Your Window into the Bible

Lesson 2 

(30 Second Version)

The Story of the Jewish People

The Jewish people were "created" by God with a two-part promise to a fellow named Abraham.  Both parts of the promise would show God's special relationship with Abraham and his descendants.  The promise:

1.  Abraham would have many descendants.

2.  Abraham's descendants would be given a special "promised land" in which to live and thrive.

Abraham and his wife finally did have a child, Isaac, who in turn had Jacob.  Jacob's children included 12 sons; the family trees of each of those twelve boys came to be known as the "twelve tribes of Israel," to which all Jewish people can trace their roots.

Eventually the Jewish people settled in Egypt, where they multiplied so fast they were eventually enslaved by the Egyptians out of fear.  A great leader named Moses led them out of slavery in Egypt, but right into a desert for about 40 years of wandering.  During that time they received the Ten Commandments, multiplied into a strong nation, got organized, and eventually took over the promised land (today's Israel) under the military leadership of Joshua.  

At first they lived in the Promised Land under rulers called Judges, but later they got Kings.  The greatest Kings were David and Solomon; after them the country divided--north and south, and each part had it's own King.  Most of the prophets we read about in the Bible were active during this time, confronting the Kings and reminding the Israelites to be faithful to God.  

Eventually the Northern Kingdom was conquered by the Assyrians (in 722 B.C.), but the Southern Kingdom continued.  It consisted of only two of the original 12 tribal areas, but it did contain the capital city of Jerusalem and the Temple where the Ten Commandments were kept.  However, in 586 B.C. the Babylonians swept in, tore down the Temple, killed many people, and forced the survivors to leave the Promised Land as their prisoners.  It seemed that God's promise of many descendants and a promised land had been crushed.

However, when the Persian Empire eventually defeated the Babylonians, the ruler, Cyrus, let the survivors return to the Promised Land.  Some did, and under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah the process of rebuilding the Temple and their country was begun.  And that's the end of the Old Testament story!  

Thank you for your interest in studying the Bible!!!!

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