The book of Judges is the second of the history books in the Old Testament. The name of the book comes from 2:18, “…the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.” The word judge is from the Hebrew jps {shaphat}, which refers to “…a magistrate or ruler, rather than one who judges in the sense of trying a case.”1 The judges served Israel to deliver them from their enemies.
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The book of Joshua is the first of the history books in the Old Testament. It is named for Joshua the son of Nun, who led Israel after Moses’ death. His name means “Yahweh is deliverance,” and is the Hebrew name for Jesus (Gr. iesous).
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The fifth and final book of the Torah or Pentateuch is Deuteronomy. The name means “second law” or “copy of the law” and comes from the Greek δευτερονόμιον, which appears in Deuteronomy 17:18 of the LXX. That said, this text doesn’t appear to be the source of naming the book. The book is a retelling of the Law for the new generation who would enter the promised land. In Hebrew the book is called devarim, “These are the words” (1:1).
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The fourth book of the Torah or Pentateuch is Numbers. The name is descriptive, for in the book the children of Israel are numbered twice. The first census is the exodus generation (1:2-3), the second census is of their children (26:2-4). The Hebrew name for the book is bemidbar, “in the wilderness,” coming from Numbers 1:1, “Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of meeting…”
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The third book of the Torah or Pentateuch is Leviticus. The name of the book in English is from the Greek leuitikon, which associates the book with the priestly tribe of Levi. The Hebrew title for the book is arqyw, “And He called,” which is how the book begins (Leviticus 1:1).
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The second book of the Torah or Pentateuch is Exodus. The name of the book in English is from the Greek exodov, which means “going out.” The Hebrew title for the book is twms, “Names,” derived from the opening phrase of the book, “Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt…” (Exodus 1:1).
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The first five books of the Bible are called the Law or Torah (instruction). They are also known as the Pentateuch, which literally means “five volumes.” The first in this series of books is Genesis, a name which comes from the Septuagint (Greek) translation of Genesis 2:4, “This is the book of the generation (genesewv) of heaven and earth…” The word means “creation or generation.”1 The Hebrew name for the book is “Bereshit,” which is the opening word, “beginning.”
Continue readingWho Is The Lord That I Should Obey His Voice?
by William J. Stewart
…Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ And Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.’ (Exodus 5:1-2)
Ignorant of the power of the God of Israel, and bound up in his own arrogance, Pharaoh refused to release the children of Israel. He was the king of Egypt, considered by all to be the god of the land. He was Pharaoh (phe’ rah—the sun). He owned all the land of Egypt, all the flocks and herds of Egypt, all the people of Egypt. Why he heed the feeble God of an enslaved people?
Continue readingThe Necessity Of Attendance
by William J. Stewart
Attendance is one of those awkward topics to preach on. It is not that the Bible is unclean, nor that it is a difficult topic to speak on, but often, those who are needing to hear such a lesson are not in attendance. Let us consider today some things regarding the need to attend the assembly.
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Watch And Pray
by William J. Stewart
After sharing the Passover with His disciples (Luke 22:15) in which He instituted the Lord’s Supper, a memorial of His impending death at Calvary (Luke 22:19-20), Jesus and His disciples departed the upper room in Jerusalem and made their way to the Mount of Olives. On this short hike from the city to the garden (compare Matthew 26:30; Luke 22:39) Jesus revealed to the eleven, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night” (Mark 14:27). This had to be a difficult thing to hear since they had left all to walk with Jesus. In fact, just before saying this, He acknowledged, “…you are those who have continued with Me in My trials” (Luke 22:28). But soon their devotion would fail.
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