OT History can be broken up into nine main periods or nine main eras. This morning we are outlining the 2nd main era of OT history, the Patriarch Era. In the Patriarch Era the Bible narrows its focus, from God’s interaction with the whole human race, to the Lord’s relationship with one particular family which will grow into the nation of Israel.
The OT tells the story of God and the Hebrew people leading up to the time of Jesus. The Hebrews are the descendants of one particular family. When Bible teachers talk about the Patriarchs they are talking specifically about the first four generations of this family that eventually becomes the nation of Israel, starting with the man named Abraham.