The Main Events of the old Testament
The Old Testament starts with the Pentateuch. (the five books of Moses.)
Genesis- history of creation, the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph
Exodus - God chooses Moses to deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt and God enters into a covenant with the Israelites. The ark
is built which is the central sign of God's presence with Israel.
Leviticus - contains laws and commandments God gave to the Israelites.
Numbers adds more laws and details the wandering in the desert.
Deuteronomy This word literally means “a second law.” It is a reflective farewell speech of Moses that sums up the meaning of
the exodus event and the desert journey.
Gen 3:3 Sin enters creation through man's choice.
Gen 6:5 The world become corrupt. God destroys the earth by the flood.
Gen 6:18 God establishes a convent with Noah. The ark passing over the waters is a sign of baptism. The world was cleansed of
its sins by water.
Gen 12:1 God calls Abram.
Gen 15:8 God promises Abram children.
Gen 17:1 God makes a covenant with Abram and changes his name to Abraham.
Gen 17:10 The sign of the covenant is circumcision.
Gen 22:1 God test Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. (God actually sacrifices HIS only son Jesus.)
Gen 24:67 What happens to Isaac? He marries Rebekah.
Gen 25:21 Isaac' wife Rebekah has twins. Esau and Jacob!
Gen 29:18 Jacob marries Rache and Leah Laben's daughters
Gen 35:10 God changes Jacobs name to Israel after he struggles with an angel.
Gen 35:17 Rachel dies near Bethlehem giving birth.
Gen 37:3 Israel gives his son Joseph a distinctive tunic.
Gen 37:28 Joseph's brothers sell him into slavery and he ends up in Egypt.
Gen 41:1 Joseph interprets the Pharaoh's dream of seven fat cows and seven lean cows.
Gen 42:1 Jacob sends his sons to Egypt for food.
Gen 45:4 Joseph meets his brothers in Egypt and forgives them!
Gen 47:9 The famine worsens and practically everyone becomes a slave of the pharaoh.
Gen 50:19 Joseph dies and predicts the release of the Israelites.
Ex 1,8 1,13 The Egyptians reduce the Israelites to severe slavery.
Ex 2:2 Moses is born.
Ex 3:8 God tells Moses He will free the Israelites.
Ex 3:13 God's name is I AM!
Ex 11:1 the final plague
Ex 12:1 the Passover from slavery to freedom
Ex 14:22 The Israelites pass through the sea. This is a symbol of baptism. The waters destroy the Egyptians a symbol for sin,
and frees the Israelites from sin.
Ex 16:2 Manna from Heaven
Ex 20:1 The Ten Commandments
Ex 25:10 God ask for the Ark of the Covenant to be built. This is a sign of God’s presence with us.
Ex 37:29 Holy oil a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
Ex 40:21 Moses sets up the Tabernacle.
Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, specifies the Jewish laws.
Deuteronomy Is Moses’ farewell speech.
Joshua 1:1 Joshua takes over as the leader of the Israelites.
IdolsAnything which we keep in our hearts in the place, which God ought to have, is an idol, whether it be an image of wood
or stone or gold, or whether it be money, or desire for fame, or love of pleasure, or some secret sin which we will not
give up. If God does not really occupy the highest place in our hearts, controlling all, something else does, and that
something else is an idol!
Judges 21:25 No king in Israel.
Ruth - This book traces the roots of Jesse the Father of King David, the ancestor of Jesus Christ.
Samuel 4:10 The ark is captured by the philistines
Samuel 10:1 Samuel anoints Saul as king of the Israelites.
Samuel 15:10 God regrets making Saul king.
Samuel 16:1 God tells Samuel there will be a king from one of Jesse’ sons.
Samuel 16:10 Samuel anoints David king of Israel.
Samuel 12:24 David has a son, Solomon by Bathsheba.
I Kings 2:1 David dies and gives his throne to Solomon.
I Kings 4:29 God gives Solomon much wisdom.
Chronicles 1+2 They describe the origin and worship of God in the Temple at Jerusalem and especially the organization of the
priests and Levites, by which the worship was carried out. David is presented as the real founder of the Temple and its ritual
even though it is Solomon who builds the Temple.
II Chronicles 9:31 Solomon dies and Rehoboam takes the throne.
Chronicles end with the Babylonian exile.
The Breakup of the Jewish Kingdom
922 The Jewish breakup into a northern kingdom and a southern kingdom. In 722 Assyra takes over Israel the northern kingdom
and in 586 the Babylonians destroy Judah the southern kingdom and take the remaining Jews into exile in Babylon.
II Chronicles 36:19 The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and destroy the Temple. King Cyrus of Persia later gains power and
frees the Jews to go back to Jerusalem.
Ezra describes the return of some of the Jewish exiles from Babylon and the restoration of life and worship in Jerusalem.
Ezekiel - lived during the Babylonian exile period. He tries to recreate a sense of trust that God still works as he always had. A
major problem for the Jews is how do you worship in a strange place without a Temple?
Ezekiel found a key to understanding the new covenant to be written on the hearts of the people in its INTERIOR-NESS.
Religion is now no longer what the community did externally, but it was to be something from the heart!
EZ11:17 I will give them new hearts.
King Cyrus frees the Jews and orders the Temple to be rebuilt.
The return of Jews and the rebuilding of the Temple
Aramaic had become the language of the Persian Empire.
By the time of Christ, Hebrew has faded into a language for scholars and synagogue leaders.
Psalms
The book of Psalms is the hymnbook and prayer book of the Bible, composed by different authors over a long period of time.
The Psalms were used by Jesus, quoted by the writers of the New Testament and became the treasured book of worship of the
Christian Church from its beginning.
Do we read from the Psalms at church on Sunday?
No! We sing them!
The Rosary has its roots in the psalms. The Monks memorized the150 psalms.
Proverbs - moral and religious teaching
Ecclesiastes - Thoughts of the philosopher. The beautiful sayings of a "time for …, and a time for…" are found here.
Song of Songs or Song of Solomon.
Prophets
Isaiah – a Major prophet of the Old Testament foretelling the mission and suffering of Christ.
Jeremiah Job – a short book about human suffering. Human suffering comes from sin and the devil. Healing comes from God. This book
doesn’t entirely explain why innocent humans suffer unjustly. The point of the book is to not loose your faith in God when
bad things happen to you unjustly. There is eventual justice and God will make everything right for those who have faith in
Him.
Jonah – A book about he greatness of God’s mercy and that we are help our fellow humans and not judge
them even people we perceive as very sinful.
Daniel – a major prophetic book of the Old Testament that has many similarities to the book of Revelations.
Catholic Only OT Books
Tobit – A book often quoted by mystics. It is a love story about marriage.
Judith – An incredible and entertaining story about a women who single handedly defeats the
entire Assyrian army. They flee in terror when she is done with them! A terrific book about
faith in God and what can be accomplished by those who have it! Read it!
Baruch
Wisdom
Sirach – A book of wisdom. Reading this book reminds me of listening to a wise grandparent giving instructions on live and how
to live it.
1+2 Maccabees
(and parts of Esther and Daniel.)
Themes of the Old Testament.
Monotheism
One God, a God of mercy and love
God is a compassionate creator.
Covenant
The definition of covenant is a binding exclusive agreement.
Both parties agree to do certain things and be faithful to the covenant.
God's binding agreement endures through the ages.
God makes covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham and others.
The Covenant between God and man is bound up the covenant between God and the Jewish people.
The marriage covenant between men and women is bound up in the covenant between God and humans.
Union with God
The Old Testament God is a God of LOVE
We are punished when we need to be punished and it is for our own good.
God remain faithful to the covenant even when we stray.
Word of God
Scripture is the word of God.
Jesus is the living word of God.
The Spirit of God acts
The Spirit is the power of God acting. . Genesis 1:1 The Spirit moved across the waters at Creation
The Spirit touches each of us in a personal manner.
Kingdom of God
Jesus preaching draws heavily on the Old Testament ideals of the Kingdom.
Suffering Servant
The Old Testament helps to explain the positive value of why Jesus had to die for human salvation.
To help us with humility, charity,
Jesus doesn’t do away with the old law. Jesus fulfills the old law
Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise the God will save us from our sins.
Everything from the Old law still applies. Jesus gives us a fulfilled higher law to live by. The law of love.
Love God first above everything else, learn to love yourself, and extend this love to everyone else.
This is the central message of Christianity.
Jesus! tells us it is important to understand both the Old and the New.
Matt 13:52
Look It up!
Understanding the Old Testament is vital.
The Old Testament is a great treasure chest in which a wealth of truth about God lies waiting for us to discover it. No Christian
can fully understand the New Testament revelation of God if they have not seen at least a glimpse of that wealth.
Look these brief descriptions over and find something that interests you.
Go look it up read and pray about it. Ask God for understanding.
Make daily reading Sacred Scriptures a part of your life.
Fall in love with Sacred Scriptures.
The bible place din a prominent place in our homes opened up is a deterrent to evil.