Old Testament Survey Flashcards
Judges
The Need for a King
Judges 21:25
Structure
The Roots of apostasy (1:1-3:6)
The Downward Spiral of Apostasy (3:7-16:31)
The Results of Apostasy (17:1-21:25)
Judges: Othiniel, Ehud(+2), Deborah, Gideon (the turn to bad), Abimelech(+2), Jephthah(+3), Samson
Psalms
Instruction: A Holy Life/A Happy Life
Psalm 1/2 intro to book of Psalms
-no titles, but have connections: blessed, perish+way, meditate
-Psalm 1 gave purpose
a)picture of blessedness – opposite of perishing, same as happiness
b)promise of success – promise is the point, the point is success
c)a call to delight in the Lord’s instruction – torah=instruction, 5 books of Moses and Psalms
d)a call to meditate on the Lord’s instruction – avoid wrong, absorb right – meditate with mouth and heart
Conclusion: Jesus lives Ps 1 for us and produces Ps 1 in us
Structure:
Book 1 (1-41) Book 2 (42-72) Book 3 (73-89) Book 4 (90-106) Book 5 (107-150)
Proverbs
Proverbs 1:1-7 as introduction
- to book of Proverbs: self contained with 3 sub sections
- to wisdom lit: Job, Prov, Eccl and *Song of Solomon
Prolog structure:
Title (v1)
Purpose (v2-6)
Theme (v7)
Content:
-Summary: skill to survive, skill to thrive, cosmic order
Theme: The Fear of the Lord
Cognitive/Affective/Volitional
Topography of ANE
(Land Bridge/Palestinian Levant)
connection between Egypt and Mesopotamia
5 Water Features:
Mediterranean (W)
Galilee (North)
then-Jordan
then-Dead
then-gulf of aqaba/eilat
Longitudinal Zones
coast-mountains-valley-mountains-desert plateau
Dimensions
250X80 miles
My Servant’s the Prophets
Jeremiah 7:25
Prophet’s Job:
Prophet, Servant, Seer, Messenger, Man of God
Prophet’s Tasks:
Emissary of the King
Prophet’s Writings:
Stories
-Biography(Dan 1-6) Auto Biography (7-12)
-prophetic call, symbolic actions, vision reports, historical background
Sermons
-Judgement (Mic 6:1-16): summons, witnesses, grace, response, accusation, sentencing
-Blessing (Isa 65:17-25)
Genesis
Blessing for the Nations
Gen 12:1-3 (blessed to be a blessing)
Structure:
Gen 1-11 Primeval History
Gen 12-50 patriarchal History
Kings
The Demise of the Kingdom
2 Kings 17:7-8
Structure:
The kingdom united under Solomon (1 Kings 1-11)
The kingdom divided in two (1 Kings 12-2 Kings 17)
The kingdom of the south alone (2 Kings 18-25)
As the King goes, so the people go
Samuel
The Rise of the Kingdom
2 Samuel 7:19b
Structure:
The prolog:
The Lord, the great reverser/deliverer (1 Sam 1-2:11)
The Narrative:
(1 Samuel 2:12-2 Samuel 20)
The epilog:
The Lord, the great deliverer/reverser (2 Samuel 21-24)
****[Trouble-Deliverance-Praise-Praise-Deliverance-Trouble]
(opening & epilog)
Primary History
Genesis to Kings
Main Divisions:
English
Law-History-Poetry-Prophecy
Hebrew
Law-Prophets-Writing
Law:
English(Pentateuch)
Gen-Ex-Lev-Numb-Deut
Hebrew (Torah)
Same Order
History/Prophets:
English History
Joshua-Judges-Ruth-Samuel-Kings-Chron-Ez/Neh-Esth
Hebrew Prophets:
Former:
Joshua-Judges-Sam-Kings
Later:
Topography of ANE
(Mesopotamia)
Meso=middle
Potamus=river
Rivers:
Tigris=Top
Euphrates=Bottom
Regions:
Assyria=North/conquered North/Nineveh
Babylonia=South/counquered South/Babylon
Leviticus
Holiness
Leviticus 19:1-2
Structure
Maintaining Holiness in God’s Presence (1-16)
Experiencing holiness in daily living (17-27)
Jonah
Compassion
God’s Mission/Our Response
Jonah 4:11
Structure:
Jonah 1:1-2:10
Jonah 3:1-4:11
**4:5-11 Jonah’s Lesson of Compassion
***Modified Parallel Structure
Key Word: Ra’ah
Jonah’s Commissioning and Flight (1:1-3)
Jonah and the Pagan Sailors (1:4-16)
Jonah’s Grateful Prayer (1:17-2:10)
Jonah’s Recommissioning and Compliance (3:1-3a)
Jonah and the Pagan Ninevites (3:3b-10)
Jonah’s Angry Prayer (4:1-4)
Jonah’s Lesson on Compassion (4:5-11)
Ezra-Nehemiah
Rebuilding God’s House
Ezra 1:2
Unity -> examples in Jewish tradition as late at 1000AD
Structure:
Return of Exiles and Rebuliding of the Temple (1:1-6:22)
Return of Ezra and Rebuilding of the Community (7:1-10:44)
Return of Nehemiah and Rebuilding the Wall (1:1-7:3)
Return of Exiles and Rebuilding the Community (7:4-13:31)
Theme: rebuilding of God’s house, people of God as a whole(not just leaders), the written word is powerful
Purpose: God works sovereignly through responsible human agents to accomplish his objective
Concluding: Ezra 7:10
——Determination: study the Word, live the Word, teach the Word
Agriculture of Palestinian Levant
Cycle:
no irrigation
tied to seasonal cycle
Season of plowing and planting:(Ps 65)
Early Rains-can’t plow until they start
Heavy Rains-abundance view
Late Rains-
Season of Harvest(rain must stop):
Grain
Grape (wine)
Olive (Oil)
Deuteronomy
Renewing Loyalty and Love
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Structure
Motivated by God’s grace in the past (1-4)
Guided by God’s instructions for life (5-26)
Inspired by God’s consequences for choices (27-30)
Motivated by God’s grace for the future (31-34)
Archaeology
Stratigraphy
-layers of the tel
**Layer Method->once dug, its gone, and layers slid
**Trench Method->more modern
Arch can:
- cobborate (not prove) the general historicity and reliablilty of biblical record
- NOT prove theology of Bible
- Illustrate Biblical Text
Festivals
Associations:
Passover -
Exodus-Unleaved Bread(like holidays)-Before Harvest-Lord’s Supper
Weeks -
The Law - Harvest - got done with harvvesting - Pentecost
Tabernacle(Booths)-
the Wilderness - ingathering - wine is ready, gotta get the olives - Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Canaanite Religion
General Remark - be cautious with general remarks
Diversity and Incomplete text lead to caution
Chief Dieties:
El - (generic word for god) head of the pantheon (all gods)
Asherah - Wife of El
Baal - god of Rain
Yamm - god of Sea
Anat - Fertility goddess and Baal’s lover
Mot - god of Death
Baal Story
3 Cycles
Baal v Yamm - House Building - Baal v Mot
Exodus
Rescue and Relationship
Exodus 20:1-3
Structure
Rescue (1-18)
-out of Egypt (1-12) and -through the wilderness (13-18)
Relationship (19-40)
-principles (19-24) and -presence (25-40)
Joshua
Inheriting the Promise
Joshua 23:14
Structure:
Conquering the Land (1-5)
Dividing and Conquering (6:1-11:15)
Recording the conquest (11:16-12:24)
Numbers
Human Failings and Divine Faithfulness
Numbers 24:1
Structure
Preparing to enter the land (1-10:10)
Journey from Sinai to Paran (10:11-12:16)
Preparing to enter the land (13:1-20:21)
Journey from Kadesh to Moab (20:22-22:1)
Preparing to enter the land (22:2-36:13)
Climate of Palestinian Levant
Wet Season:
Unstable
Oct-Apr(7 months)
Former-Latter rains
Heavy rains happened in middle
Dry Season:
Stable
Sunrise-Sea Breeze-Sunset
Transitional periods:
East Wind (divine judgement)
Hot-Dry-Dusty
Abundance
Garden, Temple, Land
1-River in all
2a)-precious stones-Garden
2b)-precious metals-Temple
3b)-good land-Land-milk and honey (19X)
Topography of ANE
(Fertile Cresent)
Fertile Cresent
shape:mountains (N), arabian desert (S), Mediterranian (W), Persian Gulf (E)
Sanctuary
Temple/Tabernacle, Garden, Land
1-Oriented East
2-Guardians
3-Flora
Ex of Land Guardians: Joshua, Balaam, David
Dwelling of God
Chronicles
Experiencing Restoration
2 Chronicles 7:14
Setting -> After 539BC, to post-exilic community in Judah, temple rebuilt but…
Why -> to encourage the people to trust and obey
Themes: People of God, Institution of God, Blessing of God
Structure:
Continuity with Past (1 Chr 1-9)
The Glorius United Monarchy (1 Chr10-2 Chr 9)
Retribution in Diided Monarchy (2 Chr 10-28)
The Chroniclers History
Jewish Tradition:
authorship - Ezra wrote them all
Order - Ezra-Neh->Chronicles
19th Century
- connected history
- most scholars follow suit
Modern Consensus
-Separate works: diff authors, diff emphasis, CLEARLY relate
Chron-> emphasis on kingship and immediate retribution emphasis
Ezra-Neh-> intermarriage
Operating Assumption: a single, intentional narrative
lit clue -> tail-head linkage or inclusion
Common themes ->temple, passover as renewal of worship and priority of written word
