The Old Testament is divided into four divisions, namely: Pentateuch, History, Poetry, Major and Minor Prophets. The number of the books in the Old Testament is 39. They are divided as follows:

Division of the Books:
i. Law or Pentateuch - 5 books total

The first five books of the Bible are called the Law or Pentateuch. These books consist of the ceremonial law, and moral law, including the Ten Commandments. Moses wrote all these books; however, Joshua wrote the last chapter of Deuteronomy. The books in this division are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

a. Genesis focuses on the following subject areas: Creation, the Fall, the Flood, the spread of the nations, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph’s Enslavement in Egypt.

b. Exodus focuses on the following subject areas: Enslavement, Moses, 10 plagues, Passover, Leave Egypt, Red Sea Crossing, Mt. Sinai, and the Ten Commandments.

c. Leviticus gives instructions on the Levitical sacrificial system and the priesthood along with instructions on moral purity.

d. Numbers tells of the Israelites at Mount Sinai, the making of the idol, punishment, 40 years of wandering begins.

e. Deuteronomy focuses on Moses' discourses on God's Acts for Israel, the Decalogue, the ceremonial, civil, and social Laws, and covenant ratification.

ii. Historical Books - 12 books total

a. Joshua - The first half of Joshua describes the 7 -year conquest of the Land of Promise. The last half deals with partitioning the Lands to the people.

b. Judges - Time of Judges. Many were quite bad. The Israelites did not drive out all the inhabitants of Canaan and began to take part in their idolatry. 7 cycles of foreign oppression, repentance, and deliverance. In the end, the people failed to learn their lesson.

c. Ruth - Kinsman redeemer in Boaz, redeeming Ruth, a Moabitess. Speaks of righteousness, love, and faithfulness to the Lord. The next 6 books trace the time from Samuel to the Captivity

d. First Samuel - Samuel carries them from judges to King Saul

e. Second Samuel - David as King, adultery, and murder.

f. First Kings - Solomon, Israel is powerful. Solomon dies in 931 B.C., then division of tribes: 10 to the north and 2 to the south.

g. Second Kings - The Divided Kingdom. All 19 kings of Israel were bad; therefore, captivity in Assyria (722 B.C.). In Judah, 8 of 20 rulers were good but went into exile too.

h. First Chronicles - A recounting of the history of Israel to the time of the captivities.

i. Second Chronicles - continued recounting of the life of Solomon, the building of the temple. History of Judah only. The Next 3 books deal with Israel's Restoration

The Next 3 books deal with Israel's Restoration

j. Ezra - Cyrus let most of the Jews return to their land of Israel. Zerubbabel led the people (539 B.C.). Ezra returned later with more Jews (458 B.C.) Built the temple.

k. Nehemiah - Building the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah got permission from the king of Persia to rebuild the walls (444 B.C.). Revival in the land.

l. Esther - Took place during chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra. Mordecai. Plot to kill the Jewish people.

iii. Poetical - 5 books

a. Job - a righteous man tested by God. Deals with God's sovereignty.

b. Psalms - Consists of 5 divisions. Worship in song. Large variety of subjects

c. Proverbs - Practical wisdom in everyday affairs.

d. Ecclesiastes - All is vanity. The wisdom of man is futility.

e. Song of Solomon - A song between Solomon and his Shulammite bride displaying the love between a man and a woman. (Typifies relationship between Christ and His Church.)

iv. Prophetical - 17 books (Major Prophets- 5 books)

a. Isaiah - Looks at the sin of Judah and proclaims God's judgment. Hezekiah. Coming restoration and blessing.

b. Jeremiah - Called by God to proclaim the news of judgment to Judah, which came. God establishes a New Covenant.

c. Lamentations - 5 lament poems. Description of defeat and fall of Jerusalem.

d. Ezekiel - He ministered to the Jews in Captivity in Babylon. Description of the end of times.

e. Daniel - Many visions of the future for the Gentiles and the Jews.

v. Minor Prophets – 12 books

a. Hosea - Story of Hosea and his unfaithful wife, Gomer. Represents God's love and faithfulness and Israel's spiritual adultery. Israel will be judged and restored.

b. Joel - Proclaims a terrifying future using the imagery of locusts. Judgment will come but blessing will follow.

c. Amos - He warned Israel of its coming judgment. Israel rejects God's warning.

d. Obadiah - A proclamation against Edom, a neighboring nation of Israel that gloated over Jerusalem's judgments. Prophecy of their utter destruction.

e. Jonah - Jonah proclaims a coming judgment upon Nineveh. But they repented and judgment was spared.

f. Micah - Description of the complete moral decay in all levels of Israel. God will judge but will forgive and restore.

g. Nahum - Nineveh has gone into apostasy (approximately 125 years after Jonah) and will be destroyed.

h. Habakkuk - Near the end of the kingdom of Judah, Habakkuk asks God why He is not dealing with Judah's sins. God says He will use the Babylonians. Habakkuk asks how God can use a nation that is even worse than Judah.

i. Zephaniah - The theme is developed of the Day of the Lord and His judgment with a coming blessing. Judah will not repent, except for a remnant, which will be restored.

j. Haggai - The people failed to put God first, by building their houses before they finished God's temple. Therefore, they had no prosperity.

k. Zechariah - Zechariah encourages the Jews to complete the temple. Many messianic prophecies.

l. Malachi. - God's people are lax in their duty to God. Growing distant from God. Moral compromise. Proclamation of coming judgment.

On Wednesday, January 1st, 2024 we will begin our Daily Bible Reading program. During this first segment of reading, we will be reading from Genesis to Deuteronomy. The goal is for every member to prayerfully read the assigned chapter each day as we seek to study to show ourselves approved. We trust that every member of the United Apostolic Church will come on board and “search for truth” daily and apply the truth received to their lives.

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