Notes: Old Testament

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress. My God, in Him I will trust.

Abraham through Moses

• Abraham & Sarah – Isaac & Rebekah – Jacob & Rachel – 2 sons/Joseph & Benjamin.
  • Jacob’s descendants endure generations of slavery in Egypt.
• Jacob is given the name Israel by God.
  • Israel is God’s tribe (nation) of people that will come from the lineage of Jacob (aka Israel).
• Moses is chosen by God to free Israel from slavery and guide them to a place He has chosen for them (the Promised Land).
• During the Exodus Israel’s people begin complaining and sinning almost right away. What should have taken weeks to travel, God turns into 40 years as punishment.
• Before they can enter the Promised Land, God gives Moses the 10 Commandments (laws) to tell the people about how they need to behave.
• He also gives them 100s of lesser rules and laws, but the 10 Commandments are the foundational laws.
• God requires all of the Israeli adults who left Egypt not be allowed in the Promised Land because they sinned against His laws. After they die off, their children are allowed in.
• Moses divides the land up into 12 parcels for 12 tribes… one for each son of Jacob (Israel).
• God chooses Joshua to replace Moses as leader of Israel. Joshua leads Israel into the Promised Land.

• God tells Israel that when they enter the Promised Land (Canaan), they must destroy every living thing. He orders this so that the people of Israel won’t be swayed to worship the gods and idols that the people who are already living there, worship. This would cause the people of Israel to sin deeply against God because the Canaanites worship is destructive and evil. Which is what ended up happening. (586BC?)
• God and Israel have an agreement/contract/covenant that includes a section of blessings and curses.
  • If Israelites obey God’s laws He will bless them with abundance of goodness and protection.
  • If they break the contract and disobey Him they can expect one disaster after another.
  • read more about this in Deuteronomy 28:11, 28:64…)
• Moses urges Israel to obey God’s laws.
• God chooses Joshua to replace Moses.
• Moses never enters the Promised Land. At 120 years old, he climbs Mt. Nebo and dies.
• “There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” (Deuteronomy 34:10)

How the Israelites became Egyptian slaves…

• Abraham’s grandson Jacob moved the entire extended family to Egypt to escape a 7 year drought. They end up staying in Egypt for 430 years… first as guest but then as slaves to the Egyptians.

Joshua

• God is delivering on the promise He gave to Abraham 700 years earlier; giving them the Promised Land.. which was then called Canaan, roughtly the area now called Israel.
  • Question I have…. Are modern day true Israelites the descendants of Jacob – who God named Israel).
• Canaan is God’s gift to His people (the Israelites).
• The conquest of Canaan, and entry into the Promised Land, may have taken place 1400-1200 BC.

There’s more…

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