STUDY GUIDE FOR ADDITIONAL READING ASSIGNMENT 3

Old Testament Prophecy, by Frank Knight Sanders

Chapters 5-8

Pages 35-58

NOTE REGARDING LIBERAL TENDENCIES

As you read this text, you should be aware that the author shows liberal tendencies, and some of his comments express opinions that Third Millennium does not share. For example: 1) He sometimes gives the impression that he believes the prophetical books of the Bible contain errors and contradictions. Third Millennium clearly holds to the inspiration and inerrancy of all the Scriptures. 2) He also tends to give dates for some of the books much later than evangelicals tend to give. 3) Thirdly, he breaks up the book of Isaiah into many sections, spread over many years, by several different authors. 4) Finally, he places less emphasis on how the Old Testament points to Christ than evangelicals do.

Having said this, the reading has many valuable insights and a lot of helpful information. An important part of studying theology includes developing the capacity to read books that do not totally conform to our standards, and to discern what is valid and what is not valid. To help you in this process, we will quote some of the more liberal comments in the study guides so that you can learn to identify them.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

Chapter 5

1. What was king Jehoakim's attitude toward Jeremiah?

2. Which prophet is known for announcing the fall of Nineveh, capital of Assyria?

3. What nation helped defeat Assyria at the time of Jeremiah, took Syria and Palestine as part of their share, then also defeated Egypt?

4. Which prophet is known for teaching that a righteous man can wait, knowing that God is righteous and His cause will prevail?

Chapter 6

1. Describe important facts about Ezekiel.

2. What was Ezekiel's first principal message?

3. What did Jeremiah encourage Zedekiah to do with regard to the Chaldeans?

4. As Jerusalem was ready to be captured, what change did Jeremiah explain regarding how God would bless His people in the future?

5. What happened to Jeremiah when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in 586 B.C.?

Chapter 7

1. What happened to the remnant who had remained in Jerusalem when Gadaliah, their governor, was killed?

2. What was the tone of Ezekiel's messages in exile in Babylon?

3. What was Ezekiel's last prophecy?

Chapter 8

1. What is the name of the ruler who conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. and allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem?

Notice the comment on page 54:

"The speaker or writer of Isaiah 40-48 was in all human probability a living prophet of the sixth century, gifted and educated like his great predecessor, whose writings or utterances came to be bound up at a much later date with the genuine Isaianic writings, because they interpreted so nobly and clearly, in the light of these new conditions, the ideals which the great Isaiah had cherished."

 How do you think this differs from the more conservative evangelical view?