This is the sixth class in a series that surveys the overarching story of the Bible from a high-level (“30,000-foot”) perspective. Bookout reviews the major movements so far (Creation, Fall, and the Abrahamic covenant) and then focuses on the second major Old Testament covenant—the Mosaic covenant given at Mount Sinai. He shows how this covenant of law and obedience is quickly broken, highlights God’s grace in continuing with Israel despite repeated failure, and points forward to the promised new covenant (Jeremiah 31). The class ends with a rapid overview of the books that follow (Exodus–Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and the beginning of Samuel) to set up the third major covenant (with David) for the next week.

Bookout begins by reminding the class of the Bible’s “bookend” structure: Genesis 1–2 presents a perfect world where God lives with humanity (no death, no curse), and Revelation 21–22 presents a new heaven and new earth that restore that same reality. Everything in between is the story of how God moves from the broken middle back to the restored end.

After briefly reviewing the Fall and the rapid downward spiral in Genesis 3–11, he revisits the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12, 15, 17, 22). God promises land, descendants, and blessing. The covenant is based on Abraham’s faithfulness, is marked by circumcision, and is passed to Isaac and Jacob. Bookout notes the striking parallels between Moses’ birth story and Jesus’ birth story as part of God’s intentional storytelling.

The class then turns to the Mosaic covenant. After 430 years of slavery in Egypt, God raises up Moses, delivers Israel through the plagues, and brings them to Mount Sinai (Exodus 19). There God offers a conditional covenant: “If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession… a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” The people agree. Exodus 20 gives the Ten Commandments (a summary of the larger body of law), and Exodus 20:22–23:33 is often called the “Covenant Code.” In Exodus 24 the covenant is formally ratified with sacrifices and blood sprinkled on the altar and the people; Moses writes the words in the “Book of the Covenant,” and the people again pledge obedience.

Almost immediately the covenant is broken with the golden-calf incident. Bookout emphasizes that Israel (and humanity in general) is simply bad at keeping rules. Because the Mosaic covenant was conditional on obedience, God is under no obligation to continue with them. Yet He does so graciously—partly because of the earlier, unconditional Abrahamic covenant. Israel’s entire history becomes a repeated cycle of failure met by God’s mercy.

Looking ahead, Bookout reads Jeremiah 31:31–34, where God promises a *new* covenant that will not be like the Sinai covenant. Instead of external rules written in a book, God will write His law on their hearts. This new covenant is also sealed in blood—Jesus’ blood. The class closes with a fast-forward overview:
- Exodus–Deuteronomy fill out the Mosaic law.
- Joshua shows God fulfilling the land promise.
- Judges depicts a period in which God is the true King, yet the people repeatedly reject His rule.
- 1 Samuel records Israel’s demand for a human king “like the other nations,” setting the stage for the Davidic covenant next week.

The consistent theme is human inability to keep rules contrasted with God’s steadfast grace, all moving toward the ultimate solution in Christ.

1. **Introduction & Big-Picture Review**
- Bible as an inclusio (bookends): perfect creation (Genesis 1–2) → new creation (Revelation 21–22).
- The “middle” story: Fall → God’s redemptive work.
- Three major Old Testament covenants: Abraham, Moses, David.

2. **Quick Recap of the Abrahamic Covenant**
- Genesis 12, 15, 17, 22 promises.
- Based on Abraham’s faithfulness; sign of circumcision.
- Passed to Isaac and Jacob; family grows and ends up in Egypt.
- Parallel between Moses’ birth and Jesus’ birth.

3. **From Egypt to Sinai**
- 430 years of slavery.
- Moses’ call at the burning bush; God remembers His covenant with Abraham.
- Deliverance through the plagues; journey to Mount Sinai.

4. **The Mosaic Covenant Established (Exodus 19–24)**
- Exodus 19: God’s conditional offer—“If you obey… you will be my treasured possession, a kingdom of priests.”
- Exodus 20: The Ten Commandments (summary of the law).
- Exodus 20:22–23:33: The “Covenant Code.”
- Exodus 24: Ratification ceremony—sacrifices, blood sprinkled on altar and people, Book of the Covenant read, people pledge obedience.
- Character of the covenant: two-party agreement based on law and obedience, sealed in blood.

5. **The Covenant Immediately Broken**
- Golden-calf incident.
- Humanity’s inability to keep rules.
- God is free to abandon the covenant, yet continues graciously because of the prior Abrahamic covenant.
- Israel’s history becomes a story of repeated failure met by God’s mercy.

6. **Promise of a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34)**
- Not like the Sinai covenant (external written rules).
- God will write His law on their hearts.
- Still involves moral requirements (sin is still possible), but the nature of the relationship is different.
- Foreshadows the new covenant sealed by Jesus’ blood.

7. **Rapid Overview of the Following Books**
- Exodus–Deuteronomy: Expansion and explanation of the Mosaic law.
- Joshua: Fulfillment of the land promise.
- Judges: Period with no human king (God is King); cycle of rebellion and deliverance.
- 1 Samuel: Israel demands a human king “like the other nations,” rejecting God’s rule—sets up the Davidic covenant.

8. **Closing**
- Prayer asking God to help the class understand the story He is writing and to play a faithful role in it.