Handout 09
1-4
The creation, the fall of mankind into sin & judgment; Noah & the flood; the tower of Babel
5 The Abrahamic Covenant
The call of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac & Jacob/Israel). God gives them three main promises:
- He will make them into… great nation
- He will give them… a land
- He will… blessing to all nations
BTAN
These promises are also called the Abrahamic Covenant Gen 12, 15, 17, 22
In the New Testament, important chapters for the Abrahamic covenant are:
Romans 4 & Galatians 3-4
6
Joseph, and the entry of the patriarchs into Egypt. They spend 400 years there. Over time, they are oppressed more and more by the Egyptians, until they cry out to God.
7 → 1446 BC
The exodus: God’s delivers Israel from Egypt via the 10 plagues & the Red Sea. 1446 BC.
8
The nation of Israel arrives at Mt. Sinai.
There they have a monumental encounter with God through Moses.
- They receive the 10 Commandments and the rest of the Law. 😀 (613 laws)
- They build the golden calf (
Exod 32). ☹️ - They build the ark of the covenant and the Tabernacle. 😀
9 The Sinai Covenant
In particular at Mt Sinai, Israel enters into a special relationship with God, namely, the ‘Sinai covenant’ (Exod 19-24).
The main dynamic of the Sinai Covenant is this: (Exod 19, Lev 26, Deut 7, Deut 28)
- If → Israel will… honors God & obey the Law
- then, God will… bless them
- But if → Israel dishonors Yahweh, breaks the laws of the Sinai covenant, and if they worship other gods, then… judge them & kick them out of the land
So note carefully: Conditional offer
10
After the 12 spies spy out the land from Kadesh-Barnea, Israel decides not to enter the land.
Their subsequent punishment is 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, while the entire unbelieving generation dies off. Num 13 & 14; 26:6-65; then later Deut 1 & 2; Josh 5:5-7. See also Psalm 95:8-11
11
After the 40 years are completed, they enter the land under Joshua. Israel is generally faithful to God at this time. Joshua, esp. chs. 1-2, 7, 11 , 22-24.
12
But not long after Joshua dies, Israel becomes unfaithful to God, and even begins to worship idols and other gods. This is the time of the Judges. The book of Judges repeats the refrain,
And again, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
There is a downward cycle in the book of Judges (see Judges ch. 2). // Israel cries out for a king.
13
Saul becomes Israel’s first king. But he disobey God, and loses his kingship. He persecutes David for no good reason. Saul is eventually rejected by God.
14
David becomes king; he wins many victories. He brings the ark to Jerusalem. ±1OOO BC.
15 The Davidic Covenant
God promises David that a son of his (“God’s anointed”) will reign on the throne forever; David’s son will be God’s Son. 2 Sam 7; 2 Chron 17; Ps 2, Ps 89, Ps 1 10, Ps 132.
16
David’s personal failures: His adultery with Bathsheba and effective murder of Uriah the Hittite. David’s own son Absalom (a handsome but godless young man) rebels of against him. David is succeeded by his son Solomon.
17
Solomon builds the temple; the ark of the covenant is brought to reside there. 966/960 BC.
18 → 931 BC
Solomon dies, and the kingdom divides into two kingdoms
- Northern-kingdom ‘Israel’ (
NKI, 10 tribes), whose capital Samaria is and, - Judah (2 tribes), whose capital is Jerusalem
1 Kgs 11 & 12.
19
Jeroboam (1st king of NKI) sets up centers of worship at Bethel & Dan (“The sin of Jeroboam”). ☹️ // Shortly after this time is when…
20 → 722 BC
As the result of scorning God, worshipping other gods and breaking the Sinai covenant, Samaria was laid waste by the Assyrians. Most of the northern 10 tribes were scattered into Assyria’s empire, and Gentiles were imported into the region of Samaria. 2 Kings 17. 722 BC.
21
The prophet Jeremiah announces a ‘new covenant’ , which will come in the future (Jer 31).
Its two main dynamics are:
- Write my laws in their hearts
- Full and final forgiveness of sins
22 → 587 BC
As the result of scorning God, worshipping other gods and breaking the Sinai covenant, Jerusalem is laid waste by the Babylonians, the temple is destroyed, and the nation is dragged off into exile to Babylon (587 BC). 2 Kings 25, 36; Jer 39 & 52; Ezek 20-23, 33. 587 BC.
23
The Jews return from exile (announced in 2 Chronicles 36, and in Ezra ch. 1), after 70 years.
24 → 516 BC
They rebuild the temple. Ezra 1-6. The 2nd Temple is completed in 516 BC.
25
They later rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1-6).
The people are back in the land, and there is no more idolatry. The promises to Abraham and the promise of a son of David, the Messiah, remain. But the mood is not positive, and the people are not as faithful to God as could be hoped (Neh 10-13; see similarly Haggai & Malachi). That is where the Old Testament ends.