Ten Reasons Why Parents Should Read the First Five Books (Pentateuch) of the Bible to their Children

Every Christian parent should read the entire Bible to their children. But reading the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch (penta- meaning five, and teuch meaning book), is especially important for young children. Here are ten reasons why:

1) God commanded parents to read the Pentateuch to their children.

Toward the end of Moses' life, while on plains of Moab about to enter into the Promised Land, Moses instructs Israel to hear:

Deuteornomy 6:4–9: 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Up to this point in the Bible, God has revealed himself as the LORD, the personal God. The impact of verse 4 above is accented by the fact that Moses has written four books before, revealing and describing who God is and how he works in the world. When he finally states that the LORD our God, the LORD is one, the reader who has carefully read Moses feels the weighty significance of such a statement. The statement from here on out in the Scriptures functions as a fulcrum to pivot from what has been said about the LORD God, to what will be said in the future books of the Old and New Testaments.

This simple formula is meant to capture in the heart and mind of each Israelite man, woman, and child, the utter beauty of the LORD God and propel them forward with hope in the LORD God. It is the duty of each parent to introduce their child to this LORD God from the first five books of the Bible; to introduce them to the wonderful acts of the LORD God; and to introduce them to the mysteriously transcendent and condescending God of Moses. These words about the LORD God are simple to remember but carry the weight of the first five books of the Bible.

2) The Pentateuch teaches children that the world (and the Bible) is not about them ... it's all about God! 

3) The Pentateuch teaches children about pretty much...EVERYTHING! 

• It teaches them that God created everything. 

Genesis 1:1: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 

• It teaches them that God created humanity in his image. 

Genesis 1:27:

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

• It teaches them about the origin of evil and sin. 

• It teaches them how to obey God and treat their neighbor (Exodus 20:1–17; Deuteronomy 5:6–21).

• It teaches them about the importance of loving God and neighbor (Leviticus 19:34).

• It teaches them about the dangers of complaining (Numbers 11:1–3).

4) The Pentateuch establishes for children God's design for human sexuality. 

• The Bible begins by clarifying that human sexuality is good and part of God's design. 

• As far as the sexes go, God designed there to be two sexes: male and female. 

• The Pentateuch offers descriptive accounts of human sexuality and what is normative and what is not. It is not always obvious from descriptive accounts what is normative... but there are several instances that describe what is wicked. For instance, homosexual acts are not normative within God's design for human sexuality. Genesis 19 provides three witnesses: Lot (who calls it wicked), the angels (who strike the men with blindness), and God himself (who brings judgment on the city). 

• The Pentateuch provides prescriptive passages to teach what the LORD would have viewed as appropriate human sexuality. For instance, marriage was designed to include only one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24). 

5) The Pentateuch reveals for children God's design for marriage. 

• Marriage was invented by God. 

• Genesis 2:24 is clear that God designed marriage to be between one man and one woman. 

• Marriage is God's means for procreation. 

• Marriage also takes place within a "one-flesh" covenant before God. 

• Monogamous marriage is the ideal over and against polygamy, which often caused long-term problems. 

• Marriage should be held in high regard; God does not tolerate infidelity. 

• There are several laws that protect marriage (Deut 22, 24), which shows its importance to God. 

6) The Pentateuch shows children how God uses complex human interactions in his purposes.

• Adam and Eve shared a normal relationship in the garden (Genesis 2) that quickly disintegrated in Genesis 3 as a result of disobedience.

• Cain murders his brother, Abel, resulting in punishment (Genesis 4). 

• Though Noah is chosen by God to rescue a remnant of humanity, his drunkenness leads to his sons' punishment. 

• Nakedness outside of marriage is not normal (Genesis 9).

• Humans conspiring against God does not end well (Genesis 11). 

• Husbands who lie to their wives are not wise (Genesis 12, 20). 

• Homosexual interactions are punishable by God (Genesis 18–19). 

• Incestuous relationships between children and their parents have generational ramifications (Genesis 19).

• Sibling jealousy is a powerful force that leads to destruction (Genesis 37–50). 

• Failure to acknowledge one's familial responsibility can lead to deception and messy family dynamics (Genesis 38). 

• It's a fools errand for world leaders to contend with God (Exodus 5). 

• Mistreating slaves and sojourners can bring about God's punishment (Exodus 12). 

Although the examples above are part and parcel of God's redemptive story, they nevertheless introduce children to complex issues that parents will need to take time to address. God uses each of these examples to craft a redemptive story that is messy, complex, and extraordinary. Besides this important connection between complex characters and stories, my point is that the Pentateuch provides the environment for parents to address these topics in a controlled way. Marital betrayal, murder, drunkenness, nakedness, conspiracies, marital deception, slavery, homosexuality, prostitution, sibling rivalry, famine, and destruction are all the seemingly evil things that God means for the good of his people. 

7) The Pentateuch introduces children to the role animals play in God's story.

• God creates animals (Genesis 1–2).
• God places animals under the care of humanity (Genesis 2). 
• God preserves animals (Genesis 6–8). 
• God uses animals to display his power (Exodus 6–10). 
• God expects animals to be sacrificed to atone for sin (Leviticus 1–7). 
• God distinguishes between clean and unclean animals (Leviticus 11). 
• God expects humans to consume animals (Exodus 16; Leviticus 5; Numbers 11; Deuteronomy 12:14).
• God expected Israelites to follow specific animal laws (Exodus 21:28–32; Deuteronomy 5:14; 22:1–4, 6–7, 10; 25:4).

8) The Pentateuch offers children cautionary tales of dishonoring God and mistreating fellow humans.

• Adam and Eve's disobedience (Genesis 3).

• Cain's murder of Abel (Genesis 4).

• The Flood (Genesis 6–9). 

• The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). 

• Lot's Wife and Sodom (Genesis 18–19). 

• Pharaoh's Recalcitrance and heavy hand against Israel (Exodus 5–12). 

• Israel's Golden Calf episode (Exodus 32).

• The failure of Aaron's sons (Leviticus 10). 

• Blasphemy against the Lord (Leviticus 24). 

• Korah's Rebellion (Numbers 16). 

• Moses's striking of the rock (Numbers 20). 

• The complaints at Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 21). 

• Israel's disobedience at Baal-Peor (Numbers 25). 

9) The Pentateuch introduces children to the character of God, his communicable and incommunicable attributes, and what he expects of his people.  

• God loves his people (Deuteronomy 7).

• God punishes sin (Genesis 6). 

• God is holy (Leviticus 11).

• God is eternal (Deuteronomy 32).

• God is all-powerful (Exodus 6–13).

10) The Pentateuch helps children understand that the Bible is a cohesive story that, in the New Testament, culminates in Jesus Christ. 

• The Gospel of Matthew starts with an introduction to the genealogy of Jesus. 

• Genesis 12 and 38 function as the backdrop to Jesus's genealogy. 

• Jesus comes from the tribe of Judah, which God chose as the tribe that would produce the Savior of Israel, and the entire world (Genesis 49). 

• In the Gospel of Luke, Luke also gives a compelling case to see the Pentateuch with an eye toward the Messiah. 

After the resurrection, Jesus meets some disciples traveling to a village named Emmaus. On their route, a covert Jesus asks about what took place in Jerusalem. The travelers respond that they had hoped Jesus of Nazareth would redeem Israel. But...he was killed. Apparently though, some women appeared claiming that Jesus was resurrected. But the travelers could not verify their claims, simply stating that Jesus was not in the tomb (Luke 24:19–24). Then Jesus says, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." 

While we would not say that all the Scriptures are only about Jesus, Luke is quick to observe that all the Scriptures contain "the things" that pertain to Jesus Christ. In other words, while the Pentateuch contains much else besides Jesus, they nevertheless reveal extraordinary realities about the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Each parent has the wonderful privilege of teaching their children how to interpret the Pentateuch with an eye toward Jesus Christ.