Old Testament Survey: A Bird's-Eye View

By Andrew Lai

The Bible is considered as the world's best-selling book, and it has been translated into nearly seven hundred languages. Many think the Bible is one book that they can pick up and read like a normal novel. However, they would soon be overwhelmed by the ancient text of the Old Testament, which actually has thirty-nine books covering the historical human events for over two thousand years.

This book, the Old Testament Survey, written by the same author of the New Testament Survey, will again provide a bird's-eye view of the whole Old Testament.

After reading this book, you will know the following of each of the thirty-nine books contained in the Old Testament:

Who did the writing?

Date of writing

Reason for writing

Key verses

Quick outline

Then, the author shares a "Personal application" from his thirty years of experience in teaching the Bible. He shares what general as well as personal lessons can be learned from each of the thirty-nine books in the Old Testament.

Without spending years of study, this book will help you to acquire the basic knowledge of the Old Testament. It is the author's wish that it will encourage you to do further detailed study of the Old Scripture that you might have a life-changing experience like many other scholars.

Therefore, this book, along with the New Testament Survey, will help you know the whole Bible before you do any serious study of the best-selling book in the world. This is in fact the must-read "Book of the books."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798886167481

Book preview

Genesis

Who did the writing?

No one knows who the author of Genesis was. Adam should be the perfect person to do it. But he lived only 930 years (Genesis 5:5), whereas Genesis covers events that happened much later. The earliest form of human writing appeared almost 5,500 years ago. The Bible did not mention about Adam ever doing any writing nor that he needed to, since he was the only human on earth. Therefore, traditionally, Moses had been assumed to be the writer. The early church fathers and historians found no conclusive reason to deny Moses as the author of Genesis. For that matter, Moses was believed to be the author of the whole Pentateuch (the five books). Human beings lived long lives in that era. Most information in the Genesis could have been easily passed down from generation to generation. Even though Moses grew up in Egypt, he was raised by his Jewish mother. He could have heard all the historical events in the Genesis from his parents. From Exodus times through the Pentateuch, God did specifically instruct Moses to write it down.

Date of writing

No date was given but most likely between 1450 and 1410 BC. Logically, it must be sometime in between when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and obviously before he died. The death of Moses was recorded in the last book of the Pentateuch called Deuteronomy, in chapter 34, verses 5–8. It was written in the third person. It is obvious that Moses could not have written about his own death. Someone else wrote the conclusion of the Pentateuch, and it is quite certain that Joshua did it.

Reason for writing

The book of Genesis has sometimes been called the setting-plot of the entire Bible. Most of the major doctrines in the Bible are introduced in this first book. Along with the fall of man, God’s promise of salvation or redemption is recorded in Genesis (Genesis 3:15). The doctrines of creation, imputation of sin, justification, atonement, depravity, wrath, grace, sovereignty, responsibility, and many more are all addressed in this book of information called Genesis.

Many of the great questions of life are answered in Genesis. For example:

Where did I come from? (God created us [Genesis 1:1].)

Why am I here? (We are here to have a relationship with God [Genesis 15:6].)

Where am I going? (We have a destination after death [Genesis 25:8].)

It is amazing to note that scientists, historians, as well as theologians, all found the book of Genesis appealing. Same can be said for all the men or women of God. It is a fitting beginning of a book about how God wanted to reveal his plan to human. It is called the Bible.

Key verses

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 )

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12:2–3)

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20)

Quick outline

The book of Genesis can be divided into two sections: Primitive History and Patriarchal History.

History of the beginning

Creation (Genesis chapters 1–2)

The fall of man (Genesis chapters 3–5)

The flood (Genesis chapters 6–9)

The dispersion (Genesis chapters 10–11)

History of the family of Abraham the Patriarch

Abraham (Genesis 12:1–25:8)

Isaac (Genesis 25:9–28:9)

Jacob (Genesis 28:10–36:43)

Joseph (Genesis 37:1–50:26)

Personal application

The existence of God was simply stated in the opening statement of Genesis 1:1. The writer gave no apology, nor was any defense needed. Almighty God is the Creator of the universe, and he made the earth habitable for the human race. Therefore, all humanity is accountable to the Creator, God. Man was given the responsibility to manage the earth. This makes life on earth purposeful with intimate and joyful relationship with the Creator. After the fall of Adam and Eve, sin came into the world. But God activated his redemptive plan through the seeds of Abraham. Through the small nation of Israel, God made salvation available to the human race.

Genesis also shows that God can take a hopeless situation, like childless Abraham and Sarah whom he turned into the parents of multitudes of nations. When horrible and unjust things happen, like that of Joseph, we can trust that God will bring good out of the evil schemes of man, using Joseph’s words to his brothers: You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good (Genesis 50:20). Therefore, even from the very beginning, God has already given a picture of Christ in the person of Joseph. Thousands of years later, Jesus suffered more to forgive my sin on the cross. Genesis directs me to focus on the mercy of God to make salvation available to me.

Exodus

Who did the writing?

As the second book of the Pentateuch, traditionally, Moses was recognized as the author. It is stated several times that the Lord commanded Moses to write down everything, and Moses did exactly that. (Exodus 17:14; 24:4–7; 34:27).

Date of writing

The book of Exodus was written between 1440 and 1400 BC.

Reason for writing

Exodus gives important narrative to what happened to Joseph’s families, how the descendants of Abraham became slaves in Egypt, and how God fulfilled his covenant to Abraham by freeing and leading them to the promised land. In spite of all the difficulties and suffering, Exodus shows how Jacob’s descendants grew to become the theocratic nation that would eventually multiply and become a great nation as promised by God to Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3, 7.

Key verses

Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. (Exodus 1:8)

God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them. (Exodus 2:24–25)

‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ Then the people bowed down and worshiped. (Exodus 12:27)

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:2–3)

Quick outline

A Deliverer, chapters 1–11

Israelites became slaves in Egypt, chapter 1

Moses was born—He spent his first forty years in Pharaoh’s palace, chapter 2

God calls Moses—His second forty years was spent in Midian, chapter 3 (the burning bush)

Moses returned to Egypt, chapter 4

Confrontation with Pharaoh, chapter 5 (the ten plagues)

Deliverance by the power of God and by the blood of the Lamb, chapters 12–14

The Passover—tenth plague, death of firstborn, chapter 12

The crossing of the Red Sea—destruction, chapters 13–14

At Mount Sinai, chapters 15–18