Year End Final SLD Study Guide: Biblical History and Zionism

Book of Joshua – Chapter 2

• Major Characters:

  • Joshua: The leader of the Israelites who succeeded Moses.
  • Rahab: A woman in Jericho who assisted the Israelite spies.
  • The Two Spies: Individuals sent by Joshua to scout the city of Jericho.
  • The King of Jericho: The local ruler seeking to capture the Israelite spies.

• Chronology of Important Events:

  • The Mission: Joshua initiates the scouting of Jericho by sending two spies into the city.
  • Concealment: Upon arriving, Rahab hides the spies on the roof of her house to prevent their capture.
  • The Deception: When the King of Jericho sends men to find the spies, Rahab lies to them, claiming the spies have already left, thereby protecting them.
  • The Plea for Mercy: Rahab asks the spies for protection for herself and her entire family during the upcoming invasion.
  • The Covenant of the Scarlet Cord: The spies instruct Rahab to hang a scarlet cord from her window as a sign for the Israelite army to spare her household.

• Key Philosophical and Theological Ideas:

  • Courage and Faith: Demonstrated by Rahab's willingness to risk her life for the spies based on her belief in their God.
  • Trust in God: The underlying motivation for the mission and Rahab's actions.
  • Loyalty and Protection: The reciprocal relationship established between Rahab and the Israelites.

• Important Vocabulary:

  • Spy: A person sent secretly to gather information.
  • Jericho: A city located in the land of Canaan.
  • Scarlet Cord: The specific sign Rahab used to ensure her family would be saved from destruction.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Why did Joshua send spies to Jericho?
  • Answer: He sent them to scout out the area for invasion to see the structure of fortifications and other military details.
  • Question: How did Rahab help the spies?
  • Answer: She hid them from the King of Jericho’s men under flax seeds on her roof.
  • Question: What promise did the spies make to Rahab?
  • Answer: They promised that the Israelite army would spare her and her household during the invasion of Jericho.
  • Question: What did the scarlet cord represent?
  • Answer: It was the sign Rahab used so her and her family would be saved from the Israelites' invasion.

Book of Esther & Anti-Semitism

• Major Characters:

  • Esther: The Jewish queen of Persia who saves her people.
  • Mordechai: Esther's cousin/guardian who refuses to bow to Haman.
  • King Achashverosh: The ruler of the Persian Empire.
  • Haman: The king's advisor who plots a genocide against the Jews.

• Chronology of Important Events:

  • Royal Ascent: Esther is chosen to become the queen.
  • The Decree: Haman, insulted by Mordechai, plans to destroy all Jewish people in the empire.
  • The Refusal: Mordechai maintains his integrity by refusing to bow down to Haman.
  • The Risk: Esther risks her life by approaching the king without being summoned to intercede for her people.
  • Salvation: The Jewish people are ultimately saved, and the plot is overturned.

• Key Themes:

  • Courage: Displayed by Esther and Mordechai in the face of death.
  • Standing up against hatred: The importance of resisting prejudice.
  • Jewish survival: The persistence of the Jewish people throughout history.
  • Hidden miracles: The idea of divine providence working behind the scenes.

• Understanding Anti-Semitism:

  • Definition: Anti-Semitism is defined as hatred or prejudice against Jewish people.
  • Application in the Text: Haman’s hatred was rooted in Mordechai’s Jewish identity and his refusal to submit to Haman’s ego. This story illustrates the extreme dangers of prejudice and serves as the basis for the holiday of Purim, which celebrates Jewish survival.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Why did Haman hate Mordechai?
  • Answer: Because Mordechai was a Jewish man who refused to bow down to Haman’s anti-Semitism and hate. Haman was scared of someone he perceived as inferior taking a stand for what was right rather than yielding to prejudice and injustice. This illustrates that good is stronger than evil.
  • Question: How did Esther save the Jewish people?
  • Answer: She told the king about Haman’s plan, showing the bravery to reveal her own identity as a Jew so that the king would spare her people.
  • Question: What is anti-Semitism?
  • Answer: Hate against Jewish people.
  • Question: Why is Purim celebrated?
  • Answer: It celebrates the pride of being Jewish that Esther and Mordechai maintained, which saved them from near death.

Modern Zionism & Theodore Herzl

• Definitions and Origins:

  • Zionism: The movement supporting a Jewish homeland in the Land of Israel.
  • Drivers of the Movement:
    • Severe anti-Semitism faced by Jews in Europe.
    • A desire for safety, security, and self-determination.
    • The historical and religious hope to return to the historic homeland.

• Theodore Herzl (The Father of Modern Zionism):

  • Core Belief: He believed that Jews would never truly be safe or able to assimilate in Europe and therefore required their own sovereign country.
  • Major Achievements:
    • Author of the seminal work “The Jewish State.”
    • Organizer of the First Zionist Congress in $1897$.
    • Acted as a primary inspiration for the global Jewish community.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: What is Zionism?
  • Answer: Zionism is the belief that Jewish people needed Israel as their homeland.
  • Question: Why did Herzl believe Jews needed a homeland?
  • Answer: He concluded that Jews could not successfully assimilate in Europe due to persistent anti-Semitism.
  • Question: What was the First Zionist Congress?
  • Answer: It was a congress held by Zionists in Basel, Switzerland, to discuss and organize regarding Zionist issues.

The Alfred Dreyfus Affair

• Case Overview:

  • The Individual: Alfred Dreyfus was a Jewish officer serving in the French army.
  • The Incident: Dreyfus was falsely accused of treason and spying. The primary evidence was a document known as "The Bordereau," an intelligence report containing classified information meant for French rivals.
  • The Motive: Despite a lack of evidence (and the fact that the handwriting on the document did not match his), he was used as a scapegoat because of his Jewish identity.
  • The Outcome: Although he was eventually proven innocent, the trial revealed deep-seated anti-Semitism in Europe.

• Historical Significance:

  • The affair had a profound impact on Theodore Herzl, leading him to realize that even "assimilated" Jews in a "progressive" country like France were not safe from prejudice. This realization solidified his belief that a Jewish state was a necessity.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Why was Dreyfus accused?
  • Answer: The French military needed a scapegoat for the spying crime involving The Bordereau. Because Dreyfus was a Jew, he was an easy target for their hatred and suspicion.
  • Question: How did anti-Semitism affect the case?
  • Answer: There was no real evidence against him. In fact, evidence showed the handwriting did not match his, but officials claimed he had forged the handwriting specifically to hide his identity. The accusation was based purely on anti-Jewish bias.
  • Question: How did the Dreyfus Affair influence Herzl?
  • Answer: It convinced him that assimilation was impossible and that Zionism was the only path to Jewish safety.

British Mandate & The White Papers

• The British Mandate:

  • Following World War I, Britain was granted the right to control and administratively govern Palestine.
  • The initial expectation was that Britain would facilitate the creation of a Jewish homeland.

• The White Papers:

  • These were official British documents that placed strict limits on Jewish immigration to Palestine.
  • The policy was viewed as hypocritical and cruel, especially as it occurred while Jews in Europe were fleeing extreme danger and were unable to find refuge.

• Historical Impact:

  • Caused a significant increase in conflict between Jewish and Arab populations.
  • Led to a breakdown in the relationship between the Jewish community and the British administration.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: What was the British Mandate?
  • Answer: It was the right given to Britain to control and possess administrative power over Palestine after World War I, with the original intent to help create a Jewish homeland.
  • Question: What did the White Papers do?
  • Answer: They limited Jewish immigration to Palestine at a time when Jews needed it most, demonstrating that Britain was unfit to rule the territory according to its original mandate.
  • Question: Why were many Jews upset with Britain?
  • Answer: Because the British government promised to support a Jewish homeland but enacted policies that prevented its establishment and endangered fleeing refugees.

The Balfour Declaration & The UN Partition Plan

• Balfour Declaration ($1917$):

  • Definition: A formal statement/letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Lord Rothschild.
  • Significance: It expressed official British government support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine, providing the Zionist movement with crucial international legitimacy.

• UN Partition Plan ($1947$):

  • Definition: A United Nations proposal to resolve conflict by dividing Palestine into two separate sovereign states: one Jewish and one Arab.
  • Outcomes:
    • Jewish Leadership: Accepted the plan.
    • Arab Leadership: Rejected the plan.
    • Immediate Consequence: Outbreak of violent conflict and fighting.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: What was the Balfour Declaration?
  • Answer: A letter supporting a Jewish homeland in Palestine, showing that the British government backed the Zionist cause.
  • Question: Why was it important to Zionists?
  • Answer: It validated their hard work and struggle, proving that their efforts had finally reached a point of international political fruitition.
  • Question: What was the Partition Plan?
  • Answer: A $1947$ UN plan to divide Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.
  • Question: Why did conflict continue after the plan?
  • Answer: Because Arab leaders rejected the division, leading to ongoing disagreement over who would control the territory.

Pre-IDF Brigades

• Primary Defense Groups:

  • Haganah: The largest group, which eventually integrated into and became the foundation of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
  • Irgun: A paramilitary group active during the mandate period.
  • Lehi: Another underground Zionist group.

• Purposes: High tensions necessitated the formation of these groups to protect Jewish communities and settlements from attacks during the ongoing conflict.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Why were the pre-IDF brigades formed?
  • Answer: To provide defense during the height of the conflict between Arabs and Israelis.
  • Question: Which group became part of the IDF?
  • Answer: The Haganah.
  • Question: What was the purpose of these groups?
  • Answer: To protect Jewish communities and, in some cases, attack Arab ones.

Book of Judges – Chapters 4 & 5 (Deborah and Yael)

• Major Characters:

  • Deborah: A prophetess and Judge of Israel.
  • Barak: The military commander who assisted Deborah.
  • Sisera: The commander of the oppressive Canaanite army.
  • Yael: The woman who eventually killed Sisera.

• Important Events:

  • Mobilization: Deborah calls upon Barak to assemble an army of men to fight against the oppression of Sisera.
  • Victory: The Israelites defeat Sisera's forces.
  • The Death of Sisera: Sisera flees to the tent of Yael, who kills him by driving a tent peg through his head while he sleeps.
  • The Song of Deborah: Found in Chapter $5$, this is a song of praise to God composed after the victory.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Who was Deborah?
  • Answer: She was the judge of Israel who commanded Barak to assemble an army to defeat the oppressive leader Sisera.
  • Question: Why is Yael important?
  • Answer: She was the individual who ultimately killed Sisera. She represents a seemingly "unimportant" person who behaved with immense bravery and strength to act without hesitation.
  • Question: What is the Song of Deborah?
  • Answer: A song of praise sung to God following the victory over Sisera.

Book of Judges – Chapters 13–16 (Shimshon/Samson)

• Major Characters:

  • Shimshon (Samson): A Nazirite judge gifted with supernatural strength.
  • Delilah: The woman who betrayed Samson to the Philistines.

• Chronology of Events:

  • Annunciation: An angel announces his birth and his status as a Nazirite.
  • Nazirite Vow: Part of his strength was tied to his vow, which included never cutting his hair.
  • Betrayal: Philistine leaders offered Delilah a massive bribe to find the secret of Samson's strength. She eventually coerced him into revealing it.
  • Capture: While he slept, his hair was cut, he lost his strength, and was captured and blinded by the Philistines.
  • Final Act: In a final plea to God, Samson's strength returned one last time, allowing him to pull down the pillars of the Philistine temple, killing himself and his captors.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: What gave Shimshon his strength?
  • Answer: His hair, which served as the physical manifestation of God's power through his Nazirite vows.
  • Question: How did Delilah betray him?
  • Answer: She took a large bribe to find his secret. Once she learned it was his hair, she informed the Philistine leaders.
  • Question: How did Shimshon defeat the Philistines in the end?
  • Answer: He pulled down the temple they were trapped in after receiving strength from God one final time.

1 Samuel 1–2:11 – Hannah’s Prayer & Samuel’s Birth

• Character List:

  • Hannah: Samuel's mother; she was initially barren.
  • Elkanah: Hannah's husband.
  • Samuel: The prophet born to Hannah after her prayer.
  • Eli: The High Priest at Shiloh who mentored Samuel.

• Core Narrative:

  • Hannah's Sorrow: Hannah was deeply upset because she could not have children, and Elkanah’s other wife taunted her for it.
  • The Vow: Hannah prayed at the Tabernacle, promising that if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him fully to God’s service.
  • The Fulfillment: Samuel is born, and once weaned, Hannah brings him to Eli to be raised in the service of the Tabernacle.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Why was Hannah sad?
  • Answer: She was barren, and her husband's other wife mocked her for her inability to conceive.
  • Question: What promise did Hannah make?
  • Answer: She promised that if she had a son, she would devote him to God for his entire life.
  • Question: Who raised Samuel?
  • Answer: Eli the prophet/priest raised him due to Hannah’s promise.

1 Samuel 8–9 – The Request for a King

• Context: Samuel's sons were not successful leaders, leading the Israelites to request a king.

• The Conflict: Samuel was distressed by the request because God was intended to be the King of Israel. However, the people insisted on being "like other nations."

• Result: God instructs Samuel to warn the people about the hardships of kingship (taxes, forced service), but ultimately allows it. Saul is chosen as the first king.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Why did the Israelites want a king?
  • Answer: Because Samuel’s sons had failed as leaders, and they desired to be like the surrounding nations.
  • Question: Why was Samuel upset?
  • Answer: Because the request represented a rejection of the LORD as their true King.
  • Question: Who became the first king of Israel?
  • Answer: Saul.

1 Samuel 15–17 – Saul’s Downfall & David and Goliath

• Saul's Failure: Saul loses favor with God because he spares the Amalekite king and the best livestock instead of following the command to destroy them entirely.

• David's Anointing: Samuel is sent by God to anoint a new king from the sons of Jesse. David, the youngest shepherd boy, is chosen because God "looks at the heart" rather than outward appearance or age.

• Goliath's Stats: Goliath was a giant standing at $9\text{ feet } 9\text{ inches}$ tall.

• The Battle: David, refusing heavy armor, uses a sling and a stone to kill Goliath, proving that God's power is superior to physical might.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Why did Saul lose God’s favor?
  • Answer: He disobeyed God’s orders to kill all Amalekites by capturing the king instead of killing him.
  • Question: Why was David chosen?
  • Answer: God saw his heart was right for Israel, even though he was the youngest sibling and not the strongest.
  • Question: Why was David successful against Goliath?
  • Answer: Because he had the power of God on his side.

1 Samuel 18–31 & 2 Samuel 1 – David, Saul, and Jonathan

• Relationships:

  • David and Jonathan: They formed a deep, loyal friendship. Jonathan protected David from his father, Saul.
  • David and Saul: Saul became dangerously jealous of David because the people sang praises of David’s military success (killing "his ten thousands") compared to Saul’s ("his thousands").

• The End of Saul: Saul and Jonathan die in battle against the Philistines. Despite Saul's attempts to kill him, David is overcome with grief and mourns their deaths, showing respect for the "Lord’s anointed."

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Why was Saul jealous?
  • Answer: Because David was highly successful in battle and received more praise from the people than Saul did.
  • Question: How did Saul die?
  • Answer: He died in battle.
  • Question: What does David’s reaction to Saul's death teach us?
  • Answer: It teaches respect and honor for the deceased and for leadership, even if their death benefits us personally.

2 Samuel 5, 11, 12, 15, 18 – King David

• Establishment: David becomes king of all Israel and establishes Jerusalem as the capital.

• The Bat Sheba Incident:

  • David commits adultery with Batsheba and then orchestrates the death of her husband, Uriah, on the front lines of battle.
  • Nathan the Prophet confronts David with a parable, leading David to repent and admit his sin.

• Absalom's Rebellion:

  • Absalom, David’s son, turns the people's hearts against David and forces him to flee Jerusalem.
  • Absalom is eventually killed in battle, causing David intense grief.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Where did David rule from?
  • Answer: Jerusalem.
  • Question: What lesson is learned from the story of Batsheba?
  • Answer: That we must take accountability for our actions rather than trying to cover them up.
  • Question: Why did Absalom rebel?
  • Answer: He believed he was better suited to be king and judge over Israel and successfully won over the people's support.
  • Question: How did David react to Absalom’s death?
  • Answer: He was deeply upset and mourned because Absalom was his son, despite the rebellion.

1 Kings 1–2 – King Solomon

• Succession: Adonijah attempts to seize the throne as David ages, but Solomon is the chosen successor.

• David’s Last Words: David instructs Solomon to remain strong, show courage, and strictly follow God’s decrees.

• Study Questions & Answers:

  • Question: Who tried to take the throne from David?
  • Answer: Adonijah.
  • Question: Who became king after David?
  • Answer: Solomon.
  • Question: What advice did David give Solomon?
  • Answer: To follow God’s decrees and remain strong and obedient.