Old Testament | Introduction to Prophetic Literature

Identify the Messenger formula?

“Thus says Yahweh”, God’s message coming from a specific person, often opening the statement in relation to God. [Borrowed from neighbors (Egypt), including prophecy]

What is the distinction of Israel’s prophecy?

Other ANE prophecies primarily political; Israel’s prophecies focused on morality

Role of foretelling vs. forthtelling?

Some foretelling -but relatively minor (predicting future events); Normally more forthtelling (giving divine truth in the present)

Role of prophets as “mouthpieces” for God?

Forthtellers or Messengers for Gods word; Spoke from Torah/ Mosaic Covenant

Role of prophets as “covenant enforcers” for God?

Pointed the people back to Covenant Sanctions; Reminders of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. Served as ambassadors, intercessors, and king makers/breakers.

Role of prophets as “image bearers” for God?

Fulfilled the functional understanding of the “image of God” by representing God’s will on earth.

Significance of Covenant Sanctions?

Blessing of Obedience (Life, Prosperity, Safety, etc) followed by Curses of Disobedience (Death, Drought, Danger, etc.)

Basic Prophetic pattern

Prophets cite evidence against the people, then the Prophets cite the covenant sanctions that people could expect.

Primary message of 6-8th century prophets

Message primarily judgement

Primary message of post exilic prophets

Message primarily restoration

Theory of Deuteronomistic History in relation to Former Prophets

Viewed as a unified work written to show how the theology of Deuteronomy was reflected in the history of Israel.

Characteristics of Deuteronomistic History

A common perspective on History and Theology [David as the Ideal king, Emphasis on Yawist Prophets and Preference for Judah, negative presentation of Canaan]

Sanctions as Important [Centralized worship, Formulaic Phrases, Rhetorical Use of Speeches]

Israel’s concept of history 

Covenant history seen as God’s story in relation to His covenant with his people. [Cause and Effect viewed in supernatural terms] 

Modern Western concept of history

Linear history seen as a straight line moving from point A to point Z [Cause and Effect viewed in natural terms]

General Ancient Near Eastern concept of History

Cyclical history based on pattern of the regular cycle of seasons [Cause and Effect viewed in supernatural terms] 

Meaning of Joshua’s name

Yahweh saves/ delivers

Major Themes

-Promise Keeping God
-The Ban and Corporate Solidarity
-The Achievement of Rest

Four Basic Outline divisions of the book of Joshua

Entrance into the Land (1:1-5:12)
Conquest of the Land (5:13-12:24)
Division of the Land (13:1-21:45)
Covenant in the Land (22:1-24:33)

Significance of Joshua as second Moses

Joshua’s story directly parallels that of Moses

Hexateuch Theory vs, Deuteronomistic Theory

Hexateuch Theory: Torah (5 Books) + Joshua (1 Book); Deuteronomistic Theory: Deuteronomistic historians responsible for Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings

Who was Rahab

Rahab, prostitute from Jericho, demonstrated loyalty to Yahweh by protecting Israel’s spies and recognizing Yahweh’s ownership.

Significance of Commander of the Lord’s Army

Promise of God’s Presence—Confirmed that God was going to fight for Israel; Affirmed Joshua as leader and successor to Moses

Significance of Rules for Holy war

Yahweh does the fighting, Non-professional army, Religious in Nature, Total Annihilation of Enemy with some exceptions.

Significance of Ban Legislation

How the conquered cities of Canaan were to be treated due to the wickedness of the Canaanites.

Significance of Jericho and Ai as paradigms

Jericho and Ai- serve as paradigms (positive and negative examples) and provide general sense of what happened elsewhere

How many campaigns to conquest the land? [Joshua]

Two, Southern Campaign and Northern Campaign

Partial or Total Conquest of Land? [Joshua]

Partial Conquest

Corporate Solidarity

Stress that the people must be united in order to share in the covenant blessing of the land

Significance of Corporate renewal at Shechem

Similar to treaty format found in Exodus and Deuteronomy

Concept of “judge” in book of Judges vs. Modern Concept

Charismatic military leaders raised up by Yahweh and empowered by his spirit; Modern conept of judges does not apply

Authorship of Judges

Samuel (last of the Judges)

Purpose of Judges and Major Theme

An apologetic for Davidic Kingship; Need a king who will consolidate power, complete conquest, and lead the people in covenant faithfulness.

Significance of attractions of Idolatry

Physical presence of a god, easy rituals, coveniance, Normal for the land, mulitple gods, etc.

Entrance into Land and Monarchy[Judges]

350 years

Three types of Gods

National (of the nation), Clan (General Area), and Family (Passed down from Generations)

Cycle of Apostasy

Sin of the People, Wrath of God, Oppressing nation sent, Repentance by crying out to God, and Deliverance by raising judge.

Who was Othniel?

Nephew of Caleb; Defeated Mesopotamian king and land had rest for 40 years. [sold into Cu’shan-risha-tha’im]

Who was Ehud?

Left handed Benjaminite; Delivered an 18 inch “secret message from God” to the Moabite King. Assassinated King Eglon with his concealed dagger. Land had rest for 80 years. [Sold into Moab]

Who was Deborah 

Prophetess and judge—strong faith and confident in the Lord [sold into Jabin king of Canaan], [song of deborah] Covenantal Focus.

Who was Barak

Commander of Army— weak faith and a coward

Who was Jael

Wife of Heber the Kenite— killed Sisera, general of Jabin’s Army [Honor of killing the general wen to a woman!] Land had rest for 40 years.

Who was Gideon

Weak and fearful israelite, “Man of Valor”, [Named Jebba’al from tearing down alters of Baal and Asherah] Defeated Midianites with 300 men army, land had rest for 40 years

Gideon’s Failures

Lacked Faith, Personal Revenge, and Idolatry

Who was Abimelech

son of Gideon (Means my father is king), dies destroying his people [wanted to be king]

Abimelech relation to Saul

• Benjaminite

• People make him king

• Evil spirit sent by god

• injured in battle

Reminder that God doesn’t want just any person to be King.

Who was Jepthah?

Judge of the “rash vow”, son of a prostitute. Called to lead Gilead against the Ammorites

After defeating the enemy offered his own daughter

Who was Samson?

Born to Serve God?
Parody of Samuel [Miracle Birth, Nazarite Vow, Spiritual Growth]
Philistine Lover

Worst Moral Character 
Broken Nazarite Vow

Prominence of Idolatry

Abimelech’s story and relation to Saul

Issues of Tribal Depravity at end of Judges (Levites, Danites, Benjamites)

What are the key phrases in Judges?

Purpose of Samuel Material

Major theme of Samuel 1&2

In what other OT books is the Samuel and Kings material paralleled

How is Messianic Hope highlighted at beginning and end of the book?

Hannah (Identity; significance of dedication of Samuel and her prayer)

Eli and Samuel - (Identity; significance of Fall of Eli’s house and Rise of Samuel -symbolized in movement of Ark)

People’s request for a king (What kind of king did they want?)

Significance of covenant renewal by Samuel

Saul and David - (Identity; Turning Point between Fall of Saul and Rise of David -1 Samuel Chapters 16-18 - know the three significant events)

Best explanation for “evil spirit” sent by the Lord

“Early” divided Monarchy (Ish-bosheth vs. David)

Significance of Jerusalem in David’s Kingdom

Yahweh’s covenant with David (What was God going to do for David?)

David’s sin (What did he do, who was involved, and what were the consequences?)

Who is attributed with authorship of Kings material?

Purpose of Kings material

Major theme (Taking away of the kingdom)

Solomon (identity; request for wisdom; builds temple; renews covenant; violation of Deut 17; apostasy and judgment)

Rehoboam (identity and sin)

Jeroboam (identity and sin)

How were the kings evaluated? (Judea’s Kings vs. Israel’s Kings)Wjo

Who was Elijah?

Who was Elisha?

Who was Ahab?

Who was Jezebel?

Who was Hezekiah?

Who was Manasseh?

Who was Josiah?

Who was Jehoiachin?

Who was Zedekiah?