Series Description and Books Covered
Genesis
“Here’s the ultimate handbook on “firsts”. Genesis not only explains the essentials of our beginning, but also provides questions and deepest needs. Promises and Beginnings explores God’s relationship with and His faithfulness to humankind in spite of sin and failure. Here’s a wonderful way to learn more about God’s love, faithfulness and provision. This guide helps you understand the foundations of the kingdom of God and how Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s eternal plan. You’ll discover new reasons to trust Him more fully, opening your heart to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.”
Exodus
“Exodus – part 2 in the story of humanity’s redemption – tells how God brought Israel up out of slavery to men, and allowed them to become His servants. And through miraculous deliverance and covenant law, the Redeemer is revealed. The book of Exodus contains many valuable insights for us today, including God’s methods for dealing with rebellion, His shaping of Moses into a servant leader, governing principles for the just treatment of others, and guidelines for pure and wholehearted worship.”
Leviticus
The book of Leviticus was given to Moses around 1445 b.c. during the time Israel was in the wilderness. The focus of this third book of the Torah is on the holiness of God. Leviticus 19:2 is the key verse, “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” “Holy” can be defined as the sum total of the attributes of God. How then, can an unholy people approach a holy God? The answer is in Leviticus. This book was the instruction manual for the Levitical priests with God’s prescribed ways to maintain holiness in the Tabernacle and among the people. As you study this book, keep in mind this was given in love by God to provide a way for his presence to remain with his people.
Numbers
The fourth Book of Moses is called Numbers, taken from a census. Like the other books of Moses, it was written while Israel was in the wilderness around 1400 B.C. The events recorded in Numbers took place within a forty-year period, shortly after the Exodus and focus on Israel’s journey from Sinai to the “Transjordan,” meaning across the Jordan River. As you study the book of Numbers, the historical account is important, but it is also important to understand the truths of God’s Word. Take special note of how, in the midst of trial and difficulty, God still worked within individual lives.
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy is a series of messages given by Moses to the people of Israel just prior to his death. That places the dating between 1410-1406 B.C. The word “Deuteronomy” comes from the Hebrew Devarim meaning “Second Law.”
At this time, Israel was camped on the Plain of Moab; and after 40 years in the wilderness was finally ready to cross over the Jordan River and claim their land inheritance promised by God. Because of his sin again the Lord (Nu. 20:1-12) Moses was not permitted to enter with them. In his final messages, Moses’ reminds the people who they are and how they got to this place. He renewed the Covenant made with God on Mt. Sinai and to show the seriousness of this Covenant, Moses divided the nation between two Mountains. Those standing on Mount Gerizom pronounced all the blessings for following the Law while those standing on Mount Ebal pronounced the curses for disobedience. (Deuteronomy. 28 & 29)
The key verses are Deuteronomy 6:4-6 called the Shema: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Joshua
The first section of the Old Testament, referred to as “The Pentateuch”, is comprised of the first five books of the Bible (Genesis through Deuteronomy), sometimes called “The Books of Moses” or “The Law”. These are the foundational books that tell of the beginning of the earth, humanity and the nation Israel. The book of Joshua, begins the second section called “The Books of History” (Joshua through Esther).
Joshua continues the story that began in Exodus by recounting how God fulfilled His promise to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Joshua is the story of conquest and fulfillment. 400 years after receiving the promise, God’s people finally “enter and take possession of the Promised Land”.
Judges
The book of Judges is the record of Israel’s history from the time they conquered the land under the leadership of Joshua until the time of the kings (the late Bronze Age 1200-1000 b.c.). “The Judges” is a title given to the military and civil leaders God raised up to deliver Israel from various foreign oppressors. Some judges served long-term leadership roles while others only one specific military campaign.
Ruth
The book of Ruth is a story told in a simple and direct way. It took place during the time of the Judges, an era best described as “a time when everyone did what seemed right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25) In contrast to the oppression and wars in the land, this is a story of ordinary people going about their everyday lives. The story is focused on the lives of two women, Naomi and Ruth, their relationship to one another and to God. Although God is not mentioned, you will see his hand at work as his story, his plan moves forward through these two amazing women.
1 & 2 Samuel
In the Old Testament books of history, 1 & 2 Samuel follow the book of Judges. The title “Samuel” comes from the first of three main characters. Samuel served as Israel’s last judge and also as God’s prophet. The other two are Saul and David, Israel’s first two kings.
Originally one volume, Samuel was compiled by an unknown author based upon the writings of Samuel and the book of Jashar (2 Samuel 1:18). The time covers the birth of Samuel in 1105 BC to the end of King David’s reign in 970 BC and was compiled in this form between 586-538 BC during Israel’s exile in Babylon. Samuel records Israel’s transition from judges to kings and was written to bring hope as Israel looked forward to God’s promise of returning to their land.
As you study Samuel, it is my hope that you will take encouragement from the lives of these people through whom God was able to do extraordinary things. Their backgrounds were ordinary and sometimes even difficult. God worked through both women (Hannah) and men (David) with the requirements being the same – faith and obedience. Our God is the same today and still works through those whose hearts are turned fully toward Him.
Kings of Israel
1 & 2 Kings
The books of Kings and Chronicles were written in different circumstances, from different perspectives yet detail the same period of history. Kings was written to Israel while they were IN EXILE, from the perspective of God’s prophet. These books explain the reason for their exile by going through their history, and to give them hope.
Chronicles was written AFTER they returned from EXILE from the perspective of God’s priest. He writes to give them hope by answering the questions, “Is God still interested in us?” and “Can we still have a covenant relationship if we don’t have a king or Temple?”
Studying these books together gives a more complete picture of God’s story and His faithfulness to Israel, even in difficult time. God’s story continued to move forward to provide that perfect way to bring all people back into right relationship with Himself.
Judah and the Prophets
2 Kings 15-25, 2 Chronicles 29-36, and the prophets: Jonah, Amos, Hosea. Micah, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Daniel 1-3 and Obadiah
Again, and again, the LORD warned Israel and Judah through His prophets: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe My commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the LORD their God.” 2 Kings 17:13-14
This study begins with the final days of the Northern Kingdom of Israel as seen from God’s perspective. God’s prophets Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea and Isaiah warned the people of Israel about the consequences of their rebellion. In addition to the prophets to Israel, in 753 B.C. God sent a very reluctant prophet named Jonah to the Assyrian enemy, warning them to turn from their evil ways or they would experience God’s judgment.
God continued to send prophets, yet Israel refused to listen, to repent and turn back to Him. So it was that in the year 722 B.C., after 20 kings and over 200 years in the land, God’s judgment was carried out on the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Israel was conquered and the people dispersed throughout the Assyrian Empire. Now, only the Southern Kingdom of Judah remained. Would Judah follow in the ways of Israel, or heed God’s warnings to repent, turn back to Him and remain in the land?
For the next 136 years, God continued to send prophets to the people of Judah warning them to repent and turn back to Him, or they too would be taken into captivity. In God’s extreme patience, even though Judah refused to listen and obey, God gave three more opportunities to repent by not taking them into captivity all at once. In 605 B.C., the best and brightest of Judah’s youth were taken captive to Babylon. Still Judah refused to repent. In 597 B.C, a second deportation took place, this time thousands of Judahites were taken to Babylon, including military officers and soldiers, craftsmen, artisans, and a young man named Ezekiel. And still Judah did not repent and turn to the LORD God. God’s patience ran out, and on July 18, 586 B.C., the city of Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. Just as God had forewarned, Judah was taken into captivity.
Judah’s Faithful Remnant
Ezekiel, Ezra 1–6, Daniel, Haggai, and Zechariah
After the fall of both the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. and the Southern Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C., one would expect God’s people to no longer exist. But God preserved for Himself a faithful remnant; not in Jerusalem, the land of Promise, but in Babylon, the land of captivity. Unlike the Assyrian captivity where the people of Israel were disbursed throughout the land, the Babylonians allowed the people of Judah to remain together.
A young man named Daniel had been taken in the first captivity in 605 B.C., and became God’s man inside the palace of Babylon. Daniel spoke for God to King Nebuchadnezzar. Because of his great wisdom, Daniel became one of the king’s most trusted advisors.
During the second captivity, God brought His priest Ezekiel to deliver His messages to the faithful people of Judah enduring captivity in Babylon, which included what was taking place in Jerusalem.
Prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, God, through His prophet Jeremiah, had given the people a message of hope saying that after 70 years, the exiles would return.
This study begins with the first group of exiles returning to Jerusalem.
Return to Jerusalem
Esther, Ezra 7–10, Nehemiah, and Malachi
This study begins in the year 486 B.C., as God’s story continues through the Old Testament. At this time, the Babylonian Empire had been conquered by the Persian Empire, and there was an evil plot to destroy God’s people from Judah, who are now called “Jews.” The story of Esther shows God’s continued protection and preservation of His people in captivity through a beautiful young girl.
Even though God protected His people in captivity, His plan was not to preserve them in Persia, but for His people to return to Jerusalem and the Land of Promise. Just as there had been three different deportations, God’s people returned to Jerusalem at three different times. (The first two returns were covered in the study “Judah Alone.”) The first return was in 538 B.C. led by Zerubbabel, a descendant of King David, and Joshua, a descendant of the priests Aaron and Zadok. They had been commissioned by King Cyrus to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. When the returned exiles were unable to complete the Temple because of local opposition, God sent His prophets Haggai and Zechariah to help encourage them to complete the work.
A second group of exiles returned under the leadership of the priest Ezra, who had been commissioned by King Darius to teach God’s Law to the people of Judah.
This study begins with the third and final return. Nehemiah, the cup bearer to King Artaxerxes, was given a commission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Under the leadership of Nehemiah and Ezra, the people once again worship the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem. But the people continued to fall back into their old ways, and turned away from the LORD their God. One final prophet was sent to Jerusalem. Acting as God’s attorney, Malachi presented God’s case against Israel and gave God’s final warning; that for those who refuse to repent and turn back to Him, the day of judgment was coming. But Malachi also included a promise: to watch for “the prophet Elijah.” who would prepare the way for God’s forgiveness to all who repent and turn back to Him. With those final words of the LORD through Malachi, the Old Testament came to a close. There would be 400 years before God would speak again, as promised by Malachi, John the Baptist was the one in the spirit of Elijah who prepared the way for God’s own Son, Jesus Christ. That part of God’s story begins the New Testament.
The lecture called the “Intertestamental Period” will fill in the history of those 400 years in preparation for the study in the New Testament.