OLD TESTAMENT

OLD TESTAMENT

For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit 2 Peter 1:21

Prepared by Luke Lim

OLD TESTAMENT

I. Old Testament and New Testament

II. Key Revelations of God in OT

III. From God to Us

IV. Hebrew Old Testament and Protestant OT

V. Protestant OT

VI. The Setting of OT

VII. How to Approach OT

I. Old and New Testament

• NT is to complement/complete OT

• OT is essential to understand NT

• Furnish historical setting of NT

• Key Revelations of God are in OT

• Spiritual Food for Christians

II. Key Revelation of God in OT

• God is the Sovereign Creator• Man is a Sinner in need of Salvation• God is Holy and He judges sin• God is love and offers salvation to sinful man• A Savior would be born to die for sins of man• Man is saved by faith, not by works• Israel, God’s chosen channel of redemptive

message to the world• All history will culminate at the throne of God

III-a. From God to US

• Revelation: in written word(others: media, conscience, nature)

• Inspiration: God-breathing(2Tim 3:16)authors were carried along by the Holy Spirit(2 Pet 1:21)

• Infallible as to truth• Final as to authority—apply to all aspects(science,

history, and spiritual truth)

III-b From God to US

• Original Autographs: 1500-400 B.C. by 25-30 different authors on papyrus/animal skins

• Transmission—– copying and recopying of originals:

– Jews’ Superstitious Veneration of the text

– Masoretic text(5-6th century Jewish Scholars); eliminate variations and errors

– Dead Sea Scrolls(150 B.C.): identical with Masoretic Text

III-c From God to US

• Canonization– Identification as being one of the inspired scripture

– Spiritual perception to recognize, given by the Holy Spirit

• OT canon grew until its completion(Malachi, being the last added)

• A complete set of Books by the time of Jesus • Hebrew OT :24 books

VI. The Setting of OT

• From Creation to Malachi(430 B.C.)• Geographical Setting

– Three major region– Six Journeys– Coastal plain/lowlands/Hill country/Rift

valley/Transjordan hills/Plateau

• Climate– Latitude—same as southern US– Westerly wind from Mediterranean Sea– Warm dry summer/Cool, wet winter

IV. Hebrew OT & Protestant OT

• Twenty four books equivalent of thirty nine English Bible

• Three major section: Law, Prophets and Writings(Luke 24:44)

• Former Prophets—Historical books• Five Rolls—read at the annual Jewish feast:

Passover(Song of Songs 1st),Ruth(Feast of week 3rd), Lamentation(anniversary of Jerusalem destruction 5th),

Ecclesiastes(Tabernacles 7th), Easter(Purim 12th) • Chronicles appears last(Luke 11:51)

V Protestant OT

• Four fold arrangement(Greek Septuagint 280-150BC)

• First 17 Books in Chronological order• Subdivision into three—

– Confederacy among the tribes---Joshua, Judges, Ruth– Rise and fall of Monarchy---Samuel –Chronicles– Captivity and Return---Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther

• Fives book of Poetry---directed to inner life• All prophets ministered in 900-400BC

VII. How to Approach OT

• God always acts in conformity with his nature• All history is in God’s sovereign control• Israel, God’s divinely called and favored nation• Israel, God’s channel of communication to the rest

of the world• Redemption, the key subject• Constant pointing to the Coming Savior—Jesus• Miracles-God’s way to reveal himself