Isaiah-Malachi OT516 Fall 2010 Instructor: Richard (Dick) Belcher, Jr. [email protected] Course Description An expository study of the message of the prophets which looks at their meaning in the context of OT history, which is foundational for understanding their message for God's people today. Issues surrounding the interpretation of prophecy, the unfolding of revelation in relationship to the Messiah, and the significance of the prophets for ministry are emphasized. Course Objectives 1) To set the prophets in their historical setting in order to better understand the message of the prophets. 2) To be able to summarize the message of each prophetic book. 3) To become familiar with some of the issues related to the interpretation of prophecy. 4) To see how the prophets lay the groundwork for the coming of the Messiah. Textbooks and Other Materials 1) Ray Dillard and Tremper Longman III, Introduction to the OT (2nd ed.; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), hereinafter IOT. 2) Willem A. VanGemeren, Interpreting the Prophetic Word (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990), hereinafter IPW. 3) John C. Whitcomb, Jr., Chart of Old Testament Kings and Prophets (5th rev. ed.; Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1977): to be purchased through RTS Charlotte bookstore. 4) Additional Assigned Reading (see schedule below): a) Richard Pratt, "Historical Contingencies and Biblical Predictions," The Way of Wisdom (eds. J. I. Packer and Sven K. Sonderlund; Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), pp. 180-203. This article will be on reserve in the librayIsaiah-Malachi Syllabus 2 or it can be accessed at: http://thirdmill.org/historical-contingencies-and-biblical-predictions b) D. Brent Sandy and Ronald Giese, Jr., Cracking Old Testament Codes (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, pp. 139-96, hereinafter COTC. On reserve in the library. c) Samuel E. Waldron, To Be Continued (Merrick, NY: Calvary Press Publishing, 2005), pp. 11-79, part of this book analyzes OT and NT prophets d) John Walton , Ancient Israelite Literature in its Cultural Context (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990), pp. 201-228. On reserve in the library. Assignments 1) Each of the prophetic books must be read, as well as the assigned reading. 2) A Prophetic Profile must be turned in on each prophetic book except for Obadiah and Joel. The Profile will be based on your assigned reading in IOT and IPW and will follow a Prophetic Profile guideline. Hebrew requirement: for those who know Hebrew there is a Hebrew requirement for each week. The assignment consists of reading Hebrew for 20 minutes starting at a designated chapter and verse. The Hebrew assignment is listed on the Schedule. You are not required to read Walton. 3) Each class will begin with a quiz consisting primarily of outlines. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Your first missed quiz will be your drop regardless of the reason for missing the quiz. 4) There will be three exams. The exams will be based on the lectures. 5) A paper is required. It should focus on a particular passage from the prophets (see the handout "Guidelines for the Paper"). Grades 1) Exams 60% 2) Paper 20% 3) Prophetic Profiles 10% 4) Quizzes 05% 4) Reading Requirements 05%Isaiah-Malachi Syllabus 3 Schedule Date Subject Reading/Assign Aug 31 Intro to Course OT Prophecy: Revelation versus Manipulation The Role of OT Prophets: Proclamation and Prosecution Sept 7 Prophecy: Definition and Pratt art Interpretation Amos* IOT 420-434 IPW 127-37 *indicates when Prophetic Walton Ch 8 Profile is due for that book Amos Outline Hebrew reading: Amos 9:11 (if you finish the chapter within 20 minutes, go back to 9:1) Sept 14 Hosea* IOT 397-408 IPW 105-120 Jonah* IOT 443-448 IPW 146-149 IPW Ch 1 Hosea Outline Hebrew reading: start Hosea 1:1 and read for 20 minutes Sept 21 Finish Jonah Isaiah* IOT 311-320 IPW 246-66 IPW Ch 2-3 Isaiah Outline Hebrew reading: start Isaiah 7:10 First Exam through Jonah (given outside of class): 9/22-10/5Isaiah-Malachi Syllabus 4 Sept 28 Finish Isaiah 1-39 Micah* IOT 449-455 IPW 150-159 Isaiah 40-66 IOT 301-311 IPW 266-89 COTC Ch 7 Habakkuk Outline Hebrew reading: start Isaiah 65:17 Oct 5 Zephaniah* IOT 470-476 IPW 173-79 Habakkuk* IOT 463-469 IPW 168-173 Nahum* IOT 456-462 IPW 161-168 Zephaniah Outline Hebrew reading: start Habakkuk 2:1 Oct 12 No Class: Reading Week Oct 19 Jeremiah* IOT 321-341 IPW 290-320 Passage for paper due COTC Ch 8 Jeremiah Outline Hebrew reading: start Jeremiah 31:31Isaiah-Malachi Syllabus 5 Oct 26 Obadiah IOT 435-442 IPW 141-46 Joel IOT 409-419 IPW 120-27 No profiles for Obadiah and Joel Hebrew reading: start Joel 3:1 (Hebrew chapter/verse) Waldron 11-79 Joel Outline 2nd exam Isaiah-Joel (given outside of class): 10/27-11/12 Nov 2 Ezekiel* IOT 354-370 IPW 322-38 Ezekiel Outline Hebrew reading: start Ezekiel 37:1 Nov 9 Daniel* IOT 371-398 IPW 338-52 Walton 217-28 COTC Ch 9 Daniel Outline Hebrew reading: start Daniel 9:24 Nov 16 No Class - ETS Nov 23 Finish Daniel Haggai* IOT 477-483 IPW 187-93 IPW Ch 8 Haggai Outline Hebrew reading: start Haggai 2:7Isaiah-Malachi Syllabus 6 Nov 30 Zechariah* IOT 484-495 IPW 193-202 Malachi* IOT 496-502 IPW 202-210 IPW Ch 12 Zechariah Outline Hebrew reading: start Malachi 2:13 (you must read 2:16) Dec 7 (Tuesday) Prophets paper due Dec 9-10,