We begin by dividing the entire field of time to the opening of the New
Testament into five periods. Each of these we write at the head of a
column. (See the Blackboard Outline.)
I. The Period of the Human Race.
II. The Period of the Chosen Family.
III. The Period of the Is'ra-el-ite People.
IV. The Period of the Is'ra-el-ite Kingdom.
V. The Period of the Jew'ish Province.
I. We find in the opening of the Bible that the =Human Race= is the
subject of the history. This theme extends through the first eleven
chapters of Genesis, which narrate the history of much more than half of
the time included in the Bible. During this long period no one tribe or
nation or family is selected; but the story of all mankind is related by
the historian.
1. This period begins with the =Creation of Man= (not the creation of
the _world_), at some unknown time which scholars have not been able to
fix; and it ends with the =Call of A'bra-ham=, also at a date uncertain,
though given with some doubt at about B. C. 2280. With this event Bible
history properly begins.
2. Through this period it would appear that God dealt with each person
_directly_, without mediation or organized institutions. We read of
neither priest nor ruler, but we find God speaking individually with
men. (See Gen. 3. 9; 4. 6; 5. 22; 6. 13; and let the class find other
instances.) We call this, therefore, the period of =Direct
Administration=.