Structure and Sequence

The entire bible is written out in different styles and techniques based on the author and the time period. You have books of law, poetry, prophecy, history, genealogy, parable and proverbial, just to name a few. Take the books of the the Pentateuch for instance. Genesis through Deuteronomy were all written by one guy, Moses, yet they very in the way they are written. The book of Genesis is structure very chronologically, laying out the details from Creation to Joseph's death. This is followed by the Book of Exodus, or sometimes known as the Book of the Exodus,where God's people exit the clutches of Egyptian captivity and spend 40 years out in the middle of nowhere. During this period, Moses lays out the law as given to him by God on Mount Sinai. This of course is the book of the Law, Leviticus. From there, we find the book of Numbers which is designed as a continuation of the law while giving a wide scope of how big the people of Israel had already become, then it ends with the book of Deuteronomy explaining how to live with the laws and practices that have been set in place. I like the fact that through the first 5 books of the bible, God uses one author to write in several different ways. One life, many styles. It is like God is showing Moses that though he is one man, he is not limited to one gifting or purpose. In the same way, we are not just a worker in one place, but we are people who have many different gifts and calling in each of us. We are not limited to one way to live, but rather over time, God pulls out different techniques of getting through life that have always been in us, we just didn't know they were there because we did not need them in that season. Moses could not have written how to follow the Law if he had not first been given to the Law. The Israelites could not have become as numerous as the sand if their lineage had not been previously established long beforehand. God knows how are life will play out and what gifts and talents we will need when we hit different checkpoints in our journey. Don't limit yourself to one style of living when God has called you to so much more. Trust his path and wait with anticipation for his future for you.

Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Mission From God

*photo credit- helloworldciv.com