OT Test #2
What is the meaning of this prophet's name and why is this significant for a prophet?
"Amos" means "burden-bearer." The messages of the prophets were often called a "burden" (massa, sometimes translated "oracle") because of their "heavy" nature
Micah consists of three sermons beginning with the word "______" (1:2; 3:1;6:1).
"Hear"
What is the meaning of his name?
"Hosea" means "salvation" It is the equivalent of "Joshua", "Hoshea" (last king of Israel), and in the New Testament, "Jesus."
What is the significance of his name?
"Isaiah" means "Yahweh is salvation"
What is the significance of this prophet's name with regard to the contents of the book?
"Nahum" means "consolation" or "comfort" This is significant because Nahum's message was intended to provide just that for Judah.
What is the significance of Hosea's children?
- A son, Jezreel, which means "scattered by God" (1:4) i- A daughter, Lo-Ruhamah, which means "not loved" (1:6) - A son, Lo-Ammi, which means "not my people" (1:9).
What is the general teaching about the Messiah in 4:2; 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-5; 52:13-53:12 and 61:1-3?
- Isaiah 4:2 - "The Branch of the Lord" - Isaiah 7:14 - "a virgin will be with child and bear a son, Immanuel" - Isaiah 9:6-7 - His deity and reign - Isaiah 11:1-5 - His righteous reign - Isaiah 52:13-53:12 - His suffering and death - Isaiah 61:1-3 - His comings
Why should this book be considered as historical (i.e., recording actual events) (4 reasons)?
- It is presented as history - The jews have regarded the book as historical from ancient times. - Jonah was an historical person (2 Kings 14:25) - Jesus believed in the historicity of this book (Matt 12:38-41; 16:4; Luke 11:29- 32).
What is the key verse and in what NT books is this quoted?
- Key verse: 2:4b - "The righteous will live by his faith." - This is quoted in Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38.
What do the terms "Deutero-Isaiah" and "Trito-Isaiah" mean? How do these relate to the unity of the book?
- Those who believe there were two authors entitled the book = Deutero-Isaiah (chapters 1-39 written by Isaiah; chapters 40-66 written by a later author) - Those who believe there were three authors entitle the book Trito-Isaiah (chapters 56-66 written by a third author) - This affects the unity because it makes it so people "late-date" those sections, when Isaiah DID in fact predict things BY NAME 150 years before they happened
What is the basic subject matter and mood of chs. 1-39? of chs. 40-66?
1-35 = Retribution; condemnation of Judah (1-12), Condemnation of other nations (13-23), condemnation of all the nations (24-35) 35-39 = Historical Interlude; Hezekiah and the Assyrians (36-37), Hezekiah and the Babylonians (38-39) 40-66 = Restoration; Deliverance from God (40-48), Deliverer from God - Messiah (49-57), Delivered of God (58-66)
What are the four themes of the classical prophets?
1. Confrontation of sin (Negative) 2. Call for repentance (Negative) 3. Announcement of judgment (Negative) 4. Assurance of hope (Positive)
What are the three tests for a prophet (i.e., to determine whether he is true or false)?
1. Does the prophet turn the people of God to or away from God and his Word? (Deut 13:1-3) 2. Does the prophet use means of divination or occultism? (Deut 18:10-11) 3. Do all the prophet's predictions come to pass? (Deut 18:21-22)
What are the themes of the book of Amos?
1. External worship apart from right living that reflects a right heart is sickening to God (4:4-5; 5:21-24). 2. God expects his people to reflect his own character by being just. (5:24). 3. God will judge all people, including his chosen people (chs. 1-2). 4. God's judgment was imminent 5. Even though judgment may be near, God always seeks the repentance of his people (5:4-6a; 14-15).
What are the meanings of forthtelling/proclamation prophecy and foretelling/predictive prophecy?
1. Forth-telling or proclamation prophecy (all prophecy is forth-telling, not all prophecy is foretelling) = proclaiming the Word of God by teaching, warning, exhorting, encouraging, comforting, and strengthening 2. Foretelling = predictive prophecy
What are the themes of the book of Jonah?
1. God loves gentiles as well as his chosen nation, Israel. 2. God's salvation is universal for Jew and Gentile. 3. Therefore, any exclusivist mindset is wrong. (God's people had forgotten that he wanted to bless all peoples through them and that they were to be a "light to the nations")
What are the themes of the book of Nahum?
1. God's judgment against the arrogant and cruel nation of Assyria represented by its capital, Nineveh - Assyria is representative of all of God's enemies and the enemies of God's peoples of all times who will eventually be judged by God. 2. The comfort of God's people by assuring them that this oppressive nation would certainly be judged by God - 2 Thessalonians 1:5-8 has a similar promise for Christians.
What were the two interpretive problems connected with 7:14 and its context and their suggested solution?
1. How is the Hebrew word almah to be understood • More liberal interpreters say that Hebrew word doesn't mean a virgin, but a young woman who is of marriageable age 2. How was this sign fulfilled? Was there a contemporary fulfillment (to Ahaz), a future fulfillment (Mary and Jesus), or a combination? • Certainly a future fulfillment • Contemporary: it would make sense that something must've happened very quickly b/c Ahaz cares • Some say it was an unmarried lady who had a baby that Ahaz knew; others say it was fulfilled in Ahaz' own son (Hezekiah)
What were the two problems Habakkuk was having with God?
1. Lament, anger, confusion - why the wicked prosper and righteous suffer? 2. How can you judge us through people who are worse than us (the Babylonians)?
What are the four primary biblical terms for a prophet and what do they emphasize?
1. Prophet (nabi) = The word means "speaker" or "announcer" but is usually translated as "prophet." This term has to do with the communication of God's message for his people (Exod 7:1-2). most common term, used over 300 times. 2. Seer (roeh, 1 Sam 9:9; chozeh, Amos 7:12) - This term has to do with the reception of God's message for his people, one way being through visions 3. Man of God - This term has to do with the divine calling and ministry of the prophet (Deut 33:1; 1 Kings 12:22). 4. Messenger of the Lord (malak) - This term literally means "messenger" and is sometimes translated as "angel" It has to do with the primary "responsibility" of the prophet: to deliver God's message to God's people (Hag 1:13, Isa 44:26).
What are the themes of the book of Isaiah?
1. Salvation 2. The need for salvation due to sin 3. The provision of salvation through the Messiah
What are the four temporal perspectives of the prophets? How do these relate to the four themes?
1. The prophets own times - the present = confrontation of sin, call for repentance 2. God impending judgment - the near future = announcement of judgment, specifically, the exile 3. The first coming of Messiah to die - the distant future = assurance of hope 4. The second coming of Messiah to reign - the more distant future = assurance of hope
What are the 5 reasons for accepting the unity of Isaiah?
1. This has been Jewish tradition from early on 2. The internal evidence implies that there is only on author, e.g., themes and phrases ("Holy one of Israel," "servant of the Lord," remnant, etc.) 3. Since God is sovereign over the future, he knows the future and sometimes reveals it to his prophets 4. Jesus and other NT writers quote from both sections of the book and identify Isaiah as the author of both 5. All ancient copies of the book include all sections - all manuscript evidence supports the unity of the book
What are the themes of the book of Micah? What other prophetic book is it similar to?
1. condemnation of empty ritualism 2. generally the same themes as Isaiah - therefore this book has been called "Little Isaiah"
What is the famous Messianic prophecy in Micah 5:2?
5:2 is the most explicit Messianic prophecy in this book. Micah foretells the place of birth of the Messiah, namely, Bethlehem. This was well known when Jesus was born, as the religious leaders were quick to tell King Herod where that was to be
What is the rhetorical/emotional effect of the 8 judgments intended to be?
???
Why did Jonah run away?
???
How is Micah classified regarding Messianic prophecy?
About one third of the content of this book exposes the specific sins of the people (theme 1), about one third predicts coming judgment (theme 3), and about one third offers hope of restoration following the judgment of God (theme 4). ****Proportionally, Micah has more predictive prophecy than any other prophetic book.
What were the conditions in Israel during the ministry of Amos, and why is this significant in his prophecies?
Amos ministered during the reigns of kings Uzziah (Judah) and Jeroboam II (Israel) (1:1). Jeroboam's reign was a time of great military, political, and economic success - the "golden age" of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The sins of the time: Greed, Indulgence, Immorality, Injustice, Oppression, Self-sufficiency, Pride
What happens in chapters 1-3? What does this symbolize?
An Unfaithful Wife and a Loving Husband, 1-3 Basically, they take a human loving relationship and make it immoral, depicting God's love for the church (His people) and how they are unfaithful in return
What is significant about the word chesed or "loyal love"?
An important Old Testament word: chesed - "lovingkindness," or better, "loyal love," "steadfast love" (ESV), or "unfailing mercy." Hosea is very emotional in his appeal to Israel to repent, and thus, a challenge to translate.
Nahum's prophecies here are directed against what nation?
Assyria
Who are the 2 exilic prophets?
Daniel and Ezekiel
How does the book end (ch. 3)? What is the significance of this (especially the last few verses)?
Ends in rejoicing 1. God is at work dealing with unrighteousness, even though we may not sense it. 2. God's timing is not ours; God's means are not ours. 3. God's final dealing with unrighteousness is yet future. 4. We should be willing to "struggle" with God regarding the hard questions of life. 5. We must trust God even with the unknowns of life (3:17-19).
What are Isaiah's "Servant Songs"? Who is to be identified as the Servant of the Lord?
Found in chapters 49-57 The servant of Yahweh was to be the one who obeys God and accomplishes his will. The servant of Yahweh was to be the nation of Israel (cf. 41:8; 44:1), but they failed. So, it was also to be the remnant of Israel, that is, the faithful within Israel (49:3), they would only fulfill this imperfectly. So, ultimately and supremely, the servant of Yahweh is the Messiah of Israel (52:13).
What is the theme of the book of Hosea?
God's loyal love for his rebellious people
What did Jonah think of this outcome?
He pouts/is upset that God won't bring judgment upon the Ninevites
What does Amos specifically prophesy regarding God's judgment of Israel (5:27; 7:11, 17)?
He's predicting the Assyrian exile
What king and event is this prophet associated with?
Hezekiah - which makes Zephaniah the only prophet with royal blood - Zephaniah's ministry was during the reign of Josiah (640-609 B.C.). Mostly took place before the reforms under Josiah in the year 622, as idolatry was dealt with by Josiah at that time. So the dates of his ministry are around 630-620 B.C. Zephaniah was a contemporary of Jeremiah and Habakkuk. - At this time, Assyria was in decline and Babylon was on the rise. So, there were significant international changes taking place.
The world-power in chs. 1-39 is A_________. The world-power in chs. 40-66 is B________.
In first section (1-39), Assyria is the world-power In second section (40-66), Babylon is the world-power
What is dirge prophecy?
a funeral lament spoken over the people of God as though they were already dead, i.e., judged by God
What is lawsuit prophecy?
an indictment spoken over the people of God as if they were on trial; God is usually the prosecutor and/or judge Form: component such charges, witnesses, pleas, testimony, evidence, verdicts, and sentences
What is disaster prophecy?
announcement of imminent or future disaster due to sin
What is apocalyptic prophecy?
characterized by dreams and visions with elaborate and strange imagery and symbolism
What is narrative prophecy?
descriptive prose of prophetic commissions OR instruction about symbolic actions
What is praise psalm prophecy?
extolling the person or work of God
What are the five visions symbolic of?
of God's impending judgment
What is salvation prophecy?
opposite of the disaster prophecy but with positive contents - announcement of future restoration from divine disaster, i.e., hope
Can you pronounce Maher-shalal-hash-baz? ;)
probably not
Why is Jonah unique among the prophetic books?
prophets because it focuses more upon the person of the prophet than the message of the prophet
What is the date of this book (in general, not the specific year)?
shortly before the downfall of Judah in 605 B.C., (probably during the reign of King Jehoiakim)
What is woe prophecy?
similar to the disaster prophecy, but introduced by "Woe to you/ those who . . ."
What is lament prophecy?
the prophet complains to God
What is vision prophecy?
the prophet's report of a divine vision Form: terms such as "see," "made to see," "and behold" followed by a description of the vision
What is disputation prophecy?
the speaker tries to persuade the audience of some perspective
What is the purpose of the books of prophecy?
to deliver the message of God to his people.
How does the book end (9:11-15)?
with promises of restoration
What are the themes of the book of Habakkuk?
• God is trustworthy even when his work is beyond our understanding. • Therefore, God's people are to live by faith in God.
What lesson did God have to teach Jonah (4:9-11)? How does this apply to all of us?
Jonah pities the plant that withers and does not bring him comfort any longer; God teaches him that He love all people by showing mercy on the Ninevites The truth illustrated here is that God loves all people (John 3:16); Jesus died for all people (1 Tim 2:6); God desires all people to repent and be saved (1 Tim 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). Therefore, our attitude toward all people should reflect God's attitude toward all people.
Who are the 10 pre exilic prophets?
Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Obadiah
Who was written Habakkuk to? Main theme?
Judah Faith
Who was Daniel written to? Main theme?
Judah God's sovereign plan
Who was Jeremiah written to? Main theme?
Judah Impending judgment of Judah
Who was Obadiah written to? Main theme?
Judah Judgment against Edom
Who was Nahum written to? Main theme?
Judah Judgment against Nineveh
Who was Malachi written to? Main theme?
Judah Moral and Spiritual Lethargy
Who was Zechariah written to? Main theme?
Judah Rebuild the Temple for the Future
Who was Isaiah written to? Main theme?
Judah Salvation ("Little Bible")
Who was Micah written to? Main theme?
Judah Salvation ("Little Isaiah")
Who was Joel written to? Main theme?
Judah The Day of the Lord
Who was Zephaniah written to? Main theme?
Judah The day of the Lord
Who was Ezekiel written to? Main theme?
Judah The glory of God
Who was Haggai written to? Main theme?
Judah Rebuild the Temple now
What is the larger significance of this book for all of God's people?
That God will bring judgment against our enemies; we can entrust God with it and we don't have to worry about it God is not blind to what is happening to us; He will deal with our enemies justly
What is the "remnant"? the "day of the Lord"?
The "day of the Lord" - the future, cataclysmic pouring out of God's wrath in judgment upon sinful humanity The "Remnant" - A group of people whom God preserves in faithfulness to himself even in the midst of and through his judgments
What is the theme of the book of Zephaniah?
The Day of the Lord - stated 23 times!
What happened after Jonah announced God's judgment in Nineveh?
The city repents; God will not judge those who genuinely repent
Where was Jonah directed to go by God and for what reason?
To Ninevah; to warn them about God's impending judgment in 40 days
What is the responsibility of the prophet?
To represent God before the people of God by proclaiming the message of God
The theological question involved here is: Why do the w________ prosper and the r________ suffer?
Why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer?
How does each of these three sermons end?
With an assurance of hope; 1-2 end with note of comfort for the Messiah will come, 3-5 ends with assurance of hope- the Messiah, and 6-7 end with assurance of hope in future salvation
The downfall of this nation was accomplished by what other nation?
Babylon; a flood washed out a wall that allowed it so that the Babylonians could enter and cause the downfall
Who are the 4 post exilic prophets?
Joel, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
Who was Amos written to? Main theme?
Israel Judgment against prosperous Israel
Who was Hosea written to? Main theme?
Israel Spiritual adultery and loyal love
Who was Jonah written to? Main theme?
Israel/Ninevah God's love for Gentiles
