The Big Picture of the Torah

SUMMARY: When we step back and look at some features of the Torah as a whole, we can gain insight into the message of this long and complex book.

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Composed of five long "books," the Torah can be an imposing read. Furthermore, it is complex, combining many types of literature, including historical narrative, poetry, genealogy, case law, and speeches. In this study, I hope to give some helpful "big picture" points that will help us keep the forest in mind once we start walking through the trees.

THREE BIG STORIES

• Genesis 1-11: The Beginning. The story of creation, early life in the land, and the scattering of the nations before God called Abraham.


• Genesis 12-Exodus 19: The People. The story of Abraham's family from his calling to their enslavement in Egypt, to the Exodus, to their establishment as a nation at Mt. Sinai.


• Exodus 19-Deuteronomy: The Law. The story of Israel receiving the Law at Mt. Sinai, wandering through the wilderness, and the new generation being instructed as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

Since Genesis 1-11 is obviously introductory, we see that the main story of the Torah really breaks down into two parts: (1) the Hebrew people before the Law, (2) the Hebrew people under the Law.

This leads to our second observation.

TWO MAIN BIOGRAPHIES

• Abraham pictures the life of faith before the Sinai law covenant.


• Moses ultimately pictures the life of failure under the Sinai law covenant.

The main characters before the Law were the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). These fathers of Israel are Scripture's main examples of God's way of "by grace, through faith" (Ephesians 2.8-9). Though they were extremely flawed individuals, they "believed the Lord, and the Lord reckoned it to [them] as righteousness" (Genesis 15.6). Abraham is even said to have fulfilled God's whole law (Genesis 26.5). How is this? Most certainly not because of his works, for he failed time and time again; but because of his faith, by which he was counted righteous.

Before the Law, Moses is also portrayed as a man of faith, through whom God worked signs and wonders to produce faith in the Hebrews (Exodus 4.29-31). However, under the Law, the great prophet was finally prevented from entering the Promised Land. Why? Because of his unbelief (Numbers 20.12).

The Torah is making an all-important point that is only fully developed in the N.T. by the Apostle Paul in letters like Galatians and Romans: The Law cannot save, for it produces sin and unbelief. It is only by God's grace through faith that people are counted righteous before God.

THE FUTURE HOPE

In his works on Genesis and the Pentateuch, Dr. John Sailhamer has identified a literary pattern in the Torah that, when analyzed, communicates that the outlook of the work is primarily eschatological, that is, it points to the future as a key component of its theological message.

Each of the first four chapters of Genesis is organized in the following pattern:

1. A detailed historical narrative
2. A poem or poetic speech emphasizing a climactic theme
3. A conclusion or epilogue

So, for example, in chapter 1, you have the creation account (1.1-25), a poetic description of the creation of humans in the narrative of the sixth day (1.27), and then the seventh day as conclusion to the story. Compare chapters 2, 3, and 4 and you will find the same pattern.

When Sailhamer stepped back and surveyed the entire Torah (Gen-Deut), he found the same pattern on a macro-level.

Part One—Genesis (from Creation to Egypt)

1. Genesis 1-48. Narratives of the beginning and the patriarchs
2. Genesis 49. Poetic blessing speech by Jacob
3. Genesis 50. Conclusion: Jacob's death, Joseph & his brothers, the family in Egypt

Part Two—Exodus-Numbers (from Egypt to the Land)

1. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers 1-21. Narratives of Israel, the law, the wilderness
2. Numbers 22-24. Balaam's poetic oracles
3. Numbers 25-26. Conclusion: The unfaithfulness of Israel and final census
   

Part Three—Deuteronomy (Preparing to enter the Land)

1. Deuteronomy 1-31. Sermons of Moses to the new generation
2. Deuteronomy 32-33. The poetic song and blessing of Moses
3. Numbers 25-26. Conclusion: The death of Moses
   

What is most interesting about this pattern, on both the micro and macro-level, is that it highlights the POETIC sections. These sections are like "red ink" (Sailhamer's term) that bring out the significant themes the author wants to drive home.

Furthermore, each of the poetic speeches on the macro-level is introduced in the same fashion.

• A significant character gathers others around him before an important event
  
• He speaks to them about what will happen "in the latter days"

And so, in Gen 49.1, it is Jacob addressing his sons before his death. In Numbers 24.17, it is Balaam addressing Balak before Israel enters the Promised Land. In Deut 31.28-29, it is Moses addressing the children of Israel before his death and their entrance into the Land. Each speech is introduced by the character saying he will tell his audience about "the latter days." And so, at three significant points in the story, when a great change is about to occur for God's people, one of their leaders looks beyond the immediate events at hand (which, though important, will not provide the answer to restoring God's blessing to the world) and looks far into the future to a time of God's ultimate judgment and salvation whe the world will finally be put to rights.

The Torah begins with the words, "In the beginning...." Each major section ends with an address about "the latter days," a time beyond the circumstances of the characters in the story. The Torah is eschatological in nature, which means it is pointing us beyond itself and the events it portrays to God's future.. The "answers" it gives about how God restores his blessing to a fallen world in the grip of sin, evil, and death lie in the future. And note how that future hope is presented:

Genesis 49.10
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and the obedience of the peoples is his.

Numbers 24.17-19
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near—
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the borderlands of Moab,
and the territory of all the Shethites.
Edom will become a possession,
Seir a possession of its enemies,
while Israel does valiantly.
One out of Jacob shall rule,
and destroy the survivors of Ir.

Deuteronomy 32
Rejoice, O nations, with His people;
For He will avenge the blood of His servants,
And will render vengeance on His adversaries,
And will atone for His land and His people.

The Torah points its readers forward to the coming of the Lion of Judah, the rightful Ruler, the Royal Star who will rise to defeat God's enemies and rule over all. The Torah points to the day when God will call all nations to rejoice with his people in his righteous judgment and the atonement he has made for them.

Study Two: Starting at the Beginning—Reading the Torah

SUMMARY: The first part of the Bible is a five-part book called the Torah. Moses wrote this book for the generation of Israelites who were about the enter the Promised Land. By taking their perspective, we can better understand this book.

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The Five-Fold Book
The Bible begins with a five-fold work consisting of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In our Bibles these appear to be five separate books, but they are traditionally understood as one cohesive work. This section is sometimes called the “Pentateuch” (five-fold book). Other passages in the Bible speak of this as the “Law,” the “Law of Moses,” the “book of Moses,” or simply “Moses.”

Tradition says Moses wrote this work, and Scripture itself supports this tradition. For example, Deuteronomy 31.24-29 portrays Moses completing the book and giving it to the Levites to be kept beside the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle. When Jesus quoted from this part of the Bible, he referred to Moses.

Though often referred to as the “Law,” that title can be misleading. The Hebrew word is “Torah,” which refers to a father’s instruction. The Torah instructs us by telling God’s story from creation to the days just before Israel entered the Promised Land after Moses’ death. It includes descriptions of the laws and ordinances God gave Israel at Mt. Sinai, but these are by no means the main focus of the work. I will refer consistently to this part of the Bible as the Torah.

The Torah is the Bible’s foundation. All the great themes that are developed and brought to completion in the Bible are introduced here. It is like a seed that contains the entire story that unfolds throughout the rest of its pages.

Why Moses Wrote the Torah
However, the Torah is also a work that has its own integrity, and we should read it that way. In order to grasp its meaning, we must first remember who wrote it, the audience that received it, and the circumstances they were in when it was given to them.

Moses wrote this book for the generation of Israel that had come out of the wilderness from Mt. Sinai and was preparing to enter the Promised Land under Joshua. Their parents had celebrated the first Passover, been redeemed from Egyptian slavery, crossed the Red Sea, traveled to Mt. Sinai, entered into a covenant with God to be his chosen nation, rebelled against him early and often, and were ultimately sentenced to perish in the wilderness. This younger generation had now come of age and was ready to take up the task of living under God’s laws in the Promised Land.

If we keep this in mind, many details in the Torah become clear. For example, why did Moses tell the story of creation as he did, in Genesis 1-3?

• God transforming the wilderness and preparing a good land for his people
• God separating the waters to prepare the good land
• God setting the lights in the sky for signs and seasons (in the Torah this phrase refers to the festivals of worship God gave in the law)
• God creating in six days, then resting and consecrating the Sabbath
• God placing his people in a good land of abundance
• God giving his people a commandment that they were to obey
• God exiling his people from the good land when they disobeyed him

Can you see that Moses wrote to his people in a language that was directly applicable to them and their situation? God had promised that he would lead Israel through the waters and the wilderness into a good land, where he would abundantly provide for them and give them rest. There they would be fruitful and multiply and display God’s image to the other nations, as long as they rested in his provisions and obeyed his commandments. If the people failed to do so, they would be removed from the land and taken into exile. The story of the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve was their story.

One passage in the Torah that states this explicitly is Deuteronomy 30. Here is a key portion of that chapter, which specifies Moses’ challenge to those about to enter the land.

...See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

This is the message that Moses wanted to leave with his audience, and it summarizes the Torah’s story, its main themes, and the future prospects of the people of God.

When we put ourselves in the sandals of those who stood on the banks of Jordan, waiting to enter the Land, we can read the Torah with more insight and understanding.

Study One: The Big Picture of the Bible

SUMMARY: Before jumping in and trying to understand the details of this massive book called the Bible, it is a good idea to grasp its overall structure and story.

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The Big Picture of the Two Testaments
The Bible consists of two parts, commonly called the Old and New Testaments. I prefer to call the Old Testament, the “First Testament” or the Hebrew Bible. Both testaments are like libraries, consisting of books grouped together in sections.

First Testament

• The Torah (the “law” of Moses)
• The Prophets (historical books & writing prophets)
• The Writings (poetry and wisdom books)

New Testament

• The Gospels and Acts
• The Epistles

The books and sections in the First Testament appear in different orders in different versions. In the Christian Old Testament, the order is like this:

The Torah

• Genesis through Deuteronomy

The Historical Books

• From Conquest to Exile: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles
• Exile and Post-Exile Books: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

The Wisdom Books

• Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs

The Prophets

• Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel
• Minor Prophets: The Twelve (Hosea through Malachi)

In Jewish editions of the Hebrew Bible, the order is like this:

The Torah

• Genesis through Deuteronomy

The Prophets

• Early Prophets: Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings
• Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve (Hosea through Malachi)

The Writings

• Psalms, Job, Proverbs
• Five Scrolls: Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Esther
• Daniel
• Ezra-Nehemiah
• 1-2 Chronicles

The main difference, as you can see, is that the Hebrew Bible places the prophets near the historical books and puts the poetic and post-exile books at the end, whereas the English OT puts all the historical narratives at the beginning so that one can read the story straight through from creation to the end of the Jewish exile in Babylon.

However, the big picture is the same—the First Testment has three basic parts: Torah, Prophets, Writings.

When you approach the Bible, it can be helpful to know that its books are grouped in sections. Step back and appreciate the big picture of the book before you dive into its details.

The Big Picture of the Bible's Story
The story of the Bible is told in five basic parts:

Creation and Fall

• Genesis 1-11
• Creation, Garden of Eden, Fall, Cain & Abel, Noah & flood, emergence of nations, Tower of Babel

The People of God

• Genesis 12-Exodus 19
• Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, twelve tribes, Moses, exodus from Egypt, to Mt. Sinai

Life under Law, Kingdom, & Exile

• Exodus 20-Malachi
• From Joshua to David & Solomon, divided kingdom, exile in Babylon, return from exile
• This section includes the prophets and the wisdom and poetic writings that were written during this period.
  

The Dawning of the Messianic Kingdom

• Matthew-John
• The life, ministry, and finished work of Jesus the Messiah

The Expansion and Consummation of the Messianic Kingdom

• Acts and the Epistles
• The ministry of the apostles, establishment of the church, worldwide mission, future hope

The Big Picture of the Bible's Message
The Bible tells claims to be God's revelation of himself and his plan for creation and human beings. It is a selective history from the Divine point of view. And it has a message for all of us.

• CREATION. God created all that is, and made this world to be a sacred place where human beings would reflect his image, live together in his blessing, and care for his creation.

• FALL. People chose instead to seek their own way rather than God's, and thus became separated from him and his blessings, under the penalty of corruption, conflict, and death in a fallen world.

• ISRAEL. God chose to work through a people to restore his blessing to humankind and all creation. He selected Abraham and made a great nation from his descendants, redeeming them from their oppressors, giving them his law, settling them in the Promised Land, raising up kings, prophets and wisdom teachers, and patiently bearing with them when they failed to walk in his ways.

• PROMISES. All through this time in many ways, God spoke to his people and promised that in the last days he would come to restore his blessing to them and, through them, to all humankind. He promised to give them a new heart, a new Spirit, and a new King who would rule over them and all the world in righteousness and peace.

• EXILE. Ultimately, God cast his people into exile. However, he did not forget them, but in time brought them back to the Promised Land. Nevertheless, even thought they had returned home geographically, Israel remained under foreign domination and in spiritual exile, still waiting for God to fulfill his promises.

• JESUS. After many years of silence and oppression, God sent his promised Messiah. Jesus, God's Son, was born to the virgin Mary, grew up, was baptized by John, and began his ministry in Israel. Traveling about, he announced that the promised Kingdom was dawning in their midst. He proclaimed that everything Israel had failed to do under the Old Covenant would now be fulfilled in his own life and ministry. Jesus taught a new Torah, worked signs and wonders as evidence of the in-breaking Kingdom, gathered a new people around him, died on a cross as foretold by Scripture, and was raised from the dead as God had promised. He ascended into heaven and poured out the promised Holy Spirit, inaugurating the "last days," when God's blessings will be fully restored to all creation.

• MISSION. This is the age in which we live today. Those whom Jesus has forgiven and made new are now announcing that his Kingdom is coming, and all are invited to join it by trusting in him. In and of ourselves, we have no ability to reform our lives and restore God's blessing to his creation, for we are sinful and weak. However, through Jesus and his finished work of bearing our sins and defeating evil and death, we can be forgiven and made new, part of the new creation he is establishing.

• CONSUMMATION. One day, Jesus promised he will return to consummate the Kingdom. On that day, he will put creation to rights. All will be made new. Righteousness and peace will characterize the world. God will bring in a new heavens and new earth, and Jesus will reign over all.