--------------+
|NUMBER OF | | | | | |
|BOOKS | 2 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 12 |
+--------------+------------+-------------+-----------+---------------+--------------+
+--------------+------------+-----------+-------------+----------------+-----------+
| | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X |
| NAMES OF |THE KINGDOM |THE KINGDOM|THE KINGDOM'S| THE KINGDOM |THE KINGDOM|
| DIVISIONS |IN CAPTIVITY| RESTORED | TRUE KING | CONQUERING | TRIUMPHANT|
| | | | | THE WORLD | |
+--------------+------------+-----------+-------------+----------------+-----------+
|Beginning and | 606-536 | 536-420 | 4 B.C.-29 | 29 A.D. | |
|Ending Dates | B.C. | B.C. | A.D. | | |
+--------------+------------+-----------+-------------+----------------+-----------+
|Names of Books|Daniel |Ezra |Matthew |Acts |Revelation |
| |Esther |Nehemiah |Mark | ---- | |
| | ---- | ---- |Luke |I Thessalonians | |
| |Jeremiah |Haggai |John |II Thessalonians| |
| |Lamentations|Zechariah | |Galatians | |
| |Obadiah |Malachi | |I Corinthians | |
| |Ezekiel | | |Romans | |
| | | | |II Corinthians | |
| | (Read Ps. | | |Philemon | |
| | 137) | | |Ephesians | |
| | | | |Philippians | |
| | | | |Colossians | |
| | | | |Hebrews | |
| | | | |I Timothy | |
| | | | |Titus | |
| | | | |II Timothy | |
| | | | |James | |
| | | | |I Peter | |
| | | | |II Peter | |
| | | | |Jude | |
| | | | |I John | |
| | | | |II John | |
| | | | |III John | |
+--------------+------------+-----------+-------------+----------------+-----------+
|NUMBER OF | | | | | |
|BOOKS | 6 | 5| 4 | 22 | 1|
+--------------+------------+-----------+-------------+----------------+-----------+
NOTES ON THE CHART
1. The sixty-six books are divided into ten groups, according to their
relation to the Kingdom. In this connection the word Kingdom is not used
in any restricted or technical sense. It is used to designate the
Kingdom of God instituted to redeem the race from sin, under whatever
form manifested.
2. Several of the books are not located in their exact places. Esther is
located in Division Six because it is Captivity narrative. The Kings and
Chronicles technically overlap two divisions. Lamentations and Jeremiah
chronologically belong to the preceding division, but are placed among
the books of the Captivity because their wails betoken that event.
3. The books in each division are arranged in chronological order. In
Division Nine the fourteen epistles of Paul are placed first, in the
order of their composition, then the seven general epistles in the order
of their writing.
4. Where the books of a division are separated into two groups by a
dash, those above the dash are historical, those beneath the dash are
biographical, or poetical, or legal, or prophetical, or epistolary.
5. The teacher may exercise his own judgment in requiring the committal
of this chart at the start, or part by part as the study proceeds.
I
THE KINGDOM FORESHADOWED
Genesis Page
Job Page
NOTES
1. Use full page in blank book, copying as above.
2. Place number of page on which above studies begin in blank book. This
serves as index.
OUTLINE FOR STUDY OF HISTORICAL BOOKS
1. Pictorial Device.
2. Kind of Literature.
3. Meaning of Name.
4. Author.
5. Beginning and Ending Dates.
6. Outline of Contents.
7. Key Verse.
8. Leading Thought.
9. Leading Phrases and Verses.
10. Leading Chapters with Names.
11. Leading Characters.
12. Leading Lessons.
13. What of Christ:
(a) Symbol.
(b) Type.
(c) Analogy.
(d) Prophecy.
14. Questions.
15. Items of Special Interest.
16. Individual Finds.
NOTES ON HISTORICAL OUTLINE AND ITS USE
Most of the books in the first four divisions will be studied with this
outline as a basis. In the pursuance of these lessons the numbers left
vacant in the outline are to be wrought out by the pupils. In recording
the work in the blank book the first page is to be given to the
pictorial device. One of these will be printed in its appropriate place.
Let students prepare the others. Urge the pupils to use originality of
thought and pen in producing them. The aim of the device is to impress
by a simple picture the contents of the book as a whole. Under No. 2 the
kind of literature may be described, as history, law, discourse,
biography, etc. Secure answers to Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 in Bible Dictionary.
As a rule, Nos. 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 will be given. Under No. 10 part of the
chapters will be named, and part are to be read and named by the pupils.
After the pupils present the names of these chapters in class, one must
be agreed upon, so that the names will be uniform. When the names of
chapters are given in the outline, require the pupils to glance over the
chapters and verify them. Under No. 13 the foreshadowed facts of Christ
are given, so as to manifest Him as the living center of the Book. Only
the leading ones are selected. The teacher or pupil may add others. For
convenience sake they are classified as follows: (a) Symbol; (b) Type;
(c) Analogy; (d) Prophecy. Though the words symbol and type are not
technically distinct, we have agreed to use the word _symbol_ to
designate an _object_ or _animal_ that prefigures Christ, as "star" or
"lamb," and the word _type_ to designate a _person_ that prefigures
Christ, as Melchizedek or Moses. We have also agreed to limit the
symbols and types to those directly or indirectly mentioned in the New
Testament. By analogy we mean a person who, though widely differing from
Christ in many particulars, bears some one resemblance to Him in quality
or deed. These analogies are not mentioned in the New Testament. The
word _prophecy_ in the outline is confined, then, to _facts_ foretold
regarding Christ. Under No. 15 let the teacher call for five or ten
(suit the number to conditions) items of peculiar interest, touching the
literary form, events, facts, teachings, etc. This topic is in accord
with the first article of the Creed recorded on the opening page of the
book. Under No. 16 let the teacher assign at least one chapter rich in
contents for individual search upon the part of the pupils. Let the
pupils record and number their individual finds. This in accord with the
fifth article of the Creed. The purpose is to cultivate the "seeing eye"
and to develop originality in Bible research.
GENESIS
I. _Pictorial Device._
_____
,-'| GOD |'-.
,-' , ----- . '-.
,-' ,' / \ '. '-.
,-' ,' / \ '. '-.
,-' ,' / \ '. '-.
,-' ,' / \ '. '-.
,-' ,' / \ '. '-.
+--+-----+--+-----+--+-----+--+-----+--+-----+--+
|2 | |6 | |12| |21| |25| |37|
+--+-----+--+-----+--+-----+--+-----+--+-----+--+
|A | |N | |A | |I | |J | |J |
|D | |O | |B | |S | |A | |O |
|A | |A | |R | |A | |C | |S |
|M | |H | |A | |A | |O | |E |
| | | | |H | |C | |B | |P |
| | | | |A | | | | | |H |
| | | | |M | | | | | | |
+--+-----+--+-----+--+-----+--+-----+--+-----+--+
| BEGINNINGS |
+-----------------------------------------------+
| GOD |
+-----------------------------------------------+
NOTE.--In order to make the work and the method of recording it as clear
as possible, the outline study of Genesis is printed in full, except the
answers to the questions.
II. _Kind of Literature:_ History.
III. _Meaning of Name:_ Beginning.
IV. _Author:_ Moses.
V. _Beginning and Ending Dates:_ 4004 B.C. to 1689 B.C., making 2315
years.
VI. _Outline of Contents:_
1. 1 to 11. God's Dealings with the Human Race.
2. 12 to 50. God's Dealings with the Chosen Race.
VII. _Key Verse:_ 1:1 in part: "In the beginning God--"
VIII. _Leading Thought:_ God before all and in all and over all.
IX. _Leading Phrases and Verses:_
4:9--"Am I my brother's keeper?"
15:1--"Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great
reward."
18:4--"Is anything too hard for Jehovah?"
X. _Leading Chapters with Names:_
1. The Six Days of Creation.
3. The Temptation, the Fall and the Promise.
4. Cain and Abel.
6 to 8. The Flood.
11. Babel.
12. Abraham.
22. The Sacrifice of Isaac.
23. The Wrestling of Jacob.
37. Joseph.
49. The Blessings of Jacob.
XI. _Leading Characters._ See Device.
XII. _Leading Lessons:_
1. God's Intimate Acquaintanceship with Man.
2. The Wide Influence of One Person. (Let teacher and scholar illustrate
these.)
XIII. _What of Christ:_
(a) Symbol: (The blood of Abel. Heb. 12:24.)
(b) Type: Adam. Rom. 5:14.
Melchizedek. Heb. 6:20.
(c) Analogy: Noah. Joseph.
(d) Prophecy: 3:15: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman and
between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shall
bruise his heel."
12:3: "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." See
Matt. 1:1.
49:10: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff
from between his feet, until Shiloh come: and unto him shall the
obedience of the peoples be."
XIV. _Questions:_
1. Name the first two great institutions established by Jehovah.
2. Name the beginnings recorded in Chapters 3 and 4.
3. Name five facts mentioned about the Garden of Eden.
4. Name God's first recorded words, Satan's, Adam's.
5. Name the curses pronounced upon the serpent, upon the woman, upon the
ground for man's sake.
6. Name the first blacksmith, the first musician, the first piece of
poetry, the first city, the first and second tithers.
7. Give ages of Adam, Methuselah, Noah, Abraham, Joseph.
8. Name the cause of the flood and the number of people saved.
9. Name the three sons of Noah and the prophecies regarding the
descendants of each.
10. Why did the people build the Tower of Babel?
11. Name the seven promises made to Abraham in Chapter 15.
12. By what quality was Abraham saved? 15:6. See Gal. 3:8.
13. Who was Melchizedek? Hagar? Ishmael?
14. Name the wife and sons of Isaac.
15. In what two ways did Jacob mistreat Esau?
16. How long did Jacob serve for his wives and cattle?
17. Fill out the following diagram of Jacob's wives, concubines and
children. See 35:23.
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| | | | |
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
18. Give origin, meaning and location of Mizpah.
19. Give the two chief reasons for the elevation of Joseph.
20. Name the dreams interpreted by Joseph.
21. Locate and give the substance of Judah's plea.
22. How many of the house of Jacob went down into Egypt?
NOTES ON THE QUESTIONS
These questions must needs be few in number. If the time permits, let
the teacher add others. They are designed to be mere surface questions,
to secure acquaintanceship with a few of the great facts. In assigning
the questions on each book of the Bible let the teacher go over them
with the class, seeking their knowledge (or imparting it) as to the
chapters in which the answers may be found. If the class has the time
and desires a more thorough acquaintance with each book, let each member
prepare two "large" questions on each chapter, or upon as many chapters
as they desire. The following questions on Chapter 1 will serve as
examples: (1) Name the seven purposes of the lights. (2) State the
number of times the word God occurs.
XV. _Items of Special Interest:_
1. The symmetry of the paragraphs in the record of the six creative days
in Chapter 1.