910 likes | 1.13k Views
Chapter 5: Conquest and Exile: A Remnant Returns. UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES. 1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157). ANTICIPATORY SET Write for two minutes, framing a definition of what a prophet is and does. 1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157). BASIC QUESTIONS What was Isaiah’s basic message?
E N D
Chapter 5: Conquest and Exile: A Remnant Returns UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) ANTICIPATORY SET Write for two minutes, framing a definition of what a prophet is and does.
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) BASIC QUESTIONS What was Isaiah’s basic message? Who was Manasseh? KEY IDEAS Isaiah warned of disaster unless Judah would repent; nevertheless, he foresaw the return of a faithful remnant to Jerusalem and foretold of a Messiah from the house of David, born of a virgin, and coming from Galilee. Manasseh was an idolatrous king who was captured by the Assyrians, underwent a conversion, and returned to rule Judah well.
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) FOCUS QUESTIONS What was the fate of the leading citizens of Israel? The leading citizens of Israel were deported by the Assyrians. What was the fate of the poor farmers of Israel? Some of the poor farmers were left on the land. What was the fate of the population of Zebulun and Naphtali? The people of Zebulun and Naphtali, who had been conquered earlier, remained in Galilee. What happened to the tribal structure of the ten northern tribes of Israel? It was destroyed.
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) GUIDED EXERCISE Think/Pair/Share to identify the promise and the curse of Isaiah 1:18–20.
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) FOCUS QUESTIONS Who comprised the remnant? The remnant was a small group of Jews who remained faithful to God. They returned to the Promised Land to establish a new kingdom in Jerusalem. What is the stump of Jesse? This phrase refers to a descendant of Jesse, the father of David. How was Galilee viewed during the time of Isaiah, and what did he predict would happen there? Galilee was populated by unimportant, backward, poor farmers, ignored even by the conquering Assyrians. Isaiah predicted a glorious thing would happen there: a boy would be born who would rule, and his name would indicate he is God (cf. 9:6).
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) Why was Isaiah’s prophecy about a great leader arising in Galilee a very unlikely one? The Galileans were poor farmers who did not generally produce great leaders. What was prophesied in Isaiah 7:10–16 (p. 155)? God will perform a miracle (sign): a young woman (virgin) will have a son, who will be named Immanuel (God is with us), and he will be the ideal ruler. Why did people expect the Messiah to be born of a virgin? The Hebrew word for virgin is also used in the Old Testament to mean young woman. The Septuagint—the Greek translation of the Old Testament by rabbis in Alexandria in the third century BC—translated Isaiah 7:14 using the Greek word for virgin; Greek uses a separate word for young woman. The choice of virgin demonstrates their understanding of this prophecy.
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) What were Manasseh’s wicked deeds? King Manasseh reestablished paganism in Judah, defiled the Temple, and burned his own sons as pagan offerings. What befell Jerusalem as a result of Manasseh’s idolatry? The Assyrians sacked Jerusalem and carried him off into captivity. When did Manasseh convert to God, and what later deeds demonstrated this? While in captivity, Manasseh came to his senses and prayed to God. Manasseh was returned to Jerusalem where he abolished paganism and restored correct worship. He lived to reign longer than any other King of Israel or Judah.
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) GUIDED EXERCISE Conduct a paragraph shrink on Isaiah 2:2–3.
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 1–7 (p. 182) Practical Exercise 1 (p. 184) Workbook Questions 1–20 Read “The Great Reform” through “Jeremiah Sees the End of the World” (pp. 157–158)
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) CLOSURE Write a paragraph about a messianic prophecy from Isaiah that applies to Christ.
1. Isaiah (pp. 154–157) ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Free write for five minutes, responding to the following question: • Galilee was an unlikely origin for a savior. How does this reflect the way God usually works?
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) ANTICIPATORY SET What ought a good man do if his wife were to leave him, take lovers, become a prostitute, squander everything, and then sell herself into slavery?
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) BASIC QUESTIONS Why was Josiah considered a good king? What made Jeremiah a great prophet? KEY IDEAS Josiah converted Judah back to a correct relationship with God though he knew Judah’s fate was inevitable. Jeremiah stalwartly spoke for God, proclaiming Judah’s doom despite having suffered persecution for doing so.
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) FOCUS QUESTIONS What did the priests discover that had been lost and forgotten? They found a copy of the Book of Deuteronomy that had been hidden. What did the prophetess Huldah foretell for Judah and Josiah? Judah’s destruction was inevitable, but there would be peace in Josiah’s time. What did Josiah do to restore correct religious practice in Judah? He destroyed all the idolatrous holy places and expelled the cult prostitutes. Why did Josiah reform Judah despite the fact it would be destroyed? Josiah decided to do what was right even when there was no foreseen benefit.
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) What were the fates of the sons of Josiah? They were carried away by more powerful kings. What did the Prophet Jeremiah endure for telling the truth? He was imprisoned, beaten by thugs, thrown down a well, and repeatedly threatened with death. Why did King Zedekiah visit the Prophet Jeremiah in secret? Jeremiah was unpopular with Zedekiah’s court prophets. The court prophets told the king what they thought he wanted to hear, namely, the scheme to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar would be successful. Zedekiah knew Jeremiah would be truthful.
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Complete the following table to organize the Kings of Judah.
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) GUIDED EXERCISE Think/Pair/Share to make a list of the characteristics of the new king according to Jeremiah.
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) FOCUS QUESTIONS According to Jeremiah, what would the inhabitants of Jerusalem do when besieged? They would eat their own children because of their terrible hunger. What did the earthen flask represent in Jeremiah’s demonstration? The clay flask, which Jeremiah broke in front of some of the elders and senior priests, represented the people and city of Jerusalem, which God would break beyond repair. Why did Jeremiah use imagery from the creation narrative in the Book of Genesis? He wanted to communicate the destruction of Jerusalem would be like the undoing of creation: Jerusalem would be waste and void, no light would shine in the heavens, no men nor even birds would be seen, the fruitful land would become a desert, and the city would be in ruins.
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) How does the idea of a remnant apply to both the Flood and the fate of Judah? When God decided to destroy mankind, he saved Noah and his family. In the same way, God saved a remnant of faithful Jews to return after the Exile. According to Jeremiah, how would the New Covenant compare to the Old? Moses had given the people a Law written on stone tablets, but they found it impossible to follow. Jeremiah foretold God would write a New Covenant on the hearts of his people; they would not have to be taught the Law, but each would know God personally.
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 8–10 (p. 182) Practical Exercise 2 (p. 184) Workbook Questions 21–28 Read “The Exodus Reversed” through the sidebar “The Babylonian Empire After the Destruction of Jerusalem” (pp. 160–162)
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) CLOSURE Free write about how the New Covenant, foreseen by Jeremiah, promised a change in people’s hearts.
2. The Fall of Judah (pp. 157–159) ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Use the Graphic Organizer on page 158 to write a well‑organized paragraph about the last Kings of Judah, devoting no more than one sentence to each king.
3. The Babylonian Exile (pp. 160–162) ANTICIPATORY SET Paragraph shrink on the paragraph “When the destruction finally...” (p. 160).
3. The Babylonian Exile (pp. 160–162) BASIC QUESTIONS What was the fate of Jerusalem and Judah under Nebuchadnezzar? How did the Jews react to life in a pagan city? What was the effect of the Babylonian Exile on the formation of Scripture? KEY IDEAS Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and Judah, deporting the leading citizens to Babylon; a remnant went into exile in Egypt in a reverse of the Exodus. Living in immoral, pagan Babylon and deprived of everything, the Jews rediscovered their God and heritage. Many books of the Old Testament were edited into their final forms during the Babylonian Exile.
3. The Babylonian Exile (pp. 160–162) FOCUS QUESTIONS What did Nebuchadnezzar do to Jerusalem when he had conquered it? He burned the most important buildings, including the Temple, and deported most of the important citizens to Babylon, leaving a governor behind to supervise those left. According to the Second Book of Maccabees, what was the fate of the Ark of the Covenant? Jeremiah sealed it in a cave on Sinai in a place unknown “until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy” (2:7). What did the remaining inhabitants of Judah do that had been foretold in the Book of Deuteronomy? They went into voluntary exile in Egypt (cf. 28:68).
3. The Babylonian Exile (pp. 160–162) GUIDED EXERCISE Think/Pair/Share on Deuteronomy 28:58–68. Make a list of prophecies that were fulfilled by the Babylonian conquest.
3. The Babylonian Exile (pp. 160–162) GUIDED EXERCISE Do a focused reading of Psalm 137:1–6 using the following question: • What bitter irony is at the center of Psalm 137?
3. The Babylonian Exile (pp. 160–162) FOCUS QUESTIONS What contrast existed between Jerusalem and Babylon at the time of the deportation? Jerusalem was in ruins, whereas Babylon was huge, rich, the center of an international empire, and full of vice. What good was God able to bring out of the Babylonian Exile? Deprived of everything they owned, the inhabitants of Judah remembered their God and recommitted themselves to their identity as the Chosen People. How does the history of Israel contradict the aphorism, “History is written by the victors”? In Babylon, the defeated Jews wrote their own history. In addition, many of the books of the Old Testament were edited into their final forms during this time.
3. The Babylonian Exile (pp. 160–162) HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 11–12 (p. 182) Practical Exercise 4 (p. 184) Workbook Questions 29–34 Read “Cyrus the Messiah” through “The Promise Unfulfilled” (pp. 163–165)
3. The Babylonian Exile (pp. 160–162) CLOSURE Write a paragraph about one of the following Basic Questions of this lesson: • What was the fate of Jerusalem and Judah under Nebuchadnezzar? • How did the Jews react to life in a pagan city? • What was the effect of the Babylonian Exile on the formation of Scripture?
3. The Babylonian Exile (pp. 160–162) ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Form groups of three or four, and respond to Practical Exercise 2 (p. 184) about Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) BASIC QUESTIONS How was Cyrus a messiah to the Jews? What sorrows and joys did the remnant experience upon returning to Judah? What were Ezra’s contributions to right Jewish practice? What was the status of God’s promises regarding Jerusalem? KEY IDEAS Acting as an instrument of God, King Cyrus conquered Babylon and allowed the Jews to return to Judah; he even offered to help rebuild the Temple; he was thus a messiah to the Jews. A remnant returned to a destroyed city and built a much less grand Temple without the Ark. Ezra “purified” Judea, ending pagan intermarriage, and edited the standard version of the Torah. The promises of Jerusalem’s greatness remained unfulfilled.
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) ANTICIPATORY SET Imagine you are a Jew living in exile in Babylon and respond to the following question: • What would be your greatest desire?
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) FOCUS QUESTIONS How was Cyrus as a leader? He conquered Babylon without shedding blood. He occupied the city in an orderly way and allowed peoples to retain their customs and worship. What did Cyrus offer to any Jew who wanted it? He allowed the Jews to return to Judah, and his government assisted financially. What did Cyrus offer to rebuild? He offered to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) What was the dream of Ezra and Nehemiah? At a time when Jerusalem was a tiny Jewish colony surrounded by hostile neighbors, these two Jewish political leaders dreamed of a purified Israel in the Promised Land. Why did Ezra see divorcing pagan wives as matter of life and death for Israel? Throughout history wives often got their way with respect to religion. Therefore, if Jewish men were married to foreign wives, they would quickly revert to paganism, thus incurring God’s punishment instead of his blessing. What contribution did Ezra make to the Torah? Ezra’s edition of the Torah became the standard version.
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) Why is it literally true to say only a remnant returned to Jerusalem? Most Jews remained in Babylon instead of undertaking the arduous return. Only a small number of enthusiastic refugees returned to rebuild the city. What was the condition of Jerusalem after the Exile? It was in complete ruin, untouched for fifty years after its destruction. How was the Second Temple different from the First? The Second Temple was smaller and much less magnificent. In addition, it lacked the Ark of the Covenant, so the Holy of Holies was empty.
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) GUIDED EXERCISE Think/Pair/Share using the following question: • Why was Cyrus a true messiah of the Jews?
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) GUIDED EXERCISE Think/Pair/Share using the following question: • What Persian principle of law legitimized the rebuilding of the Temple?
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) FOCUS QUESTIONS What became a major problem for the Jews? Since pagan worship was no longer the Jews’ main problem, the biggest problem became hypocrisy. The rich cheated and oppressed the poor and made few offerings in the Temple. What was lacking from hypocritical animal sacrifices? Instead of offering their best, they sacrificed the blind, sick, or lame animals of their flock. God did not ultimately desire sacrifice; what did he truly desire? He wanted people to treat each other well.
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Complete the following table to organize the unfulfilled promises about Jerusalem.
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 13–20 (p. 182–183) Practical Exercise 3 (p. 184) Workbook Questions 35–48 Read “Only One World to Conquer” through the sidebar “Judas Maccabeus and the Story of Hanukkah” (pp. 166–170, 172)
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) CLOSURE Free write for five minutes either supporting or criticizing Ezra’s desire for all Jewish men to put away—that is, divorce—their pagan wives.
4. Rebuilding Jerusalem (pp. 163–165) ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Lead a class discussion using the following question: • Based on the prophecies presented in this chapter, can Cyrus be considered the promised messiah?
5. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 166–170, 172) ANTICIPATORY SET Free write for two minutes about the Jews’ Egyptian persecution under Pharaoh.
5. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 166–170, 172) BASIC QUESTIONS What was Alexander the Great’s legacy? Why was King Antiochus IV terrible for Israel? What did the Maccabees accomplish? KEY IDEAS Alexander the Great’s conquest of the known world sparked Hellenization—the spread of Greek culture—which threatened to destroy the Jewish faith in Israel. King Antiochus IV, who had desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem, sought to Hellenize Israel, by terror if necessary. The Maccabees launched a successful revolt against Antiochus and gained an independent Israel.
5. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 166–170, 172) FOCUS QUESTIONS Who was Philip of Macedon? He was the father of Alexander the Great. Philip united Greece into one nation through a combination of war, diplomacy, and deceit. What did Alexander the Great accomplish? With lightning speed, he conquered the known world from Greece all the way to India.
5. The Maccabean Revolt (pp. 166–170, 172) What was Hellenism? Hellenism was the process by which lands conquered by Alexander the Great adopted Greek culture, language, religion, learning, architecture, art, and customs. What is the significance of the names Epiphanes and Epimanes? Epiphaneswas the name King Antiochus IV took for himself, meaning god manifest (epiphany). Epimanes is what many of his subjects called him, meaning out of his mind. They thought he was out of his mind for believing himself to be a god and his debauched behavior.