Module 3: Historical Books

Hi everyone, and welcome to the third module for the Old Testament survey course. In this section, we'll be working through the Historical Books of the Old Testament.

Below you will find links to all the study material for this module.

Module Objectives & Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, the student will:

  • Place the Major OT people, events and books of the Historical Books in a general chronology
  • Explain the main message(s), organization, theme(s), and/or character(s) of the Historical Books.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the character of God as revealed through His revelation in the history and literature of the Historical Books.
  • Consider how God’s revelation through the Historical Books applies in the student’s life and ministry.

Instruction Documents

In this section, you'll find links to the instruction documents for this module. There is an instruction document for an individual student studying on their own. And there is an instruction document for students working through this material with a group. Click the links below to access those documents.

Bible/Textbook Reading

In this section, you'll find links to the list of required Bible and textbook reading for this module. The student should read the assigned Bible portions and respond according to the instructions contained in the Bible Response Reflection or Discussion documents found below. The student may read the assigned portions of the Textbook before the lectures, or they may wait and read them after the lectures to serve as review, and to fill in any additional information the student may wish to know. Click the link below to access this document.

Bible Response Reflection Journal/Discussion

The student will choose one or more portions from the assigned Bible reading for this module and write a journal and/or discuss with their group based on that Bible passage. As you read from the Old Testament, let it be a devotional experience. Detailed instructions for this activity are given below. Click the link to see the instructions for individual journaling or the instructions for group discussion.

Lecture Videos

In this section, you will find the video lectures for the Historical Books module. They are designed to be watched in order, but each video should make sense on its own. Before each video, there is a link to a study guide for that lecture and a link to blank, fill-in notes for that lecture. Click each banner to open access to each video. There is also a link with each video if you prefer to watch on the Rumble or YouTube interface. In addition, there is a link to download the audio from the presentation for offline review. And after most of the lectures, there is a link to a summary sheet for the Bible book(s) covered in that lecture. Click each link to access those documents.

Intro to the Historical Books

Joshua

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18: Joshua
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Judges

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19: Judges
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Ruth

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20: Ruth
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First Samuel

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21: First Samuel
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Second Samuel

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22: Second Samuel
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First & Second Kings

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23: 1 & 2 Kings
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First & Second Chronicles

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24: 1 & 2 Chronicles
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Ezra & Nehemiah

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25: Ezra & Nehemiah
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Esther

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26: Esther
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Reviews

In this section, you will find the review slides from the course lectures for module 3. This is a convenient way to view and review the summaries for each lecture. Click the banner to begin the slide show.

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Review Slideshow
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Click the prev. and next buttons (bottom right of the slide) to move through the slides. You can also click on any thumbnail to go directly to that slide.

It is highly recommended that the student recite these reviews out loud as an aid to memory. Some memory aids and tricks were mentioned in the Lectures for some of the summaries (e.g. SCRuB). The student should also brainstorm any shorthand memory aids to help them commit these review summaries to memory. The student should not just attempt to memorize the summaries, but also to use the summaries as a framework to understand and retain the nature and content of the Old Testament.

Course Material Response Reflection

The Student will choose one or more items from either the Video Lectures or the Course Textbook which stood out as personally significant to them. The student will then reflect and write on the item(s); how it/they challenged or added to their current understanding, and how their worldview, life, and/or ministry should be affected by their new understanding.

Detailed instructions for this activity can be found by clicking the link below:

Timeline - Step Three

The student will research and present an Old Testament Timeline in seven steps over the course of all seven modules.

Step Three of the Timeline should include the following information:

  • The events, characters, and Bible books for each of the Historical Books.
  • These should be appropriately placed in the historical epochs as displayed in the first step of this project.

If you are working through this material in a group, the group leader may choose for the Timeline to be constructed as a group activity during the group meeting time.

Detailed instructions for this activity can be found by clicking the link below:

Review Quiz

This section contains a review quiz to test your understanding of the objective material for Module 3. By clicking the banner, you will be taken to a series of questions, in random order. Answer each question and then push the Submit button to check your answers. Every question must be answered before you can submit the quiz. At the end, you will be shown your score for the entire quiz. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once. Click the banner to begin the quiz.

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Quiz for Module 3
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Review Quiz for Module 3

Here is a review quiz for the material covered in this module's lectures. Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.


Which word best summarizes the Books of Samuel?

Return


Providence


Apostasy


Temple


Divided


Conquest


Monarchy


In Ezra & Nehemiah, the rebuilding of the temple and the walls of Jerusalem is connected with the restoration of faithfulness to God and His Law.

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 25
Who was the leader of the first return from Babylon?

Ezra

Sorry, see Lecture 25

Nehemiah

Sorry, see Lecture 25

Zerubbabel

Excellent
The Books of Ezra/Nehemiah are organized around three returns from Babylon.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 25
The Book of Ruth demonstrates God's faithfulness.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 20
David was anointed king while Saul was still reigning as king.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 21
Which word best summarizes the Books of Ezra/Nehemiah?

Monarchy


Divided


Return

Well Done

Faithfulness


Temple


Providence


Conquest


Which best describes the experience of Israel at the end of Old Testament history?

They are chastised by the exile and are conscientious to be faithful to God

Sorry, see Lecture 25

They are chastened by the exile, they struggle to be faithful, but it is unsure whether they will succeed

Correct

They are chastened by the exile, but remain unfaithful to God

Sorry, see Lecture 25

They are experiencing exile and oppression, failure and relapse into unfaithfulness.

Sorry, see Lecture 25
David's sin had no enduring consequences because he was forgiven by God

True

Sorry, see Lecture 22

False

Good Job
Which historical epoch is described in the books of Kings?

Prehistory

Sorry, see Lecture 23

Exodus/Conquest

Sorry, see Lecture 23

Patriarchs

Sorry, see Lecture 23

Monarchy

Good Job

Exile/Return

Sorry, see Lecture 23
Who was the leader of the third return from Babylon?

Ezra

Sorry, see Lecture 25

Nehemiah

Well Done

Zerubbabel

Sorry, see Lecture 25
The First Temple was completed under whose leadership?

Moses

Sorry, see Lecture 23

David

Sorry, see Lecture 23

Solomon

Good

Zerubbabel

Sorry, see Lecture 23

Ezra

Sorry, see Lecture 23

Elijah

Sorry, see Lecture 23
The conquest of the Promised Land was completed by Joshua.

True

Sorry, see Lecture 18

False

Well Done
The Book of Esther is organized around a problem, then a solution.

True

Excellent

False

Sorry, see Lecture 26
Which of these is a theme of the Book of Chronicles?

Contrast Faithfulness

Sorry, see Lecture 24

Solomon's sin

Sorry, see Lecture 24

Day of the Lord

Sorry, see Lecture 24

David and his dynasty

Good Job
The Book of Esther emphasizes that God exercises poetic justice.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 26
Ruth converts to the God of Israel and confesses and takes an oath in His Name.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 20
Which word best summarizes the Books of Kings?

Apostasy


Temple


Divided

Excellent

Return


Providence


Monarchy


Faithfulness


Which occurred LAST in history?

The first temple was built


The Kingdom divided


David vs. Goliath


The Northern Kingdom taken into exile


The ministry of Elijah


The ministry of Ezra

Good Job
Joshua receives a reminder that God is with him like He was with Moses, but God is not on Joshua's side unless Joshua is on God's side.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 18
Which is NOT part of the cycle of the Book of Judges?

Sin/Idolatry

Sorry, see Lecture 19

Crying out to God

Sorry, see Lecture 19

Faithfulness and Obedience

Well Done

Oppression

Sorry, see Lecture 19
Which word best summarizes the Book of Judges?

Return


Monarchy


Providence


Conquest


Temple


Divided


Apostasy

Well Done
When does Esther take place in relationship to Ezra/Nehemiah?

After the third return

Sorry, see Lecture 26

Before the first and second returns

Good Job

Before the first return

Sorry, see Lecture 26

Before the second and third returns

Sorry, see Lecture 26
The Books of Chronicles are more positive in their description of Israelite Kings than the Books of Kings.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 24
The book of Joshua purposely makes clear that Joshua is God's chosen leader, just like Moses had been.

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 18
All of the Northern Kingdom's kings were rated as 'bad' by the author of Kings.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 23
Which word best summarizes the Books of Chronicles?

Providence


Apostasy


Monarchy


Return


Divided


Temple

Good Job
The Book of Ruth is organized by the setting of the four scenes.

True

Good Job

False

Sorry, see Lecture 20
Like in Judges, First Samuel sees the monarchy as both a potentially good and a potentially bad institution.

True

Correct

False

Sorry, see Lecture 21
In Joshua, the Promised Land is divided among the tribes by lot.

True

Well Done

False

Sorry, see Lecture 18

Discussion/Reflection/Essay Questions

This section contains some questions for further thought and discussion from Module 3. These questions can also be used as essay questions in a classroom setting exam. It is recommended that you take time to think through these issues in order to thoroughly grasp the significance and explore the application of the material you are learning. These questions are generated from a larger group of possible questions, so they will likely be different every time you open this banner. You may reopen this banner to see different questions. Click the banner to view the questions.

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Discussion/Application Questions
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The following questions are for your thoughtful consideration and discussion:

  1. Compare and contrast the leadership and character of Saul, David, and Solomon. What lessons are most relevant for application to your own character and leadership?
  2. How/What does the Book of Esther contribute to your Christian life?
  3. Why do you think things went so bad in the Book of Judges? What could have been done better? What lessons from this can you apply to your own life?
  4. Describe the differences between the Books of Kings and the Books of Chronicles. How does this help us understand these books? How does this help us in our Christian life?

Module Completed!

Congratulations, you have reached the end of the third module. I hope that you have found it rewarding and have noticed personal growth.

I encourage you to continue on to the next module as soon as is convenience. The button below will take you to Module 4.