Covenant
God binds Himself to a people by promise, from Noah and Abraham to the nation at Sinai.
Canon division
The Law (Pentateuch)
The five books of Moses, from creation to the edge of the Promised Land.
Overview
The Law: the Pentateuch (“five scrolls”), called the Torah (“instruction”) in Hebrew, is the foundation on which the rest of Scripture is built. In these five books God creates the world, calls a people to Himself, rescues them from slavery, and binds them to Himself by covenant.
The story moves from the widest possible frame: creation, the fall, the flood, and the scattering of the nations (Genesis 1-11): down to a single family: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve tribes. Through Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers God redeems that family from Egypt, gives them His law at Sinai, teaches them to worship through the tabernacle and its sacrifices, and leads them forty years through the wilderness. Deuteronomy closes with Moses renewing the covenant as a new generation stands ready to enter the land.
Everything that follows: the history, the Psalms, the Prophets, and ultimately Christ Himself, looks back to these books. Jesus said the Law and the Prophets testify of Him (Luke 24:44).
Key themes
Redemption
The exodus from Egypt becomes the Bible’s defining picture of God saving His people.
Holiness
A holy God teaches sinful people how to draw near through sacrifice, priesthood, and law.
Promise
Land, offspring, and blessing are pledged to Abraham and carried forward toward Christ.
Books in this section
The 5 books of this division, in order. The 5 with a full study on this site are linked.
GenesisBeginnings: creation, the fall, the flood, and the patriarchs.ExodusRedemption from Egypt, the law at Sinai, and God dwelling with His people.LeviticusLaws of sacrifice and holiness for a people near a holy God.NumbersIsrael's wilderness journey and the failure of a generation.DeuteronomyMoses' final sermons: the covenant renewed on the edge of the land.