Bible and Western Culture
- Which king built Israel’s first temple in Jerusalem?
King Solomon
- What religious infrastructure did Jeroboam the son of Nebat build and where was it located?
During his reign of twenty-two years, King Jeroboam I, the son of Nebat constructed many public structures (considering that he was Solomon’s superintendent in the building of many fortresses in his youthful days). However, he feared that the worshippers who worshiped as required by the law at the Temple in Jerusalem could provide an opportunity for his subjects to go back to their old loyalty. He, therefore, build two temples, each with a golden calf, one in Dan and the other in Bethel. Jeroboam was nonetheless widely criticized for these cultic activities.
- Which prophet confronted King Ahab and predicted a drought in Israel?
Prophet Elijah confronted King Ahab and warned him that his kingdom would experience extreme drought. He further predicted that no other god shall offset the situation unless he declares so himself.
- Which prophet caught Elijah’s mantle and succeeded Elijah as the main prophet in Israel?
Prophet Elisha
- Which two Judean kings centralized worship in Jerusalem by shutting down all altars outside of Jerusalem’s main temple?
Kings Josiah and Kind Hezekiah.
- Which Judean king found the “Book of the Law” in the temple and used it as the basis of his reform?
Kind Josiah discovered the “the book of the Law” and utilized it in transforming Judah. He assembled the elders and all the people of both Judah and Jerusalem territories and declared restricted worship of Yahweh and forbid any other type of worship
- What kind of god was Baal? What area/phenomenon of nature did he control?
Baal was a god who is believed to have been worshipped in ancient Middle Eastern societies and particularly among the Canaanites. He was considered as one of the most significant gods in the pantheon as he represented fertility. Although this god could be cited anywhere, he was more elaborate in Semitic understanding where Baal meant the “lord” or “owner”. Many communities regarded Baal as the general god of fertility, Lord of earth, Lord of rain, the storm god, Lord of Heavens, or simply Prince.
- Which empire took much of the population of Northern Israel into captivity, and in which year did this occur?
In 722 BC, the Assyrians defeated the Israelites and conquered Samaria. After they captured Israel, they made the ten tribes disperse throughout the empire.
- Which king took much of Judah into captivity in Babylon?
King Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon when the southern kingdom of Judah almost became non-existent.
- Which king killed Jezebel?
Elisha the prophet anointed Jehu, the commander of the king’s army to destroy Jezebel and her descendants. King Jehu ordered her servants to throw her out of the high window where she died from the fall and being trampled by Jehu’s horses
- Please place the following events/people in chronological order: Babylonian captivity of Judah, Elijah, Solomon, King Josiah, Elisha, Assyrian captivity of Israel, Donald Trump.
Solomon, the Assyrian captivity of Israel, The conquest and captivity of Judah, Elijah, Elisha, King Josiah, and Donald Trump
Part Two
- Who was the scribe for the prophet Jeremiah and wrote down the prophet’s oracles for him?
Baruch
- According to Collins, what attitude/action did Jeremiah advocate toward Babylonian rule?
Jeremiah’s attitude seems to contradict with that of his fellow prophets and the King since he fails to criticize Babylon’s regime and instead insists that the end of Jerusalem was nearby due to immoral activities among the people (Collins, 2014).
- According to Collins, what is the significance of the mobility of the divine chariot-throne? What does it say about God?
Many Israelites thought that the presence and the glory of the Lord reigned in their land and hence to the contrary, the mobility of the heavenly chariot bearing the throne of God signifies that the Almighty still with his people in exile (that He sent them to exile but still stands watch over them even when in an alien land and He will also save them).
- According to Collins, what part/chapters of Isaiah is called “Second Isaiah”?
Second Isaiah or Deutero-Isaiah is the part of the book of Isaiah called “Second Isaiah”, and comprise of chapters 40-45(Collins, 2014)
- According to Collins, what part/chapters of Isaiah is called “Third Isaiah”?
The third part of the book of Isaiah or as commonly known as Trito Isaiah refers to the chapter 56 and the consequent chapters of the book of Isaiah (Collins, 2014).
- What four sections (chapters/verses) of Isaiah are called the Servant Songs and what scholar is credited by Collins with singling these passages out?
The servant songs/ songs of the suffering servant /servant poems are songs written in the book of Isaiah by the perceived one Bernhard Duhm and include the selection of the liberating Servant, servant’s pre-natal mission by God to lead the nation, the servant’s sufferings and continued suffering of the servant (Collins, 2014).
- True or false: the Book of Jeremiah shows strong similarities with Deuteronomy, while the Book of Ezekiel shows strong similarities with Leviticus?
True
- The call of Jeremiah is similar to what well-known person’s call in the Old Testament?
The call of Jeremiah sounds very alike with that of Moses
- True or false: Jeremiah received his prophetic oracles while living near Babylon, while Ezekiel received his prophetic oracles while living in Jerusalem and Bethel.
False
Short essay (answer length: one-half page, single spaced):
- How does Collins explain the identity and purpose of the “Servant” in the Servant Songs of Isaiah?
One of the popular aspects of the second phase of Isaiah pertains to the character of “the servant of the Lord.” In these prophesies, the term “servant” is cited many times. The passages are a part of the integral parts of Isaiah’s prophecy and were depicted as “servant songs”. The servant concept in the context is often referred to as an individual or a collective figure of Israel. One widely proposed suggestion concerning the individual identifications of this servant refer to Moses, who is often referred to be a faithful servant of the Lord in Cyrus, Deuteronomic tradition and from the prophet himself (Collins, 2014). First, it is imperative to note that Jacob (also known as Israel) is precisely identified as a servant in many occasions. However, Collins further portrays the servant as a prophet citing that he acknowledges that “a servant is he who conveys the word as well as predicts”. In the first servant song, Israel is perceived as the servant, but further on contradicts whereby the individual in picture is painted to be endowed with the spirit as any prophet would be assigned with the duty to the nations.
The servant is portrayed as a gentle character that neither supports nor anticipates violence but instead advocates for upholding of justice. The text further contradicts as the servant’s mission of bringing justice among the nations suggests more of a loyal figure rather than a prophet and hence Collins seems to portray Cyrus as the figure. However, Cyrus was not as gentle as explained. Israel could to an extent fit the role of bring justice to the land in a manner that prophets could not. Further in the text, the task of a prophet is explained. Nonetheless, the term “servant” is omitted and instead, the figure is described as the “light to the nations” and “a covenant to the people”. The mission in question entails alleviating people from captivity (this aspect seems to refer to Cyrus as the servant”. In case it refers to Israel, then it is possible to perceive Israel as an agent in the liberations of other captives (citing that She herself was liberated). The idea of the servant being Israel is further cemented whereby the text openly address Israel as the servant. The memories of Jeremiah arises at this juncture whereby the servant is anointed before his formation in the womb. Additionally, this servant is seen to suffer in “vain” just as how Jeremiah perceived his suffering. More complications in the context detail the YHWH called the servant to bring Israel back to Him in a restorative mission (Collins, 2014). In a wrap up, the context seems to explain the suffering servant as a sole personality with a historical background. Collins explains that the servant indeed dies before the restoration and he can hardly be a prophet.
- How does Collins interpret the Immanuel prophecy of Isaiah 7:14? Who is it predicting, what is the political situation at the time, what is the timeframe for its fulfillment, and what does “virgin” imply?
The Immanuel prophecy indicates that Isaiah anticipated on the rise of a king who would see to the fulfillment of the royal ideology. The king is more of a successor of David’s lineage and hence he is seen less of a messiah. Collins describes the topic of Immanuel’s identity as a complex aspect citing that the same concept is repeated again (Isaiah 7:14 and in Matthew 1:23) (Collins, 2014). It is believed that the birth of Jesus has links with the prophecy of Isaiah occurrence of this history was at the era of the rule of the Assyria and hence God used its army to confront the evil of the people. Isaiah’s vision compels to commence his work as a prophet whereby he admits his sinfulness and he is cleansed at the altar. The text further shows that if only Israel and Judah repented, they would have received holiness that would determine the ultimate receipt of His divine judgment. Isaiah’s preaching is perceived as mainly the act of conveying the message of repenting. However, the people are reluctant to recognize the Yahweh as their king and instead depend on politics, military strengths, and alliances.
Isaiah 7:14 suggests of the rise of Immanuel who will be born of a virgin. In Collin’s text, Immanuel child seems to be a symbol of king Ahaz, provided by God despite of Ahaz’s refusal to recognize the sign. Perhaps the refusal might be based on the pagan perception that an acceptance of a sign signals the commencement of a sequence of continuous events. However, the birth of Jesus occurs 700 years later thereby making it hard to entirely conclude that the sign referred to the birth of Jesus. A number of suggestions have emerged seeking to unveil the identity of the young woman. In one aspect, she is said to be the wife of the prophet “the prophetess”. Nonetheless, it is hard to connect how she can concurrently be the mother of Maher-shalal-hash-baz and bear Immanuel. The text further put the possibility of the woman being the wife of a king. Immanuel means “God with us” and serves as an insinuation of the presence of a loyal ideology. The birth of a royal heir would be of huge significance to King Ahaz. Other suggestions point to Hezekiah as the messiah but fail to explain the confused chronology of time. Isaiah did indeed predict the birth of a messiah but the activity would not be miraculous and instead, it would be more of act of salvation during the critical times. It signified hope for future dynasties. He is believed to set people free to the land of milk and honey after the passage of a short period of unsettled activities. Like Hosea, Isaiah eliminates the possibility that the king will solve the nation’s problems politically.
Reference
Collins, John J. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible, -The Deuteronomistic History. Fortress Press, 2014.
