BIB LIT I Exam #2

How does the theme of creation show up in the exodus narrative?

The beginning of the book (the Hebrews multiplied and filled the land) echoes God’s blessing and calling to Adam and Eve. Pharaoh opposes this and is thus framed as being anti-creation. God gives him what he wants in the plagues, which are an undoing of creation.

How do the plagues specifically match the creation narrative in Genesis 1?

The plagues undo creation: bringing disorder to order and moving things out of their proper places (frogs, locusts, flies, gnats); bringing death to life and preventing things from being fruitful and multiplying (plague on livestock, death of firstborn, boils, hail, locusts); turning one thing into another, no longer each according to their own kinds (nile to blood, ashes to boils, dust to flies); returning land to primordial situation (darkness, locusts, death of firstborn)

Review Exodus 5-15 Bible Reading Guide

Okey Dokey

What is one way of understanding the poetic justice of the plagues in the exodus narrative?

Pharaoh was anti-creation (opposed the “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” command that the Israelites were fulfilling), so God uncreated Egypt for him.

What is the connection between Israel walking through the Red Sea and Genesis 1?

Like in Genesis 1, God separated the waters to make dry ground appear

What is so significant about the Exodus event?

The Exodus is central to Israel’s formation as a nation. YHWH commonly refers to Himself throughout the OT as the God who brought them out of Egypt. It sets up their identity as a people delivered through the power of YHWH

What is the best argument for the view that Pharaoh hardened his own heart in Exodus and God just gave him over to his own pride?

The narrative says that Pharaoh hardens his own heart for the first several instances; it is not until later that it says that God hardens his heart. Additionally, the plagues represent the uncreation that Pharoah wants

What is the best argument for the view that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in Exodus in order to display his power?

In his initial call to Moses, God says he will harden pharaoh’s heart so that Egypt will know his power. this statement is repeated mutliple times throughout the book

What is the best argument for the view that you cannot unentangle GOd and pharaoh in terms of who is at fault for the hardening of pharaohs’ heart

The narrative says that both God and pharaoh harden pharaohs heart, and the plagues are both poetic judgement for the anti-creation pharaoh and a display of God;s power

Review Ex. 16-20 Bible Reading Guide

gotcha

What are a few ways that Jesus approaches the law in the NT

says he is fulfilling the law, says the law is unchanging, calls people to a higher standard than the law, emphasises the spirit of the law over the letter

what is the best way to describe Jesus’ overarching approach to the law

“spirit of the law”; emphasises that the law is still important, but the spirit (“love God and love people”) is more important than obeying the specific instructions of the law "(ie. “do not harvest on the sabbath”)

What is apodictic and causistic law?

apodictic: universal, broad laws (“do not murder”)

casuistic: specific instructions for application, changes as society/life changes (“build a parapet”)

what is a covenant

agreement for a long-term relationship

where did the idea of covenants originate

larger nations and smaller nations would make covenants (ie. larger would protect smaller, smaller would pay tribute and not ally with enemies of larger)

what are the parts of a covenant

historical prologue: one party says “here is what I have done for you” and makes a promise

stipulations: what the less powerful nation must do in return

oath: symbolically killing an animal (“if I break the covenant, may I be like this”)

what happens at mount sinai and how long was Israel there?

God gives the law to moses and instructions for building tabernacle and ordination of priests, people build golden calf; there for a year

what elements of the tabernacle design recall garden of Eden?

how does the Spirit play a role in construction of the tabernacle

what best describes the verbal parallels between the creation account and the tabernacle construciton account

what best describes how we should understand God resting in Genesis 1 in light of ANE parallels

done with creating, now will sit at the helm and drive creation

Exodus 32:

1. what do the people ask Aaron for and how does Aaron respond

2. what does moses say about it

3. what does God say about it

1. ask for a god, he makes a golden calf and says it is the god that brought them out of Egypt

2. asks YHWH to spare them

3. threatens to destroy them

what does God do/say when Moses asks God to show him his glory

shows his back, says Moses cannot see his face

what is the main point regarding God’s presence when God tells Israel to build a tabernacle

Review ex. 25-40 Bible Reading Guide

yup

Review Num. 9-20 Bible reading guide

alrighty

what is the best argument that God is showing mercy to Israel by not letting them enter the promised land?

They think they’re better off in the wilderness, and God does not force them; he has stayed with them and provided for them even through all their rebellion

what is the best argument that God is shoring judgement to Israel by not letting them into the promised land?

it was His promise to them, and now they do not get to see it fulfilled; they did not trust God and now cannot enter

what is the best argument that God is showing mercy to moses by not letting him into the promised land?

Moses had asked to not have to lead the people anymore, Moses is allowed to see the promised land before he dies

what is the best argument that God is showing judgement to moses by not letting him enter the promised land

says it is because moses did not trust him

How is God different with Israel when they complain in Num 11 compared to Ex?

there is punishment this time instead of just blessing (send them meat until they are sick of it)

how is moses different with Israel when they complain in Num 11 compared to Ex?

asks God to kill him so he doesn’t have to lead them anymore instead of pleading on their behalf

Review Joshua Bible reading guide

yeppers

what connections are there in the beginning of Joshua with the exodus?

cross the Jordan river→waters “heap up” just like the Red sea

Josh 5: angel of the Lord encounter with Joshua: what does Joshua ask him, how does he answer, what might this response illustrate?

are you on our side or the side of our enemies; not on either side; God does not pick and choose nations

Rahab and Achan: ethnicity and profession

Rahab: canaanite prostitute; Achan: israelite soldier

Rahab and Achan: actions they take

Rahab hides spies, lies to king about where they are; Achan hides plunder

Rahab and Achan: statements they make about God

Rahab: knows God has delivered Canaan to Israel and submits to it; Achan: disobeys God’s command, later confesses that he has sinned against God

Rahab and Achan: legacy

Rahab: integrated into israel, included in Geneaology of Jesus; Achan: destroyed, place called “trouble” to this day

What does the article in your CP argue is the main point of the story of Rahab and Achan

YHWH being God of Israel does not mean He is not still God of all creation; Rahab is an outsider with insider behaviour and Achan is an insider with outsider behaviour

How does Joshua 13 sound contradictory with Joshua 11?

Josh. 11 says they conquered all the land; Josh. 13 says there is still much that is unconquered

What are the five views of the conquest in Joshua, their evidence, and their weaknesses?

Just Cause: The Canaanites were wicked and God used the Israelites as an instrument of justice; God tells Abraham he will not give the land to his descendants right away because “the sin of the Canaanites is not yet complete”, the Canaanites worship idols with practices such as child sacrifice; God does not wipe out every wicked nation

Divine Immunity: God’s ways are beyond our understanding, so we shouldn’t question Him and just know that He has good reasons; God calls us to wrestle with him and ask questions

Greater Good: It was necessary at the time in order to allow Israel to be established and survive as a nation, God warns them that the Canaanites will be a snare to them; it is hard to be a blessing with a reputation of violence and destruction

God Acted Differently in OT: Jesus was peaceful and stopped his followers from becoming violent while in the OT God commanded killing and carried out violent judgement Himself; forgiveness and judgement seen throughout the Bible

Christocentric Hermeneutic: Jesus calls us to a higher standard than OT law (argument is that Israelites misunderstood God’s commands); God is leading the charge

is the conquest story a major or minor thread in the OT?

minor; relatively small in the grand scheme of things; thus not defining of Israel’s behavior or God’s commands

What does Warrior mean when he says “Yahweh the deliverer became Yahweh the conqueror”?

God’s divine intervention on Israel’s behalf shifts from freeing them from Egypt to driving out and destroying other nations

What is troubling to Warrior about the covenant promises God made to Abraham and Moses?

in order to give the land he promised to the Israelites God must first drive out the people already living there

Describe some of the examples that Warrior uses from the Bible to show why this story troubles him in the “Whose Narrative?” section

describes Canaanites as “a snare” and “adversaries”

Why did Toribio de Benavente Motolinia and some other European conquerors feel justified in their invasion of the Americas? what scriptures and rationale did they use?

They believed the destruction they brought was God’s judgement upon the people living there; connect their actions (such as demanding tributes or forcing them to work in the mines) to the plagues; also use flood, Sodom and Gomorrah

How did Juan Gines de Sepulveda use the Conquest story to argue for the invasion of the Amercias

reads the Conquest as the message being “the indigenous people always lose”, sees themselves as instrument of God’s divine justice and the Americas as another promised land

Why did the indigenous Americans return the Bible to Pope John Paul II?

How does the “Popular reading the bible” interpret the plagues of Egypr and other OT texts?

What are Israel’s two types of disobediences in the book of Judges and what are their consequences?

idolatry

what elements make up the cycle of covenant failure?

sin → judgement (delivered in the hands of an enemy) → repentance and crying out → God raises up a judge (deliverer) → peace

what are the four ways Deborah’s story as a judge stands out from the rest?

story told twice, prophet as well as judge, focuses on actions of women

who are Barak, Jael, and Sisera?

Barak: leads Israel against Sisera, asks Deborah to go with him as embodiment of God’s presence

Jael: Kenite, tricks Sisera and kills him

Sisera: leader of enemy army

what are three themes of Israel’s downward spiral?

Idolatry (Gideon sets up an idol), mistreatment of women (rape and murder of the Levite’s concubine), violence among Israel (Gideon kills 77 Israelites who offend him)

Gideon:

1. what does God initially call Gideon to and how does he react?

2. How are the Midianites defeated?

3. What does Gideon ask Succoth and Penuel for and how do they respond? what does Gideon do to them?

4. what does Gideon say is the reason he kills Zebah and Zalmunna?

5. What does Gideon say and do when askedd to be king

1. take down the idols; does it at night because he is afraid

2. God throws them into a panic and they turn on each other

3. bread to feed his troops, they refuse, Gideon kills them

4. they killed his brothers

   1. says only God should rule the

Jephthah

vows to sacrifice first thing that leaves his house if they have victory, it is his daughter→Israel does not know the character of God anymore

Micah, idol, levite priest

Micah creates an idol in his home, hires a levite to be the priest over it

Danites

danites capture idol from Micah’s house, levite is happy to go with them so he can serve a whole tribe instead of just one man

The levite and his concubine

Israel’s war with Benjamin

“in those days there was not kking in Israel”

no clear leadership, everyone determined right and wrong for themselves and did evil

Ruth

1. where and when does the story take place?

2. why does Naomi leave and return to Judah?

3. who goes with her and what happens?

4. who is ruth and how does she help Naomi?

5. who is Boaz and how does he help ruth?

6. how does Naomi’s situation change?

7. who is said to have a son at the end?

1. Judah and Moab in the end of the era of the judges

2. leaves because of famine, returns because famine has ended

3. Ruth (daughter in law), ruth takes care of her and marries her relative

4. insists on returning with her, gleans food so they can eat, seeks to marry Boaz to maintain Naomi’s family

5. gives her food and ensures she is safe while gleaning, marries her to give her stability

6. begins with loss and alone, ends with gaining family

   1. Naomi

In what ways is the portrait and treatment of women different between Judges and Ruth?

Judges: women mistreated, often victims of violence

Ruth: women’s roles respected, protected, portrayed as active and capable

main purpose of book: best arguments

1. Ruth and Boaz love story

2. Ruth redemption story

3. Naomi restoration story

   1. Contrast to Judges

1. Ruth and Naomi goal is for Boaz to act as kinsman-redeemer; their struggles end when two are married

2. Ruth first act of loyalty and most active in driving events forward, stands out as foreigner

3. begins and ends with Naomi, she is the one said to have a son

   1. much contrast with Judges in each character’s actions and interactions with the others

what is book of Samuel about

establisment of monarchy in Israel

how is 1-2 Sam. an inclusio

begins with Hannah’s story and song, ends with David’s story and song, two mirror each other

what is the theological vision of Sam. per Hannah’s song?

God works through reversals: raises up the lowly and brings down the mighty (who are mighty at the expense of the lowly)

what is the reversal that happens iwth Eli and his sons?

exalt themselves above God and steal the best part of the sacrifice for themselves; God brings them down, makes them beg for food and Eli dies because he is overweight

what are good reasons Israel has to request a king?

Samuel’s sons are not righteous (ie. they want someone who will lead them in righteousness), they want a military leader

what are bad reasons Israel wants a king

they want to be like other nations, they want a military leader (but God is fighting their battles for them)

how is what God does to the wilderness generation different from what God does to Joseph and his brothers?

wilderness generaiton punished for their sin (by recieving what they asked for); joseph and brothers evil used for their good

what are the good things Saul does for the people

frees them from the Amorites, is humble and does not take revenge on those who opposed him

what are bad things saul does for the people

offers sacrifices when he isn’t supposed to, makes a vow so they cannot eat while fighting

what is the best argument for each of the options about how to understand Israel’s request for a king and God’s response/

1. Israel has wrong reasons, God gives them king as punishment

2. Israel has wrong reasons, God gives them king as blessing

3. Israel has wrong timing, God gives them king as punishment

4. Israel has wrong timing, God gives them king as blessing

5. Israel has right reasons, God gives them king as blessing

Israel wrong reasons: want to be like other nations when supposed to be set apart; want military leader when God already fights their battles for them; God says it is a rejection of Him

Israel wrong timing: God says they reject Him by asking for a king, but He has set things in place for a king eventually (laws in Duteronomy about how a king should be, tells Abraham that Sarah will be mother of kings)

Israel right reasons: God set things in place for a king (see above)

King as blessing: Saul does not take what they have, Saul anointed by God and Spirit upon him at first, God grieved by Saul’s actions indicates He desired the king to be righteous

King as punishment: Samuel warns them that a king will take what they have and make them his slaves, Saul fails to walk in righteousness

what doess “man after God’s own heart” mean?

How does David interact with Ahimelech/

Hwo does David interact with Abigail and Nabal

How does David compare/contrast with Bathsheba and Uriah

hat is a covenant

what are the stipualtions for each of the four covenants

at are the historical prologues for each of the covenants

at is the consitional nature of the davidic covenant

what are the treaty partners of each covenant

what promises are made to david for hsi own lifetime

compare/contrast promises for blessing in each convenant

mpare/contrast OT covenants with ANE covenants

TOTS: what is theme illustrated by stories in Joshua

what are three examples of how Israel is being called into Yahweh’s bigger mission

who will the Israelites struggle not to worship when they enter the land?

how does kelle understand the conquest narrative

how does kelle understnad Israel’s request for a king and God’s response?

Israel is wrong to ask for a king, but God makes the most of it to bless them