Old Testament exam 3
What message does Isaiah deliver to king Ahaz? What is Ahaz's response?
"Do not be afraid" God tells Ahaz to ask for a sign, but Ahaz refuses.
What is the Hebrew term for prophet?
"Nabi"
Jeremiah is known as the _____ prophet.
"weeping"
What are the 5 main themes of the prophets we discussed?
1) Covenant Obligations 2) Judgment 3) Salvation 4) The Day of the Lord 5) The Nation
What are the 4 symbolic acts Ezekiel performs in chs 4-5 and what is the meaning of each?
1. Ezekiel is to write "Jerusalem" on a brick to lay siege to it, symbolizing the coming siege of Jerusalem 2. Ezekiel is to lie of his left for 390 days and then on his right side for 40 days symbolizing Israel's and Judah's sin. 3. Ezekiel has little food to eat symbolizing the famine that the Babylonian siege will create for those living in Jerusalem. 4. Ezekiel is to shave his head and beard and divide his hair into 3 parts: 1/3 is to be burned; 1/3 is to chopped with a sword; 1/3 is to be scattered to the wind. Symbolizes the fate of those is Jerusalem, BUT there is also hope as Ezekiel is also to tuck few strands in his garment to symbolize the REMNANT.
What are the 3 visions of Amos? Why doesn't Amos intercede in the 3rd vision?
1. God shows him a terrible locust plague. 2. God shows him a fire. 3. God shows him a plumb line (used to test a wall's straightness). / Amos knows God's judgment is just.
What are the 4 themes of Daniel discussed in class?
1.Sovereignty of God. 2.Pride of Humanity 3.Ultimate Victory 4.Eternality of God's kingdoms
When and where do the events in Esther take place?
483 B.C./ Susa the capital of the Persian Empire
In what year do they begin the work on the Temple? In what year do they finish the work?
536 B.C./ 516 B.C.
How long does God indicate that the Babylonian exile will last?
70 years
Isaiah received his prophetic call at the time of the death of which king?
740 B.C. the year of King Uzziah's death.
Who is Nehemiah? What year does he travel to Israel?
A Jewish official for the Persians (cupbearer); he becomes governor/ 445 B.C.
When the Jews return to Israel, what is the first thing they rebuild?
Altar in order to sacrifice burnt offerings
What language do the Jews learn in Babylon?
Aramaic
Review question: Who destroys the Northern Kingdom? Southern Kingdom?
Assyria /Babylon
Nineveh is the capital of which kingdom? Why does Jonah flee when God calls him?
Assyrian Kingdon/ Jonah with the command to preach against the wickedness of Nineveh
Where is Ezekiel when God calls him? What was his background?
Babylon/ Priestly family
What are 3 types of persecution Jeremiah experiences? Why is he persecuted?
Beaten and put in sticks, priest and prophets call for his death, thrown in prison, thrown into a well/ cistern. They don't want to hear the word of the Lord
In ch. 4, why is Jonah angry with God? What is God's response?
Because God changed his plans and did not destroy Nineveh; He said that Jonah's anger was fleshly
Why are the prophets often called covenant prosecutors?
Because they call the people of God to covenant faithfulness.
How does God show mercy to Jonah? To Nineveh?
By swallowing him out of the whale /he doesn't destroy them
What was a synagogue?
Centers for learning and teaching the Torah
What major event does Jeremiah witness?
Destructions of Jerusalem and the Temple
What happens to Ezekiel's wife? What does God call her? What is the message for the exiles?
Die/ Delight of his eye/ the siege and fall of Jerusalem
In a letter written to the exiles in Babylon what does Jeremiah encourage them to do?
Don't decrease God says.
To which nation does Obadiah prophesy?
Edom
What did the Edomites do to the refugees from Jerusalem?
Either killed them or turned them over to the Babylonians
Who is Hananiah? What is his message about Babylon and the exiles?
False prophet who publically challenges Jeremiah's message by claiming God would destroy Babylon and bring exiles back in two years
What is the difference between forth telling and foretelling?
Forth telling: God's message to the present situation Foretelling: God's messages concerning the future, both near and distant
Ezekiel witnesses God's _____ departing from the Temple
GLORY
In Ezekiel's final vision, what does he see returning to the Temple
God shows him a vision of a new temple in Jerusalem. Ezekiel sees God's glory return to the temple
In Ezekiel's message of hope and restoration, what will God do for the new community?
God will shepherd his people
What are the lessons learned from the book of Esther?
Gods people are to live righteous even in pagan environments, God is at work throughout the story to preserve the Jews, many Jews lived away from the land of Israel.
Who is Zerubbabel? What year does he lead Jews back to Israel?
Grandson of king Jehoiachin, leads 50,000 Jews back to Israel. He will also become the governor of the Jews (under Persian rule)/ 538 B.C.
Who are the 2 main prophets who encourage the Jews in the rebuilding?
Haggia and Zechariah
What message does the linen belt communicate to Judah?
Has become useless because they have not listened to YHWH.
Why does Judah think that God won't destroy Jerusalem?
He accuses them of having false sense of security because his dwelling place (both the temple and Jerusalem)
What does Ezekiel's eating of the scroll symbolize? What is on the scroll?
He has internalized the word of the Lord/ Lament, Mourning and Woe
Who is Ezra? What year does he lead Jews back to Israel?
He is a priest and a teacher of the Torah/ 458 B.C.
When God takes Ezekiel in a vision to Jerusalem, what does he see taking place in the Temple?
Idols and the idolatry taking place throughout the land, even the temple itself.
What are the 4 areas of spiritual reform enacted by Ezra and Nehemiah?
Intermarriage, Provisions, Desecration of the Sabbath, Intermarriage.
Which Major Prophets have oracles to the nations?
Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel
What is Jeremiah's message to Hananiah?
Jeremiah disputes the word of the Lord and tell Hananiah that God is going to take his life for preaching falsely- he dies 2 months later
What message does Isaiah deliver to king Hezekiah? What is Hezekiah's response?
Jerusalem will be delivered. Hezekiah trust in YHWH and the Assyrians are defeated
What are the names of Hosea's 3 children and what do the names mean?
Jezreel: name means "bloodshed". God will put and end to the kingdom of Israel. Lo-Ruhamah: name means "not loved". God will no longer show love to the house of Israel Lo-Ammi: name means "not my people". God declares Israel is not his people and he is not their God
To which kingdom does Jeremiah prophesy?
Judah
Why does God say that Judah is guiltier than Israel in Jer. 3?
Judah has continued in idolatry.
What is the traditional interpretation of the 4 beasts in Daniel's vision?
Lion- Babylon Bear-Persia Leopard-Greece Beat with the iron teeth and horns-Rome
Why are Daniel and his friends examples for the exiles?
Live as a counterculture in Babylon and are examples for all Jews living in the Diaspora
Who are the Major Prophets? Minor Prophets?
Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Minor Prophet: Hosea- Malachi ("Book of the 12")
What do the terms "major" and "minor" refer to in relation to the prophets?
Major and minor refers to the length of their writing (not their content).
What is the dominant metaphor that God uses to describe his relationship with Israel?
Marriage
Who defeats the Babylonians? What year?
Medes and the Persians/ 539 B.C.
What are the names of the 2 female pre-monarchial prophets?
Miriam & Deborah
Who are two examples of pre-classical prophets?
Moses & Elisha
To which kingdom does Hosea prophesy?
Northern Kingdom
After this, how does Ezekiel "act out" the exile?
Packing a bag and digging through a wall
What is the first feast celebrated after the rebuilding of the Temple?
Passover
Who is Cyrus? What is the Cyrus Proclamation?
Persian King/ Issued a decree allowing Jews to return to the land of Israel
What is the distinction between a pre-classical and classical prophet?
Pre-classical: prophets are those without biblical books attributed to them such as Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha Classical: prophets are those who have books attributed to them, such as Jeremiah Zechariah, Malachi, etc. (writing prophets)
Who are the pre-exilic prophets? Exilic prophets? Post-exilic prophets?
Pre-exilic: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jonah, Amos, and Hosea. Exilic: Ezekiel, Daniel, Obadiah. Post-exilic: Haggai, Zechariah, Joel, and Malachi.
Who is Gomer? Why does Hosea marry her?
Prostitute/ to symbolize Israel's adultery with idols
What type of "spirit" does God say Israel has? How can she be healed?
Prostitution/ God will heal her if she repents and returns
God promises that he will preserve a ____ in Babylon
Remnant
Who is Antiochus Epiphanes and what might he represent in Daniel's vision?
Seleucid ruler who persecutes the jews, defiles the temple, and outlaws the practice of Judaism
What is the profession of Amos?
Shepherd in Tekoa
Why are the oracles to the nations important?
Shows YHWH's sovereignty over his own chosen people an over all the nations of the world
To which kingdom did Isaiah prophesy?
Southern Kingdom
What are the three main ways the prophets communicated their message?
Symbolically, Foretelling, Forth telling
What feast celebrates the Jews victory over the Persian attack?
The Feast of Purim
What does the tree symbolize in Nebuchadnezzar's vision? What is Daniel's interpretation?
The tree is king Nebuchadnezzar, but his refusal to serve the God of heaven will bring judgment upon him for his sins. For 7 years he will live in the wild with wild animals until he acknowledges God
What does the message of Nahum indicate about Nineveh? About God?
Their repentance did not last; their disobedience isn't honorable
Why does God ask Hosea to take Gomer back? What is the message to Israel?
To show her love even though she has been unfaithful/ God will show love to Israel
What does Nehemiah help the Jews to rebuild? How long does it take?
Wall around the city needed to be rebuilt/ 52 days
How do the sailors learn knowledge of God from Jonah?
When they see how the Lord deals with Jonah by causing the storm and allowing Jonah to be swallowed by the whale
Who is Xerxes? Vashti? Haman? Mordecai?
Xerxes: King of Susa Vashti: Is deposed for refusing to be paraded before the banquet Haman: attempts to kill all Jews especially Mordecai Esther: becomes Queen and is a Jew Mordecai: Plots and challenges Esther to intervene, also is recognized for saving the kings life from an assassination
In Isaiah 5, to what does God compare Israel? Why is the point of the parable?
YHWH compares Israel to a vineyard. YHWH will allow the vineyard to be destroyed the fault is within the vineyard not with God.
What is the 2nd Temple called?
Zerubbabel's temple
Prophets came from a variety of _____and possessed a strong sense of _____
backgrounds, calling
Prophets are most often associated with the _____ in Israel's history.
monarchy