THE OLD TESTAMENT IN REVIEW

THE TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT 24 books in the Hebrew Bible; 39 books in the Protestant OT. The Protestant OT doesn’t include the books called the “Apocrypha” because the Hebrew Bible doesn’t include them. Written primarily in Hebrew with some passages in Aramaic Some writers are known (Moses, David, Solomon) but others are not While there is no one “theme”, there is a “forward- looking” aspect to many of the books.

THE TRANSMISSION OF THE OT REVELATION RECORDING THE REVELATION TORAH (PENTATEUCH) PROPHETS WRITINGS TRANSMITTING THE REVELATION SEPTUAGINT DEAD SEA MASORETIC (OT IN GREEK) SCROLLS (HEBREW) TEXT (HEBREW) (+/- 250 BCE) (+/- 200 BCE) (+/- 500 CE)

THE CANON OF THE OT: THE HEBREW CANON TORAH: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy THE PROPHETS Early: Joshua, Judges, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings Latter: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the “12” (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi) THE WRITINGS: Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Songs (Solomon), Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1&2 Chronicles

THE CANON OF THE OT: PROTESTANT (Same books; different order) THE PENTATEUCH: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy HISTORY: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1&2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1&2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther POETRY AND WISDOM: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon THE PROPHETS: Major: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel Minor: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

THE OLD TESTAMENT AS HISTORY Deals with the time from creation to the beginning of the period called the Restoration of Israel (about 400 BCE) The OT contains history told from a religious point of view that deals with God’s dealings with Hebrews and with the nation of ancient Israel. Dating of the earliest events is problematic; there is more certainty starting with the history of Abraham (about 2000BCE). Much of OT history can be corroborated by archeology, but much cannot.

OT CHRONOLOGY The period of beginnings (Creation to ca. 2000 BCE): Genesis 1-11 Creation The flood The tower of Babel The patriarchal period (ca. 2000-1600 BCE) Genesis 12-50 Abraham Isaac Jacob The period of the exodus (ca. 1600 – 1250? BCE) Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy Moses The Red Sea, Sinai and the Covenant The journey to Canaan The period of the conquest (ca. 1250-1200? BCE) Joshua

The period of the return and restoration (538-ca. 400 BCE) The period of the judges (ca. 1200-1050 BCE) Period of transition from tribal rule to monarchy The United Kingdom (ca. 1050-922 BCE) Saul David Solomon The Divided Kingdom (922-587 BCE) Two separate kingdoms divided by civil war The Northern Kingdom (Israel) (922-722 BCE) The Southern Kingdom (Judah) (9221-587 BCE) The period of the Babylonia Exile (605?-539 BCE) Hebrew leaders taken to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians The period of the return and restoration (538-ca. 400 BCE) Jews allowed to return to Israel after the Babylonians were defeated by the Persians Zerubabel Ezra Nehemiah

THE OLD TESTAMENT AS PROMISE Part of the OT is prophecy and promise Some prophecies spoke of the coming of a messiah The promises began in the garden of Eden: Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." The coming king Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Micah 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel,

PRINCIPLE RELIGIOUS THEMES The sovereignty of God over all of creation and history The power of God to intervene in history The revelation of God for the purpose of redemption The love and justice of God The covenants of God The promises of God