Book Study – the Torah
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Book Study – The Torah A tool to help with reading the Bible. Produced by XA Denton Chi Alpha | UNT & TWU Introduction: In the first book of the Torah, Genesis, we see God create a good and perfect world. Included in His creation was mankind, which was to act as God's representatives on earth. Mankind, however, had other ideas and chose to define what was good and evil for themselves. After this decision, things get bad for mankind – so bad that God has to eventually destroy them all with the flood and start over. This represents the beginning of God's mission to rescue and restore His world. To begin this mission, God raises up Abraham and promises him that through his descendants all of the nations of the world would come to know God's blessing. It turns out, though, that Abraham and his descendants were a pretty dysfunctional family. However, in spite of their mishaps, God still continues to use them for His plan. This brings us to the second book of the Torah, Exodus. Here, the Israelites are enslaved to the Egyptians, and the first half of the book focuses on how God raises up Moses to deliver His people from the Egyptians. God saves His people from the Egyptians, but now they are a nation without a home, wandering in the desert and unsure why God saved them in the first place. From this point forward, we see God begin to try and restore His presence among His People. He comes down on Mount Sinai, gives Moses the Ten Commandments, and gives instructions on how the Israelites should build a temple – a place where God will be able to live among them. When Moses tries to enter the temple, he is unable to go into God's presence. How an impure and sinful people are going to be able to coexist with a pure and perfect God? This problem is what the book of Leviticus sets out to solve. In Leviticus, God gives His people the instructions they need to purify themselves so that it is safe for them to be so close to the all-powerful goodness, or holiness, of God. To us, these instructions can seem a little strange. All of them, however, have a purpose; to keep the Israelites in a state where they are able to commune with their God. Now that God has given His people a way by which they can live with Him, it's time for Him to deliver them to the land He promised them. This is the story we see unfold in the book of Numbers. What should be a two-week trip to the Promised Land, though, turns into a forty-year trek thanks to the Israelites' lack of trust in God. Yet in spite of their rebellion, God continues to deliver on His promise to provide for them. In the final book of the Torah, Deuteronomy, Moses gives a final speech to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. Here, in this final speech, Moses pleads with the people to be different than those who came before them. He promises them that if they listen to God, love God, and love one another, they will receive all of the blessings that God has promised. Moses dies at the end of Deuteronomy, but the speech he gives in this book serves as an exclamation point for the Torah and sets the scene for how the nation of Israel will go on to carry out God's ultimate plan – the salvation of all mankind. Provided by TheBibleProject.com Reading Checklist: Exodus 1: ____ Leviticus 5: ____ Numbers 23:____ Exodus 2: ____ Leviticus 6: ____ Numbers 24:____ Exodus 3: ____ Leviticus 7: ____ Numbers 25:____ Exodus 4: ____ Leviticus 8: ____ Numbers 26:____ Exodus 5: ____ Leviticus 9: ____ Numbers 27:____ Exodus 6: ____ Leviticus 10: ____ Numbers 28: ____ Exodus 7: ____ Leviticus 11: ____ Numbers 29:____ Exodus 8: ____ Leviticus 12: ____ Numbers 30:____ Exodus 9: ____ Leviticus 13: ____ Numbers 31:____ Exodus 10: ____ Leviticus 14:____ Numbers 32:____ Exodus 11: ____ Leviticus 15: ____ Numbers 33:____ Exodus 12: ____ Leviticus 16: ____ Numbers 34:____ Exodus 13: ____ Leviticus 17: ____ Numbers 35:____ Exodus 14: ____ Leviticus 18:____ Numbers 36:____ Exodus 15: ____ Leviticus 19: ____ Exodus 16: ____ Leviticus 20:____ Deut. 1: ____ Deut. 2: ____ Exodus 17: ____ Leviticus 21: ____ Deut. 3: ____ Exodus 18: ____ Leviticus 22:____ Deut. 4: ____ Exodus 20: ____ Leviticus 23:____ Deut. 5: ____ Exodus 21: ____ Leviticus 24:____ Deut. 6: ____ Exodus 21: ____ Leviticus 25:____ Deut. 7: ____ Deut. 8: ____ Exodus 22: ____ Leviticus 26:____ Deut. 9: ____ Exodus 23: ____ Leviticus 27:____ Deut. 10: ____ Exodus 24: ____ Deut. 11: ____ Exodus 25: ____ Numbers 1: ____ Deut. 12: ____ Exodus 26: ____ Numbers 2: ____ Deut. 13: ____ Deut. 14: ____ Exodus 27: ____ Numbers 3: ____ Deut. 15: ____ Exodus 28: ____ Numbers 4: ____ Deut. 16: ____ Exodus 29: ____ Numbers 5: ____ Deut. 17: ____ Exodus 30: ____ Numbers 6: ____ Deut. 18: ____ Exodus 31: ____ Numbers 7: ____ Deut. 19: ____ Numbers 8: ____ Deut. 20: ____ Exodus 32: ____ Deut. 21: ____ Exodus 33: ____ Numbers 9: ____ Deut. 22: ____ Exodus 34: ____ Numbers 10:____ Deut. 23: ____ Exodus 35: ____ Numbers 11: ____ Deut. 24: ____ Exodus 36: ____ Numbers 12:____ Deut. 25: ____ Numbers 13:____ Deut. 26: ____ Exodus 37: ____ Deut. 27: ____ Exodus 38: ____ Numbers 14:____ Deut. 28: ____ Exodus 39: ____ Numbers 15:____ Deut. 29: ____ Exodus 40: ____ Numbers 16:____ Deut. 30: ____ Numbers 17:____ Deut. 31: ____ Numbers 18: ____ Deut. 32: ____ Leviticus 1: ____ Deut. 33: ____ Leviticus 2: ____ Numbers 19:____ Deut. 34: ____ Leviticus 3: ____ Numbers 20:____ Leviticus 4: ____ Numbers 21:____ Numbers 22:____ Exodus: Descriptions provided by Tyndale’s New Living Translation Bible book preface Content: Every country has its own national history—a record of the events leading to its independence. The book of Exodus records Israel’s history, recounting its earliest years and God’s covenant with its people. Exodus takes its name from the main event of the book: the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The book begins with a short account of how the Israelites become slaves in Egypt. The focus then shifts to the birth and life of Moses, God’s chosen leader for Israel. From a burning bush in the Sinai Desert, God called Moses to return to his homeland of Egypt and lead the Israelites to freedom. But Pharaoh refused to free the Israelites, and as a result he brought God’s ten plagues upon Egypt. The final plague not only changed Pharaoh’s mind; it become a memorial of God’s deliverance, celebrated in the observance of Passover. Once set free, the Israelites traveled to the wilderness of Sinai to worship God. But Pharaoh chased them to the Red Sea, where God displayed his power by parting it for the Israelites to cross but closing it over the pursing Egyptians. The Israelites were then free to travel to Mount Sinai. There God established his covenant with them, giving them the Ten Commandments and plans for the Tabernacle. After the Israelites constructed the Tabernacle, God filled it with his glory, signifying his presence with them. Author: Moses, according to Jewish tradition Date: Uncertain, perhaps 1450-1410 B.C. Purpose: To record the events of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and development as a nation Themes: God’s sovereignty, guidance, redemption, and covenant with Israel; obedience. Milestones (Bibleproject.com) • Slavery in Egypt: Pharaoh is depicted as the most evil character in the biblical story so far. He enacts forced labor and child murder. The Israelites cry out to God for help, and God raises up Moses. • God verse Pharaoh: God offers Pharaoh many chances to let the Israelites go. He brings ten plagues that show his power over all creation and Egypt’s feeble gods. • The Passover: The introduction of the Passover festival accomplishes Israel’s redemption through the offering of a sacrificial substitute, a spotless lamb. • The Sea Crossing: God works a mighty miracle, and Israel worships God for his deliverance. They sing and look forward to the promised land. • The Wilderness Wanderings: Once free, God’s people begin to grumble and complain about their situation, showing their hard hearts toward the God who delivered them. For a video overview, visit: https://thebibleproject.