The 5 Best Books of Bible Charts
by Michael J. Penfold
Charts of Biblical topics are incredibly useful additions to any Bible student’s library. Being able to view complex topics or themes in chart or table form can make all the difference between bewilderment and clarity in the realm of Bible doctrine! Here are the 5 best books of charts I have enjoyed using over the years:
1. Charts of Christian Theology and Doctrine
This A4 sized paperback 160 page book contains 89 charts, most of which are in tabular form (rows and columns). Charts of Christian Theology and Doctrine by H. Wayne House (9780310416616), contains 10 sections: Prolegomena, Bibliology, Theology Proper, Christology, Pneumatology, Angelology, Anthropology, Soteriology, Ecclesiology and Eschatology. Sounds complicated? Not at all! Quite the reverse. You will understand these subjects as never before by viewing them in chart form. Accessible and clear, these charts summarise issues, subjects, and topics that are key to Christians today. In table form you will see: the difference between Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism; 6 views of Biblical inspiration; all the major arguments for the existence of God; lists of views on the Trinity and Christology; lists of spiritual gifts; views on the gift of tongues; views on the sons of God in Genesis 6; views on election and predestination; views on baptism and the Lord’s Supper; views on the rapture and the millennium; and views on eternal punishment. This book will save you hours and hours of work by summarising huge topics into manageable charts to give you a handle on difficult areas of study. H. Wayne House (ThD, JD) is distinguished research professor of theology, law, and culture at Faith Evangelical Seminary, Tacoma, Washington. He is the author of numerous books, and is past president of the Evangelical Theological Society.
2. Charts of Bible Prophecy
This A4 sized paperback 175 page book contains 119 charts under 13 sections: An Introduction to Prophecy; Hermeneutics and Prophecy; Fulfillment of Prophecy; Prophetic Texts; Systems of Eschatology; The Rapture and the Second Coming; The Nation of Israel; Teaching on the Tribulation; The Olivet Discourse; Teaching on the Millennium; Daniel and Revelation; Death and the Afterlife; and Comparative Eschatology. Here are some samples of topics you’ll found laid out in tabular form in this book: The Concept of the Kingdom in the Bible; Views on the New Covenant; Daniel’s 70 Weeks; Dispensational Time Chart of Last Things; Views on the Rapture; the Prophetic Significance of the 7 Feasts of Jehovah; the Times of the Gentiles; Major Events of the Tribulation; the Battle of Armageddon; Views on the Millennium; Interpretations of Revelation; the Number 7 in Revelation; the Future Judgments and Resurrections; Perspectives on Annihilationism, and much more. The authors, H. Wayne House and Randall Price have done a sterling job of laying out the topics and views even-handedly and accurately, allowing the reader to evaluate and examine the validity of particular eschatological views. Charts of Bible Prophecy (9780310218968) is a crucial book for all students of Bible prophecy.
3. Charts of Apologetics and Christian Evidences
This A4 sized paperback 130 page book contains 68 charts under 6 sections: Apologetic Methodologies, Philosophical Apologetics, Theistic Apologetics, Religious Apologetics, Biblical Apologetics and Scientific Apologetics. Apologetics, or the defence of the Christian faith, is a vast field of study, which will be greatly aided by the reader obtaining H. Wayne House and Joseph M. Holden’s book Charts of Apologetics and Christian Evidences (9780310219378). Here are some invaluable charts that you’ll find within the covers of this superb resource: The Relationship between Faith and Reason; Evidential verses Presuppositional; Laws of Logic and Objections; Informal Fallacies; How Can Truth Be Known?; Views of Reality; Seven Major Worldviews; Classic Arguments for the Existence of God; Views of Evil; World Religions; Secular Humanism versus Christianity; Old Testament Archaeology; New Testament manuscripts; False Views on the Two Natures of Christ; Theories on the Resurrection of Christ; Comparing Resurrection, Resuscitation and Reincarnation; The Problem of Miracles; Main Views on the Origin of Life and the Universe; Views on the Age of the Universe; Intelligent and Unintelligent Causes Contrasted, and much more. In our age of postmodernism, relativism and religious pluralism, this book of charts is a most helpful resource for Christians.
4. Charting the Bible Chronologically
This large size 142 page hardback book contains 40 high quality colour charts by Thomas Ice and Ed Hindson. Charting the Bible Chronologically (9780736964371) is a tremendous resource that makes Bible study come to life and helps pull together the Bible’s historical information into a manageable whole. Here are some of the topics you’ll find handsomely illustrated in this book: How We Got our Bible; Pre-Flood Genealogy; The Covenants; Chronology of the Flood; The Dispensations; The Patriarchs; The Nation of Israel; The Feasts of Israel in Bible Prophecy; The Wisdom Books; The Old Testament Prophets; the Kings of Israel and Judah; the Babylonian Captivity; Daniel’s Prophetic Timeline; the 70 Weeks of Daniel; the Intertestamental Period; the Life of Christ; Timeline of Matthew 24-25; New Testament Letters; Book of Revelation Timeline; Tribulation Timeline; the Sequence of Second Coming Events; the Millennium; the Resurrections in History and Prophecy, and much more. The book begins with a 2 feet long pull-out chart giving a complete Biblical chronology from Genesis to Revelation. Significant amounts of helpful explanatory text accompanies each chart throughout the book. This beautifully presented volume will amply repay hours of browsing and study.
5. Charting the End Times
This large 142 page hardback bo
ok contains 50 high quality colour charts by Thomas Ice and Tim LaHaye. Charting the End Times (9780736901383) is the best book of colour prophetic charts I have ever seen. Some readers may be familiar with Clarence Larkin’s book of charts. Be assured that Ice and LaHaye’s work is superior to Larkin’s in quality, presentation and usability. The charts are detailed but not complicated, and they tackle the field of eschatology from a sound pre-tribulation, pre-millennial viewpoint. Here are some of the chart topics featured in this book: The Four Pivotal Events in History; the Mountain Peaks of Prophecy; Satan, His Past, Present and Future; the Olivet Discourse; the 3 Groups of People in Bible Prophecy; the Church’s Prophetic Destiny; the Rapture of the Church; the Judgement Seat of Christ; the Tribulation; 75-Day Preparation for the Millennium; the Millennium; the Covenants; the Dispensations; Israel’s Tabernacle, Temple and Ark in History and Prophecy; Babylon in History and Prophecy; the Two Phases of His One Coming; Setting the Stage; the Resurrections and Judgments of Scripture; the Various Views on the Millennium; History’s End and Eternity’s Beginning, and many more. The book begins with a large master pull-out chart, a copy of which is reproduced here:
Michael J. Penfold (info@webtruth.org)
