KEY WORD: SOLUTION
Now that God's perfect creation got tainted due to man's sin, God starts a reconciliation redeeming process for all mankind by starting and establishing a nation of people who are going to be holy and set apart and devoted to him. starting by choosing a man named Abram (later named Abraham= meaning father of many nations)
- Genesis 12:1-3-God makes a covenant with Abraham promising to bless him and his descendants with a fruitful land and promising that he will have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. God also promises not only his descendants but his allies, Abraham’s descendants become God's chosen nation that was to be set apart and devoted to him. This promise starts from Abraham’s son named Isaac to Jacob son of Isaac and Joseph son of Jacob, ending genesis with Joseph's story.
-There are 400 years of bondage (gap between genesis to exodus) slaves to Egypt.
-Exodus 3: Moses (Jew raised by Egyptian princess) (Princess father made a rule that all Israel boys’ babies must be killed). Israel cried out to God for a savior, so he raised Moses up to lead them into the land originally " promised" to Abraham.
- Exodus key word =deliverance (from Egypt)
- Leviticus keywords = man's desperate need for a savior.
- Leviticus= book of laws, created law for the purpose of removing the unholiness they picked up in Egypt (bad habits) and installing his (god's) standard of holiness.
- Numbers key word = wanderers, because of their disobedience and complaining with lack of faith, God made Israel wander for 40yrs until everyone, but Joshua & Caleb died. (During this period the Jews raised up idols)
- Deuteronomy= Hebrew meaning "second law ". new laws were given to communicate god's standards to the new generation who were going to enter the promised land. (From exodus to Deuteronomy there is a 400yr period)
REVIEW OF THE PENTATEUCH
-Creation was perfect until men fell into sin because of temptation (serpent)
-God began the process of restoring his damaged relationship with mankind. [through his chosen people Israel (by Abraham)]
-They were supposed to be the holiest people on earth to reflect his glory & goodness to the rest of the world, (make people want to know the god of Jews)
-So, God promised them land to set them apart from the nations but because of their disobedience (idolatry, lack of faith) many of them never saw the land, but their children did.
The Pentateuch is a microcosm (epimer) of Christian life.
1) Bondage (Egyptian slavery -400 years) we are enslaved to sin and cry out God for a savior.
2) Brokenness (wilderness -40yrs) we at times miss our old life or desire to go back and wrestle with the new standard of holiness that has been placed on us, like the Jews we wish to go back to what was known to us and have trouble adjusting to the changes in us to be more like Christ, which we know is better and greater for us.
3) Blessing (the promised land) when we step into our blessings that were poured out for us by God while we maintain our lifelong relationship with him