Introduction

  • If asked by someone for help in their reading of the Old Testament, giving them just the basic storyline, could you do it?
  • Of the 39 Old Testament books, only twelve need to be read in order to get the chronological story. The other 27 are valuable for the details.

Genesis

  • Three men: patriarchs (Acts 7:8)
    • Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
  • Three promises: Genesis 12:3; 26:4; 28:14; 49:10
    • Land – the land which I will show you
    • Nation – I will make you a great nation
    • Special descendant – in you all the families of the earth will be blessed
  • The balance of the Old Testament is all about the fulfilling of these three promises.

Exodus

  • 215 years of bondage
  • Reason for Jews being in Egypt in servitude; had become a great nation, a thread to Pharaoh, Exodus 1:14
  • Exodus 12:37 – 600,000 men
  • Exodus 3-7 – Moses raised up as deliverer
  • Exodus 8-11 – Plagues intended to soften Pharaoh’s heart and release the Jews.
  • Exodus 12-13 – Passover instituted
  • Exodus 14-40 – Jews escape Egypt, come to Sinai, events at Sinai
  • Exodus 19 – Ten Commandments
  • Exodus 24 – Golden calf
  • Jesus our Passover lamb – I Corinthians 5:7

Numbers

  • 40 years of wandering
  • Numbers 1-10 – Preparations for leaving Sinai
  • Numbers 10-12 – Events before Kadesh
    • Murmuring against Moses and Aaron
  • Numbers 12-20 – Events at Kadesh
    • Numbers 12 – Murmuring of Miriam and Aaron
    • Numbers 13 – Spies sent to Canaan, evil report
    • Numbers 14 – Rebellion of people and punishment
  • Numbers 20-36 – Events prior to entering Canaan

Deuteronomy

  • “Remember” – 24 times
  • Deuteronomy 1-31 – Retelling of the law
  • Deuteronomy 32-34 – 120 years of Moses’ life ends

Joshua

  • Seven years to conquer the land
  • Joshua 1-5 – Entering the land
  • Joshua 6-12 – Conquest of the land
  • Joshua 13-21 – Distribution of land
  • Joshua 22-24 – Settling in land
  • Joshua 21:45 – None of God’s promises failed

Judges – I Samuel 8

  • 14 judges, 300 years
  • Judges 2:11-23 – 300 year cycle of apostasy: sin, oppression, repentance, deliverance, relapse

I Samuel 8 – I Kings 11

  • “Give us a king”
    • 120 years, united kingdom: Judah and Israel
      • Saul, David, and Solomon
  • II Samuel 7:12-17 - David’s desire to build temple; God assures him a descendant of His (Jesus) will fulfill prophecy.

I Kings, II Kings – Divided kingdom

  • Israel – 931-722 B.C.
    • 19 kings, all of them evil
    • Lasts for 200 years before being taken into Assyrian captivity, from which they never returned.
  • Judah – 931-586 B.C.
    • 20 kings, some good, some evil
    • Lasts for 130 years after Israel goes into captivity before being taken captive by Babylon for seventy years, then return.

II Kings 23-25

  • Three groups taken into Babylonian captivity

Ezra and Nehemiah

  • Three groups return from Babylonian