Old Testament Survey II Quizlet (2/2)
What refrain shows up in Song of Songs 2:7; 3:5; and 8:4, and what does it mean?
"Do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases." Do not awaken love before the proper time. The proper time is when God awakens it.
Summarize in three sentences or less the message of the book of Ruth.
"Just as the Lord redeemed David's ancestors and preserved the messianic line by filling Naomi's emptiness through the Bethlehemite redeemer Boaz's marrying Ruth, so God will redeem David's descendants by filling their emptiness and expanding them to include the nations through a new redeemer from Bethlehem, David's greater son" Psalms
What title for God occurs in the Psalms more than any other title?
"The LORD" = Yahweh (695x); Yah (43x)
In light of parallel Hebrew constructions in Exodus 26:33-34 (NASB) and Deuteronomy 10:17, what do you think the phrase "Song of Songs" means? How is the link between this title and the book's contents theologically significant?
"The title is the 'Song of Songs,' which places this particular expression of love above all others. Like "the King of kings" means the highest of all kings, and "the Holy of holies" means the most holy place, so "the Song of songs" means the best of all love songs. This is the type of love that we should seek" (Notes, 13)
In three sentences or less, clarify why your professor calls Proverbs 22:6 an "ironic command."
"Train the child according to his way" could seem more negative than positive; it is the way without wisdom. Read this way, the proverb would be an ironic command that warns parents of the result of not establishing the necessary standards and boundaries for their children: "Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge" (19:27). R. J. Clifford reads the proverb just this way: "Let a boy do what he wants and he will become a self-willed adult incapable of change!"
What refrain shapes the outer frame of the "Preacher's" queries (1:2; 12:8)?
"Vanity of vanities all is vanity" (or 'enigma' or however you translate Hebel)
Define what the Bible means by wisdom. Which of the Writings are considered "wisdom books"?
"Wisdom is about truth and order in God's world . . . wisdom is the exercised knowledge by which God oversees or governs his world and by which humans, through a fear-generating encounter with God (through his word and presence) are to do the same as his representatives" (Intro to Wisdom, 2) "All the 'commentary' books in the Writings bear a stroke of wisdom, but Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes are those that wrestle most intimately with these issues" (Intro to Wisdom, 2) So, just three wisdom books?
What is the key theme of Ruth?
(My guess) Just as Boaz, a man in the line of David, redeemed Ruth and moved her from a state of barreness to fullness, God will redeem Israel through a man in the line of David. The providence of God in preserving the ancestral line of David and ultimately the Messiah.
Date for Reign of David begins
1010
Date for Reign of Saul begins
1050
Date for Conquest
1406
Date for Exodus, early date of
1446
How many psalms are there in the English Bible?
150
Date for Abraham
2100
Date for Rebuilding of the temple
516
Date for Decree of Cyrus
538
Date for Fall of Judah to Babylon
586
Date for Fall of N. Israel to Assyria
723
Date for Divided kingdom
930
Date for Reign of Solomon begins
970
Summarize in your own words Song of Songs 8:6-7, which provides the literary climax of the Song.
A fire placed by Yahweh himself.
What is the "content" of Song of Songs, and who are the main singers in the Song?
A love song of several episodes, celebrating the sexual love and marital fidelity between a woman and a man; the general nature of the song allows it to be used in all contexts where love in marriage is celebrated and where pre-mature "love" is cautioned. The main voices are: 1. Soprano (woman / "my love" / "She" in ESV), who plays the leading role, celebrating the love she has for her shepherd-lover (= "Shulammite, Song 6:13) 2. Baritone (man / "my beloved" / "He" in ESV), the shepherd-lover who celebrates the beauty of the Shulamite and his lover for her. 3. Chorus (woman's companions in Solomon's harem / "friends" / "Others" in ESV), called the "daughters of Jerusalem" 4. King Solomon, who is only addressed in third person and stands as a foil for the shepherd-lover (1:1; 3:6).
In Lamentations, what literary features are common among all five laments?
A series of acrostics, where the 1st letter of each verse starts with a succeeding letter of the 22 letter Hebrew alphabet. The point in utilizing this pattern appears to be to stress the totality or completeness of something. Each lament includes six parts, synthesized by the acronym APTRAP. Address to God using first and second person with the divine name Petition for help Trouble described, at times with complaint Rationale for why God should answer Assurance declared as confidence or trust Praise or promise to worship
Define or characterize what proverbs are and are not. How do we distinguish general from absolute proverbs?
Absolute proverbs relate to the character of God. General proverbs are for the right time
What evidence in the book of Job is given that Yahweh is both good and sovereign over evil?
Chapters one and two make clear that God allowed Satan to put Job through trials. The chapters make clear that Satan cannot attack Job without permission, also that God allows Satan to create calamity in Job's life.
What unique feature occurs at the end of each "book"?
Each book ends with a doxology
"Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth."
Ecclesiastes 12
"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments."
Ecclesiastes 12 Ruth
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3
"Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."
Ecclesiastes ch 1 and 12
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." In what chapter are these words found?
Ecl 3:1
How many "books" make up the Psalter?
Five
What are the four theological themes that your professor drew attention to in the book?
God justly cursed Judah for her sin. The curses were very severe. God must punish Judah's enemies. God has purposes in suffering.
What role does the mention of Solomon play in the Song?
He is only addressed in third person and stands as a foil for the shepherd-lover (1:1; 3:6).
What two motifs do the introductory Psalms 1-2 provide as a lens for reading the rest of Psalms?
I think... that psalm two presents two way of living. Walking in righteousness or walking in wickedness Walking with and waiting in the Messiah (Kingdom Wisdom and Kingdom Eschatology).
Define levirate marriage and provide the title given to one who could fulfill this duty.
If a husband dies, then it is the responsibility of his brother to marry the wife. If there is no brother in law, Ruth implies that it can extend to other family members.
What does the phrase "under the sun" mean in Ecclesiastes?
In this earthly life
Whose speeches shape the climax of the book of Job? What appears to have been Job's problem that demanded rebuke from Elihu and Yahweh?
Job 32:2 stated "[Elihu] burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God." It seems that Job's problem is he began to justify himself rather than God; he focused too much on his integrity rather than God's. Proverbs
"I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted."
Job 42
summarize in a single sentence the main point of each of the following characters: Job, his three friends, Elihu, Yahweh?
Job: The righteous sufferer, who begins to vindicate himself rather than God Three Friends: Poor counselors who believe suffering is due to sin. God is good and therefore surely has made a good world; God causes bad things to happen to bad people and rewards good people; one can infer from the events whether God is punishing you or not. Elihu: In the midst of pain, the proper response is not self-justification but God-dependence, resting in the awesome Creator and Sustainer of all, who has bestowed on man amazing blessing and purpose and yet whose ways are always higher than man's ways. YHWH: "Can you do all the things I have done? Do you think I know how to handle your case?" Eliphaz: "an empiricist, based his counsel on experience." Bildad: "a traditionalist, grounded his advice on the orthodoxy of the past." Zophar: "a rationalist, who carefully avoided any minimizing of Job's sin." (WW, 504)
What is literarily intriguing about the way the book of Proverbs begins (chs. 1-9) (the prologue) and ends (31:10-31) (the epilogue) in relation to the treatment of wisdom?
Just as wisdom is personified as a woman in prologue (chs. 1-9), wisdom is embodied in a woman in the epilogue (31:10-31). Ecclesiastes
Know the seven stages of biblical history.
KINGDOM Kickoff and rebellion. Instruments of Blessing. Nation redeemed and commissioned. Government established in the land. Dispersion and return. Overlap of the ages. Mission Accomplished.
In what lament is the message of hope most explicit?
Lament 3.
"The steadfast love of Yahweh never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'Yahweh is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.'" In what chapter are these words found?
Lamentations 3.
What general feature distinguishes the commentary and narrative history portions of the Writings from the similar genres in the Prophets?
Like the Prophets, the Writings distinguish "commentary" and "narrative history," but here the history ends the section, probably to allow the Old Testament to begin with creation and to end with the anticipation of return. In contrast to the Prophets, the commentary and history are both primarily anticipatory rather than reflective, focusing on kingdom hope through the Messiah rather than addressing sin.
In two sentences or less, characterize "love" as it is addressed in the Song.
Love is powerful and unquenchable, easily insights jealousy, and cannot be purchased with money; it is a fire placed by Yahweh himself (8:6-7)!
What three voices do the lamenting?
Narrator/author; Zion personified; and the people of Zion.
What does the Frame-Narrator (Eccl 12:13) say the final conclusion of life's queries is?
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
What are the major emphases in the Song?
Proper love of a woman and a man for one another; the unquenchable nature of pure love; the delight in and longing for each other that pure love engenders; a caution not to awaken love too quickly.
According to Proverbs 1:17, what is the primary reason why the Book of Proverbs was written? Why does your professor call Proverbs the Bible's "parenting manual"?
Proverbs is written to heads of households (notice that the warnings are not to go after a woman). Proverbs talks often about parenting. Proverbs was written to young nobles, and contains much instruction that is beneficial to teenagers.
"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God."
Ps 42,43
"Be still, and know that I am God.... The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
Ps 46
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Ps 51
"What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?"
Ps 8
Which of the "key psalms" presents itself as meditation on the name of God and so recalls numerous characteristics of Yahweh revealed to mankind through his deeds?
Ps. 145.
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." In what psalm are these words found? In what context does the psalm title suggest these words arose?
Ps. 51. Penitential reflection on David's sin with Bathsheba.
"The heavens declare the glory of God.... The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul."
Psalm 19
"The rules of Yahweh are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb." In what psalm are these words found?
Psalm 19
"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor." In what psalm are these words found?
Psalm 8 (Psalm 8 - What is man that you have made him great?)
What three main questions are raised in the book of Job, who raises them, and how are each answered?
Q1: "Why do the righteous suffer?" Asked by Job in 7:20 and other places. A: We suffer to display the surpassing worth of God, who holds our trust and remains our treasure even amidst the greatest trials. Q2: "Why should we fear God?" Asked by Satan in 1:9. A: We fear God because of who he is not because of what he gives (or takes away)! The only kind of faith that will stand up under the problems of life is one that is based on the person of God, not just on his actions as we understand them. Q3: "Where is wisdom found?" Asked by Job in 28:28. A: True wisdom is found in God alone and is gained by humans only through fearing God and running from evil.
To whom is the body of Ecclesiastes attributed, and what does the title likely mean?
Qoheleth. Likely means preacher/teacher.
In Ecclesiastes 12:1, who does the "Preacher" call all people to remember in both the happy and the hard times of life? What good does such recollection provide?
Recalling when God was faithful can enable you to get through hard times, when there seems to be no light.
"A full reward be given you by the LORD, ... under whose wings you have come to take refuge"
Ruth 2
"They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David."
Ruth 4
What significant theological point(s) can be made from the fact that Ruth originally descended from Moab?
She is a foreigner committing herself to YHWH instead of her foreign God. Moab was an enemy of Israel yet Ruth, coming from there, was in the direct line of Jesus.
"Love is strong as death.... Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it."
Sos 8
Generally stated, how is the Book of Job structured?
Structure: The book of Job is structured like a play with five acts.
What role does the Psalter appear to have played in the post-exilic (2nd Temple) Jewish community?
The "hymnbook of hope" of the 2nd temple period, when no king sat on the throne.
What great tragedy in Israel's history is being bemoaned in Lamentations?
The fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
On what is all biblical wisdom solidly based? What makes Yahweh wisdom distinct from the wisdom of the world?
The fear of God Proverbs elevates Yahweh as the proper benchmark for all wisdom in the universe (e.g., Prov 3:5-6). Yahweh alone orders the universe, defines value, and clarifies right and wrong.
Does your professor believe it is legitimate to see in the Song any connection with God's relationship to Israel or the Church?
The message of the Song does not stop with human intimacy seen in marriage, for it fits within the overall flow of the Writings that heighten hope in God's kingdom work through his messiah. The Song uses human marital intimacy as a parable for the ultimate relationship, ultimately between Christ and his church (Eph 5:22-33): "I will be your God, and you will be my people."
How has the evocative language influenced the interpretation of the Song through church history?
The presence of strong evocative language has often resulted in the entire Song being allegorized, pointing to something other than an actual celebration of intimacy within human marriage. Indeed, in A.D. 550, an early church council forbade any interpretation other than allegorical.
What role does your professor see the psalm titles playing?
The psalm titles are historical. They tell the reader of the situation God put David in when he wrote the psalm. The titles are supposed to show these direct messianic predictions didn't come out of nowhere, instead God put David in experiences that directly reflected what the messiah would experience While some questions persist, there appears to be no legitimate reason not to believe they are inspired and therefore authoritative, were added by the original authors or editors, and should influence one's interpretation of the various psalms.
Define theodicy and clarify how it relates to the issues raised in Job.
Theodicy means the vindication of God. By the end of the book Job puts God in the wrong because of Job's suffering. God steps in and makes clear that Job was wrong to charge God with wrong. Job 32:2 "[Elihu] burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God."
What is the purpose of the former Writings?
To show God's covenant people how to live faithfully in all of life's circumstances as they hope in God's faithfulness to fulfill all his kingdom promises.
While Lamentations is anonymous, who is the most likely candidate for the book's composition?
Tradition places Jeremiah as the author.
Does your professor see unity or tension between the message/theology of the "Preacher" and the Frame-Narrator?
Unity
What is the overarching theme of the Psalms?
Wisdom, eschatology, and praise or walking, waiting and worshipping. Tribulation unto triumph
Within what time period is the story of Ruth set? In what general ways does this make the message of Ruth all the more amazing?
Written in the time of the Judges. This is amazing because of how wicked the nation was during the time of the Judges. Ruth shines all the brighter against this dark backdrop
What are the four primary options for translating hebel, and which does your professor believe is the best translation in the context of the book?
a. Negative views of hebel: Vanity, Meaningless (Kidner, Longman); Absurd (Fox, Garrett) b. Positive view of hebel: Temporary, Fleeting (Fredericks); Engmatic (Ogden, McCain) DeR. believes the best translation is Enigma
"The LORD gave, and Yahweh has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
job 2
"His mercies ... are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
lam
"The LORD gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion."
lam 4
"An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels."
prov 31
"The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."
prov 9
"His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night."
ps 1
An acrostic focused on the greatness of God's law; the longest chapter in the Bible.
ps 119
"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD."
ps 121
"You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage."
ps 2
"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."
ps 23
"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases."
sos 2,5,8