OLDT 5402 - Final Exam
"They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David."
Ruth 4
What does the phrase "under the sun" mean in Ecclesiastes?
Focus: How to respond when life doesn't make sense—"under the sun" theology, i.e., life understood by those who aren't God and who have been affected by the fall, including believers
What is the overarching theme of the Psalms?
Focus: How to worship the sovereign God by celebrating and identifying with the Christ's journey from tribulation unto triumph. We can tag the whole "The Prayers of the Christ and the Songs of the Saved."
What role does the Psalter appear to have played in the post-exilic (2nd Temple) Jewish community?
Messianic hope book (possibly completed then)
Define levirate marriage and provide the title given to one who could fulfill this duty
Near by kinsmen redeemer raise up offspring for brother's name
"You are Yahweh, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens."
Neh 9
"I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him."
1 Chron 17
"If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever."
1 Chron 28
Taking your clue from the introduction in Job 1-2, what is the main question being addressed in the book? (Hint: What does the Satan ask God regarding Job that begs a response?)) Satan's query: "Does Job fear God for no reason? . . . Stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face" (Job 1:9, 11).
(2) The truth: Yahweh's worth is greater than all possessions or family.
TaNaK (Jesus' Bible)
1) Genesis 2) Exodus 3) Leviticus 4) Numbers 5) Deuteronomy 6) Joshua 7) Judges 8) 1 Samuel 9) 2 Samuel 10) 1 Kings 11) 2 Kings 12) Jeremiah 13) Ezekiel 14) Isaiah 15) Hosea 16) Joel 17) Amos 18) Obadiah 19) Jonah 20) Micah 21) Nahum 22) Habakkuk 23) Zephaniah 24) Haggai 25) Zechariah 26) Malachi 27) Ruth 28) Psalms 29) Job 30) Proverbs 31) Ecclesiastes 32) Song of Solomon 33) Lamentations 34) Daniel 35) Esther 36) Ezra 37) Nehemiah 38) 1 Chronicles 39) 2 Chronicles 40) Matthew 41) Mark 42) Luke 43) John 44) Acts 45) Romans 46) 1 Corinthians 47) 2 Corinthians 48) Galatians 49) Ephesians 50) Philippians 51) Colossians 52) 1 Thessalonians 53) 2 Thessalonians 54) 1 Timothy 55) 2 Timothy 56) Titus 57) Philemon 58) Hebrews 59) James 60) 1 Peter 61) 2 Peter 62) 1 John 63) 2 John 64) 3 John 65) Jude 66) Revelation
Be able to place all 66 biblical books in their English Bible sequence.
1) Genesis 2) Exodus 3) Leviticus 4) Numbers 5) Deuteronomy 6) Joshua 7) Judges 8) Ruth 9) 1 Samuel 10) 2 Samuel 11) 1 Kings 12) 2 Kings 13) 1 Chronicles 14) 2 Chronicles 15) Ezra 16) Nehemiah 17) Esther 18) Job 19) Psalms 20) Proverbs 21) Ecclesiastes 22) Song of Solomon 23) Isaiah 24) Jeremiah 25) Lamentations 26) Ezekiel 27) Daniel 28) Hosea 29) Joel 30) Amos 31) Obadiah 32) Jonah 33) Micah 34) Nahum 35) Habakkuk 36) Zephaniah 37) Haggai 38) Zechariah 39) Malachi 40) Matthew 41) Mark 42) Luke 43) John 44) Acts 45) Romans 46) 1 Corinthians 47) 2 Corinthians 48) Galatians 49) Ephesians 50) Philippians 51) Colossians 52) 1 Thessalonians 53) 2 Thessalonians 54) 1 Timothy 55) 2 Timothy 56) Titus 57) Philemon 58) Hebrews 59) James 60) 1 Peter 61) 2 Peter 62) 1 John 63) 2 John 64) 3 John 65) Jude 66) Revelation
"If my people ... humble themselves, ... then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin."
2 Chr 7
Align the date on the left with the description on the right
2100 Abraham 1446 The early date for the exodus 1406 Conquest begins 1050 Reign of Saul begins 1010 Reign of David begins 970 Reign of Solomon begins 930 Division of the Kingdom 723 Assyria destroys Samaria & exiles the northern kingdom 586 Babylon destroys Jerusalem & exiles the southern kingdom 538 Cyrus's decree that the Jews can return to Jerusalem 516 Rebuilding of the Temple
What literary features are common among all five laments?
Acrostic
What language other than Hebrew is found in Ezra and Daniel?
Aramaic
"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life."
Dan 12
"The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed."
Dan 2
"There came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days."
Dan 7
"And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses ... have been poured out on us."
Dan 9
"And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever." Who spoke these words and to whom were they spoken?
Daniel 2 - Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar
"All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him." Who prayed these words, and in what chapter are they found?
Daniel 9
"And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Esther 4
"These days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews."
Esther 9
What refrain shows up in Songs 2:7; 3:5; and 8:4, and what does it mean?
Don't stir up love before its time
"Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth."
Eccl 12
"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments."
Eccl 12
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."
Eccl 3
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." In what chapter are these words found?"
Eccl 3
"Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."
Eccl. 1, 12
What are the major emphases in the Song?
Emphases: 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
"Yahweh, the God of heaven, has ... charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem."
Ezra 1; 2 Chr 36
"Ezra set his heart to study the Law of Yahweh, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules."
Ezra 7
"We are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this."
Ezra 9
"For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem." Who prayed these words?
Ezra in Ezra 9
What were the professional vocations of Ezra and Nehemiah? Summarize in a single sentence the primary mission of each as portrayed in the book
Ezra the priest; Nehemiah the governor
Define theodicy and clarify how it relates to the issues raised in Job. What evidence in the book is given that Yahweh is both good and sovereign over evil?
How a good, omnipotent God can exists and evil in the world be present
In three sentences or less, clarify why your professor calls Proverbs 22:6 an "ironic command." [but looks like Dr. D disagrees now]
In light of the above, "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!" (R. J. Clifford, Proverbs, 197).
While Lamentations is anonymous, who is the most likely candidate for the book's composition?
Jeremiah
"Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away; blessed be the name of Yahweh."
Job 1
"I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted."
Job 42
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?
Judges, they were scoundrels!
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).
What is the key theme of Ruth?
Key Theme: The providence of God in preserving the ancestral line of David and ultimately the Messiah
Know the seven stages of biblical history.
Kick off and fall Instruments of blessing: patriarchs Nation redeemed and commissioned: ex. Sinai, wilderness Government in the Promised Land Dispersion and Return Overlap of the ages Mission accomplished
What two motifs do the introductory Psalms 1-2 provide as a lens for reading the rest of Psalms?
Kingdom Wisdom and Eschatology (Walking with/Waiting in the Messiah)
"His mercies ... are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Lam 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"
Lam 3
"Yahweh gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion."
Lam 4
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?¬
Like Lord of Lords, and Holy of holies, it's the best of songs
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.
"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 Yahweh, and on his law he meditates day and night."
Ps 1
An alphabetic 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 Yahweh."
Ps 121
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
"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."
Ps 19
"You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage."
Ps 2
"Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Ps 23
"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.... Yahweh 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. 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."
Ps 51
"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
"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."
Ps 8
"The heavens declare the glory of God.... The law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving the soul."
Ps. 19
Which two of the "key psalms" (likely one psalm originally) do we find the psalmist preaching to himself with the following words? "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God." This same refrain shows up in the last verse of each psalm.
Pss 42-43
What is the purpose of the Writings?
Purpose: 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
Differences in English and TaNaK structures for Ruth?
Remember the placement issue for the English and Hebrew Bibles, English-a ray of hope in darkness; Hebrew focused on son of David and a hope included often in Writings
"A full reward be given you by Yahweh, ... under whose wings you have come to take refuge"
Ruth 2
"I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases."
Song 2, 5, 8
"Love is strong as death.... Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it."
Song 8
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord. 7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.
Songs 8:6-7
Define or characterize what proverbs are and are not. How do we distinguish general from absolute proverbs?
THE RULE: Absolute proverbs relate to God's unchanging character and sovereign action (16:1, 4; 19:21; 21:30) or his unswerving disposition or response toward human will or action (10:25, 27; 11:20; 13:21; 16:5; 28:14); what is not absolute is the cause-effect of humanity's circumstantial existence (16:31; 22:8). While divine justice and the realities of blessing and curse may not be apparent from the short-view, in the long-view we can be absolutely confident that God will be faithful.
What is the "key theme" of Daniel?
The Lasting all-Powerful Kingdom of Israel's God vs. the short-term, weak kingdoms of men
What significant theological point(s) can be made from the fact that Ruth originally descended from Moab
The messiah King comes through a Moabitess!
To whom is the body of Ecclesiastes attributed, and what does the title likely mean?
Title: Hebrew = Qoheleth, likely a vocational title meaning "assembler"--i.e., one who assembles other to teach wisdom (ESV = "Preacher")
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?
Translational renderings: (1) "Vain, meaningless; futile"; (2) "Irrational, senseless, absurd"; (3) "Transient, temporary, fleeting, ephemeral"; (4) "Mysterious, incomprehensible, ungraspable, enigmatic."
True or false: The story of Esther (486-64) takes place in Persia after Haggai and Zechariah had returned to Jerusalem (583) but before Ezra (458) and Nehemiah (444) had gone back.
True
What "two walls" are built in Ezra-Nehemiah, and what two areas are highlighted in the message of Ezra-Nehemiah?
a. Rebuilding of two walls: physical walls of Jerusalem and spiritual walls around the hearts of the people.
What title for God occurs in the Psalms more than any other title?
YHWH
How has the evocative language influenced the interpretation of the Song through church history? Why does your professor call the Song of Songs a "marriage manual"? Does your professor believe it is legitimate to see in the Song any connection with God's relationship to Israel or the Church?
Yes, but typologically
How many psalms are there in the English Bible? How many "books" make up the Psalter? What unique feature occurs at the end of each "book"?
a. 150 Psalms b. 5 books c. Concluding Doxology
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." To whom did God speak these words, in what context were they spoken?
a. 2 Chron 7 b. God to Sol at the Temple dedication
What is the "content" of Song of Songs, and who are the main singers in the Song? What role does the mention of Solomon and the Shulammite play in the Song?
a. 4 Main Voices (usually tracked by the gender [masculine or feminine] and number [singular or plural] of the Hebrew words) b. 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) c. 2. Baritone (man / "my beloved" / "He" in ESV), the shepherd-lover who celebrates the beauty of the Shulamite and his lover for her. d. 3. Chorus (woman's companions in Solomon's harem / "friends" / "Others" in ESV), called the "daughters of Jerusalem" e. 4. King Solomon, who is only addressed in third person and stands as a foil for the shepherd-lover (1:1; 3:6).
On what is all biblical wisdom solidly based? What makes Yahweh wisdom distinct form the wisdom of the world?
a. Biblical wisdom is distinct in its affirmation that Yahweh alone orders the universe, defines value, and clarifies right and wrong. b. Fear of Yahweh provides the basis for wisdom because it aligns one with right order and provides the only proper disposition by which to live God's way.
Summarize in three sentences or less the message of the book of Ruth
a. Content: A story of loyalty to Yahweh during the period of the judges, in which Naomi's fortunes mirror Israel's during this period (while also providing the lineage of King David). Naomi loses her husband and sons, which places her in a seemingly impossible financial situation. She is rescued by her own cunning, the beauty and industriousness of her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, and Boaz's kindness. b. Emphases: Yahweh's gift of a redeemer and his faithfulness to bless the faithful and to fulfill his promises.
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?
a. Creator; you'll take pleasure in him
What is intriguing about the way Chronicles ends and Ezra-Nehemiah begins? What does this suggest about the authorship and/or compositional history of these two books?
a. Cyrus proclamation -
What is intriguing about the way David, Solomon, and the divided kingdom are portrayed in Chronicles?
a. David and Solomon very optimistic b. In response, the Chronicler wrote to set forth the principle of restoration and to heighten hope for kingdom consummation. The extensive speeches, whether by kings, prophets, or priests, are strongly hortatory, allowing the book to bear a sermonic feel. c. Whereas Kings addressed both the north and the south equally, Chronicles mentions the north only as it related to Jerusalem, the temple, and the kings of Judah; the Chronicler is principally interested in the Davidic kingdom, its relationship to the temple, and the restoration of the community around each.
What overlapping conditions does Ezra-Nehemiah provide for enjoying the favor of God?
a. Dependent on God's word and humbly seeks his ways
What would you suggest was the author's central purpose in the book of Esther?
a. Focus: God's preservation of his people in accordance with his promises; God's faithfulness to judge hostility against his people. b. Content: The story of God's providential preservation of Jews throughout the Persian Empire through Mordecai and his cousin, Esther.
What is the "focus" and "key question" that is answered in Chronicles?
a. Focus: God's purposes to establish a global people through Israel are still moving ahead, and the kingdom restoration is near; how to view the past. b. Question: Is God still interested in us and is God still intent on consummating his kingdom plan?
What is the "historical coverage" of Ezra-Nehemiah?
a. From the first return (538 B.C.) with Joshua the priest and Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel the governors (Haggai and Zechariah as prophets) to the end of the 5th century with Ezra the priest and Nehemiah the governor (Malachi as prophet?)
What are the four theological themes that your professor drew attention to in Lamentations?
a. God cursed Judah for her sin b. The curses were serious c. God must punish Judah's enemies d. God has purposes in suffering
What are the nature and stress of the two parts of Daniel?
a. God's current sovereignty b. God's future sovereignty
What three emphases are given in Daniel?
a. God's sovereignty, care, and present ruling
Why do many critical scholars hold that Daniel is largely fictional? When does the book itself suggest Daniel lived and ministered? Why is Daniel likely in the Writings and not the Prophets? What was his professional vocation?
a. He was a political governor—and the message of book is positive and therefore in the writings not prophets. End of 6th century BC (ca. 520)
Identify the most likely candidates for the four kingdoms of man mentioned through the visions of chapters 2, 7, 8? What is the ultimate message of the visions in Daniel 2 and 7? Identify the "Ancient of Days" and "one like a son of man" in Daniel 7.
a. Head of Gold/winged lion=Babylon b. chest and arms of silver/bear/ram= Medo-Persia c. Belly and thighs of bronze/winged leopard/goat=Greece d. Legs of iron feet of clay/iron/dreadful and terrifying beast with ten horns=Rome
What is the "historical coverage" of 1-2 Chronicles?
a. Historical Coverage: An opening genealogy goes back to Adam; the narrative itself covers the kingdom of Judah from David (ca. 1010 B.C.) to the decree of Cyrus that Israel could return to their land (538 B.C.).
Distinguish Kings' and Chronicles' recollections of Israel's past? What two areas is the Chronicler most interested in? [in short: the Temple and David]
a. In contrast to Kings, the Chronicler's account of the divided monarchy is dotted with examples of repentant kings enjoying restoration: Rehoboam (2 Chr 12:5-6, 12), Hezekiah (32:25-26), and Manasseh (33:12-13). b. When comparing the account of the reigns of Judah's kings in Kings and Chronicles, the unique material in Chronicles almost all shows how God blessed or judged each generation in terms of its response to his commands. That is, Chronicles is driven by a Deuteronomic theology of immediate retribution. Longman and Dillard provide the following comparisons (An Introduction to the Old Testament, 2nd ed., 200) 1. The continuity of the people of Judah (and others) through the exile and beyond. 2. David and Solomon's covenant loyalty as models for the time of restoration. 3. The central role of the temple and worship for restoration. 4. True worship as a matter of the heart, full of joy and song. 5. Divine blessing and rest for obedience, and retribution for disobedience. 6. The sustained hope of consummate kingdom restoration. c. The story of Judah's history, written with the intent of giving the present generation a sense of continuity with its great past and a hope for the future. The key provided for maintaining the past connection and future anticipation is focus on the temple, proper worship, and the promises to David.
Generally stated, how is the Book of Job structured, and summarize in a single sentence the main point of each of the following characters: Job, his three friends, Elihu, Yahweh?
a. Job i. (a) Job's posture: grief and trust (v. 20) ii. (b) Job's pronouncement: Job 1:21. Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. iii. "I didn't do anything wrong to deserve this suffering, but who am I to talk back to God? Wisdom is found in God alone!" (28:21, 23, 28): "[Wisdom] is hidden from the eyes of all living.... God understands the way to it.... Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding." b. Three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) i. Job's friends: Cold, simplistic theology that does not provide a comprehensive understanding of how God works in his world--"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." Eliphaz: "As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same" (4:8). c. Elihu i. "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." d. YHWH i. "Can you do all the things I have done? Do you think I know how to handle your case?"
In what lament is the message of hope most explicit? Summarize in a single sentence the message of Lamentations 3:21-26
a. Lament 3. God's steadfast love endures forever so I will hope
Why does Chronicles open with nine chapters of genealogies, which significantly focus on Judah, Levi, and Benjamin?
a. Levi: leaders of Temple worship b. Judah: covenantal promises c. Benjamin: foil for David d. Returned exiles: mark preservation in 9:1-34 e. The Preservation of Kingdom Hope: Genealogies from Adam to the Decree of Cyrus (1 Chr 1-9)--Focus is on Judah and the Levites f. To stress that the restored remnant has continuity with a divinely ordained past that ultimately goes back to the creation of the world. As such, God's purposes since Adam still stand--God will use his kingdom people, represented by a king in the line of David, to overcome curse and establish global blessing. g. Judah and Levi are the surviving tribes of the southern kingdom that represent the Davidic dynasty, Jerusalem, and proper worship in the temple. h. The fact that the narrative of David begins directly after nine chapters of genealogy suggests that all history since Adam was a prelude to him and ultimately the Messiah that comes from him.
What is strikingly and uniquely absent in Esther?
a. Mention of any reference to God
"Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" By whom and to whom were these words spoken?
a. Mordecai to Esther (Esther 4)
Who are the four main characters in Esther?
a. Persian king Xerxes I/Ahasuerus (named 29x), an arrogant Eastern despot who serves in the story as a foil to God b. Villain Haman (named 49x), a foreigner who has been elevated to the 2nd highest place in the empire and who is more arrogant than Xerxes; likely a non-Persian Amalekite who retains his ancestors' hatred toward the Jews. c. Jewish hero Mordecai (named 54x), a lesser court official who uncovers a plot that saves the king's life, but whose refusal to bow to Haman sets in motion the basic intrigue of the plot--a plan to kill all Jews in the empire, which ultimately backfires on Haman. d. Heroine, Mordecai's younger cousin, Hadassah, given the Persian name Esther (named 48x), who by winning a beauty contest becomes Xerxes' queen and the one responsible for unraveling Haman's plot, thus saving the Jews from annihilation.
To whom did the Chronicler write, and what main question did he seek to answer?
a. Post-exilic community; Is God still interested in us and is God still intent on consummating his kingdom plan?
Name and provide a general description of the feast inaugurated in the book of Esther.
a. Purim: Traditionally, Jews read the story of Esther publicly in the Jewish synagogue on Purim eve and the following morning, accompanied by a noisy blotting out of Haman's name by children and adults, many of them dressed in funny costumes. Purim is a festive holiday, replete with mock reenactments of the Esther story, partying and excessive drinking, carnivals and masquerades, and a general sense of frivolity uncharacteristic of other Jewish festivals.
In what way does the theme of Yahweh's Wars of Judgment likely stand in the background of the Esther story, and how does this contribute to the overall message of hope?
a. Since their first attack on Israel during the exodus, Yahweh declared a war of judgment against the Amalekites (Exod 17:8-16; cf. Deut 25:17-19; 1 Sam 15:2), who epitomize those who "curse" Yahweh's people and thus deserve judgment (Gen 12:3) [from Dr. D's notes] b. So God through Mordecai, as a descendant of Saul, finally destroys the Amalekites through Haman, as an Agagite.
What significance may be drawn from the fact that someone living after Cyrus' decree to return to the land ended the book at this point?
a. The Past Gives Hope for the Future: Standing at the end of the OT, Chronicles calls God's people in the present to learn the best from the past and to always see God as one who is faithful, compassionate, and gracious. It calls people to look through punishment to renewal, through curse to restoration blessing, all grounded in the faithfulness of God to his purpose begun with Adam and his promises made to his people, and especially David. b. An Eschatological Agenda That Demands a Sequel: Ezra-Nehemiah begins where Chronicles ends (Ezra 1:1-3; 2 Chr. 36:22-23), but Chronicles is placed after EzraNehemiah in the Hebrew Old Testament (in reverse chronological order). i. This placement allows the TaNaK to end "on an eschatological note" (Dempster, Dominion and Dynasty, 224), suggesting that the initial restoration detailed in Ezra-Nehemiah was not the ultimate restoration but rather that God's people must continue to look ahead, toward Jerusalem, in anticipation of the coming Son of David. ii. 2. The placement also suggests that Israel is ultimately still in exile, even though the return has begun (1 Chr. 3:17-23; 9:1-44). This is stated explicitly several times in Ezra-Nehemiah, where the returnees perceived themselves still to be in slavery: 1. Ezra 8:35. "those who had come from captivity" were considered "returned exiles." 2. Ezra 9:8-9. But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery. For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem. 3. Neh. 9:36-37. Behold, we are slaves this day; in the land that you gave to our fathers to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts, behold, we are slaves. And its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They rule over our bodies and over our livestock as they please, and we are in great distress. iii. In the context of anticipation growing out of enslavement, we begin reading Matthew 1:1: "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." Furthermore, Paul observed: "When we were children, [we] were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under law, to redeem those who were under the law" (Gal. 4:3-5). In this context, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, ... to that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles" (3:13-14).
What does the Frame-Narrator (Eccl 12:13) say the final conclusion of life's queries is?
a. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man
About half of the Chronicler's history appears to have been taken from what source?
a. The historical material in the Former Prophets provides the basic structure for the Chroniclers work--most specifically, the narrative from 2 Samuel through 2 Kings covering the period from David to exile.
According to Proverbs 1:1-7, what is the primary reason why the Book of Proverbs was written? What does your professor call Proverbs the Bible's "parenting manual"?
a. The source: The royal offspring of David, the king of Israel (v. 1) b. 2. The goal: Produce sound knowledge (v. 2), upright practice (v. 3), and discretion in when to apply both (v. 4). c. 3. Wisdom in Proverbs: The pursuit of understanding and preserving order in God's world (vv. 5-6). d. 4. The fear of the Yahweh: The beginning of the quest, which is not engaged in by fools (v. 7). e. Father to son
What signified the restored exiles' continuity with the past?
a. To stress that the restored remnant has continuity with a divinely ordained past that ultimately goes back to the creation of the world. As such, God's purposes since Adam still stand--God will use his kingdom people, represented by a king in the line of David, to overcome curse and establish global blessing
Does your professor see unity or tension between the message/theology of the "Preacher" and the Frame-Narrator?
a. Unity b. The Frame-narrator's call to fear God and to keep his commandments (12:13-14) stands in alignment with Qoheleth's theology (cf. 5:1-7). i. Indeed, the call to fear God pervades the Preacher's teaching: ii. The closing poem also includes implicit calls to fear, which help resolve the tension between finding joy and living in an enigmatic world. iii. The Preacher's calls to joy--to seize the day--are often juxtaposed with the hebel judgments: iv. The Frame Narrator's own words are most naturally read to affirm this conclusion.
What refrain shapes the outer frame of the "Preacher's" queries (1:2; 12:8)?
a. Vanity of vanities all is vanity
What things regarded as hebel?
a. What types of things are judged hebel? b. a. Human behavior c. i. Toil and its products (2:11; 2:18-26; 4:4, 7-8, 15-16; 5:10; 6:1-2) d. ii. Pleasure (2:1; 6:9) e. iii. Wisdom and growing wise (2:15; 7:15-16) f. iv. Words (5:6-7; 6:10-11) g. b. Living beings and times in their lives (3:18-19; 6:12; 7:15-16; 9:9; 11:10) h. c. Divine behavior—events i. i. Divine justice (2:15, 26; 6:1-2; 8:10, 14) j. ii. "Everything" (1:2, 14; 2:17; 6:3-4; 11:8-9; 12:8)
Define what the Bible means by wisdom. Which of the Writings are considered "wisdom books"?
a. Wisdom is about truth and order in God's world. On the one hand, it is intimately related to the way God builds his kingdom on a cosmic scale, and on the other hand it addresses how God's royal family should rule and live rightly in his world. b. 2. Specifically, 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 (Gen. 1:27-28). c. Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes
How is the Messiah anticipated in Esther?
a. With echoes of the biblical accounts of both Joseph and Daniel, the book of Esther sets up Mordecai as a messianic figure. Israel's history writers recorded "all the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high honor of Mordecai" (Esth 10:2). Further, the narrator tells us, "Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people" (10:3).
Whose speeches shape the climax of the book? What appears to have been Job's problem that demanded rebuke from Elihu and Yahweh?
a. YHWH's speeches climax b. Elihu responds to Job's claim of God's remoteness c. YHWH seems to respond to his self-justification and not justifying God
What great event is portrayed in the first four verses of Ezra? According to Ezra 3:8-9, who were the first two leaders of the return to Jerusalem, what were their vocations, and what was their first task
a. Zurrubabel (governor) and Jeshua (priest) appoint Levites
What great tragedy in Israel's history is being bemoaned in Lamentations? What three voices do the lamenting
a. this is a series of five laments over the fall of Jerusalem
What three main questions are raised in Job, who raises them, and how are each answered?
a. why the righteous suffer b. "Does Job fear God for nothing?" c. Where is true wisdom found? d. YHWH i. Yahweh: "Can you do all the things I have done? Do you think I know how to handle your case?" ii. Yahweh: "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it." iii. Yahweh: "Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?" e. Three questions: i. "Why do the righteous suffer?" ii. 2. "Why should we fear God?" iii. 3. "Where is wisdom found?"
