I. Why is there an Old Testament?

A. The Expectation of Revelation

1. The answers to the BIG questions of life: where we came from, why we're here, and where we're headed (after we die) are infinite truths (transcend time and culture).

2. The only way a finite being can know infinite truth is if an infinite being reveals it to him.

3. Is there evidence for an infinite being? The universe is both eternal and self-existing or an infinite being created it.

4. Can an infinite being communicate? If an infinite being existed with the power to create it/He would also have the power to communicate (and insure that His intended message would reach its intended audience so they could understand it and be held accountable for it).

5. Would an infinite being communicate? If an infinite being created the universe with a purpose in which we play a part, it/He would communicate that purpose.

6. If an infinite being did communicate, there would be believable evidence that a supernatural being had communicated (miracles that transcend the natural state of affairs).

7. Is there any evidence that a supernatural being has communicated to humans? We would contend that God authenticated His spokesman (via signs and wonders and prophecy) who then communicated and preserved His message.

B. The Experience of Revelation

General Revelation: God communicating through nature.

Subjective Revelation: God communicating through pepperoni pizzas.

Specific Revelation: God communicating through authenticated spokesmen.

II. What's in the Old Testament?

A. Law: tells us the essential information about God, ourselves, and the relationship between the two.

Genesis is the prelude to the law, not a history of the world, introducing ground rules of the blessing ball game, i.e., take a risk to obey and get blessed. {Abrahamic Covenant}

Exodus outlines the obedience necessary to be blessed by God's presence

Leviticus specifies the kinds of relationships necessary to be God's distinctive people (and hence blessed).

Numbers (on the way to the Promised Land) illustrates the kinds of behavior that get either blessed or cursed.

Deuteronomy - (2nd law) is a covenant renewal document with blessings and cursings. {Palestinian Covenant}

B. History: Joshua-Esther show that God always acts on the basis of His promises to act, be it in blessing for obedience or cursing for disobedience {Davidic Covenant - 2Sam 7}

Pre-Monarchy...Joshua, Judges, Ruth.

1Samuel=Saul; 2Samuel=David (1Chron); 1Kings=Solomon & Elijah, 2Kings Elisha & Exile (2Chron)

Post Exilic Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther.

C. Poetry: Job-Song of Sol. give insight & wisdom into the nitty-gritty of trusting God in everyday life.

D. Prophecy: Isaiah-Malachi warn and prove that God will act as promised, denouncing sin,          encouraging repentance and predicting consequences, both negative and positive.

Major Prophets: Pre-exilic...Isaiah, Jeremiah {New Covenant Jer 31}; Exilic...Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel

Minor Prophets: Pre-exilic...Hosea, etc.; Post Exilic...Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. T or F "God has spoken; not stuttered. Man has listened; not heard."

2. Why do some people think that God took the effort to communicate, but then did so in a manner that is incomprehensible?

3. What are the advantages, disadvantages, and implications of each type of Revelation in #IB (above)?

4. What other questions/issues do you wish God had addressed in Genesis? Why didn't He?

5. What will keep you from reading through the OT as we survey it? Typical OT encouragement: Ho 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.