Pentateuch poem

Well, I'm just starting out in the world of 'Blogging', so I thought I'd start with something easy... I wrote this last year, and thought it would make a good first post...

Help learn the main events in the first 5 books of the Old Testament with this poem!

Genesis starts with creation and man,
The story of Adam and Eve.
God walked with them in the garden of Eden,
The tree of knowledge, alone, they must leave.

Disobedience caused death and sin,
From the garden they were banned.
Cursed forever until a saviour to come,
In a cruel and relentless land.

Ten generations later Noah appeared,
We are well familiar with his ark.
Another ten generations came Abram and Sarai,
God gave to Abram a special mark.

“Go,” God said, “Away from here,
And I will be with you.
And to prove my Word your famly line
Will multiply, yes it is true!”

So Abram believed and he remained faithful,
He waited and waited for a son.
He almost lost hope, Ishmael was not Sarah’s,
Then aged 90, she conceived, the one.

God tested Abraham – “Sacrifice Isaac,
Show me you completely trust Me!”
About to kill his promised son,
God states; “No, let him be free!”

Sarah died, alas what sadness,
A wife for Isaac must he need.
We meet Rebeckah, a kind young maid,
She was the one to continue the seed.

Twins were born, Jacob and Esau,
Esau rejected his name.
Jacob, deceitful, but followed the Lord,
Quickly rose to fame.

Jacob worked for Laban for seven long years,
But is seemed like such a small cost!
For he loved Rachel, yet he was deceived,
Leah was his first, Rachel lost.

Another seven years, Rachel was his,
Yet favouritism caused barriers to rise.
For Rachel was barren, Leah bore sons,
And deceit gave way to more lies.

Some tragic stories unfold at this point,
And yet, a bright star emerges,
Joseph sold into slavery in Egypt,
But to great power he surges!

Joseph brings his family to him in Egypt,
To provide for them by the Nile.
Reunited with his father they are overjoyed,
And all was well for a while.

400 years on and the tables have turned,
The Israelites are now enslaved.
Their cries reach heaven, the Lord will act,
A baby boy, Moses, is saved.

Moses tried to flee from his life,
But God met him at the bush.
“Tell my people, I AM who I AM!”
Moses pleaded, “No, I’m too shy, I will blush!”

Aaron went with him and together they showed
Miraculous power and signs!
After ten plagues and a broken Pharaoh,
To release them he no longer declines.

A multitude of people gather by the Red Sea,
Weak and scared and afraid.
Moses raised his staff, the waters receded,
Through the sea, their way they made

Pharaoh tried to follow with 600 chariots,
But God caused the sea to fill.
The people are free to fulfil Abrahams promise,
And to follow in God’s holy Will.

Moses gave the people laws and rules,
To keep them holy and pure.
But the people complained about their heaven sent food,
And 40 years of wandering they had to endure.

Finally a warrior, Joshua, arises,
To take hold of the Promised Land.
They crossed the dry Jordan, they knocked down Jericho,
The residents in fear of their hand.

This story of the first five books of the Bible -
“The Pentateuch”, is also it’s name -
Is a story of God’s unfailing love and promise,
In a fallen world where sin is to blame.

And all through the books of the Old Testament,
Christ is revealed through and through,
The great I AM, the Messiah, Lion of Judah,
Lamb that was slain, for me and for you.



22nd Jan 2012.