Old Testament Survey / Introduction

Tentative Schedule (each topic will be examined for two classes):

1. Introductory matters

2. Genesis Review (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Abraham)

3. Pattern for Redemption (Exodus)

4. New Life: Gift & Responsibility (Exodus—Deut)

5. Wilderness Temptations (Num—Deut)

6. Promised Land (Joshua)

7. God’s Rule in God’s Land (Judges—Kings/Chronicles, Elisha / Elijah)

8. Fading Shadows of Glory—Exile (Daniel / Esther, most of the writing prophets)

9. Exile & Return…An Unfinished Story (Ezra / Nehemiah, Malachi)

10. The Life of Faith (Wisdom Literature: Job—Song of Solomon)

11. Reviewing the Pattern of Redemption

12. New Creation for Us—Christ

13. New Creation Initiated in Us—Personal Re-creation

14. New Creation Consummated—Cosmic Re-creation

Recommended Resources:

1. ^*According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible, Graeme Goldsworthy

· A popular-level ‘big picture’ theology of the entire Bible showing the progressive revelation of God’s plan for redemption in history…ties together major biblical themes across the testaments

2. ^*Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament, Christopher J.H. Wright

· Another popular-level work investigating the significance of Jesus’ person and work in light of the OT—focusing on Jesus’ background, lineage, the prophetic promises, OT values, etc.

3. The Goldsworthy Trilogy: Gospel and Kingdom, Gospel and Wisdom, Gospel and Revelation, Graeme Goldsworthy

· Three of Goldsworthy’s books bound together, each dealing with how a different aspect of God’s plan unfolds through the OT to the NT

4. Christ of the Covenants, O. Palmer Robertson

· Traces the various OT covenants and how they point to and are fulfilled in Christ

5. The Christ of the Prophets, O. Palmer Robertson

· A similar approach to the above book, focusing on the OT prophets and their message

6. Old Testament Theology, Paul House

· A massive work that looks at the themes of individual OT books before looking at the overall message and direction of the OT

7. Biblical Theology, Geerhardus Vos

· (Academic) A massive, classic work on the biblical theology…tough read but very informative