Saturday 25 August 2012

Reading Plans: Hebrew OT Order


Close to the second B120 starting on 1st of September one new reading plan has just been released in two different versions. It is a changed version of the 180X and 240X plans but with the OT in the original Hebrew order. 

Now what's the point of reading the Old Testament this way? Because Jesus and the apostles and the entire church who had the complete OT read it that way. It was only later changed to a different order. Is that a big problem? Not massively because it is very easy to find the original order on the internet and everyone can decide for themselves in what order he or she reads through the OT. Unfortunately not many know that there is a different order to the OT. And there are indeed advantages in reading it this way. 

Some things only really make sense when you read it the Hebrew order. For example the books of Chronicles close the canon of the OT for the Hebrew reader. That means you don't read first Kings and then straight after almost the same again in Chronicles. Instead you first go through all other writings of poetry and prophets until you get again confronted with the history of Israel. Chronicles serves as a summary of the entire Bible up to that point and through it's genealogies is focusing on the lines of Judah and Levi, the royal line and the priestly line. And as the expectations for the future Messiah are finding their climax we find both lines coming together in Jesus, the King-Priest who fulfills both in himself. 
And not only does Chronicles belong at the end of the OT, it was also written last. That can be seen that 2 Chronicles 36 makes mention of the return of the exiles who were now in need to be reminded of their identity since the entire generation grew up in exile, far away from their home land. And it explains the prophetic insights that it includes and which we don't find in 1 & 2 Kings. And the kings of Israel don't even appear in the story line, as they do in the book of the Kings, because they have nothing to do with the line of Jesus, which is rooted in Judah. 

So if you would like to have a look at the OT from the angle of Jesus and the apostles, feel free to download the reading plans below. 


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