This session will cover answers to last week’s questions concerning the Books of Moses and the basic hermeneutics for this group. As we begin our case-making for the Old Testament it will be important to consider the reliability of things like authorship, audience, culture, and purpose to ultimately get the proper context of the reading in order to make accurate interpretation and application. There will be a homework practice for the book of Job as we will also take into account the chronological order of events in the Old Testament.

Note: This class is designed for a small group study, but can also be done individually, therefore the notes and presentation reflect times to pause and pray, reflect and do Bible study.

Watch this week’s class presentation on this topic:

Overview Notes from the presentation

2023 A Case for the Old Testament

Session 2: Basic Hermeneutics for the Books of Moses

Prayer and Reflection

1. Write out your prayer cards and exchange them at the end of the class.
2. From last week’s class: What is the importance of using hermeneutics when you study the Bible?
3. From last week’s class: Read, or recite, the memory verse out loud with your group. What is the importance of this verse?

Memory Verse

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)

1.  Review of Last week’s presentation

– the importance of hermeneutics when studying the Bible
Author—Audience—Purpose—Context—Interpretation—Application

The Hermeneutics of Genesis:

2.  Genesis is part of a group of five books. What are the first five books of the Bible, and what are they called?

The Books of Moses
Names and order

1. GENESIS
2. EXODUS
3. LEVITICUS
4. NUMBERS
5. DEUTERONOMY

Also known as…

• Torah in the Hebrew
• Pentateuch in the Greek
• Often referred to as “The Law” in other parts of the Bible

Special Note:

• This class will take the historically traditional view for our hermeneutics.
• The traditional views are solid and based on historical, archeological and scholarly work.
• Alternate views taught in some academic circles might be noted, but we will stand with the views of Christianity that have stood the test of time, especially in areas of authorship and dating.

3.  Who was the author and what do we know about him?

Author: Moses

Moses was uniquely qualified to write

• He had the education and background growing up as a son of Pharaoh in Egypt
• He would have accurate information, as we see in the writings, about the Pharaohs and life in Egypt
• He described things from an Egyptian perspective (not Palestinian)
• His writings show first-hand knowledge of the area such as geography, seasons and climate
• As the leader of Israel, he would have been the one to record everything, and he had the time to do it (40 years)

God directed Moses’ writing

• Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua” Exodus 17:14a (NASB)
• Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Exodus 24:3-4 (NASB)
• Also refer to Moses’ authorship in Numbers 33:1-2, Deuteronomy 31:9, Joshua 1:8, and 2 Kings 21:8

Most important:

Jesus spoke about Moses’ authorship

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.  I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”  John 5:31 (39)-47 (NASB)

Debunking the “documentary hypothesis”

This is the school of thought that there were multiple authors and sources for the Old Testament and specifically the Torah – this is not the most reasonable answer to authorship

Problems with the “documentary hypothesis:

1. It removes God’s inspiration
2. It denies individuality and Moses’ credentials
3. It removes God’s character (criticizes God’s various names)
4. It reinterprets Genesis 1-11, especially the creation account, to fit evolution
5. It ignores the role of the Scribe over time in the preservation of the text
6. It ignores evidence from Archeology
7. It ignores evidence from outside historical literature that corroborates the authorship and accounts therein

4.  Who was the audience and what do we know about them?

The books of Moses were written to the Hebrew Nation during the desert wandering, ca. 1446-1406 BC—Events took place between the Biblical dating of ca. 4000 BC to 1406BC

TIMELINE

Antediluvian Period to the Exodus:

Creation—Fall (The Promise)—Flood (Noachian Covenant)////Tower of Babel—Abraham

4000 BC———————————–(approx. 2000 years)——————————————2166 BC

Abrahamic Covenant—Isaac’s birth—Jacob’s birth—Joseph’s birth—Moses’ birth—Exodus

2091 BC———————2066 BC————2000 BC——-—1915 BC——–—1526 BC——-1446 BC

Note: Human history began to be recorded ca. 2500 BC

Dating of these events is extremely important

• Biblical historicity and reliability are at stake
• The secular version of events contradicts or eliminates the Biblical version
• The events and dating of Creation, the Flood, the Exodus, and the Conquest are specifically under attack by secular scholars

There is much evidence to support the Biblical worldview and dating of events, and we will cover that over this course including.

5.  What is the main genre (literary style) of these books

• The books of Moses are historical narratives that covers a time period from Creation to the end of the Exodus, just before entry into the Promised Land with Joshua
• Most of the Old Testament books are historical narratives, however there are some that also contain: Wisdom literature, Poetry, Prophecy (including end time/apocalyptic), and Law

6.  What is the purpose for the writing of this book?

• These books were written so the Hebrew people would remember their history, recognize the greatness of their God, and understand who they were as God’s chosen representative to the [other] Nations—His “role models” (although they would fail at this all the time).
• Israel was chosen to be the carrier of the “Covenant Promise” as it unfolded, and they would come to understand that through the “Law” they would see how sin would manifest itself in hardship, suffering, and death if not atoned for.
• In these books God’s Kingdom, along with His character and relationship with His creation, is revealed.
• As in all the books of the Bible, it is to point to the need for a savior who could redeem a fallen world, and this savior will culminate in the person of Jesus!

7.  Discuss: Why do you think it is important to understand the historical context in which the books of the Bible are written?

• So, we can understand the culture of the day and what was going on at that time in history (not reading from a 21^st century lens)
• So, we know the proper storyline and how it fits into the big picture
• So, we don’t share or teach others inaccurately
• So, we stay true to the text which is God’s Word

Why is it important to understand that life application should be made last?

• We must understand the author’s intention for the original audiences first because it was not written to us, but it is for us.
• Life application should be made based on the principles being taught at that time, in that culture and in that author’s experience, and not based on our current societal norms.
• Understanding that the Old Testament was mainly written to the Hebrew people (Jewish Nation) is important, but as Christians, we need to know the historical narrative, God’s Covenant Promises and the prophecies so we can better understand Jesus and the New Testament, and thereby make proper life application.
• We can cross-reference New Testament teachings with direct application to Christians that mirror many Old Testament principles so we don’t have to take Old Testament principles out of context.

8.  Going Deeper: How can we differentiate between historical narratives (what was happening then) and timeless truths that can still apply to us today? This is also known as distinguishing between descriptive and prescriptive passages.

Then – Always – Now – The Shelf

1)  Then:  What was being said then and why?

This is the background check before diving into a study – the preliminary hermeneutics

• Who was the author and audience, and what was going on in the culture of that day?
• What was the purpose of the writing at that time?
• Are the circumstances and events then still relevant today?

2)  Always:  What eternal truth(s) is being taught?

This is based on the context of the writing, understanding descriptive narratives versus prescriptive narratives, and looking for Jesus 

• This is a timeless truth that is not specific to then or now, but based on the “big picture” teachings of the Bible
• This is a teaching, principle, or command, that is taught throughout the Scriptures both Old and New Testament
• This can include prophetic teachings and foreshadowings of Jesus

3)  Now:  How can I apply that truth(s) now?

This is something that is personally or culturally applicable to today

• This is something that can be itemized from the eternal truths (not something taken out of context), and is based on a timeless teaching, narrative or truth that applies specifically to your life
• This can vary from person to person (God’s Word is living)
• The goal here is to give you some specific things to do as a result of what you have learned in the passage

4)  The Shelf:  What questions do you have?

This is where you list questions that came up during your study

• These questions might be something unanswered for now
• These might be questions you can ask of others
• These might be questions that take some research – come back with information to share with your group!

Putting these kinds of questions on the shelf help you focus on the study at hand, yet allow you to return at a later time for answers.

DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVES VERSUS PRESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVES

• Recognizing when something is descriptive versus prescriptive will help us with proper interpretation of the Bible.
• Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible, its themes and overarching narrative, will give us a framework with which to work from.
• Interpretation of what is in the narrative (who wrote, who it was written to, and why) will then help us to then make proper application to our lives today.

Descriptive:

The Bible is mainly an historical narrative that is descriptive of events, people and places to help us understand who God is, what He promised to do through His Covenants, how He worked that out through (imperfect) His people, and how many of the people and events foreshadow Jesus.

Prescriptive:

Prescriptive commands are given by God in the Old Testament for the people of Israel (not for us today unless repeated in the New Testament); and prescriptive commands are given by Jesus (who is God) for all Christians in the New Testament to help us walk after Him, preparing us for the Kingdom to come.

THE BIG PICTURE OF THE BIBLE AND UNDERSTANDING THE OLD TESTAMENT

Understanding and knowing the big picture of the Bible, and focusing from there, will help us not fall into the trap of twisting Scripture—it will help keep us in the right context as we study – we will look more closely at this topic next week…

Going Deeper

Patterns of Evidence: www.patternsofevidence.com 
Recommended Class Video Series

1. The Exodus
2. The Moses Controversy
3. The Red Sea Miracle Part 1
4. The Red Sea Miracle Part 2
5. Journey to Mt. Sinai (newest release)

Become a part of their THINKER Community – It’s free:

https://patternsofevidence.com/sign-up/

Bible Study

Each week we will have Bible study following the presentation. There will be questions presented here on the weekend, and basic answers will be part of the next presentation or posted mid-week for your review, depending on the topic. This can also be used to make a leader’s guide for your own small group and future studies!

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

Bible Study – The Hermeneutics

The Book of Job

For a chronological study of the Bible, we will take a time out from Genesis and, for the next two weeks, look at the book of Job. Most Biblical Scholars will cite the book of Job as being one of the earliest books written in the Bible. The narrative is said to have happened after the flood and the other events of Genesis 1-11, but prior to the time of Abraham in Genesis 12.

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.

Reading and reflection:

Read through the book of Job (or listen to an audio version) in one sitting to get the big picture of the narrative. Use this framework as the lens for your reading:

• God’s Kingdom and His sovereignty throughout the story
• Humanity’s fallen nature and imperfect interaction with each other and with God – thus the need for a Savior (Jesus)
• God’s restorative power and promise of a return to perfection – a picture of the Redeemer and Promised Messiah of Genesis 3:15 (Jesus)

The Hermeneutics:

Using a good study Bible, answer the following questions to the best of your ability (we will go over them in our discussion groups at class):

1. Job is part of a group of five books in the Bible’s Old Testament. What are these five books and what category do they fall under?
2. Who was the author and audience and what can we know about them?
3. What is the genre (Literary style) of this book?
4. What is the purpose for the writing of this book?
5. Write a quick outline of this book for an overview.
6. The main theme, and reference to the person of Jesus, is found in Job 19:23-27 . Read that passage, then copy down verse 25 and commit it to memory.
7. Application: What kinds of questions and/or problems do we have today that the book of Job might help us understand, and why?
8. Going Deeper – Research: Why is the Bible not in chronological order? Use this link to help with your research: https://www.gotquestions.org/chronological-Bible.html

Please join us each week as we continue our case for the Old Testament!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in!  Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15