Overview Of The Old Testament: Joshua

Joshua 1-3 For Israel, it was a new beginning. They were leaving the wilderness. That was their past. They were entering the promised land. This was God’s future. For God’s future, there is God’s command, ‘Be strong’, and there is God’s promise, ‘the Lord your God is with you’. We wonder what the future holds. …

Overview Of The Old Testament: Numbers

Numbers 1-8 ‘Every man able to go forth to war’ (1:3): God is looking for ‘soldiers’: Soldiers of Christ! ‘The Lord said to Moses’ (2:1): Let your life be centred on the Word of the Lord - Listen, Read, Study, Memorize, Meditate! ‘Every male from a month old and upward’ (3:15): ,24,28,34,39-40,43): Long before we …

Overview Of The Old Testament: Leviticus

Leviticus 1-7 Jesus Christ, ‘the Lamb without blemish’, has ‘made atonement’ for sin through the shedding of His ‘precious blood’ (1:3-5; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Christ is the real thing. Israel’s sacrifices are only ‘copies of the heavenly things’, ‘a shadow of the good things to come’ (Hebrews 9:23-24; 10:1,5-10). Christ’s sacrifice covers every sin. No …

Overview Of the Old Testament: Exodus

Exodus 1–7 Things were difficult for Israel yet ‘the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied’ (1:12). Difficult times can be the making of God’s people! Moses sins (2:12). God graciously forgives (Micah 7:18-19) - this is salvation. His sin forgiven, Moses is called to service. He is called by the eternal God, the …

Overview of the Old Testament: Genesis

Genesis 1–4 ‘Genesis’ means ‘beginning’. God comes first. Before anyone else is mentioned, He is there. Before any human word is spoken, there is the Word of the Lord.God speaks, and it is done (1:3,6-7,11). God is pleased with what He has done (1:4,10,12). In chapter 1, we have read about the beginning of creation. …

Overview Of The Old Testament: Judges

Judges 1-12 God commanded His people to ‘drive out’ His enemies. Again and again, they failed (1:19,21,27-33). In Isaiah 30:21, God says, ‘This is the way, walk in it’. Here, in the sin and shame of Israel, He warns us, ‘This is not the way, do not walk in it’ (2:11-15). Barak is an example …

Overview Of The Old Testament: 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 1-7 Hannah ‘prayed to the Lord’ (1:10-11). God answered her prayer (1:20). God does not always answer our prayers in the way that we want. Sometimes, rather than changing our circumstances, He simply speaks His Word to us: ‘My grace is sufficient for you’ (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). Always, He ‘gives grace to the …

God is calling us on to maturity (Overview Of The Old Testament: Deuteronomy).

Deuteronomy 1-6 God is calling us on to maturity: ‘go in and take possession of the land; (1:6,8; Philippians 3:13-14). Do not hesitate to move forward with God: ‘do not fear... It is a good land which the Lord gives us’ (1:21,25). Will we be the new generation, ‘a new creation in Christ’ (2 Corinthians …

Overview Of The Old Testament: Ruth

Ruth meets Boaz. It seemed like a ‘chance’ meeting - ‘she happened to come...'  (Ruth 2:3). It was more than that. God was at work. Ruth had committed herself to the Lord (Ruth 1:16-17). She was being guided by the Lord (Psalm 37:3-5; Proverbs 3:5-6). We read about Ruth. We learn about Jesus Christ. When …