Introduction to the Old Testament

Semester: 2017 Fall
Credit hours: Two
Lecturer: David Murray
email: [email protected]
Office hours: Book a time here.
Facilitator: Chris Engelsma

---

Course Description:

This course will analyze each Old Testament book in terms of author, date, historical analysis, literary analysis, thematic analysis, New Testament analysis, and original message.

---

Course Objectives:

The student will be able:

1. To identify the author and date of each Old Testament book;
2. To supply arguments to rebut common attacks on the text and theology of the Old Testament;
3. To analyze each Old Testament book from historical, literary and theological perspectives;
4. To show the Christ-centered nature of each Old Testament book;
5. To connect each Old Testament Book to the New Testament;
6. To highlight the original message to the original audience of each book;
7. To discover and apply the present message of each book to ourselves and our present audiences;
8. To use the tools for exegeting and preaching the Old Testament.

---

Course Requirements:

The course will proceed week by week starting Aug. 28. At this time (a Monday), the first lesson will become available to you. Complete each lesson by starting at the top and working your way down through the list of assignments. The very first item listed in every lesson is the time allotment. For your own time management, they are all listed here:

Week 1: Pentateuch & Genesis

Time allotment: 6 hours

Assignments:

Pentateuch quiz

Genesis quiz

Lecture Response – Genesis 1-3

Lecture Response – Genesis 4-11

Lecture Response – Genesis 12-25

Lecture Response – Genesis 26-50

Week 2: Exodus

Time allotment: 4 hours

Assignments:

Exodus quiz

Lecture Response – Exodus 1-18

Lecture Response – Exodus 19-24

Lecture Response – Exodus 25-40

Week 3: Leviticus

Time allotment: 3 hours

Assignments:

Leviticus Quiz

Lecture Response – Leviticus 1-10

Lecture Response – Leviticus 11-27

Week 4: Numbers

Time allotment: 3 hours

Assignments:

Numbers quiz

Lecture Response – Numbers 1-21

Lecture Response – Numbers 23-36

Week 5: Deuteronomy

Time allotment: 4 hours

Assignments:

Deuteronomy quiz

Lecture Response – Deuteronomy 1-4

Lecture Response – Deuteronomy 5-26

Lecture Response – Deuteronomy 27-34

Week 6: Historical books, Ruth, Judges, & Samuel

Time allotment: 6 hours

Assignments:

Historical Books quiz

Ruth quiz

Judges quiz

Samuel quiz

Lecture Response – Judges 1-21

Lecture Response – 1Samuel 1-15

Lecture Response – 1Samuel 16 – 2Samuel 24

Week 7: Kings, Chronicles

Time allotment: 6 hours

Assignments:

Kings quiz

Chronicles quiz

Lecture Response – 1Kings 1-11

Lecture Response – 1Kings 12 – 2Kings 25

Lecture Response – 1Chronicles 1 – 2Chronicles 9

Lecture Response – 2Chronicles 10-36

Week 8: Poetic Books, Job, Psalms

Time allotment: 2 hours

Assignments:

Poetic Books quiz

Job quiz

Psalms quiz

Week 9: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon

Time allotment: 3 hours

Assignments:

Proverbs quiz

Ecclesiastes quiz

Song of Solomon quiz

Week 10: Prophetic books, Isaiah

Time allotment: 3 hours

Assignments:

Lecture on prophetic books

Lecture on Isaiah

Lecture Response – Isaiah 1-39

Lecture Response – Isaiah 40-66

Week 11: Pre-exilic prophets

Time allotment: 4 hours

Assignments:

Lecture on Obadiah, Joel, Amos, Hosea, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk

Week 12: The exilic prophets

Time allotment: 3 hours

Assignments:

Lecture on Ezekiel and Daniel

Lecture Response – Ezekiel 1-32

Lecture Response – Ezekiel 33-48

Week 13: The post-exilic books

Time allotment: 5 hours

Assignments:

Lecture on Esther, Ezra/Nehemiah, Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Week 14: Final Exam

Time allotment: 7 hours

Assignments:

Final Exam

---

Use this list to plan your path forward. All the assignments are laid out on Populi. The next lesson will become available each Friday but only if you have completed all the assignments in the previous lesson.

1. Participation: There will be no class meetings. Instead, you will interact with the professor and your fellow students on Populi. Most of the lessons will have a forum in which your participation is graded.
2. Joshua & Jeremiah: Following the same format as the lecture overviews, research and write your own overview for Joshua and Jeremiah.
3. Final Exam: This exam will cover the material in the lectures on the prophets. It will be closed-book. A proctor will be required of all students who are not on campus (we can also proctor exams remotely). Contact the facilitator to make these arrangements.

---

Grade Breakdown:” style=”soft” box_color=”#f6f6f6″ title_color=”#000000″]

Exam	25%
Lesson Discussions	25%
Lesson Quizzes	25%
Joshua & Jeremiah	25%

[/su_box]