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The World of the

Old Testament
John Stevenson, 2013
Maps by David P. Barrett, used by permission

How do we know the right


books are in the Bible?

Canonicity refers to the churchs


recognition of the authority of
the inspired writings.

Josephus
"For we have not an
innumerable multitude of
books among us, disagreeing
from and contradicting one
another [as the Greeks have],
but only twenty-two books,
which contain the records of
all the past times; which are
justly believed to be divine...
(Contra Apion 1:8).

Josephus
"It is true, our history has
been written since
Artaxerxes, very peculiarly,
but has not been esteemed
of the like authority with the
former by our forefathers,
because there has not been
an exact succession of
prophets since that time."
(Contra Apion 1:8).

Pentateuch
Historical
Books
Poetic
Books
Prophetic
Books

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,


Numbers, Deuteronomy
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2
Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles,
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
Job, Psalms, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations,
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel,
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Torah

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,


Numbers, Deuteronomy

Prophets

Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings,


Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, The
Twelve (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah,

(Nabiim)

Writings
(Kethuvim)

Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,


Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi)

Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of


Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations,
Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, EzraNehemiah, Chronicles,

Can our copies of the Bible be


trusted?

Original Manuscript
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The Science of Interpretation

Fundamental Questions in
Hermeneutics
What did it mean to the original
characters of the narrative?
What did it mean to the author?
What did it mean to the original
recipients?

Moses

Bible

Israelites

Readers Today

Fundamental Questions in
Hermeneutics
What did it mean to the original
characters of the narrative?
What did it mean to the author?
What did it mean to the original
recipients?
What does it mean in light of New
Testament revelation?

Hatti

Land
Bridge

Mesopotamia
DESERT

Egypt

Hittites

Assyria

Israel

Egypt

Babylon

Hittites

Assyria
Phoenicia
Israel

Egypt

Aram

Babylon

The Coastal Plain


Central Mountain
Range
Jordan Rift Valley

The Coastal Plain


Central Mountain
Range
Jordan Rift Valley

The Coastal Plain


Central Mountain
Range
Jordan Rift Valley

The Coastal Plain


Central Mountain
Range
Jordan Rift Valley
Trans Jordan

The Valley of
Jezreel
The Yarmuk River

Gilead

The Valley of
Jezreel
The Yarmuk River
The Jabbok River
Gilead

The Valley of
Jezreel
The Yarmuk River
The Jabbok River
The Arnon River

Gilead

Moab

The Kings
Highway
The Way of
the Sea (the
Way of the
Philistines)

Megiddo

Jericho

Climate of Canaan
Mediterranean Climate
Dependent upon winter rains
Early Rains: October
Later Rains: April

Western
Thinking

Eastern
Thinking

Individualism

Collectivism

Right / Wrong

Honor / Shame

Time Oriented

Timeliness Oriented

Rules

Relationship

What is the Big Idea of the Old


Testament?

What is the Big Idea of the New


Testament?

Genesis 1 - 11
Creation

Fall

Flood

Tower of
Babel

1500 - 1000

Period of the Exodus Judges


and
Patriarchs

1000 - 500
Kings of Israel
and Judah

Sinai

Torah

Return

2000 - 1500

Historical Books
Poetic Books
Prophetic
Books

Creation
Covenant

God gives
a land

But like Adam they have


transgressed the
covenant;
There they have dealt
treacherously against Me.
(Hosea 6:7)

Creation
Adamic
Noahic Abrahamic
Covenant Covenant Covenant Covenant

God gives
a land

Salvation
promise

Renewal
of the
land

Promise
of a land

Removal
Mosaic
Davidic
New
from the
Covenant Covenant Land Covenant

Return to
to the
Land
Blessings
& cursings
in the land

King over
the land

King dies for


His kingdom

Indeed, as I live, all the earth


will be filled with the glory of the
Lord (Numbers 14:21).

A People
A Land
A Nation
A King

If I be lifted
up from the
earth

I will draw
all men to
myself
John 12:32

The Temple
The Vine
The Servant
The Seed

All People
The World
All Nations
The King

T.J. Campo

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