The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Kings 8:56-58, “Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant.

57 “May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us,

58 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers.”

There’s an old saying, “As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined.” I remember a lady who shared with me the troubles that led to her divorce from her husband. I asked, as I always do, “Is there any hope of reconciliation?” Her answer was kind, but she said, “No.” I learned that she had children and I reminded her that children need their parents –both of them. Boys who grow up without a father never know how to be a father. The same is true of girls who grow up without a mother. It’s the old “twig and tree” situation all over again.

According to Jewish tradition, the author of the two books of Kings in the Old Testament was the prophet Jeremiah. His emphasis in our verses above was that the promises of the LORD simply will not fail. Since His promises are often conditional, what appears to be His failure, occurs when we depart from His Word.

Have your parents never said to you, “If you do what I have told you to do, you may do what you have asked this afternoon”? Later, when you are denied what you wanted to do, it was not that your parents changed their minds; rather, it was that you had failed to carry out the first part: “…what I have told you to do…” It works the same way with the LORD. He states a promise, but it is conditioned upon our obedience to what He has said.

“But this is the Old Testament,” you say. How does that affect me? The principle of how God operates is precisely the same. His promises to those in ancient times work the same way toward us. They are guarantees that are conditioned upon our obedience to His words.

What’s really precious is “that He may incline our hearts to Himself.” He loves us and wants us to want to do His will more than anything! It’s like the “tree” wanting its own “twig” to grow tall and straight and be a credit to the family from which it has come. Think about it!

We love all of your and want to encourage you to find God’s principles in His Word and put them to work in your own life, as if they were your own. Obedience is the key to success.

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

Rose Marie remains in hospital, but is progressing nicely. She does have pneumonia in one lung,

but is being treated, so as to erase the problem we’ve faced before. In the meantime, people are

learning about the LORD and how to have a personal relationship with Him. We will probably

never know whether those with whom we’ve shared ever come to faith in Him; but our job is to

tell them. His is to change their hearts. Your prayers make you a partner in this venture.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Genesis 4:6, “Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?’”

Whether it sounds like it or not, “hermeneutics” is a method of studying the Scriptures.

One of the first principles is that the way something is first used in Scripture, is the way

it is to be understood throughout. For instance, the first mention of a snake (serpent) in

the Garden of Eden is evil; and from thereon throughtout the Word, snakes are representative of evil.

What, where, when, who, and why and are five important words that reveal more than you would think when applied to a thorny situation. Why is probably the most intriguing of

the five.

The first mention of the word why occurs in Genesis 4:6, and thereafter it occurs 421 times in the New American Standard Bible: Why are you angry? Why has your countenance fallen? Why did you not tell me? Why did you say…? Why do you stand outside? Why have you come?

Very often we see things in the news and ask Why? Sometimes we look at ourselves and

ask Why? Why did I do that? Why did I not speak up? Why are some people the way they are? There are thousands of questions that start and end with Why?

A five year-old-boy was airlifted to Children’s Hospital with a terrifying disease! Why?

A local business-owner, known for his Christian faith died rather unexpectedly. Why?

A teenage girl disappeared from her home and has yet to be found. Why?

I had some close friends, but they suddenly turned against me. Why?

When the LORD twice asked why of Cain, He already knew the answer. Asking why puts

the onus or responsibility on the person being asked. So, when your parents or Sunday School teacher or even a close friend asks why you did or said something, they are expecting you to give cause to the question. Still more importantly, the LORD views our every move, knows our every thoughts, and the motivation that pushes thoughts into action.

And even when our consciences are clear and yet trouble looms in our pathway, and brings us to our knees in prayer, we find ourselves asking “Why, LORD? Why me?” We may never know the full extent of our suffering. But, we can and do know that the LORD is faithful, and loves us through the trouble. Why? He’s teaching us to trust Him. Do you?

We love and pray for you every day,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Rose Marie went into hospital this morning, having had what is arguably her worst

night ever! When dawn broke this morning, I called the EMTs and they transported

her to our “old, second home,” Washington Regional Medical Center, Fayetteville.

Careful and skillful treatment is at work to restore her health, and progress is evident.

The opportunities for witnessing abound, and she is not shy about telling folks of Jesus.

Your continuing prayers are most encouraging. Thank you!

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Exodus 24:3, “Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ‘All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!’”

The first five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) constitute what is known as the Torah or the Pentateuch. They contain priestly rituals and laws that are the outworking of the Covenant the LORD established with Israel in Genesis and Exodus.

The Book of Leviticus does not contain the phrase, “all the Words of the LORD”; therefore, our verse comes from the Book of Exodus. The absence of that phrase in Leviticus, however, does not mean that there is no Word from the LORD in Leviticus. It is, in fact, filled with ordinances and instructions for the conduct of the LORD’s people. The name Leviticus comes from the name Levi, who was a leading priest of the LORD in the Old Testament era.

C. Leviticus27

Author: Moses

Date: 1450?1410 B.C.

Theme: Fellowship with God

Key Words: Holiness, Atonement

I. THE GROUND OF FELLOWSHIP IS SACRIFICE (1-17).

1. The Offerings Signify Absolution (1-7).

2. The Priesthood Signifies Mediation (8-10).

3. The People Learn Purification (11-16).

4. The Altar Signifies Reconciliation (17).

II. THE WALK OF FELLOWSHIP IS SEPARATION (18-27).

1. Note The Regulations Concerning The People (18-20).

2. Note The Regulations Concerning The Priests (21-22).

3. Note The Regulations Concerning The Festivals (23-24).

4. Note The Regulations Concerning The Land (25-27).

Notice that the first part of the book concerns sacrifice. All of the Old Testament sacrifices pointed through history to Christ’s death. As with His people in Old Testament times, we are to meditate on His Word and live purified lives. There is no other path to fellowship with Him.

The second part of this book concerns “The Walk of Fellowship”; and that fellowship only comes from separation from the things of the world. Make no mistake about it, the LORD is serious about His regulations. People, priests, festivals, and the land are all His and He holds the authority over them, just as the owner of a house has authority over the house.

There are so many distractions around us today. Popularity, prestige, notoriety, money, possessions, authority –all hang above us, vying for entrance and dominence over our lives. Yet, we must look beyond our time to the Eternal. There we can successfully calculate what is of value; namely, Jesus Christ!

I have today read of some serious troubles in the lives of some Christian people. We should always keep abreast of such instances and communicate the needs to Christ Jesus in prayer. Yet, our prayers’ value depends upon our walk of fellowship with the LORD.

We love and pray for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: Thy Word is truth.”

There’s an old saying, “They that can, do; they who cannot, teach.”

In my effort to set forth an outline of Genesis, I omitted the subheadings under

II. Patriarchal History (12:1-50:26)

1. Abraham (12:1-20:18)

2. Isaac (21:1-25:33)

3. Jacob (25:34-36:43)

4. Joseph (37:1-50:26)

“Genesis means “beginning,” and everything has it’s initial beginning in the Book of Genesis. Next, we turn to Exodus.

B. Exodus40

Author: Moses

Date: 1450?1410 B.C.

Span: 80 Years

Theme: Redemption by Blood

Key Verses: 3:8 & 12:23

I. THE EXODUS OCCURS (1:1?18:27).

1. It Is Projected Through Moses (1:1-4:31).

2. It Is Obstructed By Pharaoh (5:1?11:10).

3. It Is Affected By The Lord (12:1?18:27).

II. THE LAW EMERGES (19:1?24:18).

1. The “Commandments” Are Moral (19:1?20:26).

2. The “Judgments” Are Social (21:1?23:9).

3. The “Ordinances” Are Religious (23:10?24:18).

The Book of Exodus was written by Moses between 1450 to 1410 B.C. and covers 80 years. The theme of the book is “Redemption by Blood.”

“Exodus” highlights the Jews exiting from Egypt. For 400 years the Jewish nation lived under the cruel hands of Egyptian pharaohs. Yet, God sent Moses to lead them out. What Moses intended, Pharaoh denied, until the plagues of the LORD brought him to say, “Okay, GO!” But, he didn’t mean it. Eventually, the people left under the leadership of Moses, and the LORD destroyed the Egyptian army at the Red Sea.

The Book of Exodus gives us the Law to which the Jews were to adhere. The Commandments were the morals by which they were to live. The Judgments dealt with their cultural and social life. The Ordinances were the religious instructions.

You can profit immensely by reading the Book of Exodus. The life of Moses itself is guided by the Hand of the LORD; and it is encouraging to know that the LORD guides us as we

live.

It is also good to memorize the number of chapters in each book (Genesis 50; Exodus 40), as we journey through the Scripture. The more you know about the Bible, the more you will learn what the Bible contains – instructions that enrich our lives and the lives of those around us.

We live in the Word! It guides and encourages us, and we want it to do that for you!

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

1 Peter 1:24-25, “For, ‘All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off,

25 But the word of the Lord abides forever.’ And this is the word which was preached to you.”

To anyone who has ever been required to assemble a product he has ordered, “Read the Directions” is a meaningful instruction. Yet, while directions are included with all kinds of physical equipment, they are strangely absent when dealing with the Bible. I have encountered numerous persons over the years, who had no idea whatsoever about how to read the Bible with understanding.

Outlines are often helpful in understanding literary meanings. Basically, an outline is merely an organization of thought –the thought of the person producing the outline. Writers often differ in their concept of outlining; therefore, it is important to remember that the outline is no more than one person’s opinion. Where two or more outlines appear to agree, the conclusion is that the authors’ views were the same. The outlines in this work are the product of many years. As I have had opportunities to teach Bible classes, I have produced outlines to benefit my students. They will agree and differ in whole and in part with those of others; but, their faults and omissions should be assigned to me alone.

The arrangement of each outline brings to the reader what I have often wished had been available to me. The number in superscript that attends each Bible book’s name (e.g., Genesis50 ) indicates the number of chapters in the book. The authors, dates, the books’ span of years, theme and key verse or words will be helpful. Here again, biblical writers differ with regard to many of these items. Dates of books, particularly, seem to change with every turn of the archeologist’s spade. Yet, my dates lie well within the margin of error, leaving only the supercilious scholar scratching his head.

No effort has been made to issue comments on the books, apart from what is offered through the outlines. Commentary is the responsibility of introductory works and in-depth studies of which there are numerous available.

THE OLD TESTAMENT – 39 BOOKS

1. HISTORICAL – 17 BOOKS

(1) Legal History – 5 Books

A. Genesis50

Author: Moses

Date: 1450?1410 B.C.

Span: 2500 Years

Theme: Man’s Failure; God’s Salvation

Key Verse: 1:1

I. PRIMEVAL HISTORY (1:1?11:32)

1. Creation (1:1?2:25)

2. The Fall (3:1?5:32)

3. The Flood (6:1?10:32)

4. The Tower of Babel (11:1?32)

II. PATRIARCHAL HISTORY

(12:1?50:26)

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

We pray that you will live in the Word daily,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Rose Marie’s procedure went well today. Thanks for your prayers. She is asleep,

as I write. God bless you for your faithful concern.

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”