Tag: Deuteronomy

A bike and the Bible – long dark tunnel – part 7

The beginning of the Old Testament can feel like a long dark tunnel. Here are insights to shed some light on the first five books of the Bible.

Tunnel entrance

The moment had arrived. No more stalling. I clumsily made my way to the tunnel entrance. I couldn’t see daylight. This was like the beginning of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. At the risk of being redundant, Genesis means beginning.

Darkness

In the beginning of Genesis the earth is formless and void. Darkness covers all. That’s what this tunnel felt like. Pure black nothingness. I had no idea where I was going, what to expect, what I would find, and all the while I felt like I was going to fall.

Fall

Which is actually a good metaphor for the beginning of Genesis because a fall happens pretty quickly. It’s “the Fall” that gets referenced everywhere. I heard that phrase a lot growing up but wasn’t exactly sure what it meant. What fall? Who fell?

Well, Adam and Eve, the first man and woman. They listened to a voice other than God’s, then questioned what they thought they knew, but more importantly questioned God’s love for them. The resulting consequence was a fall from grace and a boot out of the Garden, not because God didn’t love them, but because He did.

Before God sent them away from the Garden, He clothed them to cover their shame of being exposed.

God wants to cover our shame too.

Grateful for the light

Back in the long dark tunnel I was grateful for the light on my bike though it seemed pretty dim compared to the darkness that surrounded me. I was thankful to have my husband riding in front of me so I had some sense of direction and a little more light to guide my way.

In fact, this tunnel was filled with other cyclists, many who appeared to be experienced with the layout of the tunnel, or at least to me it seemed that way. With all those riders, this really dark tunnel had a constant stream of light flowing through it. This perpetual light may not have been bright but it was fairly steady.

Not alone

We are not alone when we read the Bible. We may know other people who have already read the stories we are just experiencing. I personally appreciate the people who like me are in the process of learning what’s inside.

Connection

The best part of reading the Bible is finding connection to God. When we read the Bible we take a step toward Jesus. The moment we open our Bibles we open our hearts to the possibility of time with Jesus.

Tried to maintain control

It took all my concentration to stay upright and not ride into the gutters that flanked the sides of the tunnel. For some reason the wheels kept leaning toward the gutters. Later I would find out the tunnel was slanted so the water that dripped from the ceiling could run off into those handy water troughs but for me they were reminders of how quickly I could go off course. I gripped the handle bars while I tried to maintain control.

Two-way tunnel

Did I mention this was a two-way tunnel? Yes, not only was I conscious of the riders behind me – who probably wanted to pass – but I had to watch for the ones sailing back up toward the entrance.

Funny, I didn’t grasp what was happening at the time, but some point later in the ride I realized I, too, would have to make the return trip. God was kind to keep me out of the loop at the start of the ride.

Foundation

Reading the Bible has similar characteristics. When I led a group of people through the whole Bible we spent a lot of time in Genesis. So many of the stories in Genesis lay the foundation for other sections of Scripture. If you haven’t read Genesis I encourage you to start there. If you want an overview of what’s in it, here’s a reference point:

Through Genesis – shedding light on the journey

If you read through Genesis you’ll find it flows into Exodus, which also continues with the story concept, though this one focuses primarily on the story of Moses and the Israelites. Here are some tips on how to navigate Exodus:

Find your stride – how to navigate Exodus

After Exodus comes the stumbling block of Leviticus. Most people like to skip this one, but reading with a group kept me accountable and I read through it. Leviticus is worth the trouble if you’re up for it. Here’s some help to survive the ride through it:

How to survive the journey through Leviticus

Much like the tunnel that never seemed to end, Leviticus can feel like a plunge into darkness. But if you even take the time to skim it, you’ll find some content that relates to Jesus in a most profound way.

And if you survive the journey through Leviticus, you have the reward of Numbers which begins with a mind-numbing census. Here are a few highlights of what can be found in Numbers:

How to find knowledge in the narrative of Numbers

Rounding out the first five books of the Bible is Deuteronomy, the book of remembrance. I personally find it ironic because if I make it this far through the Bible, it’s doubtful I remember what I read up to that point. Here are a few highlights to what’s in Deuteronomy:

Finding reminders in the book of Deuteronomy

If you followed me through this list then congratulations, you just made it through the long dark tunnel of the first five books of the Old Testament.

I want to give you permission to forget what you read. The Bible is always available for us to come back to and open it to remember what we’ve seen. But most of all, God is always available to reach out to – that’s all I need to remember.

Catching up on this series?

A bike and the Bible – an adventure – intro – part 1

A bike and the Bible – reservations – part 2

A bike and the Bible – what I thought – part 3

A bike and the Bible – getting started – part 4

A bike and the Bible – finding a Bible – part 5

A bike and the Bible – before the ride – part 6

Through the tunnel and into the light

This was the view that awaited me after the long dark tunnel at the start of the bike ride.

waterfall view after tunnel
The peaceful view just outside of the 1.661 mile long tunnel.

Catching my breath. A place to pause.

Did you follow the journey through the long dark tunnel on the Hiawatha bike ride? The Hiawatha bike trail is a 15-mile trek along an old train route which starts in a pitch black tunnel. A tunnel 1.661 miles long.

Daylight

After a very rocky ride through this darkness, we finally emerged into daylight. This waterfall awaited us at the entrance. Thank you, Jesus.

Waterfall

I stopped, a bit awkwardly, but managed to find my footing. I stepped off my bike and walked right up to the waterfall. Pausing. Breathing. Soaking in the peaceful view in the middle of the chaos with my feet firmly planted on the ground.

After the rocky start, the shaky ride, the turbulent trek, I took a moment to stand and be still.

Confidence to keep going

We were, after all, still at the beginning of our journey. We had barely started our trip. This glimpse of refreshment gave me a way to gear up for the next phase. I had made it through the dreaded tunnel, which gave me a boost of confidence to keep going.

First five books of the Bible

Did you make it through the first five books of the Bible?

  • Genesis
  • Exodus
  • Leviticus
  • Numbers
  • Deuteronomy

If you did, wonderful. If you didn’t, just note the names of them as we continue looking through our Bibles.

Rest

We have more ground to cover, but for now let’s take a moment to rest and enjoy the view.

Finding reminders in the book of Deuteronomy

Last time we looked at Numbers. Now we’re up to Deuteronomy, a book filled with familiar content, because it covers the trek of the Israelites led by Moses.

Remember the bike ride?

I haven’t mentioned the bike ride I went on in the last few posts, so I’ll remind you about it now. Last I spoke of it I was riding through a 1.661 mile tunnel that was pitch black save the lights on each person’s helmet. Does that ring a bell?

What we’ve covered so far

Do you remember what we’ve covered so far? Deuteronomy is the book of remembrance. The fifth book of the Pentateuch, the books of the Law or the books of Moses. Don’t worry about remembering all that but do consider noting a few details.

How Deuteronomy begins

Deuteronomy begins, “These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan…” (Deuteronomy 1:1a)

Moses is the one speaking

It’s helpful to remember that Moses is the one speaking throughout most of the book of Deuteronomy, reminding the Israelites of all that has transpired up to this point. You see, the Israelites will soon enter the Promised Land but Moses won’t be going with them. This is his speech to the people before they depart without him.

What Moses highlights

With that in mind, here is some of what Moses highlights:

Ch 1 -3 A bit of a travel log, the good, bad, and the ugly.

 – How far they’ve traveled, where they are going, and where God is leading them; who is to lead; their travels and what they’ve encountered along the way.

Key verses are Deuteronomy 1:34-38 to see who actually gets to enter the Promised Land and who doesn’t.

Ch 4-26 The bulk of this book is a reminder of the commands, instructions and regulations God has given the Israelites.

Ch 18:1-2 References the inheritance of the Levites.

Ch 28 – 30 Blessings, covenant, and curses.

Ch 31 The passing of the baton to Joshua. Notice which book follows Deuteronomy?

Reminders to the Israelites

As you peruse the book of Deuteronomy, keep in mind these are reminders to the Israelites. Moses reminds them what God has done and what they have been taught. He also gives them instructions for the next phase of their journey.

Context

To help bring context and tie this book into the four that preceded it, look for familiar names or situations that appeared in one of the earlier books of the Bible, for instance, the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5 and Exodus 20) or the incident with the Golden Calf (Deuteronomy 9:7-21 and Exodus 32).

Don’t get bogged down in the details of this book, but do let it be a reminder of what came before.

Recognizing the first five books of the Bible

Beginning a journey into the Old Testament can feel like a ride into a dark tunnel. However, recognizing the first five books of the Bible sheds some light on the path.

How much longer in this dark tunnel?

Riding through the tunnel alternately pedaling and praying, I scooted to the side and wondered how much longer we would be traveling in darkness.

I was so grateful for the other riders, even if the sheer numbers and chaos was unsettling. I certainly benefited from the additional light in the tunnel and was grateful I was not alone.

The return journey

Some people were headed in the opposite direction up through the tunnel, as it was the only way back to the parking lot. Did I mention the return journey? At the end of the trail, riders caught a shuttle bus back to the entrance of the tunnel, but they still had to ride back through the tunnel in the opposite direction to arrive once again at the trail head and the parking lot.

So this crazy ride through the tunnel would happen one more time! I’m so glad I developed some coping skills to make it through the first time.

Whether this is your first time through the Bible or another pass through, I’d like to provide some big picture references along the way to help us with perspective, retention, and comprehension.

Old and New Testament

The Bible is divided into two main parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. Jesus arrives in the flesh in the New Testament, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t in the Old Testament. Huh? We can let this concept remain unsettled for now.

The idea that Jesus is in the Old Testament even though he doesn’t arrive on scene until the New Testament is one of the amazing aspects of the Bible. The more we familiarize ourselves with the contents of the Bible, the more we will start to see some of these really cool references.

First five books of the Old Testament

For now, we can orient ourselves to the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, or the books of Moses. These are also referred to as the books of the Law. Don’t worry if any or all of these terms is confusing. They’ll make sense later in the process.

Genesis – Exodus – Leviticus – Numbers – Deuteronomy

Memorize the names of these five books in order. Review the “Books of the Old Testament” from Wee Sing Bible Songs if you need to. Knowing these five by name will help us find some solid ground in the Old Testament.

Old Testament key players

Soon we’ll go deeper into the details of Genesis, but for now, here is a high level overview of the first five books of the Bible, based on key players in these books:

Genesis – God and Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

Exodus – God and Moses

Leviticus – God, Moses, and the Israelites

Numbers – God, Moses and the Israelites

Deuteronomy – God, Moses, and the Israelites

Are you still with me? We will dive into more details in subsequent posts. For now, familiarize yourself with the names of the first five. I think you’ll find it useful.