How the content of The Torah relates to the remainder of the Hebrew Scriptures

The Torah refers to the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. They are attributed to Moses, although higher criticism attempts to teach that other authors not connected to Moses wrote the Torah. These books are the foundation to the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. This study is an attempt to show how the content of the Torah relates to the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. Because the study is short, it will be done following the broad themes found in each book of the Torah and how that theme is also found in the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. The study proceeds as follows. NIV Bibles has been used.

• Genesis

Genesis is a book of beginnings based on Thoughtco.com (2017). It is also a book of election of Israel to accomplish God’s purposes. Verse 1 begins as follows: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth… God commanded the beginning of all things. The rest of Genesis 1 continues to narrate the creative words and acts of God. On the sixth day, God creates mankind and gives him authority to rule his creation. Later, man fell into sin and God promised a deliverer. Genesis 3v. 15 states:

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

God would later call Abraham in Genesis 11, and out of him, he would bring a deliverer. The rest of the Hebrew Scriptures are founded on the theme of beginnings and God as a deliverer. Isaiah 53 is a prophecy based on the promise of God in Genesis. All the prophets taught God’s people about the deliverance of God. Later God delivered Israel from Egypt.

• Exodus

Insight.org (2019) states that the overall idea  of Exodus is redemption. God is a redeemer and he will redeem his people. Exodus 6v. 6 states:

Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.

Yahweh delivered Israel from Egypt with an outstretched hand. The theme of redemption is found in the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. Often, God’s people fall into bondage, and God redeems them. In Isaiah 45, God uses Cyrus to set his people free from Babylon. The prophets prophesied of judgment and deliverance after God’s people repented.

• Leviticus

The main theme in the book of Leviticus is worship. Overviewbible.com (2018) states that Leviticus is not just a book of rules but a book of worship. Leviticus 1v. 1 begins this way:

The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.

The tent of meeting was a place of worship where God met with his people. Sacrifices were part of worship. The rest of the Hebrew Scriptures carry on the theme of worship. God’s people are seen everywhere worshipping God and offering sacrifices to him. In 1 Chronicles 16v. 29, the people worship God saying:

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

Leviticus is the foundation of worship in the rest of the Old Testament.

• Numbers

Gotquestions.org (2019) states that Numbers reminds believers of spiritual warfare and walk of God’s people. Numbers 2v. 34 states:

So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.

They were camped in an army formation near the tent of meeting. Each group had its own leaders. This is a revelation about spiritual walk and war. The same theme is found in other books of the Hebrew Scriptures. God’s people were to walk with God by obeying him and this led to victory in all their wars. Joshua 4v. 13 states:

About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.

After the death of Moses, Joshua took over leadership. And the people continued walking with God spiritually. The priests carried the ark of covenant, and Israel defeated its enemies. This theme of spiritual walk and war is also seen in the life of David. He walked with God, and won battles.

• Deuteronomy

Gentry (2014) states that Deuteronomy is about renewal and expansion of the Sinai covenant. The book restates earlier laws in a sermonic style. The old generation had died off in the wilderness, and the new generation had to renew its covenant with God. Deuteronomy 29v. 1 states:

These are the terms of the covenant the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb.

The theme of covenant renewal is found in the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. Whenever the people sin, God calls them to repent and he would renew them. God in Ezekiel 11v. 19 promises renewal saying:

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

This verse shows the rest of Hebrew Scriptures carry on the theme of covenant renewal.

References

Book of Genesis. (n.d). Retrieved March 19, 2019 from thoughtco.com/book-of-Genesis-701143

Book of Numbers. (n.d). Retrieved March 19, 2019 from gotquestions.org/Book-of-Numbers

Exodus. (n.d). Retrieved March 19, 2019 from insight.org/resources/bible/the-Pentateuch/exodus

Gentry, Peter J. (2014). The Relationship of Deuteronomy to the Sinai Covenant. Retrieved March 19, 2019 from galaxie.com/article/sbjt18-3-04

Leviticus: How to be holy. (n.d). Retrieved March 19, 2019 from overviewbible.com/leviticus