The 12

Chronological
Divisions of
the Bible

1/13
Creation Stage
Genesis 1-11

Main Actions
• Creation
• The fall of man
• The universal flood
• The Tower of Babel and the
scattering of man throughout
the earth

Main Characters
• Adam, Abel, Enoch, Noah

2/13
 Patriarchal Stage Produced by Simon
Siew

Genesis 12-50

Main Actions
• Lives of Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, Joseph and Job
• Sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham
• Beginning of Hebrew nation
• Arrival of Jews in Egypt
• God allows Satan to test Job

Main Characters
• Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
Joseph, Job, Eliphaz, Bildad,
Zophar, Elihu
3/13
Exodus Stage
Exodus-Deuteronomy

Main Actions

• Deliverance from Egypt by

Moses
• Giving of the Law by God on
Mt. Sinai
• Building of the tabernacle
• Failure at Kadesh-Barnea
(Numbers 14)

Main Characters
• Moses, Aaron, Miriam,
Eleazer, Korah, Balaam,
Phinehas
4/13
 Conquest Stage
Joshua

Main Actions
• Invasion of the land
(Promised Land)
• Subjection of the land by the
Jews
• Division of the land among
the 12 tribes

Main Characters
• Joshua, Caleb, Rahab, Achan

5/13
Judges Stage
Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel 1-7

Main Actions
• Ministry of 12 military reformers
• Marriage of a Moabite girl (Ruth)
• The prayer of a mother
• Call and ministry of Samuel
• The death of a priest

Main Characters
• Ehud, Barak, Deborah, Gideon,
Jephthah, Samson, Ruth,
Naomi, Boaz, Hannah, Eli,
Samuel 6/13
 United Kingdom Stage
1 Samuel 8-31, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 1-9, Psalms,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

Main Actions
• Reigns of Saul, David and
Solomon
• Recovery of the ark and the
capture of Jerusalem
• The giving of the Davidic
Covenant
• Construction of the first temple

Main Characters
• Saul, David, Solomon, Joab, Abner,
Absalom, Goliath, Zadok,
Bathsheba, Witch of Endor, Nathan,
Jonathan, Queen of Sheba 7/13
Chaotic Kingdom Stage
1 Kings 12-22, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles 10-36, Obadiah, Joel, Jonah, Amos, Hosea,
Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Lamentations

Main Actions
• Israel's tragic civil war - nation broke
into the Northern and Southern
Kingdom
• Capture of Northern Kingdom (10
tribes) by Assyria
• Capture of Southern Kingdom (2
tribes) by Babylon
• The giving of the new covenant

Main Characters
• Jeroboam, Ahab, Rehoboam,
Uzziah, Hezekiah, Manasseh,
Josiah, Elijah, Elisha, Jezebel,
Naaman, Athaliah, Hosea, Gomer 8/13
 Captivity Stage
Daniel, Ezekiel

Main Actions
• Deliverance of Daniel and his
friends from their enemies
• Destruction of the first temple
• Panorama of future world powers
• Ministry of Daniel and Ezekiel
• Fall of Babylon
• Rise of Persia

Main Characters
• Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, Shadrach,
Meshach, Abednego, Belshazzar,
Darius
9/13
Return of the Exiles Stage
Ezra, Esther, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Main Actions
• Decree issued by Cyrus
• Construction of the second
temple
• The rebuilding of the walls
• Deliverance of Jews in Persia
by Esther

Main Characters
• Cyrus, Joshua, Zerubbabel, Ezra,
Ahasuerus, Esther, Mordecai,
Haman, Nehemiah, Artaxerxes,
Sanballat
10/13
Apocrypha books were written during the period
known as the Inter-testament period and are not
considered part of the holy Canon

• Examples of such apocrypha books are Tobias,

1 & 2 Maccabees which are found in the
Catholic Bible
• Meaning of ‘Canon’ – standard, gauge
• The Bible contained 66 inspired and canonical
books
• EGW books are considered inspired but non
canonical books
 The things the Romans were famous for

• Pax Romana – The Roman peace

• Roman roads – all roads lead to Rome
• Roman laws – fair laws for all citizens
 Gospel Stage
Matthew-John
Main Actions
• Birth of Christ & flight into Egypt
• Ministry of John the Baptist
• Baptism, life and ministry of Christ
• Transfiguration of Jesus
• Betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus
• Resurrection and ascension of
Christ

Main Characters
• Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Mary and
Martha, 12 apostles, Pilate, Herod,
John the Baptist, Nicodemus,
Lazarus, Mary Magdalene 11/13
Early Church Stage
Acts

Main Actions
• Birth of the church at Pentecost
• Death of Ananias & Sapphira
• Antioch church formed
• Selection of 7 deacons
• Ministry of Peter, Stephen and
Philip (Acts 1-12)
• Ministry of Paul, Barnabas and
Silas - 3 missionary journeys
(Acts 13-28)

Main Characters
• Peter, Philip, Stephen, Paul,
Barnabas, Silas, James 12/13
 Epistle Stage
Romans-Revelation

Main Actions

• Letters of Paul
• Letters of Peter
• Letters of John
• Letter of James
• Letter of Jude

Main Characters
• James, Jude, John

13/13
 The 12 chronological stages in the Bible

01. Creation 07. Chaotic Kingdom

02. Patriarchal 08. Captivity
03. Exodus 09 . Return from exile
04. Conquest 10 . Gospel
05. Judges 11.Early Church
06. United Kingdom 12. Epistle