1. THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ACCORDING TO THE HEBREW CANON.

I.--THE LAW (Torah).

A. GENESIS. The beginning. All produced by the Word of God (Gen 1:3). Israel as a "family" (Gen 15:1)
B. EXODUS. History. Israel emerging from Families and Tribes to a Nation. Called "Hebrews" according to their "tongue."
C. LEVITICUS. Worship. Jehovah in the midst. He, Israel's God; and they, His People.
B. NUMBERS. History. Israel, now a "Nation," numbered, and blessed as such (23, 24).
A. DEUTERONOMY. The end. All depending on the Word of Jehovah. Israel regarded as in the "Land."


II.--THE PROPHETS (Nebi'im).

The Former Prophets (Zech. 7:7):

A. JOSHUA. "The Lord of all the earth" giving possession of the Land. Government under Priests.
B. JUDGES. Israel forsaking and returning to God; losing and regaining their position in the Land. "No king." Bethlehem. Failure under Priests.
C. SAMUEL. Man's king "rejected"; God's king (David) "established."
D. KINGS. Decline and Fall under the kings.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Latter Prophets:
D. ISAIAH. Final blessing under God's King.
C. JEREMIAH. Human kings "rejected." David's "righteous Branch" "raised up."
B. EZEKIEL. God forsaking Israel, and returning in glory, to say for ever of His Land and city "Jehovah-Shammah."
A. MINOR PROPHETS. "The Lord of all the earth" giving restored possession of the Land, and foretelling final and unending possession.


III.--THE PSALMS (Kethubim, Writings).

A. PSALMS. Tehilim. "Praises." God's purposes and counsels as to His doings in the future.
B. PROVERBS, i.e. Rules: Words which govern or rule man's life. God's moral government set forth.
C. JOB. "The end of the Lord" shown in Satan's defeat, and the saints deliverance from tribulation.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Five Megilloth:
D. CANTICLES. Virtue rewarded. Read by the Jews at the Passover: the Feast which commemorates the deliverance from Pharaoh, the Jews' oppressor.
E. RUTH. The stranger gathered in to hear of, and share in, God's goodness in Redemption. Read at Pentecost, which commemorates God's goodness in the Land.
F. LAMENTATIONS. "Alas!" The record of Israel's woes. Read at the Fast of the ninth of Abib.
E. ECCLESIASTES. "The Preacher." The People collected to hear of man's vanity. Read at the Feast of Tabernacles, which commemorates God's goodness in the wilderness.
D. ESTHER. Virtue rewarded. Read at the Feast of Purim, which commemorates the deliverance from Haman, "the Jews' enemy."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. DANIEL. "God's judgment." Here are shown the final defeat of Antichrist, and the deliverance out of "the Great Tribulation."
B. EZRA-NEHEMIAH. Men who governed and ruled God's People in their resettlement in the Land.
A. CHRONICLES. Dibrae hayyamim. "Words of the Days"; or, God's purposes and counsels as to Israel's doings in the past, and until the time of the end.