22 Old Testament Facts Not Taught in Sunday School

When I first became a Christian, I always thought it exciting to ask Christians what they found more interesting: Old or New Testament? Although some (mostly male) people answered the Old Testament for the amazing battles of David's mighty men, the vast majority answered New Testament. Despite the presence of Jesus being the anticipated answer as to why the New Testament was favored, I was shocked to hear most people answer "Because the Old Testament is too confusing and boring."

I admit, the Old Testament genealogies are perhaps drier than the bones found in Ezekiel’s vision, yet after taking an entire class that was focused on surveying the Hebrew Bible, I found that my own feelings of confusion and boredom had little to do with the content. Instead they stemmed from my inability to understand what I was reading. Despite my feeling of being well-versed in Biblical history going into the class, I found that my own Biblical education had been lacking in even some of the most basic areas. Anticipating this lack of knowledge about the basics, our professor weekly quizzed us on 22 basic facts that are helpful in understanding the Old Testament. This list was completely complied by him, and I am greatly appreciative for the tool that helped me to understand the Old Testament better, hopefully it will do the same for you!

1. Abraham is thought to have lived about 1700 BCE.
2. Moses is thought to have lived about 1200 BCE.
3. David and Solomon were kings of Israel between 1000-900 BCE.
4. 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel were destroyed when the Assyrians invaded the North in 722 BCE. These are the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Ephraim, and Manasseh.
5. After Solomon's reign, the northern kingdom is known as Israel, southern kingdom is Judah.
6. The first Jewish Temple (Solomon's Temple) was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE.
7. Much of the Hebrew Bible was collected and edited in Babylon, during the Babylonian Captivity, about 550 BCE.
8. The Second Temple was Dedicated in 516 BCE.
9. The Tanakh is divided into three parts: 1) Torah ("Law" or "Instruction"); 2) Nevi'im ("Prophets") and 3) Ketuvim ("Writings").
10. The "Torah" refers to the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy- These books are also sometimes referred to as the Pentateuch.
11. The language of the Hebrew Bible is Hebrew, though some parts are written in a related language called Aramaic.
12. The Second Temple was Destroyed in 70 CE.
13. After the destruction of the Second Temple, Jews no longer had a place to sacrifice as their scriptures had instructed them to do.
14. Rabbinic Judaism began after the destruction of the Second Temple.
15. Modern Israel became a state in 1948, after World War II.
16. Jerusalem is situated with the Dead Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Ocean to the west, the Negev Desert to the south, and Samaria and Galilee to the north.
17. The River Jordan connects that Sea of Galilee (in the north) with the Dead Sea.
18. Jerusalem is about 10 miles west of Jericho and the Dead Sea. (10 is not a typo).
19. Jerusalem is located on a mountain range that runs north and south through the land, and is at about 2500 feet in elevation.
20. Every year, Jews commemorate their deliverance from slavery in Egypt with a festival called Passover.
21. Jews are instructed by God to keep his commandments, which are listed in the Torah, specifically in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.
22. Through Moses on Mt. Sinai, God made an eternal covenant with the Jewish people.