This is the 100th and final lesson from the old testament (though next time around, we’ll likely add a few more…)
The goal will be to present a grand summary of the 99 previous lessons. It is an epic story of God’s Love, mercy and faithfulness, and our (humanity) NEED for Him.
Rather than a Narrative, this lesson is formatted as a Question/Answer session that covers major epochs in the Old Testament:
Memory Verse: The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. Psalm 98:2
Creation
Q: who created the heavens, earth and every living thing? A: God
Q: Why? A: To bring glory to Himself
Flood and restoration
Q: Why did God bring a flood that covered the earth? A: Because sin, which entered the world when Adam and Eve chose to believe a lie, spread causing wickedness in everyone.
Q: Did God completely destroy all humans? A: No, Noah and his family found favor in God’s eyes, and God spared them (and all of humanity through them).
Patriarchs
Q: What promise did God make to Abraham? A: To bless him to become the father of a great nation that would bless the whole world.
Q: Who was Abraham’s only son? A: Isaac, who’s birth was a miracle, and whose life was a testament to Abraham’s faith in God.
Q: Who was Jacob? A: Isaac’s son, who God renamed “Israel” and became the father of 12 sons (the 12 tribes).
Slavery
Q: Why did Jacob’s family move to Egypt? A: To be reunited with Joseph, and escape from a famine.
Q: What happened in Egypt? A: Israel grew into a large nation of people, then became slaves.
Redemption
Q: How did God rescue Israel from slavery in Egypt? A: He raised up Moses to lead them out.
Wilderness
Q: Why did God cause the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for 40 years? A: Because they were afraid to move into the Promised Land (they didn’t trust that God would protect them from the people who lived there, though Caleb and Joshua said not to be afraid).
Q: What did God do for the Israelites while in the wilderness? A: His presence remained with them, He fed them (mana) and gave them His law (10 commandments).
Promised Land
Q: Who led the Israelites over the Jordan River to move into the Promised Land? A: Joshua.
Q: Who were the first leaders of the nation of Israel? A: Judges, beginning with Othniel, and ending with Samuel.
Q: Who was the first king of Israel? A: Saul, who was anointed by Samuel (who God removed from power because Saul disobeyed God).
Q: Who was David? A: The second king of Israel, who God referred to as “a man after His own heart.”
Q: Was David perfect? A: Absolutely no. But he did have a repentant heart. David wrote most of the Psalms
Q: Who succeeded David as King? A: Solomon (who God named Jedidiah, which means “Loved by God”), who was wise and wrote Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon.
Q: What happened to the nation of Israel after Solomon’s reign? A: It was split into two kingdoms: Southern (Judah and Benjamin, where Jerusalem was), and Northern (other 10 tribes).
Q: How did God communicate with Israel? A: By sending prophets, such as Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah and many others, who delivered God’s messages to the people.
Exile
Q: Why did God raise up nations to overthrow the Israelite nations, and carry them into captivity. A: Because the Israelites chose to rebel against God, and didn’t follow His ways.
Return
Q: Did God allow the nations of Israel and Judah to be completely destroyed? A: No God remained faithful to His promise to preserve a remnant.
Waiting
Q: How does the Old Testament end? A: A period of 400 years of silence (no prophets), and the people of Israel (and the whole world) waiting for The Messiah…
The Gospel in the Story (It’s everywhere in the Old Testament, but this is a good summary of the good news):
“For the time is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this will be his name: ‘The LORD Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. Jeremiah 23:5-6