Midweek: The Armor of God Bible (for children)

Thomas Nelson has once again given me the opportunity to peruse and review a Bible from their wide selection. This complimentary copy of the Armor of God Bible is recommended for children ages 6-10. It is my opinion, unless your child has been really well-trained in Bible study, age six is a bit young and would require quite a bit of adult guidance. For independent use and study, I suggest it would be suitable for ages 8-13. The copy I received was paperback (though there are other editions available), red-letter, New King James Version, and is printed in Easy-to-read 9-point Comfort Print®. There is a presentation page to make gift-giving personal.

As for the front matter, the Table of Contents provides additional structure by labeling the Books of the Bible according to genre: Law, History, Poetry, Epistles, etc. There is an article providing overview of the Armor of God as found in Ephesians 6:14-17 and an explanation as to how to help your child get the most out of this thematic Bible. Fifty-Two devotions rooted in the Armor of God are found throughout the text, and five hundred notes connect each piece of armor by icon to different verses throughout the Bible. The devotionals are helpful and suitable in length. They explain a passage, give relevance, and add suggestions for further study and application. The notes pull the text together with regard to the armor of God. The devotionals and notes are indexed in the front of the Bible. Also indexed, are the "Be Strong" icons that are found by Scriptures that encourage your child to Be strong in the Lord, and the "Battle" icons that throughout the Scriptures, draw attention to military battles and mentions of spiritual warfare. A list of "Twenty-Five Key Verses to Motivate and Encourage You to Share the Good News" reminds us we need to search the Scriptures for the strength to engage in sharing the Gospel with a world that rejects it. This, too, can be a battle, but it is a battle in which we are all commanded to engage. Additionally, there are articles that present the Gospel succinctly, encourage readers to pray and memorize the Scriptures, and provide a few "Interesting Bible Facts." 

Within the text, each book is preceded by an introduction which includes the place of the book in the Gospel message. The introduction for 2 Chronicles, for instance, reads:

"Second Chronicles focuses on the temple, the place where God lived among His people. Although the temple had been destroyed, it would be rebuilt. Jesus came to be a better temple. He is God who lives with His people. Jesus died on the cross, but He came back to life, proving that all who trust in Him will live forever too."

The aforementioned devotions and helpful icons are scattered throughout as well.

Lastly, there is a one-year Bible reading plan, a sixty-day plan that focuses on some of the main points of Scripture, a thirty-day plan to familiarize your child with who God is, and a thirty-day introduction to Jesus as well. The final pages of the Armor of God Bible include a list of prayers in the Bible, miracles in the Bible, age-appropriate topical Scriptures, a dictionary-concordance, blank pages for notes, and eight colored maps.

I always hesitate to purchase thematic Bibles, even for children. We go through various seasons and, while truth is timeless, building a Bible --something your child will use for years --around a particular facet of truth can be tricky. I think we open the door to misunderstanding or familiarity when we try to fit the message of the Bible and its varied books and authors into one theme. Seeing Scripture in light of a single idea other than Jesus can, in my opinion, force the reader to (subconsciously or otherwise) put biblical concepts in a specific box and neglect understanding and applying the truth as it is presented. Other than my personal opinions on thematic Bibles, I would recommend the Armor of God Bible for the proper age group. It is a solid Bible with some helpful study additions.