30 DAYS OF DIGGING! DAY 16:)

DAY 16 and DAY 17

Take note of the HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.

1.               If the book is letter to a church (an epistle), answer the following questions:

1. When was the church founded? Can you find any information in the book of Acts? Consult the Bible Dictionary.
2. Who founded the church? What kind of reception did the original evangelists receive?
3. Read through the letter and discover the church’s strengths and weaknesses.
4. Imagine what it would be like to be a member of this church.
5. What is the prevailing religion in the area? What religious beliefs did these Christians have prior to their conversion?
6. Are there any customs or cultural insights that would be helpful to know?

2.             If the book is historical narrative:

1. What was happening in Israel’s history (or the early church’s history) before and after this book?
2. What is happening in the surrounding cultures?
3. How does this book fit in with the overall history of God’s people?

3.               If the book is one of the Prophets:

1. When did this prophet minister?
2. What was going on in Israel’s history at that time?
3. Who received the prophecy?

** When researching the historical background FIRST look inside the text of the book you are studying for clues. THEN you will probably need to do some reading in outside sources, such as a Bible dictionary.


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