OT Midterm

When did Abraham receive the blessing to return?

Around 2000 B.C

Who are the Patriarchs?

The Father Rulers - all the tribes descended from:

\-Abraham

\-Isaac

\-Jacob

When was the Exodus from Egypt?

1500 B.C

When does David become king?

Around 1000 B.C (1010-970 B.C)

When is the exile in Babylon? (Daniel)

500 B.Cs

Redemptive History

History is not aimless - it reaches it climax in Jesus

Promise Fulfillment

Future-oriented promises that are fulfilled in Jesus - Zechariah, Matthew, John

Typology

“Pattern”

The idea that God works through repeated patterns in history (choosing the weak over the stronger) in order to help us realize that God is at work

Revelatory/Redemptive Analogies

“Just as God forgave Judah of their sins and came to rescue them from exile in Babylon, so also God comes to all humanity in a more absolute way to forgive people of their sin”

“Just as X, so also Y”

Progressive Revelation

God reveals things in stages throughout time, not all at once

What books make up the Pentateuch?

\-Genesis

\-Exodus

\-Leviticus

\-Numbers

\-Deuteronomy

(The torah - teaching, law, commandments)

The Classical Higher Critical Theory

Separate narratives covering the same basic story are spliced together, with later supplements and editing

J - Jahveh - “Yahweh” source - where God is called Yahweh

E - Elohim source, where God is called Elohim

D - Deuteronomy/editorial activity by people who wrote Deuteronomy

P - Priestly source

(ordered oldest to more recent)

What are the three things promised to Abraham by God?

\-Land

\-Progeny (many offspring)

\-Blessing

Book of Numbers

Main theme: God, God’s hesed for his people

Structure:

1:1 - 10:10 - organization of Israel as a holy people - 20 days

10:11 - 21:35 - wandering in the wilderness - 38 years

22:1 - 36:13 - new census, events in the moabite plain - 6 months

Book of Exodus

Main theme: God promises to redeem and discloses his plan in history piece by piece

Mashiah

“anointed one” (Messiah)

When did Solomon become king?

Around 970-930 B.C

How is the kingdom divided?

Into the North and the South

* Israel (North) - all of the other tribes (10 tribes). Kings: Jeroboam 1/2, Omri, Ahab
* Judah (South) - tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Kings: Rehoboam, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah

When does Israel fall to Assyria?

722 B.C

When does God deliver Judah from Assyria?

701 B.C

When does Judah fall to Babylon?

586 B.C

When is the post-exilic period?

The period after the exile, when Cyrus allows the Jews to return

After 539 B.C

Book of Leviticus

Main theme: Holiness, God’s presence dwelling with the Israelites

Days of creation

1. Day and night
2. Sky
3. Land, seas, and vegetation
4. Sun, moon and stars
5. Sea creatures and flying creatures
6. Land animals and human beings

What is the covenant that Abraham must keep in Gen. 17?

Circumcision - and every male in Abraham’s household

(continues throughout the bible as a way to identify Yahweh’s people

What is Jacob’s blessing of Judah in Gen. 49?

The tribe of Judah will eventually lead to “he to whom it belongs” - describing how the future Messiah (Jesus) will come from the lineage of the tribe of Judah

What is the significance of God wrestling with Jacob?

* Physical/mental transformation takes place in Jacob’s life - blessing
* Before: Jacob doesn’t want the patriarchical promises of God
* After: Jacob has a change of heart and accepts God’s promises

What three things are part of the passover meal?

1. Lamb roasted over the fire
2. Bitter herbs
3. Bread w/out yeast

Passover takes place on the 10th day of the first month of the year

What are the 5 kinds of offerings described in Leviticus?

1. The Burnt Offering
2. The Grain Offering
3. The Fellowship/Peace Offering
4. The Sin Offering
5. The Guilt Offering

What distinguishes a clean animal from an unclean animal?

Clean animal - must chew the cud and have a divided hoof

What is the Festival of Tabernacles?

For seven days - the Israelites present food offerings to the Lord

On the eighth day - the Israelites are permitted to rest

Where are the Israelites at the end of Numbers?

They have arrived at the Jordan and are camping across from Jericho

What is Horeb?

Mount Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai, where the 10 commandments are given

What are three things that a prospective king must avoid doing?

1. Can’t aquire a large number of horses for himself
2. Can’t have many wives
3. Can’t have large amounts of silver/gold

What is one thing that a prospective king is required to do?

The king must write a copy of the law on the scroll and keep it with him to study it every day of his life

How do the Israelites know if a prophet is truly sent from God?

If a prophet is sent from God - the message that he proclaims will take place

Would the writers of Judges support the idea of having a king?

Yes, because without a king “everyone did as they saw fit”, and there was chaos and disorder everywhere

Is kingship seen as a positive or a negative in Judges 9?

Very negative - the people choose Abimelek to be their king, which is a very poor choice and God ends up punishing them for their decision by cursing them

Why did God leave various nations in Canaan?

* Used to test Israel to see if they will follow the Lord (Judges 2:22)
* Used to teach the Israelites who have not yet been to battle about warfare (Judges 3:2)

Why are the Israelites unable to completely drive out the inhabitants of Canaan?

They made covenants with the canaanites and disobeyed God, and God punished them as a result

In 1 Samuel, where is the place that people go to make sacrifices to the Lord?

Shiloh

Does God want Israel to have a king in 1 Samuel 8?

No, because God wants to be their king - there are many consequences associated with having a human ruler

How long does David reign over Judah at Hebron?

7 years and 6 months

What does God promise to David in 2 Samuel 7?

* God will make David’s name great
* God will provide a place for Israel where they will not be oppressed
* God will establish David’s house/throne and David’s son will be loved by God

What is the punishment on David’s House for his actions regarding Bathsheba?

David and Bathsheba’s son dies 7 days after he is born

Who incites David to take a census of Israel and Judah (2 Samuel)?

The Lord

What is Solomon’s gift in the judicial, administrative, and artistic spheres?

Judicial: Solomon administers justice fairly - (baby situation)

Administrative: Solomon appoints several chief officials and 12 district govenors to help him rule well

Artistic: Solomon designs a beautiful temple for the Lord

How are 1-2 Samuel different from 1-2 Chronicles?

* Chronicles is primarily interested in the story of David and Judah - the southern kingdom
* Chronicles is concerned with painting David in a “good light” - David is associated with priestly and temple related ideas

What two prophets were important in encouraging the completion of the Temple?

1. Haggai
2. Zechariah

What is the role of the “Elders” mentioned in Ezra?

* Act as leaders alongside the judges and officals
* Building the temple

What are Ezra’s qualifications for leadership?

* Title: Ezra is the son of Azariah, the so of Hilkiah….connection to Aaron the priest - Levite
* Competency: Ezra was “a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses”

According to 1 Chronicles 21, who incites David to take a census of Israel?

Satan - conflicting accounts between 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles

What are two things that Hezekiah does relating to Judah’s domestic religious life (in 1 Chronicles)?

* Hezekiah opens the doors of the temple and restores them - encourages the people to consecrate themselves and remove all defilments
* Hezekiah celebrates Passover at the Temple in Jerusalem during the second month because they couldn’t celebrate at the regular time

Book of Ruth

\-Set during the Judges period

\-Theme: hesed - steadfast love “deal kindly”

\-Ruth’s family line leads to David

Book of Esther

\-Takes place in Persia (post-exilic period) - outside of Judah

\-Describes the origin of the Festival of Purim

\-The theology/”God” is communicated through ironic reversals and coincidence

Characteristics of Nazirites

A “Yaweh superfan”


1. Long, unkept hair (can’t cut hair)
2. No drinking
3. Can’t go near/touch a dead body

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Not a lifetime commitment