This is part 5 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
Now we begin the second main part of this class on reading the Bible for yourself. We’ll be breaking the Bible into major sections so I can explain how each works. To start we’ll consider the first 17 books of the Bible–the books of Old Testament historical narrative. You’ll learn what to look for while reading, the major events covered, the various cultural backgrounds of those periods, God’s personal name, and why reading OT history is extremely valuable.
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—— Notes ——
Old Testament history includes the following books:
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Joshua
- Judges
- Ruth
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Ezra
- Nehemiah
- Esther
Chronology of major OT events:
- Creation and Eden
- Rebellions and Consequences
- Abraham & Sarah & Descendants
- Sojourning in Egypt
- 10 Plagues and Exodus
- Receiving Torah at Mount Sinai
- 40 Years of Wandering
- Entering the Promised Land
- Judges
- Samuel (Hinge of History)
- Kings of the United Kingdom
- Succession of the Northern Tribes
- Assyrian Deportation of Israel
- Babylonian Deportation of Judah
- 70 Year Exile
- Return from Exile
Cultural backgrounds:
- Pre-flood
- Patriarchs
- Egypt
- Tribes (Judges 17:6)
- Monarchy
- Empires
Their History vs. Our History:
- Real Events
- Ancient Historiography
- Biased but Honest
- Genealogies
- Etiologies
The Name of God:
- God’s Name is יְהוָה
- Hebrew Letters: yod hey vav hey (YHVH)
- Pronounced “Yahweh”
- Typically translated “the LORD”
- God’s proper name (Ex 20:2-3)
- “Lord GOD” = “Lord Yahweh” (Ezek 3:11)
Parallels
- Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5
- Chronicles and Kings
- Prophets sometimes rehearse historical overview (Daniel 9:4-19; Ezra 9:5-15; Nehemiah 9:6-37)
- Assyrian threat to Jerusalem triply attested (2 Kings 18-19; 2 Chron 32; Is 36-37)
Value of reading OT history
- Sacred history
- Your history
- Hones moral intuitions
- Necessary background
Review:
- Read OT history asking the question, “What does this tell me about God?”
- OT history serves as the backbone of the entire OT. Getting your bearings amid the chronology of major events will help you understand the rest.
- When you encounter “the LORD” or “GOD”, substitute in “Yahweh”, God’s personal name.
- Since the OT covers thousands of years, it’s helpful to determine the cultural background for the time period you’re reading.
- It’s fine to skim or even skip genealogies, though they do have value in establishing legitimacy in their culture.
- OT history is not objective or as concerned with precision as our modern history books.
- Names of individuals and places bespeak the parents’ faith in God, a historical event, or a play on words.
- Reading OT history influences your moral intuitions as you encounter positive and negative examples.
Great teaching Sean. I really appreciate it and reminded me I need to share this series with my kids to help them get a grasp on basics I never had as a kid(or an adult for that matter).