OT SURVEY || UNIT - 2 || LESSON - 1 || Introduction to the Old Testament ||

 

UNIT 2                                                                                               LESSON - 1

Introduction to the Old Testament

Background of the Old Testament

The term “Old Testament” is most commonly used to apply to what is known as the Hebrew Bible consisting of 39 individual books, covering the time from the creation of the world to approximately 400 years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ.

1.     Authorship

While there is some debate about the authorship of some of the books, it is generally accepted that over thirty writers over a period of approximately 1200 years contributed to the content of the Old Testament as we know it today.

2.     Language

Most of the Old Testament was written originally in Hebrew. A few minor portions in books like Ezra, Daniel and Jeremiah seem to have been written in Aramaic, a near language to that of Hebrew and very likely the language which Jesus spoke in the New Testament era. The Old Testament was translated into Greek somewhere in the middle of the third century B.C. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament is known as the Septuagint (in reference to some 70 Jewish elders who worked on the translation). This version was in common use during the time of Jesus especially among the Jews of the dispersion.

3.     Culture

The Old Testament comes to us out of a very different culture to that of the modern western experience and, therefore, can only be understood fully by understanding certain elements of early eastern culture. The culture of the Bible is a shepherding and agricultural culture. Most of the marriage customs of the Bible times are very different to our western understanding of things. When we begin examining biblical records in the context of the history of
the near east we going to find much missing that we’d like to have
there; indeed, many have found this sufficient reason to allege
historical inaccuracies.  But we must keep in mind that the Bible is
not concerned with giving us a complete socio-politico-economic
history of the middle east.  Vis-a-vis redemptive history, biblical
accounts are completely accurate.

 THE BEGINNINGS

    The biblical account opens with a period known as The Beginnings.
This period, recounted in the Book of Genesis (or Beginnings),
chapters 1 through 11.  Here it is that we find the introduction of
the theme of creation and the setting of the stage for the drama of
redemption.  And here we are told that all things came into being as a
direct result of the power, the plan, and the activities of God.  Man,
as created, had a relationship with God, but then sin entered and the
relationship was broken.  Thus mankind became estranged from God
because of his sin and God’s punishment for that sin.  For indeed, God
does punish sin.  But he also, so we are told, rewards those who will
repudiate sin to seek him.  This period of beginnings ends with the
birth of national groups.  Here we have accounts of the flood,
demonstrating God’s judgment on mankind’s sin, and of Noah, who
demonstrates God’s willingness to deliver even in the midst of
judgment.  And we find an account of the development of nations,
explaining something of the diversity of men.

 

 

The Creation Day by Day

The creation story takes place in Genesis 1:1-2:3.

• Day 1 - God created light and separated the light from the darkness, calling light "day" and darkness "night."
• Day 2 - God created an expanse to separate the waters and called it "sky."
• Day 3 - God created the dry ground and gathered the waters, calling the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters "seas." On day three, God also created vegetation (plants and trees).
• Day 4 - God created the sun, moon, and the stars to give light to the earth and to govern and separate the day and the night. These would also serve as signs to mark seasons, days, and years.
• Day 5 - God created every living creature of the seas and every winged bird, blessing them to multiply and fill the waters and the sky with life.
• Day 6 - God created the animals to fill the earth. On day six, God also created man and woman (Adam and Eve) in his own image to commune with him. He blessed them and gave them every creature and the whole earth to rule over, care for, and cultivate.
• Day 7 - God had finished his work of creation and so he rested on the seventh day, blessing it and making it holy.