Seminar Thesis

1) Which books are considered the “former prophets”?

Joshua - 2Kings

2) The sense in which these books are prophetic.

a. The focus on forth telling

3) What is the relationship between the former prophets and Deuteronomy (i.e. why we refer to

the Dueteronomistic history)?

Deuteronomy is about the blessings / curses of unfaithfulness and the

covenant. The prophets preached about remembering those teachings

and being faithful so that Israel would not receive the curses.

4) How biblical history differs from the modern academic discipline of history

a. Method- both modern and ancient has primary and secondary sources but ancient

history doesn’t cite things. Not concerned with credit.

b. Goals- modern is mainly concerned with culture, economics, social things and ancient

was mainly concerned with moral matters

c. Perspective- in modern the author doesn’t interject opinion, only facts; ancient is not

afraid to show their opinion (NOTE: difference between prejudice opinion which is bad

and biased which is good)

5) How was Israel governed during the time of Joshua and the Judges?

a. Joshua 1-12: there was a time of one central judgment (Joshua)

b. Joshua 13-24: allocation of the land to the 12 tribes with tribe leaders

c. After the separation of the tribes each tribe governed themselves individually and did

not have central leadership to connect them. The Judges came to tribes as needed when

called by God.

6) Who are the “sea people” and why do they have an advantage over the Israelites?

a. The sea people are the philistines who came over the Mediterranean Sea

b. They had an advantage because they could work Iron to make greater weapons and