A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Deuteronomy

A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Deuteronomy

Author: Reuven Travis

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2022-06-13

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 1666737585

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One of the most common phrases in the Torah is “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying . . .” So many of the Torah’s commandments are introduced in this way. These words represent God speaking to Moses and instructing him what to repeat or teach to the Jewish people. Yet, this phrase is not found at all in Deuteronomy, and this helps explain why this book is so very different from the other books of the Torah. Deuteronomy is Moses’s book. It is the record of Moses’s final speech to the Jewish people before his death. But this leads to a very basic and very fundamental question. Why are the words of man, even a man as great as Moses, part of God’s holy Torah? A very good question, a powerful one indeed. And while we may not come up with a good or satisfying answer, this book examines and presents life lessons just as important as those found in any other biblical text.


A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Leviticus

A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Leviticus

Author: Reuven Travis

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2023-02-03

Total Pages: 111

ISBN-13: 1666754781

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Judaism has always found meaning in the sacrificial rites, called avodah or service in Hebrew. For more than twelve hundred years, beginning with the Mishkan (the Tabernacle) in the Sinai wilderness and continuing through both the First and Second Temple periods, animal sacrifice was the principal form of communal service of God for the Jewish people. This all came to an abrupt end with the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 68 CE, and the Jewish people turned to prayer as their primary mode of worship. From this perspective, it might seem that the study of Leviticus, which is largely about the laws of sacrifice, would seem unnecessary, if not irrelevant, for young children. Nothing could be further from the truth. Leviticus is replete with important life lessons for children, ranging from not bearing grudges to being truthful in business. From the responsibility to care for the poor to the obligation to strive to be “holy,” we find everyday aspects of one’s life (as opposed to limiting this to rituals and religious celebrations). Throughout the book, Leviticus emphasizes the dignity of human beings and what this means for our personal interactions with one another. It can and ought to be taught (in an age-appropriate manner) to young children, and that is what this book strives to do.


A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Genesis

A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Genesis

Author: Reuven Travis

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2020-06-22

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 1725256924

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Genesis contains a rich, nuanced text, and yet, when taught to children, it is often done through a series of “factoids,” such as the number of animals brought into the ark or Esau’s red lentil soup. Worst still, children are frequently discouraged from asking questions about its complex storylines. This book was written to redress both pedagogical shortcomings. It does so by reminding children that the Bible teaches us to be truly good people via amazing stories of brave men and women doing incredible things. However, the most valuable lessons we learn from the Bible seem to come from people’s daily lives: how they speak to their spouses, how they treat their children, how they interact with their neighbors. Perhaps most importantly, the Bible teaches us to ask questions. At times, the answers to our questions come easily. At other times, the answers we seek are hidden away, and so we are left to think and wonder. Nonetheless, ask we must, because by asking questions, we can deepen our connection to the ones we address the questions to, be it parents, teachers, or even God himself.


A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Numbers

A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Numbers

Author: Reuven Travis

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2021-10-28

Total Pages: 146

ISBN-13: 1666706736

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As with both its predecessors, this book of life lessons derived from the Bible is meant for elementary school students and their parents. One arguably simplistic approach to looking at Numbers is to see it as a story of a sinful people and a wrathful God. However, the stories in Numbers are rarely black and white. This book strives to examine Numbers in more nuanced depth, while keeping the life lessons simple and easy to understand. By doing so, this book can serve as a valuable guide to parents and students alike as they learn the text of Numbers and gain new insights into it.


Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy

Author: Matthew H. Patton

Publisher: Crossway

Published: 2017-03-16

Total Pages: 136

ISBN-13: 1433553813

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The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God's Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) "Gospel Glimpses" highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) "Whole-Bible Connections" show how any given passage connects to the Bible's overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) "Theological Soundings" identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God's grace on every page of the Bible. The book of Deuteronomy contains the final words of Moses to Israel as they wait to enter the Promised Land. Reflecting on the nation's past mistakes, Moses calls Israel to faithful obedience while recounting the past faithfulness of God. This study guide helps Christians understand that the only hope for obedience to God's commands is the grace of God found in the person and work of Jesus.


What Is God Like?

What Is God Like?

Author: Rachel Held Evans

Publisher: Convergent Books

Published: 2021-06-15

Total Pages: 42

ISBN-13: 0593193318

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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The late, beloved Rachel Held Evans answers many children's first question about God in this gorgeous picture book, fully realized by her friend Matthew Paul Turner, the bestselling author of When God Made You. Children who are introduced to God, through attending church or having loved ones who speak about God, often have a lot of questions, including this ever-popular one: What is God like? The late Rachel Held Evans loved the Bible and loved showing God’s love through the words and pictures found in that ancient text. Through these pictures from the Bible, children see that God is like a shepherd, God is like a star, God is like a gardener, God is like the wind, and more. God is a comforter and support. And whenever a child is unsure, What Is God Like? encourages young hearts to “think about what makes you feel safe, what makes you feel loved, and what makes you feel brave. That's what God is like.”


A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Exodus

A Curious Student's Guide to the Book of Exodus

Author: Reuven Travis

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2021-07-01

Total Pages: 158

ISBN-13: 1725271958

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No matter how many times you have read stories from the Bible, there is always something new to learn from the lives of its characters and the challenges they face. This is especially true for the book of Exodus, and this second Curious Student’s Guide will help your children glean new insights into the Exodus narrative. This book will guide your children to these lessons by first summarizing key stories from Exodus and then asking thought-provoking questions. Consider the following example: Every reader of Exodus knows that Moses is its hero, but how many are aware of Miriam’s heroism? Miriam is six years old when Moses is born. Very often, adults tell six-year-old children that they are too little to do this or that. But it is Miriam who approaches Pharaoh’s daughter after she pulls baby Moses from the river to ask, “Shall I go and get you a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for you?” How dare any slave, especially a child, speak to Pharaoh’s daughter and tell her what to do? Miriam dares, and by highlighting her bravery, this book challenges young readers to think about what they can accomplish by speaking up. With this Curious Student's Guide in hand, your children will discover similarly important life lessons they can apply to their own lives.


Essential Torah

Essential Torah

Author: George Robinson

Publisher: Schocken

Published: 2006-10-31

Total Pages: 621

ISBN-13: 0805241868

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Whether you are studying the Bible for the first time or you're simply curious about its history and contents, you will find everything you need in this "accessible, well-written handbook to Jewish belief as set forth in the Torah" (The Jerusalem Post). George Robinson, author of the acclaimed Essential Judaism, begins by recounting the various theories of the origins of the Torah and goes on to explain its importance as the core element in Jewish belief and practice. He discusses the basics of Jewish theology and Jewish history as they are derived from the Torah, and he outlines how the Dead Sea Scrolls and other archaeological discoveries have enhanced our understanding of the Bible. He introduces us to the vast literature of biblical commentary, chronicles the evolution of the Torah’s place in the synagogue service, offers an illuminating discussion of women and the Bible, and provides a study guide as a companion for individual or group Bible study. In the book’s centerpiece, Robinson summarizes all fifty-four portions that make up the Torah and gives us a brilliant distillation of two thousand years of biblical commentaries—from the rabbis of the Mishnah and the Talmud to medieval commentators such as Rashi, Maimonides, and ibn Ezra to contemporary scholars such as Nahum Sarna, Nechama Leibowitz, Robert Alter, and Everett Fox. This extraordinary volume—which includes a listing of the Torah reading cycles, a Bible time line, glossaries of terms and biblical commentators, and a bibliography—will stand as the essential sourcebook on the Torah for years to come.


The Complete Guide to the Bible

The Complete Guide to the Bible

Author: Stephen M. Miller

Publisher: Barbour Publishing

Published: 2013-11-04

Total Pages: 928

ISBN-13: 1607423197

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Interesting to read and easy to consult, The Complete Guide to the Bible is a reliable, jargon-free handbook for average people who want to better understand the entire Bible. Captivating writing along with beautifully designed and illustrated pages entice readers into the book and keep them lingering throughout its 512 pages. This latest project from Steve Miller, author of the best-selling Who's Who and Where's Where in the Bible, provides both the big-picture view of the whole Bible and its individual books, as well as fascinating detail on particular passages and topics.