3'3 Acts of God in the Old Testament

1
3.3 Acts of God in the Old Testament

• 3. GOD IN THE O.T.

2
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 1. Overview
• 1.1 "There is no treatise on God in the OT, no
  equivalent of the tract De Deo Uno (concerning
  the one God) of medieval and classical theology,
  no discussion of the idea of God. The existence
  of God is taken for granted. The Psalmist
  proclaims The fool says in his heart, There is
  no God (Pss 141 532Eng 531). The God of
  the OT is a God whom one experiences. One
  believes in God one reflects on the present
  situation, on what led to it, on the distant
  past, and one knows that God is at work in this
  process. The OT writers do not prove the
  existence of God scientifically for the modern
  scientist, philosopher, or historian. They know
  from experience that God exists. They reflect and
  are convinced that God initiates, sustains, and
  governs the universe, and that he directs
  history. They do not know an inert God."
  Scullion, J., "God in the OT," ABD

3
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 1.2 Revealing and Concealing
• Deut 29.29 "The secret things belong to the LORD
  our God, but the revealed things belong to us and
  to our children forever, to observe all the words
  of this law."
• Ps 77.20 "Your way was through the sea, your
  path, through the mighty waters yet your
  footprints were unseen."

4
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 2. Yahweh's Self-revelation
• 2.1 "The Old Testament knows of no term for
  revelation, even less a particular or a set one.
  YHWH can make known his will through the casting
  of lots, and he can transmit his power through
  his spirit and his helping presence through his
  angel, his name, and his majesty. All of these
  are, nevertheless, not actual "revelations" of
  YHWH, that is, of himself. YHWH also can make
  known his plans through dreams. However, their
  clarity is contested, and, what is more, their
  validity is debated (Jer 23.25, 28)."Preuss,
  OTTI, 200

5
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 3. Terms
• 3.1 "When the Old Testament speaks expressly
  about the self-appearances of YHWH, it
  characteristically uses only verbs, not
  substantives, and there are several of these. In
  addition, all of these verbs were used in the
  theological sphere, and they also exhibit a
  (often even a predominant) profane use. According
  to the Old Testament perspective, "only secular
  language" can be used to speak "about God's
  revelation." This has to do with the fact that
  the Old Testament way of thinking is not able and
  does not want to distinguish between what is for
  us secular and "theological." Preuss, OTTI,
  200-1

6
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 3.2 ga4la
• "God uncovers someone's ears" 1 Sam 9.15 2 Sam
  7.27 (1 Chron 17.25).
• Prophetic revelation 1 Sam 2.27 3.7, 21 Amos
  3.7
• "opening the ear" Num 22.31 24.4, 14 see also
  on the Torah in Ps 119 and in Job 33.16 36.10,
  15.
• Theophanic manifestations Gen 35.7
• 3.3 ra4)a
• Gen 12.6-7 17.1-3 26.23-25 35.9-15 Exod 3.2
• YHWH's ka4bod (glory) Exod 16.7, 10 Num 14.10
  16.19 17.7 20.6

7
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 3.4 ya4da(
• Associated with the "word of YHWH" 1 Sam 3.7
  Pss 9.17 48.4 76.2.
• "YHWH's hand" Isa 66.14 Jer 16.21
• "When YHWH revealed himself and his name in the
  exodus, he became known by Israel" in Election
  Exod 9.16 Deut 3.24 Pss 77.15f. 78.11ff.
  106.7ff. Mic 7.15 is Known Amos 3.2 Deut
  9.24 Hos 13.4.
• 3.5 bo), ya4rad, ya4sa4)

8
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 4. God's Self-Introduction
• 4.1 "I am YHWH" Hos 12.10 Isa 42.8 Exod 20.2
• 4.2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out
  of the land of Egypt" Lev 19.36 22.32 25.38
  Judg 6.10
• 4.3 "besides me there is no god" Isa 44.6
  45.22 46.9
• 4.4 "I am the LORD, that is my name my glory I
  give to no other, nor my praise to idols" Isa
  42.8 41.4 44.6 45.5
• 4.5 "you shall know that I am the LORD" 86x in
  Ezek.

9
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 5. Yahweh's Acts in History
• 5.1 ". . . the Old Testament discourse of
  revelation and of the word of Yahweh has
  introduced repeatedly the phenomenon of history
  and less so the them of "creation" . . . . The
  sphere of Old Testament wisdom literature largely
  avoids, however, the subject of revelation. That
  YHWH may "reveal" himself in the experiences of
  the ordinary world that are encountered and
  described in the wisdom literature is nowhere
  stated expressis verbis. However, that the sages
  believed that YHWH is active in the orders that
  are experienced or postulated in the everyday
  world is not contested." Preuss, OTTI, 208-9

10
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 5.2 "The Old Testament discourse of revelation .
  . . is closely connected with its interpretation
  of history, even though there is no "term" for
  history in its literature." Preuss, OTTI, 209
• 15 of the 39 writings of the OT are or contain
  "history" (Gen Exod Num Deut Josh Judg 1
  2 Sam 1 2 Kings Esther Ezra Nehemiah 1 2
  Chron). Ruth, Jonah Daniel include historical
  matter, while even Psa, Lam and the Prophetic
  books in general touch on history.
• 5.3 "The 'Knowledge of YHWH' derives from the
  process of experience grounded in history."
  Preuss, OTTI, 209

11
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 6. Crisis in Revelation
• 6.1 Murmuring in the Wilderness Tradition (lun)
  Exod 16.3 17.3 Num 14.3 16.1 . . . .
• 6.2 Sign ()ot) Gen 9.12 17.11 Exod 3.12 4.8
  10.1 31.13 Josh 4.6 2 Kgs 19.29 Isa 8.16-20
  19.19-21.
• 6.3 The loss of the Ark of the Covenant 1 Sam
  4-6
• 6.4 The problem of 2 Sam 17.14
• 6.5 The problems of 1 Kgs 13 22.

12
3.3.1 Self-revealing / Deus Absconditus

• 7. Exod 32-34
• 32.1-35 The golden calf narrative
• 33.1-6 Command to leave Sinai
• 33.7-10 The normative form of revelation to Moses
• 33.11-23 Moses' Intercession
• 34.1-9 The revelation of God's "goodness" and the
  Ten Commandments
• 34.10-28 Renew of Covenant
• 34.29-35 Moses and the "shining"

13
3.3.2 Creation

• 1. There are 4 major types or blocks of Creations
  Texts in the Old Testament
• 1.1 Gen 1
• 1.2 Gen 2
• 1.3 Wisdom Literature Prov 8.22-31 Psa 104 Job
  38-40
• 1.4 Isaiah 40-55

14
Old Testament Cosmology

• OT conception of the world (1) waters above the
  firmament (2) storehouses of snows (3)
  storehouses for hail (4) chambers of winds (5)
  firmament (6) sluice (7) pillars of the sky
  (8) pillars of the earth (9) fountain of the
  deep (10) navel of the earth (11) waters under
  the earth (12) rivers of the nether world

15
3.3.2 Creation

• 2. The Main Theological Features of the God's Act
  of Creation in Genesis 1
• 2.1 Radical Monotheism is emphasized
• 2.2 That which God has created is declared to be
  "Good" (bAj). n.b. 1.4, 10, 21, 25, 31
• 2.3 The importance of Humankind
• 2.4 Resting on the seventh day is significant
• 2.5 The whole act of creation seen as effortless
  and non-sexual.
• 2.6 Not Emphasized here Creation out of Nothing.
  (n.b. Heb 11.2)
• 2.7 Problem of interpreting Gen 1.1-2

16
3.3.2 Creation

• 3. The Main Theological Features of the God's Act
  of Creation in Genesis 2
• 3.1 Gen 2.4-7 Human was "formed" "Then the LORD
  God formed man (Heb adam) from the dust of the
  ground (Heb adamah), and breathed into his
  nostrils the breath of life and the man became a
  living being."
• 3.2 Gen 2.8-17 The Garden of Eden
• "And the LORD God commanded the man, "You may
  freely eat of every tree of the garden but of
  the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you
  shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it
  you shall die."

17
3.3.2 Creation

• 3.3 Gen 2.18-28 Woman Order is Created
• "It is not good (bAj-al)that the man should be
  alone I will make him a helper as his partner."
  (ADggtnltK. rzlte)
• "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother
  and clings to his wife, and they become one
  flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked,
  and were not ashamed (ymwr).
• 3.1 "Now the serpent was more crafty (wr)than
  any other wild animal that the LORD God had made."

18
3.3.2 Creation

• 4. The Main Theological Features of the God's Act
  of Creation in Wisdom Literature
• 4.1 Proverbs 8.22-31
• 4.1.1 "Dame Wisdom" is contrasted with the "Loose
  Woman" 2.16-19 5.1-11, 15-23 7.14-20
• 4.1.2 Wisdom follows the "order" of the cosmos.
• 4.1.3 A familiar imagery is used to explain the
  Creation.

19
3.3.2 Creation

• 4.2 Job 38-40
• 4.2.1 An architectural depiction of creation.
• 4.2.2 Creation is for more than humankind.
• 4.2.3 The Cosmos and the existence of "Evil."
• 4.3 Psalms 104 The Divine continuance and
  maintenance of creation.

20
3.3.2 Creation

• 5. The Main Theological Features of the God's Act
  of Creation in Isaiah 40-55
• 5.1 von Rad was the first to identify the close
  connection of Creation and "Salvation" in these
  passages.
• 5.2 Isaiah 40.12-31 presents God as the Creator
  of Heaven and Earth in an attempt to encourage
  exilic Israel.
• 5.3 The close connections made between the exodus
  and creation 41.17-20 42.13-17 43.1-7
  43.16-21 49.8-12 51.9-11.

21
3.3.2 Creation

• 5.4 Cosmology is used as an metaphor of "Temple"
  building 44.24-45.13 45.14-25.

22
3.3.3 Bless / Curse

• 1. Introductory Question
• 1.1 What is an appropriate definition of "bless"
  / "blessing" and "curse" / "cursing"?
• 1.2 Is there a "magical" worldview behind the
  concepts of "blessing and cursing"?
• 1.3 Do "words" really have the power to change
  things?

23
3.3.3 Bless / Curse

• "In the Bible, blessing may be understood as a
  performative utterance (see Austin 1962 1979),
  the effective activity of pronouncing and
  bringing about good for someone. It may be the
  resultant favor (benefaction) or enablement
  itself. Blessing may also be an act of greeting
  or prayer that invokes good for someone or seeks
  to avert or neutralize evil. Finally, it may be
  an act of praise by which a benefactor, human or
  divine, is acknowledged and thanked for benefits
  received or expected. The meaning of cursing is
  just the opposite. It may refer to the
  pronouncement of evil which brings about
  punishment or harm to someone, the actual harm or
  punishment effected, or an invocation of the
  same. It is unthinkable, however, that one would
  curse the deity (Lev 241016), even for some
  harm one might attribute to Gods neglect or
  disfavor (Job 2910)." Urbrock, "Blessings and
  Cursings," ABD

24
3.3.3 Bless / Curse

• "The magical conception would attribute
  inherent power, for example, to a certain form of
  pronouncement, so that the benediction or
  malediction once spoken must automatically bring
  about its result, barring pronouncement of an
  equally or more effective counter-curse or
  -blessing. The religious conception, by
  contrast, would attribute the power and efficacy
  of a blessing or curse to the cooperative will
  and action of God or the gods." Urbrock

25
3.3.3 Bless / Curse

• "the ancient Israelites, along with other
  contemporary cultures, attributed unusual power
  to the spoken word (Heb daµbaµr) once uttered,
  the word would practically take on a life of its
  own and continue in effect whether or not
  circumstances changed or the original speaker had
  a change of mind. Thiselton (1974) strongly
  questions the supposed independent power of words
  in the Bible. The power of words in general, and
  of blessings and curses in particular, presumably
  depends upon the disposition (favorable or
  unfavorable), power, and status of the person who
  utters them, the circumstances under which they
  are spoken, and the expectations and receptivity
  of the audience for or about whom the words are
  spoken. The Bible presents blessings and curses
  as neither automatic nor irrevocable." Urbrock

26
3.3.3 Bless / Curse

• 2. Terms of Blessing
• 2.1 brk to bless
• 2.2 hnn "to act favorably or graciously"
• 2.3 rsh ra4son "be favorably pleased,"
  "favor"
• 2.4 slh "to advance or prosper"
• 2.5 hesed "loyalty/magnanimity/kindness"
• 2.6 God/Yahweh is with ((im or )et) the person
• 2.7 )asre "happy"
• 2.8 sa4lom

27
3.3.3 Bless / Curse

• 3. Terms for Cursing
• 3.1 )lh an vocal or written imprecation, a curse
  pronounced. Scharbert (TDOT, 126164) adds that
  Heb ltaµlaÆ was commonly used in legal situations
  as a conditional curse or oath used to prove
  guilt, protect property, or ratify a treaty.
• 3.2 )rr used with brk often as a participle with
  the basic sense of "spell," connoting a banning
  or barring from benefit. Scharbert notes that the
  ltaµruÆr formula was the most powerful decree
  expressed by someone in authority to deliver over
  a transgressor to misfortune (TDOT, 1411).

28
3.3.3 Bless / Curse

• 3.3 qll wide semantic field with disrespect and
  verbal / physical abuse involved. Scharbert notes
  that in the Balaam story (Numbers 2224), the
  uncommon Heb root qbb alternates several times
  with ltrr, while Heb zgtm also occurs once.
• 3.4 "Also within the semantic field of cursing
  are the ban (Heb h9erem) which singled out
  persons or groups for extermination (e.g., Joshua
  7), the interjections Heb ltoÆy (Woe! e.g., Isa
  65) and hôy (Ha! e.g., Jer 2218), and
  expressions of divine withdrawal or displeasure
  such as Gods hiding or turning away the
  face.

29
3.3.3 Bless / Curse

• 4. The Power and Author behind Blessing
  Cursing
• 4.1 Since Yahweh is the source of all good and
  evil (Isa 45.5-7 Job 12.13-25), from a "biblical
  view, therefore, no blessing or curse can become
  operative without the assent of this God."
  Urbrock
• 4.2 Curses that were overturned Micah (Judg
  17.1-3) Jonathan's (1 Sam 14).
• 4.3 Rituals of blessing involve laying on of
  hands (Gen 48.14) or the ritual sharing of food
  drink (Gen 14.18-20). Rituals of cursing include
  throwing stone dust (?) in 2 Sam 16.5-14,
  drinking of curse water (Num 5.19-28), smashing
  pottery (Jer 19.1-13 Egyptian background?). The
  oath swearing ritual of cutting animals, etc.
  (Gen 15.9-10). N.B Deut 27!

30
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• 1. Centrality of Salvation in the Old Testament
• 1.1 "The salvation from Egypt is the center of
  the Pentateuch." (M. Noth)
• 1.2 Even in the short historical creedal,
  salvation is central (von Rad) n.b. Deut 26.6-9!
• 1.3 Exod 20.2 "I am the LORD your God, who
  brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the
  house of slavery. . . ."
• 1.4 "Excluding wisdom literature, God saving of
  Israel is the center of the Old Testament."
  (Westermann)

31
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• 2. The fact that God saves Israel is viewed as
  the beginning of its history indicates that God
  will continue to be her savior. (Westermann)
• 2.1 The salvation depicted in the Great Flood
  (Gen 6-9) is one in which all living things are
  saved.
• 2.2 God's saving acts span the period from the
  time of Israel's exodus from Egypt throughout the
  period when her enemies attacked her in
  Palestine. (Judges period, institution of
  monarchy, early monarchs)
• 2.3 The paradigm of God's saving act is
  especially evident in the Hezekiah Period (Isa
  36-37 2 Kgs 18-19 2 Chron 32).

32
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• 3. That God deal with the history of the nation,
  the life of an individual and all humanity
  indicates that God's saving act is applicable to
  all areas of life.
• 4. The reasons given for Israel's salvation from
  Egypt Deut 7.6-8.
• 5. There is a "pre-history" and "after-history"
  to God's saving act.
• 5.1 The problem in Salvation History
• 5.2 The Order of salvation the necessity for
  salvation the cry for help salvation response
  to God's saving act.

33
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• Deut 26.5-11
• Pre-History 26.5
• The Need 26.6
• The Cry for Help 26.7a
• The Cry Heeded 26.7b
• Salvation 26.8, 9
• The Response to God's Saving Act 26.10, 11

34
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• Exodus-Numbers
• Need for Salvation Exod 1-11
• Salvation Exod 12-14
• Thanksgiving for Salvation Exod 15
• Protected in the Wilderness Journey Exod 16-18
  Num 10-36
• Mount Sinai Exod 19-34
• Worship Exod 25-31 35-40 Lev 1-27 Num 1-10

35
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• 6. This Salvation was Miraculous Ps 77.11-15
• 7. The Saving God is the God who comes
  (Westermann)
• 7.1 Exod 15.21
• 7.2 Num 10.35-36
• 7.3 Divine Warrior
• 8. Salvation Oracles in Prophetic Literature Isa
  41.8-13, 14-16 43.1-7 44.1-5

36
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• 9. Judgment
• 9.1 Gen 6.5-7 "The LORD saw that the wickedness
  of humankind was great in the earth, and that
  every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts
  was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was
  sorry that he had made humankind on the earth,
  and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD
  said, "I will blot out from the earth the human
  beings I have created -- people together with
  animals and creeping things and birds of the air,
  for I am sorry that I have made them."
• 9.2 Hos 1.9 "And he said, Call his name, Not my
  people for ye are not my people, and I am not
  your God."

37
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• 10. Antediluvian history Judgment Gen 3-4
• 11. Judgment in history Exod 32-34 Num 13-14
  25 Deuteronomistic Historian's viewpoint.
• 12. Prophetic Oracles of Judgment
• 12.1 Prophetic Oracles of Judgment are an
  important component in Israel's prophetic
  literature
• 12.2 The Judgment Oracles stand between God's
  saving Acts

38
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• 12.3 History of the Oracles of Judgment
• 12.3.1 Although there was prophetic activity
  before Amos it was not recorded.
• 12.3.2 From Amos on, the prophets pronounced a
  word of judgment on all people.
• 12.3.3 The Prophets before Amos proclaimed words
  of judgment on individual, i.e., Kings, etc.
• 12.3.4 From Amos till 587 BCE the prophets
  included other nations in their prophecies

39
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• 12.3.5 From Amos until the death of King Josiah,
  the prophets did not include "personal
  experiences" as part of their prophecies.
  Beginning with Jeremiah and Ezekiel this changed.
• 13. Topics of Prophetic Judgment
• 13.1 Politics Isaiah (none in Hos, Amos, Micah)
• 13.2 Social Problems Amos, Micah Isaiah (none
  in Jeremiah)

40
3.3.4 Save / Judge

• 13.3 The so-called Anti-cultic prophecies
• 13.3.1 Found in Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah,
  Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel
• 13.3.2 Content
• Sacrifices
• False Temple Worship
• Priests that do not serve
• Cultic prophets