The Essential Bible Companion

This unique, easy-to-use reference guide quickly provides context for reading God's Word. Each book of the Bible is presented on a colorful two-page spread, helping readers understand the biblical story and its significance. It can also be used as a companion to The Bible in 90 Days curriculum.

The Essential Bible CompanionCopyright © 2006 by Theodore W. Cooper Jr., John H. Walton, and Mark StraussRequests for information should be addressed to:Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataWalton, John H., 1952–The essential Bible companion / John H. Walton and Mark L. Strauss.—1st ed.p. cm.ISBN-10: 0-310-26662-9ISBN-13: 978-0-310-26662-4 (softcover)1. Bible—Introductions. I. Strauss, Mark L. II. Title.BS475.3.W35 2005220.6'1—dc22 2005010113All maps and temple cutaways by Mosaic Graphics. Copyright © 2006 by the Zondervan Corporation.All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by anymeans—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the priorpermission of the publisher.Interior design by Tracey WalkerPrinted in China06 07 08 09 10 11 12 • 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1_Key Concepts¦ The law is part of God’s revelation of himself;giving it is an act of grace.¦ God’s presence comes on his terms and in his time.¦ Deliverance is God’s business.¦ “Then you will know that I am the LORD yourGod.”Key TermsExodus–When God delivers the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt and brings them to the land he promised them.Plagues–Ten acts of judgment against Egypt to persuade the Egyptians to let the Israelites leave.Passover–The commemoration of the tenth plague when God punished the Egyptians with death of their firstbornsons but spared the Israelites.Decalogue–Another name for the Ten Commandments—the central laws that God gave to Moses on stone tablets.Election–God’s choice of individuals or groups to serve as his people in relationship with him.I AM–The name God gives himself at the burning bush. It is from the same verb (“to be”) as the name “Yahweh” andidentifies God not only as the one who is but also as the one who “causes to be.”Burning Bush–The place where God revealed himself to Moses, identified himself, and explained his plan andMoses’s role in it.Pharaoh–The title of the supreme ruler of Egypt. No name is given in Exodus, so we do not know which pharaoh letthe Israelites leave.Tabernacle–The portable tent sanctuary constructed by Israel according to God’s instructions.Ark of the Covenant–A chest made of wood overlaid with gold that contained important signs of God’s favor,including the stone tablets of the covenant. It was the most sacred object of Israel, as it represented the footstool ofthe invisible throne of the invisible God. The cherubim adorning the cover were guardians of the throne of God.Holy of Holies–The central area of the sanctuary where the ark was kept and where God’s presence dwelt. The onlyaccess was by the high priest once a year.© Dr. James C. Martin_Replica of the ark of the covenant.ExodusPurposeWhen Exodus opens, the Israelitesare near the end of their timein Egypt.They had spent morethan four centuries in Egypt and hadbecome slaves in a foreign land. God isnowhere in evidence.Their covenant withGod appears to be in disarray. They nolonger enjoy the benefits of having connectionsin high places as when they firstarrived, and with no land of their own,theirsurvival is in jeopardy.When Pharaoh orderstheir baby boys to be cast into the NileRiver, one mother creatively does so usinga basket of reeds to protect her son.Pharaoh’s daughter finds him afloat, nameshim Moses, and raises him as her own.We are not told the extent to whichMoses was aware of the plight of his peopleas he was growing up. But when he saw anEgyptian beating one of the Israelite slaves,he killed the Egyptian. Fleeing for his life,he took refuge in the wilderness among thepeople of Midian, where he met a tribalchieftain (Jethro), met the woman whowould become his wife (Jethro’s daughterZipporah), and met his God. Seeing a bushablaze but not consumed, Moses went toinvestigate and received the commissionGod had been preparing him to take up allhis life—as the deliverer of Israel.The purpose of Exodus is to explainhow God revealed his presence and hispower to his chosen people through theplagues and in their deliverance fromEgypt. Just as in Genesis God overcameobstacles in establishing Abraham’s familyas his chosen people, in Exodus he overcomesobstacles that prevented him fromdwelling in the midst of his people.God guided and protected theIsraelites through the wilderness and providedfor them.At Sinai he told them howthey needed to live so that his presencecould dwell among them.Through the law,they learned how they were to honor andimitate his holiness. He told them how tobuild the tabernacle and how the priesthoodwas to prepare so that God couldtake up residence with them. God hadchosen the Israelites to be his people andhe intended to reveal himself to them andto the world by living in their midst.People to KnowMosesAaronMiriamJethroZipporah_The Israelites passed through the Sinai Mountainson their way to the Promised Land.© Dr. James C. MartinKEY VERSES:Ex. 3:14: “I AM WHO I AM.”Ex. 14:31: “The Israelitessaw the great power theLORD displayed.”Ex. 19:5–6: “If you obeyme fully and keep mycovenant, then out of allthe nations you will be mytreasured possession.”Ex. 40:34–35: “The gloryof the LORD filled thetabernacle.”PithomRamesesSuccothLake TimpsahBitter LakesG u l f o f S u e zG u l f o f A q a b aM e d i t e r r a n e a n S e aG O S H E NMt. SinaiNIle R.Jordan R.DeadSeaJerusalemKey Teachings about God¦ God demonstrates his power for his people and the world to see.¦ God desires to live among his people.¦ God delivers his people, and his ability to do so is without limit.¦ God expects obedience from his people.¦ God does not leave his people to guess what he expects of them.¦ God chooses certain individuals and groups for special work._FROM EGYPT TO MOUNT SINAI--5000 - sea level(in meters)1,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,000© 2005 Zondervan

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Excerpted from The Essential Bible Companion: Key Insights for Reading God's Word by John H. Walton, Mark L. Strauss, Ted Cooper Jr.
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