Page 19 - Advanced OT Survey Student Textbook

Study Section 3: The Pentateuch (five books of the law) - Genesis

Connect 3.1
The word Genesis means “origin”. In it we find the information about the origin of all things.
When we know the origin of something, we can understand the meaning for its existence.
Further to understand where we are going – our future, we must understand where we have
come from – our past. Genesis gives us the origin of the universe, marriage, evil, language,
government, culture, nations, and God’s chosen people. It gives us the foundation upon
which to rest our entire theological system.

The Book of Exodus shows God’s involvement in human affairs by physical acts of wonder to deliver his
chosen nation, Israel. The third book of the Law (Leviticus) discusses issues such as: Is it possible for
sinful people to relate with a Holy God? How can sinful people approach a Holy God? What are
consequences if sinful people approach a Holy God without the right approach? The fourth book of the
Law (Numbers) answers questions such as: Why does God test our faith? What is the natural response
that most people have whenever they go through trials and afflictions? How does God want us to
respond whenever we pass through trails of any kind? How did the children of Israel respond to the
trials that they went through? The last of the five books of Law (Deuteronomy) focuses on second giving
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of the new generation of Israel before entering the Promised Land… let’s begin our survey.

3.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to discuss the five books of the law and provide a summary of
each of them.

2. The student should be able to discuss the important questions such as: what, when, where,
how’s of the five books of the Law

3. For each individual book of the Pentateuch, the student should be able to l discuss the main message
and main divisions of the particular book of the law.

4. The student should be able to discuss the applications from the five books of the law.

3.3 Introduction of the Pentateuch

The first five books of the Bible are known as the “Pentateuch” (“5 volume” book). They are
also called the Law or Torah (“instruction”). As a collection of books they make up the
“theological constitution” for the nation of Israel (Jewish people) and also contain the
foundational truths revealed by God on which Christians rests. The Pentateuch covers the
period of time from creation to preparation to enter the promised land of Canaan. It is not
really possible to comprehend fully the rest of the Bible without first understanding the teaching of the
Pentateuch.

18 Main Contributor. Dr. Brian Gault (Prof. of Old Testament and Hebrew at Columbia International University) for
giving me permission to use most of his class notes for this Old Testament Survey. Forever grateful To God.
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