The Basic Storyline of the Old Testament

Introduction

• If asked by someone for help in their reading of the Old Testament, giving them just the basic storyline, could you do it?
  
  
  
  • Hebrews 5:11-14
  
  
  
  


• 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
    
    
    
    • Fulfilled, Joshua 21:43-45; 23:14
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Nation – I will make you a great nation
    
    
    
    • Fulfilled, Exodus 1:7
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Special descendant – in you all the families of the earth will be blessed
    
    
    
    • Fulfilled, Galatians 3:14-16
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• 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