READING THRU THE
OLD TESTAMENT?
(Recent Posts)
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Made in Elements
(Recent Posts)
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It is easier to read the opinions of others in a Bible study guide. But the real value (blessing) of the Bible comes primarily through reading and pondering the Bible text itself.
Read and Ponder Exodus 7-13, April 5, 2026
Chapter and section headings:
7: Moses and Aaron Before Pharaoh ... The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood
8: The Second Plague: Frogs ... The Third Plague: Gnats ... The Fourth Plague: Flies
9: The Fifth Plague: Egyptian Livestock Dies ... The Sixth Plague: Boils ... The Seventh Plague: Hail
10: The Eighth Plague: Locusts ... The Ninth Plague: Darkness
11: The Final Plague Threatened
12: The Passover ... The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn ... The Exodus ... The Institution of the Passover
13: Consecration of the Firstborn ... The Feast of Unleavened Bread ... Pillars of Cloud and Fire
Ponder:
? Why did Pharaoh not soften his heart toward God even after he saw God’s amazing power?
? How deep and genuine was the faith-in-God of the Israelites?
? What motivated God to rescue His people from Egypt?
? Why is “the dying blood of a sacrificed lamb” so central to the story of the Bible?
? What kind of Savior could this have prompted the Israelites to anticipate?
? What are some of the ways these events can help us to ponder Easter?
Easter - , 2026
EASTER VIDEO BY JOHN 10:10 PR0JECT
? If there is no death penalty (“Hell-to-pay”) for our sin; if we could gain Heaven and Eternal Life by our obedience, why did Jesus need to die?
? If Jesus was just a man, how could he predict his own death and resurrection?
? What kind of being must Jesus be in order for His death to pay the penalty for all who ask Him to?
? What kind of being must Jesus be in order for His death and resurrection to purchase Eternal Life for all who trust Him.
? What kind of person would think that Jesus is just a good example?
? What kind of person would ignore the Realities of Jesus Christ and the things He /did at Christmas, Easter and inbetween?
!!! A person who thinks they need no forgiveness; who believe sin is just mistakes; or believes they can be good enough to earn God’s present and eternal forgiveness and favor.
!!!!!!! Amazingly, Jesus died and lives to Graciously purchase Eternal LIFE for all sinners who Believe and Trust Him to rescue them from the blind pride of their sin.
>>> Belief and trust involves confession and repentance.
> confession: admitting, saying what God says about our sin. Sin is not just mistakes, it is missing the standards of God’s righteousness in both our attitudes and behaviors.
> repentance is turning our heart and behaviors to live by God’s direction and power rather than our own.
Easter is the celebration of what God has done, is doing and will do for us that we could never do for ourselves or earn or deserve.
Easter is the celebration of the LIFE that Jesus came to give His Saints.
Do you have His LIFE? It can be yours for sincere belief.
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Read and Ponder Exodus 1-6 - Mar 22, 2026
Read Exodus 1-6
Chapter and section headings:
1: Israel Increases Greatly in Egypt ... Pharaoh Oppresses Israel
2: The Birth of Moses ... Moses Flees to Midian ... God Hears Israel's Groaning
3: The Burning Bush
4: Moses Given Powerful Signs ... Moses Returns to Egypt
5: Making Bricks Without Straw
6: God Promises Deliverance ... The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron
Ponder:
? What should we imagine God was thinking, doing and feeling during the four centuries of His people suffering in Egypt?
? Do we know why God called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt?
? Why doesn’t God usually use things as dramatic as a burning bush to lead us in His will.
? How do our circumstances tend to influence our responses to God’s promises.
? What are some of the times God has promised “deliverance/rescue” so far in the Old Testament? What are some of the times God rescued His people? (Not just from external enemies but from troubles of their own making - keep thinking because there are many)
Watch a Bible Project video: Exodus 1-18
Read and Ponder Genesis 42-50 Mar 15, 2026
Read Genesis 42-50
Chapter and section headings:
42: Joseph's Brothers Go to Egypt
43: Joseph's Brothers Return to Egypt
44: Joseph Tests His Brothers
45: Joseph Provides for His Brothers and Family
46: Joseph Brings His Family to Egypt ... Jacob and Joseph Reunited
47: Jacob's Family Settles in Goshen ... Joseph and the Famine
48: Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
49: Jacob Blesses His Sons ... Jacob's Death and Burial
50: God's Good Purposes ... The Death of Joseph
Ponder:
? Was it people’s good choices or God’s sovereignty that moved the story of the Children of Israel to good results?
? Are there any of the main characters in Genesis that you would like to have lived their life? Or, use them as great examples to follow?
? Who deserves the credit and praise for the good accomplishments of God’s people throughout history?
? The Jews tended to exalt Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the Fathers of their nation. What can Genesis teach us about the attitudes we should have toward people who have influenced our lives?
Read and Ponder Genesis 34-41 Mar 8, 2026
Chapter and section headings:
34: Defiling of Dinah
35: God Blesses and Renames Jacob ... The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac
36: Esau's Descendants
37: Joseph's Dreams ... Joseph Sold by his Brothers
38: Judah and Tamar
39: Joseph and Potipher's Wife
40: Joseph Interprets two Prisoner's Dreams
41 Joesph Interprets Pharoah's Dreams ... Joseph Rises to Power
Ponder:
? How do these stories describe and demonstrate human nature?
? How do these stories demonstrate the character of God?
? By whose will were God’s plans or rescues carried out?
? By whose power was anyone faithful to God?
? What is misleading about the statement “if I am faithful, God will guide and inspire me?”
Read and Ponder Genesis 24 - 33 Mar 1, 2026
Chapter and section headings:
24: Isaac and Rebekah
25: Abraham's Death and His Descendants ... The Birth of Esau and Jacob ... Esau Sells His Birthright
26: God's Promise to Isaac ... Isaac and Abimelech
27: Isaac Blesses Jacob
28: Jacob Sent to Laban ... Esau Marries an Ishmaelite ... Jacob's Dream
29: Jacob Marris Leah and Rachel ... Jacob's Children
30: Jacob's Prosperity
31: Jacob Flees from Laban
32: Jacob Fears Esau ... Jacob Wrestles with God
33: Jacob Meets Esau
Ponder:
? What are some of the characteristics of the marriages of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Should we try to copy them? Why or why not?
? Why did God do amazing, powerful and gracious things in the lives of these “fathers” of the Israelites?
? What do these stories reveal about “covenants” between God and His people?
Read and Ponder Genesis 18-23 - Feb 22, 2026
Genesis Chapter and section headings:
18: Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
19: God Rescues Lot ... God Destroys Sodom ... Lot and His Daughters
20: Abraham and Abimelech
21: The Birth of Isaac ... God Protects Hagar and Ishmael ... A Treaty with Abimelech
22: The Sacrifice of Isaac
23: Sarah's Death and Burial
Ponder:
? What does the story of Sodom say to the idea that God is a harsh and unfair judge?
? Can you see anything in the text that explains why God choose Isaac and not Ishmael? Did God love one more than the other?
? What is the relationship between the test of Abraham’s faith and God’s faithfulness?
? What similarities do you see between Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac and the sacrifice of Jesus in the Gospels?
Read and Ponder Genesis 12-17 - Feb 15, 2026
Chapter and section headings:
12: The Call of Abram ... Abram and Sarai in Egypt
13: Abram and Lot Separate
14: Abram Rescues Lot ... Abram Blessed by Melchizedek
15: God's Covenant with Abram
16: Sarai and Hagar
17: Abraham and the Covenant of Circumcision ... Isaac's Birth Promised
Ponder:
? What are some similarities between Abraham and the Twelve men Jesus called?
? What makes Melchizedek like Jesus Christ?
? What about Melchizedek makes him like no other human being?
? Was God’s Covenant with Abram more like a contract or a promise?
? How was God’s attitude toward Sarai and Hagar similar to Jesus’ relationship with Jews and Gentiles?
? How is the covenant God made with Abram unfolding in these chapters?
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Watch a Bible Project video: Genesis 12-50
Watch a Bible Project video about "The Old Testament"
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Read and Ponder Genesis 6-11 - Feb 8, 2026
Genesis Chapter and section headings:
6: Increasing corruption on the earth ... Noah and the Flood
8: The Flood Subsides ... God's Covenant with Noah
9: Noah's Descendants
10: Nations Descended from Noah
11: The Tower of Babel ... Shem's Descendants ... Terah's Descendants
Ponder:
? If people are basically good (as some people claim) why were there only a few (Noah his wife and their family), out of the millions who died in the flood because "corruption" and "violence" "filled the earth?"
? What similarities or differences did Jesus Christ find when He came to earth?
? How would you paraphrase the description of the nature and effects of the flood?
? At what point in Noah's life did God "bless" him?
? What were the conditions of God's Covenant with Noah. What is unusual about this contract between God and Noah?
? What could a person conclude if the nations listed as descended from Noah were nowhere to be found in world history?
? Why didn't the descendants of Noah learn their lesson from the flood and use their free will agency to choose to obey and serve God?
? How does the Tower of Babel illustrate mankind's attempt to find God by their own efforts rather than by His Grace?
? Why is there no mention of "good people" trying to challenge the foolishness of building their way to God?
The First “Covenant?” - Feb 1, 2026
Genesis 2:16,17 And the LORD God commanded the man saying, "you must surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die
Read the context: Genesis 2
Ponder:
? If a binding contract is called a "Covenant" in the Bible, how could these verses be called the first "covenant" in the Bible?
? Who are the parties involved in this covenant?
? What are the issues in this covenant?
? How did the results of this covenant work out over the next few chapters?
? How did this covenant illustrate other covenants in the Bible?
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