Study Guide, Bible 123, Old Testament
Test # 4, Dr. Wheeler
This test will cover everything since spring break:
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon (Songs), Ecclesiastes,
Introduction to the Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah
Names & Terms
Edict of Liberation – Cyrus – King of Persian
Persians
Targums
Nehemiah
Zerubbabel
Sheshbazzar
Ezra
Nebuchanezer (Babylon)
Mordecai
Haman
Purim (festival celebrating Esther)
Priest, Prophet, Sage
Mashal
Hebrew Poetry
A. Parallelism
1. Synonymous
2. Antithetic
3. Formal/synthetic
4. Progressive
B.
Rhythm/meter
C.
Figurative/Symbolic expression
Wisdom Teachings
Practical (Proverbs)
Speculative (Job, Ecclesiastes)
Purpose of Proverbs – instruction for wise living
Collections of Proverbs: Solomon, Agur, Lemuel
Personification of Wisdom – Female – created by God before Creation, was with God at Creation
Psalms:
Titles - authorship, historical occasion, type of Psalm, musical notations
Classifications: Hymn, communal lament, individual lament, individual thanksgiving,
royal or enthronement psalms
Main ideas in Psalms: deliverance in warfare, presence of God, thanksgiving, "holy"
history, personal communion with God, praise of Creator
Know the Basic thought and type for the following Psalms:
1, 2, 8, 19, 22, 23, 29, 51, 104, 109, 119, 136, 137
Concepts:
The two-way doctrine
Vengeance psalms, imprecatory
"vanity of vanities"
Main Themes of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Types of interpretation - Allegory, drama, wedding feast, fertility rite, a love poem
Prophets:
Main theme of individual prophets:
Isaiah- Holiness of Yahweh in contrast to the unholiness of Judah
Jeremiah – against reliance on the Temple (7); a new covenant (31)
Lamentations – laments over the destruction of Jerusalem
Tension between the priests and prophets
Reasons prophets were not always appreciated
Time periods during which the prophets worked:
Assyrian Crisis
Babylonian Crisis
Persian period
Important emphases of prophets:
Keep the covenant
Purity in morals and in religious ritual
Messiah – God’s anointed
Day of the Lord
Primary focus – faithfulness to the covenant and morality
Primary/Secondary aspects of prophecy
Conditional nature of prophecy – Jer 18:7ff.
Two categories of prophets: determined by length (not importance)
Major – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel
Minor