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Unlocking the Old Testament's Big Story

Explore the Old Testament as a revelation of God's story and authority, understanding its plotlines and themes. Discover the literary and theological aspects, including key figures like Abraham and the theological concept of covenant.

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Unlocking the Old Testament's Big Story

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  1. Unit 1: Orientation Fundamentals

  2. About the Old Testament • The Old Testament is a book • The Old Testament is a part of a book • The Old Testament is a collection of books

  3. The Big Story Line/Plotline • Creation • Fall • Flood • Tower of Babel • Patriarchs • Sojourn • Exodus • Wilderness • Conquest • Judges • United Kingdom • Divided Kingdom • Exile • Return

  4. It is not enough to know what the Old Testament is; we need to reorient what it does.

  5. Reorientation: Old Testament as Revelation • In the Old Testament, God is telling us his story. • Revelation allows us to know what God is like rather than guess

  6. Reorientation: Old Testament as Scripture • Because we accept these claims of the Bible to be God’s revelation, we label it as Scripture • Not just a sacred book • Without the Bible, we would know nothing about God with any confidence

  7. Reorientation: Old Testament as Authority • Center of authority • Tells us what to think and believe • Tells us what God is like • Center of worldview • End result

  8. Expectations and Procedures • Study the text with an eye toward the big picture • Old Testament as tapestry • Old Testament as photomosaic

  9. Plotline and Story Line • Plotline – traces the big picture • Story line – an array of facts

  10. Old Testament Study • Language • Comparative Studies • Biblical texts • Textual criticism • Sources of compilation • Literary analysis • Theology

  11. Face Value • Nature (Genre) of Literature • Genealogies • Narrative • Cultural Background • Focus of Revelation • Exegesis • Hermeneutics • Confidence

  12. Writing and Books • Invention of writing • Writing surfaces • Oral presentation • Dating

  13. Unit 2:The Pentateuch Chapter 1: Introduction to the Pentateuch and Its Time

  14. Elements of Story • Plot • Setting • Characters • Point of View • Plot Emphasis vs. Character Emphasis

  15. Story Guides • Selection • Arrangement • Emphasis • Authorial Intention

  16. Summary of Ancient Near Eastern History

  17. Mesopotamia: Sumer through Old Babylonia • Sumerians • Dynasty of Akkad • Ur III • Old Babylonian Period

  18. Canaan: Middle Bronze Age • Abraham • Syria • Palestine • Contact with Egypt

  19. Egypt: Old and Middle Kingdoms • Old Kingdom • Sixth Dynasty • First Intermediate Period • Twelfth Dynasty • Hyksos • Eighteenth Dynasty

  20. Walking Around in the Ancient Near East • Typical distance travelled • Major routes • Strategic location of the land

  21. Major Archives • Ebla • Hittite • Nuzi • Emar • Ugarit • Amarna • Nineveh

  22. Unit 2: The Pentateuch Chapter 2: Introduction to the Literature and Theology of the Pentateuch

  23. Literary Background: Internal Characteristics • Five individual books • One single book • Building blocks • Promise • Election • Deliverance • Covenant • Law • Land

  24. Literary Background: Comparative Literature • Cosmologies • Different view of deity • One God • Creation without conflict • Similar worldview • Creation as assignment of function • Creation as temple-making

  25. Literary Background: Comparative Literature • Genealogies • Theological role • Stark contrast to genealogies in ancient Near East • Flood Stories • Atrahasis Epic • Gilgamesh Epic • Comparison with biblical account

  26. Literary Background: Comparative Literature • Law Collections • Similarity to Hammurabi • Function of law collections in the ancient Near East • Function of the legal sections of the Pentateuch • Priestly Regulations • Hittite Instructions for the Temple Officials • Mesopotamian incantations and rituals • Biblical literature

  27. Literary Background: Comparative Literature • Covenant/Treaty Format • First and Second Millennium examples • Similarity to biblical literature • Conclusions • Opportunity to read as the Israelites read • Gain entry into their worldview

  28. Theological Perspectives: Creator • Order from disorder • Cosmic temple • Garden as sacred space • People as priests

  29. Theological Perspectives: The Fall • Greatest loss – Access to God’s presence • What sin did to God

  30. Theological Perspectives: Covenant • The covenant and Abram • Leaves • Land • People • Father’s house • Receives • Land • Family • Blessing • The covenant and God • Establishes relationship in the human realm • Resolves the Babel Problem • Revealed God to the world

  31. Theological Perspectives: AbrahamHis Heritage and His Legacy • Polytheistic beliefs of the ancient Near East • Personal gods in the ancient Near East • Dominance of Yahweh in Abraham’s religious experience

  32. Theological Perspectives: ElectionA Chosen People • Election connected to the covenant • Implications for Israel

  33. Theological Perspectives: Sanctuary and the Presence of God • Covenant • Role of the Tabernacle • Individual worship • Corporate worship • Priests offered daily sacrifices • King involved • Construction of the tabernacle

  34. Theological Perspectives: Holy Land and Sacred Space • Maintenance of sacred space • Sacred compass • The camp

  35. Theological Perspectives: Priests and Sacrifice • Principal job of priests – preserve the sanctity of sacred space • Primary goal of sacrificial system – restore the purity of the sacred space of object • Function of sacrifices • Praising God • Making requests of God • Maintaining the holiness of God’s presence

  36. Unit 2: The Pentateuch Chapter 3: Introduction to the Books of the Pentateuch

  37. Genesis • Purpose: Begins the story of the covenant • Genesis 1-11 • Genesis 12-50 • God’s mastery • Creation • Covenant • History

  38. Genesis • Plotline • Firmly grounded in the covenant • Plan for order and reconciliation • Beginnings • Orderly cosmos out of disorder • Role of humans • Sin and its escalation • Noah’s ark • Babel

  39. Genesis • Patriarchs and Matriarchs of Israel • Abraham • Lot • Hagar • Sarah • Isaac • Jacob • Leah and Rachel • Laban • Joseph • Brothers • Potiphar • Pharaoh • Famine

  40. Exodus • Purpose: God’s presence among his people • Deliverance from slavery in Egypt • Presence with Israelites through the wilderness • Tabernacle and priesthood • Legal collections

  41. Exodus • Summary: In Egypt • Apparent disarray of the covenant • Drastically different from initial situation • Moses • Rescue from slavery • Self-revelation of God • Detour in the Wilderness

  42. Exodus • Date of the Exodus • Sinai and the Wilderness • Ten Commandments • Instructions of the tabernacle • Golden calf

  43. Leviticus • Purpose: Details the management of sacred space, sacred status, and sacred time • Sacred space • Sacred status • Sacred time • Structure of the book

  44. Leviticus • Priests in Israel • Names of God • Kosher diet • Law as Grace

  45. Numbers • Purpose: to contrast the faithfulness of God with the faithlessness and rebellion of the Israelites • God keeps his promises • Grumbling of the people • Reluctance to go into the land • Years in the wilderness

  46. Numbers • Summary • Two major transitions • Continues themes • From Genesis – covenant • From Exodus – God’s presence • From Leviticus – God’s holiness • Sacred time and seasons

  47. Deuteronomy • Purpose: to summarize and renew the covenant in preparation for Israel’s entrance into the land • Comprised of series of speeches delivered by Moses before the Israelites cross into the Promised Land • Emphasizes the issues of one God, one people, one sanctuary, and one law

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