TaNaK: Old Testament Overview
Did you know that the arrangement of the Old Testament in Protestant Christian Bibles is not original? Along with all ancient Jews, Jesus encountered the Scriptures as a three-part collection of scrolls known as the TaNaK. The Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, refers to the collection of Hebrew (and some Aramaic) books that were recognized as Scripture in ancient Israel. The traditional order we're talking about is referred to as TaNaK. TaNaK is an acronym for the names of the three large subcollections of the Hebrew Bible: Torah (Law), Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings).
Genesis 1-11
In chapters 1-11, the book of Genesis recounts God’s good world and humanity’s repeated rebellion. How will God restore blessing to the world? We find the answer in the family of Abraham.
Genesis 12-50
In chapters 1-11, the book of Genesis recounts God’s good world and humanity’s repeated rebellion. How will God restore blessing to the world? We find the answer in the family of Abraham. God makes a covenant with Abraham, saying that all the nations will be blessed through his family. The rest of the book of Genesis traces this story through four generations. In each generation, we see human failure paired with God’s commitment to rescue and bless. As the story of Joseph summarizes at the end, “You planned this for evil, but God planned it for good, to save many lives” (Gen 50:20). As the book of Genesis closes, we see a promise of a king through the line of Judah who will be king over the nations and restore blessing to the world (Gen 49:8-13). It’s this promise that will find its fulfillment in Israel’s Messiah.
Ecclesiastes
This book's author believes that life is *hevel*, temporary and fleeting like smoke or vapor. We all try to build meaning and purpose in life apart from God, investing in pursuits and things that have no lasting meaning, but time marches on. We all die and bad things happen to good people. In the end, the key to contentment comes from wisdom, accepting *hevel*, fearing God, keeping his commandments, and putting our trust in him. We remain puzzled by life's mysteries, but God will bring true justice that fuels our ability to live lives of honesty and integrity.
Daniel
The book of Daniel is a rich piece of apocalyptic literature that includes several strange visions that point to the coming Son of Man, the messianic King who will deliver Israel and the nations. Daniel is also about hope and faith in the midst of exile. Daniel is living in Babylonian exile and endures significant trials of faith. But through all of it, he remains faithful to Yahweh and hopeful for the restoration of Israel and the return from exile.
Proverbs
Linked to Solomon and other wise men, the book of Proverbs includes hundreds of short, clever sayings designed to teach us how to live and act wisely. Each saying touches on a common area of life and shows us what it looks like to live well in God’s good world.
Song of Songs
A peculiar section of the Bible, the Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is a poetic song between two lovers. So what is it doing in the Bible? Several themes begin to take shape within the poetry of this song, along with pearls of wisdom strung through its text about handling the fiery passions of sexual desire. Allegories of God's love for his people are also woven through the poem's tapestry, creating a beautiful picture of what God intended love to be.
Psalms
The book of Psalms is a carefully designed collection of poetry that communicates key ideas about God’s character. It’s a book made for a lifetime of careful contemplation, where we can learn about the importance of prayer and the acknowledgment of pain, as well as the power of praise and fulfillment of prophecy.
Job
Throughout the book, Job (pronounced JOBE), his wife, and his friends speculate on why he, an upright man, suffers. Job accuses God of being unjust, and his friends believe that Job's sin caused his suffering. God reminds him that the world has order and beauty but it is also wild and dangerous. While we do not always know why we suffer, we can bring our pain and grief to God and trust that he is wise and in control.
Judges
After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel begin a downward spiral. Israel begins to adopt the corrupt practices of the Canaanites they failed to drive out of the land. This leads to a cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, deliverance, and peace, which eventually leads back to sin. The book of Judges highlights six judges during this time and shows their increasing corruption. These judges start off fairly well but become increasingly worse. The book ends with two very disturbing stories that show how lawless the people have become. The central verse that summarizes this says, "In those days Israel had no king, and everyone did what was right in their own eyes."
