By Ken Wooldridge

Copyright © 2006 by

Ken Wooldridge.

All rights reserved.

This book may not be reproduced in any form, without

the written permission of the Publisher Ken Wooldridge.

All Scripture quotations are from the original King James version of the Bible.

First printing, January 2001.

Ken Wooldridge Ministries International

P.O. Box 12925,

Knoxville, Tn. 37912-0925, USA

www.kenwooldridge.org

CONTENTS

Old Testament                                                                 

                                                                

New Testament

Church History

The Evangelist

The Preacher

The Shepherd

The Teacher

Ministering Effectively

Christian Counseling

The Original Languages of the Bible

Chapter 1

Old Testament   

This is a synopsis of the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is the first part of a holy book called the Bible and consists of thirty-nine books.

The Old Testament period is about four thousand years, from Adam to the first coming of Christ. To understand this period, here is an historical review from the first book Genesis, to the last book Malachi.

Genesis. (4000B.C.)

In the first verse we are introduced to Elohim, who is God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. The act of Gods creation is described in chapters one and two. God created the Universe, the Earth, the Garden of Eden, all creatures, Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were given charge over the Garden on Eden and were commanded to replenish and subdue the Earth. In recent years, epics of the creation story have been found in different forms, on tablets in the ruins of Babylon Nineveh, Nippur and Ashur. 

Mans fall into sin.

It was at the time that satan tempted Adam and Eve that they experienced the fall into sin and were banished from the Garden of Eden. Cain and Abel were born to them and Cain committed the first murder by killing his brother.

Enoch was born in Adams lineage and was a true man of God. He walked in such a close relationship with God that he was translated into Heaven.

Man continued to multiply, inhabited the earth, and in rebellion to God built the Tower of Babel. In recent studies, it has been confirmed that the original language of man was pure Hebrew. As a result of mans rebellion, God caused this one language to be changed into many different languages. Here the various basic language groups of man were formed.

Noah. (2000 B.C.)

Sin greatly multiplied upon the earth. God destroyed the earth with a flood but saved Noah and his family. From this time to Abraham six city kingdoms and dynasties existed. They were:

The Kish dynasty,

The Lagish dynasty,

The Erech dynasty,

The Accad dynasty,

The Ur dynasty,

The Babylon dynasty.

Abraham. (1900 B.C.)

It is out of the Ur of the Chaldees, that Abraham, Sarah and Lot were called.

They traveled 600 miles northwest to Haran. After the death of Terah his father, Abraham moved to Shechem and then on to Bethel. Here Abraham and Lot were separated and Lot went on to the plain of Sodom. God destroyed Sodom because of its wickedness, but saved Lot and his two daughters. It was here that Isaac was born.

Abraham continued living near Bethel in Canaan. He raised Isaac in the ways of God. At the command of God, He took his son Isaac to be sacrificed at Mt Moriah, which was about ten miles south of Bethel, where Jerusalem is today. God spared Isaac from being sacrificed and provided a ram in his place. Abraham was old and when Isaac became of age, Abraham arranged for his servant Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac. He found Rebekah, they were married and she bore him two sons, Jacob and Esau.

Esau sold his birthright to his brother Jacob.

Jacob was married to Leah and Rachel and they bore him twelve sons who were the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel. They experienced a great famine in the land and all seventy members of the family went to Egypt for help.

Joseph one of Jacob's sons, was sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt. By Divine providence he was promoted by Pharaoh to be Governor over Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. Joseph forgave his brothers and took care of his father Jacob and his family.

Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. (1500 B.C.)

It was here in Egypt that the children of Israel lived for 400 years and grew to a nation of about 2 million people. At this time a Pharaoh arose that persecuted the Israelites.

God provided a deliverer called Moses. Pharaoh had all the male children killed under the age of three months. Moses was placed by his mother Jochebed in the Nile River and protected in a basket of bulrushes. She engineered a rescue plan by using his older sister Miriam and Moses was found and adopted by Pharaoh's daughter.

Moses was raised in Pharaohs Palace in royalty and was destined for the Throne of Egypt. He then discovered that he was an Israelite and joined with his nation. In this process he murdered an Egyptian and fled to the wilderness of Midian.

Here he sojourned for 40 years where God met with him at the burning bush. God commanded him to go and deliver the Israelites from bondage in Egypt.

Moses returned to Egypt where he challenged Pharaoh. With ten mighty plagues, God delivered the Israelites. The night they kept the Passover, they departed from Egypt. God opened the Red Sea before them and they passed through it. The Egyptian armies were destroyed as they tried to follow them.

Moses led the Israelites on to Mt Sinai.

There God gave Moses and Israel the Ten Commandments, their Civil and Health laws. (Exodus 20:1-17,  21:1, 23:33, Leviticus 11:1, 27:34.)

Moses and Israel built the Tabernacle as God prescribed it.

(Exodus 35:1 - 40:38.)

Moses inducted Aaron as High Priest and the Levitical Priesthood.

(Leviticus 6:1 - 8:36.)

Various feasts, offerings and sacrifices were instituted.

(Leviticus 1:1 - 9:24, 23.1-44.)

God performed the most incredible miracles for Israel in the wilderness.

He provided for, sustained and protected them.  He gave them Manna and Quails to eat and water to drink in the wilderness. Because the Israelites were disobedient and did not want to enter into the Promised Land, they had to wonder in the wilderness for 40 years. At the end of this period, God took away Moses and raised up a new leader in his place. His name was Joshua.

Joshua. (1450 B.C.)

Joshua led the Israelites over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. They marched seven days around the city of Jericho, blew their trumpets, its walls fell down and they conquered the city. They continued their march of victory until the whole Promised Land had been conquered and taken into possession. There were many noteworthy battles that took place. The one that stands out the most is where God commanded the sun to stand still allowing Israel to defeat their enemy.

Judges. (1400 B.C.)

It was during the time of the Judges that Israel experienced apostasy. There were four major Judges that ruled over Israel and each of them ruled for 40 years.

They were:

Othniel.

Deborah.

Barak.

Gideon. Gideon was known for his victory over the Midianites with only 300 men.

Samson.

He was known for his great strength in defeating the Philistines. His spiritual backsliding was tragic, but his return to God spectacular. In his final moments, he pulled down the two pillars of the Philistine temple and killed thousands of Philistines.

Ruth. (1320 B.C.)

Ruth was a Moabite and married one of Naomi's two sons, who were from Bethlehem. Her husband died and instead of returning to Moab she insisted on staying with her mother-in-law Naomi. It was then in her destitute situation that Boaz had compassion on her, took care of her, redeemed and married her. She was King David's great Grandmother and he was born of her lineage.

1 & 2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles.

(1170 - 600 B.C.)

Samuel was born in a town called Ramah six miles north of Jerusalem. His mother Hannah prayed earnestly for a child and promised to give her child to God for service. Samuel was born and later given to the care of the High priest Eli, to grow up and work for God. He served as a Prophet, Priest and Judge of Israel. During his ministry, he crowned Saul and David as Kings of Israel.

King Saul.

Saul was crowned and reigned as King over Israel for 40 years. After being disobedient to God, Israel was defeated in battle and the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines. Saul and his son Jonathan were killed in the battle.

King David.

While King Saul was alive, Samuel anointed the youngest son of Jesse, David to be King of Israel. David had a very close friendship with Jonathan, Saul's son. Because of jealousy Saul persecuted and tried to kill David.  David fled for his life and became a fugitive. A number of years after Saul's death, Samuel crowned David, King of Israel.

He was very popular in Israel for several reasons:

1.   He was talented and could play and sing psalms beautifully.

2.   He was very brave and in an historic moment defeated the giant Goliath.

3.   He was very successful in leading King Saul's armies in battle.

4.   He was a very loving and kind person.

David was a very successful King of Israel and achieved many notable things:

1.   He united Israel and established Jerusalem as her Capital.

2.   He defeated all of Israel's enemies.

3.   He retrieved the stolen Arc of the Covenant from the Philistines.

4.   He accumulated sufficient wealth to rebuild the Temple.

5.   He rebuilt the nation of Israel to great heights of glory.

6.   He wrote many of the Psalms that were sung in everyday  Temple worship.

Unfortunately, David committed a grievous sin by committing adultery with Beth Sheba and then had her husband killed. He dearly loved her and married her and she bore him a son called Solomon. Later on, David also experienced a great emotional trauma when his son Absalom rebelled against him and was killed.

King Solomon.

From birth, Solomon was groomed for the Throne of David. His brother Adonijah plotted against Solomon while David was on his deathbed, but lost his bid for the throne.

Solomon was crowned King and his 40 year reign became one of peace and prosperity. God allowed him to choose anything he desired and he chose wisdom. So great was his wisdom that he became famous throughout the world. He wrote over 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs. He wrote the Biblical books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.

He built the Temple in its magnificence and when it was dedicated, Gods presence filled it and everyone was slain to the floor because of Gods glory.

The nation of Israel experienced its greatest heights at this time. At the height of its economical prosperity, the 25 tons of gold collected each year, could be valued at over $200 million today. Solomon's army ruled with great power and his navy of merchant ships sailed throughout the known world. This era was a highlight in Jewish history.

Unfortunately Solomon did not continue to serve God like his father David did. He married 700 wives of whom many were idolatrous and he had 300 concubines.

After the death of Solomon, Israel was divided into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.

Jeroboam his one son, became the King of Israel known as the Northern Kingdom.

Rehoboam his other son became the King of Judah, the Southern Kingdom.

There was continuous strife and war between these two Kingdoms.

The Northern Kingdom. ( 933 to 721 B.C.)

After Jeroboam, 19 Kings followed him in succession.

Most of these Kings were evil and idolatrous.

From 800 to 875 B.C. two great Prophets, Elijah and Elisha, were used of God to save Israel. Elijah was miraculously used to call fire from heaven on Mt Carmel upon the sacrifice, as a sign of God. He was later supernaturally translated into Heaven by a fiery chariot. His mantle fell on Elisha who did twice as many miracles as Elijah. He multiplied the widow's oil and raised a boy from the dead. He healed Naaman the Leper. He had Prophet schools at Bethel, Jericho and Gilgal.

The Assyrians destroyed this Kingdom, in 721 B.C.

The Southern Kingdom. (933 to 586 B.C.)

After Rehoboam, 20 Kings followed him in succession.

Of these Kings, 6 were good and 14 were evil.

This Kingdom was destroyed in 606 B.C.

King Nebuchadnezzar took the Jews captive to Babylon.

The Prophets.

During the time of these two Kingdoms there were 15 Prophets.

An asterix (*) behind their name indicates that a Book of the Old Testament is named after them. They are:

Elijah             875 - 850 B.C.           

Elisha             850 - 800

Joel (*)           840 - 830

Jonah (*)        790 - 770

Amos (*)        780 - 740

Hosea (*)       760 - 720

Isaiah (*)        745 - 695

Micah (*)       740 - 700

Zephaniah (*) 639 - 608

Nahum (*)      630 - 610

Jeremiah (*)626 - 586

Habakkuk (*) 606 - 586

Obadiah (*)    586 - 535

Daniel (*)       606 - 534

Ezekiel (*)     592 - 570

Ezra And Nehemiah.

During this time, these two men were used by God to bring about the restoration and the unification of Judah and Israel.

In 538 a proclamation was given by King Cyrus to allow the Jews to return to their land.

There were three different returns to Israel.

In 536 B.C. Zerubbabel returned with 42,360 Jews and their possessions to Jerusalem

In 457 B.C. Ezra returned with 1574 men. He was a Priest and returned to teach the Law of God and beautify the Temple.

In 444 B.C. Nehemiah returned as Governor, with an army escort from Artaxerxes, who was the stepson of Queen Esther. Nehemiah was sent to rebuild Jerusalem.

After rebuilding the Temple, they rebuilt the Gates and the Walls of Jerusalem. All twelve tribes of Israel were represented by the returning Jews. The 12 bullocks and he-goats that were sacrificed on their behalf signify this. (Ezra 2:70, 6:17, 8:35)

It was also during this restoration period, that God used the following prophets.

Haggai (*)       520 - 516 B.C.

Zechariah (*)520 - 516 B.C.

Malachi (*)     450 - 400 B.C.

Esther. (478 - 420B.C.)

It was about this time that Esther a Jewess became Xerxes wife and Queen of Persia. Haman plotted against the Jews to have them all killed. With the help and advice of Mordecai she saved the Jews from the massacre. The Feast of Purim is held until this day to commemorate this event. Esther paved the way for the work of Ezra and Nehemiah in rebuilding Jerusalem.

Continued Persian rule. (430 - 332 B.C.)

Not much more is known of this period and for the most part it seemed to be quiet.

Greek rule. (331 - 167 B.C.)

Alexander the Great ruled the world and after his death his four generals continued his reign. Things remained mainly peaceful for the Jews. Then Antiochus Epiphanies re-conquered Israel. He devastated Jerusalem, desecrated the Temple and killed the Jews. This brought about the Maccabean revolt.

Maccabean Rule. (167 - 63 B.C.)

Mattathias a Priest, together with his five brave Sons, revolted and with great courage took back Jerusalem. The Temple was purified and re-dedicated. This was the origin of the Feast of Dedication. Judas his son re-established the High Priestly religious and civil authorities in Judea.

Roman rule. (63 B.C - 70 A.D.)

During this time in 37 B.C., Herod the Great became King of Judea and to obtain Jewish favor built a magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. It was during his reign that Jesus Christ the Son of God was born in Bethlehem of Judea.

This brought to a close, the era of the Old Testament.