The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 1:24-25, “For, ‘All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off,

25 But the word of the Lord abides forever.’ And this is the word which was preached to you.”

To anyone who has ever been required to assemble a product he has ordered, “Read the Directions” is a meaningful instruction. Yet, while directions are included with all kinds of physical equipment, they are strangely absent when dealing with the Bible. I have encountered numerous persons over the years, who had no idea whatsoever about how to read the Bible with understanding.

Outlines are often helpful in understanding literary meanings. Basically, an outline is merely an organization of thought –the thought of the person producing the outline. Writers often differ in their concept of outlining; therefore, it is important to remember that the outline is no more than one person’s opinion. Where two or more outlines appear to agree, the conclusion is that the authors’ views were the same. The outlines in this work are the product of many years. As I have had opportunities to teach Bible classes, I have produced outlines to benefit my students. They will agree and differ in whole and in part with those of others; but, their faults and omissions should be assigned to me alone.

The arrangement of each outline brings to the reader what I have often wished had been available to me. The number in superscript that attends each Bible book’s name (e.g., Genesis50 ) indicates the number of chapters in the book. The authors, dates, the books’ span of years, theme and key verse or words will be helpful. Here again, biblical writers differ with regard to many of these items. Dates of books, particularly, seem to change with every turn of the archeologist’s spade. Yet, my dates lie well within the margin of error, leaving only the supercilious scholar scratching his head.

No effort has been made to issue comments on the books, apart from what is offered through the outlines. Commentary is the responsibility of introductory works and in-depth studies of which there are numerous available.

THE OLD TESTAMENT – 39 BOOKS

1. HISTORICAL – 17 BOOKS

(1) Legal History – 5 Books

A. Genesis50

Author: Moses

Date: 1450?1410 B.C.

Span: 2500 Years

Theme: Man’s Failure; God’s Salvation

Key Verse: 1:1

I. PRIMEVAL HISTORY (1:1?11:32)

1. Creation (1:1?2:25)

2. The Fall (3:1?5:32)

3. The Flood (6:1?10:32)

4. The Tower of Babel (11:1?32)

II. PATRIARCHAL HISTORY

(12:1?50:26)

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

We pray that you will live in the Word daily,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Rose Marie’s procedure went well today. Thanks for your prayers. She is asleep,

as I write. God bless you for your faithful concern.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”