OT Studies
Course Requirements
I.
Course Description
OT Studies is designed to survey the Hebrew Scriptures so as to give the student a good
framework for understanding God’s plan and character as He deals with the nation of Israel. The
Old Testament will be studied according to the following divisions: Pentateuch, historical books,
prophets, and poetic books. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the broad sweep of the
storyline of the Old Testament, and particularly on how later revelation builds on earlier
revelation. OT Studies consists of 2 classes (4 credits each).
II. Course Objectives
A. To understand the background and cultural milieu of the Old Testament.
B. To understand the composition and transmission of the OT text.
C. To grasp both the theology of each OT book and the story line of the OT as a whole.
III. Required Textbooks
A. The MacArthur Study Bible.
B. The World and the Word by Eugene H. Merrill, Mark F. Rooker, and Michael A. Gristanti.
C. Old Testament Theology by Paul House.
D. Kingdom of Priests by Eugene H. Merrill.
E. Constable’s Notes.
F. Talk thru the Bible by Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa.
IV. Assignments
A. Reading
Reading for each Bible book is to be done as follows:
1) Read the Bible book by the first day of the next module.
2) Read the introductory material at the beginning of each book in the MacArthur Study
Bible (MSB) before its discussion in class according to the Course Schedule. If you have
already read the introductory material in the MSB, you may read the introductory
material in Constable’s Notes or Talk Thru the Bible instead.
3) Read the appropriate sections in The World and the Word (W&W) and Old Testament
Theology (OTT) before their discussion in class according to the Course Schedule.
4) Read the appropriate section in Kingdom of Priests (KOP) by the first day of the next
module.
1
OT Studies
Course Requirements
B. Papers
As you read the Bible book itself, write 4-6 word chapter titles for each chapter on a
separate piece of paper (each chapter title should be unique). A sample paper will be
provided to illustrate this. These papers are due on the first day of the next module.
The one exception to the above is the book of Psalms. These should be read at your own
pace over the course of the year. Write a single-sentence praise to God from each psalm. For
example, the statement for Psalm 1 might be, “I praise you, Lord, for your blessing of the
righteous and your judgment of the wicked.” These statements for the Psalms are due on
the first day of module 8.
C. Exams
An exam will be given at the beginning of each module covering the class material from the
previous module. Module 8 will also have an additional exam at the end of the module
covering the material in that module.
Exams will test for knowledge of a basic outline, major themes, purpose, and interpretive
issues for each Bible book.
V. Grade Distribution
A. Reading
28%
B. Papers
32%
C. Exams
40%
100%
2
OT Studies
Course Requirements
VI. Course Schedule
Module 1: The Pentateuch
Class
Session
1
Tues
Class Topic
Introduction to the OT
Geography
Introduction to the Pentateuch
2
Wed
Genesis
3
Fri
Exodus
4
Mon
Leviticus
5
Tues
Numbers
6
Wed
Deuteronomy
Reading Due
Papers Due
W&W, 163-69
MSB Intro
W&W, 170-89
OTT, 58-86
MSB Intro
W&W, 190-216
OTT, 87-125
MSB Intro
W&W, 217-31
OTT, 126-52
MSB Intro
W&W, 232-50
OTT, 153-68
MSB Intro
W&W, 251-69
OTT, 169-96
Module 2: The Historical Books, Part 1
Class
Session
Class Topic
1
Tues
Exam 1: The Pentateuch
Review of the Pentateuch
Introduction to Historical Books
2
Wed
Joshua
3
Fri
Judges
4
Mon
Ruth
5
Tues
1 Samuel
6
Wed
2 Samuel
Reading Due
Gen to Deut
KOP, 11-91
W&W, 271-75
MSB Intro
W&W, 276-87
OTT, 197-213
MSB Intro
W&W, 288-99
OTT, 214-26
MSB Intro
W&W, 300-306
OTT, 455-62
MSB Intro
W&W, 307-29
OTT, 227-36
MSB Intro
OTT, 236-48
3
Papers Due
Chapter titles for
Gen to Deut
OT Studies
Course Requirements
Module 3: The Historical Books, Part 2
Class
Session
1
Tues
2
Wed
Class Topic
Reading Due
Papers Due
Exam 2: The Historical Books, P.1
1 Kings
Joshua to 2 Samuel
KOP, 93-284
MSB Intro
W&W, 319-29
OTT, 249-71
MSB Intro
W&W, 330-42
OTT, 523-29
MSB Intro
OTT, 529-38
MSB Intro
W&W, 343-53
OTT, 512-22
MSB Intro
W&W, 354-60
OTT, 490-96
Chapter titles for
Joshua to 2 Samuel
Reading Due
Papers Due
2 Kings
3
Fri
1 Chronicles
4
Mon
2 Chronicles
5
Tues
Ezra/Nehemiah
6
Wed
Esther
Module 4: The Major Prophets
Class
Session
Class Topic
1
Tues
Exam 2: The Historical Books, P.2
Review of the Historical Books
Introduction to the Prophets
2
Wed
Isaiah
3
Fri
1 Kings to Esther
KOP, 285-389
W&W, 361-66
MSB Intro
W&W, 367-79
OTT, 272-98
Isaiah and Jeremiah
4
Mon
Jeremiah
5
Tues
Ezekiel
6
Wed
Daniel
MSB Intro
W&W, 380-93
OTT, 299-326
MSB Intro
W&W, 394-404
OTT, 327-45
MSB Intro
W&W, 405-14
OTT, 497-511
4
Chapter titles for
1 Kings to Esther
OT Studies
Course Requirements
Module 5: The Twelve, Part 1
Class
Session
Class Topic
1
Tues
Exam 4: The Major Prophets
Overview of The Twelve
2
Wed
Hosea
3
Fri
Joel
4
Mon
Amos
5
Tues
Obadiah and Jonah
6
Wed
Micah
Reading Due
Isaiah to Daniel
KOP, 391-430
OTT, 346-48
MSB Intro
W&W, 414-22
OTT, 348-54
MSB Intro
W&W, 423-29
OTT, 354-57
MSB Intro
W&W, 430-38
OTT, 357-63
MSB Intro
W&W, 439-52
OTT, 363-68
MSB Intro
W&W, 453-58
OTT, 368-72
Papers Due
Chapter titles for
Isaiah to Daniel
Module 6: The Twelve, Part 2
Class
Session
Class Topic
1
Tues
Exam 5: The Twelve, Part 1
Nahum
2
Wed
Habakkuk
3
Fri
Zephaniah
4
Mon
Haggai
5
Tues
Zechariah
6
Wed
Malachi
Reading Due
Hosea to Micah
KOP, 431-96
W&W, 459-64
OTT, 372-75
MSB Intro
W&W, 465-71
OTT, 376-80
MSB Intro
W&W, 472-77
OTT, 380-83
MSB Intro
W&W, 478-82
OTT, 383-86
MSB Intro
W&W, 483-89
OTT, 386-93
MSB Intro
W&W, 490-93
OTT, 393-401
5
Papers Due
Chapter titles for
Hosea to Micah
OT Studies
Course Requirements
Module 7: The Poetic Books
Class
Session
Class Topic
1
Tues
Exam 6: The Twelve, Part 2
Introduction to the Poetic Books
Lamentations
2
Wed
Job
3
Fri
Psalms
4
Mon
Proverbs
5
Tues
Ecclesiastes
6
Wed
Song of Songs
Reading Due
Nahum to Malachi
KOP, 497-515
W&W, 495-99, 55560
OTT, 483-89
MSB Intro
W&W, 500-11
OTT, 424-38
MSB Intro
W&W, 512-26
OTT, 402-23
MSB Intro
W&W, 527-38
OTT, 439-54
MSB Intro
W&W, 539-46
OTT, 470-82
MSB Intro
W&W, 547-554
OTT, 463-69
Papers Due
Chapter titles for
Nahum to Malachi
Module 8: Additional Issues of Old Testament Introduction
Class
Session
1
Tues
2
Wed
3
Fri
4
Mon
5
Tues
6
Wed
Class Topic
Reading Due
Exam 7: The Poetic Books
Higher criticism
Lamentations, Job
to Song of Songs
To be determined
Archeology
To be determined
Ancient Near East History
To be determined
Inter-testamental History
To be determined
Inter-testamental History
To be determined
Review
Exam 8: OT Intro Issues
6
Papers Due
Chapter titles for
Lam, Job, Prov to
Song of Songs.
Single-sentence praise
for each Psalm.