chronology

I think I was in college when I really learned the our Bibles aren't in chronological order. I grew up in a great Bible-teaching church, and we knew the categories of the Bible - the Torah or Pentateuch, the wisdom literature, the major prophets, minor prophets, gospels, and epistles. I guess I kind of assumed these were the different eras - like first there was Adam and Eve, then the Kings, then the prophets all came, and then Jesus.

In our 4/5th grade class at Harvest (I'm a leader), we've been studying Ezra, Nehemiah, Micah, and other Old Testament books. As I've read the lessons and started digging into the actual books themselves, I'm become very curious about how it all falls in order.

So I've started circling the historical years in the footnotes whenever I see them. I would like to map out the different events so I can get a better idea of how this all fits together.

And then I started wondering...how is it that I've gotten through this much church teaching, classes, camps, etc. And yet I still don't have a really clear grasp on the order of the Bible. Like shouldn't we be teaching our kids this from when they're young so they understand how the Bible fits together?

I went looking for a chronological guide to the Bible, specifically designed for kids. I figured that if I got a kids one that it would lay all the events and books out in a really clear order. But seriously, I couldn't find one for kids. Surely, you would think, there must be one out there. (Please, if you're reading this and know of the very book I'm describing, let me know. I'd love to buy it!)

Well, once I figure it out for myself, I hope to teach it to my own kids one day. I want us as a family to be able to reference Israel's history as a people.