And some of us may have tried to remedy the situation by sitting down and reading through the Old Testament. So we begin with the creation, strain our way through the flood story, then bail out in the genealogies of Genesis 10,11. Solid evidence that the Old Testament was not intended to be read by 20th century readers.

But at the same time, we know that the Old Testament was the Bible for the earliest Christians and that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament hope for a messiah. We look at our Bibles and see that 2/3 is Old Testament. Even when we read the New Testament, there are over 600 direct or indirect references to the Old Testament. So here we are. Stuck with the need to make sense out of the Old Testament.

Objectives/Goals (from the syllabus):

1. To recognize the unifying theme of the Old Testament. There is a thesis to the Old Testament: God is at work, reconciling creation to himself. We will see this theme every week. It is really the key to understanding the Old Testament and we will see how the Old Testament narrative is structured around God’s strategy in human history.

2. To understand the history and literature of the Old Testament. Part of what makes the Old Testament so difficult to understand is the fact that it was written to a very ancient people. How they thought and how they lived is in many ways far different from us in the modern world. So understanding the history and cultural forms of the Ancient Near East will be an important part of getting to the meaning of the Old Testament.

3. To inspire a passion for studying the Old Testament. My greatest hope for this class is that we become deeply affected by the extraordinary power of the Old Testament message. Once we understand just a few basic issues of history and interpretation, the meaning of the text is opened up to us. We find, the more deeply we study, that we are face to face with the mind of God himself. This is a profound and life changing experience--and this is what stimulates a passion for probing the depths of the scripture.

• What do most people think about the Old Testament?

The critical view of the Old Testament is common today. On a popular level, we have all probably heard people say, "Oh the Bible: its just a bunch of mythology", or "its just the writing of primitive men", or "it's just like all the other religious myths around the world." Most people who have not read the Bible or know anything about Biblical scholarship hold this view. The reason why this has become the dominant view is because critics of the Bible in the university usually hold beliefs that they take to their study of the Old Testament. The sentiment I've just described is rooted in an approach to the Bible that was born in Enlightenment thought. Basic thesis: universe is a closed system of cause and effect. If there were a God, he could do nothing to affect the affairs of his creation (Naturalism and Deism). The study of the Bible then, is simply an investigation into how a particular culture speculated about the kinds of things we couldn't know anyway.

• Critical method and assumption

• A "naturalistic" approach

The critical view holds that unless we can demonstrate by known facts outside of the Bible that an event recorded in the Bible happened, there is no reason to accept it as having occurred.

• Historical—Critical Method: "Burden of proof" always on the Bible

The "burden of proof" is always on the scripture. We will assume that the Bible is legend or myth until proven otherwise.

"On some things just about everyone agrees. The Bible version of Israelite history after the reign of Solomon, for example, is generally believed to be based on historical fact because it is corroborated by independent accounts of Kings and battles in Egyptian and Assyrian inscriptions of the time. Prior to that, though—before about 930 B.C.—the experts disagree on just about everything. [Critics assert that ] ‘If it cannot be proved to be historical [by external evidence], it’s not historical.’" "Are the Bible’s Stories True?", Time, 12/18/95.

• Responding to the critical view:

The assumption of the Enlightenment rationalists is not very compelling. There are many reasons to reject the idea that the universe is a "closed" system.

• A questionable assumption and a flawed method

Why should we begin with the assumption that revelation is impossible?

Historians accept a document as reliable unless there is a factual basis to reject it. The burden of proof falls to the detractor.

But more importantly, the historical method of the critical scholars has both backfired and is inconsistent with accepted historical method. The research approach of historians is to accept a document that purports to be history as history unless there is a factual basis to deny it's reliability. That is, the burden of proof is with the detractor, not with the historical document. This is true of all documents of antiquity, not just the Bible. Historians do not, for example, consider Thucidides' history of the Pelopponesian Wars as myth or legend because it contain references to the Greek gods; or Tacitus' history of the Caesars because he accepted them as deities.

E.g.: English 280 v. Early Church History

• Archaeology and history are consistent with the Old Testament

It is particularly interesting that the critical view of scripture was well established before the modern science of archeology could offer any insight on the Old Testament. However, in the last 100 years, archeology has shown to be fact many things that critical scholars dogmatically held to be myth and legend.

E.g.: Abraham, Sodom from Ebla

E.g.: Conquest narrative from Amarna Tablets

The findings of archeology have made it such that now perhaps as never before, the Bible is being taken seriously as an accurate historical record, even among scholars who have no personal commitment to its message.

E.g.: Nelson Glueck wrote: "In all my archeological investigations, I have never found one artifact of antiquity which contradicts any statement in the word of God."

• 17 historical books: Genesis—Esther

A chronicle of Israel’s history (2000—430 B.C.)

• 17 prophetic books: Isaiah—Malachi

A collection of revelations from God detailing the meaning and goal of history

• Wisdom literature: Job—Song of Solomon

Inspired reflections on life in relationship with God

1. Old Testament is not mythology

• Uniqueness of the Bible

The truth of the Bible rests in its historicity. YHWH is the God of history. History is one of his key chosen media to reveal himself to humanity. We read frequent expressions throughout the Old Testament, such as, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob", "I raised you up on eagles' wings and delivered you from the hand of Pharoah". In the 4th week, we will discuss in detail the message of the prophets. The most crucial way God sought to separate himself from the false religions of the ancient world is through predictive prophecy—concrete evidence of sovereignty over history (Is. 41:21-23; 42:8,9; 44:6-8).

2. Old Testament history is prophetic history

• Driven by a central theme

By this, we mean that God impacts human history, and does so with a strategic purpose in mind. There is a message throughout the Bible: God is working to effect a reconciliation between himself and his renegade creation (Rom. 8:21; Col. 1:20). Thus, we refer to biblical history as "salvation history." It is history with the purpose of revealing God to man. It is not man's attempt to understand and speculate about God, but God communicating himself to man.

• Theological content is key statement of divine purpose for history

• "Markers"

• Old Testament history is selective

All history is selective. It is impossible to write history and include all of the details that surround certain events.

• Narratives are carefully arranged according to theological purpose

Since Old Testament serves a purpose, events and people recorded in the pages of the Old Testament are selected because they related to that purpose.

E.g.: Omri did much to protect and enlarge Israel's borders. But the Old Testament says little more than that he "carried on in the sin of Jeroboam, son of Nebat."

E.g.: Much is known of King Solomon's economic accomplishments, but they are eclipsed in the biblical narrative by the failures of his later years, when he permitted the worship of false gods for his many pagan wives.

Summary:

1. The Old Testament is a work of history, not mythology.

2. Old Testament history is prophetic history: God's plan of salvation.

3. Old Testament history is selective history emphasizing and including persons and events that relate to the overall purpose of the Bible.

Getting the big picture

• Two key theological markers as structural literary centers of Old Testament narrative:

Genesis 12:1—3 God’s promise to Abraham

2 Samuel 7:8—17 God’s covenant with David

• Abrahamic Promise as structural center of Genesis—Joshua narrative

• Blessing on Abraham

• Nationhood and Land

• Gen. 15—Exodus 19: Forming a people

• Exodus 20—40, Leviticus, Deuteronomy: Ruling a people

• Joshua: Inheriting the land

• Davidic Covenant as structural center of Judges—Nehemiah

• Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel: Preparation for monarchy

• 2 Samuel 7—24 (1 Chron. 17—29): God’s blessing on David

• 1 Kings 1—11 (2 Chron. 1—9): God’s faithfulness to Solomon

• 1 Kings 12—2 Kings 25 (2 Chron. 10—36): God’s faithfulness to David’s line

• Ezra, Nehemiah: Restoration of Judah in the land, Jerusalem rebuilt

Salvation History Through the Old Testament

1. Structure of the narrative

(Note: all literature has some kind of structure to it, such as parallelism in poetry, etc.).

• Thesis statement (1:1)

• Order in creation (1:2—31)

• Reason for creation (ch. 2)

2. Gen. 1:1

• "In the beginning"

The universe is finite. It owes it's existence to God.

Contrast this to the view of the earth's origin until recently. Now, scientists agree with the biblical narrative: big bang theory.

Robert Jastrow, Director of Research at Gottard Space Center:

"The scientist has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak. As he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries." Robert Jastrow, God and the Astronomers

Caricatures of the narrative are often based on Bishop Usher's marginal notes tracing the genealogies of Gen. 10, Luke 3 and Matt.1. However, these are not intended to be exhaustive genealogies, but merely to show lines of descent. We cannot conclude, as some have, that the Bible teaches that creation occurred at 4004 BC.

• "God created"

Note that God is not a part of the creation. He stands over it. This is what is meant by "transcendence."

i. Contrast with Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) myth

There is no division between spiritual and physical realities. According to the creation myths of the ANE, nature is the product of a violent struggle between the gods. All aspects of the cosmos are the stations and the corpses of defeated gods. Indeed, most of the names of cities in the ANE are named for their gods: Jerico (moon), Beth Shemish (sun), and so on. This is why the religion of the ANE is animistic. All aspects of nature (fertility) are expressions of the personalities of the gods. E.g.: rain, reproduction, soil, sun, etc.

ii. Biblical view of God

In the biblical view, God is beyond creation. He is not a part of it. The biblical God stands outside of the natural processes, yet he exercises sovereign control over them as he chooses. Because of the significant differences in understanding between the Hebrew creation account and the others from the same region, scholars now discard the popular assertion that the Old Testament is simply a borrowed or imitated mythology from its ANE neighbors (See Alexander Heidel, The Babylonian Genesis for a commentary on the relationship between Genesis 1, 2 and the myths of the ANE).

• "God said" God is transcendent
• "it was so"God is omnipotent
• "it was good"God is benevolent

Finally, "created" (bara) refers to a finished, complete, perfect work. The "heavens and earth" speak of the totality and completeness of God's creative act. Heavens and earth form a "marism" or statement of opposites that indicate totality. So we end verse one with a complete, perfect work.

3. Creation account is selective

• We don’t know how long it took: "Yom" (day)

"Day" (yom). This could refer either to six literal 24 hour days, or to an age, or extended period of time. The latter seems to be a better choice in view of the geological record and the description of the day in which Adam was created.

• We don’t know the means used

• Doesn’t include creation of angels or the devil

Let's note that the creation account makes no mention of the creation of the angels, or the existence of the devil, though he is introduced without explanation in chapter 3. Clearly, the original readers of Genesis already knew of the existence of angels and of the devil. It was not important for them to have this material included.

4. Pinnacle of creation narrative: Humanity in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-30)

The last creative act is man. It is man alone who shares the distinctive of being God's image-barer. Read Gen. 1:26-30.

• Basis of human dignity and intrinsic value

The image of God entails being spiritual and personal, in contrast to the rest of creation. Man is not merely more complex than the rest of creation, his is qualitatively distinct. The view of the Old Testament creation account of man is singularly unique in the world's literature. All other views of man hold that we are the same as nature. The dignity and value of man simply cannot be accounted for apart from the message of the Genesis record.

• God’s intent for man (Gen. 1:28)

The uniqueness of man is born out in the charge that God have him: To be his steward over creation (1:26, 28). God created a cosmos. Now man is to maintain it. Man now, not the anointed cherub is God's steward in the Garden. And, as the story of salvation unfolds in the Bible, it will be through man that God finally reestablishes his complete, just and righteous rule on the earth (Romans 8:19-22).

Another aspect of the creation of man is also significant in that it offers an important contrast to ANE creation myths. In the Genesis account, man is given creation for his needs (Gen. 1:29, 30). ANE mythology presents the purpose of man on earth to be about the business of serving the infantile pantheon of nature gods who are too self-absorbed to feed themselves (Heidel, p. 120,1).

• Terms of God’s blessing (Gen. 2:16,17)

Man is free to enjoy and care for God's good creation. He is to populate the earth. The first people were morally innocent (2:25) and experienced open fellowship with God. Man is personal. He is capable of love, and it was God's purpose that Adam use the gift of free will to voluntarily subordinate himself to God's loving rulership over him. But freedom involves real choice, and real responsibility for those choices. Genuine freedom includes the freedom to rebel.

i. The possibility of disobedience

1. Satan’s existence presumed (see Revelation 20:2; Ezekiel 28)

Ezek. 28:1-10. Denunciation of an earthly prince aspiring to divinity. His arrogance is denounced and his destruction is assured.

Ezek. 28: 11-18. "King of Tyre".

ANE view that the king of the city is a god. "Malkart", the god of Tyre, means "god of the city."

v. 14 he is referred to as a cherub, or angel. His proportions were majestic (v.12,13)

v. 17 he lived in the presence of God.

v. 13 he was appointed to live in Eden.

v. 15 he was created morally good.

Yet, there was a problem with this angel:

vs. 15-18a He became corrupt by an internal act of violence. He had become enamored by his splendor, and his reasoning became corrupt.

v. 16b-18 God moves in judgment against the angel.

We are also told in Revelation 12:4, 9 that the angel (Satan) took with him in his revolt a third of the angels, not called demons. Now the earth, the domain of Satan is the domain of "profaned sanctuaries" (Ezek. 28:18). This is a picture of a spiritually and morally divided universe: In a word, chaos.

And so, it is within this context, that God moves to restore order to his fragmented creation. There is a message of salvation in the midst of judgment even from the beginning of the book of Genesis.

2. The temptation (Gen. 3:1-5)

• v. 1. Misrepresents God's will. Caricature is extreme and restrictive.

• v. 4. Direct contradiction of God's word.

• v. 5. Assault on God's character. His intent is to deprive you of something that is good for you.

3. The choice (Gen. 3:6,7)

Loss of the innocence stated in 2:25. They are now aware of their moral guilt.

4. The consequences (Gen. 3:8-13)

• v. 8-10. Alienation from God.

• v. 11-13. Alienation from each other. Blaming others ends up, for Adam, blaming God, and for Eve, the source of the temptation.

5. The curses (Gen. 3:14-19)

• The serpent (vs. 14,15)

• Analogy to defeated kings

The condemnation that he would crawl on his belly and eat dirt is figurative. Defeated kings were made to grovel before their conquerors, often even being used as a footstool for the conqueror. So it is a prophecy of Satan's humiliation before God.

• Promise of defeat: the seed

Singular "seed" of woman to destroy the serpent. This is the first hint of redemption. The vague prediction that the source of man's corruption will be irradicated. Through the pages of scripture, this vague promise will be molded into a clear picture of exactly what God will do. Finally, note that the emphasis on "woman's" seed breaks the cultural and grammatical form. "Seed" always relates to the male contribution to procreation. Obviously, something unusual is being anticipated.

Adam and Eve banished from the garden of eden.

The woman (vs. 16) DIAGRAM Pain in child birth Desire for husband; he will rule over you (lit. "domineer"). Note: We are not told whether these are natural effects of the fall, or the direct, disciplining act of God on the woman. The man (17-19) Cursing of the ground. Indicates corruption of the ecological/agricultural process. Work is now toil, in much the same way as the joy of child birth for women is accompanied by pain. The assurance of death. Death is not natural. It is ugly and indicates the curse of God on man.

Genesis 3:20—12:3 Blessing out of judgment

• God’s blessing: World wide blessing (Gen. 12:1-3)

Assignment:

2. Identify reference for each reference to God’s covenant with Abraham

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