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Period of Beginnings
This period extends from
Creation?? - 2000years(BC)
and includes
-Creation
-The Fall of man
-The flood
-The confusion of languages
What is BC and AD?
Before Christ and Anno Domini(The year of our lord)
Who are the Hebrew Patriarchs
Abraham
Issac
Jacob
Joseph
Slavery and captivity of Israel
-Enslaved to Egypt
-Wilderness wanderings
-Conquest of Canaan
-Invasion of the land
-Subjection of the land
-Distribution of the land
Period of the Judges
-Israel’s Sins
-God allows the oppressors
-Israel repents
-God delivers
United Monarchy
Divided Kingdom
Babylonian captivity
Intertestamental period
what are the two methods for Interpreting the Bible and what are their characteristics
Traditional Method
-It accepts the text at face value
-assumes historicity of the Bible
-Synthesizes the material/weaves it together
-weighs/evaluates extra-biblical docs against scripture
-God communicates with creation via inspired scripture.
-Both Jesus and the disciples took the scriptures at face value
(See dead sea scrolls as well).
Modern/Liberal Method
-Approaches scriptures reliability as suspect
-This view becomes popular towards the end of the 19th century.
-Documentary hypothesis in which there were four books that the rest of the bible came from. (put together put Julius Wellhausen). There were (J, E, D, P). Those four books with letter names made up the Torah and were suspected to all have different authors.
-J Document: Any P passage where god initiates a covenant has a single author.
-E Document: Passages referring to God’s Majesty
-D Document: Collection of sermons by Moses - Scribed & handed down
-J+E: Authors deal with God’s character
-P Document:
.Judah’s been conquered by Babylonians
.Priests produce writings to maintain Jewish faith during exile.
What is the definition of the Inspiration of Scripture
God so supernaturally directed the writers of scripture that without waiving their human intelligence literary style, or personal feelings, His complete & coherent message to man was recorded with perfect accuracy, the very words of the original Scripture bearing the authority of divine authorship.
What two languages is the old Testament written in?
Hebrew and Aramaic
What is the technical definition of Autographs?
It refers to the Original Manuscripts of scripture.
What two books of the OT are in Aramaic
Daniel & Ezra
What are some OT Manuscripts?
Masiretic Texts (Oldest copies predate 1000 BC)
-Samaritan Penteteuch (Genesis through deuteronomy oldest dating to 1100 BC)
Dead Sea Scrolls
Traditional View:
Discovered in 1947 -Dated to approx. 100 AD
-earliest known texts prior dated to around 900-1000AD.
-The scroll of Isaiah that was found was complete. The only book in the collection to be so.
-Only book missing was Esther
-Comparison revealed only 13 textual variants
what happens to organic material?
-Decomposition
-Pests
-Elements
-Fade
The value and limitations of archaeology
-Problem of historical losses
-Problem of limited excavation
-Problem of non-written sources
-Problem of dating (Thing’s like carbon dating)
-Problem of history (History is written by the victor)
-
Principalizing Bridge
This concept refers to the idea that we must go from the world of the Old Testament to the New Testament and ensure that we accurately interpret them for time-period between the two. There were some things, for instance, that were given to Israel and the Jews, that were not given to us now. Likewise there were some concepts or public perceptions that changed between the Old and New Testament that lead to differences in understanding each.
What percent of the bible is old testament?
73.75%
Who was the first person to organize the Bible into chapters?
Steven Langton the Archbishop of Canterbury
Who was the first to write a full translation of the Bible from the Latin Vulgate?
John Wycliffe in 1383 it was condemned in 1403.
Who first added verses to the bible?
1555
How many books is the bible and the old testament?
a. 66 b. 39
The bible has multiple authors, there is a specific term for this. What is this word?
Anthology
What does Proto Evangelium mean?
Latin: First Gospel
How were the steps of writing the bible throughout history?
-It was past down in pictograms first.
-In Mesopotamia, it was first written in hieroglyphs
- it was eventually written down on papyrus starting in Egypt.
-It began was written in Hieratic form which is an early form of cursive.
-in 700 BC, the Hieratic form is simplified to a written(Demotic) script.
-Eventually, it’s written in Cuniform script which is the most used and most easily understood form of early writings. Composed of Shapes and wedges to form an alphabet.
-
What are the first five books of the Old Testament called?
Penetetuch(Torah)
Pente = five
Techus = Scrolls
What is the Hebrew Old Testament called?
TaNaK
What are the 5 books that make up the Pentetuch/Torah?
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus Numbers
Deuteronomy
What are the books of the Nevi’im?
Joshua
Judges
Samuel
Kings
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
The Twelve
What are the books of the Kethubi’im
Psalms
Proverbs
What was the Torah and what were its characteristics?
-The book of the torah spans 5 seperate books that each comprise different aspects of the law.
-2 basic divisions
-Gen 1-11: The promise to Abraham(Spans beg. of time to taking of the promised land)
-Gen 12-Deut 34: The promise fulfiled(The sum total of the hebrew scriptures).
What was the Septuagint and it’s characteristics
Septuagint was the Greek translation of the OT
-Septuagint - LXX = 70
250AD - completed
-72 Jewish scribes
-382AD Jermome commissions the Latin vulgate
-7th century - Official bible of RCC
What does Torah mean?
Law
Who produced the first English translation based on the original manuscripts?
William Tyndale
What did William Tyndale believe about salvation?
Salvation is achieved by grace through faith alone & typically initiated by an act of repentance.
How did William Tyndale die and what were his last words?
He was strangled and then burnt while dead by the catholic church for saying be people were saved by faith alone. His last words were “May the Lord open the King’s eyes”.
what were the English translation bibles and their years of make?
Coverdale Bible - 1535
Great English Bible - 1539
Bishop’s Bible - 1568
Geneva Bible - 1570
King James Bible - 1611
King James Bible Revision - 1881
American Standard Bible - 1901
Revised Standard Bible-1952
New American Standard Bible - 1971
What were the Jewish OT Divisions
- Pentateuch
- Historical Books
- Poetry & Wisdom
- Prophets
Protestant/Catholic Divisions
- Historical Books
- Poetry & Wisdom
- Prophetic Books
-Major Prophets
-Minor Prophets
What does the word “Testament” mean?
Covenant/Will
What was the Covenant progression throughout the Old Testament of the Bible.
-Adamic
-Noahic
-Abrahamic
-Mosaic
Apocrypha
Contained in RC Bible
Not present in protestant bibles.
How many psalms are there?
150
Primary two attacks on scripture in history?
Marcion - argued that there were 2 Gods depicted. Excommunicated as a heretic.
-Angry god/OT
-Kind God/NT
-forms own translation of scripture
-rejects entire OT
-rejects all of the NT except for Paul’s
letters &
Luke’s work of Acts
-Taught the Bible was FALSE and the
truth was revealed to him.
Montanism
-accept the whole OT canon as inspired,
- Believed the canon could be closed.
Genesis
Genesis means Beginning; Originate
-The history of the world’s inception
-Written as historical/literal fact.
-“In the beginning, God…” (Gen 1:1). very
similar to John 1:1 “In the
Beginning…The
Logos was God”
-Colossians 1:15
-God created(Hebrew: Bera).
-Bera: used 38x in the Old Testament
.Divine creative activity
. Points to the creation of something
that didn’t exist prior.
-Psalm 51”Create in me a new heart”
.The word used for “Create” is Bera.
-Ex Nihilo: Out of nothing.
-Historically the church has always
viewed Genesis as literal.
-Toledot = Generation
-Genesis 1-2:25 - Creation of the world
-2:26-5:32 - Fal of man /intro of sin
-6-9 - The flood
-10-11 - Tower of babel
what does Ex Nihilo mean?
Out of nothing
What does Toledot mean?
Generation.
Genesis: The Theories of Creation
James Usher: Attempts to date the age of the earth in the 17th century utilizing the biblical timeline. He assumes:
.He assumes no two OT events overlap
.He also assumes that the OT over every historical event.
-dates the earth to 4,000 years old.
- Gap Theory:
-Between Genesis 1:1 & Gen 1:2 there is a gap of millions of years.
-Somewhere between Gen 1:1 & Gen 1:2 Satan rebels & God judges/destroys the existing form of the earth. Restarting in Genesis 1:2
-Also when dinosaurs existed separate from men.
-Death between days of creation - Day-Age Theory
-The Earth is 3-5 Billion years old
-Each day represents a time-span of billions of years. - Intermittent Day Theory
-Each day described in Genesis represents a lengthy period
-God intervenes at certain points to direct evolutionary activity. - Revelatory Day Theory(Pictorial Theory)
-The Genesis account is not literal at all
-6 days represent the amount of time it took for God to explain it to Moses.
-Believe the world to be billions of years. - Mythopoeic Theory
-Creation account is a mythological poem
-It is a poem of praise - The Framework Theory
-Provide a structural framework too how God created the world as it relates to our understanding of time now.
-the first 3 days of creation directly correlate to day 4 5 and 6.
-1 (light) and 4 (Luminaries)
-2 (water/land) and 5 (aquatic life)
-3 (birds) and 6 (man)
Recent Creationism (Historic Creationism)
-1. Allows for a literal 6-day creation week
-2. God creates in 6 literal 24 hour days.
-3. Principle theory held to be true in Christian history
-4. Age of the universe is somewhere between 8,000-10,000 years old.
-5. what God created, He created fully formed.
-6. Purpose of creation: God is preparing EVERYTHING for His chief creation of man
-7. God creates man with the Imago Dei, created different from all other creatures, created to be in relationship with him.
-8. At the end of every day God pronounces His work good & very good.
-9. Psalm 19:1: Heavens declare the glory of God.
-10 The word Yom(Hebrew) -day, is used in many different ways as we use it. However, when followed by a number, the word means a literal number of 24-hour days equal to the number.
Why do people think the Earth is billions of years old?
-Uniformitarianism (the past is the key to the present. Generally speaking, things have stayed consistent over time and always have making our measurements dependable).
Problems:
-Disregards divine intervention or other strong forces that caused extreme changes to change past precident.
Where did Israel stand on Genesis?
.Exodus chapter 20: Moses delivers law
-v 11 he expands on the law especially
concerning the law of the sabbath.
-In 6 days God made the Earth, on the
seventh day he rested
-Pattern for Israel’s work week
-
Where did Jesus stand on creation?
-Jesus was raised by Orthodox Jews (Joseph & Mary).
-Jesus teaches from the Old Testament as historical accounts.
-In Matthew 19, Jesus speaks on the subject of marriage.
-God created man in the beginning
-In 6 days shall you rest, and on the seventh you shall rest.
The order & Structure of creation
-Day One. Light Day Four: Luminaries
-Day Two: Heavens Day Five: Fish/Birds
-Day Three: Earth/Vegetation Day Six: Land animals
-Day Seven: Sabbath
Basic/fundamental truths
- God created the universe and everything in it
- God is over (sovereign) over creation
- No pantheism (God is not in everything literally.)
- God determines definitions
- Man is to be over all the rest of creation
- God also ordains the human relationship (Marriage).
Creation of Man
- Final/Pinicle of God’s creation
- All creation is intended to glorify God often through the inhabitance of man.
- Let US make man in OUR image.
(In Hebrew the Us and Our is using a
word refering to a single God in the
plural). - Man is made Imago Dei.
This means he can relate to and know God. This also means that man can reason and has a moral compass. We are spiritual beings. - Imago Dei does not mean that God has limbs or a bodily form or any other apendages.
-It does not mean that we are divine.
-It does not mean we are all-knowing. - Humanities purposes
-Glorify God
-Subdue Creation
-Populate the Earth
Who coined the term fossil?
Coined in 1841 by Sir Richard Owen
Dinosaur: Terrible Lizard
Dinosaur Like Creatures in the Bible
Behemoth - Tail like a large cedar
Leviathan - Sea creature that Job knew of
Dragon - Tannim (Hebrew)
Historical Accounts of Dragons
- 1572 - Bologna, Italy
-Ulysses Aldivandus recorded an account of a man named Aman Baptista who defeated a dragon & saved the village. - 440BC - Herodotus
-Documented flying reptilian creatures in Arabia - 70AD - Pliny the Elder
- Roman Historian/Philosopher who reported dragons that fought elephants - ## 1200’s AD - Marco Polo
Eden
Gen 2:8: God put man in The Garden.
-Borders
1. Pison
2. Ginon
3. Tigris
4. Euphrates
Location: Unknown, but most likely in Mesopotamia.
Creation of Woman
-Created differently than man but NOT lesser than man
-God puts Adam to sleep and Fashions Eve from his side
-Woman is a complimentary creature to man.
-The institution of the family and the marriage union.
How do we answer the question of suffering in the world?
5 Elements that summarize man’s heart post fall
1. Adam & Eve
2. Cain & Abel
3. Geneology - “and he died…”
4. Flood - God saw that every intention of man’s heart was evil
5. Lamech - intro of polygamy
6. Tower of Babel
Mankind Changes in Gen 3
1. Man lost his original innocence
2. Man’s relationship w/God is distorted/broken
3. Adam & even knew good from evil
-Their bodies begin to die
-Their spirits a type of death in the sense that their relationship with God in its current form changes
-One day they will actually die. Without redemption, this will be eternal, even in spirit.
4. They lost peaceful paradise
5. Their sin (Adam’s sin) effect all future generations
-1 Corinthians 15
-in Adam all die
-in Christ many live
-Adam - Federal Head/restorative of all mankind
Satan Approaches Eve
- He approaches in a non-intriguing fashion
- Distorts God’s word
- Once he’s persuaded - he flat-out denies God’s word
- He appeals to human pride
Consequences for the fall
- The serpent would crawl on his belly & eat dirt
- Women will Occupy a place of subordination to her husband & pain in childbirth
- Man was condemned to a life of work-fuitility.
Ramifications of sin of mankind
- Man lost his autonomous free-will
- we cannot choose obedience w/o divine intervention
- the spirit repairs the will through conviction of sin
- man still has auto. freewill
- God is deterministic
Cain and Abel
Cain:
-jealous individual
-evil inclinations
-farmer - agriculture
Abel:
-Generous
-reverent toward God
- shepherd
-After Cain’s banishment & Abel’s death
-Seth is born to Adam & Eve
-This is the line who Isreal descends
Satan is not
-Omniscient/all-knowing
-Omnipotent/all-powerful
-Omnipresent/every at once
Old Testament Sacrifices
- Blood sacrifice (Sin/redemptive offering)
- Fruits of the ground (peace offering)
Geneology
Adam - 930 years
Seth - 912 Years
Methuselah - 969 years old
Why don’t we live as long?
Theory 1: Tribal theory
-The years aren’t their ages but rather their aggregate years of their family.
Theory 2: Measurement Theory
-Time was measured differently when accounting for family genealogy.
Theory 3: Soil Fertility Theory
-Overtime/post-fall the ground produced less nutrient-dense food
Theory 4: Sin’s Toll Theory
-Sin took its effects gradually.
-Increase of disease/sickness
Theory 5: Man’s frailty post-fall & post-flood
-combination of 3 & 4
Theory 6: Protective Layer Theory (Canopy Theory)
-Moisture-dense vapor protected the Earth from UV rays and produced a more tropical atmosphere.
Son’s of God Theory
Theory 1: Seth’s Descendants
-The Sons of God were Seth’s descendants
-Daughters of men - descendants of Cain
Theory 2: Some form of angelic being
Noah and the Flood
-A total of 8 people were worshiping God at that time
-Noah builds this near no major bodies of water.
-Ark(Hebrew) = Box
-Measurement in cubits
-Between 450-510 feet in length
-Between 75-85 feet in width
-Between 45-55 feet tall
-95,000-103,000 feet squared
-around 14,000 Tons
-one week required to load all Food/animals
-Had one door, and one window
-It seems their was no rain before the floood
-Rain begins
-Gen7- fountains of the deep open (volcanic vents)
-Underwater volcanic activity creates new
ocean floor quickly causing a swift rise in
ocean levels causing massive floods
-Rapid fossilization of Sea Life
-Highest mountain covered by 15 cubits of water (23 feet)
-Mt. Ararat 17,000ft high at the time.
Things to expect to find from a global flood:
1. fossils of sea creatures high above sea level. (exists as much as 8,000 ft above sea level)
2. Fossil graveyards all over the world (Exists).
3. Rapidly deposited setiment layers that cross over continents (exists).
4. No slow or gradual erosion (exists without evidence of slow erosion).
5. Many layers of rock strata layed down very quickly bent but not broken (exists).
-God “remembers” (Anthropomorphic) his covenant with Noah
-Anthropomorphic terms are used
frequently in relation to God but it is
important to remember that this is the
reported account. God does not have
what we would consider a memory
because he simply knows everything
infallibly.
-God breathes over the surface causing
the waters to begin to recede.
-Rain fell 40days/ 40 nights
-Waters increased 150 days
-By the time of exit from the ark, Noah and his family had dwelt on it for 378 days.
-The Ark comes to rest atop Mt Ararat
-Immediately after disembarking, Noah builds an altar and begins to worship.
-There are 3 possible locations for Mt. Ararat today:
-Mt. Aratu in Turkey
-Mt. Uratu in Iran
-An island in the Indian Ocean
-Noah gets drunk and lies uncovered in his tent. Ham sees his father in this state and is humiliated while the other two brothers walk backwards with a blanket in order to cover their father.
Local Flood or Global Flood?
Local:
1. The evidence only SUGGESTS a global flood
2. Not enough water or moisture to cause a global flood
3. If you combine that much salt water with fresh water all marine life would die.
4. Not enough people groups to warrant a global flood
Global:
1. Gen. 7 tells us that the depth of the flood covered all the realms
2. Duration of the flood (378 days) is a little long of a time for only a local flood to clear
3. Geological evidence found globally for a massive flood.
4. If it was only a regional flood why build an Ark at all?
5. Worldwide flood legends in every known civilization.
What is Genesis 1-11 known as?
The period of beginnings
What is Genesis 11
Tower of Babel
Tower of Babel (Genesis 11)
-God’s commandment was to spread out and multiply to populate the Earth.
-100-140 years post flood: The people did not follow this commandment and instead congregated in one place known as Shinar approx 2242BC. Main problem: Human independance/self-reasoning/wisdom
-People resolve to construct a tower(Ziggurat) that could reach heaven.
-God “sees” what is happening and “Came down” among the people. God confuses their language, previously one, into many around 75-100. (now there about 7,000 known languages to date).
-In 1859 Charles Darwin begins using the word race to refer to physical features. Prior to this, the word race meant geographic origin.
-In acts 17:26 God points out that he made all man out of the earth from one point.
Noah’s Sons
Japheth: Europe/Asia
Ham: Africa/Arabian peninsula
Shem: Fertile Crescent (Mesopatamia/Syria/Palestine/Egypt)
-it is from Shem’s line who had a son known as Terah who had a son known as Abram
What does Toledot mean?
Generations
Period of the Patriarchs
- Abram/Abraham (Considered first of the Hebrews and the first Hebrew patriarch).
Abram: Exalted Father
Abraham: Father of many nations
-Abraham is selected BEFORE he sought after God
-His father is Terah
-He lives in the land of Ur/Haran when God calls to him.
-When God calls on Abraham, he and presumably his wife Sarai, is worshipping the false gods of his father. (Joshua 24:2)
-God commands Abraham: Get up & go by Faith to a land I will give you.
-God gives Abraham a promise known now as the Abrahamic covenant. Which was:
a. God is going to make him a great
nation
-He fulfills this promise in two ways
-He makes his literal descendants
numerous and great
-He also makes his spiritual legacy great
as well.
b. God would give him a Great name
-Jews, Christians, and Muslims all trace
their lineage back to Abraham.
c. God would bless all nations through
Abraham.
-We have been blessed by their culture
especially through their faith
d. God would give Abraham a land for
him and his descendants.
-God would give him a son
-God would give him a promised land
and to us, his spiritual descendants, a
form of a promised land all our own.
e. The seal of this covenant God made
with Abraham would be circumcision
-Abraham travels a long way passing through cannan do to a drought and moves along to Egypt to provide for his family. When he gets to Egypt, he has Sarai say that she is Abraham’s sister to protect Abraham from being murdered. At the time, it was custom for the king to kill any woman’s husband he found beautiful to add her to his harem. When Pharoh attempts to pursue Sarai, Egypt is struck with plagues and the truth comes out. Pharoh allows them to leave.
-Eventually, there is much in-fighting between Abraham and Lot’s men because of the size of their wealth and flocks. So, Abraham allows Lot and his descendants pick whatever land he likes and they seperate.
-Lot settles in a land ruled by the Cherdorlaomer consisting of 5 cities
-Sodom
-Gomorrah
-Admeh
-Zebuim
-Bela
-Abraham settles in Canaan after a conflict becoming a great nation but with no children. He also does not own Canaan he is simply living in it.
-After 10 years of living in Canaan, Sarai becomes incredibly desperate to obtain an heir to fulfill the covenant God had given Abraham even after in Genesis 15 when God reiterates the promise. Sarai tells Abraham to go into her servant Hagar so that they will conceive an heir and Abraham agrees. Hagar eventually births a son who they name Ishmael.
-Sarah overhears a conversation between God and Abraham and upon hearing she will bear a child, she laughs.
-Gen 19 The death of Sodom and Gomorrah.
-Lot forces his family to flee from the destruction of the city. Lot’s wife looks back(in Hebrew the word for looks back means to look back longingly or with desire) as they leave and she turns into a pillar of salt.
-Both cities are completely destroyed with fire and brimstone.
-After this, Lot’s daughters attempt and succeed in getting Lot drunk and sleeping with him so they may not be childless in their widowhood. He has two sons by them one named Moab and one named Ben-Ammi
-2nd time Abraham claims Sarah is his sister but God gives the king a dream that it isn’t true so he gives them gifts to pay off the god’s of the Israelites.
-Abraham and Sarah conceive a child while Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 91.
-When the child is weaned Abraham throws a feast. During which, Issac and Ishamel are playing with each other. Sarah sees this and grows incredulous, asking Abraham to eject them from the family. Abraham relunctantly agrees and banishes them to the wilderness.
-God than promises Hagar that Ishmael’s lineage will also be made a great nation. - Mesopotamia is a region that encompasses the entirety of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.
3.
What does Patriarch mean?
Ruling Father (Typically the eldest living male). The Patriarch is in charge of and has a certain level of authority over his entire family including his children even after they are already married.
Features of the Hebrew People
- They were a nomadic people
- They were a wealthy people
- They were well acquainted with the arts
- They exhibited the best of Middle-Eastern culture (Hospitality, generosity, courtesy).
- Their government was very simple.
- Their government was Theocratic
- Their society was patriarchal.
- They were led by prophets who typically passed directions from God that the Patriarchs of the various tribes would follow.
- They saw God’s judgement as disciplinary. In other words, God’s punishments are to keep you within the bounds of what is good for you. Not simply as a punishment for transgressions.
Jacob’s family line
Leah:
1. Reuben
2. Simeon
3. Levi
4. Judah
5. Issachar
6. Zebulun
7. Dinah
Bilhah:
1. Dan
2. Naphtali
Zilpah:
1. Gad
2. Asher
Rachel:
1. Joseph
2. Benjamin
Jacob
Jacob journeys to Haran
-Meets Rachel (Desires to marry!)
-Rachel is the daughter of Laban who is
Jacob’s uncle
Jacob’s Connections To Laban
-Jacob is Laban’s Nephew
-Jacob works for Laban to obtain Rachel
as a bride for 7 years
-Laban deceives Jacob into marrying Leah
instead. So, he works another 7 years to
marry Rachel again.
-Eventually, Jacob leaves without telling
Laban because Laban is dissatisfied with
him. However, Rachel steals one of her
father’s Teraphim (idol) before they
leave. Laban realizes this and chases
after Jacob. After searching for the idol,
Laban realizes his daughter is the one
responsible for stealing the idol,
makes peace with Jacob and leaves.
Jacob’s Lifetime:
-Jacob decides to reunite with Esau
-Jacob sends out messengers to find
Esau. When they find him, they come
back to Jacob saying they found him and
he is on his way with 400 men.
-Jacob sends his family away in two
seperate groups as contingency and
waits alone in the desert wilderness for
Esau.
-A stranger (God) visits Jacob at night and
he wrestles with him until daybreak. At
this time, the stranger touches his hip
and dislocates it. Jacob latches on to the
stranger and demands from him a
blessing.
Possible Identities for the man:
1. Possibly a man blessed or sent by God
2. Possibly a member of the angelic host.
3. The most likely explanation for the identity of the man is the man being Christ.
-Zechariah says The Angel of The Lord speaks to God face to face and rebukes the devil.
(preincarnate version of Christ is refered to as a christopheny)
Jacob and Esau Reuinite
-Jacob and Esau eventually reunite and
Esau forgives him.
-He offers up praise in a place which he
names succoth (booths).
Jacob in Shechem
-Jacob crosses the Jordan and comes to a
place called Shechem and buys a piece of
land there from a mand named Hamor.
He builds an altar there and worships
Yahweh.
-Shechem, the son of Hamor rapes
Jacob’s daughter Dinah. Jacob’s solution
is to have them both forced into
marriage. They get married and after 3
days, Simeon and Levi go to get her back
by forcing all the men to be circumcised
and killing them while they were sore.
-Jacob moves to Bethel after this
Jacob in Bethel
-Builds an altar there and worships
-remembers God’s Covenant
Jacob in Efereth
-Rachel dies after giving birth to
-Benjamin, initially his name being
Benoni (Son of my sorrow).
What happened to Esau?
-Esau must be content with the lesser blessing
-Descendants settle in the land of Edom
Joseph
- Favored by his father
- Snitch
- Arrogant
-He has two dreams, both in which he
was elevated over his father and
brothers. - Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery
-They were initially going to kill him but
Reuben interceded. In an attempt to save
him later.
-Ishmaelites rode by and Judah had the
idea to sell him into slavery.
-For the price of 20 pieces of silver
-The Ishmaelites take Joseph to Egypt
and sell him there to Potiphar. - Joseph is put in charge of Potiphar’s Household after a short period.
-Potiphar’s wife becomes infatuated with
Joseph and attempts to seduce him
multiple times, each seduction more
forceful than the next.
-Eventually, the seduction becomes so
adamant that Joseph has to run away
leaving his jacket behind.
-When Potiphar comes home, his wife
shows him the jacket and accuses
Joseph of attempting to rape her, saying
he ran when he heard his master was
coming home. - Joseph is placed in prison
-Even in prison, God prospers Joseph so
that even in the keeper of the prison
relies on Joseph.
-Joseph meets two important people:
-Baker
-Cup Bearer
-Each man has a dream which Joseph
interprets and it comes to pass:
-Cup Bearer: Will have his position
restored
-Baker: He will be killed
-The baker promises to remember
Joseph when he is released but forgets. - Pharoh’s dreams
-Two years later, Pharoh begins to have
strange dreams that can be interpreted
by no one.
-1st dream is about 7 fat cows grazing
by the Nile, when 7 skinny cows come
and eat the fat ones without becoming
fat themselves.
-2nd dream is about 7 full ears of corn
tall and healthy being consumed by 7
withered ears of corn that do not be
come any healthier.
-The cup-bearer recalls Joseph and what
he did for him in prison and tells Pharoh
about his ability to interpret dreams.
-Pharoh calls on Joseph and Joseph
interprets the dream to mean their will
be 7 years of abundance and 7 years of
consuming famine.
-Joseph advises Pharoh to appoint
someone to prepare for the famine. - Joseph is appointed to prepare for the famine
-Joseph is dressed in royal robes and
given an Egyptian name:
Zaphnaphpaneah(Revealer of secrets)
-He is also given a wife named Asanath
-Joseph and his wife have two sons:
-Ephraim
-Menasseh
-Ps. 92:10 KJV 1611
-Unicorn
-Hebrew (Rah.Me):
creature with a horn.
-1828 Websters Dictionary defined:
unicorn: A singular horned animal
-Latin: Unicornis
-A one horned rhinoceros
-Latin: Bicornis = Two horned animal
-A two horned rhinoceros
Joseph meets his brothers
- a famine begins
-Not confined to Egypt
-spread throughout the region
-Including Canan (Joseph’s family)
-Brothers go to Egypt to seek food
-Initially not recognized by his brothers,
but he recognizes them.
-Finally reveals himself
-Genesis 50:20 - What you meant for
evil, God meant for good.
Job
-Wisdom literature
-Consists of philosophy/teaching for the God-Fearing
-OT belief that the wise & successful could teach others how to be the same.
-Started 1,000BC didn’t conclude 500-300BC (writing not the story).
-Author unknown
-Possibly written in aramaic & translated to Hebrews.
2. Key theme: How do we handle the problem of suffering?
-God’s permanence & Immutability
-Permenance: Even though Job loses
everything, God is still there
-Immutability: God is still faithful
Moses & Exodus
- Israel spent about 430 in Egypt from Abraham’s time through the Exodus
-65 years lapse between Joseph’s death *
their enslavement
-80-100 years spent in slavery
-cried out to God for deliverance for the
final 40 years.
-At the time of exodus, Israel numbered around 600,000 people - Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy summarized (Second law giving)
-Give us a zoned-in picture of Isreal’s
worship life
-God cares about how He is worshipped. - Egyptian Life
-Agricultural farming society
-Some cities were industrial is
-Excell at architecture
-Excell in human anatomy
-Great libraries/schools
-Aristocratic
-Most people were poor only a small amount were wealthy & they were royalty or royalty-associated. - Events
-The Israelites grew exceedingly in number
-A new king (Pharoh) came to power who
did not know Joseph
-Determines to control the Jews
through harsh slavery yet they
continued to thrive.
-Pharoh concocts a new plan to control
the population through infanticide, killing
every male.
-Egyptian midwives were ordered to
kill Hebrew male babies but they
refused.
-Pharoh orders his guards to oversee
this process and through them into
the Nile.
-Moses is the only known baby who was
spared and put under Pharoh’s care.
-Most important figure in the Old
Testament.
-When Moses is older, he witnesses an
Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and
Moses kills the Egyptian and then flees to
Midian.
-Moses works for a man named Jethro
tending to his flocks.
-Moses eventually weds Jethro’s
daughter named Zipporah and they
have two children: Gershom and
Eliezer.
-God remembers (hears the cries) his
covenant with the Hebrew people
-Emphasis in Exodus on God’s
Faithfulness
-Mt. Hoeb experience (Moses and the
burning bush
-Moses sees a bush that is on fire but
not being consumed. He hears a voice
Theories:
c. As the sun rose the Sun reflected
excessive dew on the bush giving
appearance of fire
b. A regional plant in the area that
gives off a different color depending
on the season.
a. It was real fire.
-God tells Moses to return to Egypt to
deliver the Hebrews.
-Moses objects on multiple accounts:
a. Who am I that the people would
listen?
-I will be with you and reveal myself
through you.
b. Who are you to send me to do this?
-It is I who is with you. tell them “I
Am” sent you (John 4:26).
c. What if they don’t believe me?
-Staff will turn to a snake
-his hand made leprous then cured
-Nile River will turn to blood
-Signs for the Hebrew people ^
d. I don’t speak well
-I will teach you what to say
-I will also give you your brother
who can
-Moses confronts Pharoh to let his
people go
-Pharoh says no and questions who
YHWH is to command him.
a. Pharohs saw themselves as gods.
-Plagues are delivered unto Egypt with
the purpose of answering Pharoh’s
question. (for specifics see 9)
-Egyptians plagued but not destroyed. - Moses’ role to Israel
-Liberator
-Mediator
-High Priest
-Law interpreter/deliverer - Moses Characteristics
-Strengths:
1. statesman
2. Lawyer
3. Leader
-Weaknesses
1. Orator - Moses’ Family
-Father: Amram
-Mother: Jochebed
-Siblings: Miriam, Aaron - Moses’ Career (approx. 40 years each)
-Years of training/upbringing in Egypt
-Years spent in Midian
-Years actually accomplishing the tasks of
Israel. - Plagues
- Nile turned to blood
-Nile was known as the father of life.
-The Egyptian magicians were able to
replicate this. - Frogs overrun the country of Egypt
-Frogs were considered sacred by the
Egyptians
-Egyptian magicians were able to
replicate this miracle - People & animals infested w/lice
-Lice were unclean to Egyptians
-Egyptian Magicians were unable to
replicate this miracle - Swarms of flies (implied biting flies)
-Pharoh is willing to let the people go
worship, but they must come back.
-Moses lifts the plague; Pharoh
rescinds the promise. - Disease killed livestock
-All livestock in Egypt dies
-Not one animal in Gershon dies
(where the Hebrews live.) - Boils and Sores
- Hail stones rain down
- Locusts
- Darkening of the Sun
- Death of the first born
- Nile turned to blood
Egyptian Gods associated with plague
- Waters of Nile to blood
-Hapi: god of the Nile - Frogs
-Heqet: goddess of fertility & childbirth - Lice
-Hathor: goddess of good things
-Apis: god of strength and war
4-6. Flies/livestock/boils & sores
-Sekhmet - Hail stones rain down
-Nut (Noot): Personification of the sky
and heavens. - Locusts
-Osiris: King of the underworld and god
of agriculture. (only deity to be called god
only). - Darkening of the sun
-Ra: god of the sun(the primary god in the
Egyptian pantheon). - Death of the firstborn
-Pharoh
Passover Feast
- 1st religious feast of the Hebrews
-10th plague intended to show God’s
provision & grace
-A Jewish child in the family was to start
the conversation amongst his household
by asking about the event
-The father was to recite the story in
great detail as they continued to prepare
to celebrate.
-God drives home the point that blood is
required for the pardon from judgement
-1st celebrated on the day before their
departure from Egypt
-To be held in family units; each family
selecting a lamb for themselves
-If the household was too small to
consume the whole meal, they could
group up with another family.
The Lamb: Yearly selected from the family’s flock selected on the 10th day slaughtered on the 14th
-Had to be without blemish or defect
-Had to be roasted over a fire &
consumed entirely with all leftovers
being burned.
-Slaughtered over a small trench by the
door of this home
-blood smeared on all sides of the
doorpost.
Dress Code:
-Family was to dress as though ready to
travel.
On the Table: - Bitter Herbs
-Reminder of the toil in Egypt - Unleavened Bread
-A break from sins of the past - Shank bone
-Substitute for the perscribed paschal
lamb - Wine
-Sacrifical blood - Candles
-tabernacle worship in the wilderness - salt water
-tears shed in oppression - grated apple
-had the color of clay to remember their
toil of many bricks - egg
-Within it are the qualities of life
Summary: These things were to be a reminder to Israel of the costliness of redemption.
Exiting Egypt
Crossing the Red Sea
-God causes an east wind to blow,
separating the waters and allowing the
Israelites to cross on dry land.
-Once they had crossed to safety, God
removes the blockade & allows Egypt to
pursue
-God brings the water back together,
crushing the Egyptians.
Israel: 3-3 1/2 million people
-Est 1500 tons food/day (Two freight
trains a mile long)
-4,000 tons firewood
-11,000,000 gallons of water a day
Struggles:
-Bad water
-Food shortage until they reach Elim
-God gives them mana and later quail.
Encounter w/Amalekites
-They attack from the rear
-Moses orders counter attack
-Joshua(God Saves) leads the counter
attack
Receiving the Law
-Travelling for 3 months
-Arrive at base of Sinai
-Moses ascends to the summit
-Gods desire to establish a covenant with them by which He will bring His promises to fruition
-Types of covenants:
Perity Covenant: Made between
equals
Suzerain-vassal Covenant: Made
between unequal parties (The
covenant God made with his
people)
-If a covenant was broken, the
stones on which it was written were
smashed.
-God gives Israel the covenant details in
the Law (10 commandments).
Tri-Fold Division of the Law
Old Covenant:
1. Ceremonial Law: Dictates/defines
their worship
2. Civil Law: Governs the people
3. Moral Law: 10 commandments
New Covenant:
1. Ceremonial Law: Opens the
covenant Jew/Gentile alike and ends
Temple worship/sacrifice
2. Civil Law: Not a Theocracy
3. Moral Law: Jesus both fulfills &
restates
Christian Morals
Essentials:
-Jesus redeems (Jesus being the Son of
God; God in the flesh; He is God
-By Grace alone; By Faith alone
Discussion of Hebrew law
Purpose of the Law:
1. Constitution for Israel
2. Preparatory for the Messiah
3. Point them to the worship of the
Messiah
Four Agencies of the Law
1. National Priesthood
-Always a Levite
-Lead the worship of Israel
-Intercede for Israel
-Aaron was the first High Priest
2. National Feast Days & Sacred Occasions
-Feast of Passover
-Unleavened Bread
-First Fruits
-Pentecost
-Trumpets
3. Tabernacle Worship
-Tentlike Structure
-Given specific instructions for
construction
-Location in the center of the Israelite
camp
-Every piece of furniture pointed to Christ
& His mediatorial work.
4. National Offerings
-Burnt offerings
-Sing offerings
-Fruit offering
-Thanks offerings
-Peace offerings
-Trespass offerings
Commandments:
-1-4: Our relationship with God
-5-10: Our relationship with each other
-James 2:10: If one law is broken you are
guilty of breaking them all.
Commentaries on the Law
-The law shows Israel what God has done
-No one was nor will be saved by
obedience to the law
-All who believe are called /commanded
to pursue obedience
-The law was a socio-economic system
for Israel
-Put restrictions on greed
-Put Measures in place to care for the
disadvantaged
-A time of personal liberty/restitution of
property
Israel by Law would:
-Never be reduced to slave states
-All hereditary property was to be
returned to its original owner
-Title of deed on all their land belonged
to God
-(Rest on Picture)
Israel’s Grumblings
- General Grumbling: It was better in Egypt
-God sends a fire amongst them - They have no meat: God directs Moses to appoint 70 elders
-God sends them quail - Miriam and Aaron grumble against Moses: He married an outsider, He shouldn’t have as much power as he does
-God turns Miriam leperous.
-Aaron immediately repents
-Moses intercedes
-Miriam is set outside the camp for 7
days (ceremonial period) then returns
clean. - Spies are sent to the land of Canaan
-12 spies are sent
-They come back with good news and
bad news:
-Good: The land is amazing as God
said.
-Bad: There are giants that live there
already.
-Of all the spies, 10 of them say the
conquest is impossible, 2 of them, Joshua
and Caleb, says it is possible with God’s
help
-For their unbelief, the current
generation, anyone 20 years or older,
would not be allowed to enter the
promised land except for Joshua and
Caleb. However, No one gets to enter the
promised land until the 40 years are
done. - Rebellion of Korrah
-They believe they should have more responsibility then Moses or Aaron
-They recruit 250 princes from among
the people
-God opens the earth and it swallows up
Korah & his family.
-God sends a plague on the remaining
rebels
-Aaron intercedes to stop it, but not
before it claims 14,000 of them. - They have no drinkable water
-Moses brings this matter before The
Lord and God commands Moses to
assemble the people
-When everyone is gathered, God tells
Moses to speak to the rock and it will
bring forth water.
-However, instead of speaking to the
rock, Moses strikes the rock instead
causing water to flow out. However, for
striking the rock and not speaking to it,
Moses, and Aaron who held
to his brother’s judgement, were both
barred from entering the promised land. - They Grumble that they should go back to Egypt due to having to fight off the Canaanites.
-God sends venemous serpents among
them.
-God makes a provision for this seeking
salvation from the poison: Moses is to
make a bronze serpent and put it on
pole.
-If someone is bitten by a serpent they
need to look at the brass serpent and
they will be cured from the poison. - Aaron and Miriam die sometime after this.
The Moabite Plot
- King Balak sees the strength of Israel and is fearful of them. So, he seeks out the prophet Balam to place a curse on Israel. He initially refuses, but when Balak comes to him again with money, he accepts and begins his travel to where Israel is.
- When Balam is on his way to curse Israel, God intervenes using Balam’s donkey to speak to him.
- Balak builds altars to Balam to try to convince him.
- They invite Israel to celebrate Beth-peor(pagan orgy festival) w Moab/Midianites
-The Israelis are seduced & participate.
Dangers facing Post-Joshua Israel
Warfare
Social Danger
Religious Danger
Occupational Danger
Governmental Danger
Judges
- The people are asking who will replace Joshua? Judah shall “go up” (recruit Simon to help)
-Many Victories 1:1-19
-Many defeats/wrong turns 1:19 - The people have begun making covenants with other nations and begin worshipping the Gods of the gentiles
-Baal
-Ashtorah
Note: There is a recurring pattern in Judges:- Isarel does evil
- God sends an oppreser
- The people pray for deliverance
- God raises up a judge
-Judges saved as deliverers/Military leaders but rarely political figures.
-Judges were not necesarilly of noble character
Judges:
- Othniel
-People oppressed by Mesopotamian King
-Suffered 8 years before the people cry out for help & God sends Othniel - Ehud
-God oppresses them under Moab for 18
years
-Left-handed warrior from the tribe of
Benjamin.
-Ehud gets alone with the King and stabs
him with his dagger. He locks the door
and escapes.
-Gathers an army and defeats Moab
killing 10,000 Moabites. - Deborah
-God choosing her is really a
condemnation
on the weak state of men in Israel at the
time.
-Barak: Military commander
-Deborah persuades him to go to war
with Canaanite invaders
-He agrees on one condition that
Deborah comes with them
-Barak & Deborah go to battle with their
10,000 vs Canaan’s 900. - Gideon
-Fights Amalekites, Midianites, Arab tribes from the east
-In preperation Gideon divides his 300 into 3 groups and gives each man a pitcher & torch
-Defeats the opposing Midianites/Amalekites by scaring them into surrender
-Brins Israel 40 years of peace. - Abimelech
-Recruits mercenaries
-Kills all but one of his half-brothers
(Jotham)
-Jotham called him the “Bramble King”
-Abimelach delivers them from the
Shecemites
-Ammonites begin to oppress Israel for 18 years
-Judges - Jephthah
-Crude chieftan from Gilead
-Illegitimate; has a poor social standing
-Asked to deliver Israel from the
Ammonites
-He agrees if they’ll restore his family
name and recognize him should he
win.
-In Judges II he makes a foolish vow:
-If God gave him victory over the
ammonites, he would sacrifice the first
thing that came out of the door of his
house.
-Jephthah is victorious
-When he returns home, the 1st thing
that comes out to greet him is his
daughter.
-Jephthah is devastated by this
unexpected event, but decides to
through with it. When he tells his
daughter, she relents to this but requests
a two-month mourning period for not
being able to marry.
-It is theorized that Jephthah did not
sacrifice his daughter as a burned
offering but rather dedicated her too
temple service. This is believed as
human sacrifice was outlawed at this
point, and also, Jepheth’s daughter
only mourns her not marrying and not
her life
-After two months, Jephthah carried out
his vow. - Samson
-Samson takes on the Philistines.
-Originally se pirates who settle on the
shores of the Mediterranean
-The child was to live under the Nazarite
vow
-Included not cutting his hair.
-Marries (In courtship) a Philistinian
woman
-While in Timnah he kills a lion with his
bear hands.
-A time later, he travels through the
same place he killed the lion and finds
the carcass of the lion he killed with a
beehive inside it. He takes the honey
from the hive, eats it, and takes some
of it to give to his parents.
-Samson goes in to Timnah for his wedding, which was to last for several days.
-At the wedding, on the first day, Samson
poses a riddle to the men of the festival
and makes a bet
with them. The bet is for 30 festival
garments and could be thought of for the
entire week of the festival. “Out of the
Eater something to eat, out of the strong,
something sweet”
-The men, unable to figure out the answer, cheat and threaten his wife to figure out the answer.
-In response, Samson goes to ashkelon and kills all 30 Philistines to give the cloaks to the ones who won the bet.
-Samson returns for his bride but discovers her father already married her to someone else. He offers him his younger and prettier daughter, but Samson refuses in anger.
-In response, Samson catches 300 foxes tying their tails in pairs with torches, and sends them into the field to burn their crops.
-Philistines kill his wife in response
-Samson kills them.
-Judah hands him over w/ his permission
-Samson breaks the ropes and kills 1,000
Philistines 2ith the jawbone of a donkey.
-Gates were locked so Samson lifts the
gate, breaking it off its hinges and leaves.
-Samson falls in love with another
Philistine woman named Delilah.
-The five kings of the area bribed
Delilah to find out the secret of his
strength and after 3 attempts, she
discovers it and gives it to them.
-When Samson goes to sleep, Delilah has someone come and cut his hair. Samson wakes up to find his strength has left him. The Philistines bind him and put out his eyes.
-Samson is brought out as humiliation during a celebration of the Philistine god Dagon.
-Samson cries out to god to restore his
strength and he takes hold of the
foundational pillars and pulls them
down, crushing everyone in the building
to death including himself.
-His family finds his body in the mess and
buries him in the land of his fathers. - Ruth & Boaz
-Timeline: Takes place during the time of
the judges. She herself is not technically
a judge.
-There is a famine in Judah causing an
Israelite family to migrate to Eastern
Moab Consisting of: Elimelahc & Naomi &
their two sons.
-Both of the sons take for their wives
Orpah & Ruth.
-After about 10 years, both sons die
leaving no heir.
-Naomi determines to return to Israel.
-Orpah stays; Ruth leaves with Naomi.
-They return to Bethlehem and Ruth asks
Naomi to glean some grain from the
fields of Boaz.
-During her harvesting, Ruth catches the
attention of Boaz. Boaz specifically
instructs his workers to bring Ruth
special portions of grain as if she was
one of his workers.
-Ruth informed Boaz of their familial
relations which theoretically introduced
the idea of the Leverite marriage law
(Note: In this law, the first male child had
by the original widow and relative of the
male that died was considered the direct
relation of the dead relative and not the
biological father). However, Boaz
wouldn’t have this marriage right it
belonged to Chilon. However, Chilon
turns down the right and gives it to Boaz.
-Boaz takes Ruth as his wife, and they
have a son named Obed, who has a son
named Jesse, who is the father of David.
United Hebrew Monarchy
-150 years
-Starts with the closing of Judges
-Reunited: Death of Solomon
-Intro: Samuel
-The people were ruled directly by God via words from him given to the Prophets
-Theocracy
-The people asked for and desired a king
Reasons for wanting a King:
1. Samuel’s sons were not righteous
2. Increased threats surrounding Israel
3. Other nations had a King
-They have forgotten that Yahweh was
their king.
Samuel as Prophet; Saul
- Samuel and prophet succession
-Samuel rode around to judge the people
-The sitting prophet would annoint his
son to replace him.
-Samuel had two sons called Joel &
Abijah who were unrighteous men.
-The people urgently demanded a king
-Samuel seeks the Lord
-God tells him not to withhold a king
from the people
-God handed them over to their desires
like in Rom. 1
-God commanded Samuel to select Saul
as king
-Not everyone believed that Saul should
be king.
-The Ammonites to the east are a threat
to Israel.
-Israel asked for peace with the
Ammonites, and they accepted under the
condition that every Hebrew male put
out his right eye.
-When word comes to Saul about this, he
gathers a force of 330,000 men, split into
3 companies and under the cover of
night ambushes the Ammonites,
resulting in total victory.
-This unites the people almost entirely. For the few that would not accept Saul’s rule, the people wanted to kill, however Saul refused to let them.
-Samuel addresses the people at the end of his life and entreats them to remain faithful to the lord and that if their selecting a king is unfaithfulness, that it would rain.
-It begins to rain and Samuel weeps and
once again begs the people to remain
faithful to God. - Saul’s reign
-Saul is popular with the people but has
flaws and strengths.
Strengths:
-Strong
-Cunning
-Good looking
Weaknesses
-Prone to make rash vows
-Prone to forget the Lord
-Prone to give in to fear.
-Saul has his annointing removed as King
of Israel by God
-Samuel is told by God to annoint a new
king in Bethlehem that will come from
the sons of Jesse.
-Samuel annoints David
-David will go on to have more writing
about him in the old testament than any
other figure.
David
- Stages of Life:
1 Life as a shepherd- Life in Saul’s court
- Life as a fugitive
- Life as King
- Background:
-David is From Bethlehem
-David comes from the tribe of Judah - David’s Story
-David is privately anointed by Samuel
and at this time Saul loses his anointing
as King of Israel by God (Important to
note that at that time, the spirit dwelt
upon certain individuals to fulfill a
purpose and could be revoked. This is
different now as the spirit of God dwells
within all believers permanently).
-At this time, God sends/allows Saul to be
tormented by an evil spirit as a form of
judgement. At this time, Saul does not
know of David.
-Saul believes that soothing music will
help calm the evil spirit with him so he
sends for someone skilled to be brought
to him.
-David is brought into Saul’s court for his
ability to play his harp. He also acts as his
attendant.
-This method works and it is said that the
evil spirit leaves him.
-After this David goes home to tend the
sheep.
-Saul goes to war with the Philistines - War with the Philistines
-David’s brothers are fighting in the war
-David is at home with his father
-David’s father sends him to the front
lines to go check on his brothers.
-The Philistine champion Goliath, a man
of giant stature, challenges Israel to bring
a champion of their own to fight him. He
does this for 40 days.
-Every man was afraid to go against
Goliath including Saul.
-David reaches the front lines & learns of
Goliath.
-Saul makes an offer to any man who can
defeat Goliath:
1. Great Wealth
2. His daughter in marriage
3. Tax exemption
-David volunteers to take on Goliath and
is offered Saul’s own wargear to help, but
it doesn’t fit and he goes without
-Instead, David goes into battle with no
armor and a sling with some smooth
stones he collects before.
-David confronts Goliath and says “You
come at me with spear and shield, I come
in the name of the Lord of Hosts.”
-The fight begins and David runs toward
Goliath letting his sling loose and killing
Goliath with a blow to the head.
-David then cuts off Goliath’s head with
his own sword.
-The Israelites sing a song “Saul hath
slain thousands, and David his ten-
thousands”. This marks the beginning of
Saul’s anger against David
-Saul commands Jonathan to kill David
who does not due to their friendship.
-Saul attempts to kill David himself by
throwing a spear at him once.
-Saul attempted to send men to Romah
to seize him
-There are other threats to his life from
Saul.
-David is eventually forced to flee from
Saul’s Persecution - David in Hiding
-David goes into hiding in foreign lands
into which Saul will not tread.
-Israel is going to war with the Philistines
again and Saul seeks out the Lord’s
guidance. God does not answer him.
-Saul then seeks out the Witch of Endor
to call forth the Spirit of Samuel who tells
him that Saul and Israel will be defeated.
-The battle commences, Israel is
defeated, and Saul is killed. - David as Poet
-Out of the 150 psalms in the bible, 73
are attributed to David.
-What is a Psalm?
-Hebrew Poetry. It is the worship
guide for Israel and the early church.
-3 Characteristics:
1. Meter
2. Parallellism: 2 or 3 short lines
w/a connection
3. Grouping into stanzas.
-1/3 of the Old Testament contains at
least some form of poetry within it.
-types of psalms (Psalms is also
Psalter).
1. Laments
2. Praise Psalms
-Psalms Identified
-Christ’s Prophetic Office
-Christ’s Priestly Office
-Christ’s Kingly Office
-Christ’s suffering
-Christ’s Ressurection
Ecclesiastes
Notes:
-Appears to have been written by
Solomon
-Reflecting on the folly of worldly
pursuits.
-God is necessary for life to have
meaning.
-The name Ecclesiastes comes from the
Septuagint which means: “The one who
speaks to the church”
-You are created by God, therefore you
are created for God.
-The book can be summarized as Fear
God & keep his commandments for God
will bring every act and word under his
judgment.
Song of songs
Notes:
-Authorship attributed to Solomon
-The title represents the Hebrew superlative meaning it is the definitive song above all songs concerning its subject.
1. Possible Interpretations
-Potential Allegory
-Israel & their love realtionship with
YhWh
-God’s love for the church
-Collection of wedding songs
-(Most Probable): Praise of the subject of
love
-God loves us
-God has gifted love to us
-Song of Songs is 2 lovers celebrating
the good gift of love God is giving
them.
Solomon’s Successes and Failures
Successes:
1. He built the Temple
2. He kept the kingdom unified
3. Ruled wisely in civil matters
Failures:
1. He allowed his pagan wives to build altars for worship to pagan gods
2. Drifted away from God’s word
3. Had multiple wives (900)
4. Forged treaties with pagan neighbors
Prophets
Notes:
-Critical to OT history
-term/office refered to over 300
-Chosen by God
-They could not have succession of
birthright
-Delivered his message to the people
-Acting as his mouth-piece
-The names of the prophets are given in 1 Chronicles 1:1-3 which have important meanings
-Adam means: man
-Seth means: appointed
-Enosh means: Mortal
-Canaan means: Sorrow
-Nahalel: “The God who is to be praised”
-Jared: “shall come down”
-Enoch: “Teaching
-Methusaleh: “His death shall bring
-Lamech: “Despairing”
-Noah: “Comforter/rest”
-Meaning when put together:
-“Man is appointed mortal sorrow, but the God who is to be praised shall come down teaching that His death shall bring the despairing comfort/rest”
Notable acts of the Prophets:
1. Elijah
-Stands off against
prophets of Baal in a “God off”
-he wins and kills the prophets of baal
-He stands off against Jezebel
2. Elisha
-Healing of Naman the Leper
-Assyrian General
-Naman goes to Elisha’s house
-Elisha sends out his servants to give him
instructions on how to heal his leprosy.
-They tell him to wash in the Jordan 3
times if you wish to be healed.
-Naaman is offended that Elisha himself
didn’t come to greet him, but also at the
instruction of the cleansing.
-Naaman finally humbles himself and
washes & is healed.
-Naaman thanks Elisha and wishes to give him great gifts which Elisha rejects says to give glory to God. Naaman than leaves.
-As Naaman has already gone, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, chases after Naaman saying that Elisha changed his mind and wished to accept the gifts which was untrue.
-When Gehazi returns and Elisha discovers what he has done, he transfers Naaman’s leprosy to Gehazi and he lives as a leper that rest of his life.
3. Jonah
-Jonah means “dove” in hebrew
-Jonah is called to preach the gospel to
the people of Ninevah.
-They were Assyrians known for their
brutality.
-Jonah is angry with God and his directive
and doesn’t want to go because he
knows God is merciful and will reach out
his hand to the Assyrians and doesn’t
wish them to be forgiven.
-He attempts to run away on a ship and
in the storm is thrown overboard.
-He is swallowed by a great fish. Could
have been a whale, but not likely.
-3 days and nights later, he is spit up on
the shores of Ninevah and preaches
God’s word. They repent and turn to
him.
Exile & Returning to Jerusalem (Ezra)
-Group led back by Ezra in 458 BC
-Ezra’s main concern: To see the law taught & observed once more
-Upon return Ezra learned that the Jews who had remained in Jerusalem had fallen into religious lethargy.
-Ezra leads 6000 back to Jerusalem
-Ezra prays for God’s forgiveness
-The people respond with the desire to renew the covenant with God.
-Ezra meets the people in the open square & begins to read God’s word across a span of 2 days
-The people stood the whole time
-Ezra sat as a sign of authority
Nehemiah:
-586 BC: Nebuchednezer destroys the walls of Jerusalem
-544BC: walls still in ruins when Nehemiah returns
-Complete the wall reconstruction in 52 days
-Ezra reinstates worship services at the temple
-Ezra brings back the feast of booths
-It was realized that this feast had not been observed for 700 years (since the time of Joshua)
-The people pit their renewed devotion in writing
-The feast of Purim
-14th & 15th days of the 12th month
-Babylon’s reign comes to a close; Persia takes over
-Reminder: God raises nations & God
brings them low
-Three historical books of the OT were written during exile: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther.
Posed several threats to Israel
-Materialistic property
-Could God be worshiped in a foreign land?
-Ezekiel comes teaching God can be worshipped anywhere
-Reasons prompting the return
-Religious impulse
-The prophets foretold their return
-Their national pride
-They are encouraged to return by Cyrus
ESTHER
-Set during the reing of Xerxes (445-465BC)
-Queen Vashti (Xerxes’ wife)
-He orders her to come show her beauty & the beauty of her crown to visiting dignitaries
-She refused & is dismissed as queen
-Mordecai is raising cousin Esther
-Mordecai reports and assassination of Xerxes and gains elevated status for saving him.
-Esther eventually selected to be queen and saves the Jews from a plot by Haman. Haman is killed.
MALACHI
-Malachi presents the the sins of the people by quoting their own words against them
-Confronts the failures of the priests of Judah
-Revealed that their problems are not from unfaithfulness but rather stemmed from their own profaning of the word of God.
-Unfaithfulness to the renewed covenent
-Neglecting to tithe
-Malachi calls for repentance of the people.
INTERTESTIMENTAL PERIOD(400 years):
-The Pharisees the Sadducees and the Herodians become major factions during this time.
-Rome conquered the Persian empire
-This is the end of the Old Testament
