I remember the first time I “saw” Bible history in a personal way. My sister and I had traveled to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. I’ve never been a faithful student of art itself, but the museum draws me back time and again because of the historical artifacts it holds. I’ve walked inside part of an Egyptian temple. I’ve seen a room that was once buried under Vesuvius. But nothing prepared me for what I saw when I stepped into the Near Eastern galleries.
The walls of Babylon.
Pieces of them, painted blue and green, were mounted on the walls. Daniel could have walked past them. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego may have gazed on them while walking into the city. I have always believed the Biblical stories to be true. I’ve studied the Bible from a spiritual as well as intellectual point of view. I know there is more documentary evidence for the Bible than there is some classical literature. But seeing a piece of the story for myself made it come alive in an entirely new way.
That is one of the things I love about timelines. They put the events of the Bible into a broader historical context. I love discovering that the time of the Judges was also the time of Nefertiti or that the life of Joseph almost overlapped the birth of the Shang Dynasty of China.
And that is what the Timeline Cards from Sprouting Tadpoles will help you and your family discover. A set of 136 will take you from Creation to the time of the ancient Greeks. They can be printed in four different sizes with or without dates. They are highly customizable to fit any number of activities. Students can write summaries of the historical events on the backs of the cards and then use that information for copywork. They can do memory work with the cards and note the date, name, and location of each event. They can note the events on a map or on a traditional timeline.
This would be a great tool for classical educators as well as a wonderful addition to a family study of the Old Testament. They could also make a great field trip companion. The next time you have the chance to see ancient art, take along your timeline packet. Even if the art itself isn’t from Biblical lands, referencing what was going on in Biblical history at the same time can bring the Bible–and art–alive in a whole new way!
The printable timeline card set is currently available at SproutingTadpoles.com for $5.00.
Disclaimer: I received a free download of Timeline Cards from Sprouting Tadpoles in exchange for my honest review.
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