Studying the Old Testament is not as straightforward as some may think. Being able to recall stories of the Bible does not necessarily mean you have a thorough grasp on the history of Israel and the surrounding nations. Some people read and discuss the Bible without a solid understanding of the history and social issues that were going on at the time. Being able to relate to the stories in the Bible and struggle with some of the same problems faced by the people in the Bible gives you a greater appreciation for the works in the Bible. I feel that having a firm understanding of all the related history of Israel gives a student of the Old Testament a far greater understanding of why these stories are in the Bible and what was meant to be learned from them. In this paper I give brief, yet significant, explanations of the Old Testament from the death of King David to the Maccabean revolt.
To begin our study and understanding of old testament it makes sense to start from the earliest time. King David is responsible for bringing together Israel into one nation. The idea that David is a prophet is debated among scholars and is something worth looking into, since these are decisions we must make regarding the Old Testament. Some believe that Psalms 22 is an accurate account of the crucifixion of Jesus; others find that there are large discrepancies within the passage and claim that the metaphors in the passage are taken too literally. As students of the Bible knowing the history of these works can help us better form our own opinion on such topics. We will find that this will be a common argument within the bible, whither to take it literally or metaphorically.
After the Death of King David, his son Solomon becomes...
... middle of paper ...
...nant of land, people and a blessing to all families. By this time in the Bible all three of these promises have been demonstrated. And the love of God for his people is finding to be everlasting, an idea that will be then carried into the New Testament.
After reading these brief accounts of an enormous span of time we can begin to understand how and why the stories of the Old Testament are complied into the Bible. There is far more detailed accounts of all of the stories, people, places and issues I have mentioned yet this paper ties together all of them into a comprehensive paper which displays the interaction of all aspect of life from the time of the old testament. My goal for this paper was not to simply give a factorial timeline of events but go through the history of Israel and make connections within the span of King David up to the Maccabean Revolt.
Anson Rainey and R. Steven Notley are the authors of The Sacred Land Bridge, which is an Atlas of the biblical world and includes maps, pictures, and historical cementation as to the significance of this region. The biblical world that this atlas focuses on is defined as the eastern Mediterranean littoral, or more commonly called the Levant in modern archeological discussions. In my critique of this book I will be focusing on pages 30-34 which will define the boundaries and explain the importance of the Levant.
The Bible: The Old Testament. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Ed. Sarah Lawall et al. Vol 1. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 1999. 47-97.
1. Carter’s book focuses on the diverse ways the Early Christians dealt with their world, where imperial politics, economics, culture, and religion were mixed together (x). Furthermore, the author organized his book around important imperial realities that New Testament writings negotiate (x). The audience for Carter’s book includes high school or college students, Bible study groups, Sunday school students, clergy, and scholars interested in insights about passages in the New Testament to study.
In this paper, there will be an attempt to investigate two factors first, there will be a comparison between Judah and our nation to see how Jeremiah’s betrayal of God as the divine potter is applicable in today’s world. Finally, How does Paul’s concept of “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son” (Galatians 4:4, English Standard Version). How does this concept relate to our modern world?
There are many different forms of covenants in the Old testament that the people of God agree to. The first one being looked at is between God and Abraham. God promised Abraham a great nation and God said he would bless Abraham (Gen 2:2). God also promised him the Promise Land (Gen 15:18) and said he would be the father of many nations (Gen 17:4). All God asked of him was devotion from him and his people and to have circumcision be the sign from the people (Gen 17:11). The promises of the covenant directly impact Abraham, but they also impacted the people who would follow. God would also use these vows in other covenants because they had historic meaning. The Mosaic covenant has several similarities to the Abrahamic covenant. God told Moses that he would make the people of Israel his treasured possessions (Exo 19:5), which corresponds with the promise of blessings in the first covenant. God also promises to bring the people into the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exo 6:8). God still expected the people to follow and adhere to his words and the sign he required was following the ten commandments. These covenants were made when the people were forced to be a nomadic due to persecution. The promise of blessings and nations and land was something the people needed. The next covenant God made was with King David, this covenant also resembles the Abrahamic covenant. After the people had settled into their land God talks to King David, through the prophet Nathan. God tells David he will have a child who will establish a kingdom forever (2 Sam 7:13) and the kingdom, as well as the house, will be forever and his child will not lose the throne (2 Sam 7:16). These promises are like the ones made to Abraham, both are promised nat...
1996. “Sacrifices and Offerings in Ancient Israel” in Community, Identity, and Ideology: Social Science approach to the Hebrew Bible., ed. Charles E. Carter.
Main Events in the history of Jerusalem. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8, 2011, from Century One Educational Bookstore: http://www.centuryone.com/hstjrslm.html
Being a scholar in religious studies we (the readers) hope that Armstrong would introduce new ideologies gradually. Instead, the author makes parts of her text difficult to read by frequently using complex terms and unfamiliar names of scholars. “King Uzziah of Judah had died that year and was succeeded by his son Azha. After the death of King Jeroboam II, five kings had sat on the throne between 746 and 736, while King Tigleth Pilesar III, king of Assyria….” (Armstrong, 40). Her attempt to captivate the reader weakens as the reader may not know anything about the people whom she is referring to. Furthermore, the reader becomes unfocused, struggles to grasp an understanding of key ideas and additional theories. As an author, her writing style relies on the use of numerous examples to validate her theories. But to create a more comprehensible work, Armstrong should have made her book more coherent and relatable to the reader. The use of several examples hurts the reader, in a way that makes religious ideas confusing and, at the same time, boring the reader with these unfamiliar religious
In recent years there have been several investigations and endeavors to locate many of the central figures of the old testament in historical records and documents. However, these investigations have failed to produce any concrete evidence. Anthony R. Ceresko’s, Introduction to the Old Testament confronts this challenge. With no historical or analytical evidence of the locations of many places mention in the Old Testament, it can be hard to determine how these stories should be most accuracy interpreted. To better interpret the books of the Old Testament many scholars look as far back as the early Israelite people and the values held dear in their society.
LaSor, W., Hubbard, D., Bush, F., & Allen, L. (1996). Old Testament survey: The message, form, and background of the Old Testament (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans
Kingship played a vital role in the progression and development of the kingdom of Israel throughout history from the time they first were freed by the mercy of Yahweh. The presentation of ancient Hebrew culture from kingship in the Old Testament reveals the tradition in
In the days of Christ’s life on this earth, believers did not have access to the Bible in its entirety as we know and are familiar with today. Believers in this ancient time period only had access to the Old Testament. However, through their access to the Old Testament, believers were provided a foundation for New Testament times. This foundation provided New Testament believers with the Lord’s established principles of right and wrong they were expected to follow. In addition, the Old Testament is overflowing with accounts of people whose lives exemplified the future life of Christ on this earth. These pictures allowed the Israelite nation to begin to have an understanding of why Christ needed to come as their Messiah and the work He needed to do on earth. Finally, there are common themes that are interwoven throughout the entire Old Testament. Three of these themes: transgression, redemption, and consummation point to the purpose of Christ’s atoning death on the cross. These themes portray God’s work both in the lives of Old Testament believers, but they also foreshadow God’s desire and plan for believers in New Testament times and beyond.
Surveying the Old Testament reveals the theme of God’s faithfulness to his people. In light of this understanding, the restoration of the Israelites prophesized in the Old Testament is essentially the fulfillment of every covenant with God. This perspective relates to the work of Christ and encourages any follower of God to trust in his faithfulness.
Arragel, Moses, A. Paz Y Meliá, Julián Paz, and Alba, Jacobo Stuart Fitz-James Y Falcó. Bible (Old Testament). Madrid: Priv. Print. for Presentation to the Members of the Roxburghe Club, 1918. Print.