Welcome to the Torah — the first section of the Hebrew Bible, also known as the Tanakh. The Torah includes the first five books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Even though Moses doesn’t appear until Exodus, he’s the key figure delivering these stories and laws to the original audience — a group of newly freed slaves coming out of 400 years of Egyptian bondage.

For them, these books weren’t just ancient stories. Genesis was a prequel to their identity, reminding them that their story didn’t start in slavery, but with a Creator who made them in His image. Exodus revealed that God didn’t just free them from slavery; He called them into sonship and relationship. Leviticus and Deuteronomy weren’t burdens of law but gifts of clarity in a world where sacrifice and worship were confusing and anxiety-inducing.

These freed people would have been deeply influenced by Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern culture — polytheistic, hierarchical, and brutal. Their understanding of gods was rooted in fear, guesswork, and control. But the Torah introduced a radically different God: a God of grace, order, justice, and intimacy.

Reading these books today, it’s easy to bring our modern expectations and discomforts into the text. But understanding the Torah means stepping into the mindset of people who had never known freedom, never known a day off (enter the revolutionary concept of Sabbath!), and were now being given a new identity and purpose.

As we walk through the Torah, watch for two things: what these texts reveal about the nature and character of God, and how they point us toward Jesus. Every story, every law, and every moment is a preview of the grace, redemption, and relationship that Jesus embodies.

This is the foundation for everything — the story of beginnings, identity, deliverance, worship, and covenant. Buckle up, because understanding the Torah is key to understanding the entire Bible. Let’s dive into the beginning!

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