Week 1– History of the Early World
Select play to hear the class lecture:
- Genesis is not a scientific book and more like poetry. It uses figurative language to convey a truth.
- There is a message that the author intended to convey (the literal meaning).
- We assume that history is told in ancient times like it is today, point after point with scientific support.
- History was told in different manners like poetry, story, myth . . . but all these have true meaning behind them. It shows how history can be told in ways that modern historians wouldn’t think of.
What are we required to believe in the book of Genesis?
- Creation is by God
- Special creation of Man
- Formation of the first woman from man
- Unity of the human race – have common parents
- Original happiness of our first parents (no suffering or death)
- Divine command to prove man’s obedience
- Transgression of that command by Adam and Eve through temptation by the devil
- The fall of our first parents from the state of innocence (original sin)
- The promise of a Redeemer
In the encyclical Humani Generis (1950) we see what the Church says about Genesis:
37. When, however, there is question of another conjectural opinion, namely polygenism, the children of the Church by no means enjoy such liberty. For the faithful cannot embrace that opinion which maintains that either after Adam there existed on this earth true men who did not take their origin through natural generation from him as from the first parent of all, or that Adam represents a certain number of first parents. Now it is no way apparent how such an opinion can be reconciled with that which the sources of revealed truth and the documents of the Teaching Authority of the Church propose with regard to original sin, which proceeds from a sin actually committed by an individual Adam and which, through generation, is passed on to all and is in everyone as his own.[18]
38. . . . the first eleven chapters of Genesis, although properly speaking not conforming to the historical method used by the best Greek and Latin writers or by competent authors of our time, do nevertheless pertain to history in a true sense, which however must be further studied and determined by exegetes; the same chapters . . . state the principal truths which are fundamental for our salvation, and also give a popular description of the origin of the human race and the chosen people.
The first story of creation is meant to convey that God is the creator of all things and he establishes a covenant with his creation.
Genesis 1 – The earth was without form and void (chaos)
- The Hebrew word for “Day” can mean many things (one segment, one longer period of time, one day). God is going to take chaos and make “cosmos” (perfection, beauty)
- God is preparing something for someone and creates it out of nothing (Heb. Bara)
Day 1 – Day and night, God creates time
Day 2 – Creation of space (sky and sea)
Day 3 – Life, land and vegetation
The form is still void so he fills it:
Day 4 – Sun, moon, stars (rules of the night)
Day 5 – Birds (sky) and fish (sea)
Day 6 – Beasts and man
- Man is created with all the beasts. But God says, “Let us make man in our image and likeness.” Unlike the beasts, we were created out of loveLove To put the needs of another before our own. To will the good of the other., for love.
- In the beginning, the intellect governed the will and the will followed wisdom.
- God sees that after naming the animals, Adam is still alone (Gen 2:20). Naming the animals is a sign of dominion over the animals.
- He fashions woman out of man and begins a “family.” “. . . the two shall become one flesh” Gen 2:24
Day 7 – God rests on the seventh day.
- Seven (Heb. sheva) – means covenant, to swear an oath. Swearing and oath establishes kinship or family. God makes a covenant with creation.
- The Sabbath was created for man not man for the Sabbath (Mk 2:7)
- We are called to put down our work on the seventh day and take up the work of God.
- Will we be like the beasts and remain in the 6th day or will we enter into the 7th day of rest with God?
Understanding the number “6”
The number 6 is important in the Bible – it signifies imperfection
- Rev 13:18 – mark of the beast is 666
- We are created on the 6th day, but we are meant to enter into the 7th day
- Goliath did not acknowledge God and he was 6 cubits high
- Nebuchadnezzar dominated the Jews and made a statue of himself that was 60 times 6 cubits. Daniel describes him as a beast.
- Solomon had 666 talons of gold that he was told not to take. He became a tyrant.
The second story of creation describes our relationship with God as sons of God. Man is the pinnacle of his creation.
Adam and Eve (Gen 2:5-25)
7th Day 2:3 The word for “oath” and “seven” are the same (sheva).
Work 2:15 Even before the fall, Adam worked in (tilled) the garden.
Autonomy 2:17 Adam and Eve knew what was good and evil; see Ch. 3. It’s like saying, “we [Adam/Eve] decide what’s good & evil.”
Marriage 2:24 “and they shall become one flesh.”
Gen 2:15 “till and keep the garden”
- “Till” (Heb. Abad), “keep” (Heb. Shamar – also means to protect or guard) – Guard it from what?
- Adam has preternatural gifts: no suffering, immortality, perfect integrity of will and intellect.
- After the fall the intellect is darkened and the will is weakened (concupiscence – the tendency to do wrong) still remains. The will now dominates – “my will be done.”
Fall of Man (Gen 3:1-24)
- 3:1 Now the serpent was the most cunning (subtle) of all the animals that the LORD God had made.
- Serpent (Heb. Nahash – also Leviathan, sea monster, Is. 27:1); Subtle (Heb Arum – can mean intimidating)
- Satan rebelled against God before the creation of man. He hates all of God’s creation. See Revelation 12:9 for a description of the serpent/dragon.
- “you will not die” (Gen 3:4) is an incomplete sentence and a unique sentence structure. Meant to leave the reader to finish the thought.
- 3:6 Eve is intimidated and eats of the desirable fruit. Adam is present with Eve, but remains silent while his bride is confronted by the serpent.
- Adam’s options are to:
- Call out to God to help (Jesus, the second Adam, called out for help)
- Fight against the serpent. Be obedient and protect his bride and the garden.
- Do nothing. Remain silence, because of the fear of suffering or death. Trusting God even if it looks like there is no way out. Disobedience is the pattern of all of our history.
Promise (Protoevangelium) (Gen 3:8-24)
- God curses the serpent
- Gen 3:15 – “will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He will crush your head, while you strike at his heel.”
- Toilsome work for man (3:17-19) The punishment was not work, but toilsome work.
- For the woman – labor pains – Fruitful, redemptive suffering.
Week 2 – History of the Early World
Lecture Audio
- Hebrew narrative is told with the intent of leaving out all the details. It expects the reader will make assumptions based on Hebrew understanding of things.
- In the first part of Genesis with the fall, we must understand that Satan is attacking the fatherhood of God. He convinces Adam and Eve that God is not a trustworthy father and has something to hide from them. Any teaching that goes against the fatherhood of God is to be looked upon with caution.
Cain kills Abel (Gen 4:1-16)
4:1 Adam “knew” Eve . . . – This means that they had marital relations and Cain was born (note he is the 1st born son)
4:4 Abel offers from first fruits of his flock. Cain did not and his offering is rejected by God.
Lineage and works of Cain’s descendants (4:17-22) We see the first signs of secular “materialism” in the Old Testament. More “technologically and culturally advanced”.
4:17 Built first city
4:19 First recording of polygamy
4:20 Tents and cattle
4:21 First to make instruments
4:22 First metal workers – tools and weapons
4:23 More violent (e.g. Lamech)
Birth of Seth (Gen 4:25-26) and Noah (Gen 5)
4:26 Seth’s birth. “Calling on the name of the Lord” is a way of saying “worship”.
5:3 Seth is said to be conceived in Adam’s “image and likeness”
5:24 Enoch is “bodily assumed” into heaven
5:29 Noah (means “relief/comfort”) is born from Lamech (not Lamech from ch. 4).
The Flood (Gen 6:1-18; Gen 7, 8)
6:2-4 Nephilim (means “the fallen ones or giants”); “Son’s of God . . . daughters of men”. The Son’s of God are the righteous and the children of men are the unrighteous (see Gen 11:5, Num 13:32-33)
6:9-10 First use of the word “righteous” and “blameless” for a person, Noah.
6:18 God establishes a covenant with Noah (see also 9:9,15) They are to multiply and rule over creation.
Types
Ark and the flood – Church and Baptism (1 Pt 3:19-21)
Dove (Gen 8)– Holy Spirit (Mt 3:16)
God’s Covenant with Noah (Gen 9:1-17)
9:3 Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat; I give them all to you as I did the green plants. Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat.
9:23 Ham “saw the nakeness” of Noah when Noah was drunk. This is a Hebrew idiom indicating that Ham had incestual relations with his mother (see Lev 18:6-22, 20:11-21). This was a symbol of usurping another’s authority and power besides being immoral.
- Shem inhabits the middle east, Ham inhabits Africa and Japheth, Europe
Chapter 10
10:6 Ham fathered Cush, Mizraim, Put, Canaan.
10:10 Cush fathers Nimrod (built Babylon and Nineveh)
10:13 Mizraim is also called Egypt – (see Gen 12:10). He fathers Caphtorim from where the Philistines come. Philistines are the Palestinians of today.
10:15 Canaan fathered the Jebusites, Amorites, Hivites, and Girgashites who were all later enemies of Israel.
10:21 Shem fathered Eber or the Eberews (this is where we get the word “Hebrew”). Shem means “Name” and his descendants are called Shemites. This is we where get the term “Semite” or Semitic.
The Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9)
11:4 The unrighteous want to get on the same level as God so they say, “let us make a tower . . . and make a name (shem) for ourselves”
11:9 The city was called Babel (later Babylon) where God confused their speech
11:26 Terah fathers Abram (later Abraham) and is a descendant of Shem.
11:31 Terah settles in Haran (modern day Syria/Turkey area)
Three-fold Promise to Abraham (Gen 12:1-9)
Abram His name means “Exalted Father”; Is called to leave Haran at age 75
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12:2-3 Land – Nation; Great name – Dynasty/kingdom; Blessing – Bring all nations to God.
12:10 There is a famine so he goes to Egypt.
Chapter 13
13:1 Abram went out of Egypt – A type of the Holy Family/Jesus
13:8;14:16 Abraham calls Lot his “brother.” He is actually Abram’s nephew (see 11:31, 14:12)
13:12 Abraham is living in Canaan (land of Ham’s son, Canaan)
Chapter 14 – Battle of the 9 kings
14:12 Lot is captured and Abram defeats the armies and rescues him.
14:18 Abram offers tithe to Melchizedek, which means “King of Righteousness”. Brings out a sacrifice of bread and wine. He lives in Salem.
14:19 Abram offers tithe to Melchizedek. He blesses Abram (Jewish tradition is that Melchizedek was Shem). This is “the blessing” that we will see passed on in future generations.
First Covenant – Land or Nationhood (Gen 15:1-21)
15:6 “He believed and accounted it to him as righteousness”. (see his faith in 12:1-2 & Heb 11:8)
15:9ff Sign of the covenant is animal sacrifice; passing between the pieces.
15:13 Prophecy of the slavery in Egypt for 400 years.
Chapter 16
16:3 Abram, a descendant of Shem, takes Hagar (the Egyptian), a descendant of Ham (Mizraim), to father his heir in the land of Canaan.
16:6 Sarai is very abusive to Hagar and she leaves.
16:11 The Lord tells Hagar to return and endure the abuse and that her descendants would be numerous. He told her to name her son Ishmael (God will hear).
Second Covenant – A Great Name or a Dynasty (Gen 17:1-11)
Gen 17:5-7 Abram was 86 when Ishmael was born. When he was 99 years old God changed his name to Abraham, which means “Father of a multitude”. A name change also signifies a change in the person. God makes an everlasting covenant with his people.
Gen 17:10-12 Circumcision is the sign of the covenant – signified them as a people of God (see 17:14). To be performed at 8 days. If you are not circumcised at 8 days, you are cut off from his people (v14)
Symbolizes “cutting off “ the worldly, fleshly things. In Romans 2:29, Paul says “He is a Jew who is one inwardly and real circumcision is one of the heart.”
Gen 17:15 Sarai’s (head, leader) name is changed to Sarah, which means “Queen.”
Gen 17:25 Egyptians also circumcised, not on the 8th day, but on the 13th year as a rite of passing into puberty. Ishmael was 13 when God commanded circumcision.
Chapter 18
Gen 18:12 Three men appear and tell Abraham that Sarah will have a child by this time next year. Sarah laughs at God so God names the child she will bear Isaac or “Laughter.” [see also 21:5-6]
Gen 18:20 Sodom and Gomorrah are judged. Abraham intercedes for the city.
Chapter 19
Gen 19:26 Lot and his wife and daughters flee and are told not to look back. His wife looks back at the destruction and is turned into a pillar of salt.
Gen 19:32, 37 Lot’s daughters have no husbands so they get Lot drunk and lay with him. They give birth to Moab (Moabites) and Ben-ammi (Ammonites) through incest.
Birth of Isaac (Gen 21:1-7)
Gen 21:9 Ishmael “mocks” Isaac. “Mocking” is a word related to “laughter” (Isaac)
Gen 21:12 Sarah demands Hagar the Egyptian and Ishmael be expelled. God tells Abraham to do what Sarah demands.
Gen 21:18 Ishmael is to become a nation. The Arabs of today are descendants of Ishmael.
Third Covenant – World-wide Blessing (Gen 22:1-19)
Gen 22:2,4,6 Sacrifice “your only son”, Mt. Moriah, 3-day trip, Isaac carries the wood of sacrifice on his back
Gen 22:8, 14 “God will provide a lamb”, Yahweh-Jireh (This is the place later called Jireh-Salem or Jerusalem)
Gen 22:16 Because of Isaac’s “sacrifice”, God says, “I have sworn by myself” to bless Abraham with many descendants, the land of their enemies and be a blessing for all nations.
The rock upon which Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac is located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. It is currently under Muslim control and has a structure over it called the Dome of the Rock.
Week 3 – History of The Early World
Lecture Audio
Chapter 24
Gen 24:3 Isaac was not to take a Canaanite wife, but a Hebrew woman. Rebekah is a relative of Abraham from his brother Nahor.
Chapter 25
Gen 25:25 Esau (first-born) is also called Edom, which means “Red.” The second-born is Jacob, which means “heel grabber/supplanter” (supplant means “replace”)
Gen 25:33 Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a meal.
Birthright: The first-born son took rank before his brothers and the father usually bequeathed to him the greater part of the inheritance. After the death of the father the first-born son was the head of the family; he had to provide for the widows of his father and for his unmarried sisters, since they ordinarily did not have any hereditary rights.
Jacob gets Esau’s Blessing (Gen 27:1-46)
Gen 27:7 Isaac asks Esau to catch some game and prepare a meal for him so that he could give him the blessing before he dies. Rebekah overhears this.
Gen 27:35-37 Jacob tricks Isaac who is blind into giving him the blessing by dressing like Esau. Rebekah helps him. Once the blessing was given, it could not be given to someone else again.
Gen 28 Jacob flees to Haran (Abraham’s home city) to find a wife among his uncle Laban’s family. Laban is Rebekah’s brother (Gen 27:43)
Chapter 29
Gen 29:16-17 Jacob sought to marry Rachel (younger sister).
Leah (older sister) was half-blind (her name means “cow”) and Rachel (“ewe lamb”) was beautiful.
Gen 29:23-26 Jacob works 7 years for Laban to get Rachel and instead gets Leah in his marriage bed. Works 7 more years to finally get Rachel.
Laban said that in his country, the oldest goes first.
Gen 29:32-35 Leah gives birth to Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.
Chapter 30
Gen 30:6,8 Rachel gives her maid Bilhah to Jacob: She has Dan and Naphtali.
Gen 30:6,8 Leah gives her maid Zilpah to Jacob: She has Gad and Asher.
Gen 30:17,20 Leah gives birth to Issachar and Zebulun.
Gen 30:24 Rachel gives birth to Joseph and Benjamin (Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin, Gen 35:18).
Jacob’s name is changed to Israel (Gen 32:22-31)
Gen 32:25 In going to meet and reconcile with Esau, Jacob meets an angel of God and asks for a blessing. The angel and Jabob wrestle and Jacob is struck in the hip. His name is changed to Israel, whick means “One who fights with God.” (see also 35:10)
Gen 33:1-4 Esau embraces Jacob and the two are reconciled.
Gen 35:17-19 Benjamin is born and Rachel dies: buried in Ephrath (Bethlahem)
Gen 35:28 Isaac dies.
Gen 36:1ff Esau took wives from the Canaanites (Hittite and Hivite)
Joseph Dreams of greatness and is sold into Egyptian slavery (Gen 37:12-36)
Gen 37:3 Jacob gave Joseph a special coat that signified Jacob’s favor as his “firstborn” from the woman he loved – Rachel.
Gen 37:5-9 Joseph dreams that his brothers and parents will one day bow before him.
Gen 37:22 So the brothers plot to kill him, but Reuben stops them.
Gen 37:25-26 At Judah’s suggestion, Joseph is sold into slavery to a passing caravan of Midianites – decendants of of Ishmael.
Joseph is imprisoned and interprets dreams in prison
Gen 39:7-20 Joseph servers in the house of Potiphar and is tempted by Potiphar’s wife. He declines so she accuses him of rape and Joseph is imprisoned.
Gen 40:1:ff Joseph meets a cup bearer and baker that used to work for Pharaoh. He interprets their dreams and the cup bearer is restored to Pharaoh as Joseph predicted.
Gen 41:1ff Pharaoh has dreams and the cup bearer remembers the “Hebrew” in prison that could interpret dreams. Pharaoh calls for Joseph and he interprets the dream to mean there will 7 years of plentiful harvest and 7 years of famine.
Gen 41:39 Pharaoh appoints Joseph as his prime minster over all his houshold.
Gen 41:57 The “whole world” came to Egypt to buy grain because of the famine.
Gen 42:1ff Jacob sends his 10 sons (except Benjamin) to buy grain in Egypt. They come to Joseph, but don’t recognize him. They bow down before him.
Gen 42:18-25 Joseph accuses them of being spies. So to prove themselves, they must leave one brother behind and return to Canaan and bring back the youngest brother. He chooses Simeon to stay, but Joseph has the money put back into the brothers’ sacks.
Gen 42:35-37 Jacob sees that his sons still have the money they were to use to buy grain. There was doubt in Jacob’s mind that they could have possibly sold Simeon into slavery. Reuben pleads with Jacob to allow Benjamin to return to Egypt.
Gen 43:8 Judah says he will be responsible for Benjamin.
Gen 43:16 Joseph sees the brothers are brining Benjamin so he has a feast prepared for them.
Gen 44:1-33 Joseph sends them off with grain, but has his silver cup put in Benjamin’s bag. He tell his guards to stop them and they discover the cup in Benjamin’s bag and are all brought back to Joseph. Judah pleads that he take him instead of Benjamin.
Gen 45:1-8 Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and tells them that God has sent him to Egypt, not them, so that he could preserve life.
Gen 45:10-28 Joseph has the brothers bring all the family and settle in Goshen.
Gen 49:10 Jacob tells Judah that the scepter shall not depart from him. Jacob dies (vs. 33)
Children of Israel are Enslaved (Ex. 1:1-22)
Ex 1:16,22 A new Pharaoh arose over Egypt and did not “know” Joseph (vs. 8). He has male children killed. The male carries on the lineage of the Hebrew people, but if there are no males to marry, the Hebrew women marry Egyptian men and they posses the land.
Moses is born, kills an Egyptian and flees (Ex. 2:1-24)
Ex 2:10 Moses is born and saved from the infanticide by his mother and becomes part of Pharaoh’s household. Moses means “drawn from the water.”
Ex 2:15 Moses kills an Egyptian and has to flee. Moses went to live among the Midianites. These were Ishmaelites.
Ex 2:21 Moses marries a Midianite woman and she gives birth to Gershom (means “alien in a foreign land”)
Ex 2:24 God is referred as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob so as not to mistake the lineage with that of Ishmael’s line. (see also 3:6, 15 and others)
The Burning Bush (Ex. 3:1-6:60)
Ex 3:2 Note of interest: God is often seen as an all consuming fire. It is the symbol of fire that represents God most. It represent his “burning” love for us.
Ex 3:8 The land God will give his people is the land of the Canaanite, Hittite, Amorite, Perizzite, Hivite, and the Jebusite.
Ex 3:14 God’s name: I AM (WHO I AM) – YHWH vs. JHVH
Ex 3:10 Moses is called by God. Moses “declines” God’s invitation to save His people 5 times with excuses. 1) v11, 2) v13, 3) 4:1, 4) v10, 5) v13.
Ex 5:3 The initial request of God for the Hebrews was not freedom from slavery, but a 3 day feast to sacrifice to God. Pharaoh refuses to let them go.
Chapter 7
Ex 7:3 God hardens Pharaoh’s heart. Did Pharaoh have a “choice” to be good or did God predestine him not to be able to choose the good. (see also 9:12; 10:1; 10:20; 10:27)
Ex 7:17,18 The first plague attacks the Nile River and the fish. The reason is because the Nile was considered a god. There is also an Egyptian god that takes the form of a fish.
Week 4 – The Exodus
Chapter 8
Ex 8:2 Second plague. There is also an Egyptian god that takes the form of a frog.
Ex 8:15 It is Pharaoh that hardens his heart in this verse. (see also 8:19, 32; 9:34)
Ex 8:21 Third plague – Flies
Ex 8:25-27 The initial request to sacrifice in the wilderness then return to Egypt was to convert the hearts of the Israelites back to Yahweh. God allows punishment for sin especially if it creates a contrite heart. The sacrifice of cattle, sheep and goats constitutes a rejection of the gods of Egypt since they worshiped gods in those forms.
Chapter 9
Ex 9:3,6 Fourth plague – Death of cattle.
Ex 9:9 Fifth plague – Boils
Ex 9:15 Sixth plague – Pestilence
Ex 9:18 Seventh plague – Hail and fire
Chapter 10
Ex 10:4 Eighth plague – Locusts
Ex 10:21 Ninth plague – Darkness (the death of the sun god)
Chapter 11
Ex 11:5 Tenth plague – Death of the Firstborn. Note: Israel is called Yahweh’s Firstborn son (Ex 4:22).
Chapter 12 – The Passover
Ex 12:3 On 10th day take male lamb, one year old, without blemish.
Ex 12:6 Keep until the 14th day.
Ex 12:7,8 Kill and take its blood and put on door posts and eat the roasted flesh that night and eat the flesh.
Ex 12:14 It shall be a feast forever. (1 Cor 5:8)
Ex 12:15 It must be unleavened or will be cut off from Israel.
Ex 12:22 Hyssop branch (John 19:29 – hyssop branch used to give sour wine)
Ex 12:43,44,48 No “outsider” could eat this Passover until he was circumcised. (“NT circumcision” is baptism – Col 2:11)
Ex 12:46 No broken bones on lamb (Jn 19:36)
Chapter 14
Ex 14:21 Moses parts the Red Sea and the Israelites cross on dry ground
Ex 14:28 Pharaoh’s men pursue the Israelites and Moses returns the water to its usual flow and drowns the Egyptian soldiers.
Chapter 16
Ex 16:15,31 God feeds the Israelites bread from heaven. Manna translated means “What is that?” They also ate “flesh” in the evening (quail) vs 13.
Chapter 17
Ex 17:6 The rock Moses strikes for water is seen in the NT as a symbol of Christ (1 Cor 10:4) see also Num 20:11 Moses strikes the rock instead of speaking to it.
Chapter 19
Ex 19:6 The Hebrew people are a kingdom of priests. Every head of the house was a priest (See 1 Pt 2:9) until they lost that privilege at the Golden Calf incident.
Chapter 20
Ex 20:3-17 The Lord gives Moses the 10 commandments. Graven images – God told them this to keep them from reverting to their old habits of worshipping idols, not to do away with graven images in general. (see Num 21:8-9 – the graven image of the bronze serpent)
Chapter 24
Ex 24:8 Blood of the Covenant. The blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the people and a covenant was established.
Ex 24:12 The stone tablets are given to Moses by God and they signified the condition of the Israelite hearts – cold and hard. Moses was at the top of Mt. Sinai for 40 days/nights.
Chapter 25
Ex 25:10 God commands Moses to make a sanctuary for God to dwell in. The Ark’s design is given along with the mercy-seat and cherubs over it. A table is to be built to hold the Bread of the Presence. A lampstand is to be made also.
Ex 26:1 Moses is instructed to build a tablernacle for the Lord.
Chapter 27
Ex 27:20,21 Lamps were to be kept burning by the tabernacle perpetually. This is a perpetual statute. (Sounds like the tradition in the Church of having a burning candle by every tabernacle).
Chapter 28, 29, 30
Ex 28:2,43 Priestly vestments were to be worn by Aaron. It was to be a perpetual statute. Catholic priests participate in this tradition.
Ex 28:4,37 Aaron was to wear a turban (KJV says “miter”) on his head. A miter is what the Pope and bishops wear on their heads.
Ex 28:40 The sons of Aaron were to wear tunics and be anointed and consecrated to God to minister as priests. This was to be a perpetual statute.
Ex 29:2 They use unleavened wheat wafers as part of the sacrificial ritual.
Ex 30:1, 19 God commands an altar of incense be made. A laver is constructed for ritual washing of the high priest’s hands before offering the sacrifice. This is a perpetual statute.
Chapter 32
Ex 32:1,2 Moses delays so Aaron makes the Golden Calf for the people. Even though Aaron participated, he was still made the high priest. The offices that God implements does not guarantee the holiness of the one in that office.
Ex 32:7 God tells Moses to “go down to your people . . . “
Ex 32:10 God wants to destroy the people and make Moses a great nation
Ex 32:11-13 Moses intercedes for the people and the Lord “repents” of the evil he thought to do his people.
Ex 32:19 Moses breaks the tablets of stone in his anger.
Ex 32:27-29 Levites kill the idolaters. Their obedience to God made them the new priests of God and the priesthood was stripped from the head of the household.
Ex 34:1 God restores the tablets of stone
The rest of Exodus is the implementation of the laws given by the Lord and detailed construction of the Tabernacle and all the furnishings.
Week 5 – Conquest of Canaan
The Book of Numbers – Chapter 1
Num 1:20-42 The tribes of Israel. Note that two sons of Israel (Jacob) are not counted in the 12 tribes directly – the tribes of Levi and Joseph. The two additional tribes are Manasseh and Ephraim – from the tribe of Joseph.
Num 1:48ff The tribe of Levi is appointed to the administration of the tabernacle.
Num 1:51 Anyone, Hebrew or foreigner (Num 3:10) who approaches the tabernacle shall be put to death.
Chapter 2 & 3
Num 2 The arrangement of the 12 tribes
Num 3:4 Aaron’s first two sons die, because they offered “unoly fire.” God is serious about following proper liturgical practices. (Lev 10:2)
Num 3:12,41 The first born sons of the tribes of Israel were priests of the family household. After the Golden Calf incident, they were stripped of this privilege and it was given to the Levites. (Best reference is Num 8:16-18)
Chapter 4
Num 4:3-49 Service of the Tabernacle restricted to ages 30-50. Kohath (son of Levi) reported to Eleazar (son of Aaron). Number of Kohathites serving the Tabernacle ages 30 to 50 were 2,750.
Gershon and Merari (sons of Levi) report to Ithamar (son of Aaron). Number of Gershonites serving the Tabernacle between ages 30 to 50 were 2,630 and 3,200 Merarites.
Total number Levitical workers = 8,580.
Point of interest: In Hebrews 7:3 – the priesthood of Melchizedek is “wihtout father or mother or genealogy and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.”
The reference in Hebrews is that at the restoration of the 2nd Temple (~516 BC), the Jews needed to restore the Aaronic and Levitical priesthood. So you had to show your geneology (father and mother) and be between the ages of 30 and 50 years old (beginning and end of days).
Chapter 5
Num 5:2-4 Lepers and others were “excommunicated” from the congregation because they were “defiled.” In the NT, excommunication is disfellowship with God or condemnation (e.g. Mt 18:17 referring to Deut 17:8-12).
Num 5:6-7 If a person sins, he is to confess his sin and restore what he has damaged. The confession is within the context of the Levitical priesthood. (See more detail in Lev 5:5-10 The shall confess their sin, bring offering and the priest will make atonement for them and their sins will be forgiven.)
Num 5:17 Example that holy water and its use is scriptural.
Chapter 6
Num 6:2ff Requirements for the vow of a Nazarite: 1) No fermented drinks 2) never cut the hair on their head 3) never go near a dead body because of defilement. John the Baptist probably followed this vow. (Mt 3:4, Lk 7:33) Sampson was a Nazarite (Judges 16:17), not to be confused with a Nazarene (from Nazareth)
Chapter 7
Num 7:13ff Leaders of each tribe are turning in their silver plates, basins and dishes. These are priestly furnishings the first born sons used as priests of the family. The no longer need them, because they were stripped of their priesthood.
Chapter 8
Num 8:7,12 Sprinkling water of purification was used as part of the cleansing from sin. Note: In Christian baptism, immersion is prefered, then pouring (infusion), then sprinkling (aspersion).
Num 8:18 Again, the Levites are made the new priests replacing the 1st born sons. (See also 3:12f)
Chapter 9
Num 9:2f The Passover was to be celebrated on the 14th day of the 1st month.
Num 9:10-12 If unclean or on a journey, Passover could be celebrated on the 2nd month, 14th day.
Num 9:13 If a person had no excuse and misses the Passover, he shall be cut off from the people. (In the NT church, missing Mass with no excuse is a mortal sin – you are “cut off from the people of God,” but can be restored through repentance and confession.)
Chapter 10
Chapter 10 denotes a very organized and rigid manner of breaking camp. This is “boot camp” for the Israelites to learn how to obey the commands of God.
Chapter 11
Num 11:1-2 The people grumble against God and he burns part of them. Moses intercedes for them. This is an example of the Catholic understanding of a Saint’s intercession.
Num 11:6 People tired of manna. They also want meat to eat.
Num 11:16 God assigns the burden to be shared by 70 elders. This is a type in the NT of the 70 men sent out by Jesus (Lk 10:1).
Num 11:19-20 The people want meat. God says, “If they want meat, they’ll get meat!” So much that it will come out of their nostrils!
Num 11:21-23 Moses is doubting how so many will be fed meat. He mentions the animals they have for sacrifices for food. God sates, “Is the Lord’s power limited?”
Num 11:29 Two men prophesied & Joshua presumed to stop then since Moses was their prophet. Moses said, “oh that all of God’s people would prophesy. . . and put His spirit in them.”
Num 11:33f God punishes those who “lusted” the meat by striking them with a plague as they ate the quail.
Chapter 12
Num 12:1f Moses takes a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman as a wife. Miriam and Aaron are self-righteous against the “humble” Moses.
Num 12:6-8 God speaks to Moses face-to-face not in dreams or visions like other prophets.
Num 12:10f God makes Miriam leprous (white) for criticizing Moses. Aaron asks Moses to intercede for him. Note: The Cushite woman was probably a very dark person.
Spies sent to Canaan (Num 13:1-33)
Num 13:2 One man from each of the 12 tribes is chosen.
Num 13:16 Hoshea (Deliverer) from the tribe of Ephraim (Joseph) is chosen. His name is changed to Joshua (God Saves).
Num 13:25 They spent 40 days spying on the land of Canaan.
Num 13:30 Joshua and Caleb (tribe of Judah) say the Israelites could conquer the Canaanites, the rest had no faith.
Chapter 14
Num 14:11-12 God tells Moses that he is going to plague and disinherit the people and make Moses a nation greater than them because of their unblief.
Num 14:13-19 Moses does not want the glory. He is like a great “father” figure. He would rather God be glorified and the people forgiven. He appeals to God’s reputation and his covenant promise.
Num 14:23-34 Because of their unbelief, these people will not see the promised land. Everyone from 20 years of age and up will perish in the wilderness. They will wander one year for each day they spied out the land.
Chapter 16
Num 16:1f Korah (descendent of Levi) rebels and takes 250 leaders to challenges Aaron’s priesthood (vs. 10-11). Korah says the whole congregation is holy, not just the Levites.
Num 16:30-33 The earth opens up and they go down alive to Sheol.
Num 16:41,42 The people rose again against Moses and Aaron. God struck them with a plague and Aaron made atonement (interceded) by offering incense. 14,700 died.
Chapter 17
Num 17:3, 8 To prove Aaron’s authority, each tribe is to submit a rod. Aaron’s name is written on a rod for the tribe of Levi. All the rods are set in the tabernacle and Aaron’s blossomed and gave forth ripe almonds. This indicated Aaron had the authority of the priesthood.
Chapter 19
Num 19:18-19 To cleanse a defiled person, one is to take a hyssop branch and water and sprinkle them on the 3rd and 7th day for cleansing. Note the use of the same type of branch for the original passover (Ex 12:22) and when Jesus is crucified (Jn 19:29)
Chapter 20
Num 20:8,11,12,24 Moses is told to speak to the rock to bring forth water. Moses instead strikes the rock twice. For this, Moses and Aaron will not enter the promised land. Those who are leaders and teacher will be held more accountable for their actions.
Num 20:24f Aaron is stripped of his garments and given to Eleazar. Aaron dies there by God’s command.
Chapter 21
Num 21:5-6,8,9 The people speak out against God again and He strikes the people with fiery serpents.* Moses intercedes and God commands that a bronze serpent be mounted on a pole and all who look upon it will live. (See reference in Jn 3:14).
Num 21 The Israelites defeat the Canaanites and the Amorites and take the land.
*Many criticize the use of images in the Catholic Church by quoting Ex 20:4, yet God commanded an image of a serpent, of all things, be made for healing. (Also see the graven images created for Solomon’s Temple in 1 Kings 7:29ff)
Chapter 22
Num 22:28f Israel settles in Moab. King Balak wanted Balaam, a prophet of God, to curse Israel. An angel attempted to kill Balaam, but his donkey saw the angel and saved him 3 times. He struck it 3 times and the donkey spoke by the hand of God and saved Balaam.
Chapter 24
Num 24:17 Balaam speaks God’s word and proclaims “a star shall come out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.” This points to the future Davidic kingdom and ultimately to Christ.
Chapter 25
Num 25:1ff Some Israelites begin to intermarry with the Moabite women. These Israelites fall into the worship of Baal of Peor. As a result, a plague is sent by God.
Num 25:10 Phinehas, grandson of Aaron the priest, sees the an Israelite taking a Medianite woman into his tent so he kills them. As a result of his zeal for God, he made atonement for the Israelites.
Chapter 27
Num 27:18 God appoints Joshua, son of Nun, to lead the congregation after Moses. Moses commissions him through the laying on of hands.
Chapter 28 & 29
Num 28 & 29 God gives the Israelites instructions concerning daily animal sacrifies that will be part of their worship perpetually and the feast days they are to keep.
Chapter 31
Num 31 Israel takes conquers Midian (Ishmaelites) and takes over the land.
In the remaining chapters, Moses assigns the land partitions amongst the 12 tribes of Israel prior to entering into the Promised Land (land of Canaan). The Levites do not get a partition, instead they get towns, 48 in all (35:7). The Levites serve the people of Israel in each town.
Week 6 – Joshua
Moses instructed the people in Deut 6:4-9 to put God first and teach your children the faith.
In Deut 18:15,18, Moses says that a prophet will rise from among the people. Jesus is the fulfillment. (Jn 1:21 – the people ask John the Baptist if he is “the prophet,” not “a prophet.”
Josh 2:1 Jericho is the first city to be taken in the land of Canaan. A harlot, Rahab, helps the Israelite spies because she has heard about Israel’s God and they are afraid. She asks that her entire family be spared. They agree to the terms.
Note: One of the spies ends up marrying Rahab and has Boaz. Boaz is the great grandfather of the future King David.
Josh 2:21 Rahab places a scarlet cord in the widow to signal that no one should harm them. The scarlet cord is a type of the blood of Christ that signifies salvation and life.
In Gen 15:14-16 in dealing with the promise of land God says, “I will bring judgement . . . for the iniquity of the Ammorites is not yet complete.” This was 400 years before the invasion of the land of Canaan. They have been given much time to change, but they have gotten more wicked.
The notion that God is arbitrary about destroying entire cities of people originated from the heresey of nominalism. This is the belief that God can do anything he wants and can change his mind as he pleases, even contradicting himself.
Josh 3:16 The Ark of the Covenant is taken into the river Jordan and the water parts to the city of Adam and to the Salt Sea. This was in the time of the floodwaters in spring.
Note: This is the same location in which John the Baptist baptized Jesus and where Elijah was taken up in a fiery chariot.
Josh 4:19 On the 10th day of Nisan they crossed (Note: This is when they celebrated the Passover. In parallel, Jesus comes into Jerusalem on the 10th of Nisan and celebrates Passover.)
Josh 5:12 The manna ceases and they eat of the fruit of the land. A man (angel of the Lord) with a drawn sword appears and says he is the commander of the Lord’s army.
Josh 6:3 Joshua is to circle the city of Jericho once for 6 days with the Ark, 7 priests and 7 trumpets in front. On the seventh day, march 7 times around the city, blow the horns and shout. The walls crumble. They are to observe the ban (harem warfare)
Josh 7:20 The people of Ai defeat Israel, because Achan from the tribe of Judah took gold and silver from Jericho. He is stoned to death and that place is called the valley of Achor (trouble).
Josh 9:15 Joshua makes a covenant with the Gibeonites, unknowingly and cannot destroy them.
Josh 10:12 The king of Jerusalem makes an alliance with 4 other kings and attacks Gibeon so the Israelites have to protect them. The Lord delivers them up to Israel. They needed more time to destroy the enemy so Joshua asked that the sun stand still.
Josh 11 The northern campaign captures the remaining land.
Josh 13-19 Much of the land is captured and divided by tribe, but there are still pockets of un-captured land that will give them problems, as we shall see, in the book of Judges.
Josh 23:12 After finding rest from their enemies, Joshua tell them if they inter-marry with the survivors of Canaan, the Lord will not drive them out from their land and will it be their downfall.
Josh 24:15,28 Joshua renews God’s covenant with the people. “Choose this day whom you will serve . . . as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” They are now city-states; individual rulers.
The Judges (Judges and Ruth)
Judg 1:27-33 Joshua dies and they do not have a leader. Judah takes Jerusalem. The tribes of Israel did not expel the Canaanites in the Promised Land as Yahweh has instructed.
Judg 2:10 A later generation arose that did not know the LORD, or what he had done for Israel. The Israelites served the Baals abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers.
When we enter into sin, we are enslaved and ensnared by it. It becomes very difficult to overcome. We must educate ourselves and our children so that they do not forget the Lord. Ronald Regan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Our faith is no different.
Judg 2:2-3 Because the Israelites did not completely expel the idolaters, God said the inhabitants would become their enemy and their gods would ensnare them.
Judg 2:10-15 When the generations that had seen the wonders the Lord had done for them died, the younger generations forgot Yahweh and served other gods. . . and God gives them over to their enemies.
Judg 3:7-11 The Cycle – Sin, Slavery, Supplication (cry out), Salvation (by a savior or deliverer), Silence . . . This cycle happens 7 times in Judges.
Israel Falls to: Judge who saves them:
Mesopotamia Othniel
Moab Ehud
Philistines Shamgar
Canaan Deborah (Barak, Jael wife of Heber, slays Sisera)
Midian Gideon (a.k.a. Jerubbaal – tribe of Manasseh), Tola, Jair
Philistines Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon
Philistines Samson (Danite) – his name means “sunlight”
Judg 5:24-26 Jael crushes Sisera’s head and is called “Blessed are you among women.” See also Judith 13:18 (Judith beheads Holofernes) and Lk 1:42 (references Mary). In Gen 3:15 we saw that the reference to crushing the head of Satan is ambiguous (could be he, she, it).
Judg 6 The call of Gideon and his tribe – the smallest. He takes down the idols of his people, and the “sign of the fleece”
Judg 7 God tells Gideon to choose a small group to conquer the Midianites to prove God’s power. 300 men were chosen and the conquer the Midianites.
Judg 8 In time, Gideon and Israel turn to back to Ba’als
Judg 13:3-5 An angel appears to Manoah’s wife, who is barren, and tells her she will give birth to a child (Samson) and he is to be a Nazarite to God. No wine or fermented drink, no unclean foods, nor shall he cut his hair (a sign of his fidelity).
Judg 15:9-15 The Philistines went to the land of Judah to capture Samson. The Judahites brought Samson to the Philistines to avoid conflict. Samson breaks his ropes and finds a donkey’s jawbone and kills 1,000 Philistines.
Judg 16:4 Samson falls in love with Delilah (her name means darkness), a Philistine woman.
Judg16:6-20 Delilah tries several times to get Samson to divulge the secret of his strength. He finally tells her the truth – that if his hair is cut, he will lose his strength.
Judg 16:19,21 Samson falls asleep on her lap and she instructs a man to shave 7 of his braids. Samson loses his strength and is captured and his eyes are gouged.
Juge 16:25-30 Samson was bound in a large arena between two great pillars. He asked God for strength one more time and he pushed the pillars causing the arena to collapse killing more Philistines than all the other times combined.
Ruth
Ruth is not an Israelite woman, but becomes part of the geneology of Jesus. (Mt 1:5)
Ruth 1:1 Elimelech from the tribe of Judah, leaves Bethlehem with his wife Naomi and settles in Moab.
Ruth 1:3,5 Elimelech dies and his two sons marry. One marries Ruth, a Moabite – not of the tribes of Israel. She is a foreigner.
Ruth 1:7 Naomi’s 2 sons die and she decides to return to her homeland of Judah and releases her two daughter-in-laws of any obligations.
Ruth 1:16,17 Ruth commits her life to Naomi and goes with her. She accepts the God of Naomi, Yahweh.
Ruth 3:9 Naomi meets Boaz. She discovers Boaz a relative of Elimelech and is therefore their Goel (kinsman-redeemer).
Ruth 4:9 By redeeming Naomi and all her possessions, he has to take Ruth as a wife and raise children through her as was customary.
Ruth 4:13,17 Obed was born to Ruth. Obed becomes the father of Jesse, the father of David (the king of Israel).
Week 7 – The Royal Kingdom
1 Samuel
1 Sam 1:2 Hannah is childless. She promises to give her child to God if He grants her a male child. She promises that no razor will touch his head. (Nazorite)
1 Sam 1:17 Eli the priest blesses her
1 Sam 1:20 Hannah conceives. She calls her son Samuel (His name is God)
1 Sam 1:25 Hannah takes Samuel to Eli after the baby is weaned. Samuel is to serve as a priest (2:11).
Chapter 2
1 Sam 2:12,34 The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas did evil in the sight of the Lord and are destined to die soon.
Chapter 3
1 Sam 3:4-11 Samuel sleeps in the temple and God calls out to him 3 times. Samuel thinks it is Eli. He finally answers God and God tells him what is going to happen – judgment on Eli and his sons for blasphemy.
Chapter 4
1 Sam 4:11 The two sons of Eli die in battle against the Philistines and the Ark of the Covenant is taken. (Note: Sampson was supposed to have defeated the Philistines but was more interested in the Philistine women. He was from the tribe of Dan which bordered the Philistine empire.)
1 Sam 4:18 Eli falls backward in his seat when he hears the Ark was captured and breaks his neck.
1 Sam 4:21 Phinehas’ pregnant wife goes into labor because of the bad news (Ark, Eli, and husband) and dies. Her son is named Ichabod because the “Glory has departed” from Israel.
Chapter 5
1 Sam 5:2ff The Philistines place the Ark in the house of Dagon, the Philistine god. The statue of Dagon is found face down before the Ark. The 2nd time it falls, the head and arms are broken off and the people are stricken with hemorrhoids (or tumors) and plague of mice. (Note: The Philistines were the first to smelt iron and had the advantage with iron weapons.)
1 Sam 5:9ff The Ark is then sent off to Gath, then Ekron, but the plagues continue. They decide to send it back to Israel.
Chapter 6
1 Sam 6:1,4,11f They place a guilt offering to the God of the Israelites of 5 golden images of hemorrhoids and mice that plagued the cities.
1 Sam 6:13, 17 The Ark returns to an Israelite town. They find one gold image per ruler and his city. The rulers were Ashdod, Gaza, Askelon, Gath, Ekron.
1 Sam 6:19 The Lord slew 70 men of Israel because they looked inside the Ark of the Covenant. Only priests can have charge of the Ark.
Chapter 7
1 Sam 7:1-2 The Ark is taken to Kiriath-jearim just outside of Jerusalem and resides there for 20 years. (Note: There is a Catholic Church there now with a large statue of Our Lady – the New Ark of the Covenant)
1 Sam 7:3, 10-14 Samuel instructs the Israelites to put away their idols and return to the Lord. They do so and Israel defeats the Philistines and recapture all their land. The Philistines are subdued during all of Samuel’s life.
Chapter 8
1 Sam 8:2 Samuel’s sons, Joel (first-born) and Abiah were both unrighteous.
1 Sam 8:5 The people ask for a king to rule over them like all the nations.
1 Sam 8:7 By asking for a king, they rejected THE King – God, to rule over them. See also 1 Sam 10:19; 12:12-13.
1 Sam 8:11-18 Consequences: The king shall 1) take your sons, 2) take your daughters, 3) take your fields, 4) tithe your harvest and vineyard, 5) take your male-slaves and slave girls, 6) tithe your flock. But the people still asked for a king.
Chapter 9
1 Sam 9:2 Saul, son of Kish of the tribe of Benjamin was chosen to rule. Note: the tribe of Judah was supposed to produce the line of kings.
Chapter 10
1 Sam 10:1 Saul is anointed with oil as a sign of kingship. Note that priests and prophets are also anointed.
1 Sam 10:10 Saul is given the gift of prophecy.
Chapter 13
1 Sam 13:9 Samuel (the priest) delays so Saul decided to sacrifice before the battle.
1 Sam 13:13 Saul was not given the priesthood and thus cannot sacrifice without breaking God’s command. So the kingdom is taken away from him (vs. 14). The kingdom would have been established through him forever.
Chapter 15
1 Sam 15:9,15 Saul doesn’t obey God’s total ban on the kingdom of Amalek. He keeps the Amalek king alive and animals for sacrifice for the Lord. It is more important to obey than sacrifice (vs 22).
1 Sam 15:11,28 God repents that he made Saul king and Samuel reiterates to Saul that the kingdom will be taken away from him.
Chapter 16
1 Sam 16:10-13 God sends Samuel to anoint the new king. Samuel goes to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem and chooses the youngest, David, and anoints him with oil and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him.
Chapter 17
1 Sam 17:6f Goliath (6 cubits) was the Philistine champion warrior who taunted the Israelite army for 40 days (vs. 16)
1 Sam 17:17f Jesse sends David to take food to his brothers that are at the front lines against the Philistines.
1 Sam 17:26 David hears Goliath insulting the Israelite army and stands up for them. He volunteers to fight Goliath. He has faith that God will deliver him from the hands of Goliath (vs. 37)
1 Sam 17:41-51 David takes 5 smooth stones and confronts Goliath. He tells him that he comes in the name of Yahweh. David slings a stone and hits Goliath in the forhead and kills him. The Philistine army flees and Israelite army pursues them
Saul then begins to seek out to kill David. This is where the Psalms come in.
1 Chronicles – parallels 2nd Samuel
2 Chronicles – 1st and 2nd Kings (focuses on the Davidic line)
Chapter 25 Samuel dies.
Chapter 28
1 Sam 28:8-20 Saul is tormented because God has abandoned him and will not answer him. So he goes to the witch of Endor and conjures up Samuel. Samuel rebukes Saul for his actions and tells of his immanent death along with that of his sons.
1 Sam 31:4-6 Saul and Jonathan die on Mt. Gilboa. The two are killed in battle as Samuel had fortold. Saul had ruled for 40 years.
2 Samuel
Chapter 1
2 Sam 1:21 In his grief over Saul’s death, David curses Mt. Gilboa and to this day nothing grows on one side of the mount.
Chapter 5
2 Sam 5:4 David was 30 years old when he became king and reigned 40 years. (note: he was of the tribe of Judah. Also, Jesus began his public ministry at 30)
2 Sam 5:7 David overtakes Jerusalem / Mount Zion from the Jebusites and is called the City of David.
2 Sam 5:13 David takes more wives and concubines and fathers many sons.
Chapter 6
2 Sam 6:2 The Ark was at the house of Abinadab (see 1 Sam 7:1-2) and David wanted to bring it to Jerusalem.
Lk 1:39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judaea;
2 Sam 6:3,(4) And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in the hills (Gibeah). . .
Lk 1:41 when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
2 Sam 6:14,16 And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod (an ephod is a high priest’s garment). . . 16 Michal looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord. . .
Lk 1:43 And what is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
2 Sam 6:9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come to me?
Lk 1:56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
2 Sam 6:11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months: and the Lord blessed Obed-Edom, and all his household.
Chapter 7
2 Sam 7:2- 7 David wants to make the Lord a house, but the Lord says that He will make David a house and make his name (shem) great. This “house” is a royal dynasty.
2 Sam 7:12-14 God says that He will raise a descendant of David that will build a house for the Lord and his throne will last forever. He say “I will be His father and he shall be my son.” (note the 2 senses of scripture, literal and spiritual [allegorical] – Solomon and Jesus)
See Luke 1:30-33 The angel said that Jesus will receive the throne of David and his kingdom will have no end.
Chapter 11
2 Sam 11:2-17 David is idle while there is war. David covets Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, who was bathing. She is the wife of Uriah the Hittite and lays with her. She becomes pregnant so David murders Uriah so that he can marry her.
Chapter 12
2 Sam 12:1-7 The prophet Nathan comes and proposes a problem to David for him to judge. It is a judgment against David.
2 Sam 12:13-14 God forgives David, but his punishment is that the baby dies.
2 Sam 12:24 Solomon is born. The name Solomon comes from the word “shalom” which means peace. He is the first born.
Chapter 16
2 Sam 16:20f Absalom is one of David’s sons and desired his father’s kingdom. David does not want to fight his son so he flees Jerusalem and Absalom takes David’s concubines to demonstrate his role as the new “king” by having relations with them in public.
1 Kings
Chapter 1
1 Kings 1:32f Adonijah, son of Haggith, claims the throne when David is on his death bed. David proclaims Solomon as the successor to his throne and is anointed by the priest, Zadok and the prophet Nathan.
Chapter 2
1 Kings 2:16,17 Adonijah asks Bathsheba for one of David’s concubines so that he could supplant Solomon as king. He requests this because he knows that the king will not deny his mother’s petition.
1 Kings 2:19 The queen mother (gebireh): Solomon bows to Bathsheba and sets a throne for her at his right hand. This is the tradition of all the kings of Judah. (2 Kings 12:1, 14:21, 15:9-13, 24:12-15, Jer 13:18-20) [Why did the mother reside in the queen’s throne? Because the kings had so many wives.]
1 Kings 2:24 Bathsheba asks that Abishag be given to Adonijah. Solomon could not deny his mother, so he had to kill Adonijah.
Chapter 3
1 Kings 3:9 Solomon asks for Wisdom
Chapter 6
1 Kings 6:18-35 Solomon builds a house for the Lord. There are many graven images in the most holiest place on earth – the Temple.
1 Kings 7:25-36 More graven images – lions, oxen, cherubs
Chapter 8
1 Kings 8:9 Only the 2 tablets of stone (the 10 commandments) were in the Ark of the Covenant at this time.
Chapter 10
1 Kings 10:14 Solomon accumulates 666 talents of gold. This is the first and only occurrence of the number 666 besides the Book of Revelation. It signifies that he became a tyrant.
Chapter 11
1 Kings 11:3 Solomon has 700 wives and 300 concubines and they turned Solomon’s heart away from the Lord. (Deut 17:16-17)
1 Kings 11:5,30f Solomon worshiped the gods of the gentiles so God will take the kingdom away and give it to Jeroboam, but will leave one tribe with Solomon for David’s sake. He also builds a temple for Molech where children were sacrificed to this god.
1 Kings 11:43 Rehoboam takes over
Read
Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Proverbs
Week 8 – The Divided Kingdom
1 Kings
Chapter 12
1 Kgs 12:4 Jeroboam (tribe of Ephraim, a descendent of Joseph) is willing to serve the new king, Rehoboam, if he will lessen the tax burden Solomon placed on them.
1 Kgs 12:6 Rehoboam consults elders, the older and wiser consultants of Solomon and they say to lessen the burden. He then consults his young companions and they advise him to increase the burden. He follows the advice of his younger companions.
1 Kgs 12:16,19 Ten tribes of Israel split from the king and only Judah and Benjamin remain.
1 Kgs 12:25,28f Jeroboam goes to the land of Ephraim (see map-the Divided Kingdom) and made two golden calves and the people worshipped these gods.
- 2 kingdoms – North (10 tribes – called Israel) and South (Judah & Benjamin)
- The prophets enter at this point in the timeline
- Jeroboam sets up his own faith in the north since the Temple is in Judah (Jerusalem)
Chapter 14
1 Kgs 14:12-13 Because of Jeroboam’s unfaithfulness, his son dies, but God says it is because there has been found something good in this boy.
1 Kgs 14:21,31 Rehoboam dies and his son Abijam rules. Also note that the Scriptures name his mother – Naamah of the Ammonites. (The Queen mother is often mentioned with the Kings of Judah.)
1 Kgs 14:23-24 Rehoboam had done evil in the sight of the Lord and built idols. He even allowed sodomites in the land.
Note: From this point forward there was always war between Israel (North) and Judah (South).
Northern prophets (Israel): Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea
Southern prophets (Judah): Joel, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Micah, Habakkuk, Baruch, Malachi
Exiles in Babylon: Daniel, Ezekiel
Non-writing prophets: Elijah, Elisha
Assyria: Jonah, Nahum
Edom: Obadiah
- Prophets to non-Israelites – Edomites (descendants of Esau) – Obadiah tells Edom of their destruction by the Babylonians in the future.
- Joel (south) – Joel 2:28-29: Warned of famine and also later an outpouring of God’s spirit (Pentecost in NT).
- Jonah – Change of world power – Egypt to Assyria. Called to prophesy to Nineveh in the north.
- Amos and Hosea – prophesies to the north. God is telling them that God is your “husband (Heb. ish)” and loves you very much, but they have given themselves over to harlots. Hosea is told by God to marry a harlot and have children by her to be a living example of that the north is doing. They are told that they will be apart from God like a person who is dying of thirst.
- Hosea 4:6 – The people are perishing for lack of knowledge. They don’t know the Word of God and the teachings.
- Kingdom divides in 930 BC – lasts until 722 BC
- In 722 BC the Northern kingdom is taken into exile by Sargon II of Assyria and leaves a remnant. Sargon takes 5 nations (2 Kgs 17:24) and mixes them with the remnant in Israel (these later become known as the Samaritans).
- In John 4:4 Jesus passes through Samaria to a woman with many husbands (Heb. – ish). If you knew the gift of God . . . 5 husbands, one you are with is not your husband.
Southern Kingdom of Judah – 1 Kings 12 to 2 Kings 25
- 20 Kings and 1 dynasty – 930-587 BC
Chapter 15
1 Kgs 15:2 Abijah’s (Abijam) becomes king and his mother’s name was Maachah the daughter of Abishalom.
1 Kgs 15:8 Asa ruled for 41 years after Abijam. And his mother was Maachah the daughter of Abishalom.
1 Kgs 15:11f Asa was righteous and removed the idols and the sodomites. He also removed his mother Maachah from being Queen because she worshipped idols (vs. 13).
1 Kgs 15:24 Jehoshaphat was Asa’s son and his mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi (2 Chron 20:31).
Chapter 18
1 Kgs 18:19-24 Elijah summons the priests of Jezebel, wife of Ahab and challenges them to call upon their gods to consume a bullock upon a pile of wood with fire from their gods.
1 Kgs 18:40 The prophets of Baal did their rituals and no fire came. Elijah called upon Yahweh and He consumed the bullock and wood that was drenched with water. He then had the people take the prophets of Baal and slay them at Kishon.
Chapter 19
1 Kgs 19:16,19 Elisha takes over Elijah’s position as prophet and gets a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.
2 Kings
2 Kgs 2:8 Elijah comes down from Jerico to the Jordan, takes up his mantle, rolls it up and strikes the waters. The waters parted and he and Elisha walked on dry ground to the other side. (See Joshua 3:16-17) Tradition holds that this is the same location where Joshua and the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land.
2 Kgs 2:11 Elijah is taken up (body and soul) to the heavens – this is the second example of a bodily assumption we see in the OT.
2 Kgs 2:20f Elisha used salt to “heal” the bitter waters. (This maybe why the tradition calls for salt to be added to holy water).
- Jehoshaphat, king of the south had developed an alliance with the north. Ahaz (South) makes an alliance with Jezebel (North).
2 Kgs 11:1-2 Jehoshaphat’s son (Jehoram of Judah) marries Jezebel’s daughter (Athaliah of the North). Athaliah takes the throne and kills all the royal family except for one child (Joash) who is hidden from her.
2 Kgs 15:1 Uzziah (Azariah), King of Judah, reigned for 52 years. (2 Chronicles)
2 Kgs 18:4 Hezekiah (Judah) destroys the bronze serpent that Moses made, because the people began to worship it.
Prophets to the South:
Isaiah and Jeremiah speaks about the coming of messiah:
- Is 6:1-3 King Uziah dies. . .
- Is 7:14 The Lord will give a sign, a virgin will conceive and he will be Emmanuel.
- Is 8:23, 9:1-6 Land of Zebulon and Nephthali of the gentiles (around the Sea of Galilee). People who walked in darkness have seen a great light. . . a child is born to us . . . (Jesus says at Galilee . . . let your light shine; city which cannot be hid)
- Is 22:15-22 Prime minister has the keys of the kingdom. Shebna is bad prime minister and is replaced by Eliakim. Cast from his office and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This is what the office of the Pope is in the NT – see Matthew 16:16ff.
- Is 44:28 King of Persia – Cyrus (Persia is not in power yet) will allow Judah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Cyrus in Hebrew is Koresh.
- Is 53:1-12ff The coming of the messiah, the suffering servant.
- Jeremiah 25:11-12 Prophesies the Babylonians will rule over them for 70 years.
- Jer 31:31 The Lord will make a new covenant with Israel and Judah. . . They will be my people and I will be their God.
- Jer 33:15 In those days I will raise up the branch of David
- Jer 34:9, 14-16 They were to let slaves free. The did, but they enslaved them again. So the Lord allows them to fall to the sword, pestilence and famine. This is a reference in Lk 4:18ff – “The spirit of the Lord is upon me. I have come to release to the captives, give sight to the blind . . . to free the oppressed.
2 Kings 25:1 Babylon is in power and takes the tribe of Judah into captivity in 3 phases.
- King Zedekiah rebels so Nebukadnezar kills all of Zedekiah’s children and then is blinded, bound and taken off to captivity in Babylon (modern day Iraq).
- Babylon is where Abraham began (Ur in the land of the Chaldeans). The physical condition shows their spiritual condition.
We see the consequences of sin in the OT. In our day and age, many are living in spiritual exile, apart from the presence of the Lord. This kind of exile is worse than physical exile. Our challenge is to live a life of freedom in the Lord and free from spiritual bondage.
Week 9 – The Exile
- In this new life of exile the people of Judah will experience a whole new way of living. The temple is no longer standing and their sacrifices have ceased. In these 70 years of exile in Babylon the Jews now change the way they eat. Kosher laws become very important.
- At this point in time you also have the beginning of the sect of the Pharisees.
Chapter 25
2 Kgs 25:8-9 Another rebellion arises, so Nebuchadnezzar burns and destroys the temple and deports more people. This is the second deportation.
- Nebuchadnezzar took out the southern tribes of Judah in 3 waves. In 605 BC, 597 BC, 587 BC. He first took out the smart, skilled and young people.
- 2 major prophets at this time: Daniel and Ezekiel are exiled into Babylon. Daniel is taken in the first deportation. He is upright and righteous. Daniel resists assimilating into the Babylonian culture.
Daniel 1:6-7 4 men of Judah were taken into exile Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. The chief chamberlain changed their names: Daniel to Belteshazzar, Hananiah to Shadrach, Mishael to Meshach, and Azariah to Abednego.
Dan 2:29-44 Daniel Interprets the Kings dream and tells him of a large statue with four parts (gold, silver, bronze and iron/clay) each part representing a different nation. In vs. 34, he describes a small stone that struck the feet and caused the statue to collapse and the stone became a great mountain. (the stone is a “type” of the messiah, see also vs. 44)
- We know that the 4 kingdoms are Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome.
- The stone cut not from human hands represent both Jesus (the cornerstone that was rejected) and Peter, the rock that represents the office of the papacy (Mt 16:16 – because “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven”).
Rabbinic methods of interpretation
School of Hillel (it is called “hekesh” – to take 2 texts and “hit” them together)
- Luke 19:10 Jesus goes to Jericho and enters Zaccheus’ house. Jesus says, “The Son of Man has come to seek and save the lost.” Jesus is called the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13 (Son of Man) and in . . .
- Ez 34:11 – regarding bad shepherds God says, “I myself will come and shepherd my people.” Jesus says, “I am the good Shepherd.” (Jn 10:11)
Dan 9:24 He is reading Jeremiah and understands they will be in captivity in Babylon for 70 weeks of years (490 years) to the time of Jesus.
- Another example: Messiah called – The green tree (Hosea 14:8, Ps 52:8), (see during the passion he talks about if they do this to the tree while it is green . . . Lk 23:28-31).
The Return
Ezra and Nehemiah are the major prophets for the return to Jerusalem.
Ez 1:1 – 6:22 King Cyrus allows the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuilding of the temple. He even gives them gold and silver vessels for the temple.
Neh 1 & 2 King Ar-ta-xerxes allows Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and rebuilding of the city and its walls.
- These prophets are also at this time: Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi and Esther
The return is in 3 waves:
538 BC – Zerubbabel,
525-457 BC – Ezra – reinstated the law and taught the law
444 BC – Nehemiah – builds walls and city of Jerusalem
- Is 45:1-3 – God makes Cyrus his instrument even though Cyrus does not know God. God can use kings to affect our lives even though they don’t know him. God calls Cyrus, “His anointed.”
Haggai, Zechariah have similarities with the Exodus of Israel from Egypt.
- From Egypt – the people ar egiven gold and silver and later make the golden calf and also build the tabernacle.
- In Ezra, when Judah leaves Persia, they are given money and gold to build temple.
- In Exodus, we have the list of sons of Israel that came from Egypt
- In Nehemiah, he gives a list of people who came out
- In Ezra 3:3 we see the altar is set and sacrifices are made, like when they left Egypt.
Note:
Many Israelites decided to stay in Babylon because they liked where they were.
Ezra 3:7- 6:18 It took 20 years to build the temple vs. 7 years with the first temple.
Ezra 4:1ff The enemies of Judah wanted to help build the temple, but Judah said no. These enemies are the Samaritans, the tribes of Israel that were intermixed with other nations. They have many gods and are willing to incorporate Yahweh as one of their gods.
Ezra 6:1ff Problems with the construction of the temple arise. The Persian King Darius takes over from Cyrus and confirms the decree of Cyrus to build the temple.
The Temple has various spiritual senses:
- Literal – the physical temple itself
- Allegorical sense – spiritual and point to Christ. The dwelling of God among us (Jn 1) Jesus is the true temple. “Destroy this temple and in 3 days I will raise it.”
- Moral sense – relates to us: Paul said 1 Cor 3:9ff, for we are God’s fellow workers . . . build a foundation. We are the temple made of living stones.
- Anagogical sense – the future – the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven and we live in it forever (Rev 21:2).
Other parallel
- Israel built the temple, Ezra teaches the law, Nehemiah builds the city
- Christ rises (temple is raised) then we are instructed and now we build the city of God, the kingdom of God here on earth.
- Now the people have to conform their lives to the law.
Haggai 1:9 The prophet Haggai now comes into the scene and admonishes them for building their own houses instead of building the temple. The mentality should be that the House of God should be a priority.
Ezra was a priest in the line of Aaron, but he was also a scribe.
Ezra 7:10 Ezra is reintroducing the law and he had set his heart to learn the law, live the law and then teach the law. Studying God’s word is a way of life. We must learn it then teach it.
Ezra 9:1-3ff Problem of intermarriages with other nations. Violation of Mosaic law – Deut. 7. Like Solomon, the intermarriages cause people to sin. (In 1 Cor 7:11-15, though, Paul says that within intermarriages with a non-believers, the non-believer is consecrated through the believer.)
Neh 4:16-18 Workers have a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other. They are to work to build and nurture, but also be ready to defend their family and faith – they must be vigilant. As Christians we must build the kingdom of God but also be like soldier in a spiritual battle ready to fight.
Malachi 1:11 From the east to the west my name shall be great among the nations . . . and a pure offering is made for my name is great among the gentiles. Foretelling of the Eucharist.
Mal 3:1ff Messenger will be sent to prepare the way and the Lord will suddenly come to his temple. Prophesy of the Messiah.
Mal 3:10 The people are not tithing and so God tells them to test him and see if he will not open heaven and pour out his blessing. He will rebuke the devourer for their sake.
Mal 4:2-5 Sun of Righteousness shall rise up (Messiah) . . . I am sending Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord. (see Luke 1:17, Mt 11:14) The Jews in Jesus’ time knew that Elijah would return to announce the Messiah. The Passover Seder has an extra place for Elijah in anticipation when he comes to announce the Messiah.
Week 10 – The Maccabean Revolt
Period of Persian rule, but the Greeks come to power in about 331to 333 BC
- 1 Maccabees covers 50 years from the death of Antiochus Epiphanes until death of Simon Maccabees.
- Book focuses on Judas, Jonathan and Simon Maccabees brothers, even though there are 5 brothers.
- 2 Maccabees overlaps the first book in Ch 1-7.
- Under the rule of the Greeks the Jews have to pay a little tribute, but are doing well. Alexander the Great came to Jerusalem in 322 BC to punish the Jews for resisting him. But he was impressed with the people so he let them keep their life style and religion. Israel maintains their identity.
- Alexander wanted to make the entire world Greek by making Greek the common language and by having everyone worship Greek gods. This is called Hellenization.
- Alexander died rather quickly of a viral infection. His empire was left to his 5 generals. Two ended up ruling – The Ptolemy and Seleucids. The Ptolemy ruled in Egypt and Israel and were considerate of the Jews. In 198 BC the Seleucids took over the Ptolemy.
- This is the time period where the Hebrew bible was translated into Greek around 250 BC and it was called the Septuagint (LXX) under the rule of Ptolemy.
- It was written because many Jews had lost their Hebrew tongue and only spoke Greek.
- The LXX includes the 7 books not found in Protestant bibles (mnemonic device: JT WEB and the 2 McCabes – Judith, Tobit, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Baruch, 1 & 2 Maccabees. Also some verses in Ester and Daniel)
- The early Christian church adopted the Greek canon with 46 books as the norm. Of the 373 OT quotes in the NT, over 340 are from the Greek Septuagint.[1] This shows that it was held as authoritative.
- Protestant OT history ends with Malachi and calls the time from Malachi to Jesus the “400 silent years.”
- The Seleucids treated the Jews badly. Antiochus Epiphanes try to Hellenize the Jews.
1 Mac 1:14-15 Some Jews adopted Greek ways. They built gymnasiums where they joined this “club” and were nude. Their circumcision was evidence that they were Jews so they tried to surgically cover up their identity.
1 Mac 1:47, 56-57 The Greeks burned the Holy Scriptures and sacrificed pigs in the temple, the abomination spoken by Daniel.
- 24 year revolt from 166-142 led by Judas Maccabees (Maccabees means “hammer”). Three years into the revolt, the temple was taken back and cleansed (1Mac 4:36). They lit the lamps in the temple and the oil miraculously lasted much longer than it was supposed to. They called this day the Feast of Dedication or the feast of Hanukkah. (the Feast of Lights).
- Jesus is well aware of this Feast of Dedication (Jn 10:22).
1 Mac 2:49-61 Matthias encourages his sons by reviewing salvation history. Those who trust in God will not lack strength.
- In our day, the enemy is trying to change our outlook to the way of the world. He is changing our traditions and the truth. We must stand up (revolt) and not allow all these evils enter into the holy Temple (our bodies, the Church).
- The synagogue, Pharisees, Sadducees begin in this period. Focus was on the Law.
- The Sadducees were a political power. They made alliances with the Greeks and Romans.
- They only believed in the Torah (5 books of the Law) and did not believe in the resurrection.
- The book of Maccabees has the resurrection as part of its core belief. It gives hope.
- The Sadducees are the keepers of the Temple and when Jesus comes, he is the new Temple and says the old Temple will be destroyed. It is destroyed in 70 AD and the Sadducees came to an end.
2 Mac 12:40-46 “It is a holy and pious thought to pray for the dead” – this is the Catholic notion of “communion of saints.”
- The Jewish soldiers wore amulets (e.g. lucky charms) to help them in battle. This practice cost them their lives in battle, because they did not trust the Lord.
- Judas and his men prayed for these fallen soldiers that their sins may be blotted out.
- They took up a collection and sent it to Jerusalem as a sin offering.
- God’s family is extended – those in heaven (the Church Triumphant), earth (The Church Militant) and purgatory (The Church Suffering), but there is only One Church united in Christ. The communion of saints shows the relationship of our connection with one another. We are one body (1 Cor 12:12-13).
[1] G. Archer and G. C. Chirichigno, Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament: A Complete Survey, 25-32