Survey of the Old Testament

Selections from Survey of the Old Testament (Appropriate for all ages)

Suggestions for study:

The scripture references on the left are those suggested for all readers, including the very young. Asterisk lines are provided as a suggestion for one study period.

In the next column to the right are brief explanations and other helpful information. The scriptures mentioned in those explanations can be studied for those who want to go deeper. When the information states to "see" a certain scripture, it is to be looked up and read by all. Obviously, it is the reader's choice as to whether all the verses will be read, even those not mentioned in the study.

Additional information is provided from time to time throughout this study. Pertinent notes are added in italics including some of the prophesies relating to the coming of the Messiah. Keep in mind one of the main themes of Scripture is to maintain an appropriate lineage for the Messiah. At times, it was necessary for Almighty God to destroy much evil to maintain this lineage. (See the appendix for why we need the Old Testament - More of God's Purposes for the Written Word.)

Definitions that occur in the study are explanations of words in the King James Version, from which this study was prepared, in order to get a more accurate message. Keep in mind the modern translations are easier to read, but this study is an attempt to maintain the original meanings. Difficult words and expressions have been researched to bring clarity to the King James rendering of the Scriptures.

Follow along with the dates provided to know approximately what time period is indicated.

Scriptures that are noted in bold print and underlined are links to New Testament events and fulfillments. Finding all of the prophesies and matching them with the New Testament scriptures would be a study in itself.

Mention is made throughout regarding suggested scriptures for memorization.

Informational pages such as: Exit from Egypt, Maps information, Tribes, Kings, Isaiah 15 & 16 references, More of God's Purposes for Old Testament Scriptures, etc. can be located in the appendix at the end of this study.

(2348 BC)

Genesis

9: 1-4, 6-19, In verse 6, God commanded man to not destroy human life. Man and woman were to be fruitful and multiply, thus at that time, men were allowed to have more than one wife. The rainbow would be a 25-29 sign of God's covenant with Noah. Noah's sons were Shem, Ham and Japheth. Verses 20-27 tell of Ham's sin, the curse on him, how it would affect his descendants the Canaanites, and then the blessings on Shem and Japheth.

10:1, 6-10, The generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth - Ham was the ancestor of 15-20 Nimrod who was a 15-20 mighty hunter before the Lord. That word, before, means against the Lord. The beginning of the kingdom of Babel began there in Shinar.

(2247 BC)

Genesis

11: 1-9, This tells about the plan to build the tower of Babel. (The people is one means they were in unity and could accomplish anything they imagined.) God scattered the people, their language was confused, and the city was called Babel. 24-32 In the generations of Shem listed, we can see Abram was a descendent of Noah's son Shem.

(Ur of the Chaldees - The Chaldees were the people who inhabited the country called Shinar where Babylon was the capital. It was the part of Babylonia that bordered on the Persian Gulf. Other references to the Chaldeans are in II Chronicles 36: 17, Ezra 5: 12, Nehemiah 9: 7, Habakkuk 1: 6, II Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Keep the beginnings of the Canaanite and Chaldean nations in mind as you continue this study. Haran was in Paddanaram which was also part of the Babylonian Empire at that time; it later fell to the Medes and Persians. The people there were Chaldeans and worshipped the Chaldean gods.)

(1921 BC)

Genesis God called Abram at age 75. This calling was a prophesy of future events.

12: 1-7 The end of this chapter tells of a famine and Abram went down into Egypt.

13: 1-2, 5-18 Abram and his brother's son, Lot, separated.

14: 18-20 Chapter 14 is the battle of the kings and Abram was victor. More information can be located regarding this king and priest Melchizedek in Hebrews 6:20 to 7: 28.

Nehemiah

(446- 445 BC)

(Nehemiah was born and raised in Babylon during the captivity; however, he was taught Hebrew ways and the Law. He sought God regarding the deplorable condition of Jerusalem and the Jews who had been left there. The city walls and gates had been destroyed by the Babylonians.

The captivity had ended; leave from Babylon had been granted to the Jews. Nehemiah, a cup bearer of King Artaxerxes in the Persian court, was commissioned by Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls and gates of the city.)

(446 BC)

1: 1-11 Nehemiah's prayer - 2: 1-20 This was preparation to rebuild the wall, then opposition . . .

(445 BC) Chapter 3 lists the gates and who was assigned to repair them.

4: 1-23 Sanballat of Samaria and Tobiah the Ammonite mocked the workers.

Nehemiah's prayer and his plan. . . The work continued.

5: 1-7, There was a famine in Jerusalem, and some of the Jews were taking advantage of their poorer brothers. They were also required to sell their fields to pay the king's tax as well as other 11-12, injustices and cruelty. Nehemiah was quite angry about what was happening to his brothers.

14-19 As governor, Nehemiah was allowed to require the people to supply his food needs plus 40 shekels of silver for other expenses. He did not, but was kind to the poor and provided for his own needs.

(445 BC)

6: 1-16 Sanballat's deceit - Nehemiah would not flee into the temple to save his life. The wall was finished in 52 days.