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Bible History 

The Law of Moses

I.                    AS A TEXT

A.      Written by Moses

1.    Written by divine revelation (Deuteronomy 29:29) –Moses did not need to be there

2.    Written by divine direction (2Peter 1:21)

a.       His birth (Exodus 2:1-2)

b.      His meekness (Numbers 12:3)

c.       His rebellion (Numbers 20:11-12,24)

d.      His death (Deuteronomy 34:5-8) 

B.       Titles

1.    Pentateuch

a.       Scholarly name

b.      Means “five books”

2.    Torah

a.       Jewish name

b.      Means “law”

3.    The Law of Moses

a.       Biblical name (Ezra 3:2; 7:6; 1Corinthians 9:9)

b.      Bible references: 21 times

(1)   Old Testament: 14 times

(2)   New Testament: 7 times

C.      One of the Divisions of the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44)

1.    The Law of Moses

2.    The Prophets

3.    The Writings

D.      The Five Books

1.    Genesis

a.       Name means “beginnings” –compare generations, generate

b.      Theme: Creation (Genesis 1:1)

c.       Ends “in a coffin in Egypt”

2.    Exodus

a.       Name means “departure”

b.      Theme: Redemption (Exodus 6:6; 12:13)

3.    Leviticus

a.       Name means “book of the Levites”

b.      Theme: Holiness (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7-8)

4.    Numbers

a.       Name means “census” or “numbering”  -notice that only potential soldiers were counted (Numbers 1:6)

b.      Theme: Warfare (Numbers 31:1-8)

5.    Deuteronomy

a.       Name means “second law”  -not a new law; but a summary, repetition and application of the Mosaic Law

b.      Theme: Obedience (Deuteronomy 7:6-11)

II.                 AS A TOPIC

A.      The Place of the Law in Doctrine  -see notes on Romans 7

B.       The Divisions of the Law of Moses

1.    By application

a.       Moral Law

(1)   Basic moral principles

(2)   The ten commandments

b.      Ceremonial Law

(1)   Man’s duties to God

(2)   Concerns tabernacle, priesthood, sacrifices, feasts, etc.

c.       Civil Law

(1)   Man’s duties to man

(2)   Concerns families, servants, strangers, crimes, property, justice and various regulations

2.    By attitude

a.       From Jewish tradition of 613 commandments (mitzvot) in the Mosaic Law

b.      365 negative commandments corresponding to the 365 days in a solar year

c.       248 positive commandments corresponding to the number of parts in the human body

3.    By time (traditional)

a.       Time-bound – commandments which must be observed at a particular time (during the day or during the year)

b.      Non-time-bound

4.    By reason (traditional)

a.       Rational – the reason for doing it can be seen by reason

b.      Nonrational – cannot be supported by human reason

Bible History

From Egypt to the Promised Land

I.                    EGYPTIAN BONDAGE

A.      Move to Egypt (Exodus 1:1-7)

1.    Joseph’s arrival (Genesis 45:4-8)

2.    Jacob’s move (Genesis 45:9-13,25-28; 46:1-7)

3.    Roll call (Exodus 1:1-6)

4.    Blessings in Egypt (Exodus 1:7)

B.       Bondage in Egypt (Exodus 1:8-22)

1.    A new king (Exodus 1:8)

2.    Slavery imposed (Exodus 1:9-14)

3.    Male babies ordered killed (Exodus 1:15-22)

II.                 EGYPTIAN EXODUS

A.      Call of Moses (Exodus 2:1-6:30)

1.    Moses’ birth and adoption (Exodus 2:1-10)

2.    Moses’ choice (Exodus 2:11-25; Acts 7:23-29; Hebrews 11:24-27)

3.    Moses’ call (Exodus 3:1-4:31) –four excuses

a.       Position (3:11)

b.      Knowledge (3:13)

c.       Influence (4:1)

d.      Ability (4:10)

4.    Moses comes (Exodus 5:1-6:30)

B.       The Ten Plagues (Exodus 7:1-11:10)

1.    Water to blood (7:1-25)

2.    Frogs (8:1-15)

3.    Lice (8:16-19) –first the Egyptians could not do & first that created life

4.    Flies (8:20-32) –first the Israelites did not suffer

5.    Murrain (9:1-7) –first that brought death

6.    Boils (9:8-12) –first that directly afflicted man (on his person)

7.    Hail (9:13-25)

8.    Locusts (10:1-20)

9.    Darkness (10:21-29)

10.Death of firstborn (11:1-10)

C.      Four Compromises

1.    In the land (8:25)

2.    Not very far (8:28)

3.    Men only (10:11)

4.    Leave your flocks (10:24)

D.      Passover and Departure (Exodus 12:1-51)

1.    The Passover (12:1-28)

2.    The sending out (12:29-36)

3.    The first steps (12:37-41)

a.       600,000 men (v.37)

b.      A mixed multitude (v.38a)

c.       Cattle and crackers (v.38b-39)

d.      430 years of bondage (v.40-41)

4.    A night to be remembered (12:42-51)

III.               WILDERNESS JOURNEY

A.      Red Sea Crossing (Exodus 13:1-15:21)

1.    Instructions (13:1-22)

2.    Deliverance (14:1-31)

3.    Song of praise (15:1-21)

B.       Early Travels (Exodus 15:22-18:27)

1.    At Marah (15:22-26) –bitter waters

2.    At Elim (15:27) –an oasis

3.    At the Wilderness of Sin (16:1-36) –manna

4.    At Rephidim (17:1-18:27)

a.       Water from the rock (17:1-7)

b.      War with Amelek (17:8-16)

c.       Advice from Jethro (18:1-27)

C.      Giving of the Law (Exodus 19:1-24:18)

1.    The ten commandments (Exodus 19:1-20:17; see Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4)

2.    The book of the covenant (Exodus 20:22-24:18; see 24:7)

D.      Golden Calf (Exodus 32:1-34:35)

1.    Their sin (32:1-6)

2.    Their judgment (32:7-10)

3.    Moses’ intercession (32:11-33:23)

4.    Their renewal (34:1-35)

E.       First Census (Numbers 1:1-3:51)

F.       The Nation Organized (Numbers 4:1-10:36)

IV.              WILDERNESS WANDERINGS

A.      Continued Murmurings (Numbers 11:1-12:16)

1.    Complaints about manna (11:1-15)

2.    Appointment of 70 elders (11:16-30)

3.    Provision of quail (11:31-34)

4.    Aaron and Miriam’s rebellion (12:1-15)

B.       Spies and Divine Rejection (Numbers 13:1-14:45)

1.    Report from the spies (13:1-33)

2.    Refusal to enter the land (14:1-10)

3.    Rejected by God (14:11-45)

a.       10 temptations (14:22)

b.      40 years of wandering (14:33-34)

C.      Still More Murmurings (Numbers 20:1-21:20)

1.    Water from the rock (20:1-13) –struck a second time

2.    Passage refused by Edom (20:14-21)

3.    Death of Aaron (20:23-29)

4.    Fiery serpents (21:1-9)

5.    Detour around Edom (21:10-20)

D.      Early Victories (Numbers 21:21-35)

1.    Over Sihon of the Amorites (21:21-32)

2.    Over Og of Bashaan (21:33-35)

E.       Prophecy of Balaam (Numbers 22:1-24:25)

F.       Deliverance by Phinehas (Numbers 25:1-18)

G.      Second Census (Numbers 26:1-27:11)

H.      From Moses to Joshua (Numbers 27:12-23; Deuteronomy 31:1-24:12)

1.    Joshua chosen and Charged (Numbers 27:12-23)

2.    Last words of Moses (Deuteronomy 31:1-30)

3.    Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:1-52)

4.    Blessing of Moses (Deuteronomy 33:1-29)

5.    Death of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:1-12)

V.                 CONQUEST OF CANAAN

A.      Preparation for Conquest (Joshua 1:1-5:15)

1.    Joshua’s charge (1:1-18)

2.    Jericho spied (2:1-24)

3.    Jordan crossed (3:1-17)

4.    Memorial raised (4:1-24)

5.    Circumcision and passover (5:1-15)

B.       Land Conquered (Joshua 6:1-12:24)

1.    Beachhead – Jericho defeated (6:1-27)

2.    Central conquest (7:1-8:35)

3.    Southern conquest (9:1-10:43)

4.    Northern conquest (11:1-12:24)

C.      Inheritance Given (Joshua 13:1-21:45)

1.    Special allotments (13:1-14:15)

a.       2 ½ tribes (13:1-33)

b.      Caleb (14:1-15)

2.    Major allotments (15:1-19:51) –9 ½ tribes

3.    Special provisions (20:1-21:45)

a.       Cities of refuge (20:1-9)

b.      Levitical cities (21:1-45)

D.      Final Charges (Joshua 22:1-24:33)

1.    To the eastern tribes (22:1-34)

2.    To the western tribes (23:1-16)

3.    To the assembled tribes (24:1-33)