Every Christian should memorize the books of the Old Testament. The Bible is the word of God. It chronicles the journey of faith for those who love God and are loved by God.
The Bible is full of testimonies, instruction, guidance, worship and hope. It is essential to know God. if a book is so important, then we should make memorizing the order of the books a priority so that we are better equipped to use the bible.
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It is useful to memorize the books of the old testament when we realize that there is a structure in the old testament. there are collections of books that are held together by common themes or types. on the library shelves, we will find that the history books are together.
Similarly, there is a special section for poetry books. the same goes for the old testament as well. These groups can be very beneficial for memorizing the book sets, but also for understanding the Old Testament as a whole.
how to memorize the books of the old testament? I am going to share with you the strategy that I have used for years in Sunday school and with my children to help them. (to be honest, that’s how I finally cemented them in my memory too!)
Memorizing begins with organization
the old testament is divided into five groups: law, history, poetry, major prophets and minor prophets. help your child/student to notice this organization.
There are wonderful images that can be used to help children visualize these groups. we are going to divide our memorization goal into parts according to these five main groups.
Introduce each section and repeat that section, loudly and often, until the group/child masters it. then add the following section. keep the numbers 3 & 5 in mind, as these will be the bite-sized chunks we’ll use to create memorization groups.
memorize the old testament by singing the books?
what about a song? Wouldn’t this be easier with a song? Yes and no.
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We sang a song from the old testament to help with our memorization at home. although a song can become a crutch. So instead of knowing that Daniel comes after Ezekiel, you find that you have to sing the song from the beginning until you get to Daniel.
The Bible is so important that we want to master it. this method works well together with a song, but helps us overcome the limitations of the song.
section #1 law – genesis, exodus, leviticus, number, deuteronomy
This set of five works perfect for your hand. use the finger of the other hand and point to each finger in turn while repeating the names of the books over and over.
section #2 history – joshua, judges, ruth, 1st samuel, 2nd samuel, 1st kings, 2nd kings, 1st chronicles, 2nd chronicles, ezra, nehemiah, esther
the first set of 3: joshua, judges, ruth. I turn this set into a sentence: Joshua judges Ruth. Of course, Ruth and Joshua have never met in real life. Joshua never sat down to judge Ruth. but those three books in a row sound like a sentence.
the next set of 3 is actually 6: 1st & 2nd samuel, kings and chronicles.
the last set of 3 in this group: ezra, nehemiah and esther => jan. this grouping gives you three sets of three letters: jjr, skc, & Jan.
section #3 poetry – craft, psalms, proverbs, ecclesiastes, canticles of solomon
the initials are jppes. make it a word that will stick with your child or group. insert an “o” to get jops. insert an “um” and get jumps. use anything funny, cheesy, or silly that sticks in kids’ minds.
section #4 major prophets: isaiah, jeremiah, lamentations, ezekiel and daniel
make it a name like i.j. He directed. to memorize this, i insert a picture of a led light bulb. prophets help people see the light. the prophets show us the right way to follow god. point to his eye and say i (isaiah) then make a swooping “j” with your little finger (jeremiah).
after that i hold a led bulb over my head (lamentations, ezekiel and daniel). prophets help people see the light and show us the right path to god.
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(cheesy? whatever!)
section #5 minor prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Abbey, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
This last section is the most challenging. there are twelve minor prophets to memorize! Divide these guys into four groups of 3. The first two sets share a prophet “J” in the middle. the last two sets share a prophet “z”, the first at the end and the second in the middle.
If you type them in, you’ll see a pattern emerge. Circle these patterns as if you were working on a crossword puzzle. these patterns create a big mental picture to help organize all of these minor prophets.
Notice that the prophets in the first two sets have slightly shorter names than in the last two sets. this can create a rhythm when you repeat them.
again, repetition is key. say each set of three over and over again until they are a fixed piece in your head.
frequency and amplifier; intensity are the keys to memorizing the old testament
this is a way to memorize the books of the old testament. there are many creative ideas out there. We are all unique, and some tips may work better for one person than another. In the end, the frequency and intensity will hide that vital information in our hearts, and we can use it to explore the word of God.
memorize the books of the old testament? you can do it!
It’s hard work to memorize the books of the old testament, but it’s worth it. knowing which books make up the old testament and finding them is the first key to unlocking the mystery of the first half of the bible.
The Bible is the word of God. if we are going to base our lives on it, then we must be able to study it.
what benefits have you seen for yourself or your children by memorizing the books of the bible? what tips and tricks do you have to remember the books of the old testament?
See Also: Reading Order | Corinne Michaels