Anticipation: Torah

The Bible

The Bible is 1 book which consists of 66 individual books.

In carefully considering the production of the Bible, taking note of its incredible unity despite its incredible diversity,

it becomes evident that standing behind the multiple authors of these individual books is really only one Author of one Book.

· Consider the Bible was:

1. Written over a period of 1,500 years.

Moses penned Genesis-Deuteronomy sometime around 1400 BC and the Apostle John penned Revelation sometime around 90 AD.

2. Written by over 40 different authors from various walks

of life.

Moses was a political statesman, David a shepherd, Solomon a king, Amos a fig-picker, Matthew a tax collector, Luke a physician, Paul a rabbi, and Peter a fisherman.

3. Written in 3 different languages.

Most of the OT was written in Hebrew, though some small portions were written in Aramaic. The NT was written in Greek.

4. Written on 3 different continents.

Different books of the Bible were written in Africa, Asia, and Europe.

5. Written in various moods.

David wrote many of his Psalms from the depths of sorrow as he fled for his like, while Solomon no doubt penned much of his work from the comfortable quarters of his kingly palace.

6. And written in various locations.

Moses wrote in the wilderness,

David sometimes in a cave,

Paul often from prison,

Luke possibly on a boat,

and John on the island of Patmos.

· Yet, amongst all that diversity, from Genesis to Revelation, the Bible demonstrates an incredible unity

that leads us to the truth that it was written by a single author!

The Big Picture of the Bible can be understood in terms of 5 Christ-centered divisions:

Anticipation (Genesis – Malachi)

Manifestation (Matthew – John)

Proclamation (Acts)

Explanation (Romans – Jude)

Consummation (Revelation)

Anticipation (Genesis – Malachi)

The entire OT is the anticipation of the coming of Jesus Christ. The recurring theme is ‘Someone’s coming…Someone’s coming…Someone’s coming…”.

The OT contains prophecies only He will fill and problems only He will fix. It speaks of people who prefigure His coming and pictures that foreshadow His work. The OT anticipates Jesus!

A Broad Overview of the Old Testament

The Old Testament consists of 39 books written before the birth of Christ.

The OT anticipates the coming of Jesus Christ, so it becomes obvious that these were written before His birth.

The 39 books of the Old Testament are divided into 17 Historical Books, 5 Poetic Books, and 17 Prophetic Books.

17 Historical Books

The genre that dominates this is narrative

The Historical Books:Genesis through Esther cover the major storyline of the OT—from the creation of the universe in Genesis to approximately four hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ in Nehemiah.

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Also called the Books of the Law

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

12 History of Israel

Joshua

Judges

1 & 2 Samuel

1 & 2 Kings

1 & 2 Chronicles

Ruth

Nehemiah

Esther

5 Poetic

The Poetical Books: Job through Song of Solomon fit in their proper places.

The book of Job tells the story of a man who lived during the time of the Patriarchs in Genesis.

David wrote many of the Psalms, so the Psalms that he wrote fit in at that time.

Solomon, who wrote many of the Proverbs, along with Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon, so all of these writings fit in during that time period.

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastics

Song of Solomon

5 Prophetic (Major)

The Prophetical Books: Isaiah through Malachi fit in later in the story of Israel’s history (Kings and Ezra/Nehemiah),

for the most part pre-exilic, exilic or post-exilic

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Daniel

12 Prophetic (Minor)

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

The easiest way to think about the OT is

17, 5, 17—that is seventeen Historical books, five Poetical books, and seventeen Prophetical books.

It is also accurate to think 5, 12, 5, 12—

that is five books of the Law, twelve Historical Books, five Poetical Books, five Major Prophets, and twelve Minor Prophets.

The key to understanding the Old Testament is to realize that the

The first 17 Historical Books cover the entire storyline of the Old Testament from creation to approximately 400 B.C.,

while the remaining 5 Poetic Books and 17 Prophetic Books fit in at proper places within that storyline.

This storyline can also be understood by learning

Max Anders’ Nine Eras of the Old Testament:

1. Creation

2. Patriarchs

3. Exodus

4. Conquest

5. Judges

6. Kingdom

7. Exile

8. Return

9. Silence

LITERARY STYLES

1. Narrative 43%

2. Poetry 33%

3. Prose Discourse 24%

Biblical Narrative

Narrative is the dominant form of the Bible.

Despite the multiplicity of literary genres found in the Bible,

The Bible is above all a book of stories.

The Old Testament has many different types of narratives.

1. Epic

2. Reports

3. Hero

4. Prophet

BIBLICAL NARRATIVE: EPIC

An epic is the story of a nation. The plot focuses on a central hero.

The hero is a national or international figure.

His destiny determines the destiny of a whole nation or of the world.

EXODUS 1 NOTES

1. How did the children of Israel (Jacob) get into Egypt?

2. Which son of Jacob (Israel) was a leader in Egypt?

3. How many years pass after the family went into Egypt before the start of the book of Exodus?

4. What two things did Pharaoh do to the children of Israel because he saw them as a threat?

5. What is the name of the man that God will use to defeat Pharaoh’s evil?

6. How many plagues did God perform in Egypt through Moses?

7. What practice do the Israelites do every year to remember and celebrate God’s justice and mercy?

EXODUS 2 NOTES

1. Moses brought the people to Mount Sinai to meet God. What is the name of the agreement God made with them?

2. God’s promise to Abraham is developed more at Mount Sinai. What is said?

3. God’s presence is displayed on the mountain in what ways?

4. Moses is called the people’s _______________ .

5. The 10 commandments are described as what?

6. What type of nation did God want to shape Israel into?

7. What else was lost and was going to be restored through the covenant?

8. What is the name of the structure that God gave Moses a blueprint?

9. What 2 commandments did the children of Israel break while Moses was on the mountain?

LAW

1. Name the 10 commandments?

2. How many rules or commandments are in the Law?

3. The commandments are sum up with 2 laws. What are they?

COVENANTS

1. What are the different ways one’s relationship with God is described?

2. A covenant usually involves two aspects. What are they?

3. How many covenants are found in the video?

4. With whom are the covenants are made?

5. The covenants are broken by the nation of Israel. Who emerges to restore a new covenant with God?

6. What will God do to make it possible for humans to live righteously?

EPIC NOTES

What is the name of the nation in this epic? __________________

Who is the national figure who is the central hero? __________________

How does his destiny determine the destiny of a whole nation or of the world?

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