When people decide to read their Bible they usually give up before they even get through the first five books. They enthusiastically read through Genesis (the first book of the Bible), start losing interest about halfway through Exodus (the second book of the Bible), then quit reading altogether at Leviticus (the third book of the Bible). If they pick back up they might make it through Numbers, but then they quit again at Deuteronomy, which feels a lot like the latter part of Exodus.
I’ve heard it said that people say no to what’s confusing. And it’s been my experience that this is true when it comes to reading the Bible. If it’s confusing, people say no (and they stop reading). So in an attempt to make the Bible less confusing, I’m going to summarize each of the first five books. Here we go.
- Genesis means “origins” and covers the beginnings (or origins) of 1) the world, 2) sin and 3) the nation of Israel (through whom God would solve the problem sin created).
- Exodus means “departure” and covers Israel’s exodus (or departure) out of Egypt. Moses (Israel’s deliverer) foreshadowed Jesus, our deliverer. As Moses saved the Israelites from their slavery to the Egyptians, so Jesus saved us from our slavery to sin. Exodus also describes God’s special covenant with the nation of Israel and what God expects of a people in covenant with him (chapters 19-40).
- Leviticus means “having to do with the sons of Levi, or priests,” and instructs the priests in how to offer appropriate sacrifices to God and how to celebrate the various festivals God instituted for Israel. Leviticus also lays out that God expects his people to imitate his character (Lv 11:44).
- Whereas Exodus begins the story of Israel’s journey to the Promised Land, Numbers continues the story. After God establishes his covenant with Israel and lays out the rules for the priests, the nation is now ready to head northeast from Sinai to the Promised Land. Moses sends spies ahead to scout out the land but when the spies return, ten of the twelve spies report that Israel is too weak to defeat the people who live in the Promised Land (Canaan). This caused the people to doubt God’s ability to give them victory. As punishment for their faithlessness, Israel is sent to wander in the desert/wilderness for forty years until the whole faithless generation had died (one year for each of the days the spies spent exploring the Promised Land). This book is called “Numbers” due to all the counting of Israel’s troops that takes place throughout the book.
- Deuteronomy means “second law”. The law had to be given a second time because the whole generation of Israelites that came out of Egypt died in the wilderness (minus Moses, Caleb and Joshua).