Crash Course in the Old

Testament
November 20, 2010
In the Beginning...

God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen 1)

God creates man (Adam). But,
18
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be
alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Gen 2) - Eve
Not allowed to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil but a serpent tricks Eve!
Adam and Eve cast out and humans are forever cursed.
Cain and Abel

Sons of Adam and Eve

Cain: worked the soil

Abel: kept flocks

Cain get jealous because God prefers Abel.

Cain kills Abel and he is forced to wander the earth.

Noah - Genesis 5-9

Wickedness increases so God sends a flood to cover the

earth.

Noah and his family saved along with 2 of every kind of

beast.
 
God promises never to destroy mankind again (rainbow the
sign)
Noah's sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth
Tower of Babel (Gen 11)

Mankind can do anything with same language.

They build a tower to reach up to God!

God scatters them and confuses their language.

Abram called out of Ur

 2 “I will make you into a great nation,

   and I will bless you;( Gen 11 )

Abram goes out with his wife Sarai and cousin Lot.
 
Lot and Abram separate and Lot goes to Sodom and
Gomorrah.
 
Sarai (in 80s) is promised by God to have a child. But she
loses hope. Gives Hagar, her Egyptian slave, to Abram.
Ishmael is the child.
Isaac Born

Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed after angels sent there

almost get gang raped. Lot escapes. Wife turned into salt.

Isaac born but Ishmael rude to child and is sent away with
Hagar. (Gen 21)

God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on Mt. God stops

Abraham at the last moment.

Sarah dies and Abraham send servant to get wife, Rebekah

for Isaac. Abraham dies.
Jacob and Esau (Gen 25)

Rebekah has 2 sons Jacob and Esau when God opens her
womb.

The twins wrestle in her womb and Esau is born first.

When older Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a meal.

Rebekah and Jacob trick Isaac to get blessing for Jacob.

Jacob flees his brother's wrath.

Jacob Takes two Wives

Wanting to marry Rachel, Jacob works for Laban for 7

years but is tricked into taking Leah, Rachel's sister.

The sisters struggle over Jacob giving him their

maidservants to bear children for them. 
Joseph

Jacob renamed by God to Israel.

Loves his son Joseph more than his others.

Joseph's brothers are jealous of him and sell him into
slavery. To Egypt.
 
Joseph does well as slave in Egypt but lands
in jail on false charges.
 
After interpreting dreams for Pharaoh he
becomes the manager of the state.
Brings family to Egypt.
Exodus

Israelites/Hebrews oppressed by Egyptians. Midwives told

to kill all Hebrew babies.

Moses born and placed in the Nile. Rescued by Pharaoh's

wife.

When older Moses kills foreman to defend his people then

flees. 
 
While tending sheep he sees a burning bush. God tells him
he will be his servant to free his people.
Out of Egypt

Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what

the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go... (Exo
5)
 
Pharaoh resists and his nation is punished.

Finally an angel of death comes

for the first born children but
"passes over" (passover) the Israelites.

Pharaoh gives in, but then changes 

his mind...
Israelites in the Wilderness
God feeds his people as they wander, providing for
them even when they grumble.

At Mt. Sinai God gives the 10 commandments: 

 2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of

Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.  
 13 “You shall not murder.
 14 “You shall not commit adultery.
 15 “You shall not steal. (Exo 20)
God's Law

   “Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if

they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft.
4
If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—
whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.
(Exo 22)

And his dwelling place:

 8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell
among them. 9 Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings
exactly like the pattern I will show you. (Exo 25)
Golden Calf

 14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone

who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any
work on that day must be cut off from their people. (Exo
31)

but while Moses is getting God's word Aaron is in charge

and the people start worshiping a Golden Calf.

God relents from destroying the Israelites

Leviticus
More rules and instructions:
 
 1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “Say to the
Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are
the ones you may eat: 3 You may eat any animal that has a
divided hoof and that chews the cud. (Lev 11)
 
 22 “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does
with a woman; that is detestable. (Lev 18)

 5 “‘Priests must not shave their heads or shave (Lev 21)

Leviticus Cont.

For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your
vineyards and gather their crops. 4 But in the seventh year
the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the
LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. 5 Do
not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your
untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. (Lev 25)
Numbers

A census is taken. Then the people leave Mt. Sinai.

 1 The LORD spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the

first month of the second year after they came out of
Egypt. (Num 9)

1
Now the people complained about their hardships in the
hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was
aroused. Then fire from the LORD burned among them and
consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. (Num 11)
Numbers Cont.
People still in the wilderness

Sends out people to spy out Canaan.

The people rebel after hearing Canaan is filled with

powerful men. (Num 14)

Grumble about no water:

12
But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did
not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of
the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the
land I give them.” (Num 20)
Move toward Canaan

“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the

wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we
detest this miserable food!” (Num 21)
 
start to Conquer land in Canaan

Get involved with Moab women -> God sends plague

God gives more instructions about allotting Canaan after

plague
Deuteronomy

  1 When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are
entering to possess and drives out before you many
nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites,
Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and
stronger than you— 2 and when the LORD your God has
delivered them over to you and you have defeated them,
then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with
them, and show them no mercy. 3 Do not intermarry with
them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their
daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your children
away from following me to serve other gods (Deut 7)
Laws in Deuteronomy

1. The 10 commandments.
2. Love the Lord
3. Drive out other nations.
4. Carefully follow all his commandments.
5. One place to worship.
6. Clean and unclean food.
7. Year where all debts are canceled.
8. The passover.
9. Offerings to the priests.
10. Cities of refuge. 
11. Going to war.
12. Dealing with unsolved murders, divorce, etc.
Moses Dies

Joshua succeeds Moses. Sends spies to check out land.

 
Cross over Jordon River after God dries it up. Then they
take Jericho.
Conquest of Canaan

Description of the steady conquest of Canaan.

Some Canaanite towns remained perhaps with Egyptian help:

monument of the Pharaoh Merneptah (1224BC)

"Israel is desolate: it has no more children! The country is

now a widow."
Joshua divides Land

Picks areas for each tribe.

Chooses cities of refuge. Then Joshua died.

Turned away from God after a time, and Moab subjected

them.

People prayed for a leader and God provided Ehud, Deborah

and others.
Gideon

Gideon told by God to use a mere 300 men to conquer the

enemies of the Israelites with a night-time trick.

Gideon's son Abimelech killed all his brothers but one and
took control, but was killed by a woman.

Jephthah was thrown out by brothers but then made

leader.
Samson

Strongest of all men. Lived among the Philistines

Had a problem with women.
Ruth

Woman from Bethleham, Naomi leaves to go to Moab, but

her husband dies along with her sons.

She decides to go back and Ruth her daughter-in-law goes

back with her.

God blesses her with a husband Boaz.

Samuel - 1000BC

Samuel was dedicated to the priestly service by mother.

Eventually became Judge of Israel.

 4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to

Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your
sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us,
such as all the other nations have.” (1 Sam 8)

Saul was tall and hansom. Appointed as king.

Saul

Good military leader, and his son Jonathan is good in

combat.
 
But Saul runs into trouble with God:

3
Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that
belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and
women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and
donkeys.’” (1 Sam 15)
 
Saul doesn't kill all and God's favor leaves him.
David
Son of Jesse of Bethlehem.
Anointed as king by Samuel.
 
Defeats Philistine: Goliath.

Plays the lyre for Saul to sooth Saul's mental illness.

Friends with Jonathan, Saul's son.

Saul eventually turns against David and seeks to kill him.

Eventually Saul and sons killed by Philistines. ( 1 Sam 31)

David as King

Saul's general Abner appoints Ishbaal as kill -> civil war for
2 years (1000BC)

David's general Joab slays Abner and David king of all

Israel. 

David takes Jerusalem and makes it the capital.

Goes on to fight and subdue the surrounding powers.

Trouble with Bathsheba
David takes Uriah the Hittite's wife and has Uriah killed to
cover her pregnancy. God kills the child.

Amnon, David's son rapes his half-sister and is killed

by Absalom.

David pardon's Absalom, but

Absalon comes back declaring 
himself king.

David flees and then returns

when Joab kills Absalon.
David's Prayers - Psalms (1-150)

 1 The LORD is my shepherd;

         I shall not want.
 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
         He leads me beside the still waters.
 3 He restores my soul;
         He leads me in the paths of righteousness
         For His name’s sake.
  4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death,
         I will fear no evil;          For You are with me;
         Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Solomon
Adonijah tries to become king after David with Joab's help.

Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, seeks David's help to annoint

Solomon. 

Solomon consolidates his power killing Adonijah and Joab.

Solomon asks God for wisdom,

and he gets it.

Build's God's temple.

Solomon's Advise

6
For the LORD gives wisdom;
   from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7
He holds success in store for the upright,
   he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8
for he guards the course of the just
   and protects the way of his faithful ones.(Prov 2)

22
The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;
   the cords of their sins hold them fast.
23
For lack of discipline they will die,
   led astray by their own great folly. (Prov 5)
Solomon's Problems

Over 700 wives!

Adversaries: Hadad the Edomite and Jeroboam.

Solomon's son Rehoboam takes over after him, but is

rejected by the North.

Rehoboam king in Judah. Jeroboam king in Israel.

 
Many Kings of Israel and Judah
Elijah

Elijah defended worship of God not Baal.

He was a prophet
He raised the dead.
Brought fire down from the sky
Ascended into heaven in a whirlwind.
Runs into trouble with King Ahab 
and his wife Queen Jezebel.
Succeeded by Elisha.
Peace in Israel 800BC-745BC
Assyira and Damascus kept each other in check.
 
Egypt was weak.
Amos and Isaiah predicted trouble:
 6 “Because this people has rejected
   the gently flowing waters of Shiloah
and rejoices over Rezin
   and the son of Remaliah,
7
therefore the Lord is about to bring against them
   the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—
   the king of Assyria with all his pomp. (Isa 8)
Israel Taken

In 735BC Ahaz rules in Judah. Allies with Tiglath-pileser of

Assyria, who takes Damascus and Israel.

Tiglath-pileser installs Hoshea (726 BC), last king of Israel.

Hoshea revolts after Tiglath-pileser dies and Sargon

removes all the tribes as slaves.

Ahaz pays taxes to Assyrians.

Ahaz's son Hezekiah (700 BC) revolts and is crushed.

Assyria

Assyria takes over

middle east with their
capital in Nineveh.

But in 612BC they lose

Nineveh.

King Josiah finds the law of Moses and brings reform to the
temple.

Babylonian Empire and Egyptian empires rule the region.

Judah meets its End

Neco took Judah and killed King Josiah.

Nebuchadnezzar defeated Neco.

A couple of Kings in Judah tried to revolt until

Nebuchadnezzar burned all the fortresses of Judah,
destroyed the walls of Jerusalem and burned the temple.

The king and his sons were killed.

Prophets

No king or temple. 

Jeremiah said the exile would be long.

Ezekiel succeed Jeremiah encouraged the people.

Life not so hard after things settled down. Then the

Persians took over.
Persian Empire

Allowed
religious and
cultural freedom.

King Cyrus
allowed the Jews
to go back and
some did. Many stayed in Mesopotamia.

Prophets Haggai and Zechariah worked to get the people

interested in rebuilding the temple. Finished in 516BC
Jews in Persian Jerusalem

Ezra (a scholar) allowed to return to Jerusalem.

Reads the law to the people. Urges them not to intermarry

with foreigners 

Joel and Malachi also worked to bring God's word back to

the people.
The Greeks

Alexander the Great takes over the Middle East and then
dies at 33. (33O BC)

Kingdom split among generals: Ptolemy took Egypt and

Seleucus in Syria.

Greek influence spread throughout. Jews read the Greek

Law and Prophets -> Septuagint.
The Maccabean War

Seleucid ruler profanes temple in Jerusalem offering swine

to Zeus. Sets up temples throughout Palestine.

A priest Mattathias refuses to offer scarifies and rebels

with his 5 sons.

Judas Maccabee reclaims temple.

Brothers Jonathan and Simon take back Palestine.

Simon's son rules for 30 years (134-104 BC).

Hasmonean Dynasty
The Romans

Hyrcanus appeals to Roman general Pompey for help.

 
...and with Roman in control we enter the New Testament
period.