Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

FACT OR FANTASY? Controversy swirls around the first five books of the Bible. Unbelievers seek to discredit them, calling the events recorded in them "legends" rather than truth. Ranging from evolutionists to modern Bible critics, they question the creation account, the flood story, and even the authorship of Moses. Perhaps they feel if they can get us to look at the Law as legend, then some of the edge will be taken off its impact. The sincere believer stands firm in his defense of these books that trace human history from creation through the death of Moses. Commonly know to us as The Pentateuch, Genesis through Deuteronomy is called The Torah by the Jews. These books form the basis of their religious laws, and they consider the collection as one complete work divided into five sections. Each section gets its title from the first word in that book. Pentateuch means "the fivefold book," and the name for each book comes from the Greek designating their main message. These first five books form the foundation of our faith. They show how God first began dealing with fallen man, and they point forward to Calvary. Paul pointedly states that the old Law was a failure. This was not because of any lack on God's part, but because man is bent on breaking it. Our only hope to be reconciled with God is through the supreme sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. By reading these books of the Law, we plainly see how impossible it is for man to live righteously. We can rejoice because what was once an elusive dream is now a living reality through Christ, our Lord.