The Essence of the Old Testament: A Survey

Ed Hindson

Gary Yates

Editors

Nashville, Tennessee

The Essence of the Old Testament: A Survey

Ed Hindson

Gary Yates

General Editors

Copyright © 2012 by Knowing Jesus Ministries and Gary Yates

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4336-7707-6

Published by B&H Publishing Group Nashville, Tennessee

Dewey Decimal Classification: 221.076 Subject Heading: BIBLE. O.T—STUDY \ BIBLE. O.T.—HISTORY OF BIBLICAL EVENTS

American Standard Version (ASV) and King James Version (KJV)

Unless noted otherwise, Scripture quotations are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked GNT are taken from the Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition). Copyright © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked LEB are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2010 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.

Scripture citations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible. ©The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

To

Walter C. Kaiser Jr.

and

Eugene H. Merrill

With gratitude for your scholarly research,

quality instruction, godly example, and evangelical spirit.

Preface

The Old Testament is made up of 39 books in the Protestant English Bible and comprises nearly three-fourths of the biblical text. Introducing the basic content of these books generally includes an examination of their authorship, background, message, theology, and application. Some surveys cover the content of the books with little attention to their cultural context or theological relevance. Others, especially technical introductions, spend a majority of their focus on critical questions of authorship and literary genre, almost to the exclusion of actually analyzing the message of the books themselves.

Our purpose is to provide a college-level textbook that is easily accessible, academically credible, and soundly conservative. We are committed to an evangelical view of the inspiration of the Bible. Therefore, we take seriously what the Old Testament says about such matters as the creation of the world, the origin of evil, God’s plan of redemption, and the messianic prophecies. At the same time, we recognize the message of the Old Testament is anchored in the culture, values, and beliefs of the ancient world. Yet, we find its theology, poetry, wisdom, and prophecy transcend that world because it was inscribed by those who “spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (1 Pet ...