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DANIEL & THE LATTER PROPHETS, ESTHER, RUTH & JONAH

DANIEL & THE LATTER PROPHETS, ESTHER, RUTH & JONAH. BRIEF HISTORICAL ACCOUNT Scripture accounts relatively silent 400-200 B.C.E. Persian Empire continued to rule until Alexander the Great

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DANIEL & THE LATTER PROPHETS, ESTHER, RUTH & JONAH

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  1. DANIEL & THE LATTER PROPHETS, ESTHER, RUTH & JONAH

  2. BRIEF HISTORICAL ACCOUNT • Scripture accounts relatively silent 400-200 B.C.E. • Persian Empire continued to rule until Alexander the Great • 334-332 B.C.E. – Alexander the Great & “Hellenization” of much of known ancient world. Dramatically affected Jews in Palestine.

  3. BRIEF HISTORICAL ACCOUNT • 175 B.C.E – Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) came to throne – not good for Jews. • Forced Jews to worship Greek gods, prohibited Jewish practices • Set up altar to Zeus in Temple & sacrificed a hog on it. • Slaughtered Jews who resisted. • 168 B.C.E. – Maccabean revolt. Judas Maccabeus helped lead a revolt begun by his father. Recaptured Jerusalem in 165 B.C.E. & temple was cleansed & rededicated. • 63 B.C.E. – Romans came to power.

  4. LAST OF THE PROPHETS Three final prophets that spoke God’s word during different points in this time period OBADIAH • Nothing known about author • Basically a “hymn of hate” against Edom (southeast of Israel) • Leftover hard feelings between Israelites and Edomites, due to Jacob (Israel) and Esau (Edom) incident way back when.

  5. LAST OF THE PROPHETS MALACHI • Don’t know much about him either • Name means “My messenger” • Same time period as Ezra & Nehemiah • Deals with cynicism of returning exiles & issues of proper worship practices. • Book written as dialogue between prophet and God: God makes a statement, the prophet asks a clarifying question, God responds.

  6. LAST OF THE PROPHETS JOEL • Plague of locusts (1:1-2:27) • Very destructive & devours all plants in area in huge swarms. • Used to describe “day of the Lord” – destruction, devastating, a swarming army. • “Day of the Lord” (2:28-3:21) • Sun darkens & moon turns to blood • Other nations are judged, but Judah & Jerusalem are restored to glory. • Justice would be carried out

  7. APOCALYPTIC WRITING • From a Greek word which means “to uncover” or “to reveal” • Written during & for times of persecution • Central theme – God’s revelation concerning the end-time, the coming of the kingdom of God. • Bizarre visions, strange symbolism, supernatural happenings • Grappled deeply with mysteries of evil – saw it as more than just a consequence of sin. Some evils have no explanation.

  8. APOCALYPTIC WRITING • Very pessimistic about present situation • Focuses almost exclusively on coming kingdom of God, when all will be set right. • Because end is coming, apocalyptic literature inspires followers to continue being faithful even in dismal times. • Old Testament – Daniel (also parts of Isaiah & Zechariah) New Testament - Revelation

  9. WAYS APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE DIFFERED FROM PROPHETIC LITERATURE: • Encouraged God’s people in a time of trouble (not coming judgment) • Written first & read later (rather than spoken first & written later) • Unusual imagery & coded numbers, which intended audience understood but outsiders could not • Concerned with triumph of God over forces of evil in the universe. A cosmic struggle • God was directly involved in conflict with earthly enemy

  10. DANIEL • Book covers events during Babylonian exile & beginnings of Persian empire, but was written during time of Jews’ persecution by Antiochus IV Epiphanes over 400 years later. • Written for audience of Jews under persecution by Antiochus Epiphanes – to encourage them. • Latter half of book is apocalyptic literature • Major portion of book written in Aramaic, language Jews adopted in Babylon. Makes it unique b/c most of OT written in Hebrew

  11. NARRATIVE OF DANIEL (Chpts. 1-6) A series of stories about Daniel & three young men. Their faithfulness to God in difficult circumstances inspired God’s people to do the same in their own persecution hundreds of years later • 1:1-21 – Story of captivity of Daniel & his friends (Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego) • 2:1-49 – Daniel interprets King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a statue with gold, bronze, iron and clay. Represents rise & fall of surrounding kingdoms. Daniel is rewarded; other plot Jews’ demise.

  12. NARRATIVE OF DANIEL (Chpts. 1-6) • 3:1-30 – Daniel’s friends thrown into furnace b/c they didn’t worship the idol the king set up - & survive! Readers inspired to persevere through “fiery trials” under Antiochus Epiphanes. • 4:1-37 – King Nebuchadnezzar has another dream that Daniel interprets, this one of a mighty tree cut down. Symbolized that king would go temporarily insane – which he did.

  13. NARRATIVE OF DANIEL (Chpts. 1-6) • 5:1-31 – Story of Belshazaar’s feast & strange writing on the wall that Daniel interprets: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN Loosely interpreted to mean Belshazaar’s doom & fall of Babylon • 6:1-28 – Now under Persian rule (King Darius). Daniel is faithful to Darius & rewarded; others plot his demise. Daniel thrown into lion’s den because he worshipped Yahweh, but God saves him.

  14. DANIEL’S APOCALYPSE (Chpts. 7-12) • Four Beasts from the Sea (7:1-28) • Represent strong empires of the time (Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks). • The Ram & the He-goat (8:1-27) • Ram was Persians, he-goat was Alexander the Great • The Seventy Weeks (9:1-27) • Numerology is key here • The Last Days (10:1-12:13) • Best understood in historical context of persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes

  15. ESTHER

  16. In post-exilic period, a strong conflict among Jews over how to deal w/ non-Jewish world. Two mindsets, with Esther/Jonah/Ruth displaying differing views: • Universalism – Jews actively bring others outside their nation to knowledge of God. Missionary in perspective (Ruth & Jonah). • Particularism – Jews closed to the world, exclusive. Focus on themselves. (Esther).

  17. ESTHER Second book in Bible where name of God is not mentioned (other one was Song of Songs) Like a short story. Main characters are: • Esther – Jewish woman who becomes king’s wife – heroine of story • Mordecai – Esther’s cousin • King Ahasuerus/Xerxes – King of Persia, ruled Jews at the time • Haman –king’s prime minister & “villain” of the story

  18. ESTHER Chpt. 1 • King has big long celebration. • Queen Vasthi doesn’t appear when summoned before king and is vanquished. King begins search for new queen. 2:1-23 • Esther becomes queen, but conceals her Jewish identity (important part of story!) • Mordecai discovers a plot against the king and exposes it through Esther. His action is noted in the king’s records.

  19. ESTHER 3:1-15 • Introduction of Haman (boo!) • Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman. Haman is “above” having just Mordecai killed. • So Haman talks king into a decree to have all Jews exterminated on a certain day. • The big “unknown” – Haman doesn’t know the king’s favorite queen is a Jew!

  20. ESTHER 4:1-17 • Word of extermination hits the streets. Through a messenger, Mordecai pleads w/Esther to speak to king, even though doing so uninvited might mean her death. • Key line in 5:14b: Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.

  21. ESTHER 5: 1-14 • Esther appears unannounced before the king; the king receives her well. • Invites him & Haman to special dinner. Haman is excited! • Mordecai still doesn’t bow to Haman, so Haman builds gallows for him to be put to death on “D-day.”

  22. ESTHER 6:1-13 • King can’t sleep – has court official read king’s records. Comes upon Mordecai’s saving act & notes that he was never rewarded. • King calls for Haman & asks what he would do to reward someone who has served the king well. Haman thinks it’s him & details elaborate public celebration! • King agrees & makes Haman carry it out for Mordecai!

  23. ESTHER 6:14-7:10 • At Esther’s dinner, she reveals to king her Jewish identity & Haman’s plot to have her & all Jews killed. • King gets very upset & leaves room – Haman throws himself on Esther begging for mercy. • When King re-enters, he thinks Haman is “making a move” on queen - has Haman hung on the same gallows he built for Mordecai!

  24. Esther reveals Haman’s plot to destroy all Jews

  25. ESTHER 8:1-17 • King cannot undo previous decree for Jews to be killed – BUT he issues a new decree that permits all Jews to defend themselves. • Everyone is afraid of emboldened Jews – in some instances, Jews attack & kill others. • The Jews are spared.

  26. ESTHER • Point of this story – Jews should look after themselves. A “particularistic” view • Feast of Purim (“lot”) was enacted to celebrate perseverance of Jews – still observed by Jews today.

  27. RUTH, & JONAH; OTHER OT LITERARY ACTIVITY

  28. RUTH Story is set during period of Judges in Israelite history. Book of Ruth has a chiastic structure: • Ruth 1 – Relationship b/twn Ruth & Naomi • Ruth 2 – Naomi sends Ruth to Boaz (in daytime in a field)‏ • Ruth 3 – Naomi sends Ruth to Boaz (at night at a threshing floor)‏ • Ruth 4 – Relationship between Ruth & Boaz

  29. RUTH Ruth – Moabite woman led from Judah & later married Boaz. Great-grandmother of David. • Chpt 1 – key relationship between Ruth & Naomi: • Ruth & Orpah married Naomi’s sons; sons are killed in battle • By Jewish law, Ruth & Orpah were not bound to stay with Naomi b/c they hadn’t been married long enough to her sons. Naomi tells them to go. • Orpah leaves, but Ruth (non-Jew) stays – see vs. 16 ff.

  30. RUTH • God’s message not through prophecy or “word of the Lord,” but demonstrated by “hesed” of Ruth to Naomi when it wasn’t required • Spoke to “universalism” view for Jews – hero of story is a non-Jew

  31. JONAH • Took place in days of King Jeroboam II • A fiercely nationalist prophet who was called to prophecy to Nineveh, a corrupt city, non-Jewish. Jonah resisted and instead went in a totally opposite direction

  32. JONAH • On his way to Tarshish Jonah comes upon a huge storm, and when sailors find out it’s b/c Jonah disobeyed God they threw him into the ocean. • Jonah is swallowed by a big fish (NOT a whale!) & laments to God in its belly. Serves as a “reality check” for prophet” • Once out, Jonah heads to Nineveh and prophesizes there. The people respond and repent. Jonah is upset. Why??

  33. FINAL THINGS JEWISH SECTS: • Samaritans – may have originated from descendants of northern kingdom (Samaria was their capital)‏ • Pharisees – Focused on interpretation of the law. • Essenes – similar to Pharisees but theology was dominated by coming end of the age. • Sadducees – priestly party.

  34. FINAL THINGS ADDITIONAL LITERARY ACTIVITY: • APOCRYPHA - Literature accepted by Jews of Alexandria but not as part of the Hebrew canon (Catholicism accepts them)‏ • PSEUDEPIGRAPHA - “writing with false superscriptions.” Psalms of Solomon, etc. • DEAD SEA SCROLLS – Found in 1947. Large number of manuscripts & fragments from almost every Old testament book

  35. GUIDELINES FOR INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE IN ANY AGE: Must take context into consideration – verses before and after. Must know history… Exegesis (“pulling out” what’s there), not eisogesis (“pushing onto scripture your own ideas/agendas”)Must listen to others & accept the fact that there's always something more we can learn

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