Independence/Republic

 

 

Independence or Republic:

Which of these are we?

Constitution notwithstanding,

Can we say we are free?

 

Does it really matter

Wrangling over such?

To you and me in all seriousness,

Does it mean so much?

 

What do captions, pray tell,

If our lifestyles don’t comply?

Can it be culturally Barbadian

If captions tell a lie?

 

Independence or Republic

What do we celebrate

In this festive month of November

On its special date?

 

How do we differentiate

And is there a need

Since both events fall on 30^th November;

Tell me, what do you feel?

 

 

The folk songs are traditional

So too, the events and folklore,

How do we reflect the Republic

Unless we add some more?

 

Independence in 1966

A Republic in 2022

But in reality, nothing has changed,

What differently can we do?

 

It would have been better

It they were done together

But 56 years apart, I am sure you agree,

Doesn’t resolve this matter.

 

Cultural practices build up

Over many a year

And Barbados, as a young Republic,

Is still in first gear.

 

A caption is all there is

With nothing more to support

And not even a Republic Constitution

Informing our Law Court.

 

Independence still reigns

With its songs and folklore

And culturally, nothing has changed,

It’s just like before.

 

God bless Bim

On Independence Day”;

Republic would sound rather strange

If it were sung that way.

 

The Barbados Coat of Arms

And the National Flag:

Tell me what would we do with these?

And there’s more in the bag.

 

The National Pledge

And the National Anthem:

You’d have to throw out these too,

I reckon.

 

Oh, How I still wish

They had happened together:

Our Independence and Republic

Wouldn’t be a bother!

 

The Republic of Barbados

Oh, what a name!

But without a Republic Constitution,

Can we make that claim?

 

It may be a caption for now

Or just a mere title,

But procuring the new Constitution

Is extremely vital.

 

Other than the cosmetics

Regarding the name changing,

We can expect no more significance

Than deckchairs rearranging.

 

 

We’re better than the Titanic

In that we are still afloat,

However, let’s be exceedingly careful;

It’s no time to gloat.

 

Stewart Russell © November 18, 2024

 

Order of the Bible Books

 

 

Let me draw to your attention

The order of the Old Testament books,

The focus is on two orders in particular

And I encourage you, take a look.

 

Law, History, Wisdom/Poetry,

Major and Minor Prophets,

These are the main classifications of the OT

That we traditionally get.

 

The traditional order is ingrained

Unlike the second which is chronological,

But whichever order we consider,

An understanding is critical.

 

Whether traditional or chronological

The first seven books are the same:

Genesis to Judges I mean

So first, let me make this plain.

 

 

1440-1400 B.C.

 

Genesis #1                Genesis #1

Exodus #2                 Exodus #2

Leviticus #3             Leviticus #3

Numbers #4             Numbers #4

Deuteronomy #5     Deuteronomy #5

 

1440 – 1400 B.C.

 

Joshua #6                  Joshua #6

Judges #7         Judges #7

 

The first five books are the Toro

In these books we find the Law,

Moses, Joshua and Judges led Israel

Though not without their flaws.

 

The chronology of these seven books

Spreads from 1440-1000 B.C.

Ruth or the Psalms will follow next

Depending on what the order be.

 

1000-586 B.C. (pre-exile – mid-exile)

 

Traditionally Psalms is the 19^th book

But chronologically, it is # 8

This shifts Ruth down to book # 9

Where traditionally it is at # 8.

 

Chronologically follow thereafter,

1^st and 2^nd Samuel,

Then Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes,

And the Songs of Solomon.

 

Traditionally this is different

As we take the next seven books,

They are 1^st and 2^nd Samuel, 1^st and 2^nd Kings

1^st and 2^nd Chronicles and Ezra, the 15^th book.

 

From the Psalms to the Songs of Solomon

Is a period of sixty-nine years

Which makes sense chronologically speaking

In the order these books appear.

 

Period of Rehoboam to Hezekiah (931 – 686 B.C.)

 

Let’s stay with the chronological order

As we view the next seven books,

I am sure that up to this point

You are having an enlightened look.

 

Isaiah, Hosea, Joel and Amos

Followed by Obadiah, Jonah and Micah,

Instead of Nehemiah, Esther, Job and Psalms

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Songs of Solomon.

 

Period of Hezekiah to the exile (686 – 586 B.C.)

 

Enter Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah

Instead of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Lamentations,

1^st and 2^nd Kings, 1^st and 2^nd Chronicles

Instead of Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea and Joel.

 

Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel

Instead of Amos, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah,

Thirty-three books we have so far covered

The next six is Ezra to Malachi.

 

516 – 400 B.C. (post-exilic)

 

Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther

Rebuilding the temple and repairing the walls,

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi

Chronologically, that accounts for 39 in all.

 

Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi,

These six complete the traditional order

On this information we can all rely.

 

Chronology in bold, traditional in light

Now you can go back and get it right.

For sure, you would recognize as I have,

Bible study is a delight.

 

The Old is the New concealed,

And the New is the Old revealed,

With this in mind, let’s move into the New

And reveal the once concealed.

 

That Christ is the Supreme Marker

There should be no dispute,

That he determines the entirety of time

Let us not refute.

 

 

Let me draw to your attention

The order of the New Testament books,

The focus is on two orders in particular

And I encourage you, take a look.

 

Traditionally we have the Gospels

Then the Acts of the Apostles,

Noteworthy is the book of Revelation

Preceded by the Epistles.

 

Some place this period

Around 40 – 68 A.D.

And this, for the most part is confirmed

By secular history.

 

All of the Messianic prophecies

Were fulfilled in the New,

The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles

Assure us of this view.

 

In the Chronological and traditional

Matthew is placed at #40

This period is around 40 – 45 A.D.

Which excludes Mark, Luke and John.

 

45 -50 A.D.

 

Following is the chronological order

For the next six books

And the traditional order by comparison,

Take a careful look.

 

1^st Thessalonians #41              Mark #41

2^nd Thessalonians #42            Luke #42

1^st Corinthians #43                   John #43

2^nd Corinthians #44                 Acts #44

Romans # 45                     Romans #45

Luke #46          1^st Corinthians #46

 

50 – 55 A.D.

 

The next ten books are interestingly divided

Take a look at the position of the Acts,

Remember, grouping is traditional

But chronological is the timing fact.

 

Galatians #47          2^nd Corinthians #47

Ephesians #48          Galatians #48

Philippians #49               Ephesians #49

Colossians #50                 Philippians #50

Philemon #51          Colossians #51

Acts #52           1^st Thessalonians #52

 

1^st Timothy #53                2^nd Thessalonians #53

2^nd Timothy #54                       1^st Timothy #54

Titus #55          2^nd Timothy #55

Hebrews #56           Titus #56

 

55 – 60 A.D.

 

James and Jude before Philemon and Hebrews

In the period 55 - 60 A.D.,

Two more differences in these orderings

That chronologically and traditionally we see.

 

James #57                          Philemon #57

Jude #58                   Hebrews #58

 

60 – 68 A.D.

 

Finally, we come to the last eight books

It is a long way from the start,

And still the lists are so varied here,

Compare the positions of the book of St Mark.

 

Traditionally set at #41

But chronologically set 20 positions down,

The last before all of John’s five books

Is an eyeopener that is rather sound.

 

1^st Peter #59                     James #59

2^nd Peter #60                    1^st Peter #60

Mark #61                   2^nd Peter #61

 

John #62                   1^st John #62

1^st John #63                       2^nd John #63

2^nd John 64                        3^rd John #64

3^rd John #65                      Jude #65

Revelation #66                Revelation #66

 

 

So, here we have the sixty-six books

Comprising the Old and the New

With significant differences in their ordering

Re the chronological and traditional view.

 

For prophetic and historical enquiry

The chronological order is the better,

However, for literary giants and dramatists,

It’s better they choose the latter.

 

Whether chronological or traditional

The Bible is its own best source,

Use a Biblical text to explain another

And make it your primary reading resource.

 

Stewart Russell © September 13, 2021