OTS 501 OLD TESTAMENT INTRO AND LITEARTURE Dr. Esa Autero

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 1.1 Introduction to Joel Who was Joel? What do we know about Joel? When and where did he prophecy? Have you heard a sermon on Joel that did not refer to NT passages?

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 1.2 Historical and Critical Issues Author, date, composition Who is Joel? Joel, son of Pethuel Date Joel was written clouded in mystery Suggestions from 800s-100sBC Why is the date of a biblical book important? Historical context influences the interpretation Some issues to consider in the dating of Joel Assumes the ongoing Temple operations (1:9, 13-16; 2:15-17) Elders and priests as leaders (1:2, 13; 2:16) 7-year Joash on the throne (2Kgs 11)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Judah is called Israel (2:27; 3:2, 16) – Israel destroyed? Similar phraseology b/w Joel and other prophets  Who is dependent on who? Joel used earlier materials (or vice versa)? Stock phrases? Joel and the other OT prophets Joel 1:15 Isa 13:6 2:3 Isa 51:3; Ezek 36:35 2:10 Isa 13:10 3:10 Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3 3:16 Am 1:2; Isa 13:13 3:17 Ezek 36:11; Isa 52:1 3:18 Am 9:13

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Similarity of theological concepts Fountain flowing from the Temple (3:18/Zech14:3-8/Ezek47:1-12) Dispersion of Jews in the surrounding lands (3:1-2) Joel’s position in the canon – b/w 8th century prophets Or b/c of other similarities (3:16, 18; Am 1:2; 9:13) Two possible settings Postexilic date (c. 530-420BC) Invasion of Judah by Assyria and/or Babylon (701; 598; 588) Unity and composition Many events generalized – e.g. confession of sins (1:13-14; 2:13-14) Liturgical(?) and trans-historical character Probably single author +later editing (minor) Possibly 2:28-3:21

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 1.3 Background, purpose, structure Historical background – depends on the dating If postexilic – Persian period Joel would be familiar w/ other prophetic writings Time of Zerubbabel (and Haggai and Zechariah 530BC) OR Time of Ezra and Nehemiah (and Malachi 420BC)  Time b/w the two periods Purpose of Joel Addresses the “day of the LORD” Correlate it with the locust plague as inception and anticipation of the DAY

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Structure of Joel Superscription (1:1) The locust plague judgment (1:2-20) Judgment and call to repentance – day of YHWH Locust army and the day of YHWH (2:1-17) Description of the locust army Call to repentance 3:1 Blessing, restoration & judgment of the nations (2:18-3:21) The promise of blessing and renewal Abundance as a restoration to locust destruction Outpouring of the Spirit Judgment of the nations

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 1.4 Themes in Joel The Day of YHWH and locust plague Locust plague – God’s chastening and judgment Israel needs to repent or greater intrusion of locusts (armies) God as the sovereign over the nations Day of YHWH – eschatological battle against evil Israel’s judgment and prosperity Nations judged

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 2.1 Introduction to Amos What do you know about Amos? Familiar sections or sayings? NT quotes? Am 9:11-12//Acts 15:16-17 Heard sermons on Amos?

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 2.2 Historical and Critical Issues Author, date, composition Amos as the traditional author Unified work by Amos the prophet Critical views and authorship/composition Amos the prophet behind some of the traditions Possible later sections or editing 3rd person narrative & intrusion into the section of visions (7:10-17) Oracles against the foreign nations – slightly diff. in form (Am 1-2) “Hymn fragments” (1:2; 4:13; 5:8-9; 8:8; 9:5-6) Salvation promises (9:11-15) pro-Judahite and postexilic Further editing (3:7; 5:13)  “piece-meal” approach – more recent scholarship – general unity

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah More likely scenario for the composition Amos wrote or committed to writing most oracles 1st person oracles Written some time after the actual preaching event Writing perhaps prompted by the earthquake (1:1; cf. 9:1; Zech 14:4-5 --- major earthquake dated to 760BC)  Possible minor editing later on Amos written around 750-760BC

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 2.3 Background, purpose, structure Historical background Prophet Amos – from Tekoa (in Judah near Bethlehem) Poor and humble shepherd, mid-level manager OR elite? Humble shepherd still most viable option (7:15) Amos – as a prophet or not a prophet? (7:14-15; 7:12) Prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah and Jeroboam II First of the classical prophets – against Israel (north) For how long did Amos prophecy? 1/2hr to years! (750-748BC) Prophesied in royal sanctuary in Bethel (7:12-13) Historical setting (2Kgs14:17-15:7; 2 Chr 26) [c. 791-746BC] Prosperity and geographical expansion Good relations b/w Israel and Judah

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Purpose “the end has come to my people” (8:2) Social and moral corruption of Israel (north) Prophecy of judgment and doom – w/ some rays of hope The Day of the LORD – a day of disaster, not of blessing (5:18) Structure Four basic sections Eight oracles against the nations (1:3-2:16) Five prophetic words (3-6) Five prophetic visions (7:1-9:10) Epilogue – blessing and renewal for Israel (9:11-15)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 2.4 Themes in Amos Social justice Prophecy against socio-economic injustice of Israel War-crimes and injustice of the nations (1:3-2:5) False weights and “obsession” over commerce (8:5-6) Bribery and injustice (2:7; 5:7, 11-12, 15, 24; 6:12) Needy & righteous, poor and afflicted oppressed (2:6-7; 5:11) Riches and luxurious living at the expense of the poor & needy (5:1; 5:11; 6:4-6; 8:4-6) – first to go to exile (5:25; 6:7) Violence, sexual immorality (2:7-8) God’s blessing only if people “establish justice” (5:15): “seek me and live” (5:4, 6, 14) Justice instead of ritual (5:20-24)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Election of Israel and the Day of the LORD Two traditional themes subverted Day of the LORD – thought of as day of deliverance (6:18-20) “darkness not light” “gloom no brightness” – due to injustice Election of Israel and Exodus – relativized due to arrogance Israel is like other nations – Cush; Philistines from Caphor (Crete), Arameans from Kir (Elam[?]) (9:7) Judgment due to election (3:1-2)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 3.1 Introduction to Obadiah Who was Obadiah? Have you ever heard a sermon on Obadiah? What theme? What is the point of the 21 verses of Obadiah in the OT?

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 3.2 Historical and Critical Issues Author, composition, date Obadiah as the traditional author (1:1) Who was Obadiah? Ahab’s servant? (1 Kgs 18:3-16) No info on Obadiah in the book – identity uncertain “Worshipper of YHWH” (LXX, Vulgate); “Servant of YHWH” (MT) Critical scholarship and the composition 1) 1-14, 15b from Obadiah (concrete situation) – 15a, 16-21 later addition (distant day of the LORD) 2) 1-18 from Obadiah (about historical Edom) – 19-21 later addition (oracle addressed to Israel about the future) 3) Essential unity: oracles addressed to Israel though Edom and the nations addressed in 19-21. (phrase reps. 1-4, 15-21; 8-10, 11-14)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Obadiah and Jeremiah – near verbatim parallels 1b-4//Jer 49:14-16 and 5-6//Jer 49:9-10 Which came first? Literary dependence? Common source? Obadiah’s or Jeremiah’s priority? Common anti-Edomite source adapted by both Date Date range from 850BC to 400BC based on vv. 11-14 Attack on Jerusalem by Philistines and Arabs during the reign of Jehoram in 844BC (2Chr 21:16-17; 2Kgs 8:16-20) OR Destruction Jerusalem by Babylonians in 587BC (2Kgs25:1-12)  Most likely written in the 6th century BC

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 3.3 Background, purpose, structure Historical background Edom & Israel – Esau & Jacob Edom = Esau (Deut 2:4-5); Hor (Num 20:23); Seir (Gen 36:8-9) Denied passage during Ex (Num 21:4) Relationship w/ Israel (1Sam 14:47; 2Kgs8:20-22; 24:8-17; 1Esd 4:50) Date of collapse unknown (Mal1:2-4) Historical situation of Obadiah Edom’s raids to Judea during the fall of Jerusalem (Ps 137:7; Lam 4:21-22)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Purpose and structure Condemnation of Edom for cruelty over sacking Jerusalem (2-9) YHWH’s ultimate triumph and judgment of nations (10-14) Salvation of Israel (15-16) Structure of Obadiah Superscription (1a) YHWH’s message against Edom (1b-14) The Day of the LORD (15-21)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 3.4 Themes of Obadiah Pride, retribution, judgment, and restoration Message of the prophets in a nutshell Pride (and violence) of Edom and other nations (1-14) Judgment of God due to arrogance (15) Retribution - “As you have done…shall be done to you” (15) Deliverance and salvation of Israel (17, 21)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 4.1 Introduction to Jonah What is peculiar about Jonah compared to other prophetic books? What is the most common context for hearing the story in the evangelical churches? What about the strange features? Giant fish w/ stomach problems; super-fast growing plant; animals repenting etc.

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 4.2 Historical and Critical Issues Author, composition, date Traditional view – unified work by Jonah (cf. 2Kgs 14:24) Jonah is anonymous – no references to an author Historical narrative about Jonah the prophet Jesus refers to Jonah and Nineveh (Matt 12:39-40; Lk 11:29-30) Critical theories: historicity & genre as major challenges Jonah as fictional story or edifying parable b/c Jonah in fish’s belly Super-growth of the plant and the worm (4:6-7) Repentance of animals (3:7-8) Size of Nineveh and “king of Nineveh” (3:3-5) Peculiar literary qualities

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Some responses from the evangelical scholars God, miracles, and the worldview Defending the plausibility of the “fish story”(?) (e.g. Aalders 1976 [1948]; cf. Page 1995 [NAC]) More historically oriented questions open to investigation Animals and the mourning rites in Herodotus and Judith 4:10 “They and their…cattle…all put sackcloth…prostrated… ” (Jud 4:10-11) “King of Nineveh” – local governor or actual king (cf. 1Kgs 21:1) Size of Nineveh could indicate the size of the task (cf. Neh 2:6) or reference to the province of Nineveh Literary genre seems to be narrative though highly artistic Jesus seems to refer to Jonah as a real person (Matt 12:39-40)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Evaluation and further comments Was Jonah meant as straight forward historical narrative? Many, not all, evangelicals view Jonah as historical narration Jesus meant Jonah as historical event OR as an illustration? Like a modern preacher could ask believers to imitate the Good Samaritan or Prodigal’s repentance w/o assuming the parables are historical events E.g. “something greater than Jonah is here” – “we should demonstrate even greater self-sacrifice than the Good Samaritan” Does this undermine the authority of the text? How was Jonah intended to be understood? Does the message of Jonah depend on the question of historicity? Composition and date Unified composition Date difficult to establish – c. 740-350BC [612BC fall of Nineveh]

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 4.3 Background, purpose, structure Historical background Setting of Jonah in 8th century BC Jonah lived during the reign of Jeroboam II (786-746BC) Son of Amittai from Gath-Hepher Prophesied the expansion of Israel (2Kgs 14:23-25) Purpose Demonstrate God’s judgment and mercy to Jonah the Hebrew prophet Nineveh the pagan nation

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah Structure God’s first call to Jonah (1:1-16) God’s rescue of Jonah and his response (1:17-2:10) God’s second call of Jonah & Nineveh’s response (3:1-9) God’s rescue of Nineveh and Jonah’s response (3:10-4:5) Lesson and God’s right to compassion (4:6-11)

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 4.4 Themes in Jonah God’s judgment and mercy God’s judgment to Nineveh’s wickedness (1:2) Jonah: storm, worm, east wind (1:4; 4:7-8) God’s mercy toward Nineveh – warning of destruction, deliverance (1:2; 3:1-5; 4:11) Jonah: fish, vine (1:17; 4:6) Compare and contrast Jonah and gentiles Reluctance and anger of Jonah Fear of the sailors, repentance of Nineveh

Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah