Christianity’s Firm Foundation Laid by Israel

After the Israelites’ escaped from Egypt and as they wandered in the desert toward the promised land, God through Moses gave the Law that laid Christianity’s firm foundation.

God’s Provision:

• Event Calendar (Exodus 12:1-2; 20:8-17; Leviticus 23:1-44)
• Governing Laws and Guidelines (Exodus 18:13-26; Numbers 11:16-30; Deuteronomy 17:14-20)
• Legal System
  • Liability Laws (Exodus 21:28-36)
  • Criminal Code (Exodus 21:12-27)
  • Conduct Laws (Leviticus 18; 20)
• Health Laws and Guidelines
  • Diagnosis and Treatment (Leviticus 13-14)
  • Diet (Leviticus 7:22-27; 11:1-47)
  • Purification (Numbers 19:2-9)
• Educational System (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
  • Children
  • Ethics
  • Basic Medicine
  • Basic Hygiene
  • Basic Nutrition
• Identity Preservation
  • Language and God’s Written Word (Exodus 31:18)
  • Teach and Copy God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

This foundation and its values set the people of Israel apart from other nations. Distinguishing them as God’s Chosen People. Those same values would return the Israelites to Him and the promised land.

• During the Israelite’s captivity in Babylon, Daniel risked his life by adhering to his passion for God’s Word (Deuteronomy 30:1-5; Daniel 9).
• Nehemiah’s passion for God’s Word urged him to leave his role as the king’s cupbearer and preserve Israel’s identity by rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 1; Ezra 7:6-10; Nehemiah 8-9).

The events and their challenges ensured that God’s Chosen People were in the right place and at the right time for Christ’s birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

In Jesus:

• God Himself dwells with His people (Galatians 4:4-5).
• He is the Prophet greater than Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18; Hebrews 3:2-6).
• He is the perfect sacrifice that seals an unbreakable covenant with God (Hebrews 7:22; 8:1–9:15).

Thank God for Christianity’s firm foundation laid by Israel.

Your prayer for Israel?

“…The meaning of silence is consent. Anyone who wants to fight for the truth cannot be silent.” — Mike Huckabee, United States Ambassador to Israel

Note: This summary was developed from Tyndale’s NLT One Year Chronological Study Bible, pages 3974-3975, an excellent resource. Unless stated otherwise, all scripture links are to the New Living Translation (NLT). Thanks to Cindy Dawson at Real Christian Women for the Mike Huckabee quote.