final study guide Flashcards
what was Paul’s message to Timothy concerning the value of the OT
have provided you with wisdom necessary to embrace god’s saving work in Jesus; possess great value for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in the right path so we can be fully equipped for any good work
What did Jesus say about the relationship of his teachings with the OT law?
Jesus is the answer to the OT’s questions and concerns; cannot understand lords supper without undertsanign passover; crucifixion’s meaning is diminished;
What is the role the Old Testament plays in relation to the New Testament?
foundation for New Testament; cannot fully grasp the meaning of the NT without understanding the OT
As discussed in class, what is the difference between a first and second order story?
A first order story is one’s
personal story, unique to the individual. It provides identity, name, it is specific to individual. A second order
story is a wide sweeping story that attempts to explain why the world is as it is, it provides meaning and purpose
to one’s first order story. It can be a religion, a philosophy [materialism, etc] or culture)
What does the Bible clearly claim concerning the world we know?
it was good
In what sense is Genesis a radical revision?
their identity for hundreds of years was based on how many bricks they could make
of the pagan creation narratives of that time regarding the nature of God, creation, and humanity’s role
What is the role of humanity in the biblical story?
to fill, to form, to tend, to care for
What distinguishes humanity from other creatures in the biblical story of creation?
created in the image of God; given the responsibility to continue gos creative work
What was “not good” in the creation story? Why is this significant?
for man to be alone; god created woman
Why does it not make sense for the Bible’s account of creation to answer modern scientific questions?
it is written as poetry? its truth transcends both science and history
According to Briley, is science the enemy of the biblical account of creation? Why or why not?
no, it is still scientific truth, but it was not meant to be written scientifically
How did Adam and Eve’s first sin demonstrate a misuse of privilege?
it is a claim of autonomy; Adam and Eve thought they knew what was best and took advantage of everything god had given them
What is ironic about the consequences of the first sin?
in striving to be like god, they became less than what they originally were
What happened to the relationship of man and woman because of sin?
battle of sexes; struggle for power over begins;
What motivated Cain to kill Abel?
improper worship and improper treatment of others deeply connected; jealousy
What does the tower of Babel represent?
story of human arrogance; significance is pursued rather than service
For what does Abram’s faith serve as a model?
Abraham will serve as the founding story and example of faith in god
patience and faith in god
What is the meaning of God’s testing of Abraham concerning Isaac being offered as a sacrifice?
this action differentiates god from pagan gods demanding sacrifice of sons;
What is Jacob’s name changed to and what does it mean?
Israel; wrestles with god
How does Joseph end up in Egypt?
sold by his brothers; interprets dreams of the pharaoh
How did Joseph choose to see the events that led him to his position of power?
he accepted yer painful journey as a part of god’s story.
with insight, humility and compassion?
What made the Israelites a threat to Egypt? What might have Egypt done rather than enslaving Israel?
population growth; so many Israelites; become their ally
How did God appear to Moses? What was the meaning of God’s name?
a burning bush; life’s esence, I am, breath of life
What is the meaning of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread?
commemoration of past bondage and the redemption that sets god’s people free
What is the meaning of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread?
commemoration of past bondage and the redemption that sets god’s people free
What does it mean to “remember” an event for the purpose of participating in it? What is the outcome?
(this is the New Testament concept of remembering, closely associated with the Hebrew idea – one remembers an
event so as to claim it as one’s own event, thus participating in it and experiencing the liberation. The outcome is a changed life – changed by the direction of the story remembered)
What role did God desire Israel to play between God and the rest of the nations?
be a witness; his witnesses on the earth
What is the relationship between “law” and the story of the people of God?
Jesus is the telos of the law; given because of god’s love, not to earn his love; for the sake of god’s holy name
The law guides God’s people in fulfilling their mission, we should expect to find a close connection between the law and the Bible’s overarching story.
What is the heart of God’s Torah?
love god and love neighbor
What subject is found primarily in Leviticus? Why is this an important topic for us?
Leviticus discusses purity issues. It addresses the central dilemma that a holy God cannot be around unholy people.
The pursuit of holiness for human beings, therefore, coincides with the call to fulfill the creation intent to image God
What do the concepts of holy and common, clean and unclean introduce into the consciousness of Israel?
By introducing the concepts of holy and unholy, clean and unclean, God seeks to ingrain in his covenant people need to 1. Live in daily awareness of sin’s impact on the present order, 2. Appreciate the gracious effort of God to establish his presence in the midst of a sinful people, and 3. Pursue continually God’s provision of purification that allows God’s presence to remain.
What is the purpose of Deuteronomy in terms of God’s covenant with Israel?
It represents the renewal of the covenant with this New Generation
What is the Hebrew name of Numbers and what does it mean?
bemidbar- int he wilderness, the fourth book
What was the result of Israel’s sending out 12 spies to view the land of Canaan, the land promised to them by
God? Who, of the 12, dissented and why?
10 came back and doubted the ability to defeat canaanites; 2 believed
Why did Moses himself not enter the Promised Land?
he disobeyed god and struck the rock instead of asking for water
For what reasons is Joshua told to be “strong and courageous?”
for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them
Who was Rahab and what role did she play in Israel’s conquest of Jericho?
prostitute who saves the spies and is saved from the destruction of Jericho
What is significant about Joshua’s encounter with the angel – the commander of the Lord’s army (Josh.5)?
he was there to lead them; most likely god himself; taught the Israelites that god would be waging their future war with the cananites
How was Jericho defeated and why is the manner of the victory important?
marching around the city; the victory is god’s not Israels
What definitive statement is made in Joshua concerning the promises of God being fulfilled?
Every single promise that God has made has been fulfilled
What is identified at the beginning of Judges as the cause for Israel’s failures?
enemies had iron chariots
had lost their faith and trust in god
What happened in successive generations that led to the failures of Israel (Judges 2:7 and following)?
a generation grows up without knowing God (experienced God) or what he has done for Israel and as a result worships Baal and other Canaanite gods; as a result of them breaching the covenant, God removes his protection from Israel and allows enemies to plunder them
What is the Nazirite vow and how does it influence the story of Samson?
normally a voluntary choice made by an adult for a limited period of time that involved abstaining from fermented drinks, from cutting one’s hair, and from any contact with the defilement of a dead body; Samson continually breaks the Nazirite vow and reveals to Delilah how his hair is associated with his strength
What are the two stories of chaos at the end of Judges? What might these stories teach us?
- open acceptance of idolatry (Micah creates a shrine and installs his son as priest)
- great sin of Gibeah (a Levite offers his concubine to scoundrels who kill her and then he cuts the corpse into 12 pieces and sends them throughout Israel to summon them to battle; the tribes demand that the guilty be executed and the resulting battle almost wipes out the tribe of Benjamin)
Why is it significant that the story of Ruth occurs during the sordid history of the judges?
he compassion, faithfulness, and community responsibility of Ruth and Boaz stand in stark contrast to the selfish actions that dominate Judges. God’s reversal of the apparent hopelessness of Ruth and Naomi demonstrates what he can do on behalf of Israel
What does Ruth 1:16-17 remind us of concerning God’s will for Israel in relationship with other nations?
Ruth’s words reflect covenant loyalty; we have another example of a non-Israelite experiencing blessing through descendants of Abraham even during a bleak time. Ruth’s response of faithfulness will allow her to be blessed by God
Who is Samuel and what led Israel to ask for a king towards the end of Samuel’s life?
the last judge of Israel and first of prophets after Moses; he failed to control his sons, who the people didn’t want to take over for him
Who was the first king of Israel and how did his reign begin?
Saul; incredibly hopeful, immediately leads Israel to victory over ammonites
What was the turning point of Saul’s reign as king? At what point did he turn away from God?
sailor refuses to wait on Samuel and takes role of priest
What contrast do we see between David and Saul in the confrontation with Goliath?
David trusts that God will give him victory while Saul questions David’s ability to go up against Goliath
What was the turning point of David’s kingship?
he acts selfishly and sends his army out to war under a military commander instead of going with them; leads him to seeing Bathsheba
Who was Bathsheba? Uriah? How did David rid himself of Uriah? Why?
Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah, a soldier on the battlefield; David arranges for Uriah to be murdered on the battlefield so that he can take Bathsheba as his wife
How could someone who committed the terrible sins David committed be one “after God’s own heart?”
psalms reveals the depth of david’s relationship with god; he works through imperfect people; David is redeemed because of his true confession and repentance
What did Solomon request of God, and how did God respond?
a discerning heart; God promises Solomon unparalleled wisdom, wealth, honor, and a long life
What did Solomon build? What promise did God make Solomon concerning this construction project?
the temple that David had proposed; it is a symbol of promise from God to dwell in the midst of his people; if the people turn to God and pray toward the temple, God will faithfully respond to them
What led to the downfall of Solomon? What might we learn from this?
intermarriage with women from surrounding nations, accumulates wealth, finds his identity and confidence in sources other than God, starts worshipping pagan gods
What makes the Wisdom Literature different from other Old Testament texts?
poetic form and more personal perspective; rather than God speaking to the people, in these works they speak to him
What is “a lament” and why is it significant in studying the Psalms?
complaint; it is the largest category in Psalms; faithfulness results in blessing, but the life of faith faces numerous challenge
What does the best known passage from Lamentations reveal or demonstrate?
an ability to find one’s “portion” in God in midst of defeat and exile
What is a proverb and how does it function?
form of wisdom literature; its brevity and colorful language produces a memorable statement of truth
What is the beginning of knowledge according to the Proverbs?
fear of Yahweh
With what do Job and Ecclesiastes grapple?
the complexities of life that confound the person who seeks to walk in God’s ways
What does Job teach us concerning the only adequate goal for pursuing a relationship with God?
Job affirms the vital principle that the ultimate and only adequate goal for pursuing a relationship with God is god himself
In what sense is the message of Qoheleth a liberating one? What is its ultimate message? (Ecclesiastes)
Eliminates need to feel a sense of fulfillment after accomplishing a particular task; in order to find the gift of joy that Ecclesiastes offers, we must surrender our sense of being in control. the perspective on life that emerges from Ecclesiastes affirms a focus on humanity’s role in God’s mission. The work is God’s, and the immediate and long-term impact of our efforts ultimately rests with him. If we trust God in this regard, we will possess more peace and confidence than we could through our attempts to be in control
Why do so many turn to allegory as a way of understanding the Song of Songs?
many interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, have been unable to accept Song of Songs as a book about romantic love. this perspective has led them to an allegorical interpretation that applies the romantic imagery to the relationship between God and his people
Who is the first king of the northern tribes and what pattern does he establish continuing through the rest of
Kings?
jeroboam 1…
What happened when Elijah confronted 850 pagan prophets at Mt. Carmel?
water on the altar, god set it on fire
In what form did God show himself to Elijah when Elijah went into hiding? (1 Kings 19)
a whisper
What is the prayer of Elisha in 2 Kings 6:16-17 and why is this event of particular meaning to believers?
open his eyes that he may see; open our eyes to see god…
What is the issue summarized in 2 Kings 17:14-15 which causes God to reject his people?
they were stubborn and would not listen; do not trust in the lord their god; rejected his decree; idols; imitated other nations
What do the prophets help Israel see? How do they serve as mediators?
see the flow of the current situation and envision the future restoration of god’s original purpose
What kind of worship does Isaiah point out that which will cause God to respond?
meaningless worship; other gods and yahweh; god wants authentic worship in the presence of a changed heart
What is the heart of the problem that Jeremiah addresses in his ministry?
deficient view of god and how he is worshipped
What analogy or imagery is used often to demonstrate the faithlessness of the people of God? (Ezekiel 16, 23)
adulterous wife
What fundamental problem does Ezekiel identify that has caused Israel’s unfaithfulness? What is the solution?
…
How does God purify or prepare his people – generally, what does he do?
he displaces them
What does Daniel do which places him in the good favor of king Nebuchadnezzar?
interprets his dream
How did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego get into trouble and what was the outcome?
not bowing down to statue; thrown into furnace
What do Daniel and Esther have in common? How do they differ?
both-
life in exile, potential hazards (refusal to bow and worship), snails was victimized like jews in Esther, god’s people experience deliverance through jews how achieved high status
What do Daniel and Esther have in common? How do they differ?
both-
life in exile, potential hazards (refusal to bow and worship), snails was victimized like jews in Esther, god’s people experience deliverance through jews how achieved high status
differ-
god’s presence and actions saturate Daniels life; gods name does not appear in Esther; visions in Daniel, none in Esther
What story do the books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell?
describe challenging restoration process;
the successive missions to Jerusalem of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, and their efforts to restore the worship of the God of Israel and to create a purified Jewish community.
What was the main challenge Ezra had to confront as he arrived in Jerusalem?
small group facing poverty, opposition, and hard work
Who was Nehemiah (the role he was in when he story begins to be told) and what did he accomplish?
trusted servant of the Persian king; finished work in 52 days
What are the major emphases in Chronicles? Why would these be important to post-exile Israel?
god’s covenant with David; construction of the temple; importance of seeking god and his commitment to being present with his people
What are the major emphases in Chronicles? Why would these be important to post-exile Israel?
god’s covenant with David; construction of the temple; importance of seeking god and his commitment to being present with his people
What sets the Genesis story of creation apart from its contemporary stories of origin?
…
What does God’s covenant with Abram restore?
restores the focus of God’s intention to bless
make him into a great nation
