BIBLE STUDY-ARCHIVE

SERIES 1 (LOL VOL:2 ISSUE:9 May 1,2002)

GENESIS

The name "Genesis" comes from a Greek word meaning "beginning". This title was taken from the Septuagint (LXX), the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament. It is properly so called, as containing an account of the origin of all things. There is no other history so old. Genesis answers the gnawing questions that we have about the origins of the universe, concerning ourselves, about all life forms, and of sin and evil in the world. Also, in a detailed manner, Genesis first unfolds the early history of mankind and then the family records of God's chosen family and related lines of descent, from the dawn of time to their settling in Egypt. Although Genesis is, strictly speaking, not a scientific document, only divine inspiration can account for its accuracy in a pre-scientific age before modern times. Genesis is very clear that all things were created by and had a definite beginning point in the true God (Gen.1v1). Everything was well designed by the Supreme Intellect and continues on the basis of His purpose, not random chance.

SERIES 2 (LOL VOL:2 ISSUE:10 May 15,2002)

EXODUS

Exodus is a Greek word which is composed of two parts, GSN1537 - ek, "out" (origin) and GSN3598 - hodos, "road". The Book of Exodus describes the departure of the nation of Israel from their bondage in the land of Egypt. It also relates the forming of the children of Israel into a church and a nation. We can see a true religion shown in domestic life, now, we begin to trace its effects upon the concerns of kingdoms and nations. It plainly points out the fulfilling of several promises and prophecies to Abraham respecting his seed, and shadows forth the state of the church, in the wilderness of this world, until her arrival at the heavenly Canaan, an eternal rest. History: Centuries before, Jacob had brought his extended family to Egypt to avoid starvation (see Gen.46v1-27).Because of a shift in political power, the descendants of Joseph and his brothers fell into slavery, but later they became very numerous. The emphasis upon one family in Genesis gave way to a focus upon the nation of Israel in the Book of Exodus. The children of Israel were slowly being shaped into a people who were in covenant relationship with God. The main theme of Exodus is redemption. All people may have hope, no matter how desperate the situation. God will send a Deliverer to display His awesome power, and. Moses was clearly the Deliverer God promised.

SERIES 3 (LOL VOL:2 ISSUE:11 June 1, 2002)

LEVITICUS

This Book is called by the title of "Leviticus" because it records the duties of the Levites and Priests. 'Leviticus' contains material which delineates civil, sanitary, ceremonial, moral, and religious laws from God. The main purpose of this book is to show that God is holy and that man is sinful. Every person who sins is breaking God's law. He, who continues to sin belongs to the Devil. Every person who continues to sin is a slave of sin. The reward you receive for sinning is death. Leviticus describes God's plan for sinners.. Though all people have sinned, God will accept a substitute for the death of each sinner. God ordained different kinds of oblations and sacrifices, to assure his people of the forgiveness of their offences, if they offered them in true faith and obedience. It is a portent of things to come in the New Testament, where Jesus, "the lamb of God," takes away the sin of the world (Jn.1v29).

THE BOOK OF NUMBERS

This book is called NUMBERS because the sons of Israel were numbered in it. It extends from the giving of the law at Sinai, till their arrival in the plains of Jordan. As in former books, Moses is the principal figure. The central theme of the book of Numbers is service. Also we can see the outcome of a "younger generation with full of faith and courage" later. An account is given of their murmuring and unbelief, for which they were sentenced to wander in the wilderness nearly forty years; also some laws, both, moral and ceremonial. God was weeding out the "dead wood" during a period of about 40 years. Those who did not truly believe in God's promise were not permitted to enter into the land of Canaan, but their children were being prepared for battle. Their trials greatly tended to distinguish the wicked and hypocrites from the faithful and true servants of God, who served him with a pure heart. This book describes how they wandered in the wilderness for about 40 years, while the older generation died off, but a new nation, trained to obey God, was ready for an assault upon the Promised Land which "flowed with milk and honey." There are many lessons for us to learn from them today. We must never complain against God or doubt Him. God could get them out of Egypt, but it was difficult to get Egypt out of them!

THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

The deliverance which had begun in the Book of Exodus was completed in the Book of Joshua. The Book of Joshua describes the conquest of the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua, the successor of Moses. Joshua was indeed a great man of tremendous faith, courage, and leadership ability, who believed that God could do everything that He promised. The Greek form of his name is "Jesus" (Heb.4v8 in the King James Version). The main purpose of the book of Joshua was to show how God kept His original promise to Abraham and how wicked people were expelled. Joshua had been an excellent understudy of Moses throughout the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness: Joshua had been with Moses at Mount Sinai (Exo.24v13) when Moses received the Ten Commandments. He was also one of the twelve spies (Num.13v8; Num.13v16). Of the older generation, only Joshua and Caleb were permitted to cross the Jordan River. Israel had to cross two bodies of water en route to their final destination: (1) the Red Sea; (2) the Jordan River. Many never made it past the first one because of their unbelief and disobedience (Heb.3v7-19). Joshua was victorious in destroying the Canaanites because of a new breed of Israelite, those who took God at His word. Everyone in Canaan was terrified of the Lord's people. They had heard how the LORD had dried up the Red Sea when they left Egypt. Joshua led them to capture the Promised Land. The children of those who had been redeemed out of Egypt by the blood of the Passover were now claiming the blessing of that redemption. This should teach us to regard the tremendous curses denounced in the word of God against impenitent sinners, and to seek refuge in Christ Jesus.

THE BOOK OF JUDGES

The book of Judges is the history of Israel during the government of the Judges, who were occasional deliverers, raised up by God to rescue Israel from their oppressors, to reform the state of religion, and to administer justice to the people. God raised up these leaders to deliver local tribes of Israel from apostasy and then to govern them. After their conquest of the land of Canaan under Joshua, the people of Israel had become a very disorganized, loose confederacy. Each tribe of Israel had become mostly isolated from the other tribes. Therefore, without leadership, they repeatedly fell into idolatry, foreign political domination, intermarriage with pagans, and other major sins. They were in a general state of spiritual confusion. A key verse, says: "Every man did that which was right in his own eyes." (Judg.17v6). The Book of Judges portrays some of the blackest pages in the history of the sons of Israel. In effect, it was their Dark Ages. There were regular cycles of falling away, salvation, restoration, and falling away again.The book begins with compromise and ends with anarchy. We can decipher seven apostasies, seven bondages, and seven deliverances. Over and over they forgot who the true God was. They adopted Baal worship, the local Canaanite religion, abandoning the spiritual purity which the Lord required. They were surrounded by hostile nations who wanted the land which the Israelites had taken, the land which God had promised to them as an inheritance. The history exemplifies the frequent warnings and predictions of Moses, and should have close attention. The whole is full of important instruction.

THE BOOK OF RUTH

We can find excellent examples of faith, piety, patience, humility, industry, and loving and kindness, - the common events of life in this book. It took place during the turbulent period of the Book of Judges. Ruth, the main character, was a heathen girl from Moab who had married one of the sons of Elimelech and Naomi. However, Elimelech and both of his sons had died in Moab. Ruth decided to return with Naomi to Bethlehem, and eventually believed the only true God. Boaz was a close relative to Elimelech. According to the Law of Moses (Lev.25v25-28; Deut.25v5-10), Boaz had the right to be a kinsman-redeemer and marry Ruth to perpetuate the family of Elimelech. Through the providence of God, Boaz, who was the son of Rahab, a former prostitute in the pagan city of Jericho (Josh.2v1), did marry Ruth, a young woman who had no opportunity to know the God of Israel in her childhood. This marriage produced a son named Obed who fathered Jesse, and Jesse became the father of King David. Therefore, the great-grandparents of the royal Messianic line had roots outside Israel. How fitting it is that Jesus, the Son of David, descended from such a family (Matt.1v5-6)! We may view this book as a beautiful, because natural representation of human life; as a curious detail of important facts; and as a part of the plan of redemption.

THE BOOK OF FIRST KINGS

The history before us accounts for the affairs of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. It is more interesting than any common histories. Also please look at the main messages of the 'Book' at the end. 1 Kings and 2 Kings tell of David's death, the golden age of Solomon's reign, how the nation divided into two kingdoms, and their eventual captivity by heathen powers. Solomon, David's son, began his rule with great wealth, glory, and power, but it ended in disgrace. He did not seem to have the same spiritual toughness of his father. Solomon compromised some of the most sacred spiritual principles in order to achieve his political ends. In other words, the end justified the means. Also, he began to depend on military might instead of the true God. He taxed the people so much that the stage was set for rebellion later. The spiritual condition of Israel was of paramount importance to the writer amidst political changes. The author registers a spiritual value-judgment concerning each king: Those kings who tried to maintain the traditional worship of the God of Israel were "good," and those who abandoned the true God were "evil." The apostate northern kingdom (Israel), which had been established by Jeroboam I, finally went too far and was destroyed, but the smaller, southern kingdom (Judah) proved to be more penitent. The ancestry of Jesus Christ was traced through the tribe of Judah. The main messages of the Book of 1 Kings are: (1) Human governments are faulty even at their best, but this is especially true when God is not included in the scheme of things. (2) God's rule continues despite the foibles of man. The will and purpose of God will indeed prevail. He still spoke through His prophets even when some of the people did not want to listen. God showed His power through the forces of nature and He incited foreign hostile armies to accomplish His purpose. God is always in control!

THE BOOK OF SECOND KINGS

The start of 1 Kings is full of hope and promise, but the end of 2 Kings describes a nation in ruins. About 400 years are covered by the two books. The people have forsaken their God-- the same God who had led them out of Egypt with such awesome power! In painful detail, the Book of 2 Kings narrates the tragic events of the divided kingdom until Israel's fall in 722 B.C. and Judah's captivity in 586 B.C 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, and 1 Kings provide the necessary backdrop of historical events which preceded 2 Kings. The book picks up where 1 Kings left off, the end of Ahaziah's reign. In addition to the important lessons of 1 Kings, the Book of Second Kings teaches the following: If a nation abandons its heritage, it loses the ability to discern the difference between right and wrong. The very makeup of the national and individual conscience is affected. Superficial reform and mere lip service accomplish little. The Lord demands true repentance. The final result of continued sin is always total collapse. However, God's love is so persistent that He will never give up on His people.

THE BOOK OF FIRST CHRONICLES

The books of Chronicles are, in a great measure, repetitions of what is in the books of Samuel and of the Kings, yet there are some excellent useful things in them which we find not elsewhere. Also the author is very particular about what concerns religion, the worship of God, and the temple. By the name itself, The books of Chronicles shows: "A History of Times, Kingdoms, States, Religion, etc., with an Account of the most memorable Persons and Transactions of those Times and Nations." St. Jerome had the most exalted opinion of the books of Chronicles. According to him, "they are an epitome of the Old Testament." He asserts, that "they are of such high moment and importance, that he who supposes himself to be acquainted with the sacred writings, and does not know them, only deceives himself; and that innumerable questions relative to the Gospel are here explained.": The FIRST BOOK traces the rise of the Jewish people from Adam, and afterward gives an account of the reign of David. In the SECOND BOOK the narrative is continued, and relates the progress and end of the kingdom of Judah; also it notices the return of the Jews from the Babylon's captivity. It is believed EZRA is the author of the book The principal design of the writer appears to have been this: to point out, from the public registers, what had been the state of the different families previously to the captivity, that at their return they might enter on and repossess their respective inheritances. He enters particularly into the functions, genealogies, families, and orders of the priests and Levites; and this was peculiarly necessary after the return from the captivity, to the end that the worship of God might be conducted in the same way as before, and by the proper legitimate persons. He is also very particular relative to what concerns religion, the worship of God, the temple and its utensils, the kings who authorized or tolerated idolatry, and those who maintained the worship of the true God. In his distribution of praise and blame, these are the qualities which principally occupy his attention and influence his pen.

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