WELCOME TO THE OLD TESTAMENT STUDIES
Studying the Old Testament is so important for Christians, simply because it helps us understand the New Testament. It’s full of exiting stories, many of which we can learn from.
We hope you find these studies useful, uplifting and more importantly, we pray they help with your knowledge and understand of the Old Testament.
FOR MORE STUDIES ON EACH OF THE TOPICS, PLEASE CLICK ON THE PICTURES OR LINKS BELOW!
OLD TESTAMENT
CREATION AND EVOLUTION
If there’s ever a highly debated subject in the world, it has to be the topic of creation and evolution. There are many ideas and theories out there, and so, in this page we will be answering the questions, what actually happened in the beginning? We will look at the creation days and solve the dinosaur problem, as well as looking at the creation of man and asking what are the spirit, body and soul? why did God create us if He knew we would sin? And of course, we’ll look at the theory of evolution. Creation And Evolution
THE MARK OF CAIN!
From the way in which Genesis 4:15 reads in some popular translations, it’s not surprising that Bible readers are led to hold the view that God placed on Cain a physical mark which was intended to be a sign to any who might want to harm him, that he was under the protection of God. What does it really mean? The Mark Of Cain
THE ‘SONS OF GOD’ IN GENESIS 6
In Genesis 6 we find the phrase, the ‘sons of God married the daughters of men’, but who were these ‘sons of God’? If you read through Genesis 4-5, you’ll clearly see who the ‘sons of God,’ are and one thing we can say with certainly, is that they weren’t ‘fallen angels’ as some suggest. Who Are The ‘Sons Of God’ In Genesis 6?
THE TOWER OF BABEL
In Genesis 11 we see the beginnings of that world empire which became reality under Nebuchadnezzar a long time later. They were ignoring the plan and command of God and forming an ambitious plan for human confederacy which left God outside. They hadn’t learned to trust and serve God, even after the lesson from the flood itself. The Tower Of Babel
LIFE AFTER THE FLOOD
We all know that nobody is going to stay in a graveyard if they are sufficiently motivated. Nobody wants to be stuck in a cemetery, but everyone is. You see, Noah and his family, when they left the ark, did not step into paradise regained. They stepped into what I call, ‘A grave new world’. Life Straight After The Flood
The Sacrifice Of Issac
In Genesis 22 we read about one of the most significant events in the life of Abraham, the sacrifice of his only son Isaac. We read about real faith in action, not only with Abraham but with Isaac himself. Faith isn’t simply about hearing God’s commands, but it involves obeying those commands.
This whole event was pointing towards what God would eventually do with His own Son, Jesus. The Sacrifice Of Isaac
Jacob’s Stairway To Heaven
Jacob took a stone, using it as a pillow and fell asleep and whilst sleeping he dreamt of a stairway resting on the earth but reaching heaven.
The stairway was symbolising a connection between heaven and earth. Jacob’s Stairway To Heaven
Jacob’s Wrestle
This is surely one of the most amazing and yet very complex text within the Scriptures.
This is Jacob’s last night on his own on this side of the place and as we’ll notice, he wrestled with a man until daybreak. But who is this man? Did Jacob Wrestle With An Angel Or God?
HOLY GROUND
The burning bush caught Moses’ attention. This was no ordinary occurrence, ‘strange sight’. This was a divinely created aberration, not just a case of spontaneous combustion, or light shining through the branches. It was designed to grab Moses’ attention, so God could speak, as all miracles were not an end in themselves, but pointed to the word. Holy Ground
Two Experiences Of Moses
We can only imagine what it would have been like for Moses to have been up Mount Sinai speaking with God for forty days and forty nights. We can also imagine the disappointment he felt when he came down from Mount Sinai forty days later. The Two Greatly Contrasting Experiences Of Moses
FROM EGYPT TO SINAI
Israel’s journey from Egypt to Sinai is one full of adventure but also full of heartache for God as His people continue to disobey Him. We learn a lot about God but even more about man’s sinful nature. Lord willing we can learn from their mistakes and learn to trust God more on a daily basis. From Egypt To Sinai
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
The ten commands are the basis for the Hebrew law, the first four are focused on their relationship towards God and the next six are focused on their relationship with each other and other people. God is going give these laws because He wants them to love Him because of what He’s done for them up to this point in time. The Ten Commandments
THE SABBATH
Some religious groups today, maintain that the 4th commandment found in Exodus 20:8, ‘Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,’ is binding on Christians today. But by simply showing that this command, along with the rest of the old law, has been abolished proves this view to be wrong.
In this study we will be looking at how Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath and we will be answering the questions, what exactly was purpose of the Sabbath Day and are we commanded to worship God on the Sabbath? What are ‘High Day’ Sabbaths? The Sabbath
THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
The picture shows a model of the Ark, where the lid has been removed so you can see the contents that fit inside the Ark: 1. The two stone tablets of the Law. 2. Aaron’s rod that budded. 3. The golden pot of ‘hidden’ manna. Together these three items form the Testimony, Exodus 25:21 ‘Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you.’ hence the Ark is called the Ark of the Testimony. The Ark Of The Covenant
THE TABERNACLE
The Tabernacle is a picture, a foreshadow of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Book of Exodus, when God dictates to Moses the detailed design of the Tabernacle (some 1450 years before the birth of Jesus), He speaks forth a description of just who and what the coming Messiah (the Christ) would be. In the four gospels, particularly in John’s account, Jesus shows Himself to be the reality of every item in the Tabernacle. The real Tabernacle of God with men is therefore the Lord Jesus Christ. The Tabernacle
THE URIM AND THUMMIM
The Urim and Thummim were used at critical moments in the history of God’s people when special divine guidance was needed. The civil leader was expected to make use of this means for all important matters for which he needed direction. There is no convincing evidence that the Urim and Thummim were used after the time of David. What Were The Urim and Thummim?
KINGDOMS
The most glorious part of the history of Israel was the United Kingdom, so called to distinguish it from the Divided Kingdom which followed. The death of Solomon ended the greatest period in the history of Israel, the United Kingdom. This was followed by the Divided Kingdom which lasted 388 years.
As we move forward to the New Testament we see the greatest kingdom of all being established, the kingdom of God. Kingdoms
THE PROMISED LAND FULFILMENT
Most people are in agreement that all the promises given to Abraham have been fulfilled.
However, there are a few people who believe that the ‘land’ promise hasn’t been fulfilled yet! Has God’s ‘Land’ Promise To Abraham Been Fulfilled?
David, A Man After God’s Own Heart
To try and understand why David was a man ‘after God’s own heart’, we need to contrast the character of Saul who was Israel’s first king, with the character of David, their second king. The question is, do we desire what God desires? Why Did God Say That David Was A ‘Man After His Own Heart’?
ELISHA AND THE FORTY-TWO BOYS
Hidden in the Old Testament is a story which many believe is very disturbing, a story, which on the surface seems a little ‘unjust’ for those involved and for some a little ‘over the top,’ in terms of their punishment. Elisha And The Forty-Two Boys
CAPTIVITY AND RETURN
“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion!” Psalm 137:1. Technically, the Exile period deals with the history of Israel during the 70 years of captivity in Babylon, while the Restoration period describes the dealings of God with Israel after the 70 year captivity. Israel’s Captivity And Return
BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON
The Babylonian captivity of Judah is to be understood primarily by an examination of the political movements of the 3 superpowers, Assyria, Babylonia and Egypt in the last half of the 7th century. At this time the Deuteronomic reform of Josiah occurred. Josiah’s grandfather, Manasseh was a vassal of mighty Assyrian kings Esarhaddon and Assurbanipal. The cultic reform was a part of a greater movement in Judah to emancipate the state from Assyrian influence. By The Rivers Of Babylon
Comfort For The Christian
It’s argued by some that Psalm 139 is one of the greatest Psalms ever written by David. This Psalm of David reminds us that God is always with His people, no matter where they are or where they go. Have you ever had moments where you feel like you’ve been abandoned by God? Comfort For The Christian. Psalm 139
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ISAIAH
When we go through the Book of Isaiah, it becomes very clear that he was speaking about the Gospel of Christ, the good news.
There are so many prophecies concerning Christ and His kingdom, it would be difficult to come to any other conclusion. The Gospel According To Isaiah
NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was that of a great and awesome image. Its head was of fine gold, its breast and arms were of silver, its belly and sides of brass and its legs of iron with feet part iron and part clay.
A stone ‘cut out without hands’ struck this image on its feet destroying it so thoroughly that its fragments were like the chaff of a summer threshing floor with the wind carrying the pieces away. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
THE FIERY FURNACE
We must admire the faith and courage of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Their answer was blunt and to the point. Regardless of God’s actions on their part whether he would choose to rescue them or permit them to die they would not serve any of the gods of Babylon nor worship the gold image. The Fiery Furnace
THE WRITING ON THE WALL
When this fingers appear in from of Belshazzar and began to write upon the wall, it’s understandable that he would be freaking out. He goes to his knees and they begin shaking and knocking against each other. He’s suddenly terrified and under great fear as he sees the writing on the wall. The Writing On The Wall
THE LION’S DEN
The story of Daniel in the lion’s den is one of the most famous stories in the Bible. However, what isn’t that well known is the reason as to why Daniel was thrown in the den in the first place and what happened afterwards. Daniel In The Lion’s Den
THE ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION
The abomination of desolation is a phrase out of the Book of Daniel that refers to a sacrilege that would be so detestable that it would cause the temple to be abandoned by the people of God. The Abomination That Causes Desolation!
‘A TIME, TIMES AND HALF A TIME’
The phrase, ‘a time, times and half a time’ represent a period of opposition and persecution, but which lasts for only a limited time, because God has determined both the final deliverance and victory of His people and the destruction of the evil one responsible for their oppression. What Is The Meaning Of ‘A Time, Times And Half A Time’?
DAVID ‘FULFILS’ GOD’S WILL!
Paul declares that David was described by God, as ‘a man after my own heart, who shall fulfil all My will’, and yet, according to the historical books of the Old Testament, it’s clear he had many ‘wives and concubines.’ How Could David ‘Fulfil God’s Will’, If He Had Many Wives?
PSALM 23
Written by David the 23rd Psalm has been called the ‘Pearl of the Psalms.’ It probably is one of the most quoted Scripture in the Bible. Many believe he wrote it later years recalling his days as a shepherd. As a boy, he would have been given the responsibility of looking after the family sheep, a job no one else wanted. The Pearl Of The Psalms
THE ‘GODS’ OF PSALM 82
The Old Testament passage, in the Hebrew text, reads, ‘I Myself said you are gods,’ and it is important to notice that the pronoun, is emphatic. The stress should be placed on the ‘I Myself’, because the speaker is God and He is addressing those whom He calls the ‘elohim’. Who Are The ‘gods’ Mentioned In Psalm 82:6?
THE REDEEMER
When Isaiah issued his prophecy, everyone in Judea recognized that ‘servant of Yahweh’ was one of the titles of the Messiah who was to come. But, then, faced with this passage, which declares that the servant of Yahweh would suffer and even be put to death; that was too much for them! The Redeemer Revealed!
EZEKIEL’S VISION
Ezekiel saw visions of the glory of the Lord God of Israel and his ministry never lost the impress of it. Such is the importance for Ezekiel’s life and ministry of Ezekiel 1 of the book of Ezekiel. The vision in Ezekiel 1 is referred to again in Ezekiel 10 and Ezekiel 11. In this inaugural vision the prophet is seeking to picture something which far surpasses the power of any human language to express. Ezekiel’s Vision
JONAH AND THE FISH
There are many people who believe that Jonah actually died in the stomach of the fish and many people who believe that he didn’t, the truth is we simply don’t know, despite there being many arguments for and against. Did Jonah Die In The Fish?