Over the past several posts we have been looking at the importance of the foreshadowing of Jesus in the Old Testament. We looked at a few examples of the way God used people and events to foretell us about His Son.
As we study through the Old Testament foreshadowing is a key focus point, but it is also important to know the books that make up the Christian Bible along with the authors and their purpose for the writings (the hermeneutics). As we advance in our studies we should also be able to write content statements or brief outlines of each book as this will help our confidence in countering a culture that often misapplies, misquotes, and misunderstands the Bible altogether.
It is also helpful to know the sequence or timeline of the events in the Bible that can help us understand how the Biblical story relates in overall human history from creation to today.
Can you put these people and events in the correct chronological order? (Check you answer with the timeline in the post)
- People: Shem, Seth, Moses, Joseph, Noah, Abraham, Adam & Eve, Isaac, Judah, Jacob (Note: some of these people are selected here, while other siblings are left out, because they are in the direct line to Jesus, the promised seed)
- Events: Fall, The Exodus, Mosaic Covenant, Noachian Covenant, Tower of Babel, Flood, Abrahamic Covenant, Adamic Covenant (Original Promise), Creation
These major event and people come from the first grouping of books in the Old Testament known as the Torah. We will continue to look at major events and people as we study through the other groupings along with major themes pointing to Jesus.
Introduction to the Torah:
Torah in Hebrew; Pentateuch in Greek: The first five books of the Bible’s Old Testament commonly known as the Books of Moses.
Author: Moses
Biblical Evidence for the authorship of Moses:
- 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 is the fact that 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 5:31-47 (NASB)
Additional evidence for the authorship of Moses:
Here I am going to defer to an excellent article on this topic by apologeticspress.org called “Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch, Tried and True”. This article covers and debunks the secular arguments against Moses’ authorship and gives references to excellent sources on the topic. Most scholars, upon careful examination of the evidence, will concede to the Mosaic authorship as such.
I also came across this great clip that is well documented and researched by R.C. Apologist on “Debunking the Documentary Hypothesis – Proving Mosaic Authorship:”
Opening this week on a limited basis in theaters nationwide is the documentary called “Patterns of Evidence, the Moses Controversy” by the same group that did “Patterns of Evidence, the Exodus.” Both of these films address the skepticism in academia concerning the authorship of Moses and the dating of the events, I highly recommend seeing them.
Audience, Genre, and dating:
The books of the Torah are historical narratives that were written to the Hebrew Nation during the desert wandering, ca. 1446-1406 BC/BCE—Events took place between the Biblical dating of ca. 4000 BC/BCE to 1406 BC/BCE that cover a time period from Creation to the end of the Exodus.
Timeline:
Using conservative Biblical dating, the events took place as follows…
Creation and the Antediluvian Period to the Exodus
ca. 4000 BC/BCE… Creation, Fall, Flood, Tower of Babel... ca. 2000 BC/BCE
During that time period we have Adam & Eve (the Adamic Covenant/Original Promise is given), their son Seth, Noah and his son Shem (the Noachian Covenant is given). After the flood the rebuilding occurs and dispersion of the Nations happens at the tower of Babel. This Antediluvian time period is hotly contested in both the secular and Christian arenas of scholarly thought and I address that in our “Case for Creation” series.
However, it is interesting to note that a consensus of agreement occurs on dating the dawn of human historical recordings as beginning ca. 2500 BC/BCE. This general agreement continues on through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’s times. Disagreement again sets in with Moses and the time of the Exodus on through the time of Joshua and the fall of Jericho, which we will address in future posts.
ca. 2166 BC/BCE: Abraham’s birth
ca. 2091 BC/BCE: Abrahamic Covenant
ca. 2066 BC/BCE: Isaac’s birth
ca. 2006 BC/BCE: Jacob’s birth
ca. 1920 BC/BCE: Judah’s birth
ca. 1915 BC/BCE: Joseph’s birth
ca. 1526 BC/BCE: Moses’ birth
ca. 1446 BC/BCE: The Exodus and the Mosaic Covenant
Dating of events has important ramifications, apologetically:
- Biblical historicity and reliability is at stake
- The secular version of events contradict or eliminate the Biblical version (as is their intention)
- The events and dating of Creation and the Exodus are specifically under attack by secular scholars (as is expected in spiritual warfare)
It is interesting to note that according to the Jewish calendar today’s date is: Shabbat, Adar II 2, 5779 – March 9, 2019
There is much to support the Biblical worldview and dating of events if one is willing to research and compare the evidence! Once that is done erring on the side of Biblical affirmation is where I’ll take my stand!
Even though secular thought discounts the conservative Biblical dating of early events there is much evidence to support it from the fields of science, history, archeology, and literature and we cover that in our posts here. Unfortunately, those in charge of the academic societies that govern acceptable models taught in public education will discount evidence that contradicts those models. Researchers who side with conservative Christian Scholarship, or research supporting Biblical models, are blackballed from the major universities and think tanks.
Purpose of the writings in the Torah:
These books were originally 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 how, through the “Law,” 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.
Application from the Torah:
As with most of the Old Testament, it was written to a specific group of people at a specific time in history, and we must keep that in mind, however…
- We can learn much about our own human history and our Christian history through the study of the Old Testament
- We can learn about God, His character, and His great love through the promises He makes and fulfills in His perfect timing
- We can learn how God interacts with His Creation
- We can learn from the successes and mistakes of those in the past
- Most of all, we can help others to learn more about God and His plan (established from the beginning) as it unfolds through the Biblical stories, His Covenants, His people, and through the promise of His Son
Focus Points for Reflection as we study:
- God’s Sovereignty (His supreme power and authority over all things) and Hesed (His unconditional grace and love that passes all human understanding)
- The Scarlet Thread of Jesus: Foreshadowing in the stories and events, or occurrences of Theophanies—(appearances of the pre-incarnate Jesus)
- Satan’s Attempt to Crush the Righteous Seed (throughout history Satan puts road blocks up in an attempt to thwart God’s Promise and Plan)
- The importance of the Nation of Israel (Even though they made many mistakes God will use them to fulfill His Promise and Plan)
- Obedience vs. disobedience (When the people follow God they are blessed; when they disobey God the result is discipline through hardship and trials)
Bible Study:
In our previous posts we studied specifically through Genesis and Exodus, and generally overviewed the Law, Tabernacle, and role of the Priests. Read through the books of the Torah with an eye on the focus points above and study with verse by verse teachers. My favorites include: Skip Heitzig, Chris Quintana, Dr. Bill Creasy, and Stephen Armstrong’s Verse by Verse Ministry.
Join us next week as we continue to make a case for the Old Testament and begin a study in the book of Joshua!
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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.
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Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15
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