The Story of the Old Testament

WEEK 3
This week we looked at the overarching history of the Old Testament, the storyline of the Hebrew people. We began with Creation (Creation, Fall, Flood, Babel), Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph), Exodus (Moses, Deliverance, The Law, Kadesh Barnea, 40 years of wandering), Conquest (Joshua, Jordon, Jericho, National Conquests, Tribal Conquest and Dominion), Judges (Judges, Rebellion, Behavior Cycle, Ruth), Kingdom (United Kingdom, Divided Kingdom, Northern Kingdom - Israel, Southern Kingdom – Judah), Exile (Prophecy, Prophets Ezekiel and Daniel, Exiles, World Power Change), Return (Disrepair, Temple, People, Walls), and Silent Years (The Changing Guard, Political Sects, Religious Sect, Messianic Hopes). As we talked about these major catagories, we began to hang more detail onto each of these areas.


The Conquest begins with the Book of Joshua, and it begins with a change of leadership. Moses is allowed to look into the Promise Land but not enter into it because of his disobedience of striking the rock instead of speaking to it. But, in Deut. 7:1-5, Moses had given the people instructions on how to go into the Promise Land. He said that they should destroy the inhabitants of Canaan (Promise Land), avoid intermarriage, and shun worship of Canaanite gods (destroy their idols), or else they and their children would be led astray from serving the Lord. We see this come to place as we follow the Hebrew people through the conquest and judges. They were not obedient to the Lord and ultimately forgot the Lord (Judges 2:6-15). Joshua, who has been the military leader of the people, now becomes the main leader stepping in after Moses’ death. AS the people enter the land, the first obstacle is the Jordon which is at flood stage. By faith, the people have to go forward. The Lord instructs them to step into the Jordon with Ark and as soon as they do the waters part. The Lord made the way possible when the people responded in obedience and took a step of faith. The first major battle was at Jericho, and the Lord gave instructions that would cause a military man to scratch his head – walk around the walls and blow the trumpets. The point is that the Lord gives the victory and fights for His people. But, after the walls came down, one man was not obedient to the Lord’s command of not taking any items. Because of this disobedience, the Israelites suffered defeat at Ai, a small city. The sin was located and the whole family punished by death. As the conquest continues, Joshua cuts through the midsection of the land dividing it, and he begins to conquer from the South to the North. In about seven years, we see the initial defeat of Canaan. After that, the tribes are given land in which to claim dominion and to finish conquering, and we see a loose federation of tribes develop.

The Judges takes us into this federation of tribes as we see God raising up deliverers (judges) to rescue the people from oppression. These judges were political/military leaders who were raised up for a season for a particular purpose. The people fall into a cycle of rebellion and deliverance – they sin – God disciplines them – they repent and cry out to God – God raises up a Deliverer –and God uses the Deliverer (Judges) to free the people from oppression for the life of the Judge. Judges 2 and 21:25 give a good description of the time of the judges.