Old Testament: Topic 6 and 7 Review

Ezekiel's four symbolic actions

1.) Ezekiel wrote "Jerusalem" on a brick and then destroyed it. Signified the destruction of Jerusalem through Nebuchadnezzar's armies 2.) Ezekiel laid on his left side then his right side. This action symbolized the depth of sin which the people of God had sunken into. 3.) Ezekiel cooked his bread making small rations and used cow dung (originally human dung). This action symbolized the small rations God's people would have in their captivity. 4.) Ezekiel divided his hair into three parts. The hair's division represented the different fates the people would suffer: fire, sword, and wind. God would save a few hairs as a remnant

What are the main subjects that the books of Chronicles cover?

1.) Genealogies 2.) Reign of David 3.) Reign of Solomon 4.) Kingdom of Judah

What are the main themes in 2 Kings?

1.) History of Israel from the viewpoint of the Mosaic covenant 2.) Prophecy = a significant role

What are the main theological themes within the book of Daniel?

1.) Sovereignty of God: God's lordship is over the whole world, not just over Jerusalem and the Israelites; great comfort for exiled people 2.) The Pride of Humanity: each issue behind the problem that introduces each chapter is human pride 3.) The Ultimate Victory of God's Saints: it is possible to live a life of faith and victory with God's help; those allied with him share in his triumph; even in death, God's people are victorious

What are some common wrong ideas about the prophets?

1.) They did not ramble hysterically 2.) They were no fortune tellers 3.) They were not "religious fanatics"

How are the prophets alike?

1.) They had hearts devoted to God 2.) Possessed a strong sense of calling 3.) Messengers of God's revelation 4.) Forth tellers 5.) Foretellers 6.) Used a variety of literary and oral techniques

What was the major event in the time of Joel's prophecy and how did this shape his message?

A locust plague; a sign of even greater destruction to come which led him to implore that the people of Israel cry out to the Lord in repentance

Upon which nations does Ezekiel pronounce judgment on?

Ammon, Moab and Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt

What are similarities between Micha's message and Amos' message?

Both hated social injustice, God's judgement of the morally corrupt, and a future kingdom ruled by God

What is the major theme of the book of Nahum and how does this complement the book of Jonah?

Both prophesy about the coming destruction of Nineveh; Jonah came first, then Nahum

What are the two main parts of the book of Daniel?

Chapters 1-6 = stories and chapters 7-12 = visions

Where do the books of Chronicles appear in the Hebrew Bible?

Chronicles comes after Ezra-Nehemiah. The last book in the Hebrew Bible and the Tanakh.

Themes in prophetic writings

Covenant obligations; Day of the Lord; the idea of a Messiah

Who is Obadiah's prophecy focused against and why?

Edom because it was very arrogant and the Edomites were descendants of Esau who had done terrible acts of violence against their relatives in Judah

How did the role and function of prophecy change during the monarchical period?

Elijah's attack on apostasy changed the role of prophets. Now, prophets were prosecutors of Israel's covenant.

What are some of the features or ideas that are absent from the book of Esther?

Esther is the only book in the Bible which does not mention God or is not quoted in the Old or New Testament. It also does not reference Abraham, the covenant, or Davidic kingship. Author is unknown

How does Ezekiel present the concept of the glory of the Lord in Ezekiel 8:1:11:25?

Ezekiel presents the concept of the glory of the Lord by describing it as God's presence which filled and hovered over the temple. Along with this, a cherubim and the wheels are connected to the glory of God

Who was Ezra, as described in Ezra chapter 7?

Ezra is a prominent figure of the restoration community. He can trace his ancestry all the way back to the first High Priest which gives him the authority to operate as a scribe. He was an effective scholar because he elected to both live and teach God's ways rather than simply study them

How does Ezekiel describe the new temple?

Filled with utter splendor and God's glory would rest in it because God would accept his people again

What is the theme of the book of Esther?

God is central character in the book through the way the books "coincidences" shape the events of the book. In all, God's sovereignty.

What are some of the main messages given in the book of Malachi?

God's love for his people; God's honor among his people; God's concern about intermarriage and divorce; God's justice and impatience; God's concern for tithes and offerings; God's love for the remnant God's ultimate justice will find fulfillment in John the Baptist and in Jesus. Malachi closes his book with a command to remember the law of Moses and a promise that God's day of judgement was coming; promising his audience that God's people will receive salvation if their hearts allow it.

Main lesions form the potter's house in Jeremiah 18

God's sovereignty (repurposing cracked clay); even those who have sin will still have the capacity of fully pledging to repentance

Describe Isaiah's call in Isaiah 6

Happened at a time of transition of kings; a seraph touched Isaiah's mouth which symbolically cleansed Isaiah of his sin; Isaiah was told God's people would not understand God's purpose for themselves even after hearing it several times; God will raise a remnant

What did Jonah do at first when God commanded him to go to Nineveh and preach? What is the main theological point of Jonah's preaching to Nineveh?

He fled from God and bought a fare sail to Tarshish instead. He was swallowed by a great fish, where he stayed for three days and nights Theological message: God cares deeply for people of all nations and accepts everyone who confesses their sinful nature, repent, and turn to him

How does Habakkuk approach God to find out what God's purpose are? What does the book of Habakkuk have to say about God's purposes?

He took his concerns directly to God and asked him why he was allowing these injustices to happen since his is a lover of justice God's purposes always work to accomplish His justice and that the righteous must have faith in him. No matter what kind of situation there is hope to be found in God and His purposes.

Why does the book of 2 Kings devote so much space to Elisha's ministry?

He wanted to write an explanation for the destruction of both kingdoms, not just a survey of the events

What are the main elements of Jeremiah's background?

He was the son of Hilkiah, a priest; prophet relatively young prior to Judah's defeat; he faced nonstop opposition and humiliation from people; wondered why God would let him suffer; his life illustrated how every person should commit to God

How did Hosea's marriage and family background shape his prophetic ministry?

Hosea married a prostitute as a message to the nation of Israel; Gomez was just like Israel because they had abandoned God and been unfaithful to him; However, Hosea remained committed and even buys Gomer back which alludes to the hope that Israel should have in God, because just like Hosea did, the Lord will buy her back.

Identities proposed for "the servant" in the "servant passages" in Isaiah 40-66

Individual Israelite, the nation of Israel, the remnant, and the Messiah; whoever the servant is he fully yielded to God's purpose

Describe the main features of Haggai's background and message

Worked on God's temple ceased for 15 years due to opposition; possessed great zeal/enthusiasm for the Lord's temple; God used Haggai to stir the people's heart to God's concerns Message: 1.) A call to action: to surrender their own desires and ambition which reinforces their commitment with God 2.) Word of Encouragement: temple doesn't contest that of its former state, ultimately God's spirit was in them 3.) Confirmation of Blessing: people would build their homes near the temple and thus believe they were blessed and justified in their unclear living; God was still committed to bless the people of Judah in the coming of days 4.) Restoration of Davidic Kingdom: presenting the hope for the coming Messiah

How does Zephaniah's prophecy present Judah and the nations?

Judah and all other nations are under God's sovereignty so they could not escape God's judgement. But, God would one day rejoice over these nations because he would restore them all

Describe Jeremiah's message in the "Book of Comfort"

Judgement has a positive impact rather than a negative outlook; God is determined to honor his covenant; God's persistent love for his people and how it triumphs any tragedy presented which places comfort in the relationship

Jeremiah's temple message and the significance of the repeating of the words "The temple of the LORD"

People were relying on the temple itself and the Davidic covenant enough to suffice God's blessing entirely. Jeremiah's words are challenging God's people to demonstrate faith to God and obedience to his commandments The reiteration of such words is passive-aggressive to the point that Jeremiah is warning or thought-provoking them to scrutinize the dire circumstances

How does Ezekiel present the Day of the Lord?

Prophesy to the mountains of Israel and describes judgement on the cities which include total destruction by famine, sword, and siege. A common phrase "Then they will know" is used to describe the Day of the Lord because the people will know God was serious when the Day of the Lord happens.

Main themes in Isaiah 1-39

Remnant, Sovereignty of God, Servant, Holy One of Israel, Messiah

What is the relation of Samuel and Kings to Chronicles?

Samuel described the early monarchy which shows how the Israelite kingship was legit and showed the conditions under which God would bless the king. Kings continued and concluded the account of the monarchy. This was to trace the consequences of sin. Chronicles just shows parts of Samuel and 1,2 Kings to show how Judah was destroyed.

What kinds of social injustices does Amos preach against?

Social injustices: oppression of the poor by the rich and the powerful dominating the weak

What is the background and main message of Lamentations?

Some argument over the authorship; book reflects agony over the destruction and capture of Jerusalem/reality of pain; outcome = hope and mercy because God's covenant with his people still ensures and promises compassion and steadfast sympathy

How does Joel present the theme of the Day of the Lord?

The day of the Lord provided a turning point in the book that called for Israel to repent and turn back to the Lord full heartedly; the only way to be saved is through repentance and faith

Why are the genealogies important within the book of Chronicles?

The genealogies demonstrate a national identity reaching back across the tragedy of the exile.

For what purpose did the King send Nehemiah to Jerusalem?

To rebuild the cities defenses

Describe the main features of Zechariah's background and his message concerning the coming of the Messiah.

Background: began his ministry two months after Haggai Message: the Messiah would be announced as a method of people joining God's family; people would rejoice on the news of salvation and redemption in the future; God's plan was to intervene and establish the eternal future kingdom for all regardless.

Whom has the suffering servant been identified as?

Isaiah, Israel, and Jesus; Jesus seems to be the only one who completely fulfills Isaiah 52:13-53:12