Secret Church at Bell Shoals Baptist Church

Old Testament Survey Part I

A Study Guide

August 7, 2011

By: Daniel Butson

What’s Inside:

I. Introduction to the Old Testament

Approaching the Old Testament

What is the Old Testament?

How to Read the Old Testament

Why Story?

II. GENESIS

A Book About God

A Book About Historical Reality

A Book About the Fall

A Book About Sin And Grace

A Book About Covenant

A Book About Promise

A Book About Blessing

A Book About Election

A Book About the Patriarchs

Conclusion

III. Exodus

A Book About the Call and Commission of Moses

A Book About Plagues

A Book About Passover, Exodus, Crossing of the Sea, and Wilderness

A Book About the Covenant at Sinai

A Book About Law

A Book About Tabernacle

A Book About Covenant Breaking and Renewal

Conclusion

IV. Leviticus

General Overview

A Book About Worship

A Book About Holiness in Relation to Sacrifice

A Book About Law

V. Numbers

A Book About An Unfaithful Generation

A Book About A Faithful God and a Second Generation

A Book About God in Human Culture

Conclusion

VI, Deuteronomy

General Overview

A Book About Sermons

A Book About History as Teleological

Conclusion

VII. Joshua

A Book About the Covenant and Land

A Book About the Divine Warrior

A Book About the Unity of Israel

A Book About the Ban

A Book About Sovereign Involvement

VIII. Judges

General Overview

A Book About Cycle

A Book About Judges and Monarchy

IX. Ruth

General Overview

A Book About Khesed

A Book About the Kinsman Redeemer

X. Samuel

General Overview

A Book About the Ark of the Covenant

A Book About Kingship

A Book About the Davidic Covenant

XI. Kings

General Overview

A Book About Solomon

A Book About Prophets

A Book About the Consequences of Idolatry

A Book About Dynasty and Exile

XII. Esther

General Overview

A Book About Reversals

A Book About the Providence of God

A Book About the People of God

Conclusion

XIII. Ezra-Nehemiah

General Overview

A Book About YHWH as Covenant Keeper

A Book About Renewal

XIV. Chronicles

General Overview

A Book About the Once and Future King

A Book About Genealogy

A Book About Monarchy

A Book About the Qualities of Kingship

A Book About Hope

Secret Church Selected Bibliography for Genesis-Esther:

Bartholomew, Craig G., and Michael W. Goheen. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical

Story. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2004.

Goldingay, John. Israel's Gospel. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2003.

McConville, J.G. Deuteronomy. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2002.

Moberly, R. W. L. At the Mountain of God: Story and Theology in Exodus 32-34 (JSOT Supplement). Trowbridge,

Wiltshire: Sheffield Academic Press, 1983.

Mock, Dennis J. Bible Training Centre For Pastors, Old Testament Survey, Course No. 2 (Old Testament Survey,

Course No. 2). Atlanta, Ga: Zondervan Publishing House, 1989.

Sailhamer, John H. The Meaning of the Pentateuch: Revelation, Composition, and Interpretation. Downers Grove,

Ill.: IVP Academic, 2009.

Satterthwaite, Philip E. and J. Gordon McConville. Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Historical

Books Volume 2. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2007.

Vanhoozer, Kevin J., ed. Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament: A Book-by-Book Survey. Grand Rapids:

Baker Academic, 2008.

Walton, John H. & Andrew E. Hill. A Survey of the Old Testament. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2009

Wenham, Gordon J. Exploring the Old Testament, Volume 1: A Guide to the Pentateuch. Dowers Grove: IVP

Academic, 2008.

Wenham, Gordon J. Story as Torah: Reading Old Testament Narrative Ethically. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker

Academic, 2004.

Wenham, Gordon J. Genesis 1-15. Vol. 1 of Word Biblical Commentary. Waco: Thomas Nelson, 1987.

Wenham, Gordon. Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 2, Genesis 16-50 (wenham) 556pp. Nashville: Thomas Nelson,

1994.

Wright, Christopher J.H. The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's Grand Narrative. Downers Grove, Ill.:

IVP Academic, 2006.

Recommended Texts for further study:

Dempster, Stephen G. Dominion and Dynasty: a Biblical Theology of the Hebrew Bible. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP

Academic, 2003.

Dumbrell, William J. Covenant and Creation: A Theology of Old Testament Covenants. Nashville: Thomas Nelson,

1986; Carlisle: Paternoster, 2005

Longman, Tremper. Making Sense of the Old Testament: 3 Crucial Questions. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker

Academic, 1999.

Wright, Christopher J.H. Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 1995.

Old Testament Survey I. Approaching the Old Testament With faithful study of the Old Testament we can get to know the Sovereign God who created the universe, who controls history and who will accomplish his plan in his time he has chosen to speak. But let’s be honest, there are some things that hinder us in the study of the Old Testament today. Some complicating factors include:

A. The Old Testament did not originally come in ENGLISH or to WESTERN CULTURE -It was originally penned in HEBREW and ARAMAIC and was written in an Ancient Near East Culture B. We have a Tendency to be SELECTIVE HEARERS/READERS when it comes to the Old Testament A Few Possible Camps some us might fall into: -Some only read fun parts of Scripture

-Some read the whole book, but make the message of Scripture conform to what we want it to say. -Some come in with presuppositions based on theological systems and use those as a lens into reading the Scripture

Word of Encouragement: “There are many valuable things to be learned from the Old Testament, but not all are things that the Old Testament is trying to teach. If students desire to reap authoritative teaching from the text, they must learn to discern what the text is teaching rather than superimposing their ideas on it.”

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C. The Goal: Allow the Bible to speak from its own vantage point and with its own agenda. II. What is the Old Testament? 1. First and foremost, It is GOD’S _____________________________ -Then, in reading the Old Testament our objective should be to KNOW GOD. -Should be COGNITIVE AND FORMATIVE - James 2:

19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

2. It is the basis of our ______________________ -What is worldview? - By worldview I simply mean that our perspective on ourselves, our society, our world, our history, our conduct, our decisions- everything- should be knit together by an informed and integrated view of God.

-The story that engages us in the Old Testament answers the 4 fundamental worldview questions that all

religions and philosophies answer in one way or another.2

Where are we?

Who are we?

What’s Gone Wrong?

What is the Solution?

3. It is a Book of _______________________ - The English designation for “Old Testament” indicates the covenant is the central concept of this collection of books.

1 Andrew E. Hill & John H. Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan,

2009), 21 2 J. Richard Middleton and Brian J. Walsh, Truth Is Stranger Than it Used to Be: Biblical Faith in a Postmodern

Age (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1995).

-Testament = Covenant -An Overview of Covenant Tonight: Abrahamic Covenant Mosaic Covenant Davidic Covenant 4. It is a collection of 39 books… Traditionally classified according to genre: • Law • History • Prophecy • Poetry Written by a variety of authors… One divine author—the Holy Spirit. Various human authors. Predominantly written in Hebrew, though some is in Aramaic. Over a span of around 1000 years. Earliest parts written around 1,500 B.C. Latest parts written around 400 B.C. How did we get the Old Testament? Collected into a canon. Transmitted through scribes. Translated through servants. Septuagint = the Greek OLD Testament.

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5. It is The story about God’s people… - Divided into two major categories: • The Law/The Pentateuch—Genesis through Deuteronomy. • The History—Joshua through Esther

- The essential character of these books is narrative, telling us the story of God’s people—Israel.4

6. It is the story of the Mission of God -The Mission is set within the framework of Creation, Fall, Redemption and future hope. -What is the Missio Dei?

Karl Barth made clear that mission is grounded in an intra-trinitarian movement of God himself

and that it expresses the power of God over history, to which the only response is obedience. He

is the “Sending God”- in the sense of the Father’s sending of the Son and their sending of the

Holy Spirit.

So, all human mission is seen as participation in and extension of this divine sending.

-A Working Definition of Mission: It is not primarily what we do, or our endevours. Rather mission means “the committed participation of God’s people in the purposes of God for the redemption of the whole Creation. The Mission is GOD’s! The Marvel is that God invites us to join in.”

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When you know who God is, and who Jesus is, witnessing mission is the unavoidable outcome!

3 David Platt Secret Church Notes, 9

4 Ibid., 9

5 Christopher J.H. Wright, The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's Grand Narrative (Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP

Academic, 2006), 67

III. How to Read the Old Testament 1. Should not be read as simply LITERATURE 2. Should not be read as MATH 3. Should not be read as A SCIENTIFIC WORK 4. WE SHOULD read the Old Testament as a story of God’s revelation of himself.

IV. Why Story? Our goal tonight is to be impacted by the God of the Bible and his story. We will try not to get swept up with the narrative details, rather we should see the reality of the God who is revealed in its pages. We are going to Explore a couple of things tonight. 1. First we will take a detailed look at Genesis and the rest of the Pentateuch. 2. We will then look at the Histories which include Joshua-Esther. Genesis notes A. A Book about _______________________ I. The first chapters of Genesis tell the story of CREATION to an audience of ISRAELITES in a culture quite DIFFERENT than ours. II. Many scholars suggest that Genesis 1 and 2 is actually written as a POLEMIC (Gen 1:16) III. After reading through the introductory chapters of Genesis, the reader learns many attributes of the God of the Bible.

A. God is ETERNAL B. God is CREATOR

-God creates EX NIHILO (Gen 1:1) -God creates the WHOLE WORLD (Gen 1) -God creates HUMAN BEINGS (Gen 1:26)

C. God is SOVEREIGN -God says, “Let there be…” and things came into existence.

D. God is GOOD E. God is RELATIONAL (Gen 1:26)

IV. Also in this Creation narrative, readers can learn about Humanity A. Humans are created in the IMAGO DEI (Gen 1:26) B. Humans are BLESSED by God (Gen 1:28 C. Humans are COMMISSIONED by God (Gen 1:26-28) D. Humans are able to enjoy a unique RELATIONSHIP with God -“We are made for God and our hearts are restless until we find him”- Augustine in his Confessions E. Humans are FREE and RESPONSIBLE -“The CULTURAL MANDATE” (Gen 1:26) -Goheen and Bartholomew sum it up well saying, “As we take God’s creative commands of ‘Let there be…’ and develop the potentials in them, we continue to spread the fragrance of his presence throughout the world he has made.”

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V. While the pinnacle of creation is HUMANITY, the ultimate goal of creation is REST.(Day 7) VI. Thus the Creation narrative is much more than a polemic. It tells a positive account about the main character GOD who is an eternal, creator, good, sovereign, king, who relates to humanity in a unique way. Humans are not the main characters of the story, but have a supporting role. God commissions humanity to be His image-bearers and fill the earth with WORSHIPPERS and SUBDUE the earth. The creation narrative ends with all things existing in complete harmony and order.

6 Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen, The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical

Story (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2004), 38

B. A Book about Historical Reality I. We can easily see structured divisions throughout the book of Genesis by what is called the TOLEDOTH FORMULA. -This is simply recognized by the phrase: “This is the account of…” -This division occurs 11 times. II. Why is this important? -Helps the reader understand this book as HISTORICAL REALITY -Myths and Legends don’t have genealogies! C. A Book about the ______________________ I. Important to any storyline is the central CONFLICT II. In Genesis 1 and 2 Creation is ordered and harmonious. But in Chapter 3, all of Creation is marred because of the rebellion against God.

-Eugene Peterson describes the Fall: “A catastrophe has occurred. We are no longer in continuity with our good beginning. We have been separated from it by a disaster. We are also, of course, separated from our good end. We are, in other words, in the middle of a mess.”

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III. In Genesis 3 SIN enters the world for the first time. -What is the root of all sin? -Pride? -Unbelief? -Idolatry? -Romans 1 IV. Humanity’s relationship broke with God because God is HOLY and hates sin. -God did not create evil/sin. God created human beings with the ability to choose to love God or choose not to love him, choose to obey him or choose not to obey him. V. Consequences of Sin: -Broken relationship with God -Broken relationship with one another -Broken relationship with the Land VI. BUT, In Genesis 3:15 we see the PROTO-EVANGELIUM or THE FIRST GOSPEL. -There will be a SEED (CHRIST) who will restore mankind back to right relationship with God, one another and the land. VII. Despite sin entering the world, we see that God’s plan will not be THWARTED VIII. What is the purpose of God for our lives? -TO BEAR HIS IMAGE in the world and to inherit the earth. D. A Book about Sin and _______________________ I. From Genesis 4-11 sin takes a grip of humanity. Genesis 4- Family is supposed to be the incubator of life to fulfill God’s divine purposes, instead the first family shows a picture of jealousy, rage and murder. Genesis 4:17-22- The first CITY is built, this is where people began to develop culture. -What is Culture? Culture is the name we give to organized activities within society, such as making things like music or building homes or founding economic or political structures. -Is Culture a bad thing? NO. -How should Christians respond to Culture today in light of Scripture?

7 The Drama of Scripture, 41

II. By Genesis 6:1-4, humanity is at LOW POINT. The bad just got worse. III. God acts by sending a catastrophic FLOOD. -This is when we meet NOAH. Noah is spared by GRACE from the wrath of God. IV. Why save animals? -“Salvation does not stop with humankind: it embraces the whole creation.”

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V. More attributes of God to consider through the narrative of Noah: 1. He is Just 2. He is Wrathful 3. He is Holy 4. He is Gracious 5. He is Redeemer VI. When the rains subside and Noah exits the ark, God COVENANTS with Noah. -Covenant is a word that shows the relationship God has with his people. VII. In Genesis 9, Noah is depicted as the SECOND ADAM. -“Be Fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth”(Gen 1:28; 9;1,7) VIII. In Genesis 10 and 11 we see the EMERGENCE OF THE NATIONS. -Gen 10 shows the positive fulfilling of God’s command to Adam and Noah to fill the earth. -But, Gen 11 tells the narrative of the Tower of Babel and shows the negative component to the emergence of the nations. Gen 11 is the HIGH TIDE OF SIN. IX. The Conclusion of Genesis 1-11 “At the end of the story of Genesis 1-11, God’s world exists in a state that partially guarantees that the aim of creation will be achieved. God underwrites the rhythm of the season. The process of filling the earth is under way. The structures of marriage, the relationships of parents and children, and the broader network of the extended family are firmly established. The patterns of agricultural life, shepherding, arts and crafts are in place. Nations have come into being.”

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We see that despite rampant sin, God’s sovereign PLAN cannot be thwarted. D. A Book about Covenant I. Key Text- Gen 12:1-3 II. 12:3- “all nations will be BLESSED through you” is described by Paul as the “GOSPEL IN ADVANCE.” -This promise occurs 5 times throughout Genesis -“Blessing for the nations is the bottom line, textually and theologically, of God’s promise to Abraham.”

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III. Despite everything that happens in Genesis 1-11, God’s ultimate purpose is to BLESS HUMANITY. -This is truly good news in light of Genesis 1-11! IV. In Genesis 12:1-3 there is the promise of a SEED that will bring blessing to the nations and in Revelation 7:9-10 we see the glorious fulfillment of that picture:

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all

tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" V. Genesis 12:1-3 is a COSMIC ANSWER to a COSMIC PROBLEM -“The call of Abraham is the beginning of God’s answer to the evil of human hearts, the strife of the nation and the groaning brokenness of his whole creation.”

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VI. 2 IMPERATIVES -GO

8 The Drama of Scripture, 50

9 John Goldingay, Old Testament Theology, vol. 1, Israel’s Gospel (Downers Grove, Ill.: Intervarsity Press, 2003), p

190. 10

Wright, 194 11

Wright, 199

-BE A BLESSING E. A Book about The Promise I. Following this covenant, the question becomes: What about this SEED? -Dilemma: Abraham is an old dude, Sarah is barren! -Covenant Renewal in 15:2-3 -Circumcision as Sign of Covenant in Genesis 17 -Abram Abraham = “Father of THE NATIONS” -Sarai Sarah = “Mother of THE NATIONS” -The Scripture zones in on a particular people the perspective of blessing the nations is not lost! -Genesis 21 Isaac is born, the promised son. -Genesis 22 offers the Climax of the Abrahamic Narrative -Abraham called to sacrifice Isaac. -Following Abraham’s trust and obedience, God provides a ram as sacrifice, then reiterates his covenant (22:16-18). II. Are these Covenants Unconditional or Conditional? -Paul, James and the Author of Hebrews gets at this question in the New Testament. -A TAKE AWAY: Obedience to God it vitally important. -He calls us to BE A BLESSING! “Those whom God calls to participate in his redemptive mission for the nations are those who exercise saving faith like Abraham and demonstrate costly obedience like Abraham.”

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F. A Book about Blessing: THEME # 1 I. The term “BLESS or BLESSING” saturates the book of Genesis. -All good gifts that God longs for people of the world to enjoy- abundance, fruitfulness, fertility, long life, peace and rest all stem from BLESSING. -These things are to be enjoyed in healthy relationship with God and with others. -Sin has radically damaged these relationships (see Genesis 3-11) II. Though sin has spoiled these blessings, the rest of history can be seen as a HOPE-FILLED story of how God will accomplish what he has promised Abraham (Gen 18:18). -Notice, that faith and obedience plays a major role throughout Scripture as well, regarding blessings. III. Genesis 12:1-3 repeats the word bless/blessing FIVE TIMES. -Ultimately, who is this blessing for? THE NATIONS. -Psalm 67 gets after this idea of Blessed to be a blessing:

1May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us,

Selah 2that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.

3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you! 4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity

and guide the nations upon earth. Selah

5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you! 6The earth has yielded its increase;

God, our God, shall bless us.

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Wright, 208

7God shall bless us;

let all the ends of the earth fear him! IV. Here is the essence of the Biblical GOSPEL. -God has made such blessing for all nations available through Christ. “In Christ alone, through the Gospel of his death and resurrection stands the hope of blessing for all nations.”

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G. A Book about Election: Theme #2 I. Question to Ask: When it comes to the doctrine of Election, are we placing our systematic theology upon Scripture and then reading Scripture to understand this doctrine? Or are we allowing Scripture to speak with its own agenda? II. Election is NOT about who is “IN” and who is “OUT” III. So, what is Election in the Old Testament? -Chosen to BE BLESSED and BE a BLESSING to THE NATIONS. IV. Israel’s Election was not a rejection of other nations, but was explicitly for all nations! ` -There is a universal goal of God- To RESTORE ALL NATIONS back to himself, THROUGH A PARTICULAR PEOPLE.

H. A book about _______________________________ I. From Genesis 25-50, we see the story of the PATRIARCHS, namely Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.

a. Isaac, the promised seed gives birth to two sons, Jacob and Esau. From Jacob’s sons the 12 tribes of Israel emerge. II. For the time being the biblical story focuses on the family line through which this blessing will come. There are a few common elements we can get out of these narrative cycles. 1. God’s promised to Abraham are REAFFIRMED to his son and grandson a. In Exodus 3:6 God is referred to as the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” b. Check out Genesis 26; 28:14 2. The Repeated theme of bitter family BREAKDOWN and family RECONCILIATION. a. Jacob and Esau b. Joseph and his brothers Gordon Wenham says, “Essentially both the Jacob Cycle (25:19-35:29) and the Joseph story (37:2-50:26) are stories of family reconciliation.”

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3. God’s providential care for his people a. Genesis 45:4-8 “So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, please." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

5And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me

here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there

are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7And God sent me before you to preserve for

you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8So it was not you who sent me here, but God.

He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” b. Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” III. A unique promise is given to Judah at the end of Genesis. “Judah will hold the royal scepter, And his descendants will always rule. Nations will bring him tribute And bow in obedience before him.” (49:10) a. Why is this important? -This is a promise that pushes the narrative forward as the reader looks for the future ~King who will rule the nations!

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Wright, 221 14

Gordon Wenham, Story as Torah: Reading the Old Testament Ethically (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2000), 37

b. Matthew 1 1 This is the genealogy

[a] of Jesus the Messiah

[b] the son of David, the son of Abraham:

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,

4 Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,

5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David.

IV. Conclusion of Genesis By the end of the Genesis story, God’s promise to Abe that would have many descendents has been PARTIALLY FULFILLED. We see God’s people out of the land promised to them (they are in Egypt) We have yet to meet the seed who will bless the nations. We await one who will rule with a royal scepter! This presses a question: How will God’s purposes be accomplished in and through this chosen people!? EXODUS Israel is formed by a mighty act of Redemption Author = Moses 400 years after Abraham, the offspring are in slavery under Pharaoh in Egypt. God’s promises to Abraham concerning a multitude of people has been PARTIALLY FULFILLED. But The Questions remain: What about the promise land? What about the seed? What about Restoration? The Scene: A new Pharaoh has risen to power who knows nothing of Joseph or the God Joseph serves, but he fears the influence of the Israelites, so he subjects them to brutal slavery and hard labor as he builds his kingdom, and he starts a new campaign to KILL all newborn male Israelites. -We are next introduced to Moses. -Fearful that her boy would be murdered, Moses’ mother puts him in a waterproof basket and places him among the reeds of the Nile. And through God’s providence, he is picked up by Pharaoh’s daughter and is adopted into him family. Moses receives the best education and upbringing he could ask for, but is still sensitive to the sufferings of his own people, and ends up murdering an Egyptian that was beating down an Israelite. (Ex 2:11-17). We see a man passionate for his people, but flawed nonetheless. A Book About the Call and Commission of __________________________

Crucial Text that points to continuity between Genesis and Exodus 2:23-24.

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During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.

24And God heard their groaning, and

God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. -God remembered his covenant from 400 years ago! -God acts according to his covenant!

I AM Sends Moses (Ex 3:14)

o YHWH OCCURS 6,800 times in the Old Testament.

o “PERHAPS THE BEST TRANSLATION OF THIS EXPRESSION IS ‘I WILL BE WHO I AM’.”15

-

Understood this way, the name YHWH indicates not just that God is present now, but also that

he will be “faithfully God for *his people+ in the history that is to follow…Israel need not be

concerned about the divine arbitrariness or capriciousness. God can be counted on to be the God

who is, Israel understand its history from this name from its history. The name will shape Israel’s

story, but the story will also give greater texture to the name.”16

A Book About the Plagues

Why Such a Long List of Plagues?

1. They serve to enhance the recognition of YHWH.

2. To demonstrate who is the true God-King. (in opposition of Pharaoh).

Why does God harden Pharaoh’s heart?

1. This is clearly related to the first issue.

2. As many times at it says God hardens his heart, it says that Pharaoh hardens his own heart.

Scripture: Pharaoh hardening his own heart- 7:13, 14, 22; 8:11, 15, 28; 9:7, 34, 35; 13:5

Scripture: God hardening Pharaoh’s heart- 4:21; 7:3; 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:4, 8, 17).

This points to both the SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAN.

A Book About the Passover, Exodus and Crossing of the Sea, and Wilderness If we don’t understand the Passover, we will have a difficult time understand Christ! What is the Passover?

The term Passover come from the final plague, in which God destroys the Egyptians’ firstborn male

children and animals but ‘passes over’ the Israelites who have sacrificial blood covering them! In years to

come, this experience profoundly shapes the memories of the Israelites. You know how we consider

Sunday to be a great day to celebrate the day of resurrection and new life, in the same way the Israelites

ordered their calendar around this momentous day when God delivered his people!

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PASSOVER!

As we know it was the last plague brought against pharaoh in Egypt- and allowed the Hebrews to flee

from Egypt. But the Passover points to Christ: Blood of an Innocent Lamb was sprinkled on the doorposts

to be saved from the destroyer. Jesus, in the same way- poured His blood sacrificially as the Lamb of God

who takes away the sin of the world!

Christ is The Sacrificial Lamb (12)

God is the Great Liberator

God is pictured as a Mighty Warrior (15)

o God actually splits the sea for his people to leave Egypt and begin their journey to freedom!

15

The Drama of Scripture, 60 16

Terrence Fretheim, “Yahweh,” New International Dictionary of the Old Testament Theology and Exegesis (ed. W.A VanGemeren; 5 vols.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997), 4:1296.

The Land

Canaan is picture as a SECOND EDEN.

Why Land? God’s planting of the Israelites in the land will be a major step on the way toward Restoration!

The Wilderness

The hardships of the wilderness led to a GROANING nation.

It is here God both tests and provides (16)

A book about the Covenant at ____________________________________

God tells Israel who they are (19:4-6)

The Awesomeness of God’s Presence (19:16-19)

o “The Text seeks to convey the overwhelming nature of the divine presence by appealing to the

most shaking and moving of known phenomena.”17

The Covenant Itself

o Similar to the Ancient near eastern vassal treaty: A contract established between a conquering

king and nation coming under his control. This covenant is not one between two equals. God is

the great king and Israel is the subordinate nation. “In this case Israel has come under God’s

control and become his people not through his conquest of them, but because he has delivered

them from slavery in Egypt.”18

Mount Sinai as a Temple with Restricted Access

o Moses, like a high priest, goes ALONE to God as into the Holy of Holies (24:2, 15-18)

o Yet, even Moses is off the mountain when God speaks the 10 Commandments into existence,

direct revelation!

Uniqueness at Sinai

o Calling not just an individual, but a people to himself

He has covenanted with a particular community

Kingdom of Priests

o Role 1- Mediate between God and man through Sacrifice and

o Role 2- Teach the Law to Everyone in the land

God elects prior to the giving of the law. Because of election they are to be a kingdom of

priests and a holy nation. Priests stand as a crucial bridge between God and Man.

This means ISRAEL is to teach law and mediate (Ex 19)- Missionary Impulse

God sees Israel as those who will mediate God to the nations. Israel becomes the

Sacrifice (Christ is the True Israel)

The Great Commandment

o Love God and Love your Neighbor (Mark 12:28-31)

o Does this mean we get to throw out all of the other commandments?

NO

DECALOGUE19

LOVE of God

17

The Drama of Scripture, 47 18

Ibid., 68 19

Dr. Heath Thomas Lectures (2010)

1. DO not have other gods beside me

2. Do not make idols

3. Do not misuse God’s name

4. Remember the Sabbath and Keep it Holy

LOVE your Neighbor 5. Honor your Father and Mother

6. Do not murder

7. Do not commit adultery

8. Do not steal

9. Do not bear false witness

10. Do not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, slaves, animals or anything else belonging to your neighbor.

Book of the Covenant continued (Ex 20:22-23:33)

Book of the Covenant Illuminates the Decalogue

-Rules concerning worship 20:22-26 (illumine Dec. laws 1 & 2)

-Rules concerning slaves 21:2-11 (illumine Dec. law 8)

-Rules concerning injury 21:12-14 (illumine Dec law 6)

-Rules concerning striking parents 21:15 (illumine Dec law 5)

-Rules concerning kidnap 21:16 (illumine Dec law 8 and 10)

-Rules concerning cursing parents 21:17 (Illumine Dec law 5)

-Rules concerning quarrels, inadvertent death 21:18-36 (Illumine Dec laws 6,8,10)

-Rules concerning theft, crop protection, and personal property 22:1-14 (Illumine 6,8, 10)

-Rules concerning seduction 22:16-17 (Illumine Dec laws 7,8, 10)

-Rules concerning capital offenses 22:18-20 (Illumine Dec laws 1-3)

-Rules protecting the vulnerable in society 22:21-27 (Illumine Dec law 8-10)

-Rules concerning respect for God 22:28-31 (Illumine Dec law 1-3)

-Rules concerning justice and honesty 23:1-9 (Illumine Dec law 9)

-Rules concerning Sabbaths and Festivals 23:10-19 (Illumine Dec law 4 and 1-3)

A Book About the Law How we should NOT think about the law: 1. Law is the basis for divine-human relationship 2. Law is punishment How we should think about the law: 1. Book of Exodus displays the law as a means of Grace 2. Law does imply that there is an issue in the camp. 3. Israel is called to Holiness and God is holy. 4. Law is not divorced from faith. 5. The Law is Good News!

A Book About the ___________________________ Why Tabernacle? A Good third of the book is devoted to the Tabernacle. 25-31 give detailed instruction about the design. 35-40 tell how these instructions were carried out.

What is it?

o A large frame tent

o God’s earthly dwelling place

25:8 “Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.”

At the center of the Tabernacle is the ___________________________ The Most Sacred item in Tabernacle is the ARK, contained the Decalogue. Sitting atop the ark is the MERCY SEAT where all the most important rites were carried out on the Day of Atonement A Book About Covenant Breaking and Renewal

YHWH’s Mercy should lead to OBEDIENCE

“YHWH’s mercy is meant to lead to renewed practices of faithfulness and integrity (cf. 130:4), not a sense

that Israel can get away things because God will let them off.”20

Much like Romans 6, in that respect.

Conclusion At the end of the book the cloud and glory of YHWH’s presence come to the Tabernacle. The One who met Israel at Sinai, is now the one who will lead His people through the wilderness, and will come to the Temple in Jerusalem. We see the first prophet of God. We see God as YHWH, “I am who I will be” We see God as the Great Liberator. We see God as the Mighty Warrior. We see God Covenant with Moses and the Israelite Community. We see the Law as a means of Grace and Blessing to a wayward people. We see Israel called to be mediators of God to the nations. We see God dwelling with his people in the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle. Leviticus General Overview We pick up the story at Mount Sinai, it is a continuation of the story of God’s people following the Exodus. It is called Leviticus because of the Greek translation of the Bible. The reason they call it Leviticus is because it DEALS WITH MANY MATTERS OF PARTICULAR INTERESTS TO PRIESTS, WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI OR LEVITES It is obvious in the Hebrew, as the first word marks continuation with the preceding book Exodus! It is quite clear that this book is to be read along with the Exodus. Major themes presented in Leviticus: 1. God is _______________ and Requires Holiness from his People 2. Sin is serious

20

Walter Moberly, Kevin J. Vanhoozer, ed., Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament: A Book-by-

Book Survey (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008), 49

3. Sacrifice is required to deal with sin 4. True Worship Basic Structure: Ch 1-7 presents the different types of sacrifices and offerings an Israelite could bring to the tabernacle and offer to the Lord.

For Example: A person who sins unintentionally is to take a sin offering to the tabernacle and

offer it there. By this act, atonement is made for the offending party, and God forgives (Lev 4:27-

35).

Leviticus is all about protocol for maintaining right relationship with God, who resides with the

people in the tabernacle.

Chapters 8-10 describes the Aaronic priesthood and how these men are to direct the worship of God. It is here that we see the seriousness of sin, as two of Aaron son’s violate the altar and pay the consequence with their lives. Mediating between God and man is serious!

In the same way the priests mediated for the Israelites, the people of God are called a “royal

priesthood.” This points very clearly to the fact that all of Israel is chosen to mediate God to the

gentiles in the OT. Peter picks this same theme up later in the NT and says that those who are in

Christ are to be a royal priesthood as well, again mediating Christ to the nations.

Ch 11-16 shows how the people are to avoid impurity and how to make atonement when they fail. The Day of Atonement (16). The Day of Atonement is the holiest day in Israel’s calendar. IT’s main purpose was to cleanse the Tabernacle from the pollution caused by sin and uncleanness. Three Aspects of Day of Atonement: 1. Special sin offerings made by priest for himself and the people. (16:2-4, 12-13) -This was a super dangerous operation, as normally this would be done somewhere outside the Holy of Holies, but on this day the Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle this sacrifice in God’s earthly dwelling place- this is why they would tie a sash around him, lest he fall dead in the presence of God. 2. The 2

nd major Element “Scapegoat Ceremony.”

-One goat was of course used for the first sacrifice. There would be another goat that was “sent away into the wilderness carrying the sins and impurities of the nation.”

21

-This was done by the high priest laying his hands on the goat and confessing all the sins of the people, thereby symbolically transferring the nation’s sin to the goat. A man then drove the goat into the wilderness, so that they were removed for good. (16:20-26). 3. Third Element was fasting by all the people. A super-strict Sabbath, no work, no food, no water (16:29-31). Why is this significant to us today? 1 John 2:2 claims that Christ, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Propitiation = Atoning Sacrifice Christ is the fulfillment of the sacrificial system. Christ is also the great high priest. Hebrews 4:14-16 14

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one

who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

21

Gordon J. Wenham, Exploring the Old Testament, Volume 1: A Guide to the Pentateuch (Dowers Grove: IVP Academic, 2008), 95

In Ch 17-26 the holiness of God is the most important theological motif. “Worshippers confront God as an overwhelming and yet appealing mystery, and then recognize themselves as creaturely. Regardless of the characteristic of God by which worshippers might measure themselves (e.g., power, knowledge, love moral purity), God is always superior.”

22

A Book About Worship The sacrificial system is the means it outlines by which penitent sinners can express their contrition to God.”

23

Why is the Old Testament law no longer necessary?

o Christ is the ultimate symbol of reconciliation between God and man.

o Christ is the TRUE ________________

What does sacrifice do?

Covers sin and purifies from sin (expiation)

Makes something ______________

A book about Holiness in relation to Sacrifice

God demands Holiness. “Be Holy, for I am Holy” (Lev 11:44)

Sacrifice ultimately points to God’s Holiness and our human sinfulness. It is presupposed in

Leviticus that this rift between God and man comes from sin.

Sin comes from rebellion against God, but God promises to heal the rift (Gen 3:15)

Sacrifice can ultimately be understood as: 1. A gracious gift of God in Context and Covenant 2. Means of Communion between God and His people (not individualistic) 3. A Means of healing rifts in covenant breach (the heart of expiation). Holiness can be regained. A Book about Law Gordon Wenham, in the “Story as Torah” presents a helpful outlook on the Reality of the Law.

Provides a Real Ground: biblical law presents the basic ground for living in God’s Land. It provides the

basis by which to critique Israel’s life in the Land

Points to an Ideal ceiling: biblical law points to an ideal relationship that cannot simply be legislated. How

can we legislate love? Deut 6:5.

God just does not want sacrifice to fulfill the letter of the law, God wants one’s heart and devotion. The Law is a means of grace in order to live rightly before God. Conclusion: At the end of Leviticus the people of Israel are still at Mount Sinai. Numbers- A Tale of 2 Generations General Overview:

Book of Numbers tells story of 1st

generation that dies in the wilderness and the 2nd

generation that succeeds them. Failure of first and hope of second. It is a history of Israel from Mount Sinai to the dawn of the conquest, a chronological span stretching from the second to the 40

th year after the exodus.

22

Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament, 57 23

Ibid., 57

A Book About An Unfaithful Generation

This 1st

Generation has been given the law, the sacrificial system, have been brought out from the hand of

Pharaoh, and now it is there time to conquer the land God has for them.

Chapters 1-10 starts the book out with great optimism. In 1-4 the Israelites of the first generation are

numbered and organized.

o Note the organization- Tabernacle is central

We see them celebrate Passover and we see the Cloud of Guidance.

The wilderness travels are difficult. And despite having God in their midst, they moan about new

hardships. God, in his fury against his people reacts. Fire devours a group of Israelites, a fire that comes

from the Tabernacle! The Israelites call out for help, and Moses intercedes on their behalf, and God stays

his hand. However, the biggest crisis comes after the Moses sends spies to find out about their enemy as

they attempt to conquest their land. After a gloomy reconnaissance report from the 12 scouts sent into

the land, the Israelites elect not to invade, out of fear. The spies say- (Numbers 13 and 14) “The land is

wonderfully fertile and plentiful, but its people are powerful and their cities are well fortified!” Israel

becomes disgruntled and complain that God has only brought them this far to kill them.

CONSEQUENCE: God forbids that generation of Israelites from entering the land and condemns them to

death in the wilderness!

A Book about A ______________________ God and a Second Generation In Numbers 26, a second census is taken marking new hope. They take their own military census and make preparations for the invasion of the land, which includes their initial successful military operations in the Transjordan. This generation is willing to take on armies that stronger, better-equipped and control the land that YHWH has promised them. Joshua is appointed to succeed Moses as Israel’s leader because even Moses is found to be disobedient at Kadesh Barnea (Num 20, 27). Numbers concludes with Israel on the plains of Moab in Transjordan, poised to enter the land under Joshua’s leadership.

Whether Israel lived in sin (the first generation) or in obedience (second generation), God proved to be faithful to his covenant promises to Abraham. A Book About God in Human Culture Numbers illustrates different ways God reveals himself to Israel in the context of ancient near eastern culture. God works outside of Cultural norms

“Cities of Refuge” which provided safety for those guilty of crimes of involuntary manslaughter (35:9-28;

Deut 4:41-43; 19:1-13; Josh 20-21).

o Rather than the blood vengeance that ruled the day

The Inheritance Case of Zelophehad’s daughters. YHWH overturns ancient near east legal custom.

o Elevates the status of women in Hebrew Society

God works within Culture Conventions

Utilization of human language and using human beings to convey divine messages of truth (Num 33:2),

commands for census taking (Num 1:2)

Why does God work within our culture?

He desires to establish a holy relationship with his people and prepared the way so that people would not

violate covenant stipulation, whether he outright superseded the cultural norms, or worked within them.

Two Important Principles about YHWH’s revelation in the context of human culture:

o “God demonstrates his respect and appreciation for human culture by working through it rather

than above and outside it, and (2) the higher goals of covenant obedience and personal and

corporate holiness may necessitate supracultural approaches to relational ministry carried out in

the name of YHWH.”24

Conclusion: The first generation is dead, Moses is found disobedient and is barred from entering the land, the second generation is now about to be led into the land by the young Joshua. Near the end of the book, there is an interesting promise of Seed in Num 24:17 17

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead

[a

] of Moab

and break down all the sons of Sheth. Deuteronomy- On the Borders of the Land General Overview Deuteronomy is then less concerned with chronology, it is what Daniel L. Block calls “a theological manifesto, calling Israel to respond to God’s graces with unreserved loyalty and love.”

25 Deuteronomy is the fifth and final

book of what Jewish Tradition knows as the Torah, and Christians refer to as the Pentateuch. It really means “These are the Words” it was later replaced with “To Deuteronomian” which means “Second Law” which most likely comes from Deut 17:18 that talk about “a copy of Torah.” Deuteronomy overlooks the fact that the book presents itself not primarily as law, but a series of sermons!!! Titles are not all that inspired. Deuteronomy is a big daddy. It is up there with Isaiah, Romans and John. Judging by how many times Jesus quotes this book, this is probably his favorite! Read it closely… it’s the most quoted book in the Bible (356 times—190 in the New Testament!). Like we said earlier, Jesus distilled the law to two major concepts that are evident here in Deuteronomy- Love the Lord with one’s whole being and love one’s neighbor as oneself. How should we read Deuteronomy: It is best to read Deut. As 3 ___________________________.

1. Sermon- (1.6-4.43)

a. 1.6-3.29- Journey from Moab to Horeb

b. 4.1-40- Israel’s duty of obedience

c. 4.41-43 Cities of Refuge

2. Sermon (5.1-28:69)

24

Hill and Walton, 159 25

Darrell Block. Kevin J. Vanhoozer, ed., Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament: A Book-by-Book Survey (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008), 67

a. 5.1-33 Ten Commandments

b. 6.1-11.32 Law and the Love of God

c. 12.1-26.19 Exposition of the Law

d. 27.1-26 Ratifying Covenant

e. 28:1-68 Blessing and Curses

3. Sermon (29.2-30.20)

a. 29.2-5 Review of God’s Acts

b. 29.6- 30.10 Covenant & Future generations

c. 30.11-20 Law, Life, and Death: Choose Life

“Their immediate situation is outside the land, poised to enter it. In that pause, the possibility of divine blessing spread before them, lies in the dramatic power of the book. Israel is in a moment of ‘decision’….Between their beginning and their end consists the immediate challenge to live in the promised land, according to the covenant of YHWH.”

26

A Book About Sermons Sermon 1 The People are called to LIVE The People are called to POSSESS The People are called to ENTER Sermon 2 The Law is Central and expands it to the future of life in the Land. Sermon 3 We know that God will bring them back- We have the command to choose LIFE not Death. Deut shows magnanimous Character of God- will bring them back when they disobey. Is it too hard? God says- love me- they can’t, they won’t! 30:11-20- book end with promise to patriarchs A book about Central Worship Ch 12- pivotal passage- Centralization of Worship. As you go into the land- you will have one place of worship The idea of one sanctuary is wrapped up in the concept of one God.

Different from Ancient near East religions (plurality of gods/temples)

Have we made Christ central in our lives?

A book About History as Teleological Deuteronomy shows that history is not simply a mix of random events strewn together. Rather, History has purpose, it is teleological. History is evidence of Israel’s election. It was not by chance that Israel was led out of Egypt, nor was it by chance that they are now on the brink of the land promised to Abraham 400 years ago. “History is revelation and requires response: that is why it was crucial to the covenant.”

27

Conclusion: Often times, people say worship God for who He is, rather than what He does. But, we can really only know who He is by what He does! Israel worshipped the God is Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God that to this point has

26

J. Gordon Harris, Cheryl A. Brown, and Michael S. Moore, Joshua, Judges, Ruth (New International Biblical Commentary: Old Testament Series; Carlisle, UK: Paternoster, 2000), 157. 27

SOT 176

covenanted with them, led them out of slavery, given them grace through the law, led them to victories in battle, and has continued to be faithful despite their own unfaithfulness. This is YHWH, who has progressively revealed himself throughout the centuries and now His people are about to live in the land that God has promised! Joshua Two Popular Misconceptions: 1. It’s just a story of a courageous and godly person 2. It is a military record of the conquest of the promise land. Purpose: “To Convey how God kept his covenant promise to bring the Israelites into the land he had showed to Abraham.”

28

A Book About Covenant and Land

Genesis 12 in view

Land acts as “evidence of God’s having chosen them as his covenant people and bestowing his favor on

them.”29

Allotment

Major Question #1: Will the people live rightly in the land under God or will they throw this gift aside?

Major Question #2: Did they conquer all the land as God commanded?

A Book About the Divine __________________ (Josh 10:14) A Book About the Unity of Israel

All means all

All of Israel is responsible to the covenant stipulations

Achan in Joshua 7

A Book About the Ban Ban- is really a term of Consecration, a permanent and definitive offering for the sanctuary. This concept is not unique to Israel alone. Yet the question arises, why Ban? Why did God call for complete annihilation of occupants of the land? Deut 9:1-5 1"Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nationsgreater and mightier than

yourselves, cities great and fortified up to heaven, 2a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you

know, and of whom you have heard it said, 'Who can stand before the sons of Anak?' 3Know therefore today that

he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the LORD your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the LORD has promised you.

28

SOT 227 29

SOT 230

4 "Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my

righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,' whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you.

5 Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness

of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Moses here, clearly states that the people of the land are not arbitrarily getting punished or annihilated. Why is it? Because of their own sin. A Book About Sovereign Involvement

Difference between ancient near east religion v. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

History, then, “is seen as the outworking of God’s plan.”30

Practicing caution when speaking of the Sovereignty of God? How sovereign is God?

Judges Purpose: “The purpose of Judges is to show the failure of the Israelites to keep their part of the covenant. The cycles show how God demonstrated his power and mercy by delivering them time after time after his justice had demanded that he bring punishment. The book shows that neither the leadership of the Judges nor the tribal leadership succeeded in helping the people remain faithful. Instead, the leaders were as bad as the people.”

31

So, What’s the Problem? The problem is not with the Lord, rather it is created and sustained by the continual disobedience of the Israelites people. A Book About the ___________________________ Each cycle in chapters 3-16 is introduced by the phrase “the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (2:11; 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1). The Cycle

1. Israelites rebel against YHWH 2. God raises up Oppressor 3. The Israelites Cry out to YHWH 4. God raises up a Deliverer

A Case Study of the Cycle in Judges 2:11-19

30

SOT 232 31

SOT 235

Conclusion: They are enslaved to the nations because they are enslaved to idolatry! A Book About Judges and Monarchy Inclusio in Judges 17-21 “And there was no King in Israel” Is Judges used as an apologetic for Kingship? a. Check out Gideon. Ruth General Overview This book is set in Bethlehem. We find a community of ordinary people serving YHWH as they go about the business of everyday life and showing Khesed to those in need. This book offers a stark contrast with the failures found in Judges. Overall purpose is to trace the royal lineage of King David, which ultimately leads to Christ. But really what point is the book making about the King? Judges again was known for a time of apostasy and offense, where faith was at a premium. This is a story of the survival of faith, despite centuries of lack thereof. The story of Ruth, drawn from David’s ancestry offers an explanation for this survival! When preaching on prophets, judges, old testament characters, etc. it turns into 10 ways to act like this or that. Primary function is to emulate or proclaim the message of the Lord. So often we focus on biography of the leader, but his story is in embedded in the book that proclaims the message from God. Primary focus on Elijah, or Elisha carries a larger theological message- and that’s what needs to be heard! Primary aim should not be to get a virtue or a vice! All points to Christ. Read thru a Christological Lens. Not kicking character studies, they just need to be properly contextualized. Character studies is only one way to read the Old Testament I mention this in Ruth, because so often in this book, we get these character studies. But, check out Matthew 1. He begins his book with a genealogy- he must have thought this was pretty important. And nestled in the very middle of this genealogy, unlocks the clue to the biblical-theological significance of this entire book. A Book About Khesed Khesed is translated into English in a variety of ways.

Kindness

Loyalty

Steadfast love

But the best translation for Khesed is “The Acts of God’s ______________________ Faithfulness.” Here, in Ruth it would also make sense to say “Loving-kindness.” Khesed contains this gracious element: God in his grace and mercy shows such kindness to humans; he does not owe salvation, he gives it freely. And if we receive this truth about God’s covenant faithfulness and his loving kindness, like Ruth and Boaz, we can demonstrate this love in our relationships with one another. All of the instances of Khesed being shown is the best display of God’s Khesed.

A Book About the Kinsman Redeemer Under the law found in Deuteronomy 25:5-10, if a man died without having a son, his brother was obligated to bear a son by his widow. That son would then be considered the heir to the dead brother’s household. This law, combined with land redemption rights provide the legal setting of Ruth. According to the Kinsman-Redeemer law “land sold by a person could be bought back by a relative so as to keep the land in the family.”

32

Basically, this was a social provision by which God’s covenant promises could be realized in times of crisis. Without getting lost in the story, the book of Ruth point to YHWH as the kinsman-redeemer for Israel, and the New Testament was sure to apply this concept to Christ. Samuel General Overview: Samuel was one book that was divided into two when the Hebrew text was translated into Greek, most likely to accommodate the work of the length of scrolls typically used in classical antiquity. These books are generally concerned with establishment of monarch in Israel under Saul, followed by the rise and reign of King David. The prophet Samuel oversees the introduction of the monarchy, as kingmaker to both Saul and David. “Through the actions of these three, the order of Israel’s life and faith is fundamentally changed, with reverberations felt throughout the rest of the Bible.”

33 1-2 Samuel should be read as a complex, intentionally unified book with a

coherent theological message. At its outset, this work shows Israel to be afflicted both by the corrupt priesthood in Shiloh and the oppression of the Philistines. We initially see YHWH act to reverse the unhappy state of his people by answering Hannah’s prayer for a son. The birth of Samuel, the faithful prophet and kingmaker, sets in train the course of actions that will culminate in David’s kingship. Framing the Narrative Hannah’s Song of Thanksgiving and the Concluding poems in 2 Sam 21-24 A Book About the Ark of The Covenant 1. The ark is the most important religious artifact in Israel as it represented the presence of YHWH in their midst. 2. The ark is autonomous. 3. The ark is incomparable. 4. The ark affirms favor on King David A Book About Kingship

Does Samuel offer a Pro or Anti-Monarchical view?

o See 1 Sam 8:7-9

The King is viewed as the earthly head of God’s theocratic Kingdom, a proper monarchy still had to

function as a theocracy, not replace it.

The issue turns on the TYPE of King

David

o Who is he?

o How does he gain the throne?

o Major accomplishment(s)?

32

Survey of the Old Testament, 252 33

Vanhoozer., 111

“David’s conquest of Jerusalem provides a capital for his kingdom and a final resting place for the ark of the covenant, uniting in one place the religious and political symbols of the nation.”

34

Both worthier and more effective than Saul

o How does it end for David?

David himself is not rejected, nor is YHWH’s promise done away with.

A Book About the _________________ Covenant 3 Questions to get at this Covenant 1. What did the Lord Promise David?

Make his name Great (2 Sam 7:9)

Promised a Place in which he would plant Israel (2 Sam 7:10)

Promised peace in the Land (2 Sam 7:10-11)

Echoes the Abrahamic Covenant initially, but then there is a departure for the Abrahamic Covenant as this Covenant continues

David’s descendent would be established on the throne after him

o Abraham’s covenant deals with descendents (plural)

Use of Parental language “My Son”

Open-ended covenant, rather than eternal?

2. Is the Davidic Covenant Conditional or Unconditional?

Unconditional to his son, but the terms beyond that were conditional based on conduct.

o Sovereignty/Human Responsibility

3. What impact did the covenant have on the rest of Israelite history?

Centralizes the story of Israel on the King. Specifically, a Messianic King that will meet the

conditions of the covenant and have an eternal rule over all the world.

Concluding Thoughts: 2 Sam 7:14…Is this messianic prophecy? Rest in the Land: The Land is conquered. They are able to live out Sabbath rest. In Judges the land wasn’t fully conquered. This rest emphasizes rest from the enemies of life- sin, death and wickedness. That again is the goal of creation- Ultimate Shalom! KINGS: Gods People Settled, Split and Exiled When we get to the extended narrative texts- sometimes it’s nice to take a breather and look at the bigger view. Because you can get lost in the king figures: The books of 1-2 Kings provides a theologically laden interpretation of the history of Israelite monarchy from the death of King David until the end of the monarchy itself. Part of the purpose of the Kings history is to legitimize the Davidic Dynasty through the agency of the prophetic office! But the most obvious purpose was to complete the written history of Hebrew Kingship as a sequel to the books of Samuel. Kings really does well to balance God’s sovereignty in maintaining history of a certain course, while also showing the reality of human freedom and

34

Vanhoozer, 115

responsibility for those joined to him in covenant relationship! Kings serves to admonish the king and his people for covenant breaches as well as gibe hope that God still rules human history and remains faithful to his agreement. The historical record of Hebrew Kingship in 1-2 kings is ordered chronologically from the ascension of Solomon to the fall of Jerusalem. God mediates His covenant through the kings. • Blessing in covenant loyalty. • Judgment in covenant disloyalty. A Book about Solomon Who is Solomon?

The Son of David, was given unprecedented wisdom (1 Kings 3), wealth and prosperity, glory and

splendor, and was loved by YHWH (2 Sam 12:24-25)

Did he meet the requirements of kingship of Deuteronomy? Deut 17:14-20

14"When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then

say, 'I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,' 15

you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

16Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the

people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you,'You shall never return that way again.'

17And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for

himself excessive silver and gold. 18

"And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests.

19And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the

days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them,

20that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the

commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

He failed pretty badly. Fell to the seductions of many foreign women, consumed by syncretism,

materialism and sensuality.

Most historians attribute the divide of the kingdom to Solomon’s sin of idolatry (11:33, 3:3)

Mismanagement during his reign: 1. Political Alliance to Foreign nations by marriage (1 Kings 3:1-2) 2. Tendencies towards religious syncretism in an effort to appease both the Canaanite and Hebrew Populations in Palestine (1 Kings 11:1-8) 3. The geographical realignment of Israel into 12 administrative districts in an attempt to erase old boundaries “gerrymandering” (1 K 4:7-19) 4. The Proliferation of state bureaucracy (1 Kings 4:22-28) 5. Lavish building projects that required slave labor from a bunch of different people (1 K 9:15-22, 5:13-18) 6. The revolt of satellite states as Solomon’s military power waned (1 K 11:9-25)

35

It really is no wonder that the Kingdom split at Rehoboam’s accession, the rallying cry of the 10 northern

tribes became “Now look after your own house, David” (1 Kings 12:16).

By Kings 12, Israel and Judah are divided.

A Book About Prophets

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SOT295-6

The development of Kingship prompted the emergence of parallel nonwriting (preclassical) and writing (classical) prophetic movements in Israel. Generally speaking, the nonwriting prophets usually served the royal family and delivered messages of judgment and national destruction for covenant violation. Elijah and Elisha are your 2 main prophets found in Kings. A Book About the Consequences of ___________________________ In both of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, people brought idols within the borders themselves The mantra is –They followed after their gods – they are an idolatrous people. There are exceptions of course that prove the rule: Asa, Josiah, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Elisha, Elijah

In 1 Kings 19 God assures Elijah that he is all alone. There is a remnant that he is keeping, they will be

judged with the rest of Israel, but there is hope in a group in the future following exile.

A Book about Dynasty and Exile Because of Israel’s wickedness, God sends oppressors to take over. Contains over 400 hundred years of Israelite history (970-560). This chronology grouped into four segments, each ending with a major catastrophe. • 970-931 – Division of the twelve tribes. • 931-841 – Jehu’s slaughter of all but one of the crown-prince heirs of the throne of David. • 841-722 – Fall of Samaria to Assyria • 722-586 – Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon

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good graces of a foreign king. -Does NOT present a hopeful picture of Monarchy. Why do you reckon that the writer of Kings has given us this text?

-It makes you wonder can a King of virtuous character be found? -This is the fleshing out of Deuteronomy- Theodicy- justifying God in creation- defense of God’s actions. -The book of Kings ACTUALLY ESTABLISHES A GRAND THEODICY! More than anything it acts as a defense

of God allowing the exile of His people. God sent prophets- and still you didn’t obey me. Then I destroyed the North- that helped for a bit- but then- the South eventually backslides. The Sin of Manasseh is basically the FLOOD that overtook those embankments of piety and overwhelmed even Josiah.

The purpose of 1-2 Kings: Political History? National History?

NO- It’s an ________________________________________- a history ordered and controlled by God. Theology? The Book of Kings relate the History of the Hebrew united and divided monarchies in their

covenant failure. It justifies why they are exiled in the first place. Certain bits of history picked to advance a theological message. Esther General Overview: Esther is the only book in the Old Testament that does not directly speak of God. There is also no indication of who the author might be. So we will label the author: Anonymous. The book of Esther has particular points to make about the saving acts of the Lord. Obviously Israel’s history is replete with accounts of God acting for the sake of the nation of Israel:

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Platt Secret Church

We know the stories of the plagues, the deliverance from Egypt, the parting of the sea, and the crumbling of the walls of Jericho, and return from their Babylonian captivity was evidence that God had the ability to accomplish His mission. Though the Lord doesn’t appear in Esther, his presence is known. “God’s methods may vary but his purposes do not. His workings may be obscured to skeptics by the disguise of coincidence, but the people of God recognize his sovereign hand in the ebb and flow of history. His name is not mentioned, but his influence is unmistakable.”

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Key Ideas:

o God is at work even when He is behind the scenes

o The schemes of the wicked are doomed

o God’s plan for his people cannot be thwarted

Basic Structure Chapters 1-4 Plot to Destroy Jews Chapters 5-10 Providential deliverance by God A Book About Reversals Alanis Morissette has nothing on this story of Irony. The whole of the plot of Esther is built on the literary technique of reversal. Reversal occurs “when the plot develops in a way that is opposite or contrary to what one would expect.”

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Most notable examples:

Elevation of Mordecai and Downfall of Haman

Jews’ destroying their enemies rather than being destroyed

Irony occurs when the reader knows something the character does not know

Haman comes to court to ask to execute Mordecai

King requests Haman’s opinion concerning how to bestow a great honor

Haman assumes that the king means to honor him

Climax: when Haman is forced to personally bestow the honor on Mordecai who he sought to

kill.

There is always more going on than meets the human eye, and more possibilities available than any single person could account for. God cannot be calculated. God’s solution cannot be anticipated God’s plan cannot be thwarted! A Book About the Providence of God

God’s preservation of His people. The Seed is still in view.

There are echoes of the Covenant

o Bless those who bless you, curse those who curse you.

Why would God use these people?

o Not because they are great or awesome

He loves them

His glory and fame is made manifest all the more

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SOT, 351 38

SOT, 351

A Book About the People of God We recall that from the chapter of Genesis that God chose Abraham and his family to become the people of God in the sense that his revelation would come through them. They were to be the “revelatory” people of God. Upon reaching the book of Esther, the reader has been brought through a 1500 year story of God’s self-disclosure through his people Israel despite themselves.

A Paradigm Shift Occurs at Esther

o In the postexilic period the spiritual condition of the people moved to the top of the agenda, it

seems, while the revelatory function seems at best to have been put on hold until the righteous

remnant would emerge (Dan 9:24).

These are a people of God, specifically blessed and protected by the sovereign Lord of the universe.

Conclusion Here again, we see a story about a chosen people in peril. The question remains- how will God use these people to bless the nations? And here, how can this happen if the genocide takes place? It is here that we see God’s providence for his people. We see that his plans will not be thwarted. “Even bad circumstances are not beyond the sovereign control of God to engineer to accomplish His purposes.”

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Ezra-Nehemiah General Notes: Substantial sections of Ezra were penned in Aramaic, rather than the Hebrew. By the Persian period, the trade language was Aramaic. Key Ideas:

o The physical restoration of the city of Jerusalem

o Yahweh as a covenant- keeping God

o Religious and social reform as the aftermath of repentance

Timeline: o Postexilic Judah/Persian Period

Purpose: The purpose of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah is to show the numerous ways that God was faithfully at work in restoring the people of Israel to their land after the Babylonian exile. God providentially brought favor with the Persian ruler and helped the Israelites overcome the obstacles presented by their enemies as they rebuilt the temple and walls of Jerusalem and established the Law of Moses as the foundation of society.

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A Book About YHWH as Covenant Keeper

The labors of Ezra and Nehemiah to rebuild the temple that was destroyed and reform the post-exilic

Jerusalem were largely inspired by the truth that YHWH has kept his covenant (cf 9:32).

The very fact that there is a remnant left by this point, is a testimony to the covenant faithfulness of

YHWH. (Ps 114:4-5, 9).

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Dennis J. Mock, Bible Training Centre For Pastors, Old Testament Survey, Course No. 2 (Old Testament Survey, Course No. 2) (Atlanta, GA: Zondervan Publishing House, 1989), 148 40

Hill and Walton 329

A Book About Renewal

Under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah, specific measures were taken to ensure Hebrew possession

of the land:

o Covenant Renewal Ceremony (9:38-10:27)

o Rehabilitation of the Priesthood (10:18-44)

o Reinstitution of Temple Ritual and Sabbath Observance (8:13-18; 13:15-22)

o Law of Moses as rule of community life (8:1-12)

They attempt to maintain purity based on covenant principles (11:1-2)

Effects:

Temple and Priest takes the forefront of leadership, rather than king and state.

The Law of Moses became central as the society reorganized as a “temple-state”

Torah determined religious, social and economic policy

New exclusiveness from the Gentiles and their polluted world order.

The roles of scribes are redefined following Ezra.

o “As a priest-scribe he became the model for a later class of religious progessionals whose sole

task was the study and exposition of Scripture (Ezra 7:10).”41

Results:

Mostly the Hebrew religion had negative results. These changes and developments traced from the

postexilic period through the intertestamental period contribute greatly to the understanding of New

Testament backgrounds, especially Jesus’ encounters with the religious elite of Palestine in the first

century AD.

And the idea of Hebrew exclusiveness denigrated with time into an unhealthy separation from “unclean”

gentiles.

As a result, “The majority of the Jews were blinded to their divine commission as a light to the nations.”42

(Luke 2:32, Isa. 42:6)

Chronicles It seems best to recognize the books of Chronicles as a “unified composition written by an unknown ‘chronicler’.”

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The Chronicles are, with Ezra-Nehemiah, probably the latest books of the Old Testament in respect to the date of composition. The date of their writing has been placed anywhere from the reforms of the prophets of Haggai and Zechariah (515) to well into the Greek period (300-160). The last dated event in Chronicles is the record of Cyrus’s decree permitting the Hebrews to return Palestine from exile in Babylonia. Most likely written near 400 BC. An array of sources employed by the chronicler’s sources may be divided into the following categories: 1. Genealogical Records

41

Ibid., 343 42

SOT, 343 43

Ibid.,312

2. Letters and Official Documents 3. Poems, prayers, speeches, and songs 4. Other histories, including the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 5. Prophetic writings, including the Chronicles of Samuel, Nathan, and Gad Why do we need this book? Didn’t we already cover this? 1-2 Chronicles: Gods People, God’s Goodness, The Once and Future King Is its primary aim historical? No. It is rhetorical and has a theological aim as well.

None of the books are interested in giving the facts. Modern fascination of facts tend to misread these OT

texts- when that is the only question being asked.

Primary aim is theological which envelops in history.

A Book About the Once and Future King: Genesis to Esther is history. Jesus used the Hebrew Bible. 1-2 Chronicles at the very end of the Bible. One good reason: Once and Future King theme. At the end of the Protestant Bible Malachi ends the Old Testament which prophetically paves way for John the Baptist. In the English Bible, prophecy is really important.

Does the Hebrew Canon do something similar? YES it does. Chronicles is PROPHETIC and points to

Kingship

o We don’t really have this ordering probably due to advent of the Printing Press than Church

Tradition.

A Book About ________________________________ Are they important?

Yes- but only because we get the prayer of Jabez? (1 Chr 4) They are a bit dry, but in the Bible, so we have to read them? Yes, but for reasons I don’t know?

There is rationale behind this: look specifically at major features of book. Goes from Adam to David. Sets theology for book. Gives rationale of what the people will be like. Answers: Who are we? What will we be like? Genealogies- speaks to theology. To preach or teach theology- teach the whole and highlight Judah, Benjamin, Levi are emphasized. A Book about Temple and Worship Key texts:

- David Bring ark to Jerusalem (1 Chr 13-16)

- Preparation for the Temple (1Chr 21-29)

- Solomon and the Temple (2 Chr 1-9)

- Abijah’s denunciation of rebellion (2 Chr 13)

- Cyrus Colophon (2 Chr 36:23)

Its about proper love and fidelity not RITUAL. A Book About Monarchy Considering David and Solomon: -What does the Chronicler focus upon in his history?

The Temple Positive view of Kingship

-What does he omit? The Faults of David and Solomon The Death of David Weakness

-Why? Portrays kingship as an ideal to point to Jesus. What do the people need? The need a King like David and Solomon. Chronicles lionizes figures

like David and Solomon to point to an IDEAL KING.

A Book About _______________________________ of Kingship The Once and Future King: 1-2 Chronicles David as Idealized portrait The future king: Qualities? (esp. 1 Chron 29:10-19) -Worship of YHWH (He is a servant of God) -Heavily involved with proper worship of YHWH -Gives provisions to priests -Obeys Law -Lives before the Lord. In Israel’s history that has never been such a King but this prayer is the ideal king. Then they feasted before the Lord. Vision of what kind of people we want to be and what kind of king we want to serve ALL ISRAEL: If Chronicles focuses upon the Southern Kingdom, it leads to significant questions:

1. Is the Northern Kingdom bad, therefore omitted?

2. Does the Southern Kingdom have a monopoly on God’s fidelity to his people?

NO! ALL ISRAEL! There are key texts when ‘All Israel’ is emphasized- it includes north. The way the ideal king prays- is literally for all 12 tribes. Why would Chronicler argue for this?

- Maybe emphasize repentance or God is faithful (consistency)- but Most Important: Given the forward

looking vision- it is promoting an eschatology that sees them all together- FULFILLS Prophecy- under

the leadership of the ideal king. IT’S AN ESCHATOLOGICAL VISON!

A Book About _____________________________ 2 Chronicles 36:22-23

The Proclamation of Cyrus

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Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

23"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all

the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.'" The book of Chronicles ends on exactly the same notes with which the book of Ezra begins: Cyrus, the King of Persia, proclaims a decree that the temple shall be rebuilt in Jerusalem (538 BC). This is a note of great hope, for it is the Lord who has moved Cyrus’s heart to do this. Cyrus releases any of the exiles who desire to return in order to rebuild the temple. At the end of the Old Testament, the future of Israel remains uncertain. Israelites are back in the land but- even with the temple rebuilt- its existence as a nation is tenuous: the temple is nothing like it was (Haggai 2:3).

Ultimately, God has not ______________________ his promise. God will renew Israel and draw all nations to himself as he promised Abraham. “God’s Kingdom will be established over the whole earth. With the hope the Old Testament ends.”

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Wrap Up We have been introduced to a God who is on ______________________, and a people with a mission. Israel’s mission is to be a _____________________ to the nations so that all “flesh will see the glory of the Lord” (Isa 40:5). Israel existed for the nations! But the story of Israel is incomplete at this point. Israel points us to an anticipated future of a seed, a deliverer, a sacrifice, a mediator, an ideal king who will rule the world with justice and equity. Through the ebb and flow of Israel’s history, we have met the Creator God who is Sovereign, Personal, Holy and Faithful to his Covenant promises. Though Israel is seen as unfaithful, there remains a faithful remnant who God is working through. The promise is still alive. The plan is still in place. And so we wait for the Coming King, Jesus Christ!

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The Drama of Scripture, 112.