The most recent issue of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (JETS) includes a submission by Greg Goswell entitled “The Order of the Books in the Greek Old Testament.” When I first looked at it, it seemed pretty dry. But sometimes appearances can fool the observer. He says:
This survey supports the supposition that where a biblical book is placed relative to other books in the library of Scripture has hermeneutical implications for the reader who seeks to make sense of a text. Indeed, when the same book is placed in alternative positions (e.g. Daniel) in different canonical arrangements (Hebrew versus Greek), his fact may assist the reader to notice features of that book that are normally obscured or underplayed, and so assist in refining interpretation.
Reading the article made me wonder – does the old arrangement reflect God’s providential while our newer arrangements reflect something eschatological? Might we see God’s intervention into human affairs better in providence than particular event? It’s an article to read and from which to gather some new insights.
