ot - reading report

8/7/2019 OT - Reading Report

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Chapter 7

The Pentateuch contains a single plot flowing through each of the books in a skillfully unified

narrative from start to finish. There is a focus on the link between the promise of blessing andthe nationhood of Israel, for the nation cannot be born without the fulfillment of the promise.

There is also a link between the faithful promises of God and the faithful trust that the peoplemust have in those promises to enjoy them. Finally, while the fruition of God's blessing is realized

in the people of Israel they do not experience the fulfillment of God's blessing realized in thepromise land, so the end of the Pentateuch is future oriented and is an unfinished story completed

in the book of Joshua.

Chapter 8

The book of Genesis begins by focusing our attention on the most important family line of Adam

and traces this line throughout the book giving careful attention to the seed of the woman, whileinterweaving a view of the seed of the serpent. Adam's family line though is a royal line of chosen

descendants in which God actively works to preserve and continue the seed of the woman unto

salvation, from Adam to Seth to Noah to Shem to Terah to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob andultimately Judah and Joseph. These seeds produce the accounts that are given the most attentionto draw a distinction between life and death. The New Testament implications of this are seen as

Abraham's offspring natural or adopted are provided life giving spirit by being made righteousthrough faith.

Chapter 9

God's blessing was present with Adam and Eve within the garden, but when Adam disobeyed the

sin of his choice brought about the presence of God's cursing. This meant that not only was

Adam's sin imputed upon all mankind, but that we would also experience the increased pain ofGod's curse upon the ground. Furthermore, the affects would be experienced by the entire family

line of Adam, but with the coming of this curse there was also a blessing for the chosen royallineage. This blessing was given to Adam's descendant Abraham as he was promised to be a

blessing to many nations and thus the royal line would function as a mediatorial lineage of God'sblessing to others. Genesis lays the foundation for a future descendant of Abraham who would be

a blessing to the whole world by removing the curse and obeying like Adam did not. The NewTestament implication for this are found in the person and work of Jesus Christ who comes to

ultimately fulfill this promised blessing to the nations through the line and as the seed ofAbraham.

Chapter 10

There is an inextricable connection between humanity and the earth. Both were created perfectly

to abide together in an interdependent relationship as seen in the Garden of Eden, thus the result

of sin would not only affect man morally, but would affect man physically as he was expelled fromthe garden. The garden was where man could commune with God intimately and personally, so

the implications of this lost paradise were far reaching. But man was not left without a solution tothis problem, as God promised Adam's descendants through their faith in God a promise land.

This land would once again be a sign of God's blessing upon the royal lineage which wouldresemble the garden, but most importantly provide a way for them to experience the riches of his


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blessing. The New Testament implication here is that of a greater fulfillment in the promise land

and a restored harmony between man and earth in the new heavens and new earth, butultimately a restored relationship to God dwelling in his very presence continually.

Chapter 11

God promises Abraham a seed, land and his divine blessing upon both as a result of Abraham's

faith and obedience, but his obedience can only come as a result of his faith in the promises. Thisis how God credits to Abraham his righteousness, through faith alone and not by any meritorious

obedience. God not only establishes a covenant with Abraham and promises him the blessing of aseed and land, but he also gives Abraham a sign and seal of this covenant promise through

circumcision displaying the special relationship between God and the royal lineage. The NewTestament implication for the righteousness of Abraham's seed is that it would be credited to

them through faith alone and not through a cultic ritual. While circumcision laid before the royal

family the sign of God's promises it was not necessary for Gentile believers to be circumcised forsalvation, but for them to experience the saving power by faith alone in Christ alone.

Chapter 12

Exodus is the continuation of the narrative for God's people as the nation of Israel is born, so

while the promise of nation has been fulfilled it has been fulfilled without the people experiencinga personal knowledge of the Lord. Exodus focuses on the significant attributes of the Lord that

are necessary for Israel to experience intimate blessing and knowledge of the Lord. Thus Israeldevelops a special relationship with the Lord, established by the Lord himself as he takes the

initiative in revealing himself through theophonies, signs and wonders providing Israel with theprivilege of growing in the knowledge of the Lord. There is a focus on knowing God as he truly is

and not how he is imagined to be, so that he may be properly worshiped. The New Testamentimplications of this intimate knowledge of the Lord can be found in the person and work of Jesus

Christ as he provided an incarnate view of God himself, revealing signs and wonders and

ultimately pointing us towards worshiping the true God truly in word and spirit.

Chapter 13

The Passover is a propitiatory event where both God's judgement is averted and the people ofIsrael are literally covered over by the blood of the lamb which provides salvation from

judgement. The Israelites are instructed to keep this as a continual celebration through thereenactment of the Passover, keeping the fest of Unleavened Bread and by the consecration of the

first born male. There participation in the Passover sanctified them and presented them as a holy

nation to God as a true royal lineage. The New Testament implication is the propitiatory eventthat Jesus accomplished through his death as the perfect paschal lamb averting God's judgement,taking it upon himself and imputed his righteousness upon us by covering over our hearts with his

redemptive blood.

Chapter 14


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God engulfs Mount Sinai as a display of his transcendence, but also his immance as he invites the

people of Israel to encamp at the base of the mountain and furthermore invites their mediator,Moses, to the mountain to experience this display more fully so that he could bring back to Israel

the very word of God. Again we see God initiating this covenant and inviting Israel to respond in

obedience. God's word is set before them so that they may be a holy nation, preserving life andworshipping the Lord as he commanded them to do. The New Testament implication of God's law

is that we must first and foremost love God and by implication we will then love our neighbor, as

Jesus came to fulfill the law and inaugurate the new covenant through his death, resurrection andascension.

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