4. The life stories of the Hebrew patriarchs: Abraham and Isaac (chaps. 12-27),Jacob (chaps. 25-35), and Joseph (chaps. 37-50).
Exodus
The book of the Old Testament that recounts the release of the Hebrew people from Egyptian enslavement and the early years of their history as a nation in the wilderness. Important events covered in the book include the following;
1. God’s call of Moses lead the people out of slavery (chaps.3-4);
2. the plagues on the Egyptians (chaps.7-12);
3. the release of the Israelites and the crossing of the Red Sea (chap.14);
4. God’s miraculousprovision for His people in the wilderness (16:1-17:7);
5. Moses’ reception of the Ten Commandments and other parts of the law (chaps.20-23);
6. the building of the tabnacle for worship at God’s command (chaps. 36-40).
Leviticus
An Old Testament book that is filled with instructions about sanctification of the priests,regulations for worship and ceremonial offerings, and personal purification and dietary laws. The theme of the book is holiness.Because God is a holy God. He demands a holy and separated people who are totally committedto Him. This holiness is obtained through rituals of sanctification,the theme of the book’s second major section (chaps.18-27).
These instructions in holiness and appropriate worship were revealed by the Lord to Moses during the Israelites’wandering years in the wilderness of Sinai.
Numbers
An Old Testament book that mainly focuses on the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai,a period of more than forty years between their departure from Egypt and their occupation of Canaan. The book describes the “numbering” of the people in the two separate censuses(chaps. 1,26); their numerous rebellions and complaints in the wilderness (chaps. 15-25); and their final preparation for entering the Land of Promise (chaps. 26-36)
Deuteronomy
A book of the Old Testament containing a series of speeches that Moses delivered to the Hebrew people as they prepared to enter and conquer the land of Canaan. This book repeats many of the laws of God revealed to Moses on Mt. Sanai about two generations earlier. In these speeches (chaps. 1-33), Moses cautioned the people to remain faithful to God in the midst of the pagen Canaanite culture they were about to enter. The final chapter ( 34) recounts the death of Moses in the succession of Joshua as the leader of Hebew people.