Contents: V. 2 From the seventh-century prophets to Daniel

Chp. I: Voices of revival and reform

The International situation ca. seventh century: the peak of Assyrian imperial domain

The reign of Manasseh

The prophet Zephaniah

Zephaniah's rebuke of idolatry

Zephaniah's proclamation of the " Day of the Lord"

Towards the concept of the Remnant

Deuteronomy

Authorship and origin

Audience of Deuteronomy

The discovery of the scroll of Deuteronomy in the time of Josiah

Basic call of Deuteronomy: to remember and love the Lord

The motive for the command to love: the gospel basis

Basic ethical implication of loving the Lord

Law governing the King

Social dimension of the Festival Law

The Sabbatical Law

On sanctuary and landgrabbing

Some vital themes

Of blessings and curses

Summary of themes in Deuteronomy

Continuing impact of Deuteronomy and the reform movement on other Prophets

Second stage editor of Amos, ca. 620

The Prophet Jeremiah and the Deuteronomic history (DH-I)

The failure of the Deuteronomic reform

The battle of Megiddo and the death of Josiah

Theological implications and Habakkuk's discernment of the times

Habakkuk's complaints to the Lord and the watch post

Nahum

Hearing Nahum's voices today

Chp. II: Prophetic Agony over the Impending Death of the nation

The person and call of Jeremiah

The Book of Jeremiah: its structure and arrangement

Historical setting of the book

Possible story behind the formation of the book

Jeremiah's preaching against the temple

Idolatry and socio-ethical crimes of the powerful

Reliance on other nations as idolatry

On the rulers true knowledge of the Lord

The root cause of the human Malady

Prophetic witness to the reversal of creation

The reign of Zedekiah and the popular prophets

The issue of true and false prophet

Mockery of the Sabbatical year law

Nationalist perspective vs class perspective and their view of God

Jeremiah's letter to the exiles

Continuing clash with the local leaders before the tragedy of 587

Prophetic words of comfort and hope

Jeremiah's confessions

The Book of Lamentations

Chp. III: Prophetic -Priestly voices from the Land of Exile

Historical background of the period

The Prophet and Priest Ezekiel

The Book of Ezekiel: its chronology and structure

The call of Ezekiel and the Prophet's image of God

The Bizarre prophetic signs of Ezekiel

The mission of Ezekiel and the Judgment of Israel

Primary task of Ezekiel: to be a watchman

Individual accountability vs corporate responsibility

Socio-ethical dimension vs Pastoral responsibility

The Priestly language of Ezekiel

Ezekiel on the other nations: a prophetic word on monopolistic economies

God's judgment on the nations: the example of Tyre

Implications of the judgment on Tyre on

Contemporary economic realities

Prophecies of restoration

The vision of the valley of dry bones

Vision of the New Temple in Jerusalem

A new system of Land reapportionment in Jerusalem

The nature transforming river from the Temple

The right of non-Jewish Dwellers to inherit their share of the Land

Prophetic vision vs historical reality

The exilic edition of other writings

The exilic edition of Amos

The exilic edition of Micah

The exilic edition of the Deuteronomistic history

The Priestly tradition in the Pentateuch

Type of priestly materials in the Pentateuch

The priestly view of history

The priestly view of creation

The place of human being as male and female in creation

P's three perpetual covenants in history

The covenant with Noah

The covenant with Abraham

The Mosaic covenant with Israel and the sign of Sabbath

The Book of Leviticus

Chp. IV: Prophetic vision of a new age: the Book of Second Isaiah

Historical setting of second Isaiah

The significance of Cyrus in second Isaiah

The last days of Babylon

Cyrus Decree of release from exile

The differences between Isaiah and second Isaiah

Major themes in second Isaiah

Comfort and pardon

The Lord is coming

Strong rhetoric against idols

Rejecting the idols on the basis of creation theology

Echoes of anti-idolatry rhetoric in other traditions

Deconstructing idolatry

No other God except Yahweh

God initiating a new thing in history

God summoning a pagan Messiah as instrument

The servant of the Lord and the servant songs: a collective or individual identity?

Recalling in the old themes of Israel's faith: a new Exodus

Creation synonymous with redemption

Features of the "new thing" that Yahweh is doing

Suffering that brings about healing and atonement

Images of suffering in the past as paradigm for a new Exodus

Implication on the contemporary situation

The "new thing" as exemplified in Jesus the Christ

Chp. V:Priestly vision of restoration

Historical and literary background

Thematic overview of the materials

Specific themes in Ezra and Nehemiah

Some problems in the text of Ezra

The period of Ezra's mission

Renewal of the covenant and reinstitution of the law

The historical setting of the Book of Nehemiah

Looking at our situation through the lens of Nehemiah's story

The response of Nehemiah and the people

Significance of the rebuilding of the walls and other reforms of Nehemiah

Learning lessons from the leadership of Nehemiah

The Prophets Haggai and Zechariah

Haggai's temple theology

I and II Zechariah

I Zechariah (1-8)

II Zechariah (9-14)

The Book of I and II Chronicles

Discernible themes

Authorship and intention of Chronicles

Some draw backs of Chronicles

Ignoring of David's human frailties

Almost zero acknowledgement of the role of women

Conclusion

Malachi

Joel

Obadiah

III Isaiah

A feminine image of God the comforter

Re-envisioning the future by III Isaiah

A metaphor for a new creation: a new garden of Eden and the Messiah's mission

Chp. VI: The voices of worship and praises of Israel

What is Psalm?

The Psalms and Filipino music in worship

"Handbook of the second Temple"

Basic themes and types of Psalms

Psalms of orientation

Psalms of disorientation

Psalms of reorientation

Message of Psalms

Cultic centered religion and ethically conscious life of thanksgiving

God's justice and God's steadfast love

Human glory and human finitude

The "praise" and the contemplative" traditions with Psalms

Anti-idolatry Rhetoric

A stronghold for the oppressed: the justice of God

From powerless to being empowered: royal responsibility and accountability

Chp. VII: Voice of Wisdom from the sages

Wisdom's understanding of life and reality

Classification of Wisdom literature

Basic genres and setting of Wisdom literature

Wisdom as a universal phenomenon

Wisdom in Filipino culture

The Book of Proverbs

Possible context of the Book of Proverbs

Wisdom's offer of an alternative life

Various collections in the Book of Proverbs

Women in proverbs

Parallelism in the Book of Proverbs

Wisdom as a tool for status quo preservation

Amidst serious contradiction

The Song of Songs

Message and theological implications of book

The Book of Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth)

Authorship and date of composition

General features of the book

Historical setting of the book

The message of Qoheleth

His view of life and one's toil

The value and limitations of Wisdom

The reality and inevitability of death for all creatures

The mystery and hiddenness of God

Living in hope and joy in the meantime

The Book of Job

Nature and structure of the book

Historical context of Job

Issues and the themes in the Book of Job

A disinterested religion of faith

The justice of God Amidst the suffering of the innocent

Solidarity with the other oppressed and suffering as one way

To search for an answer (Language of Prophecy)

The inscrutability of the way (Wisdom) of God

Receiving God's response from beyond our normal categories

From knowing and hearing about God to knowing and hearing God face to face (Language of contemplation)

Chp. VIII: Voices of Faith and hope for the last days

The Book of Ruth

Context and possible authorship

The flow of the story

Theme in the story

From Emptiness to fullness

From the margins to center

From death to life

Women at the center

Acceptance of foreigners in the community of faith

From the ordinary to the extraordinary

The Book of Jonah

Brief summary of the book

Style and message of the Book

Significance of Jonah for today

The Book of Esther

Nature, context and form of the book

Some unique features of the book

The story in summary

The function and invention of the story

Message of a strongly Jewish book to the Christians of today

Daniel and Apologetic

The context prior to the Book of Daniel

Historical precedents of Antiochus persecution of the Jews

Greek replaces Hebrew as Dominant Language

Seleucids take over Palestine from Ptolemies

The reign of Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)

Sale of the office of the High Priest to the highest bidder

Growing contradiction between the city and the country side

Antiochus takes his vengeance

Apocalyptic literature

Features of Apocalyptic literature

Revelatory nature of the Writings

Dualism

Pessimism regarding the present Age

Determinism

Difference with Prophetic message

On sin, suffering, and ethical perspective

On the idea of spirit "possession"

On the judgment and triumph of God

On the collective and the individual

The context of apocalyptic literature as seen in Daniel

The Hasidimas among the revolutionaries

Possible sate of writing

The problem of an exilic date of Daniel

The main literary divisions in Daniel

The Bilingual nature of the Book

Themes of message of Daniel from the two main divisions

Some themes from Daniel relevant to the Philippine situation

Chp. IX: Hearing voices of authority and inspiration: reaffirming the Old Testament for the Filipino Christian today

The parting of the ways

The problem of the authority of the Old Testament for Filipinos

The danger of fragmented Bible for the Filipino

The Old Testament in relation to the New Testament

Respecting the Jewish nature and origin of the Old Testament

Acknowledging the polyphonic or multivocal character of the Old Testament

Openness to various possibilities of interpretive construction

New Testament concept given definitive meaning and description in the Old Testament

Jesus as the Messiah and suffering servant of the Lord

Jesus as the Revelation of the nature and character of God

Jesus as the embodiment of the hope made definitive in the Old Testament

Scripture as mirror of people's live and history