General Information
What is a covenant?
a pact between God and a person/people which includes a promise from God
Who are the three Patriarchs of the Israelites?
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
What does it mean to be holy?
Set apart, separate, or distinct
Which Canaanite survives the Battle of Jericho?
Rahab
What is the most noteworthy part of Jephthah's narrative?
He made a vow to sacrifice the first thing that greeted him after his victory against the Ammonites--which ended up being his daughter.
In what languages were the original Biblical texts written?
Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek
What does the name "Israel" mean?
Striving with God
What was the purpose of the Tabernacle?
Also referred to as “the Tent of Meeting”, “And have them make me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them”
Explain the Battle of Jericho
Israelites do nothing but walk around the walls with the Ark of the Covenant and blow trumpets in order to bring the walls down
How did Gideon choose his 300 men to go to battle against the Midianites?
By how they drank water
What does the word "Bible" mean?
Little Books
What is the root cause of sin?
A desire to be like God in the wrong way–to become a “god”
What was the Passover and why is it still celebrated by Jews?
To save the Israelites from the 10th plague, God instituted the Passover wherein the Israelites smeared lamb’s blood over their door posts so that the plague would “pass over” them. It is a yearly celebration that includes a specific meal reminding the Israelites of how God delivered them from Egypt.
Explain the Battle of Ai
The Israelites initially lost battle because of an Israelite’s (Achan’s) sin: he stole treasures from Jericho that were supposed to be devoted to God and lied about it.
What was the source of Samson's strength?
His Nazarite vow, particularly the vow to not cut his hair
What does the name "YHWH" mean?
Literally, "I am," but more accurately, "eternally existing one"
What does it mean that humans were created in the image of God?
Human beings are created to be God’s representatives on Earth, and every human has intrinsic value
What is the Shema?
The Greatest Commandment: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD your God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
What are three sins of the Canaanites that warranted their utter destruction?
Child sacrifice, sexual immorality, sorcery, and idolatry.
Why does the person of Ruth matter for Israel’s history?
The most important purpose of the book is to highlight the origins of King David’s line (Ruth is his great grandmother)
What is the Septuagint?
The Greek translation of the Old Testament, used during the time of Jesus
What are the three promises of the Abrahamic Covenant
1. Many descendants
2. Land (Canaan)
3. They will be a blessing to the nations
What is the Mosaic Covenant?
It established the Israelites as a nation with laws and customs for living as God’s blessed people: “...you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation”
In the Book of Joshua, what must the Israelites do in order to achieve victory?
Obey the LORD’s instructions
Describe the four stages of the cycle that Israel experiences in Judges
2. The LORD withdraws his protection from Israel
3. Israel cries to the LORD for help
4. The LORD sends a deliverer (a judge) to save Israel
Repeat