Feb 18, 2010

My new favorite reference book

I got this AWESOME book from Thomas Nelson a couple weeks ago and cannot put it down! I realize this is self-proclaimed nerdom since it's a reference book, but it is sooo good! It should be noted that I'm a complete Bible reading novice though - so everything in this book is helpful to me. There is an overview in the beginning of the book and then it is divided into 'chapters' by the Books. This arrived in the mail as I was finishing Job as part of my one-year chronological Bible reading plan, so I immediately read the chapter about Job. I couldn't have imagined a more helpful book. Since I am reading chronologically, I have a lot of questions about the timeline of things. My Bible is an NIV study Bible and I LOVE that it has some commentary at the bottom of the pages, but that still leaves a lot to figure out for Bible-dummy me and I love, love, love how this book takes over and pulls things together.

I'd previously been reading What the Bible is All About by Henrietta Mears and I thought THAT was my ticket but this book is even better! It's also more up-to-date in terms of things recent scholars have said, etc... so it's nice to read with some modern snippets.

Not all chapters have maps included, but there are all sorts of charts and timelines - including lineages! I have learned even more with this book and I think anyone who has a true interest in studying the Bible would enjoy it.

3 comments:

Jill Foley said...

looks awesome...might have to get that one!

Have you heard of "The Book of God" by Walter Wangerin? It's a novel of the Bible. I have it, but have not read it yet....I'm wanting to read the real thing first. But it was highly recommended to me by a friend.

I've already read What Difference Do it Make and passed it on to another friend! It's a book that keeps on giving!!

GinSpaghetti said...

I almost emailed you when I got this after your comment about the Henrietta Mears book. I've not heard of 'The Book of God' but sounds like it would be really neat! So glad to hear that you've passed the other book! :)

Tiffany @ As For My House said...

Found your blog from this review... :)

"The Book of God" is really a neat book, and very helpful in visualizing the chronologies and inter-relationships of things. Just remember that it's a novel, though, and a lot of context stuff is fiction (educated, but not Scripture).

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world when He could do something about it, but I'm afraid God would ask me the same question."
-Anonymous
You don't change the world by trying to change the world; you change the world by changing yourself.
-Gerry Straub