BS 101D OT Survey (4 hr)

Instructor: Kris Udd

Semesters: Spring and Summer

Description

This course is a general survey of the Old Testament books from Genesis to Malachi. It relates each book to the total scope of the Bible. This study provides a general understanding of the Old Testament books and prepares the student for further biblical study. Attention is given to such issues as authorship, chronology, geography, personal application, and the development of God’s divine program.

Required Textbooks 

·         Lawrence, Paul. The IVP Atlas of Bible History. InterVarsity Press, 2006. ISBN: 9780830824526

·         Hoffmier, James K. The Archaeology of the Bible. Lion Hudson, 2008. ISBN: 9780825461996

Course Schedule

Unit

Topic

Learning Objectives

1

Introduction

·         Construct a chronology of major biblical events back to Abraham.

·         Discuss the setting of the Old Testament

2

Creation

·         Summarize the six days of creation.

·         Discuss issues relating to creation from a biblical worldview.

·         Contrast and critique non-biblical creation accounts.

3

The Flood

·         Compare and contrast various flood stories.

·         Review the basic events and characteristics of the Flood.

·         Summarize the Babel event.

4

Patriarchs

·         Discuss various views in articles related to the patriarchs.

·         Describe the relationship between archaeology and the patriarchs.

5

Sojourn & Exodus

·         Construct an outline of the life of Moses.

·         Describe the route of the Exodus.

·         Summarize select articles on ancient Egyptian society and their interaction with Israel.

6

Conquest

·         Summarize the nature and events of the conquest.

·         Interact with the archaeological data related to the conquest period.

·         Assess the different views of the conquest.

7

Judges and Ruth

·         Analyze the unique character of this period within the broader context of the OT.

·         Describe the influences of a neighboring culture.

·         Identify the events, setting, and people of the judges period.

8

United Kingdom

·         Describe evidence for the historicity of David and Solomon.

·         Summarize historical elements of David and Solomon’s rules.

·         Discuss theological aspects of the United Kingdom.

·         Construct an OT timeline from Creation through the United Kingdom.

9

Poetic Books

·         Midterm Exam

·         Discuss a passage from Job.

·         Describe how the Psalms influence our understanding of Near Eastern culture.

·         Investigate a passage of wisdom literature.

10

Northern Kingdom of Israel

·         Identify and locate the important sites of the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel.

·         Describe three reasons for the secession of Israel from Judah.

·         Construct a timeline up to the fall of Israel.

11

Southern Kingdom of Judah

·         Construct a map of Sennacherib’s (Assyria) campaign in 701 bc.

12

The Prophets

·         Summarize the life of a selected prophet.

·         Research the city of Nineveh.

13

Exile

·         Evaluate how the book of Esther describes the lives of exiled Jews.

·         Summarize some of the latest research on the time of the exile.

14

Return

·         Compile a list of events, places, and characters associated with the return to Jerusalem.

·         Construct a timeline of major OT events.

15

Between the Testaments

·         Students study the setting and events of the time period between the Testaments.

·         Students learn the major historical figures of this period.

·         Students investigate the prophecies of Daniel as they relate to the Intertestamental Period.

*Denotes items that are used towards the final exegetical paper.