Chapter 5.
The Division of the Scriptures.
In language and contents, the Bible is divided into two main divisions.
1. The Old Testament, 39 Books. 2. The New Testament, 27 Books. Total.
66 Books.
The Jews were accustomed to divide the Old Testament into three main parts, as follows:
1. The Law-the first five books, Genesis to Deuteronomy, otherwise called the Pentateuch and books of Moses.
2. The Prophets. These are divided into the "former prophets" or historical books and the "later prophets," or books, which we commonly call the prophetic books.
3. The Writings, which was made to include; (1) Poetical books-Psalms, Proverbs and Job; (2) Five Rolls-Song of Solomon, Ruth, Esther, Lamentations and Ecclesiastes; (3) Other Books: Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah and I and II Chronicles.
The Bible itself divides the Old Testament into the three following divisions:
1. The Law, which includes the first five books of the Bible, also called the books of Moses.
2. The Prophets, which includes the next twelve books, commonly called historical books and the seventeen books we know as the prophetic books.
3. The Psalms, including the five poetical books.
The Books of the Bible
The books of the Old and New Testaments may each be divided into three or five groups as follows:
First Into three groups.
1. History.
(1) Old Testament-Genesis-Esther (17 books).
(2) New Testament-Matthew-Acts (5 books).
2. Doctrine.
(1) Old Testament-Job-Song of Solomon (5 books).
(2) New Testament-Romans-Jude (21 books).
3. Prophecy. (1) Old Testament-Isaiah-Malachi (17 books).
(2) New Testament-Revelation (1 book).
Second, into five groups.
1. Old Testament.
(1) Pentateuch-Genesis-Deuteronomy (5 books).
(2) Historical Books-Joshua-Esther (12 books).
(3) Poetical Books-Job-Song of Solomon (5 books).
(4) Major Prophets-Isaiah-Daniel (5 books).
(5) Minor Prophets-Hosea-Malachi (12 books).
2. New Testament.
(1) Gospels-Matthew-John (4 books).
(2) Acts-Acts (1 book). (3) Pauline Epistles-Romans-Hebrews (14 books).
(4) General Epistles-James-Jude (7 books).
(5) Revelation-Revelation (1 book).
Direction For Study. (1) Drill on the Scripture divisions, Jewish divisions and the three and five groups of each Testament. (2) Drill on the number of chapters in each book and on the abbreviation of each. (3) Drill on books having the same number of chapters, as all those having one chapter, two chapters, etc.
Chapter VI.
The Dispensations.
A dispensation is a period of time during which G.o.d deals in a particular way with man in the matter of sin and responsibility. The whole Bible may be divided into either three or seven dispensations.
Three Dispensations.
1._The Patriarchal Dispensation_. From creation to the giving of the Law, Gen. 1-Ex. 19 and Job.
2. _The Mosaic Dispensation_. From the giving of the Law to the birth of Christ, Ex. 20-Mal. 4.
3. _The Christian Dispensation_. From the birth of Christ to his second coming, Matt.-Rev.
Seven Dispensations. In each of these, man is put in a given state or condition, has a responsibility in it, fails to meet the responsibility, and suffers consequent Judgment.
1. _The Dispensation of Innocence_. From creation to the expulsion from the garden, Gen. 1-3. In this period. Adam and Eve were under obligations to keep their innocence by abstaining from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Their failure has been the most destructive and for reaching of all man"s failures.
2. _The Dispensation of Conscience_. From the fall to the flood, Gen. 4-9. Man had a natural conscience, or knew good from evil, and was under obligation to do good and not evil. The time covered B. C.
4004-2348=1636 years for 1 and 2.
3. _The Dispensation of Human Governments_. From the flood to the call of Abraham, Gen. 10-12. G.o.d gave the eight persons saved from the flood power to govern the renewed earth. The time covered, B. C.
2348-1921.= 427 years.