1. Session 2D The People and the Land in the Old Testament …continue Pt 7

2. 3) CONTEXT: How Geography plays a part in understanding theology
“…history itself in many respects is inseparably bound by and subject to the limitations of geography.”
Barry J. Beitzel

3. אֶךֶץ ’erets • land, earth earth
land (country, territory , district, region , tribal territory , piece of ground , land of Canaan, Israel , inhabitants of land , Sheol, land without return, (under) world , city (-state) )
1c) ground,
1d) people of the land. space or distance of country (in measurements of distance), level or plain country,land of the living, end(s) of the earth
1e) (almost wholly late in usage) , lands, countries , often in contrast to Canaan

4. “There was therefore an inextricable and vital interconnection between landlessness and hopelessness. Alternatively, it was the whole notion of ‘land,’ and, more important, being in possession of it, that became at once a powerful medium to display God’s mighty acts, and through which his promises might be realized by Israel. Furthermore, monarchic, Messianic, and eschatological expectations cannot be dissociated from, and often find their context precisely within, the concept of ‘land.’”
Barry Beitzel

5. Introduction to Historical Books & Joshua
Session # 3A
Introduction to Historical Books & Joshua

6. LATTER PROPHETS TORAH WRITINGS HISTORICAL (17) POETICAL (5)
PROPHETICAL (17)
LAW (5)
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
MAJOR (5)
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
HISTORICAL (12)
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
MINOR (12)
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Latter Prophets
Writings
TORAH
WRITINGS
Former Prophets
Writings
HEBREW SCRIPTURE
TORAH
2a. FORMER PROPHETS
2b. LATTER PROPHETS
3. WRITINGS
LATTER PROPHETS

7. Historical Books
Former Prophets
Writings
1. Joshua
7. Ruth
2. Judges
8. 1 Chronicles
3. 1 Samuel
9. 2 Chronicles
4. 2 Samuel
10. Ezra
5. 1 Kings
11. Nehemiah
6. 2 Kings
12. Esther

8. CHRISTIAN OLD TESTAMENT: Historical Books (In chronological order)
HISTORICAL CONTENT
CHRISTIAN OLD TESTAMENT: Historical Books
(In chronological order)
HEBREW SCRIPTURES: Former Prophets
HEBREW SCRIPTURES: Writings (Hagiographa)
Conquest
1. Joshua
Pre-monarchy Judges
2. Judges
7. Ruth: Story of faithfulness in the midst of unfaithfulness
Monarchy
United Kingdom
Saul
3. 1 Samuel
8. 1 Chronicles
9. 2 Chronicles
(Retelling the story of the Kings from a theological hindsight)
David
4. 2 Samuel
Solomon
5. 1 Kings
Divided Kingdom
Israel in the north ( BC)
Judah in the south ( BC)
6. 2 Kings
Return: Rebuilding the People
10. Ezra
Preservation of Jews in Persia
11. Esther
Return: Rebuilding the Wall
12. Nehemiah

9. THE FORMER PROPHETS Why “Former Prophets?”
They relate the early history of prophecy.
They wrote the national history of Israel in the light of theological and prophetic interests.
Relationship Between History and Prophecy
Prophecy is not primarily futuristic, but concerned with obedience in time and space, in the here and now.
Prophecy looks to the covenants of the PAST and interprets their significance for the PRESENT as well as FUTURE. The medium it uses to tie the PAST to the PRESENT is HISTORY.

10. THE FORMER PROPHETS Why “Former Prophets?”
Jewish tradition believes that these historical books were indeed written by prophets.

11. c) General Statement on Authorship
i) All of the historical books are actually anonymous.
ii) The title of each book indicates subject matter of a particular book, and usually does not claim direct correspondence to authorships even though the key character for which the books are named may have been the source of most the materials that bears their names.

12. JOSHUA

13. A. TITLE c) The book is named for the principal character, Joshua, whose name means “the LORD is salvation” or “the LORD saves.”

14. 2) THE PERSON OF JOSHUA
Originally, his name was Hoshea, but Moses changed it to Joshua (Num 13:8, 16)

15. OUTLINE The defeat of the land (1—12)
The distribution of the land (13—21)
The dedication of the people to live in the land (22—24)

17. d. Overall Lesson from Joshua
God is in control of events in history.
Joshua 11:23
Joshua 21:43-45
The idea that God gave the land is found more than 50 times in the book. That it is a fulfillment of the land promised to Israel’s ancestors is also emphasized (11:23; 21:43- 45). In this way, God emerges as a trustworthy Sovereign, as one who keeps his promises. This is also emphasized in Joshua’s farewell speeches ( ch ).