The 77 Presentation Points

for the Old Testament Storyline

production of WTTB
Genesis
1. Creation
The opening event in all of Scripture is CRET!O"# "In the beginning God created...." God
created light, firmament, dry ground, bodies of water, plant life, animal life, and the first family.
God put that family in a garden with a forest of trees to enjoy and one prohibition to avoid.
$. %all
The man and woman broke Gods one prohibition, and they were "evicted" from the garden. This
marks the entrance of sin into the world! the %&&.
'. %lood
"s people multiplied on the earth, "every thought of humankinds heart was only evil
continuously." God was sorry #e had made man and woman and sent a judgment of water. $e
know that judgment as the %&OO(.
). "ations
God told %oah and his descendants to spread out. Instead, the people built a great city and tower
reaching up to heaven so they would never be spread out. God scrambled the languages, making
the beginning of the "T!O"S. &good place for drama'
*. )+++ ,ears
The focus of the story shifts from "wide angle" &all people' in chapters ()(( to "close)up"
&*ooming in on one family' in chapters (+),-. .hapter (+ begins to describe the event that
happened as long ago /... as we are living today ".0. These events took place roughly )+++
,ERS ago.
-. .r
The story begins in the city of .R &Southeast'.
7. Persian Gulf
/ehind &south of' the city of 1r is the PERS!" G.&%. 0ip your finger in the water, bring it to
your lips, and it tastes like . . .
/. 0S&T0
0S&T0 is a handy acrostic to remember the names of the four people God called in the city of 1r
2--- years ago. Their assignment! /e like the salt of the earth, making people thirsty to know
God.
1. Sarah
SR2 was "brahams wife.
1+. 3raham
BR24 was Sarah3s husband and the friend of God.
11. &ot
&OT was "brahams nephew, an adopted member of the family after "brahams brother died.
1$. Terah
TER2 was "brahams father.
1'. Ti5ris6Euphrates
The /ible says Terah took his family out of 1r of the .hadeans and set out for .anaan. They
traveled north between two rivers, the T!GR!S and the E.P2RTES.
1). 2aran6Terah (ies
/efore they made it to .anaan, they stop in a place called 2R" and there TER2 (!ES.
%ow we3re in Genesis (+!()+. #ere God comes to "braham and says leave everything you know,
and, blessing you, I3ll bless all the peoples of the world. "braham stepped out in faith, so they
traveled south and west to a small strip of land that is bordered by four bodies of water.
1*. Sea of Galilee
They arrive at their new homeland and see an emerald colored body of water called the SE O%
G&!&EE.
1-. 7ordan Ri8er
4lowing southward is the muddy, winding 7OR(" R!9ER.
17. (ead Sea
The 5ordan flows into a long (E( SE in which everything flows in, nothing flows out.
1/. 4editerranean
The large body of water to the west is the 4E(!TERR"E". &add the waves'
11. !srael
The land bordered by these four bodies of water is today known as the land of !SRE&.
$+. !shmael6!saac
God promised "braham a great family, and "braham walked with the eyes of faith. God gave him
two sons, each name beginning with the letter "I"6 !S24E& and !SC.
$1. Esau67aco3
Isaac had two sons7unidentical twins. The first was hairy all over6 his name was ES.: and the
second was smooth of skin &and a smooth operator'6 his name was 7COB.
$$. 7oseph6E5ypt
5acob had twelve sons and his favorite was 7OSEP2. The sign of 5osephs favored status with his
father was his multicolored coat, and his jealous brothers sold him into slavery in EG,PT.
$'. 7e;s6E5ypt
God used a famine to get all of 5osephs brothers7the beginning of the 5ews7down to EG,PT.
There the people multiply into a great nation, and this marks the end of the book of Genesis.
E<odus
$). )++ ,ears6Bonda5e
The people remain in 8gypt for )++ ,ERS: and a pharaoh arises who does not know 5oseph and
sees the 5ews as a growing threat to his national security. #e puts the people into BO"(GE.
$*. 4oses
The people cry out to God for a deliverer and #e sends one6 his name is 4OSES. The symbol of
9oses authority from God is the staff he holds in his hand.
$-. 0&et 4y People Go0
2
9oses goes to :haraoh with a message from God! 0&ET 4, PEOP&E GO=0
$7. 0"o0
:haraohs answer is 0"O=0
$/. 1+ Pla5ues
God sends a series of 1+ P&G.ES. 8ach represents an attack upon an object of worship in the
land of 8gypt.
$1. Passo8er
The last plague &the death of the firstborn' kills the firstborn child in every 8gyptian household.
The Israelites obey the ;ord by putting the blood of a perfect lamb on the doorposts and lintel of
their house. $hen the ;ord sees the blood, #e passes over that house &PSSO9ER' and no
Israelite firstborn is killed.
'+. Red Sea
;eaving 8gypt, they come to a natural barrier7the RE( SE. God tells 9oses to raise the <od of
God and all that night God brought a strong east wind, and it parted the water of the <ed Sea, so
that the children of Israel walked across on dry ground.
'1. 4t. Sinai
5ourneying south, they arrive at 4T. S!"!.
'$. &a;
There they receive their charter as a nation! the &W. 9oses goes up on the mountain with a
terrific headache from all the grumbling of the people, and God tells him, "Take two tablets . . ."
containing the ;aw.
''. Ta3ernacle
=n 9t. Sinai, God also gives 9oses the blueprint for the traveling tent which would be their place
of worship in the wilderness7the TBER"C&E.
'). &e8ites and Priests
Inside the Tabernacle, the &E9!TES and PR!ESTS lead the nation in worship.
&e8iticus
'*. Offerin5 and %easts
Their job! to officiate at the O%%ER!"GS &,' and %ESTS &>', as some of the O%%ER!"GS
were voluntary, others mandatory, and the %ESTS were times of national celebration for Gods
goodness in the history of the nation.
"um3ers
'-. Countin5 the %aces
$hile at 9t. Sinai they take a census, CO."T!"G the %CES. They count all the men +-
years of age and older, and the result &?--,---' suggests a total population of +)@ million.
'7. >adesh6Oasis
They leave 9t. Sinai and journey north to a desert oasis called Aadesh7the >(ES26OS!S.
Bou know you are arriving at an oasis when you see the palm trees on the hori*on. =n the edge
of enemy territory, this would be a good place to spy out the land.
'/. 1$ Spies
3
They send out a "committee" of 1$ SP!ES. =ne spy is chosen from each of the (+ tribes. They
return with a divided report6 (- see the si*e of Israels enemy, while + see the si*e of Israels God.
$ho was rightC &the +' $ho did they believeC &the (-'
'1. Wanders6(ies
/ecause of unbelief, the nation W"(ERS and (!ES for 2- years7one year for each day the
spies looked over the land and saw only obstacles rather than opportunities. (.+ million people
die during that 2-)year period7one funeral every (> minutes. The new generation &(D years and
younger at the first census' grows up to take their place.
)+. 4oa3
$hen the period of wandering is over, 9oses leads the people to the land of 4OB, at the top of
the 0ead Sea, and there they take a second census.
(euteronomy
)1. 4oses
There 4OSES preaches three long sermons.
)$. Second &a;
Those sermons are the second giving of the law7SECO"( &W. The generation that received
the ;aw the first time has passed off the scene during the wilderness wanderings.
)'. (ies
"fter preaching his three long sermons, 9oses (!ES. This is the first recorded case of the
preacher, rather than the congregation, dying after a long sermon. $ith the death of 9oses, the
:entateuch closes &2@ 8vent'.
7oshua
)). 7oshua
God raises up a new leader, a five)star general named 7OS2..
)*. 7ordan
#e leads the people across the 7OR(".
)-. 7ericho
They conEuer a great walled city named 7ER!C2O.
)7. (i8ide6Con?uer
5oshuas strategy to conEuer the :romised ;and is simple! (!9!(E6CO"@.ER. #e attacks key
cities in the center of the land &5ericho and "i', effectively splitting the enemy army in two.
)/. South6"orth
5oshua mops up resistance, first in the SO.T2 &a southern campaign', then in the "ORT2 &a
northern campaign'. In all it takes > years to complete the job. The final score! 5oshua)@(,
8nemies)( &"i'.
)1. (i8ide6Settle
"fter the conEuest of the land, there is the distribution of the land! (!9!(E6SETT&E.
*+. 1$ Tri3es
It is settled by the 1$ TR!BES. The book of 5oshua &+2 chapters long' divides in the same way!
(+ chapters of "0ivide).onEuer," (+ chapters of "0ivide)Settle," among the (+ Tribes.
4
7ud5es
*1. 7ud5es6)++ ,ears
The land is administered by a series of 7.(GES for )++ ,ERS. (@ different 5udges are
mentioned, ten in passing, three in great detail, and these were military fighters, as well as
judicial judges.
*$. (e3orah
(EBOR2 is the only female 5udge. She stands out from the rest of the 5udges because after
the battle was over, she gave God full credit and glory for her victory.
*'. Gideon
G!(EO" is the reluctant 5udge with the soggy fleece. Gideon puts out a fleece &twice' to
confirm Gods choice.
*). Samson
S4SO" is the strong 5udge with the weakness for women. In his final performance, he brings
down the house.
**. 0E8eryone did ;hat ;as ri5ht in his o;n eyes: e<cept...0
The key to the book of 5udges hangs at the back door of the book &it is the last verse of the book,
+(!+,'. =ne of the darkest periods in Israels history provides the backdrop for some of the
brightest eFceptions! 0E9ER,O"E (!( W2T WS R!G2T !" 2!S OW" E,ES:
EACEPT...0
Ruth
*-. Ruth: andB
R.T2 is a cameo story of love and redemption set in the dark days of the 5udges. <uth forsakes
her pagan heritage in 9oab, in order to cling to the people of Israel and the God of Israel.
/ecause of her faithfulness in a time of national faithlessness, God rewards her with a new
husband &/oa*', a son &=bed', and a privileged position in the lineage of 5esus .hrist &she is
great)grandmother of Aing 0avid'.
! Samuel
*7. Samuel
S4.E& is the last 5udge and the first great prophet in Israel. Samuel anoints the first two
kings of Israel.
! Samuel: ! >in5s
*/. .nited >in5dom61$+ ,ears
"t this time all (+ Tribes are united together in one nation7the ."!TE( >!"G(O4. =nly
three kings have the privilege of ruling over a 1nited Aingdom. 8ach demonstrates a different
heart attitude, but each rules for the same length of time &2- years', with the result that the
1nited Aingdom lasts 1$+ ,ERS.
*1. Saul 6 0"o 2eart0
S.& is the first king to rule over the 1nited Aingdom. :eople are impressed with a persons
outward condition &e.g., height', but God is impressed with a persons inward condition &e.g.,
heart'. =utwardly, Saul looks like a natural leader, but inwardly, he has 0"O 2ERT0 for God
and is rejected from being Aing.
!! Samuel: ! >in5s
-+. (a8id 6 0Whole 2eart0
5
(9!( is the shepherd king of Israel, who grows up in the pasture rather than the palace.
:hysically he is small, but spiritually he is a giant. 0avid is the man after Gods own heart7he
has a 0W2O&E 2ERT0 for God. 0avid, though he falls into sin, eventually repents and prays
".reate in me a clean heart, = God".&:salm ,(!(-'
! >in5s
-1. Solomon 6 02alf 2eart0
0avids son SO&O4O" becomes the third &and last' king to rule over the 1nited Aingdom.
Solomon starts out well by asking God for wisdom to rule his fathers great kingdom. Solomon
becomes the "king with a thousand wives," and those pagan wives turn his heart away from God.
/y the end of his life, Solomon is writing books like 8cclesiastes! "8mptiness, emptiness, all is
emptiness." The overall evaluation of his life! he had a 02&% 2ERT0 for God.
! >in5s: !! >in5s
-$. (i8ided >in5dom6)++ ,ears
The king with a divided heart leaves behind a (!9!(E( >!"G(O4: which will survive for )++
,ERS. Solomons son <ehoboam is petitioned by the people to lower the taFes which his father
instituted. "fter gathering counsel from his contemporaries, <ehoboam decides instead to raise
the taFes. .ivil war breaks out, and the kingdom splits.
! >in5s
-'. "orth6South
(- tribes in the "ORT2 "secede" from the 1nion. =nly two tribes in the SO.T2 remain under
<ehoboams control.
-). !srael67udah
The kingdom in the %orth uses the former name of the nation! !SRE&. The kingdom in the
South takes its name from the larger of the two tribes! 7.(2.
! >in5s: !! >in5s
-*. 116$+
" total of 11 kings rule over the %orth &Israel'. " total of $+ kings rule over the South &5udah'.
--. +6/
" total of + kings in the %orth &Israel' do what was right in Gods eyes. " total of / kings in the
South &5udah' do what was right in Gods eyes.
Prophets
-7. Prophets SpeaC# 0Shape .p or Ship Out0 DProphetsE
$hen the people of God drift away from the law of God, God often sends a preacher of God to call
them to repentance! 0PROP2ETS SPE>.0 The (> /ooks of :rophecy take place at this time7
during the 0ivided Aingdom period. The message of the prophets can be summari*ed in one five)
word phrase! 0S2PE .P OR S2!P O.T0 &either get right with God, or get left behind in a
tidal wave of judgment'.
!! >in5s
-/. ssyria6!srael6Scatter
God raises up SS,R! &capital city %ineveh' to take the northern kingdom of !SRE& and
SCTTER the people. =ther conEuered people are brought in to repopulate the land, and the
result is the Samaritans7a race of half)5ews, half)Gentiles, despised by both.
-1. Ba3ylonia67udah6E<ile
6
God raises up BB,&O"! &capital city /abylon' to conEuer "ssyria: take the southern kingdom
of 7.(2, and put the people into EA!&E.
!! Chronicles
7+. 7+ ,ears
The period of 8File lasts 7+ ,ERS &+ .hronicles @?'.
!! Chronicles: EFra
71. Persia67udah6Return
God raises up PERS! to conEuer /abylonia and allow the people of 7.(27as many as have a
heart for God7to RET.R". =nly about ,-,--- respond to the invitation. $hat do they find
when they arrive back in 5erusalemC Their homes, city walls, and temple are all in rubble. 5ust as
God uses three great nations to judge #is people, now #e uses three great leaders to bring #is
people back.
EFra
7$. Geru33a3el6Temple
GER.BBBE& returns to rebuild the TE4P&E.
Esther
7'. Esther6@ueen
9eanwhile, back at the ranch... Those who remain behind in :ersia are in danger of annihilation
at the hands of wicked #aman. EST2ER wins the "9iss :ersia" beauty pageant, becomes the
new @.EE", and is used by God to preserve the lives of her countrymen. Though Gods name is
nowhere mentioned in the book of 8sther, Gods fingerprints are evident everywhere in the book.
EFra
7). EFra6People
The second person to lead a return back to 5erusalem is a priest named EGR who rebuilds the
PEOP&E by leading a revival in the city.
"ehemiah
7*. "ehemiah6Walls
The third person to lead a return back to 5erusalem is "E2E4!2. $hen he arrives in
5erusalem, the W&&S are only knee)high. GAnee)high)miahH rebuilds them with the help of
,-,--- of his countrymen in just ,+ days.
"one
7-. )++ ,ears6Silence
The prophets have been speaking for God! "Shape up or ship out." The people have Euit listening
to God, so God through #is prophets Euits talking, and for )++ ,ERS there is S!&E"CE.
Galatians
77. Christ
The silence is broken by 5ohn the /apti*er who proclaims "/ehold the lamb of God..." and
announces the arrival of C2R!ST.
7