Orientation

The Chick and the Head of Cabbage

Before a small bright yellow chick hungry

Place a large head of cabbage before it
And quietly observe what it does

It pecks, it tries to nibble, countless times

It shakes and shudders to tear a leaf
But there is little to nibble or swallow

It pecks and it picks

Try as it may
Only a hole is made of hunger
Oh could this cabbage be a fortress

It's meant to be eaten, but it can't be eaten

The chick knows it's delicious but what can it do?
Growing impatient, but too hungry to abandon

The chick can't leave the cabbage behind

Growing weary, it folds its wings quietly
Holding back disappointed tears welling up
That hungry growling and those hungry eyes

The saints want to read

the Bible
It's just that
The Bible won't be read

1.Ask questions that you've always wanted to ask

1) There are so many religions and cultures in the world. Can you really say that the God of Israel is
the true god?"
2) How am I supposed to connect the stuff I learned in school about the Big Bang, evolution, Stone
Age, Mesopotamian civilizations, with the Bible?"
3) Why make the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the first place?"
4) How can people live several hundred years?"
5) Why would 'the God' choose to show up only within the Hebrew culture?"

2.Study "Important Guidelines for Reading the Bible

1) Man can know God only through the way God chose to reveal himself: the Word of God 2) We
must believe the Scripture we have today is truly the "Word of God" 3) We must not
selectively believe portions of Scripture. 4) We must go as far as Scripture goes
and stop where it stops. 5) We should read the Bible with a studious and academic
attitude. 6) Ultimately, however, only through the illumination of the Holy Spirit can we
truly understand Scripture.
3. When you finish this course of study
1) You will know the meaning of the titles of each book of the Bible.
2) You will know how to arrange and view all the books of the Bible within a chronological time line
3) You will know where each of the non-historical books of the Bible fits in to the above time line. 4)
You will arrive at understanding of what the overall theme of the Bible from a particular point of view.
5) You will gain an understanding of the geographically important locations of the Bible
6) You will be able to read through the entire Bible in the course of this study

\
Lesson 1
The Old Testament Told as One Story

Lesson Focus

1. Grasp the story arc of the entire Old Testament

2. Learn where each of the OT books fits into the story

3. Learn to tell the story yourself!

Scotch Tape
The Bible is literally a 'story.' Much like the way how television dramas, movies, and musicals are
media to tell stories. It seems to be in our nature to be drawn in by stories. Whether that's a good
TV show, a movie, a novel, a music video, or a social media post, we are all attracted to and
absorbed by stories. We take them in and live them out in our lives.
The Bible is not just a story. It is historical truth which has happened and is moral truth which has
authority in our lives. And yet it is at its most basic level a story. The Old Testament can best be
understood through a story arc. Stories have steps following a narrative arc and contain a
beginning, a middle and an end. And the most effective teachers of the Bible know how to tell it as
a story.

You might ask, "wait a minute, I thought we were going to read through all 39 books of the
Old Testament!" That is exactly right, but before we begin, we need to see the big picture, and
understand the whole story. Let's start with the outline of the Old Testament. The problem is, the
Old Testament, which is the collection of the Bible Stories, is composed of a series of books,
and the episodes seem to be disconnected. Connecting those books through a single story arc is
no simple task!

The good news is that the "Growth Point Bible Reading School" will teach you to do exactly
that. We will piece together each piece like a puzzle and string them together like beads. So that
will be our priority.

“Huh!? How do 40 authors over a period of 1600 years, each living in their own era, complete a
single story??"

The Bible is no ordinary book.

It is one great example that shows that the Bible is a book of truth.
Once a person realizes that the Bible is a very special storybook, it becomes much more
interesting to read.

Not only that, the Bible becomes much more readable.

Why don't we get right to cooking the cabbage?

Activity
Sort the 39 books of the Old Testament by color.

Going In

A. Books of the Old Testament, told through one story arc

Now let's go right through the stories of the Old Testament Wouldn't it be great if you could tell
the Bible as a story, from cover to cover? In fact, story needs to be understood as the backbone
of the Bible. So the story begins with Genesis, which is a little easier to follow. But the plot
thickens after the nation falls apart and the people of Israel are taken captive. So, it is
important that you pay close attention to the end. Don't forget to take notes on which books of
the Bible appear as the story flows on. For example, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Ruth, Psalms,
Isaiah, just to name a few that can be identified. So, are you are ready to begin your journey into
the Bible? GO, GO, GO!!!

Genesis
1.Creation, Start of Mankind's General History

2. Dawn of History for Israel, God's Chosen People. It is a story of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their
70 descendants living in the land of the Philistines. This ends when they immigrate to Egypt
(Genesis 12-50)

Exodus
3. Abraham's descendants flourish in Egypt for 400 years. Although they are God's chosen people,
they have become enslaved.

4. Enter Moses. He is forced out of Egypt due to a political problem, sent to exile in the wilderness
of Sinai5. At Mount Sinai, Moses encounters God. He returns to Egypt, bringing 10 plagues to set
God's people free and out into the wilderness of Sinai. In the wilderness, God gives governing laws
for the nation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Enter Leviticus

Numbers
6. The people are still in the Sinai Peninsula. God orders a census of the people. The intention is to
count able fighting hands
7. The people finally move away from Mount Sinai. The destination is the Wilderness of Paran.

8. As soon as they arrive at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran, the Israelites are given an order to send
scouts for the conquest of Canaan

9. The first generation fails to execute the order and aborts its mission to conquer Canaan. The
Israelites end up living 38 years in Kadesh without any progress. The first generation dies without
ever leaving Kadesh.

10. The next 'wilderness generation' grows into adulthood. Leaving behind Kadesh which they
occupied for the past 38 years, they seize the land East of the River ----------------Enter Deuteronomy

Joshua
11. After Moses passes away, Joshua conquers the land of Canaan. God's people now have their
own territory. The territory is distributed to each of the tribes.

Judges
12. Joshua passes away, and the indigenous natives invade for control of their land. The cycle of
wars continues.

13. Judges enter the scene, aiding the defense efforts, but the people await a king

14. During the period of Gideon the Judge, David's great-grandmother Ruth makes an
appearance-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Enter Ruth

Samuel I and II
15. A king reigns over the people, just as they had wished for. Saul becomes the first King of Israel,
succeeded by David (Samuel I)

16. David ruled as the Lord's deputy and ruled as a Paragon for the people of Israel. The temple
construction project was the very peak of his achievements (Samuel II).

.17. David establishes a rich culture of temple rites for giving offering to God. His written profession
of faith remains as important records. -------------------------------------Enter Psalms
Kings I and II
18. Solomon, son of David succeeds his father's will by building the temple-

19. Solomon also composes books like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, providing
important information on the cultural background of David's era------ Enter Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,
Song of Solomon

20. Bad news... Solomon goes renegade.

21. In the time of Rehoboam, Solomon's successor, the nation becomes divided.

22. Divided between north and south, the people of Israel live a polytheistic history of worshipping
God amongst idols.

23. As the roster of kings unravels to ruin, prophets make an entrance, foretelling the future of
the people. ----------------------Enter 12 Minor Prophets: Obadiah, Joel, Amos, Jonah, Hosea, Isaiah,
Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Jeremiah (Lamentations), Habakkuk

24. Then, North Israel is conquered by Assyria and South Judah is ruined by Babylon. Contemporary
to the times, Jeremiah watches the ruin of Israel from Jerusalem

25. Around the same time, Daniel, captive in Babylon (Stage B), and Ezekiel become leaders for the
people in captivity. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Enter Daniel and Ezekiel

Chronicles I and II, Ezra, Nehemiah

26. As prophesied by prophets, and in particular Jeremiah, the Jewish people's captivity ends after
70 years, releasing them to return freely to their homeland.

27. The rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem beings.

28. But the Samaritans disrupt and cease the rebuilding effort. The Temple is eventually completed
by the encouragement of 'Haggai' and 'Zechariah.'
29. A major event occurs in the land of Babylon now occupied by the Persian Empire. It is the story
of Esther. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Enter Haggai, Zechariah

30. Around this time, Ezra emerges from Persia as a Pentateuch scholar. --------------------Enter Esther

31. Ezra returns to Judah his homeland, teaching Scripture to the emancipated and returning
Israelites. The details of that curriculum are recorded in Chronicles I and II. The history of the
returning captives was also collected and notated. It is collected in the Book of Ezra.

32. Around this time, Nehemiah also returns from Persia. Dedicated to "strengthening national
defense," Nehemiah rebuilds the ramparts destroyed by war. With Ezra, Nehemiah teaches and
guides the returning captives.

33. Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament also receives a message from God. The
message is a prophecy that on the great and fearsome day of the Lord, Elijah will be sent.
The Old Testament curtains are lowered while we are kept waiting for Elijah. ----------Enter Malachi

Wrap Up
The main story flowing through the Old Testament

1. The story arc going through the Old Testament is organized into a chart, which you can find in the
Appendix 1 of the Wow I Get the Bible 'Gen-Ex-Num-Josh-Jud-Sam-King-Chron-Ez-emiah..

2. Fill in the blanks in the table below

"Gen-Ex-Num-Josh-Jud-Sam-King-Chron-Ez-emiah" in One Glance

3. Let's see how this content is organized into the dozen chapters and headings. Read page 7 of
your manual aloud (Together, read out loud the chapter headings 1 - 12).

Lesson 1 The Old Testament Told as One Story!

Lesson 2 Adam Writes A Ph.D. Dissertation and Becomes King! (Creation)
Lesson 3 But remember... I am the Real King! (The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil)
Lesson 4 I Will Establish Within History Israel as My Own Nation Among the World's Nations!
Lesson 5 Now that We Have the People, We Need a Law Code and Land!
Lesson 6 I’ve called you to be a Model Nation, but... What a Mess!
Lesson 7 David, You Are a Model King After My Own Heart!
Lesson 8 You Kings Who Follow the Ways of Jeroboam and Ahab Instead of Following the Way of
David!
Lesson 9 Listen to Me! You Will Fall to Assyria and Babylon in the End!
Lesson 10 But Babylon, Don't You Be Arrogant. You, Too, Will Fall!
Lesson 11 However, the Jerusalem Temple is Being Rebuilt, and a Bible Study Movement is Rising!
Lesson 12 Can You Feel the Kingdom of God Drawing Closer?