Instructional Wisdom Literature
short, optimistic and simplistic
Discourse Wisdom Literature
extended speeches, grappling with life's problems, more pessimistic and complex
Which OT wisdom books are instructional?
Proverbs, some Psalms
Which OT wisdom books are discourses?
Job, Ecclesiastes
Relate the four wisdom books to each other
Instructional books say, "This is how life works..." and discourse books respond with "...except when it doesn't" (but what about when everything goes wrong?)
Who is the Satan?
The opposer, adversary, opponent, or accuser
Retribution theology
If you do good, you get good; if you do bad, you get bad
General storyline/characters in Job
Job's faith is being tested by God allowing Satan to punish him; three friends speak into him; two say he's bad and deserves the punishment, but one speaks truth into him about being faithful to God; the three friends are Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad
How the book of Job ends
God answers Job and asks rhetorical questions, basically saying, "Job, you're not God. I am.
The gist of what Job's friends have to say
Their overarching belief was that Job was suffering because he had done something wrong. As a result, they repeatedly encourage Job to admit his wrong and repent so that God would bless him again (retribution theology which is untrue and angers God)
The gist of Job's response to his friends
He says he was faithful and did not sin, so his friends are wrong
What does Elihu have to say to Job?
God uses suffering as a correction for humans; Job shouldn't question God because that's rebellion; Job should wait on God for his response
The gist of the Lord's response to Job
Job, I am God and you are not
theodicy
God doesn't cause bad things to happen--it's from the human heart; free will allows us to sin
Structure of the book of Proverbs
-Prologue (1:2-7)
- Speeches about Wisdom from father to son (1:8-9:18)
- Collection of sayings (10-29)
-Collection of sayings from Agur and King Lemuel's mom (30-31)
What is a proverb?
-short, persuasive sayings proven true by experience
-collection of timeless truths
-restores God's values and the order He has created in the world
-moves the learner towards virtue
-true in certain situations
-takes wisdom to know which advice to follow
What is a proverb NOT?
-a promise
-always true
-a command
Acrostic
-poetic format--the initial letters of each successive line form a word, phrase or pattern
-Hebrew poem that uses the letters of the Hebrew alphabet to begin a new line, strophe, unit or paragraph
- struggling from A-Z (Lamentations)
Qohelet
preacher or teacher
Hebel
-Vanity on vanity
- "Vanity"
- Emptiness of breath
- Abel
- Smoke
- Mist
- Meaninglessness
- Everything is meaningless
What questions is Ecclesiastes trying to answer?
-the meaning of life
-how life works, except when it doesn't...(pessimistic)
How does the book of Ecclesiastes answer that question?
-tells us HOW we should live
-fear God and keep His commandments
-there are still things to enjoy--it is the gift of God
-enjoy life and work
-fear God and keep His commands
What are the major themes of Ecclesiastes?
-work never ends; we are never satisfied
-three things we can't control: chance, time, death
-these pursuits bring meaning to life
How does the book of Ecclesiastes end?
-gives us commandments on how to live
-gives us the answer on how to live: fear God and keep His commandments
What does the author of Ecclesiastes repeat over and over again?
Everything is vanity
What are the three take-aways of Song of Songs as discussed in class?
-romantic love is a powerful force, one needs to be careful with it; love is as strong as death
-illustrates mutuality in some ways--a transfer or flashback to the garden of Eden before sin
-commitment in spite of complications and problems
What verses illustrate the major theme of the Song and what theme do they illustrate?
-major theme: love between God and humans
-"Behold: you are altogether beautiful my love" (Song of Solomon 4:7)
List the genres of Psalms
-hymns
-lament
-penitential
-wisdom
-royal
-imprecatory
Hymn Psalms
praise and thanksgiving, 1/5 of the book
Lament Psalms
crying out to the Lord, 1/3 of the book
Penitential Psalms
confess sorrow for sin
Wisdom Psalms
general observations on life
Royal Psalms
focus on the King as the son of David
Imprecatory Psalms
call for God's judgement on enemies, more than 1/5 of the book
Doxology (Psalms)
the wrap-up of each of the five "books" in Psalms
What are superscriptions and what do they tell us?
the information after the number of the psalm; tell us who wrote it / why they wrote it / to whom it was written
Who are the authors of the psalms?
-David
- Sons of Korah (temple singers)
- Moses
- Solomon
-Anonymous
How many books are in Psalms and how do they end?
5 books, each ending with a doxology
How can we use the imprecatory psalms today?
treat them as prayers, not plans of action (leave the judgment in God's hands)
Who are the pre-classical prophets?
-Samuel
- Elijah
- Elisha
- Nathan
- Deborah
- Huldah
- Moses
Who are the major prophets and why are they called that?
-Isaiah
-Jeremiah
-Ezekiel
-Daniel
-"major" refers to their lengths--these are the longer books (long individual books)
How many minor prophets are there and why are they called that?
-12 minor prophets
-shorter books
List the twelve minor prophets (The Book of the Twelve)
-Hosea
-Joel
-Amos
-Obadiah
-Jonah
-Micah
-Nahum
-Habakkuk
-Zephanaiah
-Haggai
-Zecharaiah
-Malachi
What are prophets?
they are messengers who tell people to repent or else they will get judged
What are the common themes of the prophets?
repentance and judgement
In what historical context did the classical prophets arise?
during the downward spiral of Israel's faithfulness beginning with Solomon (900s)
What was the situation in Israel that made it necessary that God send His people prophets?
750 BC--the foreign powers were threatening Israel and Judah
What's the general time period the classical prophets prophesied?
pre-exile to post-exile
Hosea (where, when, to whom, kings)
o Where: Israel
o When: 7793-739 BC
o Whom: Israel
oKings: Jotham, Ahaz, Jeroboam, Hezekiah, Uzziah
Amos (where, when, to whom, kings)
o Where: Israel/Judah and he is a shepherd of Tekoa
o When: 793-739 BC
o Whom: Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammonites, Moab, Judah and Israel
o Kings: Jotham, Uzziah, Jeroboam, and Pekah
Jonah (where, when, to whom, kings)
o Where: Zebulun
o When: 793-753 BC
o Whom: Nineveh
o Kings: Jeroboam and Amiziah
Micah (where, when, to whom, kings)
o Where: Moresheth, Southwest of Jerusalem
o When: 740-700 BC
o Whom: Samaria and Jerusalem
o Kings: Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. This concerned Jerusalem and Samaria
Haggai (where, when, to whom, kings)
o Where: Judah
o When: began in 520 BC
o Whom: Judah
oKings: In the second year of King Darius
Zechariah (where, when, to whom, kings)
o Where: Judah
o When: 520 BC
o Whom: Judah
o Kings: In the eighth month of the second year of King Darius - Haggai was active before Zechariah
Malachi (where, when, to whom, kings)
o Where: Postexilic Judah
o When: 470-460 BC
o Whom: Judah
o Kings: Before Ezra
Ezekiel (where, when, to whom, kings)
o Where: in exile in Babylon
o When: 593-571 BC
o Whom: Babylon
o Kings: N/A
Isaiah (where, when, to whom, kings)
o When: 740-681 BC
o Where: Judah's royal court
o Whom: people of Judah
o Kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah
Hosea structure
o Hosea's Family/God's Family (1:1-3:5)
o God takes Israel to court (4:1-5:15)
o Hosea's invitation tarnished by reality (6:1-11:11)
o God's final arguments against Israel (11:12-13:16)
o The possibility of restoration (14:1-9)
Amos structure
o Superscription and introduction (1:1-2)
o Israel is no better than the other nations (1:3-2:16)
o Various prophecies against Israel (3:1-6:14)
o Five visions of judgement (7:1-9:10)
o Promises of restoration and blessing (9:11-15)
Jonah structure
o Jonah wants his own way (1:1-16)
o Jonah decides on God's way (1:17-2:10)
o Jonah preaches to Nineveh (3:1-10)
o Jonah pouts over Nineveh (4:1-11)
Micah structure
o First round of judgement and salvation (1:1-5:15)
o Second round of judgement and salvation (6:1-7:20)
Haggai structure
o First message: a call to action (1:1-1:15)
o Second message: a word of encouragement (2:1-9)
o Third message: conformation of blessing (2:10-19)
o Fourth message: the restoration of the Davidic kingdom (2:20-23)
Zechariah structure
o Call for return to the Lord (1:1-6)
o The eight, night visions (1:7-6:8)
o The crowning of Joshua (6:9-15)
o The observance of fasts (7:1-8:23)
o Coming of the messiah (9:1-14:21)
Malachi structure
o Introduction (1:1)
o God's love for his people (1:2-5)
o God's honor among his people (1:6-2:9)
o God's concern about intermarriage and divorce (2:10-16)
o God's justice and patience (2:17-3:6)
o God's concern for tithes and offerings (3:7-12)
o God's l
Ezekiel structure
o Ezekiel 1-25 (judgement and the fall of jerusalem)
o Ezekiel 25-32 (judgement upon other nations after the fall)
o Ezekiel 33-48 (hope and restoration of Israel)
Isaiah structure
o Isaiah 1-39 (judgement, the Babylonian exile)
o Isaiah 40-66 (hope)
Hosea main themes/events
Loving God and being compassionate and merciful to those around you are the values most desired by God
Amos main themes/events
Loving God and being compassionate and merciful to those around you are the values most desired by God
Jonah main themes/events
God deeply cares for people and desires to extend grace everywhere, so they repent of their sins
Micah main themes/events
Social injustice, true worship, false security
Haggai main themes/events
o Judah's spiritual apathy
o Spiritual restoration must precede social or political restoration
o God's presence is the key to restoration
Zechariah main themes/events
o Spiritual restoration must precede social or political restoration
o God's presence is the key to restoration
Malachi main themes/events
God does not need the worship of his people, but he is worthy of highest honor and praise and is rightly offended when he is treated with disdain
Ezekiel main themes/events
o The presence of God
o Purity
o Israel as a divine community
o individual responsibility to God
Isaiah main themes/events
Covenant obligations
Common themes of the prophetic books
-covenant obligations
-the "day of the Lord"
-an anointed one, a Messiah
How Isaiah and King Ahaz interact and what happens in that story
-Isaiah, addressing king Ahaz of Judah, promises the king that God will destroy his enemies; as a sign that his oracle is a true one, Isaiah says that a specific almah ("the young woman") has conceived and will bear a son whose name will be Immanuel, "God
How Isaiah and Hezekiah interact and what happens in that story
-Hezekiah hears that a foreign country is going to come in and invade his kingdom and he tears a sackcloth and repents and goes to Isaiah to ask for help and Isaiah says do not be afraid because the country is going to. Be killed in their own land so they
Who is the "servant" in Isaiah?
-At first the servant is Israel aka Jacob. Later on, it moves on to Isaiah...or it could be Jesus (Isaiah 52:13-53:12)
-The Lord is going to work through "his servant" to accomplish his purposes
-The servant has a specific role to fulfill -A light to the
Significance of the "new covenant
-God speaks to the people and promises to restore them (mentioned at the last supper)
-The Lord says the people need to turn from their ways and then find pardon
-God didn't want to wait for the people because they weren't doing it but he had already made
Lamentations overview
- 5 lament poems grieving the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon
-Acrostic poetry - the suffering from A-Z
-Very little hope except in the new covenant
-Tragic cries of people experiencing horrors of war, humiliation and exile
-The author ponders God's relation
Ezekiel overview
-Ezekiel's vision and call
-Four dazzling beings
-The beings moved as the spirit of God directed them
-Really caught Ezekiel's attention
-He heard a voice and the creatures dropped their wings in submission
-He realized he was standing in the presence of
Daniel overview (apocalyptic literature)
-Emphasizes God's rule and sovereignty over every world empire
-Translated to revelation
-Visions
-Highly symbolic
-Not just judgement on a current ruler, but a long-term plan of judgement
-Divides history into distinct periods of time
-Apocalyptic writin
Three themes of Daniel as discussed in class and the stories/visions that illustrate those themes
-God's Sovereignty
-Self-destruction of pride
-The ultimate victory of God's kingdom
-Point of the visions is to prove that in the end, God's kingdom rules over all of it - theme of apocalyptic writings
What does God ask Hosea to do and what is the major analogy of the first part of the book?
-He tells him to marry an "adulterous woman" and have kids with her.
-The major analogy has to do with marriage, Hosea's wife committed adultery against him, yet God still called him to marry her and he still prophesied
Historical context of Amos
-Amos was a shepherd in Tekoa, Judah
-750 BC during the reign of Jeroboam
Major theme of the book of Amos
-Israel is no better than the other nations
-Promises of restoration and blessings
Basic storyline of Jonah
-Go to Nineveh. No.
-Leaves to go to Tarshish
-Sea goes crazy and Jonah is thrown over
-Fish swallows Jonah and Jonah gives thanks for salvation
-Jonah spitted out and heads to Nineveh
-Jonah prophesies about repentance
-Jonah is mad at God
Nineveh
God wants Jonah to speak to these people about his truths because these people are bad and not faithful
How the book of Jonah ends
-It ends in the middle of the action
-Jonah is angry and God is telling him to check himself
How is Jonah different from the other prophetic books?
It is a narrative and not poetic
Micah historical context
-Lived in Moresheth -Southwest of Jerusalem
-He prophesied concerning the evils of Samaria and Jerusalem
-740-700 BC
-Contemporary of the prophet Isaiah
Themes of Micah
-Social injustice
-True worship
-False security
-Judgement and salvation
Major themes of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi
-Dealing with people who just don't care
-Get ready for God's kingdom
-Give God your best
-Haggai - Judah's spiritual apathy, God would bless them if they honored God by rebuilding the temple
-Zechariah - God reveals his purposes for his people
-Malachi -
Haggai's message
-Build the temple
-God will do a new thing; it will be even better than before
-Sinfulness contaminates everyone and everything
-Building the temple didn't make them pure; they still need to repent
-God will overthrow powerful, wicked empires and exalt "Z
Zechariah's message
-God will dwell in the Messianic Kingdom
-It will be like a safe, happy public park
-God will make good on his promise that Israel will be a blessing to others
-People will want to come to the kingdom because God is there
Malachi's message
-They need to live like God's covenant people
-Bring God their best
-Bring God the tithe
-The day of the Lord is coming - what will it be like?
Historical context of Haggai
second year of king Darius, 520 BC
Historical context of Zechariah
second year of king Darius after Haggai, 520-518 BC
Historical context of Malachi
460 BC, temple has been rebuilt, but none of the prophecies of a glorious messianic kingdom have come to pass
How are Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi similar?
Common message: return to the right ways of the Lord and don't neglect the temple
What are some primary ways of understanding the OT in relation to the NT?
1. The OT tells a story of which Jesus is the climax
2. Jesus fulfills promises of the OT
3. The OT Provides the images and words to understand Jesus
4. The OT gives us guidance about how to live with God
5. The OT is the basis of Jesus' guide to spiritua
Structure: Jeremiah vs. Ezekiel
Jeremiah:
-Thematic, not chronological order
-Jer. 1-25: Jeremiah's messages about Judah and Jerusalem
-Jer. 26-45: Stories about Jeremiah
-Jer. 30-33: "Book of Comfort"
-Jer. 46-51: Oracles against the Nations
Ezekiel:
-1-25 Judgement and the fall of Jer
Themes: Jeremiah vs. Ezekiel
Jeremiah:
-Judah, you've gone astray
-Judah, repent
-Judah, it's too late
-Compassion and forgiveness
-Suffering
Ezekiel:
-Betrayal
-Justice and judgement
-Power
-Dreams, hopes, plans
Historical context: Jeremiah vs. Ezekiel
Jeremiah:
-626-587 BC
-Reign of Josiah to the fall of Jerusalem
�722 BC - Assyria destroys Northern kingdom Israel & exiles the people
�701 BC - Assyria destroys some Judean cities but God saves Jerusalem (Hezekiah)
�615 BC - Babylon defeats Assyria
�586
Audience: Jeremiah vs. Ezekiel
Jeremiah: Judah
Ezekiel: Fellow Jews in exile
Symbolic actions reports/object lessons
Nonverbal actions and objects intentionally employed by the prophets so that message content was communicated through them to the audience
Jeremiah's object lessons
-The linen loincloth- message: Judah, you've gone astray
-The potter and the clay - message: Judah, repent
-The broken earth-ware jug - message: Judah, it's too late
Micah (themes, content, structure, audience, historical context)
-Themes/Content: Social injustice, True worship, False security
-Structure: First round of judgement and salvation (1:1-5:15), Second round of judgement and salvation (6:1-7:20)
-Audience: Samaria and Jerusalem
-Historical context: Moresheth, Southwest of
Amos (themes, content, structure, audience, historical context)
-Themes/content: Loving God and being compassionate and merciful to those around you are the values most desired by God
-Structure: Superscription and introduction (1:1-2), Israel is no better than the other nations (1:3-2:16), Various prophecies against
Hosea (themes, content, structure, audience, historical context)
-Themes/content: Loving God and being compassionate and merciful to those around you are the values most desired by God
-Structure: Hosea's Family/God's Family (1:1-3:5), God takes Israel to court (4:1-5:15), Hosea's invitation tarnished by reality (6:1-1
Haggai (themes, content, structure, audience, historical context)
-Themes/content: Judah's spiritual apathy, spiritual restoration must precede social or political restoration, God's presence is the key to restoration
-Structure: First message: a call to action (1:1-1:15), Second message: a word of encouragement (2:1-9)
Zechariah (themes, content, structure, audience, historical context)
-Themes/content: Spiritual restoration must precede social or political restoration, God's presence is the key to restoration
-Structure: Call for return to the Lord (1:1-6), The eight, night visions (1:7-6:8), The crowning of Joshua (6:9-15), The observa
Malachi (themes, content, structure, audience, historical context)
-Themes/content: God does not need the worship of his people, but he is worthy of highest honor and praise and is rightly offended when he is treated with disdain
-Structure: Introduction (1:1), God's love for his people (1:2-5), God's honor among his peo