Old Testament Joshua-Esther

What do we know about Joshua?

Was an assistant of Moses

One of the two spies who went into Canaan and trusted that God would give the land to them

Moses’ successor

How can a merciful God command what seems to be an “ethnic cleansing” of the inhabitants of Canaan?

God is leading the way and it’s God’s choice

God is not giving the Israelites land because they are good, but because the Israelites are weak

God fulfilling His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

The Canaannites who worship God are not killed off

Can an “ethnic cleansing” be justified?

Yes

What main message should we take from the story of Rahab?

Rahab is an immoral, non-Israelite, but because of her faith in God, she is welcomed into Israel

How does the story of Achan contrast with Rahab?

Rahab is an outsider brought into the people of God while Achan is an insider who is thrown out

What New Testament figure shares the same name as Joshua (although different in English)?

Jesus

What is typology?

A way of reading the Bible that recognizes patterns of people, events, and institutions

How do the Israelites’ find rest in the land of Canaan under Joshua have a typological fulfillment?

Just like we will find rest when Christ comes again to a restored world, the Israelites will find rest in Canaan

What are several ways in the which the book of Joshua contrasts with the book of Judges?

Judges-positive vibe, people are obedient, over a period of about 20 years, people are settled

Judges- disheartening, people are like the Canaanites, over a period of about 350 years, utter chaos: morally, politically, and spiritually

What cyclical pattern do we see repeated in the book of Judges?

Judges Cycle: sin, oppression, repentance, deliverance, peace, sin

What is meant by a “judge” in the book of Judges?

A political/military leader

Why are the judges described as “charismatic leaders”?

Because they come onto the scene in a time of chaos and then stick around until things are fixed. God empowers them to complete the task, even if He doesn’t approve of their lifestyle

How do the judges point forward to Jesus?

Jesus is not only a king, but anointed by God’s spirit to judge the nations and bring Israel out of their sin

How does the book of Judges prepare us for 1-2 Samuel?

Shows how Israel had no king and everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Maybe if Israel had a good king, maybe all this chaos wouldn’t be happening

Since the events within Ruth happened in the time of the judges, how does the book of Ruth offer hope?

Shows how in the midst of the chaos of Judges, there are still people living to honor God

What significance is there in Ruth becoming a part of David’s (and ultimately Jesus’) ancestry?

A foreigner is part of the lineage of Jesus

Why do English Bibles divide 1 and 2 Samuel into two books when originally they were one book?

Because when the vowels were added from Hebrew to Greek, the length doubled and the original scroll needed to be divided into two scrolls

What is THE big development that happens in the book of 1 Samuel?

The introduction of a monarchy

How does the introduction of a monarchy fulfill earlier promises in the OT?

Abraham is promised kings will come out of his lineage and Israel prophesies to Judah that the kings from his line will be victorious

In a phrase, who were each of the following individuals? Samuel, Saul, and David

Samuel: last of the judges, king maker, a prophet 

Saul: Israel’s first king 

David: Israel’s greatest king

Why was Israel’s request for a king offensive to Samuel and God?

Because Israel wants a king to be like the other nations and they rejected God as their king

What are key points in the rise and fall of Saul?

1. Samuel anoints Saul as king

2. Good looking, but corrupt

3. Disobeys Samuel’s orders which…

4. Disobeys God

5. Takes plunder which he was told not to

6. Doesn’t kill a king in a war

   1. Samuel rejects Saul as king

What happens at the end of 1 Samel?

Saul is wounded on the battle field and commits suicide

How does 2 Samuel open?

With David mourning the death of Saul and Jonathan

How old was David when he began his reign over all Israel?

30 years old

What parallel do we find between David and Jesus?

Jesus was also about 30 years old when his ministry began and it shows how Jesus and David relate

How did the extent of David’s reign compare to that of Saul’s reign?

David’s kingdom was about 2x the size of Saul’s

What city does David capture and make the capital of the united kingdom?

Jerusalem

How in particular did David solidify Jerusalem as the capital?

By bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem

What key promise does God make to David in 2 Samuel 7:8-16?

there is always going to be a Davidic king on the throne

How is the promise God made to David fulfilled in Christ?

Christ is the king that will rule forever

What great sin does David commit?

He commits adultery

How does David compound the sin of adultery with further sins?

Adultery leads to Bathsheba getting pregnant which leads to David killing Uriah 

David does not rationalize his sin like Saul did, he mourns and repents of his sin

What three kings constitute the period known as the “united monarchy”?

Saul, David, and Solomon

What is Solomon’s biggest accomplishment?

Building the Temple

What was Solomon’s downfall?

His many wives who wanted him to build them temples for their foreign gods and worship with them

What are the immediate and ultimate causes of the “divided kingdom”?

Immediate: Rehaboam being harsher than Solomon

Ultimate: God is angry with Solomon’s idolatry

Who was the first ruler of the northern kingdom?

Jeroboam

What was the name of the northern kingdom and what was its final capital?

Israel- Samaria

What was the name of the southern kingdom and what was its final capital?

Judah- Jerusalem

How did the two kingdoms differ in terms of their obedience?

North- all wicked, idolatry 

South- some good kings

Describe the god Baal?

A storm god, a fertility god, ritualized sex that goes along with his worship

How did Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal show that God could beat Baal “at his own game”?

Baal, a storm god, Elijah asking for fire from heaven, a lightning bolt, the prophets of Baal think they’ll win, but God shows His power and how He controls creation

What key events happened in 722 BC and 586 BC?

722 BC- Assyrians capture Samaria and scatter the Israelite people

586 BC- babylonians capture the southern kingdom, destroy the temple, exile the people