OT Full Learning Guide

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OT – Learning Guide 1.1

A Fleeting Glance
Contents
1.1.1 Literary and Historic Overview ..................................................................................... 3
1.1.1.a The Old Testament Canon ....................................................................................... 4

1.1.1.b The Metanarrative of the Bible ................................................................................. 5
1.1.1.c The Genres ............................................................................................................. 6
1.1.1.d The Significance of Jesus ........................................................................................ 8
1.1.2 Old Testament Overview .............................................................................................. 9
1.1.2.a The Torah (Law)..................................................................................................... 11

1.1.2.b The Prophets: The Former Prophets...................................................................... 13
1.1.2.c The Latter Prophets and Book of the Twelve ......................................................... 15
1.1.2.d The Writings .......................................................................................................... 16
1.1.2.e Summary ............................................................................................................... 18
1.1.3 Genesis 1–12 ............................................................................................................... 19
1.1.3.a Chapter 1: One God, one creation ......................................................................... 19

1.1.3.b Chapter 2: An intimate creation ............................................................................. 19
1.1.3.c Chapter 3: Rebellion .............................................................................................. 19
1.1.3.d Chapter 4: The spread of sin ................................................................................. 20
1.1.3.e Chapter 5: The family tree...................................................................................... 20
1.1.3.f Chapter 6–9: The flood ........................................................................................... 21
1.1.3.g Chapter 10–11: Babel ........................................................................................... 21
1.1.3.h Chapter 12: Abraham ............................................................................................ 21
Old Testament
2.1: 3.1:
1.1:
The Pentateuch and Former Prophets, Book of the Twelve,
A Fleeting Glance
Prophets and the Writings
A valuable cultural artefact, a collection of beloved childhood stories, a dense book of archaic
morality—the Old Testament represents many different things to the many different people who
have encountered it over the millennia that it has been around. For the faithful and thoughtful
Christian, there is a strong need to set aside any preconceptions surrounding the Old
Testament and engage with it on its own terms. This topic will assist students in doing this, as it
covers the entire panorama of the Old Testament, but in enough detail for students to
understand the incredible story that it tells, and what each part of it adds to the whole. The topic
concludes with a glance at the opening twelve chapters of Genesis, helping students to
commence a disciplined and rewarding study of the beginning of God’s magnificent word to us.
Learning Outcomes
1. To place the Old Testament within a literary and historic context that helps in
explaining its substance, structure and overarching purpose.
2. To build a broad impression of the major divisions of the Old Testament, noting
what they offer in terms of content and themes as part of the Bible’s big story.
3. To focus on the opening chapters of Genesis as they mark the beginning of God’s
revelation of himself and the first involvement of humanity in God’s plan.
2 timothypartnership.com.au OT – Old Testament

1.1.1 Literary and Historic Overview
The two main divisions of the Bible are what we call the Old and New Testaments. The Old
Testament is made up of thirty-nine ‘books’. The New Testament is made up of twenty-seven
‘books’. In total, our Bibles are made up of sixty-six different pieces of literature. Aside from
these two major divisions are many more and these often correspond to different types or styles
of writing.
The different types or genres represented in the Bible are:
• narratives or stories (Genesis)

• law/instructions (much of Exodus)
• poetry/songs (Psalms)
• sermons (Matthew 5–7)
• prophecies (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel)
• genealogies (1 Chronicles, Matthew 1)
• wisdom sayings (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes)
• parables (much of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke)
• letters (Romans)
• apocalyptic material (parts of Daniel, Zechariah and Revelation).
Furthermore, there can even be different types of writing within a book (such as Exodus or
Daniel in the Old Testament, or the Gospels in the New Testament). Exodus is made up of
narrative, prophecy, poetry/songs, and laws/instructions. Daniel is made up of narrative,
prophecy, and apocalyptic material. The Gospels are made up of narrative, genealogies,
prophecy, law/instructions, poetry/songs, parables, and apocalyptic material. Each style or
genre makes its point in different ways and when we understand how the writer is using words
in that particular discipline we can avoid misinterpretation.
The image of the Bible as a library, whilst useful, can only take us so far, and as like all images
or illustrations, it fails. Where this image fails is that, in our minds, libraries tend to be places
where there are all sorts of materials that are not necessarily related to each other. For instance,
it would be hard to expect that there would be a very direct link between the novel The Brothers
Karamazov by Dostoyevsky, and a history book on the ancient Egyptians, and a book of poetry
by Donne. The Bible, however, is a library where all the books are related to one another and all
together they tell one great, big story.
The Gospel of Luke, for example, tells us that Jesus’ resurrection fulfilled not a single piece of
Scripture but all the Scriptures:
• from creation, through to the rebellion of mankind
• from the spoiling of the world and its judgement in the flood and at Babel, to the
subsequent declaration that through Abraham (Israel) the world would be saved, so that
blessing would replace curse, as curse had replaced blessing
• from the redemption of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, to the rise of the kings and Israel’s
return to slavery in Babylon because of rebellion
• from the promises of a new beginning to the disappointing conclusions of the Old
Testament
OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 3

• from the coming of Jesus, the one who brings a new exodus out of exile, to Jesus’
rejection, death and resurrection which fulfil the promises of the new covenant. Through
these events a new beginning takes place: the birth of the true Israel made up of Jews
and Gentiles who live like Jesus and anticipate the new creation of a new heaven and a
new earth.
It is this big story, where all the parts of the Bible (including the Law, the Prophets and the
Writings in the Old Testament) are connected, that eclipses any one book and begs us to
understand any single book as contributing in some way to the big story (metanarrative). The
books of the Bible have a strong relationship with one another not just because the Bible is the
story of Israel, but also because of the connection within the material itself: the Bible tells the
story of what God is doing in the world through Israel. It could be said that the ‘big story’ played
a significant role in determining which books were recognised as authoritative in the forming of
the Old and New Testament.
1.1.1.a The Old Testament Canon

The term canon means ‘rule’ or ‘standard’ or ‘list’. A rule, standard or list defines what is in and
what is out, what belongs and what does not. The terms ‘rule’ or ‘standard’ or ‘list’ help us to
understand the idea of a canon in relationship to a list of books. At certain points in the history
of the people of God in the Old and New Covenant periods, a recognition was made as to what
books or writings should form the authoritative list that had and would subsequently shape the
belief and behaviour of the community.
This process is seen to happen in the New Testament period after Jesus, documented at the
beginning of Luke’s gospel.
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just
as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the
word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I
too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know
the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Luke 1:1–4.
It is probable that Luke has accessed the community leaders who were the official authoritative
‘story keepers’. They had kept the oral tradition of the stories of Jesus whose words and
actions shaped every aspect of their church’s life. Luke has interviewed these keepers of the
oral tradition and faithfully written their authoritative remembrance.

By the time of Jesus’ ministry, the Old Testament canon was pretty well settled. We see this in
Luke 24.
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace
be with you’. They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why
are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I
myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have’. When he
had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because
of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave him a
piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. He said to them, ‘This is what I
told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law
of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms’. Then he opened their minds so they could understand
the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the
dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things’.
Luke 24:36–48.
Jesus identifies the three parts of the Scriptures. He describes them as the Law, the Prophets
and the Psalms—the three basic divisions of the Jewish Old Testament. Nearly all of the books
of the Old Testament are quoted in the New Testament and are treated as Scripture. This is
indirect evidence that the canon of the Old Testament was pretty well formalised by the time of
the first century.
1.1.1.b The Metanarrative of the Bible

It is perhaps not the metanarrative of the Bible that people find so challenging, but when that
metanarrative presents a story that forces the individual to look upon themselves and their lives,
this can then be challenging, because the metanarrative critiques them and their view of reality.
The Bible presents a story that encapsulates the sum of human civilisation and a God, which is
over all, that judges all according to certain standards. Metanarratives in popular culture, such
as Lord of the Rings, do not necessarily include a critique of reality where we are judged finally
and ultimately by an all-powerful God. The rejection of the metanarrative of the Bible, and
ultimately of God, is based on the perspective that the individual prefers not to have a belief or
story forced on them. What is forgotten in this is that God shows in this metanarrative that he is
not only the ultimate judge, but also that he made the ultimate sacrifice in entering into a
relationship with his people where he suffered and degraded himself for them.
The writers of the New Testament could confidentially say that there was one story, a
metanarrative, because they knew that there was one author, God. In a sense, the Old
Testament is thirty-nine books penned by different authors, yet behind this it is clear that God’s
authorship is at work, which Jesus himself believed. That is what gives the Old Testament an
overarching coherence and unity.

1.1.1.c The Genres
How genre works can be explained using the example of the way a news event is covered in
different sections of a newspaper. If, for example, Australia wins the Ashes, you could look at
the comparison between how it is covered on the front page of the paper, on the sports page,
and in a cartoon of a current sports story. The front page will be bold and dramatic, using
headlines such as ‘Australians have England for dinner’ or something similar. However, the
sports page will, more likely, go into greater detail about the scores, the turning points of the
game and other elements of the test series. A cartoon that covers this event usually has a more
humorous take. While each coverage of the news story is, in one sense, the same thing, they all
say it in different ways, and each way is appropriate for its context. The reader needs to
understand the rules of the different genres if they are to understand and interpret the story
correctly. A cartoon, for example, should not have its images taken literally.
This is a similar case when it comes to understanding texts of the Bible, as the reader needs to
work to understand the different styles and methods of the genres of the Bible. This might
mean, for example, understanding that Hebrew poetry is largely based on parallelism, or
realising that many words that are used in the Bible are not necessarily familiar in their context.
This is one of the reasons why reading the Bible and discovering God’s word is a lifelong
learning exercise.
Genre (Books) Characteristics Tips

Covenant/Law The formalisation of a pre-existing Make sure the laws are
(Exodus, Leviticus, relationship between two unequal interpreted in terms of the
Numbers, Deuteronomy) partners. relationship.
The treaty states complementary sets Work at understanding the law
of behaviour for the ‘king’ and his function in a different way in the
’subjects’. The king provided protection New Testament.
etc., and the subjects were loyal and
obeyed his laws.
The covenant touched every aspect of
life.
Narrative/Story/History/ They are stories. Look at the beginning and the
Biography The retelling of events of human lives end of the narrative for
through which the plans, purposes and indications of purpose.
(Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, Deuteronomy, person of God are revealed. What is the plot?
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Who are the main characters?
and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 How does the narrator (if there
Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, is one) indicate purpose by
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, sympathetic treatment? For
Jonah, (some of) Isaiah, example, when David runs
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, away from Saul and lies to the
Haggai) high priest, the narrator offers
no comment on the deception.
Therefore David is seen in a
positive light.
Identify story units and larger
thematic units.
Purpose is often revealed in
speeches.

Gospel The Gospels are the story of Israel told Read as if part of the Old
(a sub-category of in the life of Jesus Christ. Testament, i.e. the fulfilment
narrative) does not happen until the
(Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, coming of the Holy Spirit.
Acts)
Poetry About forty percent of the Old Work at understanding the
(Job, Psalms: Testament is poetry. imagery.
Lament (individual) Hebrew poetic structure is not based
on rhyme but is mostly parallelism.
Praise (individual)
Lament (community)
Praise (community)
Lamentations, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, Song of
Songs)
Proverbs Poetic in character. Read the books in the light of

(Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes) There are two types of wisdom: the big story of Israel, i.e. Song
practical and speculative. Practical of Songs, Proverbs and
wisdom gives advice on how to live a Ecclesiastes in the light of
holy and happy life. Speculative Solomon’s failed wisdom.
wisdom wrestles with issues such as
what God is doing when the innocent
suffer, such as with Job.
Prophecy The primary function of prophecy is not What issue is being confronted?
(Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, predicting future events. It is calling How does the imagery function
Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Israel back to faithfulness to the Lord in to give a sense of mood and
Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, terms of the blessings and curses of emotion?
Nahum, Habakkuk, the covenant.
Zephaniah, Haggai, Prophets remind Israel and her leaders
Zechariah, Malachi) of the terms of the covenant.
The predictions that are made are
conditional; a change in behaviour can
bring about a change in outcome.
Parable Parables normally function as a way of Look for the interpretation of the
(some of Judges, Matthew, displaying an event or process in such parable to be revealed in the
Mark, Luke, John) a way that it reveals its true nature or, ordinary subsequent action.
as in the ministry of Jesus, it hides What is happening around the
what is really going on. parable?
Jesus used ordinary stories to hide the
radical nature of his ministry.
Letters Written by one individual to another for
(Romans, 1 and 2 a reason and in response to an issue or
Corinthians, Galatians, set of issues.
Ephesians, Philippians, We as a rule only get one half of the
Colossians, 1 and 2 dialogue.
Thessalonians, 1 and 2
Timothy, Titus, Philemon,
Hebrews, James, 1 and 2
Peter, 1–3 John, Jude)

Apocalyptic Apocalyptic shares many of the same Don’t be too literal.
(Daniel, Revelation) ideas as prophecy and, in fact, you will What is the convention
often find both in the same piece of controlling the use of symbols
writing, for example, the books of i.e. numbers, colours, etc.?
Daniel and Zechariah.
If there is a reference to another
Apocalyptic presents us with the reality part of the Bible (as there is in
behind our world, the true nature of Revelation) look up the passage
human kingdoms and the promise of and work out what it might be
God’s determinative action. indicating about the passage
The use of symbol to interpret nature being read.
and action, numbers, colours and What ‘feel’ or mood is
animal parts is included. developed by the text?
Because it deals with true natures the Do not make a precise
genre is stark and contrasting: a identification unless the text
struggle between good and evil. does i.e. three and half years
means an indeterminate time.
1.1.1.d The Significance of Jesus

Jesus identifies that there is a ‘big story’ or metanarrative and that it is about him and his death
and resurrection. This statement could all too easily launch us on a ‘Jesus hunt’ through the
pages of the Old Testament. A better way of understanding what Jesus is saying is to
understand that the Scriptures are about what God is doing for the world through Israel, and
Jesus fulfils the role of Israel in the Scriptures. It could be said that Luke is, in actual fact, a
guide for reading the Old Testament that way. All of the allusions to Old Testament themes and
persons show Jesus actively retelling the story of Israel in the fabric of his own life. This forms a
basis for the concept of progressive revelation, because the Old Testament is part of a continual
story, part of a whole. Jesus’ life is lived out through Israel just as Israel’s true purpose and life is
lived out through Jesus.

1.1.2 Old Testament Overview
The divisions and order of our Old Testament follows the Greek rather than Hebrew (Masoretic
Text) version of the Bible (the Septuagint or LXX, which comes from the tradition that the books
were translated by seventy scholars in seventy days), excluding the Apocrypha (books
considered not inspired by God). You can tell that we follow the Greek order because the
names at times reflect a Greek background—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.
The Jewish Old Testament is called the Tanakh (the term is formed as an acrostic from the
names of the three main divisions of the Jewish canon):
• Torah (The Law)

• Nevi’im (The Prophets)
• Kethuvim (The Writings)
These books were accumulated by the Jewish people over a period of about a thousand years.
Our Old Testament has the same thirty-nine books, but in a different order (see table below).
Knowing the different orders and comparing them helps us to understand the different ways in
which a book of the Bible can fit into the story of God and his people. When studying a book of
the Bible or reading the Bible, it does not necessarily matter what order you read it in, as long as
the context of where the book is in the metanarrative of the Bible is taken into account. A good
exegesis needs to be done here. If the context of a book is ignored or not properly done, then
the purpose and direction of the book is neglected or missed.

Jewish OT Christian OT
24 Books 39 Books
The Law (Torah) The Law (Torah)
Genesis 1 1 1 Genesis
Exodus 2 2 2 Exodus
Leviticus 3 3 3 Leviticus
Numbers 4 4 4 Numbers
Deuteronomy 5 5 5 Deuteronomy
Prophets (Nevi’im) OT History
Former Prophets Pre-Exilic
Joshua 6 6 6 Joshua
Judges 7 7 7 Judges
1 Samuel 8 8 Ruth
8
2 Samuel 9 9 1 Samuel
1 Kings 10 10 2 Samuel
9
2 Kings 11 11 1 Kings
Latter Prophets 12 2 Kings
Isaiah 10 12 13 1 Chronicles
Jeremiah 11 13 14 2 Chronicles
Ezekiel 12 14 Post-Exilic
Book of the Twelve 15 Ezra
Hosea 15 16 Nehemiah
Joel 16 17 Esther
Amos 17 Wisdom
Obadiah 18 18 Job
Jonah 19 19 Psalms
Micah 20 20 Proverbs
13
Nahum 21 21 Ecclesiastes
Habakkuk 22 22 Song of Songs
Zephaniah 23 Major Prophets
Haggai 24 23 Isaiah
Zechariah 25 24 Jeremiah
Malachi 26 25 Lamentations
Writings 26 Ezekiel
(Kethuvim) 27 Daniel
Psalms 14 27 Minor Prophets
Proverbs 15 28 28 Hosea
Job 16 29 29 Joel
Song of Songs 17 30 30 Amos
Ruth 18 31 31 Obadiah
Lamentations 19 32 32 Jonah
Ecclesiastes 20 33 33 Micah
Esther 21 34 34 Nahum
Daniel 22 35 35 Habakkuk
Ezra 36 36 Zephaniah
23
Nehemiah 37 37 Haggai
1 Chronicles 38 38 Zechariah
24
2 Chronicles 39 39 Malachi

1.1.2.a The Torah (Law)
This section contains the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
The term the ‘Law’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘Torah’ which means law in the sense of
teaching and instruction. The Law is also referred to as the Pentateuch or the Five Scrolls.
These books had immediate impact with the Jewish people, and they were probably received
first orally and passed down as people memorised them.
The major themes of this segment, as a whole, include God’s perseverance, patience and
faithfulness. This is particularly evident in the story that tells of the disobedience of God’s people
and how God plans to reassert his loving dominion through the nation of Israel, and ultimately,
Jesus. This leads to another, larger theme that is present in the entire story of the Bible: that
God saves the weak and the insignificant.
Genesis
Genesis is a book about beginnings (indeed, the word ‘genesis’ translates as this), the
beginning of the world and the Israelite people, and the promises of God through Abraham. This
book is not just about creation, but also about salvation and redemption.
The Bible sets up the story of God’s involvement with humans and the world in the book of
Genesis by the words ‘In the beginning…’ God is proclaimed Creator—everything is dependent
on him. Human beings are made in his image to rule the world, but they rebel against his loving
rule and choose death instead of life. However, God is gracious and we are launched on the
great theme of the Bible—not creation but God’s determination to re-create the world according
to his original purposes. This is the shape of the long story of the whole Bible. Sin increases but
so does grace. Sin culminates in the tower of Babel and God answers this new rebellion with
the call of Abraham and Sarah—a new beginning where human beings learn to trust the God of
promise. God promises five things to Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3. These are land, people, a
name, protection, and to be a blessing to the world. It is through Abraham that God overturns
the fate of his people. He uses the weak and seemingly unimportant to fulfil his purposes. The
challenge to trust in God, and to trust that he will fulfil his promises, is met in many places in the
Bible, in particular in Genesis, in the surprising lives of Isaac, Jacob and Jacob’s sons.
Exodus
Exodus marks a transition from individual patriarchs to a nation, and the beginning of Israel as a
people.
However, more importantly, the exodus (‘ex’ and ‘odos’ meaning ‘the way out’), the redemption
of Israel from slavery in Egypt, gives us the images and language of salvation. Right through to
the book of Revelation the ideas and language of the exodus are repeated and drawn on. In the
exodus, the slave people, Israel, are oppressed by the superpower, Egypt. Israel is saved by the
Lord who uses the situation to show the world who he is. He restores his people, brings them
freedom, and gives them hope where they had none, not because they deserved it, but
because of his mercy and faithfulness.
Israel is brought to Sinai to be installed as God’s special people. The Lord will bring an idol-
befuddled, dying world back to life through the covenant-living Israel. By worshipping the true
God the Lord’s way, Israel will be the means of giving a picture of an alternate reality.

The goal of the exodus and all salvation is presence: Israel living with the Lord, the Lord living
with his people, Israel. Therefore, the directions for building the tabernacle are repeated in
incredible detail—they take up half the book!
Israel sins in the worst way possible by making an idol of the Lord as a golden calf. But the Lord
is gracious and goes with Israel to the promised land after Moses’ pleadings.
The themes of Exodus include God’s grace and mercy, and how God’s people are saved and
forgiven repeatedly not through any strength of their own, but by God alone, who continues to
be faithful to them.
Leviticus
This book gets its name from the tribe of Levi, who were the priestly tribe.
Leviticus gives the answer to how this sinful Israel can live in the presence of this holy God—the
Lord provides a sacrificial system. Leviticus presents us with the imagery of holiness. Holiness is
about being heavenly, about being fit for the presence of God. However, the very presence and
structure of the tabernacle demonstrates that the people can never be sufficiently holy, for there
must always be a degree of separation between God and his people. Though the tabernacle is,
in part, designed to keep God apart from the people, and is also a daily lesson and reminder for
the people of how unlike God they are, the laws and system God provides is so that they as a
people can try and express the character of God and his moral purity.
Israel, a slave nation oppressed and downtrodden, learns the grammar of holiness in the detail
of the food laws, forbidden relationships and the festivals. At every season, every event and
every activity, Israel is reminded of who the Lord is and who she is—she learns that her whole
life can be lived to God and that holiness is in the wholeness of life. To some extent it is correct
that Exodus provides the outer structure of nation and tabernacle, while Leviticus gives us the
inner structure of the life of God’s people.
Numbers
Numbers tells us why Israel took forty years to make a journey that should only take a few
months. At the border of the promised land, a place that should provoke ideas of re-entering
Eden, they rebelled again and did not trust the Lord, so he took them on a journey that meant
the generation that refused to enter would die before a new Israel (their children) took their
place. This is what happened. By the end of Numbers, Israel is on the border of the promised
land and has defeated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og. The last of the old Israel dies in the
plague brought on by one more idolatrous moment with Moabite women. A new Israel stands
poised to enter the promised land. The book of Numbers begins and ends with a census, and
shows the story of two different Israels. The census that takes place at the end of Numbers
shows that it is a new Israel that has taken the place of the old Israel, and it is this new Israel
that will go into the promised land.

Deuteronomy
After close to another forty years, the law is given again to God’s people. The name of the book
comes from the Greek word ‘deuteronomion’, meaning ‘second law’. In many senses this law
has not changed, but the commentary that accompanies it brings it into a new light.
In Deuteronomy, Moses is reminding this new Israel of the covenant God has made with her
and, in doing so, is reconfirming the covenant. He outlines their responsibilities and privileges,
dangers, and institutions, such as kingship, the priesthood and the role of the prophets. They
are reminded that the land belongs to the Lord and they are privileged ‘guests’ who are to have
no dealings with the occupants of the land. Rather, they are to wage a holy war against them.
They are told that if they obey God’s laws and keep his covenant then they shall have many
blessings. However, if they disobey God, they will be punished with covenant curses, and this
ultimately means exile. Israel’s purpose is to be different from the nations, but if she becomes
like the nations, then she will be cast out to the nations and out of the land. Towards the end of
the book, Israel is told that she will disobey God; she will experience both the blessings and the
curses, and there is a call to repent and return to the Lord with all her heart.
In this sense, Deuteronomy shows the direction and trajectory of the story of God’s people.
1.1.2.b The Prophets: The Former Prophets

The books that make up this section include Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2
Kings. The name for this group of books, the Former Prophets, is given because the books
detail God’s word being lived out and etched into the lives of real people. This story is shaped
and often told through prophets such as Samuel, Joshua, and Nathan in 2 Samuel, and Elijah
and Elisha in the books of Kings.
It is interesting that these six books of narrative are called the Former Prophets. Calling them
‘former’ distinguishes them from the Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel) and the
Twelve. The title ‘prophets’ might be considered surprising, but, as with all biblical narrative,
there is no simple reporting of facts and figures. The stories have a theological shape and are
telling the story of God’s purposes in the story of his people; in fact, they are telling the blessing
and curses of Deuteronomy.
Joshua
The book of Joshua describes the movement of conquest in the promised land up to Joshua’s
death. It is a strange story of obedience and disobedience, of faithfulness and unfaithfulness.
Though Joshua is a great leader, we see that even he had his faults. It ends with near civil war
between the tribes west of the Jordan and those east of the Jordan. However, Israel as a nation
lacks enthusiasm for God, and the book ends with a call for Israel to be faithful to the faithful
Lord and get rid of her idols, for the covenant to be reaffirmed. God continues to be faithful to
his people.

Judges
Joshua ends with a rousing challenge to follow the Lord, which the people agree to. Then
comes the book of Judges, which is a very challenging book to read because it shows the
increasingly frequent and inevitable disobedience of Israel. The book of Judges is a series of
downward cyclical movements.
The cycle can be outlined as
1. Judge dies
2. Israel rebels against the Lord
3. The Lord sends a nation to punish Israel
4. Israel cries out to the Lord
5. The Lord sends a judge who leads Israel into victory over her enemies
6. Israel follows the Lord while the judge lives.
Judges ends in the virtual destruction of the tribe of Benjamin. The book shows us what
happens when Israel does not acknowledge the Lord as their king.
1 and 2 Samuel
A judge is a leader, and the judges came from different tribes, so that there is a sense of a ‘tribal
confederacy’. However, 1 and 2 Samuel mark the end of the era of the Judges and this ‘tribal
confederacy’ period and into a kingship period. In one sense, this is very much a continued fall
of the nation of Israel, as unlike in Judges, the people depend on the family and next of kin for
their next king, not God. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel detail the rise of kingship in God’s
people by first detailing the betrayal of God’s kingship.
The books of 1 and 2 Samuel show Israel wanting to be like the nations and have a human king
that essentially rejects and replaces her divine king—the Lord. This all happens under the
judgeship of Samuel. Saul is Israel’s first king, and is the king Israel deserves. Saul is rejected by
the Lord when he demonstrates once again that he is more concerned about himself than the
Lord’s wishes.
David, who replaces Saul, is the king God has chosen—a man after his own heart. In 2 Samuel
7, David, probably seeking to secure his family’s hold on the throne, offers to build God a house
(a temple). The Lord rejects his offer and offers instead, as a gift, what David has been trying to
get—a house (a dynasty). The rest of 2 Samuel shows the decline of David from this high point
to his demise in 1 Kings (he becomes an adulterer and murderer) and the handing over of his
throne to his son, Solomon.

1 and 2 Kings
These books give what could be called a ‘summary review’; that which has been anticipated in
Joshua and tasted in Judges is experienced to the full because of Solomon’s idolatry and
rebellion.
In the same way as the previous books, 1 and 2 Kings begins from a high point. Solomon, the
wisest man in all the world, builds the great temple because of God’s promise to his people that
there will always be a son of David on the throne, but he is lead by his wealth and his many
wives into idolatry and leads Israel into disaster and fragmentation. Only the tribe of Judah
remains with the house of David. The northern kingdom, Israel, despite God’s constant
warnings through the prophets such as Isaiah and Jeremiah, descends into idolatry and is
quickly removed to Assyria, while the southern kingdom also descends into idolatry and chaos.
They are occasionally buoyed up by a good king like a Jehosophat or a Hezekiah, but even
Josiah is unable to turn the tide of rebellion and Babylon eventually comes and destroys the
temple and Jerusalem and deports the people to Babylon and exile.
The nature, then, of the early books of this segment in terms of prophecy becomes clear. The
covenant promises, and the cursings and blessings detailed in Deuteronomy, come to fulfilment
here. God’s patience with Israel’s constant rebellion (and also, generations later, our constant
rebellion) is testament to God’s sovereignty and faithfulness to his people as he brings about a
relationship with them through real, complex situations and living in a broken world. The pattern
of sin is coupled with the pattern of redemption, and shows God’s determination and respect
for his people.
1.1.2.c The Latter Prophets and Book of the Twelve

The Latter Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The Twelve are Hosea, Joel, Amos,
Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi.
The Latter Prophets cover the period just before and during the exile in Judah, while the book of
the Twelve (twelve smaller-sized prophecies), covers either the northern or southern kingdoms
immediately before or during the exile or, as in the case of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, the
period of the return.
The message of the Latter Prophets and the book of the Twelve is a message of the covenant,
where God is committed to a people and determined to bless the world through that people.
They are to be a witness to the nations, but at the same time God must exercise his judgement
of their sin as he pursues a relationship with them to bring about their renewal. The theme of the
Former Prophets is seen in the lives and detail of the Latter Prophets and these other prophetic
books. These books show the covenant blessings and curses in greater detail and on a more
individual level.

Take, for example, the book of Isaiah, which shows God bringing about judgement because of
Israel’s breaking of the covenant and disloyalty. Yet the prophet also shows that God promises
to bring about something new, which is often couched in terms of a ‘new exodus’: there will be
a judgement, but this will be followed by a new creation, a new land for God’s people. In this
sense, the book of Jeremiah is similar, in that there is again rejection of God, followed by his
judgement of sin (exemplified in Babylon), but following this judgement there is promise of a new
creation and new covenant. Jeremiah also shows the extent to which the hearts of the people of
Israel are corrupt, placing more value on an outward sign of their relationship with God (such as
going to the temple) than following God in their heart and soul with integrity. The book of Ezekiel
continues to talk about the new creation and renewal of God’s people.
These books also contain a moral and ethical element that calls God’s people to account about
looking after those in society who are in need. It again reminds Israel that they are to be a
witness to the other nations of the world and that the rejection of God means a rejection also of
these responsibilities.
The roles of these books included:
• warning against God’s impending judgement, which was based on the statements of
covenant curses
• encouraging Israel in the midst of judgement that God’s purposes still held and she
would return from exile
• declaring the need for a new event—a new creation, a new covenant—whereby Israel
would become what she was meant to be and the nations would worship the Lord in
Jerusalem
• stimulating Israel on return to continue to be faithful and to not give up.
1.1.2.d The Writings

This section includes the Psalms, and the books of Job, Proverbs, Ruth, Song of Songs,
Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles. The
common theme of the writings is one of encouragement and rebuke addressed by God to
people in exile and after exile. Those books most easily identified as a unit are Lamentations,
Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah and 1 and 2 Chronicles. These books deal specifically with the
period of the exile and the times leading up to the exile.
Psalms
Psalms, which has five books (some see this as echoing the five books of the Torah), and has
150 chapters, functions as a prayer book for Israel. This book gives an example of an
expression of every emotion and every situation for God’s people. It means that there are often
desperate songs or prayers to God (e.g. Psalm 88), songs that are perhaps more like songs of
lament than songs of praise. This book teaches Israel how to express their belief in the context
of living, and it provides us with an excellent way in which we can pray to God.

Lamentations
These are songs lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem and the implications for what God is
doing in the world through Israel. It is an agonised but not hopeless processing of this
monumental disaster.
Esther
Esther is the account of God’s providential care whilst Israel was in exile and close to being
destroyed. In this time of threat the Lord raised up Esther and Mordecai. It ends with the
establishing of a feast that commemorates Purim.
Daniel
Daniel is a book composed of narrative, prophetic and apocalyptic genres. It tracks the life of
Daniel and his three friends as they establish a covenant-faithful life in Babylon. In its intimate
knowledge of Babylon, the book contrasts the kingdom of God with the kingdoms of men,
assuring God’s people that God’s kingdom will prevail.
Ezra and Nehemiah
Ezra and Nehemiah are both stories of the return after exile. Ezra seeks to re-establish a
covenant-obedient community once again in Jerusalem. Nehemiah succeeds in rebuilding the
walls of Jerusalem but his final message is one of despair: not even Nehemiah can build
holiness in Israel.
1 and 2 Chronicles
The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles begin with nine chapters of genealogies, the first from Adam to
Abraham. The writer takes us through the decline of David’s house that brings Israel to the point
of disaster, but ends with hope of Cyrus’ decree to return to the land.
Ruth
Of the rest, Ruth is the stand out—it appears to be out of place and would seem to be most at
home in the Former Prophets. Yet, placed here, the especially poignant question the story
poses is, ‘What sort of welcome would returnees from a foreign land find?’

Of the material left in this segment, the remainder is categorised as Wisdom literature. With the
exception of Job, these books (Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes) are all concerned
with the court of Solomon, which must shape how we read them. If we take Solomon’s career
into consideration, then we see the wisest man in proverbial wisdom lacked the true wisdom of
the Bible—the fear of the Lord. While books such as the Proverbs are full of wisdom that aids a
person of God ‘along the journey’, they are not full of saving wisdom, the fear of the Lord and
faithfulness, such as is found in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Job
Job also fits the shape of the exile story in a different way. This easily fits the struggle of the
righteous remnant experiencing the exile (all of the problems of Job are covenant curses). Job
(the persecuted servant—like the suffering servant) maintains his innocence in the light of
accusations from those who hold a view of God that is largely one of cause and effect: if you are
suffering you are suffering because God did it and God would not do it unless there is a reason.
Job maintains his innocence and becomes the means of his accusers’ salvation. He receives
the blessings for returning to the Lord. The book contains a dialogue with God and is one that
would resonate strongly with the Israelite people as they look upon Job’s situation and compare
it to their own.
1.1.2.e Summary
God is faithful and does not give up on his people. But it is clear that something must change,
not only externally, but internally also; there must be a change in the hearts of the people.
Israel, despite every outward inducement and advantage, is incapable of fulfilling her side of the
covenant. Unless the Lord builds the house, the labourers labour in vain. In Deuteronomy, the
call to return ‘to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul
according to everything I command you today’ (Deut 30:2) is only possible if Israel is given a
new heart, the solution promised by Ezekiel and Jeremiah.
In Isaiah’s words, what is needed is a new creation. The Old Testament ends with a sense that
Israel has returned to the land but not to God, and what is needed is the promised new
covenant.
Yet Israel is not alone. It is true that though they were given the Scriptures, given the prophets,
and given God’s word, Israel still gets it wrong. Yet we also have the Scriptures, and we also still
get it wrong. It is important to realise that unless there is a change in our hearts, unless God
works within us, we will continue to suffer this fate. However, just like Israel, God persists and is
faithful; he speaks to his people and he promises more.
Could it be that one of the unstated principles of incorporating books into the canon of the Bible
is that they ‘fit’ the overall storyline? We could state it in this way: despite bright beginnings,
human ability is fundamentally flawed and only the action of God will bring about God’s
purposes. This is the way the story of the Old Testament comes together and in doing so sets
us up for listening to how God will act in the person of Jesus.

1.1.3 Genesis 1–12
Genesis gives an account of creation that, amidst a polytheistic culture, attributes the creation of
the universe and every known element to one God. These chapters reveal a recurring pattern in
the life of humanity: fruit (temptation), eating the fruit (giving in to temptation), nakedness,
shame, and curse.
1.1.3.a Chapter 1: One God, one creation

Genesis begins with the creation of the world by God and the creation of human beings in his
image. Human beings are created to rule over the world under God’s authority. This is the
shape of biblical reality which salvation, redemption and re-creation all move toward. This
chapter sets up God’s order, and his physical image and manifestation of his rule. This is
revisited and reiterated again and again throughout the Bible, for instance, in Exodus 1:6–7, 2
Samuel 7 and Matthew 28.
1.1.3.b Chapter 2: An intimate creation

Whilst chapter 1 presents creation on a grand scale, chapter 2 presents creation close-up. God
creates Adam out of dust and breathes life into him. God walks with Adam in the garden and
has intimate fellowship with him.
Chapter 1 and chapter 2 need to be taken together to grasp and understand the way in which
God relates with the world, that is, not only on a grand scale, but also on an exceedingly
intimate one. God is transcendent and immanent, above and beyond, but this certainly does not
mean he is distant from his creation, especially humankind, made in his image.
1.1.3.c Chapter 3: Rebellion

In Genesis 3, human beings rebel and as a consequence the whole of creation and all
relationships are affected negatively. Genesis charts the course of rebellion against God’s rule,
resulting in death, disease, fragmentation and frustration.
This chapter is the overturning of God’s order, which has been set out in the previous chapters.
Instead of creation being under humanity’s stewardship, and humanity being under God’s rule,
humanity (Adam and Eve) does as is suggested by the serpent (creation) and disobeys God’s
rule. The order of persons in creation is reversed. However, it is important to note that it is not
the fruit that causes the reversal, but the action of taking the fruit, the decision to disobey God.
There is some truth in what the serpent says when he declares that the eyes of Adam and Eve
will be opened. In eating the fruit, the eyes of Adam and Eve are opened to their nakedness, not
only their physical nakedness but also their spiritual nakedness, and they are ashamed.
In later Scriptures the serpent comes to be the symbol of Satan, and it would be fairly safe to
assume that the serpent is Satan in this instance. The story does not tell us where evil came
from, but we are left to gather that it originates somewhere outside of the context of Genesis 3.

This chapter brings up the question of where sin starts. It could be said that the beginning of sin
is with imagining God other than he is. The serpent develops an image of God in the minds of
Adam and Eve that is a God who is weak, mean, self-protective and jealous. This image is in
complete contrast to the God who is loving, faithful and who gives them abundant gifts. The
decision to believe this lie rather than believe the truth provokes the physical expression of sin,
which, in the case of Adam and Eve, was to take and eat the fruit, giving in to temptation.
This is something that goes beyond the situation of Adam and Eve because we are all tempted
by sin. How then should we think when tempted by sin? It is clear that where we place our trust
is a significant factor. Is our trust in God, or is our trust in another future that we can make for
ourselves apart from God? We must behold God and recall who he really is, see God in Christ,
and have a personal encounter with God. This is the solution to temptation, and the best way to
have this solution work is through getting to know God by the Scripture, by his spoken word, so
that when a lie tempts us to imagine that God is different from who he is, we can fight it.
However, it is important that we realise that placing our trust in God does not mean a life filled
with good things. Take the example of Jesus, who trusted God, but ended up on the cross. Are
we prepared to experience loss or pain for his sake? For although we may lose much and
experience pain, there is greater hope in knowing that God will provide us with so much more.
1.1.3.d Chapter 4: The spread of sin

Chapter 4 sees the continuation and spread of sin in God’s creation and amongst his people.
We see that Adam and Eve’s initial sin involves all of humanity and relates to something deep
within us as human beings. The sin of Cain against his own brother, Abel, can be seen as a
retelling of the story of Genesis 3 in a different context. There remains an element of passing the
blame and not taking responsibility, a key element of unrepentance.
However, through these chapters it is clear that God’s mercy continues. For example, in
chapter 3, God gives Adam and Eve clothes to wear to hide their nakedness, gives them a
family, and gives them another child after the death of Abel. Despite punishing Cain, God gives
Cain a mark so that people will not kill him when they find him. God continues to be righteous,
yet gracious, even here.
1.1.3.e Chapter 5: The family tree

This chapter begins with a genealogy or family tree from Adam to Noah, where the pattern of
humanity and the presence of death in the world as a result of sin becomes apparent. At the
same time, however, we also continue to see God’s continual blessing upon his creation
through the new life and spread of his people.

1.1.3.f Chapter 6–9: The flood
Chapter 6 confronts the issue that, as the population of the world has increased, so too has the
amount of sin in the world. We find that the problem is that man’s heart is corrupt and God is
determined to withdraw his Spirit (Gen 6:3–6). There is one man, Noah, who is righteous, and
God says to him in verse 13 that he is going to put an end to all people, for the world is full of
violence because of them. The relationship between Noah and God harkens back to the
relationship between Adam and God. The story of the flood, of an un-creation with the hope of
a new beginning, resonates with the creation story of the first few chapters of Genesis (Gen 8).
God’s actions here of bringing about the flood allows us to see, beyond all reasonable doubt,
that even with a second chance and the benefit of hindsight, a person’s heart still inclines away
from God and towards sin. Chapter 9 sees Noah resuming the pattern of sin, which is so
prevalent in the heart of humankind, and the chaos that was present before the flood once
again begins to build.
1.1.3.g Chapter 10–11: Babel

These chapters provide the table of the nations, which is a result of humankind’s spreading out,
filling the earth and subduing it. There is one language and common speech among the people.
The trouble begins when, once they have begun to move eastward, they decide to make a city,
a name for themselves, so that they would not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.
This is a clear resistance of God’s purpose for humankind. The people build a place where a
tower forms the centre of their life rather than God. God is horrified at the enormity of their sin,
which is encouraged by the people’s unity with one another. He ceases this unity by confusing
the languages of the nations and dividing the people so that they may again fill the earth and
subdue it.
1.1.3.h Chapter 12: Abraham

Abraham is the grace to the judgement on Babel. God again speaks here, showing unending
mercy to his people.
Throughout the stories of Cain and Abel, the flood generation, and Babel, the growth of sin is
met with God’s gracious provision of mercy. The rebellion of humanity at Babel is met with
judgement in the scattering of humankind and God’s mercy in the call of Abraham in chapter
12. The five blessings promised to Abraham (Gen12:1–3) of land, a people, fame, protection,
and being the means of bringing blessing to the whole world, sets the plot for the ‘big story’ in
the rest of the Bible. Abraham and Sarah, with nephew Lot, come to the land of Canaan and
begin to learn by faith and not by sight.
? Learning Activity: Using what you have learnt in this section, write an article for your
church newsletter explaining how the story of Israel as detailed in the Old Testament has
relevance to God’s people in a post-resurrection era.

!

The Pentateuch and Former Prophets
Contents
2.1.1 The Pentateuch Overview............................................................................................. 4
2.1.2 Genesis .......................................................................................................................... 5
2.1.2.a Unique..................................................................................................................... 5
2.1.2.b God’s Interaction with His People ............................................................................ 6
2.1.2.c Playing Favourites.................................................................................................... 6
2.1.3 Exodus ........................................................................................................................... 8
2.1.3.a YHWH ..................................................................................................................... 8

2.1.3.b Covenant ................................................................................................................ 8
2.1.3.c The Importance of the Tabernacle ........................................................................... 9
2.1.3.d Idolatry .................................................................................................................... 9
2.1.4 Leviticus ...................................................................................................................... 11
2.1.4.a The Sacrifices ........................................................................................................ 11

2.1.4.b Day of Atonement ................................................................................................. 11
2.1.4.c Festivals ................................................................................................................ 12
2.1.4.d Sabbath and Jubilee ............................................................................................. 13
2.1.5 Numbers ...................................................................................................................... 14
2.1.5.a The Wilderness ...................................................................................................... 14

2.1.5.b The Power of God ................................................................................................. 14
2.1.5.c God Dwelling with His People ................................................................................ 14
2.1.6 Deuteronomy ............................................................................................................... 16
2.1.6.a A Treaty ................................................................................................................. 16

2.1.6.b The Shape of Deuteronomy ................................................................................... 18
2.1.6.c Deuteronomic History ............................................................................................ 19
2.1.7 The Former Prophets .................................................................................................. 20
2.1.7.a Prophets and Prophecy ......................................................................................... 20

2.1.7.b The Plight of the Former Prophets ......................................................................... 20
2.1.7.c Prophecy Today .................................................................................................... 21
2.1.8 Joshua ......................................................................................................................... 22
2.1.8.a Parallels to Genesis and Eden ................................................................................ 22
2.1.9 Judges ......................................................................................................................... 24
2.1.10 Genesis 1–12 ............................................................................................................... 26

Old Testament
2.1: 3.1:
1.1:
A Fleeting Glance
As was seen in the previous topic, the Old Testament tells a story: it is the story of God’s plan to
create, relate to and ultimately redeem humanity, to his glory. As with any story, the beginning is
essential for setting up the principles by which the world of the story is governed, and for
orienting the reader towards where the story is headed. The Old Testament’s Pentateuch fulfils
this role perfectly, while at the same time revealing that the Old Testament tells a story unlike
any other. The world that is established in the opening chapters of the story is our world; the
God who reaches out to rescue and protect sinful Israel is the God who reaches out to us
today; and there are glimpses, even in the short account of Rahab’s story, of God’s plan to
include all of humanity in his rescue mission. This topic will assist students in exploring the
significance and implications of this wonderful story.
Learning Outcomes
1. To recognise the important patterns, themes and systems that are established in
the Pentateuch and that dictate how God’s relationship with humanity begins and
develops.
2. To explore the role of the Former Prophets in ministering to God’s people and their
leaders, calling king and sent alike back to faithfulness.
3. To trace the further unfolding of God’s plan for Israel through the leadership of
Joshua and the judges, in constant, if frustrated, pursuit of God’s promises to
them.

2.1.1 The Pentateuch Overview
The term ‘pentateuch’ is a word that comes from the Greek: ‘penta’ means five while ‘teuch’
refers to the volumes of this section. It has also been referred to as the five fifths of the law.
The major themes of the Pentateuch include creation and fall, as told in Genesis; the building up
of a people; and the freeing of that people in the exodus. The Pentateuch looks at how God
shapes a people who will be the means of saving the world; it is the set-up of a saviour nation,
their role and purpose, and how this purpose will be achieved. Within this, there are contained
profound revelations about the character of God, and the nature of human beings, as Israel’s
story becomes God’s story in the world.
Some Jewish groups in the Old Testament period held only to the first five books, the
Pentateuch, as authoritative. An example of this can be found in the Samaritan people, who
lived between Judea, which was a Roman administrative district in the south, and the Galilee
region in the north. As descendents of the ten northern tribes of Israel, the Samaritans held
steadfastly to the Pentateuch. This was mainly because they did not have much of an affinity
with the role of kingship, and, in particular, the Davidic history of Israel. The focus on these five
books is a resistance to the Davidic rule and a refusal to submit to the dynasty; they wanted to
remain independent.
The people of Israel were split into two kingdoms: the north and the south. The southern
kingdom was made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, while the northern kingdom
consisted of the other ten tribes. Judah and Benjamin were grouped together mainly because of
geographical convenience. The tribe of Benjamin became quite diminished during intertribal
warfare, though Judah was able to take land. The two then paired up because of their
placement in relation to each other.
The ten northern tribes, however, became very distinct in their distant relationship with God. The
northern kingdom defined themselves against Judah’s rule and its ascendency through temple
worship, wanting very much to distance themselves from any association with the southern
kingdom. Jeroboam, the first leader of the northern kingdom, set up an alternative to the temple
of Jerusalem, a golden calf (cows were often used as idols because they are thought to be a
sign of strength and virility). He cut people off from Jerusalem in this way, making sure they did
not turn back to the Davidic city.

2.1.2 Genesis
Genesis 1–12 is singled out for study in greater depth because it is these chapters of Genesis
that raise the questions concerning humanity which the Bible goes on to address. The
questions and the problems that face humankind, such as the purposes of God and creation,
are explored in these opening chapters of the Bible. It can be said, then, that the rest of the
Bible is a discussion and resolution of these questions.
Genesis 1–12 is an orientation to and a set up for God’s plan, purposes and intention for his
creation, and the role of sin and judgement in this plan. It becomes clear from these chapters,
then, that God is committed to his creation and uses his people, particularly the ‘unlikely hero’,
to overcome the curse of sin with blessing, for example, in the story of Abraham and Sarah.
2.1.2.a Unique
God’s relationship to creation, compared with other pagan accounts of the creation, is special
or unique because pagan accounts, particularly those popular around the time of the Old
Testament, see creation and the story of God as contests between good and evil. While the
Bible does contain examples of this (Isaiah shows God overthrowing chaos) the Genesis
account of creation is unique because of the absence of anything or anyone else but God.
There is no struggle or overcoming of evil; God simply speaks and creation comes into being.
Likewise, the story of God’s relationship with his people is not about overcoming other gods,
and is not an aside; his relationship with his people is what he delights in, and is his focus.
The Genesis creation story is therefore very different to anything that would have been
contemporary during the period of Israel. The God who created everything revealed himself to
them and was different to the gods of other nations. Indeed, all other nations, for example, the
Egyptian and Babylonian nations, had their own creation story.
The fundamental difference between the polytheistic, pagan perspective of creation and the
monotheistic perspective of creation is that an individual’s conception of the world and how it
works is completely different. With the existence of one God, there is an expectation and view of
the world as ordered, with a purpose behind events, even if that purpose is not immediately
clear. It is interesting to note that such a perspective and way of thinking is what gave birth to
modern science.
However, a view of creation that involves many gods results in a lack of expectation that the
world would make sense, perhaps even the perspective that it is meaningless, purposeless, or
chaotic. Explanations concerning the origin of the world and the interaction of humanity with the
supernatural are sought in the battles between gods and unseen beings; these things cannot
change and do not concern humanity, so there is a great level of disinterest in them.
Yet Israel was unique in that they claimed their God to be the only God, and this formed the
basis for their purpose: they were to be a light to the nations through which other nations would
come to know and worship the one true God. While the polytheistic world view leaves human
beings as pawns, buffeted by unseen events, a biblical, monotheistic world view shows one
God that gives purpose and meaning to the world. Our role as his people is clear, and we are
held accountable to this role.

2.1.2.b God’s Interaction with His People
It quickly becomes clear in the story of Genesis that a cycle forms about God’s interaction with
his people: humans sin, God intervenes, God restores, yet humans sin again. Such an example
of this cycle can be seen in the story about the tower of Babel. The cycle is clear here because
it is not as precisely followed as in previous stories of the Bible. In other situations, God’s grace
is quick to follow his judgement, whereas here, for the people of Babel, there is almost silence.
This story shows the expectation we have of grace, and it makes clear that it is God’s decision
as to whether it comes or not. Indeed, the following chapters go on to a genealogy and it is not
until the calling of Abraham that God again sets about to restore his people.
The calling of Abraham and the five blessings outlined in chapter 12 represent a major shift in
how God deals with his people such as, for example, the previous figures of Noah and Adam. It
is through the story of Abraham that God brings about his interventions and a promise of a new
beginning, particularly different because God brings this about through an individual, small-scale
story of an elderly couple where, previously, God’s intervention and relationship with his people
was set on the large-scale stage.
Abraham and Sarah are to be a new beginning that is an expression of God’s grace, and an
expression of God’s purposes for the world and his people. Abraham and Sarah try to give God
a helping hand, resulting in the birth of Ishmael. But they discover that God has determined that
they will have a child by his power and promise, not their clever ability. We see, in the life of
Abraham and his nephew Lot, a comparison between one who will trust the Lord, and one who
seems to seek security in man-made powers. This struggle is a theme throughout not only
Genesis but also the Bible. It culminates in the New Testament in the difference between
salvation by works and salvation by faith. Abraham and Sarah give birth to Isaac. The two main
stories concerning Isaac deal with the near sacrifice of Isaac, the child of the promise, on Mount
Moriah, and getting of a wife, Rebekah, for him among their family in Haran rather than in
Canaan.
Sarah dies and Abraham buys a field in the promised land in which to bury her. Abraham dies
and is buried in the cave of Machpelah with Sarah.
2.1.2.c Playing Favourites

There are many examples of favouritism in the Genesis story. One example is that Abraham and
Sarah favour their son Isaac over Ishmael.
Many years later, Isaac and Rebekah have twins, Esau and Jacob. They are given a word from
the Lord that the older will serve the younger. Isaac and Rebekah, like Abraham and Sarah, play
favourites with their children and this complicates matters. Jacob induces Esau to sell the rights
of the firstborn and then tricks his blind father into giving him Esau’s superior blessing. Jacob
runs away to Haran and meets his match in trickery—Uncle Laban.
As Jacob returns home, now with two wives, two concubines, his sons who will be the founding
fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel, and their sister Dinah, he meets God at the river Jabbok at
Peniel. It is in this strange wrestling match that Jacob’s name is changed to Israel, a name that
means, ‘he struggles with God’ (Gen 32:28).
The fears of meeting Esau again are overcome and Israel settles in the promised land. Jacob’s
favouritism toward Joseph creates a situation where Joseph is betrayed by his brothers and

sold into slavery in Egypt. After a series of struggles, Joseph becomes the means not only of
preserving his own family in a famine but brings this blessing to the whole world.
It is clear from these stories that God favours the unlikely hero. While human choice favours
what we find attractive, which is usually assessed by what we can get out of it, God’s choice is
to show his strength and blessing. It shows that it is not the natural fruitfulness of humanity that
will solve the problems of the world.
Unlike human favouritism, God does not bless to the exclusion of others, but rather he blesses a
person so that they can be a blessing to the others. We have all sinned and fallen short of the
glory of God, but God chooses people to be a witness to his grace and his revelation. Israel is
chosen for this role, as Paul, in the New Testament, commissions the people to witness first to
the Jew and then to the Gentile. Consequently, Israel is held to a higher standard than other
nations because they have the full revelation of God as his chosen people.
At the end of Genesis, Israel is left in Egypt, with little more than seventy in its ranks.

2.1.3 Exodus
The significance of Exodus cannot be overstated. It gives us the language and imagery of
salvation in the Bible. Israel is now in slavery. Israel is not only considered the inheritor of the
blessings of Abraham but is also styled as a new Adam (Exod 1:7; cf. Gen 1:28). The promise to
Abraham—that of being a great nation—is fulfilled, but the fulfilment is not experienced as
blessing but as curse. Pharaoh persecutes Israel and destroys the Hebrew boys. In Exodus 1:9,
the concerns of the Pharaoh were not merely concerns of a paranoid individual. In any slave-
dependent economy, concerns exist of a slave uprising; indeed, one such uprising, where the
slaves outnumbered the master class, finished the once powerful Spartan Empire.
In a time of upheaval, these concerns are extended to the extremes. Pharaoh ordered that every
son born to a Hebrew woman be cast into the Nile; he feared an uprising of the Israelites. A
similar tragedy echoes this at the time of Jesus’ birth, where King Herod ordered the slaying of
all male children under the age of two, for fear that one of these children would replace him as
king.
However, a Hebrew boy named Moses is saved from Pharaoh’s orders. He becomes part of the
Egyptian royal family and has a sense of destiny—he tries to free his people from their
oppressors but fails. In the wilderness he meets with God and God calls him to be the ‘saviour’
of Israel in the Lord’s strength. After forty years, Moses returns to confront Pharaoh and the
Egyptians with the sovereign demands of the Lord.
2.1.3.a YHWH
YHWH is the personal name of God, and it means the verb to be: ‘I am who I am’ or ‘I will be
who I will be’.
Because in the original Hebrew text there were only consonants (and no vowels), there is much
discussion among theologians and historians trying to discern what the correct pronunciation of
this word is. To avoid saying the Lord’s name in vain, YHWH was never said or written out in
full. Instead, the word ‘Adini’ was used when talking about God. It is still used in the Hebrew
Bible today.
However, it is clear that the name shows the character of God, and that God does not fit to our
expectations of who he will be. The importance of a person’s name in determining their role and
purpose is shown quite clearly throughout the Bible. For example, Jacob means deceitful, yet
God gives him a new name, which marks the change of his role and purpose for God’s people.
God’s name is almost a celebration of the fact that he is not subject or determined by his name.
Apart from YHWH, God is also referred to as the Lord, which is another expression for this
personal name of God. Jehovah, meanwhile, is a combination of all these names.
2.1.3.b Covenant
The term covenant is translated from the Hebrew word berith. A covenant is a legal contract
between two or more parties, with defined obligations that establish relationships between
people, for example, a marriage covenant.
God’s covenant is God’s commitment to a group of people and through those people to the
world: ‘I will be your God and you will be my people,’ he says.

Covenant theology is a series of covenants of God’s relationship with people through history. It
is a term that is used to understand the unfolding revelation of God and the way he deals with
humanity, particularly revealed in a progressive development of a covenant.
God’s covenant promise to his people is a commitment to a personal relationship with Israel,
even though Israel fails repeatedly. Although God rescues Israel from the Egyptians, during the
journey to Sinai Israel shows that you can take the slaves out of Egypt but you cannot take
Egypt out of the slaves; they want to define themselves that way.
At Sinai, God casts a new vision for Israel—God’s chosen nation is to be a holy nation and a
kingdom of priests. Israel is the priest nation who will bring the knowledge of the Lord’s rule to
the whole world and, in so doing, bring blessing.
The relationship with YHWH is defined in covenant terms—the Lord is the great king who has
saved Israel; they are his people to live his way and he will protect them. The Ten
Commandments and their application to many particular contexts illustrate this.
God saves Israel from their Egyptian oppressor and is in a relationship with them. He loves them
and blesses them by giving them his laws so that they can live in a way that is purposeful and
intentional. This promise and relationship is structured but incredibly personal. It is so that Israel
can be a witness to the nations and so that they will come and worship the true God through
his people.
2.1.3.c The Importance of the Tabernacle

While at times the book of Exodus can appear repetitious in its content, this detail highlights the
importance of that content. The details of the tabernacle, for example, the place where God
symbolically dwells amongst Israel, show the importance of the presence of God in the lives of
the Israelites.
The repeated, exhaustive detail given to the setting up and the construction of the tabernacle
emphasises that the centre of Israel’s life is the presence of YHWH dwelling amongst them in
his land. Between the two sets of instruction is the story of Israel’s rebellion, overseen by Aaron,
in the making of the golden calf as a visible representation of YHWH. In this, Israel has rebelled
comprehensively and the Lord is only stopped from destroying Israel, to start again with Moses,
by Moses’ intercession on Israel’s behalf.
The Lord relents and intends to go with Israel to the promised land. This is the ultimate blessing
of God: saving his people so that they can live under him and by him. Nonetheless, we are left
with the overwhelming sense that Israel will sin again and God’s presence is dangerous to this
sinful people.
2.1.3.d Idolatry
Genesis shows that sin is the perversion of the knowledge of God, which destroys what it
means to be human. The following book, Exodus, deals strongly with the many sins of Israel,
but most frequently with the sin of idolatry. Idolatry degrades who God is, and it also degrades
us as human beings.

This is because idolatry is a replacement of human beings, who are made in God’s image, with
images that do not represent the true God. In this sense, instead of being a reflection of God’s
glory, human beings become the reflection of a new image that is not God. This is very
dangerous: we become what we worship. If we worship the one true God, we become like him.
If we worship idols, we forget who we are and God’s purposes for us.
Furthermore, God’s relationship with his people is richest when it is purest. To believe false
things about God, or make up things about God is to spoil this purity and spoil the relationship.
If it is continued, this relationship is ultimately extinguished.

2.1.4 Leviticus
The first seven chapters of Leviticus provide a description of the five sacrifices: the burnt
offering, the cereal offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering. From this
sacrificial system we learn that being a sinful nation comes at a cost, and that there is a
difference between intentional sin and unintentional sin.
2.1.4.a The Sacrifices

The sacrifices must be made by the priests, Aaron’s sons, who are consecrated to sacrifice in
chapters 8–9. In chapter 10, Aaron’s sons do not follow the instructions of the Lord and are
struck down—privilege does not annul responsibility. Leviticus then proceeds to describe how
Israel was to move from impurity or uncleanness to purity or cleanness, that is, to holiness.
Chapters 11–15 cover some of the things that make a person unclean, for example, eating
unclean food (11), flowing bodily fluids (childbirth, 12; 15), skin diseases (13–14). These
chapters present a daily reminder for people of the pollution of sin and the need for sin to be
dealt with in order to be close to God.
As a special, saved people, Israel should live their life in a special way not only so that they are
spiritually clean, but also so that they are physically clean. Their physical cleanliness should
represent their spiritual holiness. For example, Leviticus dictates rules that some foods were
clean and good to eat, while others were not. As such, every meal was a reminder for Israel of
the impact of sin in their lives and that they were to be different.
The sacrificial system is a God-given way that a sinful nation can keep living in the presence of
God. It shows that, in order for a sinful nation to be in a relationship with God, something must
die. This is the cost of sin, and it removes any remaining notions of triviality for the sinner. It is
also a reminder that it is always by God’s grace that God’s people can move towards him and
have an act of fellowship with him because God has provided for the realisation that humanity is
broken and regularly fails him. God provides, through his grace and mercy, a means for
atonement and reparation for his people. In this way also, offerings and sacrifices are a beautiful
act of devotion to God, and, because of the different types of sacrifices, can be an act of
devotion in every aspect of an individual’s life.
However, it is worth noting that the sacrificial system covers largely unintentional sin, and does
not cover intentional sin. This is because Israel was supposed to know the law, and follow it.
The duty of an Israelite was towards God, and this was to be integrated into their whole life.
While the sacrificial system leaves intentional sin and its solution unexplained, it is clear
throughout the Bible that God forgives this ‘high-handed’ sin when there is repentance,
particularly in those he has chosen. Such an example would be King David’s sin when he
pursues Bathsheba, committing adultery and a murder, yet God forgives him.
2.1.4.b Day of Atonement

The Day of Atonement is where one day each year the high priest enters the most holy place
and offers a sacrifice on behalf of all the people for the year. Israel is reset with a hope of
something better to come.

The Day of Atonement cleanses Israel for all the sins not covered by the sacrifices (Lev 16). Sins
such as improper worship or prohibited acts (sexual and otherwise), seek justice and are sins
punishable by death (Lev 17–20).
During this highly symbolic ceremony, two goats are brought before the high priest and the sins
of people are named while the high priest places his hands on the heads of the goats. One goat
is killed and offered to God, while the other is set free out into the wilderness. Israel identifies
itself with these two goats. While the goat that was killed has taken the place of Israel and is
destroyed, the other that was set free removes the sins from their presence.
The Day of Atonement is built within the sacrificial system so that God might continue to live in
Israel’s presence. It is only on this day that the high priest can go to the most holy place in the
tabernacle and make a sacrifice on behalf of the people. The Day of Atonement gives people
hope that with sacrifice there can be an intimate relationship with God. However, there is a
lingering sense that the system is incomplete, as sacrifices can only be made through a high
priest, a representative, and this may have presented a frustration for the Israelite people.
2.1.4.c Festivals
Leviticus also introduces a set of feasts including Passover, First Fruits, Weeks, Day of
Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles. The feasts and events had great significance for the life of
the community of Israel and are looked at as a celebration of what God has done in and for
Israel.
While many feasts and festivals of this period have an agricultural basis, Israel’s story explains
them in terms of God’s relationship with his people and with Israel. The Passover is a
celebration of God bringing Israel out of Egypt, while the Feast of the Tabernacles celebrates
how even when Israel wandered in the wilderness, God provided for them and kept them safe.
The Feast of Weeks celebrates the gift of the law from God, and how this provides instruction
on how God’s people should live. This celebration is continued to fulfilment in Pentecost in the
New Testament, whereby God’s people can celebrate the coming of God’s Holy Spirit to
change the heart of his people in order that they may fulfil and keep to God’s law in Jesus.
These festivals are lived out and celebrated by Israel each year, and all of these festivals suit an
oral, pre-book culture as a way of continuing the process of education. Generations later,
descendants of those who experienced the events can relive the event, such as the escape
from Egypt. This enables the relationship with God to continue and remain intensely personal at
the same time.
These festivals differ from festivals that we may be familiar with in our contemporary Australian
society. Yet festivals such as the ones we have today could be considered to have a similar
significance and role. ANZAC Day ensures that the story and sacrifices of those who fought for
our freedom are never forgotten. More importantly, however, religious celebrations such as
Christmas and Easter are significant in remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and God’s
plan for his people and the commitment to be in a relationship with him. It is important that as
Christians we are active and enthusiastic in retelling the story of God’s relationship with
humanity, not only for the sake of our own relationship with God and defining who we are, but
also as a witness to others.

2.1.4.d Sabbath and Jubilee
Chapter 25, which deals with the concepts of Sabbath and Jubilee, seems to be unusual in the
ancient world, yet the meaning of these particular festivals is meant to be distinctive so that
Israel stands apart from the nations.
The Sabbath shows us that the purpose in labour is to rest with God. Our relationship with him
is the goal for our existence, and to rest on the seventh day is not only a time where we rest in
ourselves but also a time where we rest with God. In the context of the Old Testament, a weekly
Sabbath rest was at the beginning of the week and, therefore, a focus on God defined the
working week. Even those who were aliens living in Israel or who were slaves in the community
were given the blessing of being able to rest on the Sabbath.
Though a particular instance of Jubilee was never recorded in the Bible, Jubilee is a celebration
that ‘resets’ a person’s debts. It ensures that nobody can grow rich and exploit others
indefinitely. This allows for integrity in terms of what God has given to his people, in that it
prevents an individual accumulating vast amounts of wealth at the destruction of others.
Through this justice, Israel is able to keep their identity.
Jesus in Jubilee
The idea of Jubilee has been taken up in some aspects of contemporary society, with the push
for the release and clearing of the debt of some developing nations. Significantly, however, the
idea of Jubilee is presented in Isaiah, where God declares that there will be Jubilee in a saviour,
that is, Jesus. Jesus released people from their slavery to sin and physical illness, and cleared
the debt of humanity for all time.
Chapter 26 is very common with other ancient writings and reads very much like a standard
ancient Near Eastern treaty. However, there are crucial differences between God’s covenant
and standard ancient Near Eastern treaties. The overall impression is that all of life comes under
the rule of YHWH and that living as his people will be a response that is considered, purposeful
and joyful. Those who reject his kingship will be punished. Life is to be lived as God intended
and these laws help a slave nation learn what is true, right, and morally straight. In so doing, the
laws allow Israel’s national life to reflect the character of the Lord.

2.1.5 Numbers
The book of Numbers contains many types of writings, with sections of poetry, history, rituals,
laws, and prophecy. The book begins and ends with a census (hence its title). Numbers also
contains many significant moments in the story of Israel, including moments of frustration for
God and for his people.
2.1.5.a The Wilderness

This frustration begins when the Israelites fear entering the promised land because they believe
the Canaanites will overpower them. Israel’s lack of trust in God’s promise to them, their
disbelief of Caleb and Joshua’s account, and a grumbling that they have been brought out of
Egypt to die, eventuates in God’s refusal to allow them into the land. He condemns them to
another forty years of wandering in the desert so it would be their children who enter the
promised land. Frustrated and unhappy with God’s decision, the Israelites again disobey God
and attempt to enter the land without God. Needless to say, they are defeated and return to the
wilderness. The cycle of sin and redemption in their story continues.
God gives Israel, like Noah and Abraham before them, a new beginning when he condemns
them to wait for a new generation of people to enter the promised land. God is faithful to his
people and determined to continue a relationship with them, despite their disobedience and lack
of trust. A second census is held forty years later and shows that the New Israel is numbered
essentially the same, though it is the children of previous generation that now have the
opportunity to enter the promised land.
It is again worth noting here that it is a misrepresentation of God that has led to Israel’s sin. Just
as the serpent in Genesis portrayed a God that did not care for the interests of his people, so
too do the Israelites make up and believe an image of God that is untrue and damaging to his
relationship with them. It was another way in which they became like the nations around them,
who believed that when life went wrong, it was because the gods were not happy.
2.1.5.b The Power of God

Numbers also presents the power of God and his protection of his people, particularly in the
story of Balaam and his prophecy. In this story, Balaam is hired specifically to pronounce bad
prophecies over Israel, that is, to curse Israel. However, it soon becomes clear that, like any
prophet, Balaam is helpless to the power of the work of God, and God turns the pagan king’s
plan to curse Israel into a time to bless Israel. While it could be perceived by other nations that
God’s power is identified only with his people, or their location, Numbers proves that God is
supreme over all nations and people, even those who are prophets from other traditions.
2.1.5.c God Dwelling with His People

How God dwells with his people can be seen as a very military picture. God dwells within the
tabernacle at the centre of the Israelite camp, protected by a buffer zone of tents of the priestly
families of the Levites. It is God who sets the agenda: where they will go and when, and how he
rules.
The sovereignty of God in this picture should reflect the sovereignty of God within the church.

2.1.6 Deuteronomy
It could be argued that much of the content of Deuteronomy has been covered in Exodus,
Numbers and Leviticus. However, the very name of the book comes from the fact that there is a
second statement of the law, and a restatement of the covenant, which is significant for the
people of Israel. Moses reminds the New Israel (the children of those that came out of Egypt) of
God’s plan and purpose, and Deuteronomy is thus actually a very reassuring word from God.
Deuteronomy is set between Numbers 33 and Joshua 1. Israel is poised to enter the promised
land. This is a new Israel—the generation that was at Sinai has died out. This New Israel is to
remember the story so far and understand the significance of what the Lord is doing through
her.
Israel has been chosen to be the means by which the Lord will display to the nations his glory.
She has been chosen not because she is bigger or better but because of grace. The whole of
Israel’s life and existence is an act of grace and, in response to the Lord’s salvation, Israel is to
live the totality of her life in faithfulness to the Lord. Moses details the laws and institutions, and
the sacrifices and festivals that are to fill Israel’s focus and equip her to be a true representative
for the Lord.
If Israel is faithful (which she will not be), she will be blessed. If she is unfaithful (which she will
be), she will be cursed. Yet beyond this there is still hope for her if she returns to the Lord with
all her heart.
2.1.6.a A Treaty
In Deuteronomy we see clearly the mirroring of a standard treaty pattern of the ancient Near
East between a powerful king and a dependent state. Like any standard treaty, it has five
sections (this can be seen in the example of a Hittite treaty between a powerful king and vassal
state).
Introduction 1:1–5
The introduction restates how the king came to be in charge, who the characters in the treaty
are, and the period in which the treaty occurs.
Historical prologue 1:6–4:49
This section details the circumstances of the treaty, and how each party arrived where it is. For
Israel, this included details of the forty-year journey from Sinai to Kadesh Barnea, spies and
revolt, the wandering in the desert, opposition such as Edom, Moab, Ammon and the Amorites,
the defeat of two kings, Sihon and Og, that Moses will not go into the promised land, and that
Israel must obey and remember the covenant or she will be scattered to the nations.
Responsibilities 5:1–26:19
This section examines the responsibilities of each party to the other. For Israel, this means a
restatement of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5. Chapter 6 includes the Shema, and
verses 4 and 5 are stated as the relational basis of Israel’s existence and obedience.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to
be on your hearts.
Deut 6:4–6.
The commands are part of the gracious gift of salvation the Lord has given to Israel (vv 20–25).
Chapter 7 concerns driving out the nations and destroying them totally; the people are not to
compromise Israel by intermarriage. This is because they have become corrupted by their
idolatry and Israel is chosen to be God’s own special possession. Israel has not been chosen
because she is great but because the Lord is. If they obey, Israel will be like Eden. The
progressive destruction of the nations is foreshadowed.
Chapter 8 outlines to the people the importance of remembering what the Lord did for them in
the wilderness so they will not forget him when they have plenty. They are to remember that
everything Israel has is from the Lord. They are not to think that Israel as a nation has won the
promised land by their own strength; it is always a gift.
Chapters 9–11 show that Israel has not been chosen by God because she is more righteous
(take for example, the golden calf and the other examples of covenant infidelity). The
Commandment tablets were broken and new ones were made. The Levites from this time
became priests to the Lord, and the Lord was gracious and did not destroy Israel. Israel is not
more righteous, but rather the message is. God is gracious and Israel is to fear the Lord and
obey him; they are to become righteous. If they are faithful and loyal and obedient, then Israel
will enjoy every good thing; the choice to be blessed or cursed is theirs.
Chapters 12–13 command Israel not to worship the Lord at pagan shrines but that the Lord will
select a place for right sacrifices. They are not to follow others gods, no matter who tells them
to (anyone who does tell them to must be destroyed as they threaten Israel’s integrity and
future).
Chapters 14–15 command Israel to show they belong to the true God by being different; they
are to look different, eat differently, give tithes to the Lord because they are thankful, and
support those who serve the Lord for them. They are to show that they are different by how
they treat the weak and poor.
Chapter 16:1–17 commands Israel to keep the festivals such as Passover, Feast of Weeks, and
the Feast of Tabernacles.
Chapter 16:18–19 provides a balance of institutions to keep Israel faithful to the Lord: judges,
the Law, the courts, and the king. The king must not have great numbers of horses, or many
wives, or they will lead him away from the Lord. He is not defined by these but by covenantal
faithfulness. There should be supporting priests and Levites. A prophet should be raised up for
Israel, not for sorcery. There are also details about setting up cities of refuge and the role of
witnesses.
Chapter 20 outlines the laws about going to war, while chapters 21–25 look at various laws to
do with murder and marriage violations. Chapter 26 concerns the commandments of the first
fruits and tithes with the declaration from the Lord that Israel has been given all that she has.

Curses and blessings 27:1–30:20
This section outlines what will happen to the vassal kingdom when they are obedient, and when
they are disobedient, that is, curse or blessing.
Chapter 27 of Deuteronomy outlines the curses that will be experienced by Israel if certain
disobediences occur among its people.
Chapter 28:1–14 looks at what happens if Israel is faithful to the Lord, that is, the blessings they
will receive.
Chapter 28:15–68 looks at what happens if Israel is unfaithful, that is, the curses they will
receive.
Chapter 29 is a renewal of the covenant and chapter 30 concerns Israel’s future.
Succession arrangements and public reading 31:1–34:5
This is so that the people do not forget what it is they have agreed to do.
2.1.6.b The Shape of Deuteronomy

That the book of Deuteronomy takes the shape of one of these ancient treaties reveals that the
covenant between God and his people is a treaty of life, blessing and access to a gracious God.
This is through the fact that the book is laid out in a familiar arrangement, and therefore
communicates clearly to the people of Israel what is being agreed and the context of the
agreement. It is also through the fact that this format highlights what is different about God’s
covenant with his people. The Lord is not an ancient despot who has taken captive the Israelite
nation and has with them an abusive oppressive relationship, demanding a price for their
protection (i.e. taxes). He is instead faithful and merciful, abounding in love and grace and
wanting to engage fully in a loving relationship with his people. The treaty of Deuteronomy
underlines the graciousness of God and how precious Israel is to him.

2.1.6.c Deuteronomic History
The book of Deuteronomy forms the shape of the things to come for Israel: blessing, curse,
exile and return. Particularly noteworthy are the following verses in chapter 30.
When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to
heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your
children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul
according to everything I command you today, then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes
and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.
Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD
your God will gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that belonged to your
ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous
than your ancestors. The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your
descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
Deut 30:1–6.
In these verses there is a restatement of chapter 6: it is a declaration of the fact that Israel will
not be able to love the Lord with all their heart, soul and strength. Because of this, Israel will
experience blessing and curse, but the Lord will bring them back to him and change their hearts
so that they will respond to him and love him. This cycle and promise sets the agenda for the
rest of the Bible and is ultimately fulfilled in the giving of the Holy Spirit to his people after the
death and resurrection of Christ.
For all of the Pentateuch, three elements—God’s reality, the blessings to Abraham and the
Deuteronomy plot—are what form the shape of the story of the Bible. God created the world
and intends to shape this reality in a certain way, and nothing can stop this. The promises and
blessings made to Abraham form the way this will come about, through him, Israel and
ultimately the nations. Deuteronomy goes into greater depth about what is involved in bringing
about God’s intentions for creation. It is intended as a way for the people of Israel to see what
will happen to them so that they are able to be saved and also enable nations of the world to be
saved. These essential elements are retold in different contexts, climaxing in the life and ministry
of Jesus Christ.

2.1.7 The Former Prophets
The section of the Former Prophets includes the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel and
1 and 2 Kings. These books receive this name because of their context (that is, they are before
the Latter Prophets) and because of the nature in which they are told, that is, they contain
prophecy reminding the people of God’s promises and his character. Throughout these books
the lessons to be learned are clearly shown through the characters and their actions, and
particularly their speech.
The Former Prophets tell the story of Israel through their understanding of God and his word
and character. There is a definitive theological perspective to this history, illustrating the
character of God, the character of his people, and the significance of each event in their
relationship.
2.1.7.a Prophets and Prophecy

Prophets were often referred to as ‘seers’ because they were able to see and interpret
messages from God that others could not. It is important to note that there are two types of
prophecy. The most commonly thought of, foretelling the future, whilst occurring in the Bible, is
not the type of prophecy that the prophets of the Old Testament mainly engaged in. The second
type of prophecy, which could be considered more of a forthtelling, is where God’s people are
reminded of their sin and called to repentance. This type of prophecy is the word of God and
provides powerful insight into our reality.
Consequently, the primary role of prophecy in the context of the Former Prophets is to interpret
God’s blessings, curses, and promises to his people and apply it to the situation or event, such
as in the situation between the prophet Nathan and King David. In this context, prophecy could
be considered to be a critique of the Israelites’ way of life, or a social and religious commentary.
The prophets remind Israel that God will keep to the covenant; they are warned of the curses
outlined in Deuteronomy because they are not following or being faithful to the covenant. In one
sense, the prediction of the prophets is a proclamation of the judgement that God has already
pronounced.
Furthermore, the relationship between the prophet and the reigning king was crucial to the
acceptance of the prophetic message. Frequently in the Old Testament the king would ignore
the prophet’s message. The relationship between the prophet and the king often broke down,
to the detriment of the kingdom.
2.1.7.b The Plight of the Former Prophets

The narrative of these books tells the story of Israel from the perspective of Deuteronomy,
including the blessings of occupying the land, and Israel defeating her enemies, to the
development of the institution of judges, before Israel asks to have a king like the nations.
To desire a king like the nations is an explicit rejection of the Lord God, who is Israel’s king. The
books take us through the rise and fall of Saul, and the anointing of a man after God’s own
heart—David. The narrative continues with the death of Saul and the crowning of David.
David captures Jerusalem as his capital, and brings the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem with a
little trouble. David wants to build a house for God, a temple, but God rejects his offer and

counters with his own. The Lord will build a house—a dynasty—for David. But David’s life
descends into the chaos of adultery, deceit and murder. The impact on his family is disastrous
and pattern-forming. He is hunted out of Jerusalem by Absalom. David reconnects with the
Lord and his essential self, in this personal disaster. He dies ignored and uncelebrated. His last
act is not simply to pass the throne to his son, Solomon, but to ensure the death of his enemies.
Solomon is marked out as the king who will build the house of the Lord. He begins well in
seeking wisdom, not power, and builds the impressive temple to house the ark of the covenant.
In what at first sight seems the glory of Solomon, the accounting of Solomon’s wealth and
power and his many wives and concubines have disastrous consequences in that they led his
heart away from the Lord to worship other gods. For all of his wisdom, Solomon has been a fool
and judgement falls with the division of the kingdom of Israel into north and south.
The northern kingdom (called Israel) is, at first, under Jeroboam son of Nebat, while the
southern kingdom (Judah) is under Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. What follows is the tale of two
kingdoms.
Israel quickly slides into idolatry and wickedness. Jeroboam, not wanting his subjects to go to
Jerusalem to worship at the temple, sets up golden calves at Dan in the north and Bethel in the
south to worship.
The northern and southern kingdoms are antagonistic toward each other until they settle down
into agreed borders.
Because of the covenant disloyalty of Israel, the Lord raises prophets to call Israel back to
faithfulness. But any change is a passing phase and the northern kingdom disappears in the
invasion of the Assyrians.
The southern kingdom’s decline is arrested from time to time by good kings, but it is never
enough; while the southern kingdom is able by God’s grace to resist the Assyrians, it is
punished by God with Babylon’s overlordship. Rebelling against Babylon is rebelling against the
Lord and when Israel does this, Babylon destroys the walls of Jerusalem, burns the temple and
deports the people. All the blessings and curses come true.
2.1.7.c Prophecy Today

There are varied opinions as to whether prophecy occurs in the context of today’s church.
Certainly it is seen in the New Testament, where the prophecy of Joel is fulfilled at the day of
Pentecost (that is, that the spirit of God would be poured out on all). The apostles declared
what others cannot see: that Jesus is the Saviour of the world. Telling the gospel is a prophetic
ministry in that as Christians we know that Jesus Christ is Lord and that he will pronounce a
judgement upon the world.
First Corinthians 14 looks at the importance of prophecy in the church and it is certainly clear
that there is still a need for the role of prophecy, in the forthtelling sense, in the contemporary
church, because just like Israel, the church needs to be held accountable for its actions and can
stray from God’s path. It is the role of God’s people to do this, echoing the role of the prophets
of the Old Testament.

2.1.8 Joshua
Joshua is a historical record of Israel presented with a prophetic purpose in mind: that the
meaning of the events and situation Israel finds herself can be explained.
In Joshua, God is faithful to the promises he made to Israel and in this sense the book of
Joshua is a success. However, it is the success of God, not of Israel. Israel did not remain
faithful, falling into all sorts of trouble and sliding into a downward spiral of sin as the book
continues.
Within the context of the book, the two and a half tribes east of the Jordan (Ruben, Gad, and
the half-tribe of Manasseh) come to help establish the remainder of Israel in the land west of the
Jordan.
The early chapters (1, 3, 4) are concerned with establishing Joshua’s credentials. Joshua is the
God-ordained successor to Moses and one of the two spies who encouraged Israel to go into
the promised land while all the others, except Caleb, undermined Israel’s strength and courage.
(Caleb of Judah is later revisited in the book of Joshua and contrasted to Joshua’s own modest
accomplishments.)
Joshua is encouraged by the elders of Israel to be strong and courageous and his divine
endorsement is underlined by Israel entering the promised land in the way that Israel left Egypt
under Moses through the Red Sea—Israel crosses the Jordan without getting their feet wet.
The spies visiting Rahab the prostitute (2), give us a sinking feeling—recently Israel has been
tripped up by Moabite women who have seduced them—but this woman Rahab is able to
quote the Israelite creed (2:9–23) and promises to protect them if they promise to protect her.
They return to Joshua and he upholds their promise.
On both occasions where Israel is ready to enter the promised land spies are sent in. On the
first occasion Joshua and Caleb were the only ones who advocated possessing the land. The
others undermined Israel’s capacity. Now some forty years later spies are sent in again.
2.1.8.a Parallels to Genesis and Eden

Joshua is confronted by an angel with a drawn sword (5:13), and the ideas presented here
mirror those in Genesis. Joshua asks if the angel is for Israel or for Israel’s enemies and is told
neither. This has significant implications, as how an individual lives determines how God will
respond to them. How Israel behaves is fundamental to how the commander of the Lord’s army
will respond to Israel. The ground where Joshua stands is holy so he must take off his sandals.
There is a sense that entering into the promised land is re-entering Eden, a new Eden, and
finding nothing less than an angel with a sword drawn guarding its entrance.
There is another significant Eden parallel that does not surface until after the remarkable
intervention of Jericho’s destruction. When Israel tries to take Ai, she fails because she has
already failed to live in God’s land as she should. It is revealed that Achan has taken and hidden
devoted things from Jericho, thus making Israel ripe for judgement.
The sin of Achan in Joshua 7:20–21 conjures images of the fall through almost identical
language used in Genesis 3. This language includes looking at something good or beautiful,
taking it, and then hiding. In Genesis, Adam and Eve looked at the fruit in the garden, took it and

ate it, and hid themselves and their nakedness. Achan describes his sin with these significant
words:
Achan replied, ‘It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have
done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and
a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground
inside my tent, with the silver underneath.’
Josh 7:20–21.
Chapters 9 and 10 of Joshua tell of the Gibeonite deception. A people of the promised land, like
Rahab, they know their time is up and by deceptive means (they dress in rags, as if they have
been on a long journey, have mouldy food, and present themselves to Israel as foreigners) trap
Israel into making a covenant with them. Israel believes that the nations are coming to her, that
they are important. They do not consult God, ignoring God’s calling to not make compromises
or deals with other nations, to be pure and different. Other people in the land hear of what the
Gibeonites have done and move to destroy them. Israel goes in defence of those they have
promised to support, the Gibeonites. However, God uses the unintentional unfaithfulness of
Israel and though their treaty with the Gibeonites provokes war and destruction, God ensures
that Israel destroys the five Amorite kings and clears opposition to Israel.
Chapters 14–19 cover the division of the land. This section begins with Caleb, a previous spy,
taking a huge amount of land and ends with Joshua taking only a small town that must be built
up to be significant.
The western side of the Jordan had been subdued and the eastern tribes returned to their land,
having finished helping the western tribes. When the eastern tribes return home, they build a
giant Israelite altar. The western tribes think this is idolatry and meet to fight the eastern tribes.
Disaster is averted, however, when the eastern tribes explain their actions: the altar is not meant
to be idolatrous but a reminder that the two sides, western and eastern, belong to each other
and that the eastern tribes did not want to be forgotten or denied. Though bloodshed is
avoided, it becomes apparent that Israel has the potential to destroy herself from within.
Chapters 23 and 24 are the last recorded sermon from Joshua. It is a summary of where Israel
has been, where they are going, and what they need to do in the present. However, these
chapters are similar to Moses’ rebuke of Israel in Deuteronomy (indeed, it is in the next book,
Judges, that we see such a reason for the rebuke, where the fragility of Israel is played out). In
this way, Joshua is also a restatement of the covenant relationship and a calling from Joshua
before he dies for Israel to reassert herself as being the people of God and remaining faithful to
the covenant.
These chapters are a summary of the book. Joshua, who is old and will die in chapter 24,
gathers Israel to encourage her to keep on doing the job of taking the land and being faithful to
the Lord. God has kept his promises; he has been faithful. If Israel is not faithful, the curses of
exile will come upon them (23:12–16).
The covenant is renewed at Shechem with a recounting of the Israel story, a story out of
idolatry. Joshua challenges Israel to choose to follow the Lord. He tells them they cannot be
faithful (24:19), but Israel affirms her intention to be faithful despite Joshua’s warnings. What is
amazing is that despite all their protests of faithfulness, Joshua must call Israel to get rid of its
idols among them (24:23). The covenant is renewed but we are not left confident of Israel’s
ability.

2.1.9 Judges
This book within the Old Testament shows that Israel has the power to destroy herself from
within when the potential for intertribal warfare is realised and the tribe of Benjamin is nearly
wiped out. The book also largely looks at idolatry, chronically and repetitively, as Joshua’s
warnings at the end of the previous book come to pass. Judges also contains the theme of
leadership, particularly the failure of leadership. A judge is a leader who provides the function of
leading God’s people into war, being their champion and protecting them against the enemies
of the nation, but they also give judgement and justice concerning disputes among their own
people.
This failure of leadership amongst the judges who lead Israel is seen in the areas of politics and
religion. Because of their disobedience to God, Israel is continually drawn into war with other
nations. The first few chapters of Judges summarise this well.
The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, ‘I brought you up out of Egypt and led
you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, “I will never break my covenant with you,
and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.”
Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out
before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’
Judg 2:1–3.
However, Israel also forsakes the Lord and serves other gods, illustrated most clearly in Judges
2:6–3:6.
…because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In his anger against Israel the
LORD gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their
enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the
hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in
great distress. Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.
Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshipped
them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the LORD’s
commands. Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them
out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD relented because of their
groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people
returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving
and worshipping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
Judg 2:13–19.
There were many different judges that became leaders of Israel. Below is a summary of some of
the key characters and what they did.
• Othniel: his Israelite wife promotes his success (3:7–32; see earlier 1:11–15)
• Ehud: takes a deadly message to a foreign king, slays Moabites at the fords of the
Jordan (3:12–31)
• Deborah, Barak: a woman, Jael, slays the Canaanite Sisera and ends the war (4:1–5:31)
• Gideon:

o his stand against idolatry (6:1–32)
o his fight against the enemy (6:33–7:25)
o his fight against his own nationals (8:1–21)
o his refusal to be king but his lapse into idolatry (8:22–32)
• Abimelech: ‘A certain woman’ slays the Israelite Abimelech and ends the war (8:33–10:5)
• Jephthah: sends messages to a foreign king—slays Ephraimites at the fords of the

Jordan (10:6–12:15)
• Samson: his foreign women promote his downfall (13:1–16:31)
During the period of Judges, the Israelites endured much hardship and continually faced
oppression. However, Israel continued to rebel against God and serve idols and the gods of the
nations they came to dispossess. The cycle of behaviour became a downward spiral: a judge
died, Israel rejected God and worshipped pagan gods, God sent a nation in judgement to
oppress them, Israel cried out to God, God sent a judge, God saved them from oppression,
Israel obeyed God during the time of the judge, and then the judge died.
Read Judges 19-20
By the end of Judges, corruption is so widespread that Israel turns on herself and nearly wipes
out the tribe of Benjamin in an attempt to punish them of their sin. Chapters 19–20 illustrate the
extreme depths of sin that Israel has sunk to.
Israel has somehow become even worse than the nations it has dispossessed, almost
destroying itself. Israel survives its civil war but the book of Judges ends with a certain level of
ambiguity. Is Israel’s survival a case study in abandoning God’s lordship, or a case study that in
spite of the nation abandoning God, and their resulting wickedness, Israel was still God’s people
with whom he dealt with grace and mercy?

2.1.10 Genesis 1–12
The stories of the fall, Cain and Abel, the Babel event and the flood narrative in Genesis 1–12
are the beginning and the shape of Christian theology. They examine the questions of sin, the
character and nature of God, creation and its relationship to God, how sin works in human life,
the nature of death, and the consequences of disobeying God.
The impact of Genesis on shaping Christian theology is significant, because it is this book that
sets the paradigm for understanding the world and the story of Israel and God’s creation that
follows. A neglect or misunderstanding of the text here inevitably leads to a misunderstanding of
God’s character and purpose for the world and his people, and also a misunderstanding of
many of the complex issues raised in his word. This is because an understanding of these
things will come from other sources such as popular culture or unbiblical texts if not from the
Bible. This leads to misrepresentations of sex, of the relationship between humanity and
creation, and of the relationship between humanity and God.
The flood narrative in Genesis shows that sin is problematic and widespread, and its
consequences are enormous. While it is not revealed exactly what God’s people did, we know
that the thoughts of their hearts were evil all the time (Gen 6:5) and as such the Lord regretted
that he had made human beings on earth and was deeply troubled.
As previously discussed, sin is primarily not believing the truth about God as revealed in his
word, but instead believing the image of God that we have created for ourselves according to
the imaginations of our hearts, and thus we believe not in God but in our own god, our own idol.
Genesis reveals that all are capable and engage in this, and that it is only through a true
engagement of Genesis and the continuation of God’s word that we can combat it, for it is
important to address both the root of sin (a corrupt heart) and the fruit (consequences) of sin.
It is thus important to read the chapters of Genesis in the context of the whole Bible, where
thought and consideration is given to each incident in light of the incidents that come before it.
Patterns, ideas, and common themes develop into the foundations of theology and a paradigm
for examining the world. Often the rest of the Bible can be considered a commentary on the
complications raised in Genesis, and unpacks what the early chapters of Genesis examine.
Indeed, it is not until the New Testament, and the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, that the true
meaning of much of the Bible is revealed.
? Learning Activity: Using what you have learnt in this section, explain how the cycle of
sin and disobedience in Israel’s story is in part a result of their own imagining of God’s
character, and how this is similar to the concepts presented in Genesis.

!

Prophets, Books of the Twelve and the
Writings
Contents
3.1.1 1 & 2 Samuel ................................................................................................................. 3
3.1.1.a The Capturing of the Ark.......................................................................................... 4

3.1.1.b Samuel, Saul and David .......................................................................................... 4
3.1.1.c Prophet ................................................................................................................... 7
3.1.1.d The Shepherd King ................................................................................................. 7
3.1.1.e A Breakup of 1 & 2 Samuel ..................................................................................... 8
3.1.2 1 & 2 Kings .................................................................................................................... 9
3.1.2.a The Kingdom Divides............................................................................................. 10
3.1.3 The Latter Prophets .................................................................................................... 13
3.1.3.a Isaiah ..................................................................................................................... 13

3.1.3.b Jeremiah ............................................................................................................... 16
3.1.3.c Ezekiel ................................................................................................................... 17
3.1.3.d Summary .............................................................................................................. 19
3.1.4 The Book of the Twelve .............................................................................................. 20
3.1.5 The Writings ................................................................................................................ 23
3.1.5.a Daniel .................................................................................................................... 23

3.1.5.b Ezra/Nehemiah ...................................................................................................... 24
3.1.5.c Job, Ruth, Esther and Lamentations ...................................................................... 25
3.1.6 Conclusions for Israel ................................................................................................. 27
3.1.7 Genesis 1–12 in Detail ................................................................................................ 28

Old Testament
2.1: 3.1:
1.1:
A Fleeting Glance
As the story of the Old Testament continues to unfold through the history of God’s people
Israel, the reader witnesses a worsening cycle. The established order of God’s creation is
flouted, his sufficiency as Lord is questioned, and his call to repentance and obedience is
ignored. Even in the face of open rebellion and stubborn blindness, God consistently responds
with justice and mercy over the course of the Old Testament. Whether it be the inadequacy of
the kingship, the harrowing laments of the prophets or the personal testimonies of the Writings,
all of these elements of the Old Testament cry out for a new covenant, so that God’s people
can live by faith, having fallen tragically short of his holy standard. This final topic provides a
functional and fresh approach to the last narrative arcs of the Old Testament as they build up to
the spectacular climax of their fulfilment in Jesus Christ.
Learning Outcomes
1. To recognise in the establishment of a monarchy a turning point in Israel’s history,
and an act of God’s foreknowledge and grace.
2. To appreciate the role of the Latter and Minor Prophets in ministering to Israel by
admonishing and comforting them with God’s message.
3. To trace the theme of exile throughout the Writings of the Old Testament, noting
its implications concerning Israel’s need for a restorative new covenant.

3.1.1 1 and 2 Samuel
First Samuel begins with the birth of a child who will straddle the two institutions of judge and
priest, and his name is Samuel. The story of Samuel’s ministry begins with the story of his
mother Hannah, who is barren. She is one of two wives, and feels insignificant and neglected by
God because she isn’t able to have children. She prays before the Lord for a son and vows that
if the Lord answers her prayer then her son will be dedicated to the Lord all his life. She goes
home and conceives, gives birth, and weans Samuel before bringing him back to the tent of
meeting and the high priest, Eli.
When her prayer is answered with the child of Samuel, Hannah gives thanks to God and
rejoices in what he has done for her. In Hannah’s prayer of thanks (2), Hannah uses the reversal
of her own experience to see a pattern in the way the Lord is working—to humble the proud
and to raise up the humble.
‘The LORD brings death and makes alive;

he brings down to the grave and raises up.
The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.’
1 Sam 2:6–8.
Hannah’s prayer sets the agenda for the rest of the book, which sees a priestly house brought
to nothing and a boy who was nothing raised to king. However, Hannah’s prayer resonates
strongly through to the New Testament as well, for when Mary prays to the Lord, as we read in
the Gospel of Luke, she borrows heavily from Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel. We can see from
this that narratives from the Bible often resonate with one another, repeating themes and
cementing our theology.
In Samuel’s time the state of the priesthood is poor—Eli does not discipline his sons and they
are disrespectful to the Lord, his people and his sacrifices. The fall of Eli’s house is prophesied
by Samuel. The ministry of Samuel is thus significant, as he prophesies the eclipsing of the
house of Eli, and in fact takes Eli’s place, and it is he who anoints Saul as king and then
deposes Saul in his pride and arrogance before anointing the shepherd boy David.
Samuel is overall a successful judge, yet the people of Israel still sin as they turn away from God
and demand a king for their own like the other nations. This demand is a failure to see the
calling Israel had to be different, and that the Lord was their king. Samuel sees this, and is upset
with the people of Israel for their rejection of him as judge and the Lord as king. However, God
hands Israel over to their desires, and, with the institution of the monarchy, Samuel takes on the
role of prophet, calling the kings of Israel to account. With King Saul, the first king of Israel,
Samuel established the foundational principles of kingship in Israel: the king is still answerable to
God and still under God, and it is through the prophets that he is accountable to God.

3.1.1.a The Capturing of the Ark
The story of the ark in 1 and 2 Samuel tells significantly of how Israel’s view of God and their
failure to recognise his true character and nature led to detrimental consequences for the nation
of Israel.
Israel, whilst struggling against the Philistines, decide to take the ark into battle with them,
thinking that it would ensure victory. It is taken into battle by Eli’s sons, who are killed, and the
ark captured. When the news reaches Eli of the death of his sons and the capturing of the ark,
he collapses and dies. This is a judgement from God on both the house of Eli, which had been
acting impurely (a significant sin as they are priesthood of Israel), and the nation of Israel which,
by bringing the Lord into battle with them, were treating him as they would a charm or lucky
idol. Yet the Lord allowed defeat to occur because he would not allow Israel to treat him as a
commodity to be deployed in battle.
The capturing of the ark throws into question whether God, too, had been captured and was
under control of the Philistines. Chapter 5 tells us that the Lord was captured not because he is
weak but because he refused to be used in this way. He demonstrates his lordship over the
Philistines and their gods to the extent that the Philistines are anxious to return the ark, and do
so in chapter 6, in such a way that makes clear the Lord’s hand is in this.
It is not until the reign of King David that the ark of the covenant is brought back to Jerusalem.
King David recognises that God must have his rightful place as the King of Israel and he
publically respects and honours God’s kingship over Israel when he does this.
First Samuel illustrates that, regardless of the failings of the people, God will continue to exercise
his kingship. Further, God looks after Israel to ensure that his name is honoured; the name of
the Lord is inextricably linked with Israel and God will not allow himself to be ridiculed or
disrespected.
3.1.1.b Samuel, Saul, and David

Samuel, Saul, and David are all powerful figures in the text, yet they are not without their faults.
Each character has a different role and is used by God in different ways for his purposes. Here
is an outline of the narrative of 1 and 2 Samuel and the role of each figure in the story.
Samuel
Samuel works as a bridging figure from the period of judges to the institution of kingship. His
role is to explain to Israel her sin and God’s judgement of it. With the institution of the king,
Samuel’s role becomes less of a judge and more of a prophet, whereby he works to call King
Saul to account for his actions and remind him of God’s laws.
In chapter 7 we see some of the features of the life cycle of a judge. Samuel is raised up by the
Lord to call Israel back to covenant faithfulness and free them from Philistine oppression, which
is what happens all of Samuel’s life. In chapter 8 Samuel is old, and like Eli, his sons do not
follow in his ways. The people of Israel make a request that at first glance seems harmless
enough: ‘now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have’. Yet this is a denial
of who Israel is meant to be. Israel is meant to be separate from the nations, not like the nations;
a reason she is different is because she worships the true God and other nations worship idols.
Samuel thinks he is being rejected but the Lord makes it quite clear that Samuel is not the one

who is being rejected. The Lord is Israel’s king and this is one more act of disloyalty in a list that
stretches back to Egypt, and yet he decides to give them what they want. Samuel tells them
what a king like the nations is like—a king takes and takes and takes. A king like the nations is
not like the Lord, who has given everything.
Saul
Saul is the king that Israel deserved and that they wanted, but not a king ‘after God’s own
heart’, for he is constantly worried about his own glory. When Saul is chosen as king, it is
important to realise that this is the king God has allowed Israel to choose. Saul is everything
they want, tall and handsome, but even then Saul seems reluctant to be made king. In chapters
11–12, Saul is established as king and, consequently, Samuel retires as leader but remains as
prophet. Samuel reminds the people of their sin in asking for a king. They ask Samuel to
intercede before the Lord, which he promises to do, but reminds them that if they rebel they will
be swept away.
Chapters 13–15 describe the fall of the house of Saul. What happens to Saul is because he was
not a king ‘after God’s own heart’. There is rash action and disobedience—Saul does not wait
on the Lord and makes rash oaths and yet he (and Jonathan) still lead Israel to victory. Saul’s
rejection becomes complete when the Lord, through Samuel, sends him to destroy the
Amalekites, who harried Israel on the way to the promised land and picked off the weak. Saul
and his men sin, as Achan did, by keeping what was devoted to the Lord and sparing the king
of the Amalekites, Agag. Does Saul spare Agag because he is a king like him? Saul shouldn’t be
like the kings of the nations but unfortunately he is! Samuel informs Saul that he is rejected as
king (there are parallels with Israel’s rejection over the golden calf but here it is more complete).
David
David is the king after God’s own heart. Significantly, however, David still has faults and still sins.
He becomes an adulterer, a murderer, an ineffective father, and dies plotting the death of his
enemies. The end of David’s reign confronts us with the reality that underlines humanity: even
leadership like King David’s still ultimately fails in resisting sin.
Yet David’s rise to be the greatest king in Israel is literally from obscurity. His name is withheld in
many of the early scenes. Samuel is instructed to anoint a new king, one of Jesse’s sons, in
Bethlehem. Samuel too is afflicted with the disease of Israel—he looks at the outside not at the
heart.
But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have
rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the
outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’
1 Sam 16:7.
Of the seven sons of Jesse, David is the last and not even there when Samuel visits. He is so
insignificant that he is the shepherd boy. This is quite important, as the role of shepherd in the
ancient world became the model for kingship: one who protects and guides the people. The
rest of chapter 16 sees David go to Saul’s court to calm him as he is oppressed by an evil spirit.

In chapter 17 David, even though he is not as tall as Saul or Eliab, his oldest brother, wishes to
remove the affront to the Lord and his people, and he becomes the king’s son-in-law by
defeating the giant Goliath, the Philistine champion. In weakness, small and unprotected, he
slays Goliath and wins a great victory.
Chapters 18–26 recount the increasing jealousy of Saul as David eclipses him in military
success, winning the hearts of his people, and even winning the hearts of his own family. No
matter what trick or ruse Saul uses to get David to imperil himself, the Lord gives David
success. Saul knows David is the man to take his place and vows to kill him; meanwhile Saul’s
son, Jonathan, makes a covenant with David of love and faithfulness. David flees and Saul
pursues, showing his ruthlessness and his impiety in killing nearly all the high priestly family. The
king is in David’s hands twice but David refuses to kill him, thus demonstrating his loyalty. These
two acts of restraint against the Lord’s anointed (Christ) surround an episode where David does
not show restraint. David is offended by Nabal’s refusal to acknowledge the protection of his
flocks. On the way to destroy Nabal’s whole household, he is met by Abigail—Nabal’s wife, who
chides him for contemplating an act that will be a burden to him when he becomes king.
(Justice is not just for special people like King Saul but for all.)
In chapters 27–31, David realises time is against him. He will eventually be caught and so he
goes to the Philistines, who are wary, and only the Philistine king, Achish, gives him a job:
making raids on Israel from the town of Ziklag. Saul, on the eve of battle, bereft of guidance,
goes to a witch at Endor to summon up Samuel—who rebukes him and tells him he will die. As
Saul is overcome in battle because of his refusal to destroy the Amalekites, David is hunting
them down. On Mount Gilboa, Saul kills himself. Thus ends 1 Samuel.
Second Samuel chapter 1 opens with David receiving the news of Saul’s death by one who
helped Saul kill himself. Ironically he is an Amalekite, whom David dispatches. David laments the
passing of Saul and Jonathan.
In chapters 2–4, David is anointed king over his own tribe, the tribe of Judah, but with that
declaration, war is declared between the house of David and the house of Saul. There are three
deaths (if you include Saul) that occur that clear the way to the throne of Israel but which David
wishes to distance himself from. The first is the murder of Abner, the commander of Ish-
Bosheth’s army, by Joab, the commander of David’s army. Ish-Bosheth is murdered by those
who think they will get a reward from David, but they get only death.
In chapters 5–6 David conquers Jerusalem to be his capital, a town that is his own, without
tribal associations. David wishes to have divine approval for Jerusalem and attempts to bring
the ark into the city but the Lord will not let himself be used in this way. It is only the worshipful,
passionate David who will bring the ark into Jerusalem.
Chapter 7 is a pivotal chapter for the whole Bible story. David wished to cement divine approval
again—he wants to build a temple (a house) for the Lord. Nathan consents, but the Lord does
not. ‘No’, says the Lord, ‘you won’t build me a house. I will build you a house’ (a dynasty). The
promises the Lord makes are significantly reminiscent of the promises to Abraham, but focus on
the role of the king, who will be a son of David. David worships the Lord.
In chapters 8–10 the Lord is faithful and gives David victories. David is faithful to the covenant
he made with Jonathan. However, in chapters 11–12 the story of David’s adultery with
Bathsheba and his murder of the righteous husband Uriah finishes our hopes that David might
be the one, instead setting up a series of family relationships that will plague David for the rest of
his life. David has become a king like the nations—he takes Uriah’s wife and takes Uriah’s life.

As in the garden the Lord knows what has gone on and brings it to light and punishment. David
has received punishment and grace but in this next section David fails to apply these lessons to
his own household.
In chapters 13–14 Amon seduces his half-sister, Tamar (as David seduced Bathsheba) and then
rejects her and David does nothing. Absalom, Tamar’s full brother, waits and then kills Amon (as
David did to Uriah). David refuses to receive Absalom back, geographically or relationally, until
he is tricked or encouraged by Joab.
Chapters 15–19 detail a rebellion. Absalom rebels and David retreats to the Jordan. He is
brought low and cursed by Shemei. The Lord brings David to a place where he has God’s heart
again. Like the father of the prodigal son, David waits at the gate of the city—wanting to hear
good news of his son’s return—but Joab has already killed him.
Chapters 20–24 summarise David’s reign and end with a disaster with a silver lining—David’s
census, and the purchase of the future site of the temple.
3.1.1.c Prophet
The prophet has a more pronounced role in the presence of kingship. The kings of Israel are not
to be like the kings of the nations. They are to serve the Lord and his people—they are not to be
tyrants. Thus, the prophet reminds the king of his responsibilities and rebukes him if necessary.
With the centralisation of power, its potential abuse is more pronounced.
3.1.1.d The Shepherd King

The role of king and the role of shepherd become indelibly linked in 1 and 2 Samuel. A shepherd
is someone who goes before the sheep, knows them intimately, and provides pasture for them
and protection from enemies. This is a great image of leadership or kingship in which the leader
is not distant from the people.
Israel imagined and wanted a king like the other nations, but God proves, through Saul, that this
is not something that should be desired. Instead of a king that takes from his people and
sacrifices nothing, a king should be a servant for his people and a shepherd to them.
Shepherding is Godlike kingship. This is an image that the Israelites would have known and that
has been previously seen in the Bible narrative during the exodus, where God guided his people
through the desert to a promised land, protecting them and providing for them. Kingship for
Israel needed to be different. Rather than about position or possession, kingship needed instead
to be about being sacrificial, caring, supporting the weak, and helping the afflicted. Psalm 23
uses the shepherd image to refer to God himself as the shepherd.

3.1.1.e A Breakup of 1 and 2 Samuel
A. R. S. Kennedy identifies five main sources for 1 and 2 Samuel. These are:
• S—The early stories of Samuel

• A—A history of the ark of the covenant
• M—A history of the monarchy favourable to it
• D—A history of the monarchy hostile to it as seen as Deuteronomic
• C—The history of David’s court and the struggle for succession.
While a helpful distinction and break-up of the history, these categories do have their limitations,
and these segments probably should not be read as sources to the books of 1 and 2 Samuel,
but rather only sections. Furthermore, these sections must always be considered within the
context of the larger biblical narrative, for it is when looked at as a unified text that the
development of different themes and an appreciation of the story becomes apparent. For
example, whilst ‘C’ is considered true, these distinctions make it harder to see the history of
David’s court and the struggle for succession in context; it is a judgement upon Israel for
ignoring God and for King David’s sins related to his desire for Bathsheba.

3.1.2 1 and 2 Kings
In the opening chapters we are introduced to a frail and dying King David, who is treated with all
the indifference of someone in a nursing home. His only comfort is Abishag, a good-looking
young woman who keeps David warm. There is a power struggle between two of David’s sons
to inherit the crown. On one side there is Bathsheba (Solomon’s mother) and Nathan, the
prophet. During his reign, David promised to Bathsheba that Solomon would rule in his place,
while Nathan as the prophet of Israel reveals the approval of God in this choice. The other side
consists of another son of David, Adonijah, and the priesthood. Bathsheba confronts David
about Adonijah’s conspiracy to be crowned pre-emptively, and David crowns Solomon, dying
soon afterward. Adonijah is forgiven but then tries to marry Abishag, making another bid for the
kingship. Solomon makes sure that Adonijah is killed. Solomon is presented as a very effective
ruler at the beginning of his reign.
Not only does Solomon desire to build a temple for God, but Solomon also goes to the Lord
and asks for wisdom rather than asking for riches and a long life. This wisdom is given to
Solomon, demonstrated by the story of the two prostitutes and the single baby. Solomon’s
wisdom is described in significant ways in 1 Kings 4:30–34.
Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater
than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the
Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread
to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered
a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop
that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all
nations people came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world,
who had heard of his wisdom.
1 Kgs 4:30–34.
Indeed, from 1 Kings 4:20 and following, it appears that in Solomon, all the promises God has
made to Abraham and to David are coming to fruition in Solomon’s wisdom. David has
amassed the materials for it, so under Solomon’s reign the temple begins to take shape. The
temple takes seven years to build (his own house takes thirteen years). When the ark of the
covenant is brought in, with many sacrifices, the glory of the Lord fills the temple. God’s
presence was located in this building.
Solomon’s prayer of dedication anticipates the Lord not only forgiving Israel and individual
Israelites but also exile (8:46ff). The Lord appears to Solomon again with encouragements and
warnings against idolatry and threats of exile.
Chapter 8 verse 46 seems to envisage the possibility of exile, much gold, many horses from
Egypt, many wives, and many gods, all of which is warned against in Deuteronomy 17:14–20.

However, though extremely wise, Solomon did not fear the Lord, and the splendour of his
wealth, wisdom and long life turned his heart from following the Lord. He sets up places for his
wives where they could worship their own gods, and enters into treaties with other nations that
must involve intermarriage and recognition of the gods of other nations. We see Solomon’s
wisdom turn to folly and his disloyalty to God brings about the breakdown of the kingdom. We
can draw similarities between this and the fall. Solomon, like Adam before him, demonstrated
rule and authority over creation, but in becoming wise, he began to lack in a faithfulness to God,
and found himself naked.
3.1.2.a The Kingdom Divides

With Solomon’s death, his son, Rehoboam, becomes king. Towards the end of Solomon’s
reign, Solomon became like a king of the nations and the people of Israel had become weary.
When Rehoboam declares that he will be even tougher than his father as king, his official,
Jeroboam, son of Nebat, rebels and ten tribes of Israel (all excluding Judah and Benjamin)
follow him.
Consequently, Israel was no longer one kingdom but two: a southern kingdom called Judah and
a northern kingdom called Israel. Despite encouragements to be faithful, Jeroboam is afraid that
if the northern tribes kept going to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, they would in time
acknowledge the rule of the house of David. His solution is to make two golden calves and
appoint non-Levitical priests, setting one idol in Bethel and the other in Dan.
Thus, just as David is the standard for good kingship, Jeroboam becomes the standard for bad
kingship. Despite being given rule and assurance that God is with him, Jeroboam does not
honour God, establishing idols and leading the people away from God.
Chapters 13–14 detail the doom to come on Israel’s idolatrous worship and on Jeroboam’s
house. Israel, the northern kingdom, is absorbed into the Assyrian Empire, whilst the southern
kingdom, Judah, defiant to Babylon and to the Lord, is finally sent into exile in 586 BC. Israel in
exile (south and north) sets a problem explored by the prophets: Has God finished with Israel
and, by implication, with the world? Has sin won?

The table below sets out leaders of both kingdoms during this period and whether they reigned
according to God’s rule.
King of Judah Date of reign BC Date of reign BC King of Israel

Prophet Prophet
(Righteous?) (co-regency span) (co-regency span) (Righteous?)
Samuel Saul ✖ c. 1050–1010 (40 years) The nation was united
Samuel,
David ✔ c. 1010–970 (40 years) Jerusalem was Israel’s capital city
Nathain
The temple was built in Jerusalem
Solomon ✔ è ✖ c. 970–931 (40 years)
The nation split after Solomon
Shemaiah Rehoboam ✖ 931–913 (17 years) 931–910 (22 years) Jeraboam I ✖ Ahijah
Abijah ✖ 913–911 (3 years) 910–909 (2 years) Nadab ✖
Asa ✔ 911–870 (41 years) 909–886 (24 years) Baasha ✖
886–885 (2 years) Elah ✖
885 (7 days) Zimri ✖
Jehashaphat ✔ 870–848 (25 years) 885–874 (12 years) Omri ✖
874–853 (22 years) Ahab ✖ Elijah,
853–852 (2 years) Ahaziah ✖ Micaiah
Jehoram ✖ 848–841 (8 years) Elijah,

852–841 (12 years) Joram ✖
Ahaziah ✖ 841 (1 year) Elisha
Athaliah (queen) ✖ 841–835 (6 years) 841–814 (28 years) Jehu ✖

Joel, Elisha
Joash ✔ 835–796 (40 years) 814–798 (17 years) Jehoahaz ✖
Zechariah
Elisha,
Amaziah ✔ 796–767 (29 years) 798–782 (16 years) Jehoash ✖ Jonah to
Nineveh
782–753 (41 years) Jeroboam II ✖ Amos,
753–752 (6 months) Zechariah ✖ Hosea
Azariah (Uzziah) ✔ 767–740 (28 years) 752 (1 month) Shallum ✖

752–742 (10 years) Menahem ✖
Isaiah 742–740 (2 years) Pekahiah ✖ Hosea
Jehoram ✔ 740–732 (16 years) 740–732 (20 years) Pekah ✖
Isaiah,
Ahaz ✖ 732–716 (16 years) 732–721 (9 years) Hoshea ✖
Micah
Hezekiah ✔ 716–687 (29 years) Israel captive to Assyria
Manasseh ✖ 687–642 (55 years)
Amon ✖ 642–640 (2 years)
Zephaniah,
Obadiah
Habakkuk, Josiah ✔ 640–608 (31 years)
to Edom
Jeremiah
Nahum
Jehoahaz (Shallum) ✖ 608 (3 months) to
Nineveh
Jeremiah
Judah’s first captivity to Babylon
Jehoiakim ✖ 608–597 (11 years)
(Daniel is among the captives)

Jehoiachin
597 (3 months)
Ezekiel (Jeconiah, Coniah) ✖
Zedekiah ✖ 597–583 (11 years)
Jerusalem destroyed
Ezekiel, Daniel prophesied during most of Judah’s 70
Second captivity to 586
Daniel years of captivity
Babylon
c. 520
Haggai,
Prophets to the
Zechariah, c. 520
returned remnant
Malachi
c.400

3.1.3 The Latter Prophets
3.1.3.a Isaiah
While there is debate about the authorship of Isaiah and its date, the book appears to be
addressing three separate phases or periods, which creates a different tone or atmosphere for
its three sections. Indeed, there is evidence that the material has been edited and collected,
reshaped and polished, with biographical information included at a later date. However, this
does not reduce the amount of prophecy occurring and it is important to realise that the
doctrine of inspiration is not endangered as disciples of prophets act as editors as God inspires
them. Isaiah is still the coherent, unfolding message of Judah.
Section one: chapters 1–39
This section outlines judgement. It is clear that God is speaking to a nation not yet in exile, but
there is a warning that exile will occur if the people of Israel keep up their behaviour.
• Chapters 1–12: Isaiah’s call and the commencement of his ministry in Jerusalem (c.
740–732 BC)
• Chapters 13–23: Oracles against the nations
• Chapters 24–27: The emergence of the city of God
• Chapters 28–33: Judah and Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s time (c. 715–687 BC)
• Chapters 34–35: Ransom of the redeemed
• Chapters 36–39: The siege of Jerusalem
Section two: chapters 40–55
This section addresses Israel/Judah in exile in Babylon.
• Chapters 40–55: The work of the Servant

• Chapter 40:1–11: Introduction
• Chapters 40:12–48:22: The second exodus
• Chapters 49–55: The restoration of Jerusalem
Section three: chapters 56–66
This section addresses Israel in the period after exile, once a group of people have returned
from exile and begun to construct the nation of Israel again.
• Chapters 56–66: The earthly and the new Jerusalem

The message of Isaiah
The first half of the book of Isaiah is God warning of judgement, taking place before the exile.
The second half of the book takes place once God’s people have been exiled, and it examines
God’s grace and promise of their return to the promised land. The book culminates in the image
of restoration and a new creation.
Isaiah’s ministry focuses on the southern kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem. Isaiah’s
ministry is located in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The
prophecy itself pronounces judgement upon the people of God, whose corruption is so
advanced that nothing but destruction is warranted. But the second half of the prophecy looks
beyond the destruction and dissolution to a return; it is described as a new exodus, a return to
the Lord and to the new Jerusalem, the city of God.
Vision of Judah and Jerusalem (chapters 2:1–5)
This section not only identifies what the original intention of Jerusalem was to be but also
identifies what it will become: the centre of the world and the place where the nations come to
know the true and only God—the Lord. But between the intended and the ideal is a
disappointing reality.
The Lord’s diagnosis of Jerusalem and Judah (chapter 5)
In Isaiah 5:1–7, Judah is described as a once beautiful and fruitful vineyard cultivated by the
Lord, but it yielded only bad fruit—bloodshed and distress—further detailed in 5:8–30. As
judgement, the Lord will now break down the protective wall around the vineyard, so that it
reverts to a barren wilderness.
Isaiah’s call (chapter 6)
In the same year that Uzziah dies, Isaiah has a vision of the Lord. The vision is of the sovereignty
and holiness of the Lord ‘seated on a throne, high and exalted’. Isaiah, in the presence of the
uncompromising holiness of the Lord, realises his own sinfulness. He is cleansed (his guilt
removed and sin atoned for) by a coal from the altar touching his lips.
The Lord asks for a volunteer to go with a message to ‘this people’. The result of telling the
people about the holiness of God and his kingdom (the content of the vision) is that the people
will not listen and will make themselves ripe for the judgement that will come.
The house of David (chapters 9:1–7:11)
The house of David is involved in the decline, but the Lord will guarantee a future; there will be a
new king on David’s throne, who will be great in extraordinary ways. This new king will be led by
the spirit of God and will delight in the fear of the Lord; he will be the perfect king. Creation itself
will be put right and the nations will come to worship the Lord.

Jerusalem among the nations (chapters 13–23)
Jerusalem is second last in a list of rebellious nations under judgement; she has become like
them and will experience the judgement of God.
Hezekiah and the Assyrians (chapters 36–39)
The Assyrian army destroyed Israel to the north and many cities of Judah, but Hezekiah was
encouraged by Isaiah to trust and watch what the Lord would do and not submit to Assyria. The
Assyrians came to the very walls of Jerusalem, but left Jerusalem standing. The last part of
chapter 39 is about envoys from Babylon. They foreshadow Babylon coming and doing what
the Assyrians failed to do.
A new exodus (chapter 40)
This image of comfort and calling in the wilderness and the glory of the Lord being revealed is
reminiscent of the first exodus. God’s people in Babylon and beyond, and not Egypt, are being
called home—a journey back to God. This will be accomplished by the power of the Lord. Will
Israel trust him?
The Servant of the Lord (chapters 42, 49, 50, 52, 53)
Whilst the Servant of the Lord is referred to as an individual, this individual is representative of a
group of people within Israel who suffered in the exile though they were not at fault; they were
caught up in the general judgement of Israel. This group of people is known as the righteous
remnant of Israel, and have a redemptive role. They are the ones that will enable Israel to fulfil its
God-given role: what Israel is to be towards the world, this remnant will be towards Israel.
In the New Testament it becomes apparent that Jesus fulfils the role of the righteous remnant.
He becomes the only righteous one in all of Israel. He fulfils what is said in Isaiah 52 and 53.
Final judgement and a world made right and new (chapters 65–66)
The true Israel returns—those who oppose the LORD are destroyed—the nations come and
worship and are incorporated into Israel in a new heaven and a new earth. Isaiah’s vision is of a
world put right, as it was meant to be by God’s power.
Isaiah captures this in the idea of a new exodus, where Israel returns from a place of
enslavement, travelling through the desert, led by God. The book of Isaiah is significant for Israel
because it examines the question as to whether God will continue to persevere with his people,
or if he is finished with them. The prophets, reminded of the Deuteronomic blessings and
curses, declare that God will always be merciful, and he will restore his people. However, we are
left with the overwhelming conclusion that it is not until there is a change of heart, something
that only God can bring about, that Israel can re-enter Eden, and be restored with a new
creation.

3.1.3.b Jeremiah
The book of Jeremiah covers the period of 627 BC to 582 BC. As such, it covers the period of
time of Josiah, the reforming king of Judah (639–609 BC), his son Jehoahaz (609 BC), his son
Jehoiakim (609–598 BC), his grandson Jehoiachin (598–597 BC) and Josiah’s son Zedekiah
(597–586 BC). The prophecy covers the time of national renewal under Josiah to the capture of
Jerusalem by the Babylonians. This message from Jeremiah is not well received; in fact, the
people imprison him.
Jeremiah is called to be a ‘prophet to the nations’; the time of the nations has come with Israel’s
disobedience and the final destruction of Jerusalem and the deporting of the population.
Jeremiah is familiar with the scope of God’s kingship and sees the role of Babylon in working
out God’s plans for his people. Jeremiah describes (prophesies) the reason for the fall of
Jerusalem. The book of Jeremiah, as a prophecy, comes to grips with the failure of the reforms
of Josiah (despite his long rule) to take root in the life of the nation and the hearts of the people.
The external recommitment to the covenant, cleansing the land of idols, and the call to loyalty to
the Lord was not an expression of true repentance. Upon the death of Josiah there was a
decline into chaos.
The Lord’s punishment for Judah’s rebellion was Babylonian overlordship (604 BC),
implemented forcefully in 598 BC after Judah rebelled, with the deportation of the king and
many officials of Jerusalem (10,000) to Babylon (Ezekiel is included in this deportation). Judah
and her kings needed to recognise in Babylon the scourge of the Lord and not rebel against
Babylon. To do so would be to pit herself against the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar put Jehoiachin’s
uncle, renamed Zedekiah, on the throne as Nebuchadnezzar wanted to rule through a puppet
king. As long as Zedekiah remained faithful everything would be well and Judah would be
protected. But if she rebelled she would experience great strife. In this, the shape of the
covenant at Sinai is being worked out between a human king and ‘Israel’.
Zedekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were encouraged to rebel by a pro-Egyptian faction,
to seek independence from Babylon and make a treaty with Egypt. This pro-Egyptian party
offered false comfort from false prophets and priests. The advisors of the king prophesied that
the Lord would never let his temple be destroyed—the place where he had chosen in all the
earth to set his name. On the one hand they proclaimed half-truths and on the other were silent
about the deterioration in the lives of God’s people.
Into this strides Jeremiah, rebuking all for their sin, pricking any balloon of false security,
accusing prophets of being false, and being accused of undermining the moral of the people.
Jeremiah lived in a Jerusalem surrounded by the Babylonian army, preaching sermons that
identified sin, not Babylon, as the main problem. He was abused by the authority of Jerusalem,
but on its fall was protected by the Babylonians.
The greater number of the inhabitants of Jerusalem were deported, and the few that were left
had their peace disrupted by the assassination of the Babylonian governor. Jeremiah was taken
with them down to Egypt.
The message of Jeremiah joins with Isaiah’s message in that while Isaiah’s message is talking
about a new creation/exodus, Jeremiah talks about a new covenant. Jeremiah sees a
restoration of Jerusalem and writes to those taken by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon that although
it will be a while before they return, God is in control and will eventually bring restoration to his
people through a new covenant.

Both the book of Jeremiah and the book of Isaiah contain the idea that God must do something
internal in Israel for there to be a change in progress. Israel needs a fresh heart and a new
covenant so that there might be a regathering, reinvigoration, and re-enlivening of God’s people
and so that they are able to fulfil the purposes God has planned for them.
It has been said that there are some parallels between the ministry of Jeremiah and Jesus.
Indeed, the context for each is similar, as both are speaking to a nation that is occupied and
both are warning the nation not to define their problem by the occupying force but to define it by
the sin within the life of the nation. The ministries of both Jeremiah and of Jesus point people
towards a relationship with God (see also Jer 29:1–14 and 31:31–34).
Also, both Jeremiah and Jesus have a solitary nature to their ministry, in that each undertakes
rejection and abandonment in order to spread the message of God.
3.1.3.c Ezekiel
Ezekiel was one of the deportees from Jerusalem. He was from a priestly family—one who
served in the temple—so it should not be a surprise that the temple, in one form or another,
dominates the prophecy. Ezekiel was a prophet ministering at a similar time to Jeremiah and
Isaiah, but to a different community. He ministered in Babylon, to the exiles. The book of Ezekiel
shows that not only is there need for judgement, but there is also a need for a resurrection of
God’s people, a new Israel.
In short, Isaiah prophesies along the theme of exodus, Jeremiah along the theme of covenant,
and Ezekiel along the theme of creation.
Ezekiel’s message is committed to those who are exiles in Babylon already. They had an
expectation of going home and that Jerusalem was the home to go to. Ezekiel’s message is
that God’s people had been so disobedient and become so corrupted by idolatry and
bloodshed that the Lord will leave the temple and the city to destruction.
Ezekiel’s ministry would act out this prophecy using a clay model of Jerusalem under siege;
eating the food of the besieged cooked over dung; shaving his beard, with different sections of
his beard destroyed and only a few precious strands left; and being commanded not to mourn
when his wife dies when Jerusalem falls. These are the enacted prophecies that follow the fall of
Jerusalem by the normal prophecy.
But as with Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel is forthright in condemning guilty Judah, but equally
forthright in proclaiming a new future beyond the exile in Babylon. Ezekiel’s role is described as
a watchman—his job is to give a warning of the impending doom.

Critique of the shepherds of Israel
In chapter 34, Ezekiel critiques the shepherds of Israel. All the leaders and rulers from the king
down are described as worthless shepherds whose God-given task had been to look after the
sheep but who instead looked after themselves. They failed to look after the weak and sick and
instead sided with the strong. The Lord himself would rescue the flock from the wicked
shepherds. Though he will do this, he will also work through one shepherd, David (34:23). This
‘David’ will be a prince, not a king. The Lord lays at the feet of Israel’s leaders the failure to lead
the people in righteousness, but promises a return to the land, reminiscent of the exodus as it is
described in Psalm 23.
Ezekiel’s three visions
There are three visions in Ezekiel’s prophecy. The first vision is of the throne of God in Babylon
rather than in Jerusalem (Ezek 1–3:15). The second vision is about the departure of God’s glory
before the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians (8–11). The third vision is of a new
temple, the source of all blessing, where the true God is worshipped by Israel and the nations
(40–48).
Chapters 35 and 36 examine the Lord’s association with Israel. The problem is set up in this
way: Israel is justly punished by the Lord for her wickedness. The trouble is, Israel is so
associated with the Lord that the Lord is defamed even though he is acting rightly (36:20).
Therefore, the Lord will save Israel not because they deserve it but so that his name is made
holy. In one sense, the Lord saves Israel not for their sake but for the sake of his name. So the
Lord will bring Israel out of the nations and bring them back to the Land. He will:
• sprinkle clean water on them to cleanse them from impurities and idols
• give them a new heart, replacing the heart of stone with a heart of flesh
• give them a new Spirit to move Israel to follow his decrees.
In Ezekiel 37:1–14 there is the extraordinary vision of the Valley of Dry Bones. This is Israel dead,
but not buried. Ezekiel prophesies a spirit and there is a new creation (Gen 1). The bodies are
lifeless until breath goes into them as in Genesis 2. There is no way that Israel will be able to
serve the Lord unless there is a new creation that takes place.
In the second part, verses 15–28, broken Israel, lost and fragmented, is reconstituted under the
Lord and the Lord’s servant, David. God’s dwelling place will be with them (37:27) and then the
nations will know that the Lord is holy when his sanctuary (temple) is among them.
Chapters 40–48 are consumed with the new temple. It is bigger, better and full of the glory of
the Lord. It is from here, under the throne of God, that sweet water will come to bring health to
the land. Israel will be whole and the new city with the new temple will have a new name—the
Lord is there. There is a move from the Lord by the river in Babylon, speaking of his imminent
departure, to the Lord settled in the new temple.

3.1.3.d Summary
The prophets—especially Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel—have grappled with more than just ‘Will
the Lord be gracious again?’. Israel has demonstrated a fatal flaw. No matter what spiritual
advantages, instruction, or institution it has been given, Israel remains disobedient. Israel, who is
supposed to be the saviour of the world, needs to be saved. If this is the case with Israel, then it
must be the case with the nations. This is the question that the prophets wrestle with: ‘What
must the Lord do to make the world be the way he intended it to be?’
Their answers are huge. For Isaiah, nothing less than a new exodus will do. For Jeremiah, he
sees the new beginning in terms of a new covenant, with the law internalised. Ezekiel sees that
the Lord must do nothing less than a new creation. In each an old idea (exodus, covenant,
creation) is used and changed radically to give us a new vision of what God will do.

3.1.4 The Book of the Twelve
The book of the Twelve is also known as the Minor Prophets, simply because these books are
shorter than the other prophetic books. These books are not in any particular order, and move
around in terms of time frame and location of ministry. A coherent theme of judgement is
present in all the books, directed towards both the people of God and other nations. Though
they mainly address the southern kingdom, prophecies concerning the northern kingdom are
also included (e.g. Hosea).
The following table provides a summary of each book, its audience, and message.
Prophet Date Audience Summary of Message
Hosea Mid-8th Northern kingdom Hosea is instructed to love and marry an

century, for (Israel) unfaithful wife, Gomer. Their tortured life
Only prophet around 38 together was a living parable of Israel’s
of the twelve years. unfaithfulness to God. Gomer is driven
to come from Shortly after away only so she will learn her lesson and
Israel the time of return. Israel has been adulterous in her
Amos in the worshipping of other gods. Israel will suffer
final days of a period of exile but the Lord will bring her
the back.
kingdom of
Israel
Joel Possibly 9th Judah and The vision of a great locust plague serves
century Jerusalem as a sign of the coming Day of the Lord.
The only proper response is repentance of
the heart by everyone. The Day of the Lord
will not be judgement on the nations but
judgement for Jerusalem. Restoration will
come with the coming of the Spirit.
Amos 8th century Israel Despite all the outward appearance of

blessing, Israel is corrupted, e.g. idol
Shepherd in worship at Bethel. Amos spiritually
the region of corrects national life, powerfully expresses
Bethlehem the need for social justice, and announces
the coming Day of the Lord as judgement
on Israel. Israel however, thought this
judgement to be upon the nations, but
there is still time to repent. The Lord is
Lord of all the nations; this is the God
Israel has rejected, but the Lord is still in
control.

Obadiah 6th century Edom Obadiah condemns the Edomites for
taking advantage and delight over the
invasion by the Babylonians and the
destruction of Jerusalem. God will judge
Edom (Esau) for her continued persecution
of Israel (Jacob).
Jonah 5th century Ninevites, but Israel Jonah is called to pronounce judgement
indirectly on Nineveh. He tries to avoid his
commission because he knew the Lord
might forgive them and is swallowed by a
fish. Ultimately, and to Jonah’ s dismay,
Jonah is used by God to bring Nineveh to
repentance. Jonah acts out Israel’s
attitude to the nations.
Micah 8th century Samaria and Micah predicts the fall of Samaria, the
Jerusalem capital of northern Israel, and the eventual
Came from destruction of Judah and Jerusalem.
southern Micah was the Judean prophet who
Judah championed the cause of the rural
Contemporary underclasses over and against the
of Isaiah and powerful and advantaged of Jerusalem.
Hosea He exposes the prevalent empty ritualism,
injustice and idolatry. Beyond destruction,
there is hope for both Jerusalem and
David’s house.
Nahum 7th century Assyrians Nahum condemns Nineveh, the capital of

the Assyrian Empire, for its oppression,
To be read by cruelty and wickedness. Judgement has
Judah fallen on the wicked nation as it will fall on
all such nations.
Habakkuk 7th century The Lord Habakkuk asks the Lord how Babylonia,
an evil nation, could be used by God to
Contemporary punish his own people. A question asked
of Jeremiah from the heart of the righteous who are
caught up in the destruction of Jerusalem.
From that perspective it resonates with
Job.

Zephaniah 7th century Judah Zephaniah preaches the coming Day of
the Lord, a day of judgement for nations
Fourth- and Judah. It will be a terrible time, but
generation after that the Lord will restore Judah.
descendant of
Hezekiah.
Probably
familiar with
Isaiah and
Amos
Haggai 6th century Judah returnees Haggai urges the recently returned
refugees to show the priority of the Lord in
their life by placing the rebuilding of the
Jerusalem temple before their own
comfort. They are to look forward to the
coming Messiah and the fulfilment of
God’s promises.
Zechariah 6th century Judah returnees Zechariah provides spiritual and moral
support to the returned refugees in
Also a priest Jerusalem through prophecies and visions.
like Jeremiah He encourages the rebuilding of the
and Ezekiel temple and looks forward to the coming
Messiah and the establishment of the
kingdom of God.
Malachi 5th century Judah returnees The glorious future announced by the
prophets has not come about, and one
Similar sins must say the return to the land is not the
among the same as a return to the Lord; all the old
priesthood as problems are there. The worship of the
in Nehemiah’s Lord among his priests is faulty. The Lord
time has not come to the temple with glory;
what would happen to God’s people if he
did? Malachi examines what must happen
to make God’s people live as God’s
people.

3.1.5 The Writings
The segment of the Old Testament referred to as the Writings contains the books of Daniel,
Ezra, Nehemiah, Job, Ruth and Lamentations.
3.1.5.a Daniel
How did Israel fare in Babylon? We have a number of perspectives and the one that is best
known is probably that of Daniel. Daniel as a book divides into two sections: a largely narrative
section (chapters 1–7) and an apocalyptic/visionary/prophetic section (chapter 8 onwards). The
message of chapters 1–7 is applied in chapters 8–14 to the four kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-
Persia, Greece, and Rome. That message is, essentially, that no matter how it appears, the
apparently weak and insignificant kingdom of God will triumph over the kingdom(s) of man
(represented by these four kingdoms).
The first narrative half (1–7) seems quite readable, but then the second half (8–14) is full of
strange and bizarre images. That these two halves present the same message but in different
ways answers the question of how we can reconcile these two parts in the one book. The book
of Daniel tells of the clash between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of man. Chapters 1–7
tell this in the historical arena of the figures of Daniel and others in Babylon, while chapters 8–14
examine the kingdom of God and tell the story in a more spiritual and supernatural setting.
Daniel begins with the articles from the temple of God being carried off and placed in the temple
of Nebuchadnezzar’s god. (Are we to remember 1 Samuel and the ark being captured?). This is
a showdown between the true God and the pagan gods, lived out in the lives of Daniel and his
friends.
In chapter 1, Babylon offers much, but it will take much more. Daniel and his three friends have
their names changed—God’s names are replaced with names of the Babylon god. But Daniel
and his friends work out how to live in the culture but live apart. They refuse the fare of the
king’s table and eat only vegetables. The food becomes the symbol of their loyalty to God, and
the Lord remains with them; they look and perform better than the other youths of Babylon.
In chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that only Daniel—inspired by the Lord—is able to
know and interpret. This dream holds the key to understanding the rest of Daniel.
Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a statue that has four divisions: a head of gold, shoulders and neck
of silver, lower torso and thighs of bronze, and feet of clay and iron. This statue, composed of
four separate metals or alloys, represents a progression and decline of four kingdoms (a head of
gold to the feet of clay and iron represents a decline of nobility but an increase in hardness or
strength). The four kingdoms are firstly Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian kingdom (gold), the
Persian (silver), the Greek (bronze), and lastly, the Roman (clay). But all these kingdoms will not
last: the kingdom of God, represented by a stone ‘not cut by human hands’, smashes the idol
and grows to become a mountain representative of the kingdom of God and new creation. All
rebellion is done away with and the kingdom of God rules over all.

In different ways the rest of the chapters of Daniel tell the same story. In chapter 7 we have
Daniel’s dream (vv 1–14) and its interpretation (vv 15–28). The destruction or taming of the
beasts is the entree to the revelation of the Son of Man who comes in the clouds and receives
authority, glory and sovereign power. He is worshipped by every language group. (Note that
‘Son of Man’ can mean many things and can be taken to mean just a human being—Ezekiel is
addressed this way—or the exulted human who receives the kingdom. Jesus is addressed in
both ways and describes himself in both ways; the job is to work out which one is used where.)
The interpretation of all of this is that the kingdoms will be handed over to the saints (a term
used for Israel).
The book of Daniel links with the Ezra-Nehemiah story in that it realises the importance of
repentance and a new heart in God’s people. Though Daniel’s ministry does not extend this far,
the books of Ezra and Nehemiah pick up this story as the Babylonian Empire gives way to the
Persian Empire.
3.1.5.b Ezra and Nehemiah

This is the next phase of the Israel story, resettlement, and a phase told through the books of
Ezra and Nehemiah.
Babylon falls and is taken over by the Persian Empire. Cyrus, the new king, issues a decree that
the temple should be rebuilt, and any of the exiles are free to go home and resettle (Ezra 1:2–4).
The two books of Ezra and Nehemiah are related and often considered together because they
were written during the same period and concern the same events.
Ezra
Ezra as a book divides into two parts. Chapters 1–6 report the initial return from Babylon after
Cyrus’ decree (538 BC). It tells of the building of the temple under the prophetic encouragement
of Haggai and Zechariah (5:1); this was despite opposition from Gentile neighbours who
disputed the right to re-erect the temple. The dispute was only settled with an appeal to Darius,
who found Cyrus’ decree and upheld it. On completing the temple, the Passover Feast was
held (515 BC).
The second part of Ezra, chapters 7–10, focuses on Ezra. Ezra returns in 458 BC. He is
supported by Artaxerxes (7:11–27) and is authorised to essentially remake the covenant
community after the law of Moses.
Ezra provides a clear reading and interpretation of the law to Israel, including a ceremonial
outdoor reading of the law, after which Israel realises their sin and cries out in repentance. Ezra
declares, however, that it is a new beginning. Ezra’s reforms largely deal with the issues of the
purity of marriages. Those who have married foreign wives and have had children are to reject
them. Purity and holiness become the order of the day; Ezra compels God’s people to pursue
them rigorously.

Nehemiah
Nehemiah is the story of a courtier and cupbearer in the court of the Persian King Artaxerxes
who has a passion for the return of Judah to Jerusalem. Grieving over the dishonouring of his
home city, Nehemiah finds favour with the king and leads an expedition to Jerusalem.
Appointed governor of Judah, Nehemiah arrives in 445 BC to rebuild the walls of the city to
bring honour back to Jerusalem. The city walls were not only a method of protection for the
Israelite people but also a marker by which they could define themselves against other nations;
it separated them as a people.
Nehemiah contains many of the similar themes that Ezra does. As with the rebuilding of the
temple, the rebuilding of the walls creates animosity among Judah’s enemies. The finished walls
provide safety for God’s people and they celebrate.
Nehemiah is also concerned with issues of justice (the poor and weak being exploited by the
strong and wealthy; Sabbath infringements; marriage to foreign women). Nehemiah finishes on
a depressing note not only for us but for Nehemiah himself, with his refrain of ‘Remember me, O
my God, for good’. Nehemiah has done his best but in the end Judah and her priests still marry
foreigners, and still break the Sabbath—the very things that contributed to the exile in the first
place.
In many ways we can see something of our own story in the life of Israel in the books of Ezra
and Nehemiah, and sense our own frustration at our own lives. We have the Spirit, but we are
still looking to a complete fulfilment of God’s promise for renewal.
The figure of Nehemiah is often interpreted as how a Christian leader should be: he organises
the people and works with one hand on the sword and the other on the trowel: the pairing of
evangelism and discipleship. However, this is often a simplification. The message of each of
these books is for God’s people to return to God with their whole heart and be blessed. But as
we leave Ezra and Nehemiah and move to Malachi, we see God’s people returned to their land,
but not necessarily returned to God. This theme is still apparent in the New Testament: that the
return from exile is in form but not in substance. Israel is still far from God, yet it is clear that the
goal that God is working towards is a new creation.
3.1.5.c Job, Ruth, Esther, and Lamentations

Job, Ruth, Esther, and Lamentations all seem to have an exilic perspective or relationship.
Job
Job, a non-Jew living in a land east of the promised land, has it all: wealth, family, and
righteousness. However, his name means persecuted and, in a day, Job loses it all. Yet Job’s
response to his situation is to continue trusting God, declaring him to be the one that gives and
takes away, and blesses his name. Job’s situation worsens and he breaks out in nasty boils all
over his body. Though he sits in the dust, though his wife urges him to blaspheme, he still will
not curse God. Similarly, Job’s friends argue that because God is just, Job must be a sinner,
and say that Job’s curses are a result of a sin. We see here that Job’s suffering is related to the
curses in Deuteronomy.

Yet Job’s experiences would have resonated with the people of Israel in that Job is like the
figure of the Suffering Servant, the righteous remnant who experiences the exile but has not
done anything to deserve it. Job maintains his righteousness in the face of others who say
differently. The Suffering Servant becomes the means of saving others, and Job becomes the
means of saving his friends who misrepresented God. Further, in Job’s ‘exile’, he learns much
about God, who he is, and how he works.
The end of the book of Job sees Job restored with everything he lost and much more, which is
what will happen with Israel’s return to God.
Ruth
Ruth is a story of exile and hope. In exile the Israelites experience death, destruction, and loss.
God works through Boaz, however, and shows that there is a blessing and a future for Israel
within the context of the judges. The book of Ruth would have resonated in many ways for
God’s people, and those experiencing exile would have realised in reading this story that there
is hope and that God continues to work in their lives.
Esther
Though Esther is a book where God is not even mentioned, it is clear that God is still present
within the story and is guiding events. The story follows a Jewish girl at the mercy of her uncle at
the Persian court where she is queen. Esther’s faithfulness and courage in God enables the
Israelites to escape. The book shows that even in a foreign land God is protecting and providing
for his people.
Lamentations
This book pictures Israel lamenting at what has happened whilst in exile. It puts in perspective
for Israel what is meant by the loss of Jerusalem and what is meant by the destruction of the
temple; that is, there is no greater calamity and, in a sense, it is Israel’s own destruction.
These ideas are put to music, processed and experienced. Consequently, a hope emerges—
hope in God’s great faithfulness—and he is praised and exalted for it. The exploration of the
pain and dislocation of judgement finds in God and in his judgement a place of hope and
confidence that God is still operating and still for Israel.
There is also a heroic element in Lamentations in that the God who has punished them is the
same in whom there is hope. There is a hope not to turn away from the hand that is striking
them but to embrace it, to accept God’s justice and to trust God in the midst of it and beyond
it, to a better future.

3.1.6 Conclusions for Israel
Looking at and understanding Israel’s story helps to make sense of the context and meaning of
Jesus’ ministry in the New Testament. It is clear, by the end of the Old Testament, that unless
God does something new, we will not be able to change; Israel is desperate for God to do
something. No matter how many second chances and how many good kings she has, Israel still
fails. The people are hungry, they know they need help, and they know that the change that
needs to happen can only come from God.
The way the New Testament begins, with John the Baptist paving the way for the one who will
baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire, exemplifies again how the Old Testament finishes: with
a need for a new beginning.

3.1.7 Genesis 1–12 in Detail
It is in Genesis 1–12 that we see the beginnings of all things. We see the element of creation but
also a suggestion of new creation, or a restoring of creation, as we see sin being dealt with, and
this in part foreshadows the cross.
In the event of Pentecost we see how the many languages of the world, once scattering Israel,
are overcome when the gift of the Holy Spirit is poured out on God’s people, and unites them.
This clearly resonates with the story of Babel and we see the significance of the dispersion of
Israel here.
There is a parallel between the garden of Eden and the garden of Gethsemane. In each,
temptation is wrestled with, and a trust in God is challenged: for Adam and Eve in Eden they
succumb, but for Jesus in Gethsemane he withstands.
Indeed, the Old Testament allows for a three-dimensional view of Jesus in the New Testament.
Jesus is the true Adam and although he does not sin, he takes responsibility for God’s people,
Israel, and dies in their place so that they can have life.
The Old Testament, indeed the entire story of the Bible, helps to keep us from errors of
doctrine. In Israel’s story we are prevented from thinking we can do it on our own, prevented
from thinking we can work out our own righteousness, for even a people who had every
inducement could still not get it right. Our own sin would be harder for us to come to terms with
if we did not have such a story.
In this sense, the Old Testament makes us wise for salvation (2 Tim 3). The Old Testament tells
of a story that is not only the story of the Israelites but also the story of humanity, and therefore
it is our story as well. The story is one in which we live and which points us towards the only
source of hope for the world and for ourselves personally: Jesus Christ. Without the books of
the Old Testament, we would not have a proper understanding of the need for Jesus and the
meaning and context to his actions.
Consequently, we are to locate our own lives within the story of the Bible and are called upon to
trust in Jesus so that the shape of his life would reorient our lives.
?
Learning Activity: Using what you have learnt, choose three books discussed in this
section and examine how they make you wise for salvation.

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OT – Learning Guide 1.1

1.1.1 Literary and Historic Overview ..................................................................................... 3

1.1.1.a The Old Testament Canon ....................................................................................... 4

1.1.2 Old Testament Overview .............................................................................................. 9

1.1.2.a The Torah (Law)..................................................................................................... 11

1.1.3 Genesis 1–12 ............................................................................................................... 19

1.1.3.a Chapter 1: One God, one creation ......................................................................... 19

2 timothypartnership.com.au OT – Old Testament

The different types or genres represented in the Bible are:

• narratives or stories (Genesis)

OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 3

1.1.1.a The Old Testament Canon

4 timothypartnership.com.au OT – Old Testament

1.1.1.b The Metanarrative of the Bible

OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 5

Genre (Books) Characteristics Tips

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Proverbs Poetic in character. Read the books in the light of

OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 7

1.1.1.d The Significance of Jesus

8 timothypartnership.com.au OT – Old Testament

• Torah (The Law)

OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 9

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OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 11

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1.1.2.b The Prophets: The Former Prophets

OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 13

The cycle can be outlined as

14 timothypartnership.com.au OT – Old Testament

1.1.2.c The Latter Prophets and Book of the Twelve

OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 15

The roles of these books included:

1.1.2.d The Writings

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Ezra and Nehemiah

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1.1.3.a Chapter 1: One God, one creation

1.1.3.b Chapter 2: An intimate creation

1.1.3.c Chapter 3: Rebellion

OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 19

1.1.3.d Chapter 4: The spread of sin

1.1.3.e Chapter 5: The family tree

20 timothypartnership.com.au OT – Old Testament

1.1.3.g Chapter 10–11: Babel

1.1.3.h Chapter 12: Abraham

OT – Old Testament timothypartnership.com.au 21

OT – Learning Guide 2.1

2.1.1 The Pentateuch Overview............................................................................................. 4

2.1.2 Genesis .......................................................................................................................... 5

2.1.3 Exodus ........................................................................................................................... 8

2.1.3.a YHWH ..................................................................................................................... 8

2.1.4 Leviticus ...................................................................................................................... 11

2.1.4.a The Sacrifices ........................................................................................................ 11

2.1.5 Numbers ...................................................................................................................... 14

2.1.5.a The Wilderness ...................................................................................................... 14

2.1.6 Deuteronomy ............................................................................................................... 16

2.1.6.a A Treaty ................................................................................................................. 16

2.1.7.a Prophets and Prophecy ......................................................................................... 20

2.1.8 Joshua ......................................................................................................................... 22

2.1.8.a Parallels to Genesis and Eden ................................................................................ 22