American P.I.E. V

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV

This is the fifth and final installment of the American PIE series. Part one was a not too serious introduction and part two focused on the P in the PIE: pietism in general. Part three addressed the rationalistic side of pietism and part four addressed the experiential side of pietism. This part will focus on the E in the PIE: egalitarianism.

Egalitarianism
Individualism runs throughout. For most everything of significance, authority and responsibility center on the individual. Along with this comes the belief that any individual is competent and equipped to do most anything.

Held most strongly by: General and Particular Baptists, Restoration movement churches, Bible churches, non-denominational churches, most holiness movement and Pentecostal churches, most “generic evangelicals”

The great concern of egalitarianism is: subjection to oppressive, authoritarian rulers. This, of course, is a very American concern. Egalitarianism is largely a reaction against this foe.

Core Assumptions:

1. hierarchy: Any significant concept of hierarchy is rejected. A false dichotomy is often set up between localized authority (residing in, e.g., the local congregation or the individual) and oppressive, top-down authoritarianism. The idea that the body of Christ as a whole (e.g., via councils) has judicially binding authority is rejected in favor of “autonomy,” i.e., self-law. The one/unity and the many/diversity are not equally ultimate as one would expect from a Trinitarian theology. Instead, the many/diversity is quite a bit more central and important than the one/unity. Thus, egalitarianism is inherently “polytheistic” in structure even though evangelical Protestants obviously don’t translate this over into theology proper.

2. representation: Any significant concept of representation is rejected. Direct democracy is the ideal. Since representation is a key aspect of the covenants that God has made with His people, egalitarianism is inherently anti-covenantal.

3. individual competency: Any given individual is competent to do almost anything and he is responsible for almost everything. Thus for example, all Christians are qualified and capable exegetes who should be doing most of their own biblical study/exegesis. They are also qualified evangelists who should routinely be engaged in evangelism.

Some Effects:

1. individualistic hermeneutic: “The right of private interpretation” is a common phrase. It is simply a given that everyone is a competent biblical exegete who should be doing such exegesis often and by himself (or in small groups without ordained teaching oversight). The Bible is essentially and fundamentally seen to belong to the individual instead of to the body of Christ, the Church. Because of this, many biblical passages are decontextualized and applied directly to each individual. Thus for example, passages that promise the Spirit’s guidance to specific biblical individuals, ordained ministers, or the Church in general are redirected to apply directly to each modern individual. As another example, it is simply assumed that the Great Commission was given to each individual. In reality, it was given to ordained ministers.

2. congregational form of government: Local congregations are seen as “autonomous.” Authority and responsibility are pushed to the most local level possible, and hierarchy is eliminated (as much as is practically possible without creating rank chaos). Each individual congregation does what is right in its own eyes. Even though democracy is scarcely seen in the Bible (not in the family, Church, or state), a high priority is placed on decisions made via a direct democratic (demos = people, kratos = rule) vote. This leads to...

3. sectarianism: If authority is more or less exclusive to the most local entity possible (e.g., the single congregation or the individual), factionalism is inevitable. With something like 30,000 Protestant denominations in America, “atomism” is American Protestantism’s middle name.

4. “decisionism” / voluntary membership: The Church functions far more like a club than it does a family. Having a voluntary membership is of paramount importance. Each individual must first mature and then make his own decision to accept Jesus and enter the Church. The idea that someone may be adopted into the Church without his mature input is unacceptable. This of course works against the concept of covenantal representation and it doesn’t sit well at all with the concept of Christendom (which is usually seen to be inherently compromised by formalism). This fits together well with…

5. credo-only church w/ credo-only sacraments: Egalitarianism presupposes maturity in thought and capabilities (e.g., small children and the mentally handicapped cannot vote, preach the gospel, privately interpret Scripture). Therefore, the immature are not members of the Church in any significant way (at least not formally) and the sacraments do not belong to them. Moreover, since egalitarianism rejects any concept of representation, the biblical concept of household circumcision/baptism is quite foreign.

6. para-Church focused: In American Protestantism, a significant amount of teaching comes from para-Church organizations and/or itinerant preachers that have little or no accountability to a Church hierarchy. Significant teaching also comes from small group Bible studies that do not have ministerial oversight. Compare this to how teaching is normally conducted in the Bible.

7. imprimatur process: This is nonexistent in the American Protestant world.

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American P.I.E. IV

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part V

This is part four of the American P.I.E. series. Part one provided an introduction to the series and an overview of the material to be covered. Part two focused on pietism in general. Part three focused on the rationalistic form of pietism. This part will focus on the experiential form of pietism. It will not be as developed as the rest of the series because I’m just not at home with experiential pietism. With the other parts of this series, I think I can study what I’m describing “from the inside.” But with experientialism, I must look at it from the outside (and I haven’t really been looking at it for a long period of time).

Experientialism
Individualism runs throughout. The overwhelming focus is placed on the individual’s experiences and emotions.

Held most strongly by: holiness movement and Pentecostal churches, Charismatic churches, some General Baptists, some non-denominational churches, some “generic evangelicals”

The great concerns of experientialism are: a cold, impersonal doctrinalism and moral laxity in the realm of personal behavior (two varieties of what experientialists see as formalism). Experientialism is largely a reaction against these foes.

Core Assumptions:

1. epistemological subjectivism: God is known primarily through the experiences of the individual (e.g., “feel/see the Spirit move” in one’s life and circumstances)

2. nature of experience: Experience is an emotional phenomenon, not a mental phenomenon (i.e., meeting God and having a relationship with him via Bible study is rare or nonexistent) and only secondarily is it a social phenomenon. Above all, it constitutes an immediate relationship with God. Functionally, it can often be a separate form of revelation in addition to the Bible. It may occasionally be an explicit revelatory experience (e.g., “a word from the Lord”) but it is usually more indirect and “fuzzy” and resembles an emotional state of some kind.

3. authority of experience: It is often infallible or at least unassailable in practice though it is not usually so in theory. A healthy skepticism of such experience rarely seems to exist.

4. routine and ritual: These are identical to “dead formalism.”

Some Effects:

1. doctrinal development: The theological understanding of experiential pietists is often quite underdeveloped. They don’t usually progress very far beyond the basics of Christian doctrine.

2. adding to the law (ethical subjectivism): It is often the case that underdeveloped doctrine and a relatively weak emphasis on the authority of the Bible combine with a strong emphasis on personal behavior to produce many “house rules.” These rules (e.g., don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t dance) usually have little or no biblical support but they often become important moral requirements which distinguish the holy from the carnal.

3. schism: Perfectionism and the search for authentic experience leads to many denominations and much church hopping.

4. privatization: Holiness is often understood in a way that would make Christendom impossible.

5. low view of the Church: Experience trumps the “formalism” and “cold doctrine” of a Church that has any real necessity or authority.

6. ecclesiastical order: The high authority of experience with respect to the Bible and the Church produces many para-Church ministries headed by those without formal calls, much biblical education, or much pastoral experience. They see their calls as immediate (i.e., directly from God), and often enough, their ministries take on a ‘cult of personality’ feel.

7. worship music: The importance of music is usually stressed. Worship music often consists of simple, “contemporary” songs and choruses sung repetitively. Any hymns generally date from the 19th century onward. The overwhelming focus of the songs is the individual’s personal relationship with God.

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American P.I.E. III

Part I
Part II
Part IV
Part V

This third post in the American P.I.E. series will summarize the rationalistic brand of pietism. This is a subset of pietism in general and for the most part, it describes the epistemological tendencies of some pietists.

Rationalism
Individualism runs throughout. The overwhelming focus is the individual thinking mind with much less importance given to the person living and doing within a community of people and relationships.

Held most strongly by: Particular Baptists, many General Baptists (though less strongly than the Particular Baptists), some Reformed churches (especially those who identify with 17th and 18th century English and Scottish Puritanism), Restoration movement churches, many Bible churches, some non-denominational churches

The great concern of rationalism is: doctrinal impurity, especially the kind that comes from theological liberalism or relativism. Rationalism is largely a reaction against this foe.

Core Assumptions:

1. modernist epistemology: Which basically tries to transcend the world of space, time, and creaturely finitude.

1.1 epistemological basics: Holds to an impersonal theory of truth (e.g., correspondence or coherence theories of truth) instead of seeing truth first and foremost as a Person (cf. John 14:6). Also typically holds to a foundationalist view of epistemology whereby some ideas are self evident, indubitable, and self-justifying. All other beliefs are justified in a linear fashion by either direct or indirect reference to this foundation. Additionally, a strong subject-object dichotomy is posited whereby neither the subject nor the knowing process is significantly affected by the external world. This appears as follows…

1.2 Knowing subject: The knowing subject is Descartes’ “I am,” the isolated, mature, and self-sufficient thinker (cf. the understanding of personal identity under the general description of pietism). The project of knowing begins with him and he is the final reference point for prediction.

1.3 objects of knowledge: The objects of knowledge are abstract, impersonal propositions as they reflect, in a mirror-like way, the external world. Gaining knowledge is all about propositions, evidence, and proofs. It is an impersonal, nonphysical, nonaesthetic, and abstract exercise. Personal relationships are secondary at best even though the Bible regularly uses the word ‘know’ in this personal, relational sense.

1.4 methodology and goals/results: The only truly legitimate models for thought are the mathematician (“rationalistic rationalism”) and/or the Baconian scientist (“empirical rationalism”). These are the only ways whereby a significant amount of true knowledge may be obtained (e.g., personal relationships or poetry are not thought of as good/primary models of knowledge). The knowing subject is to study the world in a detached, objective manner. The goals are to obtain objective, immediate knowledge and avoid/eliminate uncertainty and imprecision. Knowledge must be immediate and certain if it is truly to be knowledge.

2. systematization: Systematization (and systematic theology in particular) is the paramount and controlling principle of organization. The Bible as poetic narrative, typology, and/or history is given much less focus. Almost all of the important terms are abstract, systematic terms (e.g., election, regeneration, justification, sanctification) and almost all of the important debates are debates over systematic categories (e.g., individual salvation, free will, efficacy of the sacraments). Historical context, temporal flow, poetry, and typology all take a small backseat while (sometimes logic-chopping) discussions of an ahistorical, individualistic ordo salutis are ubiquitous.

Some Effects:

1. rationalistic hermeneutic: The mechanics of the text are everything. The basic methodology is that of a scientist who must analyze the raw terms and syntax of the text and arrange the bits of biblical data into a systematic whole. Commonsense realism and Baconianism are the epistemological drivers. The poetry, story, and historical flow of the text often become secondary or tertiary. The vast majority of the Bible was explicitly written as narrative history and poetry, but it is usually read “mechanically,” systematically, and more or less atemporally – as if it were a textbook (or perhaps a jigsaw puzzle, with the various proof texts functioning as pieces to be arranged in the proper order). Moreover, this hermeneutic tends to be minimalistic in how it addresses things like typology and allusions to previous scripture. This is in opposition to the typological way in which the NT regularly quotes/alludes to the OT. This flows from and fits in well with the existentialism that characterizes pietism in general.

2. abstractionism: Some facets or aspects of the Christian life that should be lived out can be turned into abstractions (e.g., justification by trust in a Person can functionally – though never officially of course – become justification by belief in the doctrine of justification by faith). It seems to be commonly assumed that Christians are known by their doctrine whereas Jesus’ statement in John 13:35 gets little emphasis.

3. definition of faith: This follows from pietistic views of personal identity and relationships as well as the views of truth and knowledge just mentioned. Cognitive assent to propositions is the heart of faith. Personal trust is usually seen as an aspect of faith but it is rarely focused on or considered to be the core aspect. Mature intellectual thought is the sine qua non of faith. The view that faith could be trust in a person apart from well-developed thoughts about that person is rejected as irrational.

4. credo-only Church w/ credo-only sacraments: Church membership is defined on the basis of mature thought and confession. At least one and often both of the sacraments are for mature thinkers and confessors alone. This point ties in with the fact that...

5. ritual: Is almost completely useless and in many cases is actually a detriment to be feared. A strong emphasis is placed on thinking and comprehending as they are abstracted and separated from bodily action. The idea that rituals are important or effectual is often met with the charge of “formalism” or with the idea that such rituals must then be viewed as being magical. One’s profession and especially one’s understanding of the propositions and logical connections that make up the ordo salutis (or the system as a whole such as dispensationalism or “the five points of Calvinism”) are what really matters. Thus, the sacraments are usually little more than symbols that function as individual declarations and/or mental reminders of something else.

6. assurance of salvation: Is a significant issue/problem in some circles. This seems to correlate well with the broader problem of epistemological certainly that has characterized modernist epistemology. And just as the modernist ultimately tries to finds certainty by grounding the knowing process in himself and his methodology, so also the rationalistic pietist who focuses on this issue tends to find certainty by turning inward. Certainty (or, often enough, doubt) tends to come from an inspection of one’s sincerity of belief and/or one’s good deeds.

7. daily behavior: Having the correct doctrines and system are critical. The importance of proper interpersonal behavior is sometimes downplayed or neglected. Arrogance and a lack of kindness/grace/courtesy can be overlooked because purity of doctrine is what matters. Because the paradigm is centered around and focused on that which is impersonal, sensitivity to actual flesh and blood persons sometimes suffers.

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The Importance of Marketing

This cat definitely needs a new marketing strategy.

(end of post; ignore continue reading statement below)

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American P.I.E. II

Part I
Part III
Part IV
Part V

Continuing from part one of this series, this post will summarize pietism, the first main presupposition of American P.I.E. Following this sketch of pietism in general, the next two posts will take up what I see as the main forms of pietism: rationalism and experientialism.

Pietism
Individualism runs throughout. The overwhelming focus is on the individual’s unmediated salvific relationship. Everything else is unnecessary and can easily be dismissed (or at least downplayed so that it is unimportant in practice). What really matters is the individual’s immediate (i.e., not mediated), internalized relationship with God.

Held most strongly by: General and Particular Baptists, Restoration movement churches (e.g., Disciples of Christ, Christian churches), some Reformed churches (especially those who identify with 17th and 18th century English and Scottish Puritanism), Bible churches, non-denominational churches, holiness movement and Pentecostal churches, Charismatic churches, vast majority of “generic evangelicals”

The great concern of pietism is: formalism. Pietism is largely a reaction against this foe.

Core Assumptions:

1. internal-spiritual: A false dichotomy is set up between what is internal or “spiritual” (often erroneously defined as “non-physical”) and what is external or physical. The two realms are separated so that they don’t have much to do with one another. Moreover, the internal-spiritual realm is the important one and it is not accessed via the external-physical to any significant degree. Thus, the dichotomy means that the external-physical is of little or no importance. What matters is what happens “in your heart.” Without this dichotomy, formalism is thought to be inevitable. This flows into a certain understanding of personal identity and relationships.

2. personal identity: personhood is understood in terms of the Cartesian “I am.” The individual is seen as a self-contained unit that is defined without reference to anything or anyone external to him. This unit may then interact with the external world, but neither the world nor his interaction with it has any significant part to play in the formation of his personal identity. Even the pietist’s own physical body is not essential; it is assumed to be a container that holds the real person – the immaterial, Cartesian soul. This view meshes well with…

3. unmediated salvation and relationship w/ God: A “personal relationship with Jesus” (or something functionally similar) is the only significant, salvific relationship, and it is interpreted to be a direct, unmediated relationship. Relationships and the physical world are separate things, and relationships exist and are complete apart from that which is physical. In other words, any “physical manifestations” are simply epiphenomena of the relationship, and the relationship would still exist and be fully defined apart from those physical manifestations. Thus, the created order isn’t really important because secondary, mediating causes are at best unnecessary and are often problematic. This produces a low view of the Church as God’s means of grace/salvation (therefore a low view of sacraments, liturgy, etc.).

4. perfectionism: This can take various forms. Combined with rationalism, it tends to produce a pedantic, overly exact doctrinalism. When behavior is a major focus (e.g., the holiness movement), it often produces draconian and legalistic “house rules” (e.g., don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t dance, rock music is necessarily bad). Perfectionism has major consequences for ecclesiology (see effects 7, 8, and 9 below).

5. existentialism: Past history is of little or no importance (past councils, creeds, and theologians mean little) and future earthly history is relatively unimportant (multi-generational thinking is rare; pessimism regarding the future is common; there is no meaningful concept of Christendom; “we’re just pilgrims passing through this land”). What really matters is the now (“getting saved” is a present moment, punctiliar event) and a timeless eternity in heaven.

Some Effects:

1. existential hermeneutic: Timeless and individualistic reading of the Bible where every passage is addressed directly to me today. The redemptive-historical flow of the text is missed as is the original context and audience. Moreover, sola Scriptura is twisted to teach that each individual is the final interpretive standard. Authoritative councils are out. Proper and definitive interpretation does not belong to the community as a whole. It belongs to the individual (the so called doctrine of “private interpretation”).

2. nature-grace dichotomy: Flowing from the spiritual-physical dichotomy, salvation refers to what happens to individuals only. There is almost never any meaningful focus on God’s salvation and restoration of the created order as a whole or the consequences of such. Nature (the created order) and grace/salvation are distinct and one doesn’t have much to do with the other. So while the temporary and weak old covenant may have had some “fleshy” accoutrements, this baggage was discarded in favor of the much more “spiritual” and much less physical new covenant.

3. sacred-secular dichotomy (privatization): Christendom is out of the question in any meaningful sense and the world is viewed as secular territory. With this sacred-secular dichotomy, faith is essentially private and only peripherally public (e.g., we will fight hard for a Ten Commandments monument while our civil laws are blatantly unbiblical).

4. pietistic gospel: The core of Christianity is “the gospel,” and this is defined in a pietistic manner. In Arminian circles, the gospel is the offer of salvation that is given to the individual. The gospel is the offer to each individual that he can be saved from his sins and “go to heaven.” In Particular Baptist and Reformed circles, the gospel is the doctrine of justification by faith alone. It is the doctrine that defines justification (as imputed righteousness) and states the relationship between it, faith (as the sufficient and efficient cause), and works (which are no cause or basis of justification). But while these views are generally true enough (though sometimes they need to be “tweaked” a bit), they are not what the Bible means by “the gospel.” At best, they are significantly truncated and individualistic versions of the true gospel.

5. ritual: Is almost completely useless and in many cases is actually a detriment to be feared. What matters is what happens in your heart. Ritual is basically equated with formalism despite the fact that it is impossible to be ritual-less (being without ritual/routine is the definition of chaos). The result is that a false dichotomy is set up between piety (conceived in modern evangelical terms) and ritualism/formalism. But in practice, pietism just creates its own rituals as it must to avoid chaos. By doing this, it fails to avoid the possibility of formalism while at the same time it downplays effectual biblical rituals (e.g., the sacraments) and distances itself from the historic Church.

6. born-againism: Milder forms see the 1st generation Christian (who was an adult covert) as the standard and norm for conversion. The idea of being a Christian from birth/infancy makes little sense. Each person must mature to some level (usually adolescence) and then go through the same conversion process (which is not necessarily traumatic) as a 1st generation, 1st century gentile from a pagan family. In stronger forms, the conversion process requires an explicit “conversion experience.” In both forms, very strong emphasis is placed on regeneration as a punctiliar, non-repeatable, non-reversible event. A rite of passage must exist and it must take place after a significant amount of maturation has occurred in order to avoid formalism.

7. pure Church: The purity of the Church is paramount. The pietist will usually acknowledge in theory that the Church before the consummation will never be completely pure with all of its members completely faithful and sanctified (i.e., it is not the same as the Church after the consummation). But in practice, he tries to erase this gap by, for example, requiring “true” faith or a conversion experience for church membership. Moreover, the pietist is quite sensitive to impurities in the Church. The rationalistic pietist will fight, die, and split over doctrinal issues at the drop of a hat while the experiential pietist will do the same with respect to issues of behavior and personal holiness. This fits in well with born-againism and usually leads to...

8. sectarianism: In a number of sub-groups within American Protestantism, a schismatic and sectarian spirit has prevailed. And even where the “party spirit” is not grossly obvious, factionalism is still a functional norm. This has produced some 30,000 Protestant denominations including many “non-denominational” denominations. The perfectionist search for the absolutely really true Church cannot help but produce this.

9. credo-only Church w/ credo-only sacraments: Whether pietism is rationalistic, experiential, or some combination, it presupposes maturity. Only a non-mentally handicapped adolescent or adult can have the kind of unmediated, “heartfelt” relationship with God that characterizes pietism. And since the sacraments are viewed as testimonies or reminders of that relationship, they only belong to those who are mentally mature.

10. exaggerated focus on evangelism: Especially common in Arminian circles, an exaggerated focus is placed on “getting saved” with salvation defined as an individualistic, punctiliar event. Evangelism, not worship, is the raison d’etre of the Church. Everything else is a means toward this end (e.g., seeker-sensitive worship). A long-term vision of inter-generational growth leading to a strong Christendom is usually lacking.

11. introspectionism: Undue emphasis is often placed on finding assurance of salvation by looking at oneself (e.g., constantly and minutely inspecting one’s outward behavior or one’s faith to see if it is good enough) instead of looking to Christ.

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American P.I.E. I

Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V

In the spirit of Weird Al Jancovich meeting Augustine, here is a spoof of Don McLean’s classic American Pie in order to introduce the subject matter of this post series.

A long, long time ago
I can still remember
how the ol’ time gospel made me smile.

And with revival’s message tell
how regeneration made me well;
unmediated grace saved me from hell.

But Vantil’s postmils made me think
and from the ancients I did drink.
“Good news” I could see
was about much more than me.

The Anglo-puritan banner had
lost its luster, now I’m glad,
and I knew that I’d been gifted
the day my paradigm shifted.

So bye-bye, Miss American P.I.E.
Had my doctrine in a system but the system was dry.
And the Reformers were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
singin’, it’s about time you came nigh.
It’s about time you came nigh.

Did you make profession yet,
and is salvation immediate,
if Charles Spurgeon tells you so?

Is immaterial bliss the goal,
can gnosticism save your soul,
and should your child regenerate when old?

Well, I know you’re egalitarian
‘cause you think hierarchy is a sin.
Complete churches made us wince.
Man, we downplayed those sacraments.

I was a feisty five point, logic gifted
with a perfect ordo, the Church I sifted.
But modernity’s fog was lifted
the day my paradigm shifted.

I started singin’,
bye-bye, Miss American P.I.E.
Had my doctrine in a system but the system was dry.
And the Reformers were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
singin’, it’s about time you came nigh.
It’s about time you came nigh.

Now for some years I’ve been moving to
the Nicene catholic point of view,
but that’s not how it used to be.

When the preacher taught for the congregation
the systematics of justification
with a voice that shuddered you and me.

Oh, but while the preacher panned sacraments,
Calvin reformed my “common sense.”
My viewpoint was adjourned;
the ancient truth returned.

And while I found a federal vision,
the purists practiced endless schism,
and I sang dirges to pietism
the day my paradigm shifted.

I was singing,
bye-bye, Miss American P.I.E.
Had my doctrine in a system but the system was dry.
And the Reformers were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
singin’, it’s about time you came nigh.
It’s about time you came nigh.

Drums were beating in a pastor’s meeting.
The H-word flew, civility fleeting.
Controversy’s strong and spreading fast.

Some cried foul for the rancor vast.
The pastors tried to invoke the past.
The Baptists in attendance were aghast.

Now the aftermath was fear endowed
with the Southern Pres. tradition loud.
We all tried to explain,
Oh, but the tempest strength it gained!

‘Cause the pastors jumped from the frying pan,
and Machen’s heirs the flames to fan.
Do you recall how it began
The day my paradigm shifted?

I started singing,
bye-bye, Miss American P.I.E.
Had my doctrine in a system but the system was dry.
And the Reformers were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
singin’, it’s about time you came nigh.
It’s about time you came nigh.

Oh, and there we were at the chapel door,
a generation needing more,
with no hope for revivalism’s mend.

So come on: with objective grace endowed,
united sing Te Deum loud
‘cause bitter schism is the devil’s friend.

Oh, and as our covenant is renewed,
individualism is hewed.
Pietism’s concerns,
they are addressed in turn.

And with the ancient faith in sight
we joined in sacramental rite.
I saw angels smile with delight
the day my paradigm shifted.

They were singing,
bye-bye, Miss American P.I.E.
Had his doctrine in a system but the system was dry.
And the Reformers were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
singin’, it’s about time he came nigh.
It’s about time he came nigh.

I met a girl with American views
and defined for her the full “good news,”
But that fullness nearly made her reel.

I saw the old church one more time
where I’d learned my former paradigm,
but the teaching there lost much of its appeal.

And the children needed maturity
before they could come near and feed.
Despite the true words spoken,
modernity was broken.

And the pastors of the years to come
had seen enough to make them numb.
We caught the train to Christendom
the day our paradigm shifted.

And we were singing,
bye-bye, Miss American P.I.E.
Had our doctrine in a system but the system was dry.
And the Reformers were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
singin’, it’s about time you came nigh.


So now that we’ve had a little fun, I wanted to write a few posts summarizing what I sometimes refer to as “Americanized Protestantism.” What is this? It is what I’ll call the American P.I.E. paradigm – the worldview that defines the credenda/agenda (the fundamental beliefs and actions) for the majority of conservative American Protestants. I exclude from American P.I.E. the “non-American” denominations such as the Episcopalians and Lutherans. I include the denominations that either began in the US and/or, because of the nature of American society, had their most significant growth here.

So what is American P.I.E.? I think the core presuppositions of Americanized Protestantism are:

1) Pietism: Within pietism, I see two basic forms – rationalistic pietism and experiential pietism.

2) Individualism: This is right in the middle of the P.I.E. It is the uber-presupposition from which everything else flows.

3) Egalitarianism

The American P.I.E. is the web of pietistic, individualistic, and egalitarian presuppositions that forms the glasses through which Americanized Protestants view theology. (How’s that for a mixed metaphor?)

I plan to have four more posts in this series. This introduction will be followed by posts on:

Pietism in general
Rationalism (as a subspecies of pietism)
Experientialism (as a subspecies of pietism)
Egalitarianism

Individualism will not have a separate post. Since it weaves its way through all of the other presuppositions, it will more or less be defined by them.

The upcoming posts will be organized as follows:

1) Presupposition being addressed
2) A brief statement of how it relates to individualism.
3) Which denominations/communities tend to hold it.
4) The central concerns that it is supposed to address.
5) Core assumptions of the presupposition.
6) Some effects of the presupposition.

Although these posts will contain a few counterpoints here and there and some quick pokes at what I think are problematic features, the point of the posts will not be to argue against American P.I.E. Such an argument, in order to be anywhere near sufficient, would need to be book-length. Instead, I will simply seek to summarize the paradigm. Using some broad and some narrow brush strokes, I will aim to paint a fairly comprehensive and organized picture of Americanized Protestantism – from its core assumptions to a number of its significant effects. This exercise has helped me to become “epistemologically self-conscious” about the theological air I’ve been breathing for years, and I hope I can relay some of that awareness to you.

As always, when dealing with matters like these, there are exceptions to the generalizations. Categories are never air-tight. So for example, some Christians hold views that tend to combine aspects of rationalistic and experiential pietism in a rather dualistic way while others would fall somewhere between the two (i.e., the two poles are blended together in a kind of “middle ground”). But in general, this two-category scheme does seem to capture a good bit of the pietist picture. Moreover, denominations that I refer to for any given concept may not hold to all of the specifics of that concept. There is also variation within the various denominations. So these are generalizations, but they’ve been pretty accurate as far as I can tell.

Additionally, this series is not meant to imply that someone is theologically incompetent or heretical because they hold to the views being described. There are many intelligent and godly people who hold to the general paradigm that I’ll be describing. And I’m not willing to bluntly describe or critique others without giving myself the once over as well. Significant chunks of this series could well be autobiographical (describing previous held views/assumptions as well as current behavioral tendencies). Moreover, I should probably point out what may well be obvious – I’m not much of a diplomat. So especially in a forum like this, my views can seem pretty blunt. But when I use terms like ‘pietism’ and ‘rationalism’ for example, they are being used as descriptions defined by the content of the series. They are not being used as epithets. Like I said, a good bit of this stuff applies to me in some form.

I should also point out that the problems (e.g., “formalism”) that the American P.I.E. paradigm was supposed to solve are real problems. The concerns of Americanized Protestants are quite legitimate and deserve attention from those who hold a different paradigm.

Finally, I would say that this is a work in progress. It started out as really rough notes that I would make over time as I read through American Christian history, visited the worship services and activities of various denominations, etc. So these posts will hardly be polished essays. They will basically be extended outlines and can grow or change as needed.

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A Grave Man

I may need to order one of these. The shirt would have been complete if they had included Mercutio's pun somewhere on it (the back perhaps).

Romeo: Courage man; the hurt cannot be much.

Mercutio: No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door;
but 'tis enough, 'twill serve. Ask for me to-morrow, and you
shall find me a grave man.

Ah, good stuff.

(end of post; ignore continue reading statement below)

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The Scream

I’m sure we all breathed a sigh of relief last week when Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream” was recovered after being stolen two years ago. But the really good news is that you can own your own Scream. No, it’s not THE Scream. It’s the Cat Scream.

(end of post; ignore continue reading statement below)

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Summary of OT History

I put together the following in the hopes of eventually memorizing the basic contour of OT history. It goes chapter by chapter through OT books that contribute to the historical flow in some way. Thus, I left out a few books like Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. I think I started out making my own summary of the events but before too long, I switched to (more or less) using the headings from the New Geneva Study Bible. I’ve tried to put the books in chronological (as opposed to canonical) order.

Genesis

1: The six days of creation
2: Day 6 of creation – man in the garden
3: Adam’s fall; the curse
4: Cain murders Abel; Seth born
5: The genealogy of Adam
6: Judgment pronounced on whole earth; Noah chosen and Ark built
7: The flood
8: Flood recedes and Noah goes out on land; God’s covenant with creation
9: Noahic covenant; Canaan cursed
10: Nations descended from Noah
11: Tower of Babel; Shem’s genealogy; Terah’s genealogy
12: Promises to Abram; Abram goes down to Egypt
13: Abram inherits Canaan
14: Lot’s capture and rescue; Melchizedek blesses Abram
15: Abrahamic covenant promised
16: Abram has Ishmael by Hagar
17: Circumcision given as sign of covenant; Abram renamed Abraham; Isaac promised
18: Lord appears to Abraham at oaks of Mamre; Abraham intercedes for Sodom
19: Sodom’s sin described; Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed
20: Abraham and Abimelech
21: Isaac born; Ishmael scoffs at Isaac; Hagar and Ishmael cast out of the household; Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech
22: Abraham offers Isaac on mount Moriah; Nahor’s family
23: Sarah’s death and burial
24: Rebekah become Isaac’s wife
25: Abraham marries Keturah and has children; Abraham’s death; genealogies of Ishmael and Isaac; Esau sells birthright to Jacob
26: Isaac and Abimelech
27: Isaac blesses Jacob and Esau finds out about it; Jacob flees from Esau
28: Jacob dreams of the ladder and he vows for God to be his God while at Bethel
29: Jacob meets Rachel; Jacob is tricked by Laban; Jacob marries Leah and Rachel
30: The children of Jacob; Jacob agrees with Laban
31: Jacob flees from Laban; Laban pursues him; they make a covenant
32: Esau goes to meet Jacob; Jacob wrestles with God at Peniel and is renamed Israel
33: Jacob meets Esau
34: Shechem violates Dinah; Simeon and Levi kill the men of Shechem’s city
35: Jacob returns to Bethel; Rachel dies; Isaac dies
36: Genealogy of Esau; the chiefs and kings of Edom
37: Joseph dreams of greatness and is sold by his brothers; Joseph sold to Potiphar in Egypt
38: Judah lays with Tamar
39: Joseph denies Potiphar’s wife and is thrown in prison
40: Joseph interprets the prisoners’ dreams
41: Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams; Joseph rises to second in command; famine comes
42: Joseph’s brothers go to Egypt to get grain; they return to Canaan
43: The brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin
44: Joseph slips a cup into his brother’s possessions; Judah intercedes for Benjamin
45: Joseph reveals himself to his brothers
46: Jacob goes to Egypt; Jacob given Goshen to dwell in
47: Joseph deals with the famine; Joseph vows to bury Jacob with his fathers
48: Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons
49: Jacob’s last words to his sons; Jacob dies
50: Joseph buries Jacob; Joseph dies

Exodus

1: New Pharaoh oppresses Israel
2: Moses born; Moses flees to Midian
3: Moses at the burning bush at mount Horab (Sinai)
4: Moses given signs to give to Israel; Moses goes to Egypt
5: First encounter with Pharaoh
6: Israel’s deliverance promised; families of Moses and Aaron
7: Aaron is Moses’ spokesman; Aaron’s rod; first plague
8: Plagues 2, 3, and 4
9: Plagues 5, 6, and 7
10: Plagues 8 and 9
11: Death of firstborn announced
12: Passover instituted; 10th plague; Exodus begins; Passover regulations
13: Feast of unleavened bread; law of firstborn; Israel enters wilderness
14: Red Sea crossing
15: Song of Moses; bitter water made sweet at Marah
16: Manna from Heaven
17: Water from the rock at Massah/Meribah; victory over Amalekites
18: Jethro’s advice to Moses on governing
19: Israel comes to Sinai
20: Ten Commandments; law of the altar
21: Laws for servants; laws regarding violence; animal control laws
22: Property laws; various laws
23: Equal justice for all; Sabbath laws; 3 annual feasts announced; Angel promised to drive out inhabitants of Canaan
24: Israel makes covenant; Moses on the mountain
25: Tabernacle announced; ark, showbread table, and lampstand described
26: Tabernacle described
27: Altar for offerings and court of tabernacle described; care of the lampstand
28: Garments for the priesthood described
29: Aaron and sons consecrated; the daily offerings
30: Altar of incense described; ransom money; bronze laver, anointing oil, and incense described
31: Builders for tabernacle; Sabbath law
32: Golden calf
33: Moses and God’s presence
34: Moses makes new tablets; the covenant renewed; transfiguration of Moses
35: Sabbath laws; tabernacle articles and offerings
36: People give for tabernacle; tabernacle built
37: Ark, showbread table, lampstand, altar of incense, anointing oil, and incense made
38: Altar for offerings, bronze laver, and court of tabernacle made
39: Garments for priesthood made
40: Tabernacle set up; glory cloud moves in

Leviticus

1: Ascension offering
2: Tribute offering
3: Peace offering
4: Purification offering
5: Purification offering cont.; Trespass offering
6: Trespass offering cont.; law of ascension offering; law of tribute offering; law of purification offering
7: Law of trespass offering; law of peace offering; the portion for Aaron and sons
8: Aaron and sons consecrated
9: Priestly ministry begins with sacrifices
10: Nadab and Abihu offer profane fire and are killed; conduct for priests
11: Clean/Unclean food laws
12: Uncleanness for childbirth
13: Leprosy; leprous garments
14: Cleansing for healed lepers; leprous houses
15: Bodily discharges
16: Day of Atonement
17: The sanctity of blood
18: Laws of sexual morality
19: Various laws
20: Penalties for breaking various laws
21: Conduct of priests and family
22: Conduct of priests cont.; acceptable and unacceptable offerings
23: Sabbath; Passover and feasts of unleavened bread, firstfruits, weeks, and trumpets; Day of Atonement; feast of tabernacles
24: Tabernacle lamps and bread; penalty for a blaspheming Israelite
25: Sabbath of 7th year; year of jubilee; jubilee redemption of property; lending to poor; slavery laws and jubilee
26: Covenantal blessings and curses
27: Redeeming persons and property dedicated to God

Numbers

1: First census of Israel
2: Organization of the 12 tribes
3: Levites’ service in the tabernacle; Levites dedicated instead of all firstborn of Israel
4: Duties of sons of Kohath, Gershon, and Merari; census of Levites
5: Isolation of the unclean; on trespass; jealousy test
6: Law of the nazirite; Aaronic blessing
7: Offerings of the leaders
8: Arrangement of the lamps; cleansing and dedication of the Levites
9: Alternate Passover set up; relationship of tabernacle to glory cloud described
10: Silver trumpets for calling and directing the congregation; departure from Sinai
11: People complain and are burned by fire from Heaven; seventy elders given the Spirit; Lord sends quail and strikes people with plague
12: Dissension of Aaron and Miriam; Miriam leprous
13: Spies sent into Canaan
14: Israel refuses to enter Canaan; Moses intercedes for Israel; rebels are killed; invasion attempt is crushed
15: Law of tribute and drink offerings; laws for unintentional and high-handed sins; penalty for Sabbath violation; tassels on garments
16: Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebel against Moses and Aaron and are swallowed up by ground; 250 rebels burned up; Israel complains
17: Budding of Aaron’s rod
18: Duties of priest and Levites; offering and tithe support for priests
19: Red heifer ashes used for water of purification
20: Moses’ anger and rock striking at Kadesh; water of Meribah; passage through Edom refused; death of Aaron
21: Canaanites defeated; people complain; bronze serpent; King Sihon the Amorite defeated; King Og of Bashan defeated
22: Balak the Moabite sends for Balaam; Balaam’s donkey and the Angel
23: Balaam’s first two prophecies
24: Balaam’s third and forth prophecies
25: Israel joined to Baal of Peor in Moab; judges of Israel ordered to kill idolaters; Phinehas kills Israelite and Midian woman, turns away God’s wrath, and makes atonement for Israel; God makes an everlasting priesthood covenant with Phinehas
26: Second census of Israel
27: Inheritance laws; Joshua is the next leader of Israel
28: Daily, Sabbath, monthly, Passover, and Weeks offerings
29: Offerings for feast of trumpets, Day of Atonement, and feast of tabernacles
30: Laws concerning vows
31: Israel takes vengeance on the Midianites
32: Tribes settle east of the Jordan
33: The journey from Egypt reviewed; instructions for conquest of Canaan
34: Boundaries of Canaan described; leaders to divide the land
35: Cities for the Levites; cities of refuge
36: Marriage of female heirs

Deuteronomy

1: Tribal leaders appointed; review of Israel’s refusal to enter the land; review of the punishment
2: Review of the wilderness wandering; review of Sihon’s defeat
3: Review of Og’s defeat; land east of the Jordan portioned; review of Moses’ punishment of not entering the land
4: Moses commands obedience; beware of idolatry; cities of refuge east of Jordan; intro to Ten Commandments
5: Ten Commandments given; people are afraid of God’s presence
6: Greatest commandment; warning against disobedience
7: Israel a chosen people; blessings for obedience
8: Exhortation to remember the Lord
9: Israel’s rebellions reviewed
10: Second pair of tablets with Ten Commandments made; serve God will all heart and soul
11: Love and obedience rewarded
12: Place of worship prescribed; beware of false gods
13: Punishment for apostates who try to subvert others
14: Don’t shave/cut front of head for the dead; clean/unclean foods; tithing principles
15: Debts canceled every 7 years; charity to poor; bondservant laws; laws of firstborn animals
16: Passover and feasts of weeks and tabernacles reviewed; appointment of judges and justice
17: Jurisprudence laws; rules for kings
18: Portion for priests and Levites; witchcraft forbidden; a new prophet like Moses will come
19: Cities of refuge; don’t remove neighbor’s landmark; laws for witnesses
20: Rules for warfare
21: Law for unsolved murder; female captives of war; firstborn inheritance rights; punishment for a rebellious son; rules for hanging on a tree
22: Various laws; laws of sexual morality
23: Those excluded from the congregation; cleanness of the camp site; various laws
24: Laws of divorce; various laws
25: Corporal punishment and 40 blow limit; don’t muzzle ox while it treads; the levirate marriage law; various laws; destroy the Amelekites
26: Offerings of firstfruits and tithes; Israel is God’s special people
27: The laws should be inscribed on stones; curses announced for evil
28: Blessings for obedience; curses for disobedience
29: The covenant renewed at Moab
30: The blessings of returning to God; choose life or death
31: Joshua the new leader of Israel; law to be read every seven years; prediction of Israel’s rebellion
32: Song of Moses; Moses will die on mount Nebo
33: Moses blesses the tribes
34: Moses dies on Nebo

Joshua

1: God commissions Joshua; order given to cross Jordan
2: Rahab hides the spies
3: Israel crosses the Jordan
4: Memorial stones set up
5: The second generation is circumcised; the commander of the army of the Lord appears to Joshua
6: Destruction of Jericho
7: Israel defeated at Ai; Sin of Achan
8: Ai is defeated and falls; Joshua renews the covenant
9: Treaty with the Gibeonites
10: Five Amorite kings attack the Gibeonites; sun stands still; God drops large hailstones on the Amorites and they are defeated; Amorite kings executed; conquest of the southern part of the land
11: Northern part of the land conquered; summary of Joshua’s conquests
12: The kings conquered by Moses; the kings conquered by Joshua
13: Remaining land to be conquered; land east of the Jordan is divided to Reuben, Gad, and half-tribe of Manasseh
14: Land west of Jordan divided; Caleb inherits Hebron
15: Land of Judah; Caleb occupies Hebron and Debir; cities of Judah
16: Ephraim and west Manasseh
17: West Manasseh and Ephraim
18: Rest of the land divided; land of Benjamin
19: Simeon’s inheritance with Judah; land of Zebulun; land of Issachar; land of Asher; land of Naphtali; land of Dan; Joshua’s inheritance
20: Cities of refuge
21: Cities of the Levites; statement that the land promise had been fulfilled
22: Eastern tribes return to their lands; eastern tribes set up an altar by the Jordan; rest of Israel see that the altar is good
23: Joshua’s farewell speech
24: Joshua makes a covenant with the people at Shechem; deaths of Joshua and Eleazar

Judges

1: More conquest of Canaan; the conquest was incomplete
2: Israel’s failed conquest is disobedience; death of Joshua; Israel commits idolatry
3: The nations remaining in the land; Othniel; Ehud; Shamgar
4: Deborah
5: Song of Deborah
6: Midianites oppress Israel; Gideon; Gideon destroys the altar of Baal; sign of the fleece
7: Gideon and his 300 men
8: Gideon and men defeat the Midianites; Gideon’s ephod becomes occasion for idolatry; death of Gideon
9: Abimelech’s conspiracy; parable of the bramble king; defeat and death of Abimelech
10: Tola; Jair; Israel commits idolatry and is oppressed by Philistines and Ammonites
11: Jephthah; his daughter
12: Jephthah’s conflict with Ephraim; Ibzan; Elon; Abdon
13: Birth of Samson
14: Samson’s Philistine wife
15: Samson defeats the Philistines
16: Samson and Delilah; Samson dies with the Philistines
17: Micah’s idolatry
18: Danites adopt Micah’s idolatry; Danites settle in Laish
19: The Levite’s concubine; Gibeah’s Sodom-like perversion
20: Israel’s war with the Benjamites
21: Wives provided for the Benjamites

Ruth

1: Elimelech’s family goes to Moab due to famine; Naomi returns to Canaan with Ruth
2: Ruth meets Boaz
3: Ruth’s redemption assured by Boaz
4: Boaz redeems Ruth; Boaz marries Ruth; genealogy of Boaz and Ruth down to David

I Samuel

1: Family of Elkanah; Hannah’s vow; Samuel is born and dedicated
2: Hannah’s prayer; sons of Eli are evil; Samuel’s childhood ministry; prophecy against Eli’s household
3: Samuel’s first prophecy
4: Philistines defeat Israel near Shiloh and take the Ark; Eli dies; Ichabod is born because the glory has departed from Israel
5: The Ark defeats Dagon and harasses the Philistines
6: Ark returned to Israel but men of Beth Shemesh struck because they looked in the Ark
7: Ark with Abinadab at Kirjath Jearim for 20 years; Samuel judges Israel
8: Israel demands a king like the nations
9: Saul chosen as king
10: Saul anointed and proclaimed king
11: Saul saves Jabesh Gilead and defeats Nahash the Ammonite
12: Samuel’s address at Saul’s coronation
13: Saul’s unlawful sacrifice; there were no weapons for Israel to fight the Philistines with
14: Jonathan defeats the Philistines; Saul’s rash oath to curse anyone who eats before evening; Saul’s other wars
15: Saul spares King Agag the Amelekite who was supposed to be under the ban; Lord rejects Saul as king
16: David chosen and anointed as king; Spirit of Lord departed from Saul and a distressing spirit troubles him instead
17: David defeats Goliath the Philistine champion
18: Saul resents David; David marries Saul’s daughter Michal
19: Saul persecutes David
20: Jonathan’s loyalty to David as David flees Saul
21: David eats the holy bread at Nob; David flees to Gath
22: David and 400 men escape to the cave of Adullam; Saul sends Doeg the Edomite to kill 85 priests
23: David defeats the Philistines, saves city of Keliah, and flees from Saul; David in wilderness strongholds of En Gedi
24: David finds Saul in a cave and spares him
25: Samuel dies; Nabal snubs David and Abigail intercedes for Nabal; Nabal dies and David marries Abigail
26: David finds Saul sleeping and spares him again
27: David feigns an alliance with the Philistines
28: Saul consults the medium of En Dor
29: The Philistines reject David’s help in battle
30: David defeats the Amalekites and saves Ziklag
31: Saul and sons die as the Philistines defeat Israel

II Samuel

1: David gets the report of Saul’s death; the song of the bow
2: David anointed king of Judah; Ishbosheth make king of Israel; Israel and Judah at war
3: The sons of David; Abner joins with David; Joab Murders Abner; David mourns for Abner
4: Ishbosheth is murdered
5: David reigns over all Israel; David defeats Jebusites and takes Jerusalem; David defeats Philistines
6: Ark brought from Abinadab’s house in Baale Judah (i.e., Kirjath Jearim) to the Gittite Obed-Edom for 3 months and from there to Jerusalem
7: God’s covenant with David; David’s thanksgiving to God
8: David defeats various peoples; David’s administration
9: David shows kindness to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth
10: David defeats the Ammonites and Syrians
11: David, Bathsheba, and Uriah the Hittite
12: Nathan’s parable and David’s confession; death of David’s sons; Solomon is born; Rabbah is captured
13: Amnon and Tamar; Absalom murders Amnon; Absalom flees to Geshur
14: Absalom returns to Jerusalem; David forgives Absalom
15: Absalom’s treason; David flees from Jerusalem
16: Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba helps David; Shimei curses David; Ahithophel advises Absalom against David
17: Hushai gives bad advice to Absalom to protect David; Hushai warns David to escape
18: Absalom’s defeat and death; David hears of Absalom’s death
19: David mourns for Absalom; David returns to Jerusalem; David shows mercy to Shimei; David meets Mephibosheth; David shows kindness to Barzillai the Gileadite; Israel and Judah argue over the king
20: The rebellion of Sheba; David’s governmental officers
21: David avenges the Gibeonites by giving them seven of Saul’s household to kill; Israel defeats Philistine giants
22: David’s psalm of praise for God’s deliverance
23: David’s last words; David’s mighty men
24: David’s evil census of Israel and Judah; judgment for the census; David buys a threshing floor from a Jebusite and sets up an altar there

I Chronicles

1: Genealogy from Adam to Abraham; family of Ishmael; family of Keturah; family of Isaac; family of Seir; the kings of Edom
2: Family of Israel; from Judah to David; family of Hezron; family of Jerahmeel; family of Caleb
3: Family of David; family of Solomon; family of Jeconiah
4: Family of Judah; family of Simeon
5: Family of Reuben; family of Gad; family of East Manasseh
6: Family of Levi; musicians in the Lord’s house; family of Aaron; dwelling places of the Levites
7: Family of Issachar; family of Benjamin; family of Naphtali; family of West Manasseh; family of Ephraim; family of Asher
8: Family of king Saul
9: Dwellers in Jerusalem; the priests at Jerusalem; the Levites at Jerusalem; the Levite gatekeepers; other Levite responsibilities; family of king Saul
10: The Philistines defeat Israel and Saul and sons die
11: David is made king over all Israel; David defeats the Jebusites and takes Jerusalem; the mighty men of David
12: David’s army grows; David’s army at Hebron
13: The ark is brought from Kirjath Jearim to the house of Obed-Edom
14: David established at Jerusalem; David defeats the Philistines
15: The ark is brought to Jerusalem
16: The ark is placed in the temple; David’s song of thanksgiving; regular worship maintained
17: God’s covenant with David
18: David’s additional conquests; David’s administration
19: David defeats the Ammonites and Syrians
20: Joab defeats the Ammonite city of Rabbah; Israelites kill Philistine giants
21: David takes an evil census of Israel and Judah, is punished, and buys a threshing floor for the temple
22: David prepares to build the temple but God stops him and tells him that Solomon will build it
23: The division of the Levites
24: The division of the priests; other Levites
25: The musicians
26: The gatekeepers; the treasuries and other duties
27: Military divisions; leaders of the tribes; other state officials
28: David tells Solomon to follow God and build the temple
29: Offerings for building the temple; David’s praise to God; Solomon anointed king; the end of David’s reign

Psalms

1: The way of righteousness and the end of the ungodly
2: Messiah’s triumph over the nations and His kingdom
3: The Lord helps His troubled people (a psalm of David when he fled from Absalom)
4: The safety of the faithful
5: A prayer for guidance
6: A prayer of faith in a time of distress
7: Prayer and praise for deliverance from enemies (meditation of David concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite)
8: The glory of God in creation
9: Prayer and thanksgiving for the Lord’s righteous judgments
10: Confidence in God’s triumph over evil
11: Faith in the Lord’s righteousness
12: Man’s treachery and God’s constancy
13: Trust in the salvation of the Lord
14: Folly of the godless and God’s final triumph
15: Character of those who may dwell with the Lord
16: The hope of the faithful and the Messiah’s victory
17: Prayer with confidence in final salvation
18: God delivers David from death and his enemies including Saul
19: The perfect revelation of the Lord
20: The assurance of God’s saving work
21: Joy in the salvation of the Lord
22: The suffering, praise, and exaltation of the Messiah
23: The Lord is the shepherd of His people
24: The king of glory and His kingdom
25: A plea for deliverance and forgiveness
26: A prayer for divine scrutiny and redemption
27: An exuberant declaration of faith
28: Rejoicing in answered prayer
29: Praise to God in His holiness and majesty
30: The blessedness of answered prayer (a song at the dedication of the house of David)
31: The Lord is a fortress in adversity
32: The guilt of sin and the joy of forgiveness
33: The sovereignty of the Lord in creation and history
34: The happiness of those who trust God (psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech/Achish in Gath)
35: The Lord is the avenger of His people
36: Man’s wickedness and God’s perfections
37: The heritage of the righteous and the calamity of the wicked
38: Prayer in times of chastening
39: Prayer for wisdom and forgiveness
40: Faith persevering in trial
41: The blessing and suffering of the godly
42: Yearning for God in the midst of distress
43: Prayer to God in times of trouble
44: Redemption remembered in present dishonor
45: The wedding hymn of the Messiah and His bride
46: God the refuge of His people and conqueror of the nations
47: Praise to God the ruler of the Earth
48: The glory of God in Zion
49: The confidence of the foolish
50: God the righteous judge
51: David’s prayer of repentance after murder/adultery
52: The end of the wicked and the peace of the godly (contemplation of David when Doeg told Saul that he had gone to Ahimelech)
53: Folly of the godless and the restoration of Israel
54: Answered prayer and deliverance from adversaries (when the Ziphites told Saul that David was with them)
55: Trust in God concerning the treachery of friends
56: Prayer for relief from tormentors (when the Philistines captured David in Gath)
57: Prayer for safety from enemies (when David fled from Saul into the cave)
58: The just judgment of the wicked
59: The assured judgment of the wicked (when Saul sent men to watch the house and kill David)
60: Urgent prayer for the restored favor of God (when David fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah)
61: Assurance of God’s eternal protection
62: A calm resolve to wait for the salvation of the Lord
63: Joy in the fellowship of God (a psalm of David when in the wilderness of Judah)
64: Oppressed by the wicked but rejoicing in the Lord
65: Praise to God for His salvation and providence
66: Praise to God for His awesome works
67: An invocation and a doxology
68: The glory of God in His goodness to Israel
69: An urgent plea for help in trouble
70: Prayer for relief from adversaries
71: God the rock of salvation
72: The glory and universality of the Messiah’s reign
73: The tragedy of the wicked and the blessedness of trust in God
74: A plea for relief from oppressors
75: Thanksgiving for God’s righteous judgment
76: The majesty of God in judgment
77: The consoling memory of God’s redemptive works
78: God’s kindness to rebellious Israel
79: A dirge and prayer for Israel, destroyed by enemies
80: Prayer for Israel’s restoration
81: An appeal for Israel’s repentance
82: A warning to unjust judges
83: Prayer to frustrate conspiracy against Israel
84: The blessedness of dwelling in the house of God
85: Prayer that the Lord will restore favor to the land
86: Prayer for mercy, with meditation on the excellencies of the Lord
87: The glories of Zion
88: A prayer for help in despondency
89: Remembering the covenant with David, and sorrow for lost blessings
90: The eternity of God and man’s frailty (a prayer of Moses the man of God)
91: Safety of Abiding in the presence of God
92: Praise the Lord for His love and faithfulness
93: The eternal reign of the Lord
94: God the refuge of the righteous
95: A call to worship and obedience
96: A song of praise to God coming in judgment
97: A song of praise to the sovereign Lord
98: A song of praise to the Lord for His salvation and judgment
99: Praise to the Lord for His holiness
100: A song of Praise for the Lord’s faithfulness to His people
101: Promised faithfulness to the Lord
102: The Lord’s eternal love
103: Praise for the Lord’s mercies
104: Praise to the sovereign Lord for his creation and providence
105: The Lord’s faithfulness in His choice and redemption of Israel from Egypt
106: Joy in forgiveness of Israel’s sins
107: Thanksgiving to the Lord for His great works of deliverance
108: Assurance of God’s victory over enemies
109: Plea for judgment of false accusers
110: Announcement of the Messiah’s reign
111: Praise to God for His faithfulness and justice
112: The blessed state of the righteous
113: The majesty and condescension of God
114: The power of God in His deliverance of Israel
115: The futility of idols and the trustworthiness of God
116: Thanksgiving for deliverance from death
117: Let all peoples praise the Lord
118: Praise to God for His everlasting mercy
119: The excellencies of the word and law of God
120: Plea for relief from bitter foes
121: God the help of those who seek Him
122: The joy of going to the house of the Lord
123: Prayer for relief from contempt
124: The Lord the defense of His people
125: The Lord the strength of His people
126: A joyful return to Zion
127: Laboring and prospering with the Lord
128: Blessings of those who fear the Lord
129: Song of victory over Zion’s enemies
130: Waiting for the redemption of the Lord
131: Simple trust in the Lord
132: The eternal dwelling of God in Zion
133: Blessed unity of the people of God
134: Praising the Lord in His house at night
135: Praise to God in creation and redemption
136: Thanksgiving to God for His enduring mercy
137: Longing for Zion in a foreign land
138: The Lord’s goodness to the faithful
139: God’s perfect knowledge of man
140: Prayer for deliverance from evil men
141: Prayer for safekeeping from wickedness
142: A plea for relief from persecutors
143: An earnest appeal for guidance and deliverance
144: A song to the Lord who preservers and prospers His people
145: A song of God’s majesty and love
146: The happiness of those whose help is the Lord
147: Praise to God for His word and providence
148: Praise to the Lord for creation
149: Praise to God for His salvation and judgment
150: Let all things praise the Lord with many instruments

I Kings

1: Adonijah tries to be king; David makes Solomon king
2: David instructs Solomon; David dies; Solomon executes Adonijah; Abiathar the priest is exiled and Joab is executed; Shimei is executed
3: Solomon requests wisdom from God; Solomon judges wisely with the two women and the child
4: Solomon’s administration; Solomon’s reign characterized by prosperity and wisdom
5: Solomon prepares to build the temple with Hiram of Tyre
6: Solomon builds the temple
7: Solomon’s other buildings; Hiram the craftsman; bronze pillars for the temple; bronze sea and the oxen; the carts and lavers; furnishings of the temple
8: The ark is brought into the temple; Solomon gives a speech at the end of work; Solomon’s prayer of dedication; Solomon blesses the assembly of Israel; Solomon dedicates the temple
9: God’s second appearance to Solomon; Solomon and Hiram exchange gifts; Solomon’s additional achievements
10: The queen of Sheba praises Solomon; Solomon has great wealth
11: Solomon’s heart turns from the Lord; Lord raises up enemies for Solomon; Jeroboam rebels and God promises him the 10 tribes of the north; Solomon dies and his son Rehoboam reigns
12: Rehoboam burdens the people and the northern 10 tribes revolt; Jeroboam sets up golden calves in Bethel and Dan to cement his reign in the north
13: The message of the man of God; man of God dies
14: Judgment on Jeroboam of Israel; Jeroboam dies; Rehoboam reigns in Judah
15: Abijam reigns in Judah; Asa reigns in Judah; Nadab reigns in Israel
16: Baasha reigns in Israel; Elah reigns in Israel; Zimri reigns in Israel; Omri reigns in Israel; Ahab reigns in Israel
17: Elijah announces a drought; Elijah and the Sidonian widow; Elijah brings the woman’s son back to life
18: Elijah tells Ahab to bring his pagan prophets to mount Carmel; Elijah’s mount Carmel victory over the prophets of Baal; the drought ends
19: Elijah escapes Jezebel; God’s revelation to Elijah; Elisha follows Elijah
20: Ahab defeats the Syrians twice; Ahab makes a treaty with Ben-Hadad of Syria; Ahab condemned
21: Jezebel has Naboth murdered to get his vineyard; Lord condemns Ahab
22: Micaiah warns Ahab; Ahab dies in battle; Jehoshaphat reigns in Judah; Ahaziah reigns in Israel

II Kings

1: God judges Ahaziah
2: Elijah ascends to heaven; Elisha performs miracles and curses the 42 mocking youths who are then mauled by bears
3: Moab rebels against Israel
4: Elisha and the widow’s oil; Elisha raises the Shunammite’s son from the dead; Elisha purifies the pot of stew; Elisha feeds 100 men
5: Naaman healed of leprosy; Gehazi’s greed
6: Floating ax head; blinded Syrians captured; Syria lays siege to Samaria during a famine
7: Syrians flee
8: The king restores the Shunammite’s land; Ben-Hadad of Syria dies; Jehoram reigns in Judah; Ahaziah reigns in Judah
9: Jehu anointed king of Israel; Joram of Israel killed; Ahaziah killed; Jezebel killed
10: Ahab’s 70 sons killed; Ahaziah’s 42 brothers killed; rest of Ahab’s family killed; worshipers of Baal killed; Jehu dies
11: Athaliah reigns in Judah; Joash crowned king of Judah; Athaliah dies
12: Jehoash repairs the temple; Hazael of Syria threatens Jerusalem; Joash dies
13: Jehoahaz reigns in Israel; Jehoash reigns in Israel; Elisha dies; Israel recaptures cities from Syria
14: Amaziah reigns in Judah; Jeroboam II reigns in Israel
15: Azariah reigns in Judah; Zechariah reigns in Israel; Shallum reigns in Israel; Menahem reigns in Israel; Pekahiah reigns in Israel; Pekah reigns in Israel; Jotham reigns in Judah
16: Ahaz reigns in Judah
17: Hoshea reigns in Israel; Israel defeated and carried captive to Assyria; Assyria resettles Samaria with foreigners
18: Hezekiah reigns in Judah; Sennacherib of Assyria boasts against the Lord
19: Isaiah assures Judah of deliverance from Assyria; Sennacherib’s threat against Judah and Hezekiah’s prayer to God; Isaiah gives Hezekiah the Lord’s word concerning Sennacherib; Sennacherib is defeated and dies
20: Hezekiah’s life is extended; Hezekiah shows the Babylonian envoys all his treasures and Isaiah promises him that Babylon will one day carry off all of it including some sons as well; Hezekiah dies
21: Manasseh reigns in Judah; Amon reigns in Judah and dies
22: Josiah reigns in Judah; Hilkiah finds the book of the law
23: Josiah restores true worship; impending judgment on Judah; Josiah dies in battle; Jehoahaz reigns in Judah and is captured by Pharaoh Necho of Egypt; Jehoiakim reigns in Judah
24: Jehoiakim becomes Nebuchadnezzar’s vassal and is attacked by various raiding bands; the reign and captivity of Jehoiachin as Nebuchadnezzar sieges Jerusalem; Jerusalem captured; Zedekiah reigns in Judah
25: The fall and captivity of Judah; Gedaliah made governor of Judah; Jehoiachin released from prison

II Chronicles

1: Solomon requests wisdom; Solomon’s military and economic power
2: Solomon prepares to build the temple
3: Solomon builds the temple
4: Furnishings of the temple
5: The ark brought into the temple
6: Solomon’s speech and prayer for dedication of the temple
7: Solomon dedicates the temple; God’s second appearance to Solomon
8: Solomon’s additional achievements
9: Queen of Sheba praises Solomon; Solomon’s great wealth; Solomon dies
10: Israel under Jeroboam rebels against Rehoboam
11: Rehoboam fortifies the cities; priests and Levites in Israel move to Judah; the family of Rehoboam
12: Egypt attacks Judah; the end of Rehoboam’s reign
13: Abijah reigns in Judah
14: Asa reigns in Judah
15: The reforms of Asa
16: Asa’s treaty with Syria; Hanani’s message to Asa; Asa dies
17: Jehoshaphat reigns in Judah
18: Micaiah warns Ahab; Ahab is killed in battle
19: The reforms of Jehoshaphat
20: Jehoshaphat defeats Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir; the end of Jehoshaphat’s reign
21: Jehoram reigns in Judah
22: Ahaziah reigns in Judah; Athaliah reigns in Judah
23: Joash crowned king in Judah; Athaliah dies
24: Joash repairs the temple; Joash apostatizes; Joash dies
25: Amaziah reigns in Judah; Amaziah defeats Edom; Israel defeats Judah; Amaziah dies
26: Uzziah reigns in Judah; Uzziah judged for his pride
27: Jotham reigns in Judah
28: Ahaz reigns in Judah; Syria and Israel defeat Judah; Israel returns the captives; Assyria refuses to help Judah; Ahaz apostatizes and dies
29: Hezekiah reigns in Judah; Hezekiah cleanses the temple and restores temple worship
30: Hezekiah keeps the Passover
31: The reforms of Hezekiah
32: Sennacherib boasts against the Lord; Sennacherib is defeated and dies; Hezekiah humbles himself; Hezekiah’s wealth and honor; Hezekiah dies
33: Manasseh reigns in Judah; Manasseh repents and is restored; Manasseh dies; Amon reigns in Judah and dies
34: Josiah reigns in Judah; Hilkiah finds the book of the law; Josiah restores true worship
35: Josiah keeps the Passover; Josiah dies in battle
36: The reign and captivity of Jehoahaz; the reign and captivity of Jehoiakim; the reign and captivity of Jehoiachin; Zedekiah reigns in Judah; Jerusalem falls to Babylon; the proclamation of Cyrus

Obadiah

The coming judgment on Edom; Edom mistreated his brother; Israel’s final triumph

Joel

1: The land laid waste; mourning for the land
2: The day of the Lord; a call to repentance; the land refreshed; God’s spirit poured out
3: God judges the nations; God blesses His people

Jonah

1: Johan’s disobedience; the storm at sea; Jonah thrown into the sea; Jonah swallowed by a great fish
2: Jonah’s prayer and deliverance
3: Jonah preaches at Nineveh; the people of Nineveh repent
4: Johan’s anger and God’s kindness

Amos

1: Judgment on the nations
2: Judgment on the nations cont.; judgment on Judah; judgment on Israel
3: Authority of the prophet’s message; punishment of Israel’s sins
4: Punishment of Israel’s sins cont.; Israel did not accept correction
4: A dirge for Israel; a call to repentance; the day of the Lord
6: Warnings to Zion and Samaria
7: Vision of the locusts; vision of the fire; vision of the plumb line; Amaziah’s complaint
8: Vision of the summer fruit
9: The destruction of Israel; Israel will be restored

Hosea

1: The family of Hosea and Israel is Lo-Ammi; the restoration of Israel
2: God’s covenant lawsuit against His unfaithful wife; God’s mercy on His people
3: Israel will return to God
4: God’s covenant lawsuit against Israel; the idolatry of Israel
5: Impending judgment on Israel and Judah
6: A call to repentance; impenitence of Israel and Judah
7: Impenitence of Israel and Judah cont.; futile reliance on the nations
8: The apostasy of Israel
9: Judgment of Israel’s sin
10: Israel’s sin and captivity
11: God’s continuing love for Israel; God’s lawsuit against Ephriam
12: God’s lawsuit against Ephriam cont.
13: Relentless judgment on Israel
14: Israel restored at last

Micah

1: The coming judgment on Israel; mourning for Israel and Judah
2: Woe to evildoers; lying prophets; Israel restored
3: Wicked rulers and prophets
4: The Lord’s reign in Zion; Zion’s future triumph
5: The coming Messiah; judgment on Israel’s enemies
6: God pleads with Israel; punishment of Israel’s injustice
7: Sorrow for Israel’s sins; Israel’s confession and comfort; God will forgive Israel

Isaiah

1: The wickedness of Judah; the degenerate city
2: The future house of God; the day of the Lord
3: Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem; oppression and luxury condemned
4: The renewal of Zion
5: God’s disappointing vineyard; impending judgment on excesses
6: Isaiah called and cleansed to be a prophet
7: Isaiah sent to king Ahaz; the Immanuel prophecy
8: Assyria will invade the land; fear God and heed his word
9: The government of the promised Son; the punishment of Samaria
10: The punishment of Samaria continued; Arrogant Assyria also judged; the returning remnant of Israel
11: The reign of Jesse’s Offspring
12: A hymn of praise
13: Proclamation against Babylon
14: Mercy on Jacob; the arrogance and fall of the king of Babylon; Babylon destroyed; Assyria destroyed; Philistia destroyed
15: Proclamation against Moab
16: Moab destroyed
17: Proclamation against Syria and Israel
18: Proclamation against Ethiopia
19: Proclamation against Egypt; Egypt, Assyria, and Israel blessed
20: The sign against Egypt and Ethiopia
21: The fall of Babylon proclaimed; proclamation against Edom; proclamation against Arabia
22: Proclamation against Jerusalem; the judgment on Shebna
23: Proclamation against Tyre
24: Impending judgment on the whole earth
25: Praise to God
26: A song of salvation; take refuge from the coming judgment
27: The restoration of Israel
28: Woe to Ephraim and Jerusalem; a cornerstone in Zion; listen to the teaching of God
29: Woe to Jerusalem; the blindness of disobedience; future recovery of wisdom
30: Futile confidence in Egypt; a rebellious people; God will be gracious; judgment on Assyria
31: The folly of not trusting God; God will deliver Jerusalem
32: A reign of righteousness; consequences of complacency; the peace of God’s reign
33: A prayer in deep distress; impending judgment on Zion; the land of the majestic King
34: Judgment on the nations
35: The future glory of Zion
36: Sennacherib boasts against the Lord
37: Isaiah assures deliverance; Sennacherib’s threat and Hezekiah’s prayer; the word of the Lord concerning Sennacherib; Sennacherib’s defeat and death
38: Hezekiah’s life extended
39: The Babylonian envoys come to Hezekiah
40: God’s people are comforted
41: Israel assured of God’s help; the futility of idols
42: The Servant of the Lord; praise to the Lord; promise of the Lord’s help; Israel’s obstinate disobedience
43: The redeemer of Israel; pleading with unfaithful Israel
44: God’s blessing on Israel; there is no other God; idolatry is foolishness; Israel is not forgotten; Judah will be restored
45: Cyrus, God’s messiah; the Lord is the only savior
46: Dead idols and the living God
47: The humiliation of Babylon
48: Israel refined for God’s glory; God ancient plan to redeem Israel
49: The Servant is the light to the gentiles; God will remember Zion
50: The Servant is Israel’s hope
51: The Lord comforts Zion; God’s fury removed
52: God redeems Jerusalem; the sin-bearing Servant
53: The sin-bearing Servant cont.
54: A perpetual covenant of peace
55: An invitation to abundant life
56: Salvation for the gentiles; Israel’s irresponsible leaders
57: Israel’s futile idolatry; healing for the backslider
58: Fasting that pleases God
59: Separated from God; sin confessed; the redeemer of Zion
60: The gentiles bless Zion; God the glory of His people
61: The good news of salvation
62: Assurance of Zion’s salvation
63: The Lord in judgment and salvation; God’s mercy remembered; a prayer of penitence
64: A prayer of penitence cont.
65: The righteousness of God’s judgment; the glorious new creation
66: True worship and false; the Lord vindicates Zion; the reign and indignation of God

Nahum

1: God’s wrath on Nineveh
2: The destruction of Nineveh
3: The woe of Nineveh

Zephaniah

1: The great day of the Lord is near
2: A call to repentance; judgment on the nations
3: The wickedness of Jerusalem; a faithful remnant; joy in God’s faithfulness

Habakkuk

1: The prophet’s question; the Lord’s reply; the prophet’s second question
2: The just shall live by faith; woe to the wicked
3: The prophet’s prayer; a hymn of faith

Jeremiah

1: The prophet is called
2: God’s case against harlot Israel
3: Israel is a shameless harlot; a call to repentance
4: A call to repentance cont.; an imminent invasion; sorrow for the doomed nation
5: The justice of God’s judgment
6: Impending destruction from the north
7: Judah trusts in lying words; judgment on obscene religion
8: Judgment on obscene religion cont.; the peril of false teaching; the prophet mourns for the people
9: The prophet mourns for the people cont.; the people mourn in judgment
10: Idols and the true God; the coming captivity of Judah
11: The broken covenant; Jeremiah’s life threatened
12: Jeremiah’s question; the Lord answers Jeremiah
13: Symbol of the linen sash; symbol of the wine bottles; pride precedes captivity
14: Sword, famine, and pestilence; the people plead for mercy
15: The Lord will not relent; Jeremiah’s dejection; the Lord reassures Jeremiah
16: Jeremiah’s life-style and message; God will restore Israel
17: Judah’s sin and punishment; Jeremiah prays for deliverance; hallow the Sabbath day
18: The Potter and the clay; God’s warning rejected; Jeremiah persecuted
19: The sign of the broken flask
20: The word of God to Pashhur; Jeremiah’s unpopular ministry makes him lament his birth
21: Jerusalem’s doom is sealed; message to the house of David
22: Message to the house of David cont.; message to the sons of Josiah; message to Coniah
23: The Branch of righteousness; false prophets and empty oracles
24: The sign of the two baskets of figs
25: Seventy years of desolation; judgment on the nations
26: Jeremiah saved from death
27: Symbol of the bonds and yokes
28: Hananiah’s falsehood and doom
29: Jeremiah’s letter to the captives
30: Restoration of Israel and Judah
31: The remnant of Israel saved; mercy on Ephraim; future prosperity of Judah; a new covenant
32: Jeremiah buys a field; Jeremiah prays for understanding; God’s assurance of the people’s return
33: Excellence of the restored nation; the permanence of God’s covenant
34: Zedekiah warned by God; treacherous treatment of slaves
35: The obedient Rechabites
36: The scroll read in the temple; the scroll read in the palace; the king destroys Jeremiah’s scroll; Jeremiah rewrites the scroll
37: Zedekiah’s vain hope; Jeremiah imprisoned
38: Jeremiah in the dungeon; Zedekiah’s fears and Jeremiah’s advice
39: The fall of Jerusalem; Jeremiah set free by Nebuchadnezzar
40: Jeremiah with Gedaliah the governor
41: Insurrection against Gedaliah
42: The flight to Egypt forbidden
43: Jeremiah taken to Egypt
44: Israelites will be punished in Egypt
45: Assurance to Baruch
46: Judgment on Egypt; Babylonia will strike Egypt; God will preserve Israel
47: Judgment on Philistia
48: Judgment on Moab
49: Judgment on Ammon; judgment on Edom; judgment on Damascus; judgment on Kedar and Hazor; judgment on Elam
50: Judgment on Babylon and Babylonia
51: The utter destruction of Babylon; Jeremiah’s command to Seraiah
52: The fall of Jerusalem reviewed; the temple and city plundered and burned; the people taken captive to Babylonia; Jehoiachin released from prison

Lamentations

1: Jerusalem in affliction
2: God’s anger with Jerusalem
3: The prophet’s anguish and hope
4: The degradation of Zion
5: A prayer for restoration

Ezekiel

1: Ezekiel’s vision of God
2: Ezekiel sent to rebellious Israel
3: Ezekiel sent to rebellious Israel cont.; Ezekiel is a watchman
4: the siege of Jerusalem portrayed
5: A sword against Jerusalem
6: Judgment on idolatrous Israel
7: Judgment on Israel near
8: Abominations in the temple
9: The wicked are slain in a new Passover
10: The glory departs from the temple
11: Judgment on wicked counselors; God will restore Israel
12: Judah’s captivity portrayed; judgment not postponed
13: Woe to foolish prophets
14: Idolatry will be punished; judgment on persistent unfaithfulness
15: The outcast vine
16: God’s love for Jerusalem; Jerusalem’s harlotry; Jerusalem’s adultery; Jerusalem’s lovers will stone her; more wicked than Samaria and Sodom; an everlasting covenant
17: The eagles and the vine; Israel exalted at last
18: The false proverb refuted; turn and live
19: Israel degraded
20: The rebellions of Israel; God will restore Israel; fire in the forest
21: Babylon will be the sword of God; a sword against the Ammonites
22: Sins of Jerusalem; Israel in the furnace; Israel’s wicked leaders
23: The two harlot sisters; the older sister Samaria; the younger sister Jerusalem; judgment on Jerusalem; both sisters judged
24: Symbol of the cooking pot; the prophet’s wife dies
25: Proclamation against Ammon; proclamation against Moab; proclamation against Edom; proclamation against Philistia
25: Proclamation against Tyre
27: Lamentation for Tyre
28: Proclamation against the king of Tyre; lamentation for the king of Tyre; proclamation against Sidon; Israel’s future blessing
29: Proclamation against Egypt; Babylonia will plunder Egypt
30: Egypt and her allies will fall; proclamation against Pharaoh
31: Egypt cut down like a great tree
32: Lamentation for Pharaoh and Egypt; Egypt and others go down to the pit/grave
33: The watchman and his message; the fairness of God’s judgment; the fall of Jerusalem; the cause of Judah’s ruin; hearing and not doing
34: Irresponsible shepherds; God is the true shepherd
35: Judgment on Mount Seir
36: blessing on Israel; The water/Spirit renewal of Israel
37: The dry bones live; one kingdom and one king
38: Gog and allies attack Israel; judgment on Gog
39: Gog’s armies destroyed; the burial of Gog; a triumphant festival; Israel restored to the land
40: A new city and a new temple; the eastern gateway of the temple; the outer court; the northern gateway; the southern gateway; gateways of the inner court; rooms for preparing the sacrifices; chambers for singers and priests; dimensions of the inner court and vestibule
41: Dimensions of the sanctuary; the side chambers on the wall; the building at the western end; dimensions and design of the temple area
42: The chambers for the priests; outer dimensions of the temple
43: The temple, the Lord’s dwelling place; dimensions of the altar; consecrating the altar
44: The east gate and the prince; those admitted to the temple; laws governing priests
45: The holy district; properties of the city and the prince; laws governing the prince; keeping the feasts
46: The manner of worship; the prince and inheritance laws; how the offerings were prepared
47: The healing waters and trees; borders of the land
48: Division of the land; the gates of the city and its name

Daniel

1: Daniel and his friends obey God
2: Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue made of four metals; God reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s dream; Daniel explains the dream; Daniel and his friends promoted
3: The image of gold; Daniel’s friends disobey the king; saved in the fiery furnace; Nebuchadnezzar praises God
4: Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream; Daniel explains the dream; Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation; Nebuchadnezzar praises God
5: Belshazzar’s feast; the writing on the wall explained; Belshazzar’s fall
6: The plot against Daniel; Daniel in the lion’s den; Daniel saved from the lions; Darius honors God
7: Vision of the four beasts; vision of one like the son of man; Daniel’s visions interpreted
8: Vision of a ram and a goat; Gabriel interprets the vision
9: Daniel’s prayer for the people; the 70 weeks prophecy
10: Vision of the glorious man; prophecies concerning Persia and Greece
11: Prophecies concerning Persia and Greece cont.; warring kings of north and south; the northern king blasphemies; the northern king’s conquests
12: Prophecy of the end time

Ezra

1: End of the Babylonian captivity
2: The captives who returned to Jerusalem
3: Worship restored at Jerusalem; restoration of the temple begins
4: Resistance to rebuilding the temple is seen from transplanted foreigners living in the land; rebuilding of Jerusalem opposed during the reign of Ahasuerus
5: Restoration of the temple resumed
6: The decree of Darius for the Jews to complete the temple; the temple completed and dedicated; the Passover celebrated

Haggai

1: The command to build God’s house; the people’s obedience
2: The coming glory of God’s house; the people are defiled; promised blessing; Zerubbabel chosen as a signet

Zechariah

1: A call to repentance for Israel; vision of the horses; the Lord will comfort Zion; vision of the horns
2: Vision of the measuring line; future joy of Zion and many nations
3: Vision of the high priest; the coming Branch
4: Vision of the lampstand and olive trees
5: Vision of the flying scroll; vision of the woman in a basket
6: Vision of the four chariots; the command to crown Joshua
7: Obedience better than fasting; disobedience resulted in captivity
8: Jerusalem is the holy city of the future
9: Israel defended against enemies; the coming King; God will save His people
10: Restoration of Judah and Israel
11: Desolation of Israel; prophecy of the shepherds
12: The coming deliverance of Judah; mourning for the pierced one
13: Idolatry cut off; the shepherd savior
14: The day of the Lord; the nations worship the king

Esther

1: King Ahasuerus dethrones queen Vashti
2: Esther becomes queen; Modecai discovers a plot to kill the king
3: Haman’s conspiracy against the Jews
4: Ester agrees to help the Jews
5: Ester’s banquet; Hamon’s plot against Mordecai
6: The king honors Mordecai
7: Haman hanged instead of Mordecai
8: Esther saves the Jews
9: The Jews destroy the nations that gather against them; the fest of Purim instituted to celebrate the victory
10: Mordecai’s advancement

Ezra

7: The arrival of Ezra from Babylon; the letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra
8: Heads of families who returned with Ezra; servants for the temple; fasting and prayer for protection; gifts for the temple; the return to Jerusalem
9: Intermarriage with pagans
10: Cofession of sinful marriages; pagan wives put away

Nehemiah

1: Nehemiah prays for the people
2: Nehemiah sent to Judah; Nehemiah views the wall of Jerusalem
3: Rebuilding the wall
4: The wall defended against enemies
5: Nehemiah deals with oppression; the generosity of Nehemiah
6: Pagan conspiracy against Nehemiah; the wall completed
7: The captives who returned to Jerusalem
8: Ezra reads the law; the feast of tabernacles
9: The people confess their sins
10: The people who sealed the covenant; the covenant that was sealed
11: The people dwelling in Jerusalem; the people dwelling outside Jerusalem
12: The priests and Levites; Nehemiah dedicates the wall; temple responsibilities
13: Principles of separation; the reforms of Nehemiah

Malachi

1: Israel beloved of God; polluted offerings
2: Corrupt priests; treachery of infidelity
3: The coming messenger who prepares the way for the Lord; do not rob God; the people complain harshly; a book of remembrance
4: The great day of the Lord

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