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THE FIRST BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

Boyce Mouton · 8 pages · 4,116 words

THE FIRST BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

The first five books of the Bible were written by Moses and are called the Pentateuch. These books are: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. They are also called The Book of the Law (Deuteronomy 31:26), and the “Torah” which means “instruction.”

Later, when the Jews compiled all 39 books of the Hebrew Bible they called all of these books the “Tenach”. They divided these inspired books into three groups: The law (Torah), the Prophets (Nevi'im), and the Writings (Ketuvim). The word “Tenach” is an an acronym based on those three Hebrew words.

Moses did three things to ensure that the law of God would never be forgotten.

1. First he wrote down the law and gave it to the priests and commanded that they read this to the people of God every seven years: “So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. Assemble the people —men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 31:9-13)

2. Second, he wrote a song that was to be taught to the Israelites: “Now write down this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them. When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant. And when many disasters and calamities come on them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants. I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath.” So Moses wrote down this song that day and taught it to the Israelites.” (Deuteronomy 31:19-22) (The entire song was recited by Moses from beginning to end in the whole assembly of Israel and is recorded in Deuteronomy 31:30- 32:1-43)

3. Third, he put his own written record of the law beside the ark of the covenant. The Ten Commandments were “in” the ark (1 Kings 8:9). Moses put the Book of the Law “beside” it: “After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord: “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! Assemble before me all the elders of your tribes and all your officials, so that I can speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to testify against them. For I know that after my death you are sure to become utterly corrupt and to turn from the way I

have commanded you. In days to come, disaster will fall on you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and arouse his anger by what your hands have made.” (Deuteronomy 31:24-29)

THE BOOK OF THE LAW WAS LOST AND THEN FOUND

It was indeed wise for Moses to write down the Book of Law. For many years that book was lost. Here is the story of how it was found: “While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan. Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.” (2 Chronicles 34:14-21)

As we have said, this story illustrates the wisdom God gave Moses to write the His laws in a book and place them beside the ark of the covenant.

PARENTS WERE THE PRIMARY TEACHERS OF THE LAW

Jeremiah made reference to the fact that a man would teach his neighbor and his brother to know the Lord (Jeremiah 31:34). Occasionally God would raise up a prophet to teach the people. But the primary way that the Israelites learned the law of God was by the teaching of their parents. God ordained it to be this way. Please note:

“These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give yo u, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.” (Deuteronomy 6:1-6)

The following prayer is called the “Shema.” It is so named because the prayer begins with the word “Hear” which is “Shema” in Hebrew. Devout Jews still recite this sacred prayer twice every day: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

There are 168 hours in a week. Children, of course, will spend most of these hours with their parents. When parents make the Bible the subject of their every day conversation, and write the laws of God where the children can read them, then the children automatically learn the Bible.

JOSHUA GAVE TOP PRIORITY TO THE BOOK OF THE LAW

God commanded Joshua: “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9)

After they crossed over the Jordan River Joshua wrote down the law of God on stones for the people to read. “Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses. All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel. Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law —the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.” (Joshua 8:30-35)

GOD HELPED THEM TO UNDERSTAND HIS LAW

“While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord commanded Moses.” (Numbers 15:32-36)

  • Please note that the people didn’t know what to do with the Sabbath breaker and they turned to God for the answer. This is a good example for us!
  • The people knew to remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy (Exodus 20:8), but it was “not clear” what should be done with this man who gathered wood on the Sabbath.
  • Therefore, they wisely sought the wisdom of God in answering this question.
  • Remember that man does not live on bread alone but on “every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)
  • We need to make decisions based upon the whole counsel of God and not on just one verse (Acts 20:27).
  • The Scriptures just before this story about the Sabbath breaker explains the difference between sinning “unintentionally” and sinning “defiantly”.
  • Here is the text: “‘But if just one person sins unintentionally, that person must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. The priest is to make atonement before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made, that person will be forgiven. One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you. “‘But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the Lord and must be cut off from the people of Israel. Because they have despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, they must surely be cut off; their guilt remains on them.’” (Numbers 15:27-31)
  • Note that God knew what were the thoughts and motives of this wicked man! “The Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.” (1 Chronicles 28:9). The severity that God assigned to this Sabbath breaker leads to the assumption that God knew he was sinning “defiantly” and deliberately chose to disobey God.
  • It is a mistake to take one Scripture and apply it to everyone! We do not live by one Scripture but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. We need to consider a man’s motive!
  • A man who kills someone, for example, is not guilty of murder if he did it accidentally. The law is clear. If a man kills someone “without hostility” and “unintentionally” he can avoid punishment by fleeing to a city of refuge (Numbers 35:22-25).
  • Since God knows our heart, and our motives, innocent people will be judged correctly!

JESUS AND THE SABBATH

Three different times we are told explicitly that “The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5) We should not be surprised by this for Jesus is the Lord of everything. Jesus insisted that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath and the Scriptures record seven miracles He performed on the Sabbath day. It is quite possible that Jesus performed many other miracles on the Sabbath as well.

1. Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law on the Sabbath (Mark 1:29-31).

2. Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-6).

3. Jesus healed a man born blind on the Sabbath (John 9:1-16).

4. Jesus healed a crippled woman on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17).

5. Jesus healed a man with dropsy on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1-6).

6. Jesus drove out evil spirits on the Sabbath (Mark 1:21-18).

7. Jesus healed a lame man by the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath (John 5: 1-18).

Jesus said: “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:11-12)

WE MUST BE CAREFUL HOW WE USE THE BIBLE

  • The Word of God is a double-edged sword: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12-13) Ignorant and unstable people can wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:14-16).
  • New born Christians need the “spiritual milk” (1 Peter 2:1-2). Paul wisely gave the Corinthians “milk” and not “solid food” for they were spiritual infants (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).
  • The write of Hebrews faced the same problem: “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:11-14)
  • Jesus Himself did not teach His disciples things until they were mature enough to receive them: “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:12-13)

JESUS IS IN EVERY BOOK OF THE BIBLE

As you study the word of God and share it with others, please be aware that Jesus is the central theme of the Bible and is mentioned in every book. In fact, the central role of Christ in our redemption was determined before creation. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:18-21)

Here is a list of the first 39 books of the Bible. To conserve space we will only mention one reference to Christ in each book:

  • In Genesis He is he Seed of woman that will crush the serpent’s head.
  • In Exodus He is the Passover Lamb.
  • In Leviticus He is the merciful High Priest Who who ever lives to make intercession for us.
  • In Numbers He is pillar of cloud and pillar of fire giving guidance to the people of God.
  • In Deuteronomy He is the prophet like Moses whom all must obey.
  • In Joshua He is the Captain of our salvation.
  • In Judges He is the true Judge and Lawgiver.
  • In Ruth He is our Kinsman Redeemer.
  • In 1st and 2nd Samuel He is the descendant of David Who will sit on his throne forever.
  • In 1st and 2nd Kings He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
  • In 1st and 2nd Chronicles He is the central focus in genealogies.
  • In Ezra He is the Faithful Scribe.
  • In Nehemiah He is the rebuilder of broken walls.
  • In Esther He is the Mordecai who saves the people of God.
  • In Job He is the Righteous One Who suffers.
  • In Psalms He is the Lord, our Shepherd.
  • In Proverbs He is the wisdom of God.
  • In Ecclesiastes He is the only reason for living.
  • In Song of Solomon He is the Bridegroom.
  • In Isaiah He is the Lamb led to the slaughter.
  • In Jeremiah He is the One Who writes the New Covenant in our hearts and minds.
  • In Lamentations He is the Weeping Prophet.
  • In Ezekiel He is the Son of Man.
  • In Daniel He is the Anointed One expected from before creation.
  • In Hosea He is the forgiving husband.
  • In Joel He is the One Who pours out His Spirit upon all people.
  • In Amos He is our burden bearer.
  • In Obadiah He is the One Who destroyed the wise men of Edom.
  • In Jonah He is the One Who brought repentance.
  • In Micah He is the Messenger with beautiful feet.
  • In Nahum He is the Avenger of God’s elect.
  • In Habakkuk He is the Great Evangelist pleading for revival.
  • In Zephaniah He is the One Who brings the Remnant home.
  • In Haggai He is the Cleansing Fountain.
  • In Zechariah He is the King riding on a donkey.
  • In Malachi He is the Sun of Righteousness with healing in His wings.

THE LAST 27 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

The first 39 books of the Bible were written before Jesus was born. The last 27 books of the Bible describe in vivid detail his birth, his life, his ministry, his death, his resurrection, and the influence of His Spirit in the church.

The four Gospels are large biographies that represent approximately 44% of the New Testament Scriptures. As Luke explains in the book of Acts, this is only what Jesus “began to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1)

When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior He will continue to work through you: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his own good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)

THE BIBLE IS REALLY ONLY ONE BOOK

The 66 books of the Bible were written by some 40 different authors, over a period of 1500 years, in 3 different languages, on 3 different continents. Yet, in a real sense the Bible is only one book! Most of these authors did not know one another and came from a wide variety of backgrounds. The authors included powerful men like kings and prophets as well as common men like fishermen and shepherds. Yet, the Bible reflects a remarkable unity. The different books of the Bible fit together like pieces of a puzzle to tell one story. The reason for this unity, of course, is that each of these men was inspired by God. God Himself is the Author of the Bible! Peter explained it like this: “Above all you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)

The first book of the Bible is Genesis, and the last is the book of Revelation. Note how these two books are like “bookends” starting and completing a single message.

  • In the beginning created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). In heaven God creates a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).
  • In the beginning God gathered the waters together and called them the sea (Genesis 1:10. In heaven we are told that there will be no more sea (Revelation 21:1)
  • In the beginning God created darkness and called it night (Genesis 1:5). In heaven there will no no night (Revelation 21:25).
  • In the beginning God made two great lights, the sun and the moon (Genesis 1:16). In heaven God has prepared a celestial city that will not need the light of the sun or the moon (Revelation 21:23).
  • In the beginning we are told that man will surely die (Genesis 2:17). In heaven there will be no death (Revelation 21:4).
  • In the beginning there was pain (Genesis 3:16). In heaven there will be no pain (Revelation 21:4).
  • In the beginning there was a curse (Genesis 3:17). In heaven there will be no curse (Revelation 22:3).
  • In the beginning Satan appeared to deceive (Genesis 3:1-4). In heaven Satan will be no more (Revelation 20:10).
  • In the beginning man was driven from the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24). In heaven we will have access to the tree of life (Revelation 22:2)
  • In the beginning man was separated from God (Genesis 3:24). In heaven we will constantly see the face of God (Revelation 22:4).
  • Yes! The Bible is but one book and God is the Author!

PLEASE RECEIVE THE WORD OF GOD

  • The brethren in Thessalonica set a good example for everyone. Paul wrote: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
  • We need to study the Scriptures for “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
  • There is no need to walk in darkness for the Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalms 119:105).
  • Receiving the Word of God is what enables you to be born again: “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of the imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23)
  • “I TELL YOU, NOWW IS THE TIME OF GOD’S FAVOR, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION” (2 CORINTHIANS 6:2)