Category Archives: Old Testament

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August 20, 2024

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Bible Overview, Old Testament

What was manna?

The Israelites ate manna for forty years. Nearly every meal, every day, seven days a week the Israelites ate manna. During the forty years in the wilderness the average Israelite would have eaten tens of thousands of meals of manna. Manna kept the Israelites alive in a land where food was scarce. Manna was so important to Israel that God commanded them to put a pot of manna in the Ark of the Covenant as a memorial of the wilderness wanderings. What was manna?

The Hebrews named their wilderness food “manna” because they did not know what it was. Manna is a Hebrew word that means, “what is it?”. Was it vegetable, meat, grain or fruit? No one knows. All the Bible says about the nature of manna is that it was bread from Heaven, was white and tasted like a flat cake made with honey. (Exodus 16:4, 31)

Every morning manna appeared on the ground. God commanded the Israelites to gather each morning enough manna to feed their own household for one day. Any who tried to store manna overnight found it rotten the next morning. The exception to this was Friday. On the sixth day of the week the Israelites were to collect enough manna for two days. The fourth commandment forbade the Israelites to work on the Sabbath. God would not send manna on the Sabbath. Instead, God would preserve the manna collected by Israel on Friday morning so that it would remain edible through Saturday.

God gave manna as the primary food to sustain the Israelites during the entire forty years of their travels in the wilderness. This daily provision was a remarkable testimony of the faithfulness of God to keep His promises and to provide for His people. Manna was more than just food to keep Israel alive. Manna was a lesson, an examination and a picture.

The Bible declares two additional reasons God sent the Israelites manna every day. He gave them manna each morning as a test of their obedience. (Exodus 16:4) The Israelites were notoriously disobedient. The manna was a daily test of their obedience. Each morning every family was faced with a choice, would they obey God today or disobey Him? The manna was one way in which the Israelites faithfulness to God was revealed.

The manna also served as a continual illustration of the Israelites need to obey God. God gave manna to teach them that a person’s life depends not only on what he eats, but also upon obedience to the Word of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3) The manna was given as a daily reminder the Israelites were totally dependent upon God for their life. If they obeyed Him they would receive His blessing.

The most important thing about manna is its imagery. Manna was a picture of Jesus. Jesus taught the manna in the wilderness was not the True Bread from Heaven. Jesus was the bread from Heaven sent from God the Father for the eternal sustenance of all who believe Him. (John 6:32-40). When Jesus said, “I am the bread of life,” He declared Himself to the be what all people need and who will give life to all who receive Him. Those who take Jesus as their Savior will live forever.

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May 7, 2024

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Bible Overview, Genesis, Old Testament

Who was Isaac?

Little is known about the promised son of Abraham. One would expect the Bible to focus on the child for whom Abraham and Sarah waited twenty-five years to receive. One would expect Scripture to say much about the life of the man who was willing to lay down on an altar and be killed as a sacrifice to God. The Bible says little about Isaac. The argument can be made that only one chapter in Genesis focuses on Isaac, compared with ten chapters that focus on Abraham, seven that focus on Jacob and ten that focus on Joseph. Isaac has a background role in the book of Genesis.

Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah, born when Abraham was one-hundred years old and Sarah was ninety. He was the son promised to Abraham as the first of countless descendants and the beginning of a great nation. Isaac was proof God would keep all His promises to Abraham.

The little known about Isaac suggests he was a man of faith who trusted his father and, more importantly, trusted God. Isaac’s faith is first seen in Genesis 22 on the way to make sacrifice at Mt. Moriah. Isaac’s age at that time is not known, but he was old enough to carry the bundle of wood required for the sacrifice. Many pounds of wood would have been needed to consume any animal sacrifice. Isaac’s ability to carry the heavy load of wood suggests he was no younger than his early teen years.

When it came time to make the sacrifice, Isaac was placed on the altar. The Bible says only Abraham and Isaac went up the mountain to make sacrifice to God. Abraham had no servants to help him restrain his son. Isaac was old enough that it would have been impossible for Abraham to put him on the altar without resorting to violence. The Bible is silent about what transpired between Abraham and his son before Abraham reached for the knife to kill Isaac, but Isaac was almost certainly a willing participant. He lay on the altar of his own accord. This readiness to be offered showed a great trust in Abraham and an even greater trust in God.

Hebrews 11:20 says, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” Isaac transferred to Jacob the promises God had first given to Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant was handed down to Isaac who then passed it to Jacob. Isaac said to Jacob, “Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you.” (Genesis 27:29) Isaac’s words are nearly identical with the promise God gave to Abraham. (Genesis 12:3) Isaac later said to Jacob, “May God Almighty bless you . . . and give you the blessings of Abraham.” (Genesis 28:3-4) Isaac had not seen any particular evidence his descendants would be a great nation or would multiply to become as numerous as the stars, but he obviously believed God would keep all His promises to Abraham. Isaac believed he was the beneficiary of those promises. By faith he gave the promise of God to Jacob in confidence God would keep His Word.

Otherwise, the life of Isaac is somewhat unremarkable. He lived in Canaan as a nomad. The Bible records a time when his faith wavered and shows that he acted foolishly in his dealings with his sons. Isaac did not commit any remarkable sins or perform any remarkable deeds. He appears to have a lived an ordinary, faithful life in which he simply trusted God to keep His Word.

Isaac is the overlooked patriarch of Israel whose unremarkable life ought to encourage people today. Isaac is praised in Scripture as an example of faith, but not because he did any incredible deeds. He is praised because he believed God. So it is today. God is seeking those who will trust Him in their daily lives. The faith of some people will be shown in a remarkable trust in God which leaves home to venture far away in service to the Lord. The faith of some will be an unshakeable trust which gives all in sacrifice to God. For the majority of people, trust in God will be exercised in the mundane events of daily life. Most are called to live a life of faith which works a job, raises a family, serves in a church and walks with God. This faith is unremarkable because it is the faith required of the majority of Christian. Isaac shows that God is pleased with the unremarkable faith which simply obeys Him, trusts His promises and is faithful to Him in the boring routines of life.

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April 16, 2024

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Bible Overview, Islam, Old Testament

Who was Ishmael?

Ishmael was the oldest son of Abraham, born ten years after Abraham left Haran to travel to the land of Canaan. Before Abraham left for Canaan, God promised him that He would give Abraham a son and, ultimately, many descendants. God also promised to bring great blessing to the entire world through the son He would give Abraham. Abraham believed and obeyed God. The years passed, but Abraham had no child.

Two major obstacles made it unlikely Abraham would father a child. His wife Sarah was unable to have children. At the time God made His promise to Abraham she was in her mid-60’s. After ten years of waiting for a child, Sarah suggested Abraham take her servant Hagar and father a child with her. Ishmael was the child born of the union between Abraham and Hagar.

Hagar’s pregnancy produced tensions between her and Sarah. Hagar’s mistress mistreated her so severely that she ran away. God came to Hagar, told her to return to Sarah and promised to give her many descendants through Ishmael. (Genesis 16:10-12) Though God promised blessings to Ishmael, He did not make Ishmael the recipient of the promise He had made with Abraham. Isaac, the son God gave Abraham through his wife Sarah was the promised son. (Genesis 17:19)

Ishmael plays a secondary role in the Bible and is only mentioned once outside the book of Genesis. He is much more important in Islam. Muslims believe Ishmael was the son Abraham took to offer as a sacrifice to God, not Isaac as Genesis 22 teaches. The Quran regards Ishmael as a prophet, and Muhammed is believed by Muslims to be a descendant from Ishmael.

After the birth of Isaac, the problems between Hagar and Sarah became so severe Abraham had to send Hagar and Ishmael away. The two eventually settled in an isolated region north of the Gulf of Aqaba. There Ishmael married an Egyptian and fathered twelve sons. Each of his sons became founders of nations and rulers of people. God made Ishmael the father of multitudes, just as He had promised. (Genesis 16:10; 21:18) Some Arab peoples living in the Middle East today trace their lineage back to Ishmael.

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April 9, 2024

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Bible Overview, Old Testament

Who was Moses?

Moses is one of the most important people in the Old Testament. He was born a slave, survived infancy despite a decree to kill all newborn Jewish boys, was adopted by an Egyptian princess and raised in the royal house of Egypt. Moses became the first national leader of Israel, led the Israelites out of Egypt, talked directly with God and gave God’s law to the people of Israel.

Moses was a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of the Levites. He was born in Egypt after the Israelites had been made slaves of the Egyptians. At that time of Moses’ birth, the population of Israel had greatly increased. Pharaoh was afraid the Israelites were becoming too numerous, so he ordered that every Jewish boy be killed at birth. Moses’ parents refused to obey. They hid Moses for the first several months of his life. When it became impossible to keep him hidden, his mother made a small basket of reeds, placed her baby inside, set it afloat in the Nile and left her daughter to watch it.

A short while later Pharaoh’s daughter came to the river and saw the basket. She sent a servant to bring the basket to her. When she saw the baby boy inside she took pity on him, adopted him as her own and named him Moses. Moses was raised in the royal house, but when he was forty years old he killed an Egyptian for beating an Israelite. Moses was forced to flee Egypt and settled in the land of Midian. In Midian he married and fathered 2 sons. After forty years in Midian God spoke to Moses from a burning bush.

While Moses was tending his flock he saw a bush on fire. Upon investigation he realized the bush was not being consumed by the fire. God spoke to Moses from the bush. He told Moses to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of their captivity to the land God had promised the descendants of Abraham.

Moses argued with God but eventually went to Egypt where he told the Israelites what God had told him. Moses went to Pharaoh and asked permission to leave Egypt. When Pharaoh refused, God sent ten plagues on the people of Egypt. Finally, after the death of the oldest child in every home in Egypt, the Egyptians let the Israelites go.

God led the Israelites to the Red Sea where the army of Egypt attempted to recapture the escaped slaves. God parted the waters of the Red Sea, the Israelites crossed the sea on dry ground. When the Egyptians attempted to follow them, God caused the waters to collapse on the Egyptians and drowned the army.

Moses then led the Israelites to Mt. Sinai where he spoke with God. God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the rest of the law of Israel. Moses then gave God’s laws to the people. Moses led the people from Mt. Sinai to the borders of the land God had promised to give them. When the Israelites refused to enter the land, God condemned that entire generation, except Joshua and Caleb, to die in the wilderness. Moses led the people south into the deserted lands between Egypt and Canaan.

Moses led Israel in the wilderness for forty years until it was time for them to return to the promised land. Moses did not enter Canaan. He died on a mountain overlooking the promised land and his body was taken away by angels.

Moses is one of the most important people in Israel’s history. He was the friend of God, the giver of the law, the first leader of the nation of Israel, the first author of Scripture and the first prophet of Israel.

If you would like to read more about Moses, you can find much of the above information in the first fifteen chapters of the book of Exodus and the last chapter of the book of Deuteronomy.

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March 14, 2023

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Noah's flood, Old Testament, The Bible

Did Noah take dinosaurs on the ark with him?

Genesis 6 tells the story of Noah building a massive ship, filling it with animals and then surviving a year long, world destroying flood. When the flood ended, Noah, his family and all the animals left the ark. The world was repopulated by these refugees who were saved from the flood. All people and land animals alive today trace their lineage back to the flood’s ark borne survivors.

The Biblical account of the flood has prompted some to wonder about dinosaurs. Were dinosaurs on the ark? If dinosaurs survived the flood, why are none left alive today? If Noah did take dinosaurs on the ark, how did he fit all those massive animals on one ship?

The Bible gives a clear answer to the first question. Yes, dinosaurs were on the ark. In Genesis 6:19-20 God said, “And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female . . . two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.” Then Genesis 7:13-15 says, “Noah … entered the ark . . . and every beast after its kind . . . went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life.” The Bible says two of every kind of air breathing, land animals went onto the ark with Noah. This means dinosaurs were on the ark with Noah.

Which raises the question of how Noah was able to fit all the animals on the ark. Some dinosaurs were massive and only one pair would have filled a large portion of the space available on the ark. However, not all the dinosaurs were huge. Most animals, including dinosaurs, are fairly small. The size of the average dinosaur was closer to that of a sheep than of a school bus.

Furthermore, Noah had no reason to bring fully grown animals onto the ark. He could have filled the ship with adolescents. Younger animals would have taken up less room than full grown adult and would have been able to bear more children after the flood. Extremely large animals require several years to reach full size. For example, an elephant requires at least 15 years to reach full size. Even fast growing animals like cows usually require a couple years to reach full size. Noah could have taken on board juvenile animals that were large enough to be independent of their parents, but were not yet fully grown. This simple solution would have provided ample room for all the animals to fit on the ark.

If Noah took dinosaurs on the ark, then why are none left today? That question is best answered by asking another question. Why aren’t there any giant sloths, wooly mammoths or short faced bears left today? They went extinct. The causes of dinosaur extinction are unknown. Various ideas have been suggested by creation scientists, including a dramatic change of the environment after the flood or over hunting by humans. Whatever happened to the dinosaurs after the flood, the Biblical account of the flood is a reliable record. Noah brought dinosaurs onto the ark.

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February 28, 2023

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Old Testament

Did the Israelites cross the Sea of Reeds?

The ten plagues culminated in the death of the firstborn son in every family in Egypt. Israel was driven out out of Egypt by the grief stricken, terror filled Egyptians. Instead of guiding the Israelites directly towards Canaan, God led Israel south into the wilderness. This set the stage for one final showdown between Pharaoh and God. Exodus 14 describes that climactic event which concluded Israel’s dramatic deliverance from Egypt.

The people of Israel were led to a camping place along the shore of the sea and close to a range of mountains. Pharaoh determined to reconquer Israel and he pursued them with all his army. The army of Egypt caught up to Israel at the sea and effectively pinned them against the waterline. God intervened and divided the waters of the sea so Israel could cross safely to the other side. When Pharaoh’s army tried to cross, the waters crashed back onto the Egyptians drowning Pharaoh and his army.

Exodus 14 does not mention the sea by name, but Exodus 13 says God led Israel into the wilderness of the Red Sea. In Exodus 15 Moses sings a song of praise to God for their deliverance. He says, “Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.” (Exodus 15:4) Later books of the Bible also identify the sea Israel crossed as the Red Sea.

Some have argued that Israel did not cross the Red Sea, but that they walked across a now unknown area known as the Sea of Reeds. According to some this sea would have been much shallower than the Red Sea and much more likely to be pushed back or parted by the strong east wind mentioned in Exodus 14. Some have even suggested that this sea of reeds was nothing more than a marshy area through which the Israelites waded.

The word translated “red” can be legitimately translated “reed” as well as “red.” In fact, it is translated as reeds in several places in the Old Testament. (i.e., Exodus 2:3) However, this body of water is also identified as the location of Solomon’s fleet of ships. (1 Kings 9:26) Solomon could not have built a fleet on a marshland, nor are any lakes in the area large enough to be home to a fleet of anything larger than fishing boats. Since the Mediterranean Sea is generally identified as “the sea” or “the great sea” in the Old Testament, then the Red Sea is the only other body of water on which Solomon could sail a fleet of ships. Consequently, the sea the Israelites crossed must be what we know today as the the Red Sea or one of it’s gulfs.

Various places have been identified as the site of the crossing of the Red Sea, but none can be proven. The exact location of the crossing is of secondary importance to certain other Biblical facts. The body of water was near to Egypt and miraculously divided by God for Israel’s deliverance. The Israelites crossed the sea on dry ground with walls of water on either side of them. The Egyptians attempted to follow Israel into the sea and were destroyed by the inrush of water when it collapsed back into it’s normal bed.

The place of Israel’s crossing could not have been a shallow marshy area that was made slightly less damp by the strong east wind. None can say with certainty if the site of this deliverance was the main body of the Red Sea or one of its gulfs. What is certain is the Bible’s declaration that God miraculously delivered His people from their Egyptian enslavers by parting the water for Israel to cross on dry ground.