The Torah © John Stevenson, 2014

Torah Hebrew: “Law, Instruction” Pentateuch Greek: “Five-Part Book”

Numbers Wilderness wanderings Deuteronomy Law to new generation with special emphasis to those entering the land Genesis Creation to Egypt Exodus Deliverance from Egypt and establishment of covenant Leviticus Laws of worship

The Book of Beginnings

Genesis 1-11 Events Predominant – Creation – Fall – Flood – Tower of Babel Genesis People Predominant – Abraham – Isaac – Jacob – Joseph Race as a wholeFamily of Abraham Over 2000 years250 years

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The “who” of creation. The work of creation. The “what” of creation.

Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was unformed and unfilled, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

UnformedUnfilled Day 1: Light Day 4: Light-bearers (sun, moon, stars) Day 2: Water & sky divided Day 5: Fish & birds to fill water & sky Day 3: Dry land & vegetation Day 6: Land animals & man Day 7: Sabbath Rest

Why are there two separate accounts of creation?

Genesis 1 The heavens and the earth are created in six days. Genesis 2 Creation of the man and woman (no time element mentioned). Man in his cosmic setting Man as central to God’s purpose Panorama of creation as a whole Detailed focus on one aspect of creation Centers on God creating the heavens and the earth Centers on man as the crowning act of God’s creation

Creation complete: Heavens & earth created; God finished His work (1-3) Man created: Formed from dust (4-9) Trees & Rivers in garden given names (9-14)

Creation complete: Heavens & earth created; God finished His work (1-3) Man created: Formed from dust (4-9) Trees & Rivers in garden given names (9-14) Man assigned task of guarding & keeping the garden (15) Forbidden fruit (16-17)

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.“ (Genesis 2:16-17)

Creation complete: Heavens & earth created; God finished His work (1-3) Man created: Formed from dust (4-9) Trees & Rivers in garden given names (9-14) Man assigned task of guarding & keeping the garden (15) Forbidden fruit (16-17) Man in need of a helper: not good to be alone (18) Animals in garden are given names (19-20) Woman created: Formed from rib (21-24) Creation complete: Man & woman naked & unashamed in presence of God (25)

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:6)

What are the results from their actions of taking and eating the forbidden fruit?

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15)

Seed of the WomanSeed of the Serpent Cain & Abel How is the Cain & Abel narrative related to the larger story of Genesis?

And Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, "God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel; for Cain killed him." (Genesis 4:25). Seed of the WomanSeed of the Serpent AbelCain Lamech Literally, “another SEED”

Seed of the WomanSeed of the Serpent Abel & SethCain Lamech Enoch Noah ShemHam AbrahamCanaan

Genesis 6:14 Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch. tb; Te Same word is used for the ark into which the baby Moses was placed

Genesis 6:15 This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.

Noah’s three sons (6:10) Covenant with Noah (6:18) Promise to destroy the earth with a flood Command to take food (6:21) Noah & Family enter the ark (7:1) Flood on the earth (7:11 – 8:13)

The Lord shuts the door and it rains 40 days and nights (7:15-16) At the end of 40 days Noah opens the window (8:6) Waters increase until the mountains are covered (7:18-20) Waters decrease until the mountain become visible (8:4-5) 150 days waters prevail (7:21-24) 150 days waters abate (8:3) God Remembers Noah (8:1)

Noah’s three sons (6:10) Noah’s three sons (9:18) Covenant with Noah (6:18) Promise to destroy the earth with a flood Covenant with Noah (9:8-17) Promise not to destroy the earth with a flood Command to take food (6:21) Command not to eat blood (9:14) Noah & Family enter the ark (7:1) Noah & Family come out of ark (8:14) Flood on the earth (7:11 – 8:13)

Terah Three sons Ten Generations Noah Three sons Ten Generations Adam

Genesis 11:1-2 Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. 2 It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.

● Babel

Genesis 11:3-4 They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4 They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

Genesis 11:9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth. lb, B'  Babel

Genesis 11:9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.ll;B'  Balal lb, B'  Babel

Genesis 11:29-30 And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 And Sarai was barren; she had no child.

Genesis 12:1-2 1 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; 2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;

Genesis 12:3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

● Ur Haran ● And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew… …and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan. (Genesis 12:5).

Genesis 12:7 And the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him. Literally, “to your Seed”

Genesis 12:7 And the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him. Lot, the Nephew of Abram Eliezer of Damascus Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who shall come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.“ (Genesis 15:4).

Genesis 15 & The Covenant Ceremony So He said to him, "Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon." 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. (Genesis 15:9-10).

Genesis 15 & The Covenant Ceremony And it came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram… (Genesis 15:17-18).

Quest for a Son Lot, the Nephew of Abram Eliezer of Damascus Ishmael Isaac – “Laughter”

Abram called to Faith: Promise of a Seed (12:1-9) Sojourn in Egypt & Denial of Sarai (12:10-20) Lot separates from Abram (13) War on Sodom; Rescue of Lot by Abram (14) Covenant Ceremony; Animal sacrifice (15) Ishmael born (16) Covenant Sign; Circumcision (17) Destruction of Sodom; Rescue of Lot by Angels (18-19) Sojourn in Gerar & Denial of Sarah (20) Ishmael separates from Abram (21) Abraham’s Faith Tested: Blessing of the Seed (22)

Abraham’s Test And Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, "In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:14).

Seed of the WomanSeed of the Serpent IshmaelIsaac Abraham JacobEsau Whose Seed are You?

Birth of Twins: Jacob is named (25:19-34) Interlude: Rebekah in foreign palace, pact with foreigners (26) Jacob fears Esau and flees (27:1 - 28:9) Jacob’s encounter with God — ladder (28:10-22) Arrival in Haran (29:1-30)

Haran

Birth of Twins: Jacob is named (25:19-34) Interlude: Rebekah in foreign palace, pact with foreigners (26) Jacob fears Esau and flees (27:1 - 28:9) Jacob’s encounter with God — ladder (28:10-22) Arrival in Haran (29:1-30) Jacob’s wives are fertile (29: :24) Jacob’s flocks are fertile (30:25-43) Flight from Haran (31) Jacob’s encounter with God — angel (32)

Birth of Twins: Jacob is named (25:19-34) Interlude: Rebekah in foreign palace, pact with foreigners (26) Jacob fears Esau and flees (27:1 - 28:9) Jacob’s encounter with God — ladder (28:10-22) Arrival in Haran (29:1-30) Jacob’s wives are fertile (29: :24) Jacob’s flocks are fertile (30:25-43) Flight from Haran (31) Jacob’s encounter with God — angel (32) Jacob returns and fears Esau (33:1-20) Interlude: Dinah in foreign palace, pact with foreigners (34) Death of Rebekah’s nurse: Named Israel (35)

The Joseph Story A problem of favoritismA problem of favoritism Deception with garments and a goatDeception with garments and a goat Departure from the landDeparture from the land Egypt in the days of JosephEgypt in the days of Joseph Joseph’s ImprisonmentJoseph’s Imprisonment Joseph’s ExaltationJoseph’s Exaltation Israel’s Entrance into EgyptIsrael’s Entrance into Egypt

Genesis 50:19-20 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”

A Pattern of Israel’s Purpose Altars & WorshipAltars & Worship A Sense of PurposeA Sense of Purpose UnityUnity Racial & Religious PurityRacial & Religious Purity