old testament pt 2

Messenger Formula

Messenger Formula

Messenger formula "thus says Yahweh" similar to other cultures. Israel borrowed from neighbors in many areas, including prophecy

What is the distinction of Israel's prophecy?

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

Role of prophets as "mouthpieces" for God, "covenant enforcers," and "image bearers"

Normally more "forthtellers" than "foretellers"

Significance of covenant sanctions

Blessings of obedience (life, health, prosperity, safety, agricultural bounty). Curses of disobedience (death, disease, drought, danger, destruction, defeat

Basic prophetic pattern

Prophets cite evidence against the people ; 2. Prophets cite the covenant sanctions people could expect

what was the Primary message of 6-8th century prophets

6-8th Century Prophets - message primarily judgment

Theory of Deuteronomistic History in relation to Former Prophets

Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, and 1-2 Kings 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 & theology
- Sanctions important
- Centralization of Worship Important
- Formulaic Phrases
- Rhetorical Use of Speeches
- Use of Repetition to Convey Message
- Constant Presence of Prophetic Word
- God is the main character ‘

Israel's concept of history

covenant (history is seen as God's story in relation to His covenant with His people)

Meaning of Joshua's name

Yahweh saves

Major theme of joshua

Covenant

Four basic outline divisions of book (Think "Land")

.Entrance into the Land
2. Conquest of the Land
3. Division of the Land
4. Covenant in the Land

Significance of Joshua as Second Moses

Joshua's explicitly parallels that of Moses

what is the Authorship/composition issues

Hexateuch Theory vs. Deuteronomistic Theory

Who was Rahab?

A prostitute who demonstrated loyalty to Yahweh by protecting Israel's spies and recognizing Yahweh's ownership of the land

Significance of Commander of the Lord's Army

Promise of God's Presence

Significance of Jericho and Ai as paradigms

Provide general sense of what happened elsewhere

How many campaigns to conquest the land?

‘3: Central, Southern, and Northern

Partial or total conquest?

Partial; pockets of resistance remained

Significance of corporate solidarity

Book of Joshua stress that the people must be united in order to share in the covenant blessing of the land

Significance of covenant renewal at Shechem

Similar to treaty format found in Exodus & Deuteronomy

Concept of "judge" in book of Judges vs. modern concept

Modern concept of judges does not apply.
Most were charismatic military leaders raised up by Yahweh and empowered by His Spiri

Authorship of Judges

Traditionally ascribed to Samuel, but anonymous

Purpose of Judges

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

Significance of attractions of idolatry

Guaranteed presence of God
- Expected something in return for giving offering
- Easy rituals without ethics or moral attached
- Convenient times and locations
- Normal practice of most people in the ANE
- Multiple gods for every occasion
- Pleasing to the senses
- Place to have a good time

Three types of gods

National, Clan, & Family

what is Cycle of Apostasy

s w o r d

othniel

Nephew of Caleb; Defeated Mesopotamian king and land had rest for 40 years

Significance of Abimelech's story and relation to Saul

Similarities to Saul:
- A Benjamite who terrified his family
- People make him king over them
- Evil spirit sent by God
- Injured in battle
Significance:
- Story a reminder that God doesn't want just any king to rule over His people

Issues of tribal depravity at end of Judges (Levites, Danites, Benjamites)

Prominence of Idolatry
- Prominence of Violence

What are the key phrases in Judges?

"In those days there was no king in Israel; and all the people did what was right in their own eyes."

what is samuel paralleled to

1 Chronicles

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

The preview of Messianic Hope and the review of Messianic Hope

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

Has a barren womb
- Prays to Yahweh and vows to dedicate her child as a Nazirite
- Gives Samuel to the Lord
- Her prayer models Prayer of Nation & echoed in Mary's prayer

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

Eli's sons perverted their role as servants of the priest
- Samuel growing in stature and in favor with the Lord
- Samuel serving Yahweh
- Symbolized by the movement of the Ark of the Covenant

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

A king who would govern and fight for them like other nations

Significance of covenant renewal by Samuel

Samuel is fading out and Saul is rising as new king, so Samuel attempts to get people to recommit to Yahweh's covenant

Saul and David - (Identity; Turning Point between Fall of Saul and Rise of David -

1 Samuel Chapters 16-18 - know the three significant events)

Turning Point : 1 Samuel 16-18
- Ch 16 : David, son of Jesse, anointed by Samuel while Saul still king
- Ch 17 : David defeats Goliath the Philistine giant for Saul
- Ch 18 : David makes covenant with Saul's son Jonathan

Best explanation for "evil spirit" sent by the Lord

Evil spirit sent to punish Saul, not possess him

how long did David ruled

Judah from Hebron for 7.5 years

Significance of Jerusalem in David's Kingdom

- Centrally located on a hill between Benjamin & Judah and in the middle of Israel as a whole
- Capable of being defended
- Personal possession (Jerusalem called the "City of David"
- Ark relocated to Jerusalem (signifies covenant with Yahweh)

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

David desired to build a temple for Yahweh
- God never desired a temple and didn't allow David to build it
- God would build a dynasty for David
- God would allow David's son Solomon to build a temple for His name

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

David commits adultery with Bathsheba. Because of this, "the sword shall never depart from [his] house"

Who is attributed with authorship of Kings material?

Jeremiah or Deuteronomistic Historians

Purpose of Kings material

To explain that the two exiles were God's judgment for Israel's covenant failures; and to encourage repentance and covenant renewal

Major theme

Covenant - "Taking away of the kingdom"

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

Solomon lacked "personal wisdom"

Rehoboam (identity and sin)

Solomon's son
- "But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him" and "did not hearken to the people"

Jeroboam (identity and sin)

Solomon's servant
- He built temples and high places appointed non-Levitical priests, and created a new feast

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

By comparing their actions to the sins of Jeroboam

Elijah and Elisha

Prophets in the Northern Kingdom whose stories gave hope to those in exile that a true prophetic voice continued despite the wickedness of the kings

Ahab

most wicked king in the north

Kings Hezekiah

Trusted Yahweh more than any other king of Jud ah

what is the primary message of post exiling prophet

message primarily restoration

Modern Western concept

linear (history seen as a straight line moving from point A to point Z)

Ancient Near Eastern concept

cyclical (history based on pattern of the regular cycle of seasons)

purpose of joshua

Primary Purposes : 1.) to document fulfillment of the land promise and 2.) to remind the people they must remain faithful in order to retain the land
Secondary Purpose : to ratify Joshua's leadership

hexateuch theory

the Torah plus Joshua

deuteronomistic theory

Deuteronomistic historians responsible for Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings

major theme of judges

Israel's Apostasy & Yahweh's Faithfulness

what does the s in sword mean

sin of the people

what does w mean

wrath of god

what does o mean

oppressing nation sent

what does r mean

Repentance by crying out to God

what does d mean

Deliverance by raising judge

ethud

Left-Handed Benjaminite; Delivered an 18 inch "secret message from God" to the Moabite king; Defeated the Moabite king and land had rest for 80 years

deborah

Strong faith and confident in the Lord

gideon

A weak and fearful Israelite; Defeated the Midianites with a 300-men army with trumpets, jars, and torches-land had rest for 40 years

jepthah

Judge of the "rash vow"; Son of a prostitute and family outcast from Gilead who lead and joined a "gang of scoundrels"; Vowed to offer up the first thing that came out of his house if the Lord gave him victory; Defeated the enemy and offered up his own daughter who was the first to come out of his house and greet him

samson

Born to serve God; Violation of the Nazirite Vow; Spiritually Insensitive

Purpose of Samuel material

To explain God's covenant with David's house (dynasty), and to emphasize that it remained Israel's hope for a stable future

major theme of samuel

Covenant - establishing the kingdoms

what is kings paralleled too

2 chronicles

what’s special about ishbosheth

ruled israel except for judah

manasseh

most wicked king of judah

josiah

Kept the law more perfectly than any other king

jehoiachin

Represented Messianic hope for those in exile

zedekiah

last king of judah

jezebel

worshipper of Baal who sought to kill Elijah (Ahab's wife)