Bible Walk Through

The Pentateuch—An Overview

 

Why read this paper?  Have you ever worked on a 1000-piece puzzle?  Quite challenging, isn’t it?  Make it even harder by first throwing away the picture on the box top.   “Um, no thanks.”  That’s similar to the challenge in reading the Bible when we don’t have the “box top” big picture.  We have pieces scattered on the table, but we have no direction on how to put them together.  Our goal for the Bible Walk Through series and for this paper is to provide that big picture.  Below are some summary comments on the first five books of the Bible.  And we’re throwing in comments on two more books—for no extra charge!

 

Is the Old Testament relevant today?  The theology and history laid out in these five books are essential, even in the New Testament, and it all ultimately points to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.  One author describes it like this:  “The Pentateuch is history yet more than history;  it is history wedded to prophecy, a Messiah-centered history combined with a Messiah-centered prophecy.”

 

Now let’s get more specific.

 

The Pentateuch:  The first five books of the Bible are often called the Pentateuch, meaning “the five-fold volume.”  Moses is the human author of the books.  Names for the Pentateuch given in the Scriptures themselves vary:  e.g., the law (from the Hebrew word “torah”), the book of the law, the law of Moses, and the book of the law of the Lord. 

 

Timeframe:  Genesis covers many centuries, although 75% of the book, from Abraham to Joseph, spans only about 300 years.  Exodus through Deuteronomy spans 40 years, most of it spent in the wilderness between exiting Egypt and entering Canaan, the land God promised.  The Pentateuch ends ~1400 B.C.

 

The Pentateuch

Book	Key Idea	The Nation	The People	God’s Character	God’s Role	God’s Command
Genesis	Beginnings	Chosen	Prepared	Powerful Sovereign	Creator	“Let there be!”
Exodus	Redemption	Delivered	Redeemed	Merciful	Deliverer	“Let my people go!”
Leviticus	Worship	Set apart	Taught	Holy	Sanctifier	“Be holy!”
Numbers	Wandering	Disciplined	Tested	Just	Sustainer	“Go in!”
Deuteronomy	Renewed covenant	Prepared	Retaught	Loving	Rewarder	“Obey!”

(adapted from Nelson’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts)

 

Genesis:  The title comes from the Greek term meaning “origin,” referring to the origin of life where God reveals himself as Creator God.  Major players are Adam, Noah and Abraham, plus Abraham’s descendants:  his son Isaac, grandson Jacob, and 12 great-grandsons, with an emphasis on Joseph.  Major themes in this book center around the words “patriarchs” and “promises.”   One of the most important events in history is the promise (i.e., covenant) God made with the patriarch Abraham concerning blessing to him and to the whole the earth.  This covenant is repeated numerous times to Abraham and his descendants, especially grandson Jacob, a.k.a., “Israel,” who becomes the line of blessing to the whole earth as found in Jesus Christ. 

 

Exodus:  The name of the book comes from Israel’s “exodus” out of Egypt where they had lived for about 400 years since Joseph first entered the land.  Central to the book of Exodus is the concept of redemption where Israel is redeemed from slavery in Egypt and established as a nation.  God continues his covenant faithfulness first made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and now to the entire nation.  He does this through an additional covenant given to Moses on Mt. Sinai.  

 

Leviticus:  The title means “that which pertains to the priests,” and all priests in Israel were descendants of Jacob’s son Levi, thus the “Levi” in the name Leviticus.  The book could be described in part as a handbook for priests, offering many details of how the priests were to serve the Lord.  The key word in the book is “holy.”  Leviticus centers around the holiness of God, and how an unholy people can acceptably approach him and then remain in continued fellowship.  Old Testament priesthood points us to Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest. 

 

Numbers:  This book takes its name from the “numbering” of Israel, i.e., two censuses taken.   Numbers describes Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness due to their unbelief after the Red Sea miracle.  A key word is “testing.”  The nation goes through a painful process of testing and maturing in which God teaches His people the consequences of rebellion.  The forty years of wilderness experience transform them from a rabble of ex-slaves into a nation ready to take possession of the Promised Land. 

 

Deuteronomy:  The name means “second law” because the Lord through Moses gives Israel a repetition (and expansion) of the law first given to them in Exodus 20 on Mt. Sinai.  However, this time the law is given to an entirely new generation of Israelites since those who escaped from Egypt 40 years prior had all died.   Key words are “blessings” and “curses,” since God repeatedly promises blessing if they walk with him and curses if they reject him.  The Pentateuch ends with Israel poised to enter the Promised Land, first promised to Abraham 700 years earlier in Genesis 13. 

 

 

Two other books follow the Pentateuch historically:

Joshua:  The book takes its name from the primary figure, Joshua, who, after Moses’ death, is instructed to courageously lead Israel to conquer the land that God had promised to Abraham.  A key thought in the book is “faithfulness.”  Though Israel has often proved to be unfaithful, God remains faithful to his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Joshua sums it up in Joshua 23:14:  “You know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you.  All have come to pass for you;  not one of them has failed.”

 

Judges:  Following Joshua’s death, Israel was leaderless, so God raised up “judges” to lead the people over a 300-year period.  Some well-loved stories of faith are found in Judges, such as the stories about Gideon and Samson.  Most of the events in the book recount a similar pattern:  Israel rebelling against and abandoning God;  Israel being judged by God;  Israel repenting;  then God raising up a judge to save them— a repeated cycle of rebellion/repentance/redemption.  The attitude of the times is well-described in a key verse, Judges 17:6:  “In those days there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

 

 

Summary:  What one author stated about Judges suffices as a good overview for all of Scriptures, including the Pentateuch, and it points us to Jesus Christ.  Arthur Cundall says,

“There is much in Judges to sadden the heart of the reader;  perhaps no book in the Bible witnesses so clearly to our human frailty.  But there are also unmistakable signs of the divine compassion and long-suffering... As the lives of these lesser-saviors [i.e., judges] are considered, there may be a realization of the need in modern times of a greater Savior, of unblemished life, who is able to effect a perfect deliverance, not only in time but for eternity.”