Ezekiel; Background of Prophetic Ministry

Nahum; When the self destruction happens, how will everyone respond to the news?

"Everyone will clap and cheer for your fall" Nahum 3:18

Zephaniah; What did the Assyrians say to themselves?

"I am the the one! And there is none besides me."

Nahum; Why did Nahum say God would destroy this city/country?

"I will prepare your grave, you are vile" Nahum 1:14. Ninivites were theives, polytheistic, and killed kings

Job; What did Job say?

'I despise my life...my days have no meaning' Job 7:16 'How can a mortal be righteous before God?' Job 9:2 'Tell me the charges you have against me...though you know I am not guilty' Job 10:2, 7

Habakkuk; Gods Second Response

'The righteous will live by his faithfulness'. God urges Habakkuk to remain faithful and patient.

What does Amos 4:1-5 say about the Israelites worship service?

Bring sacrifices every morning, tithes every three years.

Ezekiel; Purpose

Describes the Babylonian exile. Destruction of the Temple. God chose to destroy the Temple and purify Israel.

Hosea; 2:1-13 Israels misconception of Idols

Did not acknowledge God as the one who provided food, the served Baal.

Ezekiel; Background of Prophetic Ministry

Exiled to Babylonia. Began his prophetic career. Describes Isreal's descendants as a stubborn and rebellious house. Ministered to the jews in Babylon. Fall of Jerusalem.

Psalms; Characteristics of Lament Psalms

Faith seeking and understanding Conflict between faith and life God's action and inaction Covenant context Asking God to right the wrongs Shifts from plea to praise

Habakkuk; Gods First Response

God plans to use Babylon (a wicked nation) to punish the righteous.

Job; God's Response

God reminds Job he is not capable of understanding all this is happening to him in the world. God does not answer Job's questions; He points to the limits of human understanding and wisdom.

Ezekiel; Ezekiel 10

God's glory departs from the Temple. God who abandoned his temple will return to it.

Malachi; Dispute 1

God: I have loved you. People: How have you loved us? God: I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated

Malachi; Dispute 5

God: Return to me, and I will return to you. People: How are we to return? God: Will a man rob God? yet you rob me. People: How will we rob you? God: In tithes and offerings

Malachi; Dispute 2

God: Where is the respect due to me? People: How have we shown contempt for your name? God: You placed defiled blood on my alter.

Malachi; Dispute 6

God: You have said harsh things against me. People: What have we said against you? God: You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. We don't gain anything but the evil doers prosper'

Ezekiel; Ezekiel 43

Gods glory returns to the Temple

Hosea; Theme 1-3

Gods love for adulterous Israel.

Ezekiel; Symbolic Arts

He writes 'Jerusalem' on a brick and lays seige to it. Lies on his left side for 390 days to bear the iniquities of Israel. Lies on his right side for 40 days to bear the iniquities of Judah. Divides his hair into thirds: 1/3 cut off, 1/3 burned, 1/3 in the wind. Cooks bread and uses human dung for fuel.

Zechariah; Zechariah's message

If Judah returns to Yahweh, the sovereign Lord of Heaven and earth will return to them, and a glorious future awaits them.

Proverbs; Characteristics of proverbs

International: Proverbs were internationally shared information and wisdom. Present: focuses on the present( not the past or future) Practical: learned from experience, human words, not from a divine being. Optimistic: obedience leads to blessing, disobedience leads to punishment; confidence in divine justice and human ability.

Amos;1:3-2:16 (What country does this section end with?)

Israel

Hosea; 8:1-10 Israels political situation

Israel broke covenant and rebelled. Israel cries out to the Lord; "we acknowledge you'. Israel will be pursued by an enemy (Assyria). Israel established kings without Lords consent. Israel makes fake idols for themselves. Israel will waste away under the oppression of king.

Haggai; Haggai's message

It is Yahweh's will that the destroyed Jerusalem Temple should be rebuilt.

Job; What did jobs friends say?

Job's friends seem to cause more harm than good, They thought suffering is a sign of sin and prosperity is a sign of virtuous action. They were concerned about divine justice.

Jonah; Jonah's Message

Jonah was blinded by the love of his country and his hatred of his enemies (Nineveh). He didn't think God should extend to Nineveh. We must know God and participate in what He is doing. Knowledge of God is being concerned about what God is concerned about.

Habakkuk; First Complaint

Justice never prevails in Judah. Why do the Wicked Prosper? Why does God tolerate Evil?

Nahum; What country was Nahum's Oracle concerned about?

Nineveh

Hosea; 4:1-14,5:1-7,6:1-3

No acknowledgement for God in Israel. Cursing, Lying, Murdering, Stealing, adultery. Israel is corrupt with sin and disobedience. Judgement is against Israel. They are destroyed from their lack of knowledge of God.

Psalms; What did Clinton McCann say about Psalms?

Not just human words to God, but human words about God. Human dimension of God's word It teaches us about God by revealing who He is, and it teaches us about who we are.

Malachi; Dispute 3

Prophet: He no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure. People: Why? Prophet:Because you have broken you marriage covenant with your wife and youth.

Malachi; Dispute 4

Prophet: You have wearied the Lord with your words. People: How have we wearied Him? Prophet: All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them.

Proverbs; Principles for reading Proverbs

Proverbs put forward a generally true principle that depends on the right time and circumstance. Proverbs are not universal truths that are always relevant. Compare a proverb with another proverb to get a rounded view.

Introduction to the Writings; What is the difference between the Hebrew(MT) and the Greek Old Testament(LXX)?

The Greek Old Testament has a four-fold structure; the Hebrew Bible is Three-fold

What does Amos 5: 18-20 say about the Day of the Lord?

The day of the Lord will be darkness, not light

What does Amos 5:21-24 say about the Israelites worship service and what would they do?

The lord despises the Israelites religious festivals. The Lord will not accept their burnt & grain offerings. "but let justice roll on like a river, righteous like a never-failing stream".

Hosea; 14:9

The lord is right, righteous walk in them. Rebellious stumble in them.

Introduction to the Twelve

The twelve are included in the 'Latter Prophets'; also known as 'Minor Prophets'. The length of the twelve is about the same as the length of major prophets(96 pages). Theme: The day of Yahweh. 4 lines between books, but minor prophets were 3 lines. roughly in chronological order.

Ezekiel; Sins of Israel

They worshipped Babylonian gods and Yahweh. The elders and priests did detestable things in the temple.

Proverbs; What did Brueggemann say about Proverbs?

Traditional Western Theology: emphasis on humanity's sinfulness & God's salvific acts.

Amos; What were the sins of the Israelites?

Trample the poor. Deny Justice to the oppressed. Sell the innocent and needy. Lie beside the alter, drink wine taken as fines.

Micah; 6:6-8

What shall I bring before the Lord? Burnt Offerings?. No, the Lord requires you "to act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God."

Proverbs; Genre Misidentification

When proverbs are read as if they are always true in all circumstances.

Habakkuk; Second Complaint

Why punish a righteous nation with a wicked nation?

Psalms; Characteristics of Psalms Praise

praise is communal and social. praise involves others. the spirit of praise cannot be contained within ones self. Our joy is complete by praising whatever we value and inviting others to join us. praise frees us to give glory to God. Praise is profoundly subversive. Praise reminds us that we aren't self-sufficient.