History highlights of the Old Testament
God’s covenant with Abrams-Abraham at age 99. Gen.17
Jacob wrestles with an Angel. Gen.32:24-28 Jacob called Israel. Gen.35:10 God’s covenant with Jacob at Bethel. Gen. 35:12-15
Pharoah’s dreams interpreted by Joseph and Joseph made 2nd ruler over Egypt. . Gen.41 Twelve tribes of Israel created. Gen.49
God calls to Moses out of a burning bush. Exodus 3:4-6
Israel comes out of Egypt after 430 years of captivity. Exodus 12
A system of judges established on the advice of Jethro. Ex.18:13-26, Deut.1:9,12,13 God gives the 10 commandments to Moses. Exodus 20, 24:12-18, 34:1-32
God’s judgements given. Exodus 21, 22, 23
The ark of God’s covenant and tabernacle created. Exodus 25, 26, 27, 37 God’s cloud and fire guide Israel by day and night. Exodus 40:36-38
Offerings to God instituted and rules for eating, living, sexual morality, marriage, Holy Feasts and celebrations, penalties for sin and details for restoration given. Book of Leviticus
God promises His Glory to fill all the earth when Israel rejects His will. Numbers 14:20
God rejects those of Israel who rebelled (broke covenant) and does not allow them to enter the promised land. Numbers 14:23-29
Joshua replaces Moses to lead Israel into the promised land. Nu.27:18-23 Offerings and feasts started. Nu.28, 29 Vows given. Nu.30
Israel rejects the promised land and is made to wander 40 years. Nu.32:5-13 Summary of Israel’s 40 year wandering. Du.1, 2, 3
Review of God’s commandments and statutes. Deut.5, 6 What was allowed to be eaten. Deut.14:3-21
Debts released after 7 years. Deut. 15
Moses dies at 120 on Mt. Nebo and is buried in a valley opposite Beth Peor in Moab.
Deut.31:1-2, 32:48-49, 34:1, 5-6
Joshua divides the promised land among the 12 tribes of Israel at Shiloh. Joshua 18:10 Joshua dies at 110. Joshua 24:29, Judges 2:8
God defeats the Midianite army with 300 men having trumpets, pitchers & torches.
Judges 7:7-22
Forty two thousand men are killed when they cannot pronounce “Shibboleth”. Judges 12:6 Israel rejects God’s reign and desires an earthly king to rule them. Samuel chooses that the
kings shall come from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul is the first king. 1Samual10:19-21 Israel encouraged to: “Fear the Lord and serve Him, in truth, with all your heart; consider
what great things He has done for you.” 1Samual 12:24
Saul willing that his son, Jonathan, should die for disobeying his command not to eat until a battle was finished. The people of Israel intervened, and his life was spared. 1Samual 14:24, 27-30, 39, 45
Saul disobeys God by allowing the people to take spoils of war. 1 Samuel 15: 2, 3, 9, 11 Saul rebuked by Samuel. Verse 19 Saul rejected by God as king. Verse 23
Saul told by Samuel that “To obey (God) is better than sacrifice. Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft. Stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” 1Samual 15:22, 23
Samuel anoints David as king of Israel. 1Samuel 16:12, 13
David kills Goliath (9’9″ tall) 1Samual 17 David described. 1Samual 16:18 & 17:41 Goliath’s brother, Lahmi, killed by David’s brother, Jonathan. 1st Chronicles 20:5-7 David spares Saul’s life and Saul repents of trying to kill him. 1Sam.24:4-20 & 26:5-21
Samuel raised from the dead in a seance to prophesy to Saul of his death & Israel’s capture.
1Samuel 28:8, 15, 19
Two versions (3 accounts) of Saul’s death. 1st Samuel 31:1-6, 2nd Samuel 1:6-15, 1Chronicles
10:3-10
David anointed king of Judah. 2Samuel 2:4 then king of Israel 2Samuel 5:3
Uzzah killed by God for touching the Ark of God when it was about to fall. 2Samuel 6:6-7 God promises Israel a land to live in with peace. 2Samuel 7:10
David sees and desires Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. When he knows a child was conceived by him, he seeks to hid his evil. When this twice fails, he orders Uriah sent to the front of the battle to be killed, freeing him to marry Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 11 God then judges David through Nathan, the prophet and David’s own words. David’s linage is cursed to always fight within the family and his wives to be openly taken. 2 Samuel 12: 1-12
Solomon made King of Israel. 1Kings 1 He loved God, asked for and received wisdom and a caring heart plus many riches. But he made the mistake of disobeying God when he married foreign wives. They influenced him to allow the worship of other false Gods. 1 Kings 3:3, 9-14, 11:1-3, 6-9 Because of this, Solomon’s kingdom was divided 11:11- 12 leaving his son, Rehoboam, with only Judah to reign.
God’s temple started by Solomon. 1 Kings 6
Moses’s bronze serpent destroyed. 2Kings 18:4
David encouraged by Satan to number (count) the people of Israel 1st Chronicles 21:1-6 God is displeased and gives David a choice of punishment. A plague is sent on Israel killing 70,000 and Jerusalem almost destroyed. 1 Chronicles 21:7-15
God tells David to have his son build Him a temple. God did not approve that David should build the temple because he had shed much blood in great wars. 2Samuel 7:4-7 and
1st Chronicles 22:8-10, 28:2,3 David proclaims God gave Jerusalem to be for Israel forever and the Levites to help the sons of Aaron in serving God in the temple. 1st Chronicles 23:25-28 David appoints 288 men to prophesy with harps, stringed instruments and cymbals in the temple. 1st Chronicles 25:1, 6, 7 God gave the plan for the temple through David. 1st Chronicles 28:19 The people rejoiced because they had offered willingly with a loyal heart (concerning the temple) to the Lord. 1st Chronicles 29:9 David reigned over Israel 40 years. 1st Chronicles 29:27
King Cyrus of Persia commanded to build God a temple in Jerusalem. Ezra 1:2
King Artaxerxes imposes a tax, as Ezra the priest desires, to build God’s temple. Ezra 7:21- 23
The men of Israel swear to separate themselves from their pagan wives an their children. Ezra 10:2-5
Nehemiah rebuilds the walls of Israel. Nehemiah
Ester risks her life, but finds favor with King Ahasuerus and deals with Haman to destroy Israel’s enemies. Mordecai, Ester’s Uncle is also advanced. Book of Ester
God and Satan test a righteous man named Job with numerous troubles. Job 1:7-12 Job’s friends think, without knowing God (Job 36:26), that the troubles are due to Job’s sins. In fact, one of Job’s faults was a lack of faith. He feared his good fortune would not continue. Job 3:25 We are justified by faith (Romans 5:1, Gal.2:16) and by Christ’s blood. Romans 5:9 Other possible faults enumerated by Eliphaz in chapter 22:5-9 charge Job with not caring for the needy. James 1:27 explains that religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father requires a love that cares for the orphans and widows as well as keeping onself unstained by the world around. His friends also felt Job was righteous in his own eyes. Job 32:1, 9 This is contradictory to Luke 17:10-14 that requires us to realize our sin, repent and ask for forgiveness.
David’s writings & songs proclaim the nature and wonder of God. Psalms
Solomon’s writings show his appreciation for the works of God & the wisdom given him by God. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes Solomon’s amorous thoughts on women are given in “The Song of Solomon”.
Jeremiah’s words: See prophecy.
Weeping over Israel’s waywardness and punishment. Lamentations Ezekiel’s prophecies. See prophecy.