Old Testament I Notes

Ceniya Jefferson OT I Prof. Lucky 08-20-2024 Bible (Psalm 1) Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; - What righteous man does not do - Blessed is the man who walks in the counsel of the ungodly - The blessed man does not do certain things. There is a way he will not walk, a path he will not stand in, etc. - It means the righteous man knows how to discern the counsel of the ungodly - Discerning the counsel can come from one’s own self. - Sinners have a path where they stand, and the righteous man knows he does not belong on that path. It speaks in a way, a road, a direction, and the righteous man is not traveling in the same direction as sinners. - The scornful love to sit with them and criticize them. It is easy because we are then sitting in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night; - Throughout Psalms, the phrase“ Law of the Lord” is used to describe God’s entire word, not only the “law” portion of the first five books of the Bible. The righteous man is delighted with the word of God. - “Man must have some delight, some supreme pleasure. His heart was never meant to be a vacuum. If not filled with the best things, it will be filled with the unworthy and disappointing.” - If a person delights in something, you don’t have to beg him to do it or to like it. He will do it all by himself. You can measure your delight for the word of God. He thinks about it, and Christians should meditate on it. - How the righteous man is blessed is bringing forth fruit in its season, planting rivers of water, leaves not withering, and whatever he shall do, shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. - Chaff is the light “shell” around a kernel of grain, which must be stripped away before the kernel of grain can be ground into flour. It was light enough that it could be separated from the grain by throwing a scoopful into the wind and letting the wind drive away the chaff. This is how unstable, how lacking in substance, the ungodly are. Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. - Being “ungodly” has no “weight,” they will be found lacking on the day of judgment. - Sinners will not share the same glorious future as the righteous. It is also true in the present because sinners sense they do not belong in the congregation of the righteous if they insist on remaining sinners. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish. - The righteous can have peace because a loving God in heaven knows their way, and will protect and preserve them. - The way of the ungodly leads to destruction. They are on a broad path that may seem comfortable now, and the path gives them lots of company, but in the end, they shall perish. (Genesis 1-11) - The origin of the earth and Christ’s commands to create the world. - Creating animals and fish, separating waters for seas, and clouds from the heavens - Providing the green plants for food and seeds for fruit, land to separate the marines, and a garden where man would be created. With man shall be righteous and obedient. - Domesticate animals and keep males and females together - Man “Adam” needs a partner, the rib from the man to create the “woman”. Both obedient, naked, and shall create children. Both naked and comfortable. - Do not eat the fruit from the garden tree. The serpent deceived the woman, so she ate the apple and the man followed. - Both became aware of their lack of clothing, then covered themselves. Christ came back to the couple hiding. He asked where man was, to then reply,” we are naked so we hid from you.” - Christ realized how did they know they were naked. They ate from the Tree of Knowledge, like he told them not to do. The serpent was punished along with everyone else. Man was to eat bread and slave for the rest of his life, woman has pain during childbirth, and the serpent’s head was crushed by the first child. - The couple bore children, one son killed the other and was punished and for his offspring were punished as well. - The world was falling apart and Christ was ashamed. He wanted to restart. He saw violence and the sickness of men naturally, to then desire to erase all man kind. - A righteous man was created, who Christ loved, Noah. He told him his plan to prepare for disaster and to not leave the hut until after 40 days & 40 nights of flooding/rain passed. - The man listened, followed all of Christ’s commands, took his wife, the offspring, clean and dirty animals, food, and more to wait in a giant boat that took years to build in the desert. The rest of the world was erased from the flood, and after, the couple were released and were led to restart all life. (Thematic Framework of the Old Testament) 5 Part Thesis 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Old Testament is a God breathed Book. The Old Testament is living & life giving It’s human authors were guided by the Spirit of Christ There is a theological center unified. The Old Testament is a Christian book. Center? Jesus Framework? Kingdom of God Structure? Covenant, relationship between 2 or more parties Difference between major and minor profit, major profit is just more writing. Five Books of Moses: 1. Genesis 2. Exodus 3. Leviticus 4. Numbers 5. Deuteronomy Problems On Earth w God Arrived: - No form - Void/Empty - Darkness Chart of his workings on Earth: Day 1 - Light / Darkness Day 2 - Separate waters Day 3 - Land/ Seas Day 4 - Greater/ Lessen Light + Stars (Why not use the term ‘sun’? - The Egyptians believed in Ra the ‘Sun god’, Moses is angered and refuses to use such term for there is only one god.) Day 5 - Birds / Sea Creatures Day 6 - Creatures / Humans (Why is this day important? - There are more verses to stress its importance. It’s when God made humans, different from any other creature on earth. Moses thought it was a normal day due to there being a morning and an evening, like the other days.) Day 7 - Sabbath - Humans were made in his image and likeness. Men and women were made by him, they are equal though do different things. God tells them to multiply & subdue the land; have dominion over. - (Why does the Lord create this day to rest when he does not have to rest? - He wants humans to rest, though he doesn’t need it. Humans can not function without it for it is how we were designed. Order: - Sabbath - Marriage - Work; all before the fall and destruction Humanity: - Made by God - Created from dust - Became living by God’s breath - Created outside the garden - Put into the garden to work it & keep it - Subject to God’s Command - Not good to be alone - Has domain How many books are in Genesis? - 50 Structure: 1. (Chapters 1-11) - Pre-Patriarchal Period Patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob 2. (Chapters 12-50) - Patriarchal Period - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob → Joseph Toledot (Generations Of…) 1. Creation 2. Heavens and the Earth 3. Adam 4. Noah 5. Shem, Ham, and Salem 6. Shem 7. Terah 8. Ishmel 9. Isaac 10. Esau (Double, intentional to bring emphasis to Jacob) 11. Esau 12. Jacob Covanent: Obedience - Blessing Disobedience - Cursing (Genesis 12-36; House 1-23) - The story of Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Esau, Rachel, and Jacob. - Egyptians, were beautiful, and boring, trading maids for children, God’s blessings, and wealth from the deception of men. The other men forbid guilt for seeking the married women, so sent the husbands off with wealth as they gained power and nations. - Reproducing and exceeding any doubt - (Abram to Abraham) having three women who bore children as he reached 100 and his wife, (Sarai to Sarah), not too far away. He sent Harag, Sarah’s - - - - - - maid, off with her newborn son (Ishmael), his son, for Sarah did not want the boy to be heir to her son. The woman was blessed by God along with her son. He gave her sight, she didn’t want to see the baby pass. God rose him, gave a well, and she gave water to the boy. He aged, he wed, and he produced to a woman with golden bracelets. Abraham was not an idol worshiper, but god called him and asked him to leave that country and his people to a land that God was going to show him. He left, but was leaving behind the things he cared about and all things familiar. “ God’s call on your life demands a leaving behind of the past.” He had idea where he was going, and it didn’t matter because of God and his mission. When he arrives, there is famine in the land. Abram went down to Egypt, on the way, his wife (Sarai’s) modesty is in danger for he lied stating she was his “sister” since she was beautiful. When men wanted her and knew she was married, Abraham would have been killed. He was being selfish, but God intervened to save their lives. He continued the behavior of receiving wealthy gifts in exchange for those who discovered his truth. This followed his son (Laughter) Isaac years later with the understanding of how many parents influence children Abram leaves his choice to God for him and his nephew Lot, decide on what land to take and not stay together. Lot’s choice turned out to be a bad choice regarding the people within that land were wicked, and they sinned pridefully against the Lord. After Lot left, God spoke to Abram and told him to keep his head high, for he’s giving him guidance. Lot became an innocent prisoner of war, Abram is trying to help him and defeated four kings. It was a victory and Lot was freed, along with his assets. God had set catastrophe over the land but exempted Lot for Abram. Melchizedek, was a Priest King, apart from two tribes that was not allowed. Priest from Judas tribe from Jacob’s oldest son, to Levi, the tribe of priest. To some, he was a survivor of the Flood, earth’s oldest man living, a priest. The hint is that God chose Jerusalem to be the scene of Redemption. God and Abram created a Covenant “blood seal”. Abram had been offered wealth from a king of Sodom, but refused, for it may not be the plan of God. God honored his decision, named him righteous and gave him the reward. - - - - - Abram told him he needed an heir, for he is old and god has still not fulfilled his promise. Abram tried to not doubt him, but God sensed it and lead him to trust him. He told him, his servant will not be his heir and to count the stars for that’s his future offspring. Abram trusted him and was righteous. For the Covenant seal, God directed him to grab animals, Abraham automatically cut them up and they both walked through the pieces. Then God but him to sleep, and walked through the pieces of animal alone, for he knew, Abram would not hold up his share of the bargain. God was saying, “He would not break his word no matter what, for he did not cut up the animals, and he walked through the blood seal. For if he did, He, or anyone else who performed such an act, would be cut up the same as the animals. Abram did not wait for God and had a child with Sarai’s Egyptian maid servant Hagar. He failed in trusting God’s promise for a child through his wife Sarai. When Hagar became pregnant, it caused strife in the family. She was mistreated by Sarai and was sent to flee with her baby. The angel of the Lord, came and told her to go back, and submit to her. The son gained the name of “God hears” and will live hostility among his brothers and family. When Abram was nine-nine years old, God appeared to him and revealed his new name, he commanded Abram was to walk before him and be blameless. God promised that he would confirm his covenant with Abram and greatly increase his numbers. Then Abram fell face down. God wanted Abraham and his descendants to keep this covenant by circumcising all males who were eight days old. It involved blood being shed. Those who were not circumcised faced possible death. Abram circumcised everybody in his household, three visitors come to him. The Lord told Abraham that Sarah shall bore a child next year. She laughed because of the age of the couple, upsetting god, and the child was again promised to come at the appointed time. Isaac was born and Abram was meant to sacrifice something to show his worth and devotion to God. He offered a ram, but then Isaac. Before he killed him, God stopped him. The sacrifice was for God to show him the region of Moriah and that Abram’s faith is no longer in question, for he still had doubt in God. Isaac went along to marry Rebekah, who bore Jacob and Esau - The next story was Jacob, Esau, Rachel, and Leah. From Jacob deceiving his brother for his birthright and blessing. His mother loving him more than Esau, guiding Jacob to take from his brother and govern places and achieve power. Esau was born first and with a blessing, then soon after his father is passing, he will bless the older son “Esau” but can’t see. Jacob being deceiving, he tricked his father, the curse falling onto the mother as she too is passing, and Esau comes from doing his father’s command for hunting and food, to see his blessing once again, is taken away from his. With anger, he wants to kill Jacob. The mother, catching wind, warns Jacob and sends him away to live in a land for years, have children, and wed. After Esau is calmed down, he will be allowed to come back, and hopefully he will accept Jacob. - He did, but at first Jacob deceived Rachel and Leah’s father. He fell in love with Rachel and proclaimed her to be his wife. He told her father and promised her after seven years of working for him. Then the father deceived him with the less beautiful, oldest daughter, Leah. For him to have Rachel, he would have to spend a week with Leah, and work another seven years. For in tradition, the oldest should be shipped off first. Leah agreed to go, and wanted to give Jacob son’s for he should love her. He soon got Rachel, but because Leah was hated, Rachel couldn’t bear children. This went on for years for Leah had six sons for Jacob to earn love from him and defeat her sister, Rachel hated Leah and prayed for children. She offered her maid instead, to which bore children for Jacob, on her behalf, then Leah did the same with her maid. The Rachel was able to bore children on her own, the last birth unfortunately killed her and Jacob buried her. After he proclaimed to the father mistreatment, he sent away the children and his wives. He took all the cattle and rose them to be stronger than before. He gathered their father money, for which he was not grateful, so he took it all and fled. Furthermore, he found a place to pitch a tent and rest with everything. Moreover, he had a dream of Esau coming for him and killing for his bad doing. Worried, he gathered all his wealth for Esau and divided his families, so some could escape if Esau planned the attack. The father of Leah and Rachel, met with Jacob, angry for Jacob deceived him. Jacob explained why and how bad he treated him. The father claimed he stole from him and went to search the tents. The treasures taken, Rachel stole and hid. Jacob did not know and grew angry for the father hates him. He, too, hated Jacob not taking his daughter’s away from him and their children without a farewell. - Jacob meets Esau, he bowed down and they embraced one another. Then they parted for Esau had accepted him, now Jacob bought a plot of ground at Shechem. - Jacob’s daughter was violated by Shechem. Her brothers found out and set revenge by the people of the city to the sword. Jacob was afraid that the Canaanites would join forces and attack him, but God said to Jacob, for him to settle in Bethel, and build an altar for him. The command was not obeyed and God did not forget, so he reminded him of what he should do. The son’s deceived the house of Shechem and their people, then killed them all. (Genesis 37-50; House 59-88) - Judah and Tamar Interlude, Judah being Jacob’s son, had three sons. Two were bad men and were bashed by God. One married before being killed and his wife, Tamar was left widowed. She was set to be married to the third son, but Judah believed her to be bad luck, so he deceived her as she waited back at her home. She dressed as a prostitute and took his treasures in exchange for sex. She bore a child from Judah from deceive, and Judah wanted her burned. Likewise, she bore twins and is aligned in the same way for the order of Jacob and Esau. Likewise, she got what was rightfully hers and did not allow herself to be deceived. - The story highlights the importance of levitate marriage as a right of the widowed woman. It reflects badly on Judah, the namesake of the top tribe in the United Kingdom of Israel. It is embedded within the larger narrative of Joseph. Likewise, it suggests to many scholars that the story originated as a part of the Joseph narrative. - The next story is The son’s of Jacob. Rachel passed, but her son, Joseph was the favorite, for his favorite wife, gave birth to him. Jacob bore gifts to him and set along the other sons’, causing resentment. Joseph was special, he could interpret dreams and could foresee people bowing to him and running nations. The brothers’ hatred grew, they sold him in slavery and faked his death without Jacob’s knowledge. - Joseph was slaving for a pharaoh household, but his wife was making advances. Joseph denied her, for she got him jailed on false pretenses. He interpreted dreams for inmates he was in charge of and asks a cupboarder to free him in return, which wasn’t granted. Time moves on and a king/pharaoh needs him to interpret. He did so and was freed for warning the king of sickness and stock up. - In Egypt, he is now second in command. He stores up large quantities of grain, and famine comes for years. The people are suffering and Joseph saves the nation. His family back home is suffering. Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to gather grain. They arrive in front of Joseph and don’t recognize him. He doesn’t tell them who he is to test if they’ve changed to better people. - He accused them of being spies, he commands they bring their younger brother to him to prove their innocence. He holds Simon hostage until they do so. Jacob, allows it in exchange for food because they have run out. He uses Benjamin to make him look like a thief of his silver cup. The brothers offer themselves in place of slavery to spare their father grief. Joseph could see, that they changed. He forgives them and tells them not to worry anymore for the evil they have committed. He speaks in the word of God, for this is meant to happen. Likewise, he tells them to move their items to a new land, where he will provide for all his brothers and their families. The father wishes to see his son after believing his death, and wanting it as a wish before he dies. - Jacob brings the whole family to Egypt, and they settle in a sector called Goshen. As he dies, he blesses Joseph’s two sons, giving the greater blessing to the younger son (Ephraim), in parallel to Jacob’s own blessing over his older brother Esau. - They bury Jacob in Canaan, whereas the Pharaoh granted. His brother’s worry that with their father gone, Joseph will pay them back for their wrongdoings, but are reassured by him, that their actions were guided to God. (Exodus 1-15; House 88-107) - Apart from Joseph’s Pharaoh’s lineage, a new pharaoh comes into ruling. Joseph passed but his family, of over seventy people, continues to multiply - - - - and serve their purposes. The Egyptian people grow angry at the size of the family, and they share hatred with the Pharaoh. He does not see Israel as a blessing. He believes the Israelite immigrant group is a threat to his power. Likewise, he attempts to destroy the Israelites by brutally enslaving them and using physical labor. To prevent the population from growing, he orders Hebrew women to have their born son’s (newborns) killed and drowned in the Nile River. These actions act as a rebellion against God. Egypt becomes worse than Babylon, and Israel cried out for help against this new form of evil. God responds, turning the plot upside down and an Israelite mother throws her boy into the Nile, protecting inside a basket, and the child floats right into the Pharaoh’s own family. Moses, and he eventually grows up to become the man God will use to defeat Pharaoh. God appears after burning a bus and identifying himself to Moses and commands him a speech to tell the Pharaoh and order him to release the Israelites. God says that he knows Pharaoh will resist and to stop doubting him, for Moses has multiple reasons to not do as he’s commanding. For he plans to bring his justice don upon Egypt in the form of plagues and harden the Pharaoh’s heart. After Moses and his priest brother speak to Pharaoh exactly, he denies their request, pushes the Israelites to work even harder and to be beaten for he does not know this “God”, and will not let the people go. God offered many chances, but Pharaoh’s evil reached no return, and the advisors do not think this is wise. God takes over and bends his evil to his own redemptive purposes. He lures Pharaoh into his own destruction and saves his people. God proceeded to send the first sets of the five plagues, each one confronting Pharaoh and his gods. Each time, Moses offers a chance for Pharaoh to humble himself and let the people go. After each one, Pharaoh deceived and did not let the Israelites go, for his heart kept hardening. It was his own doings until the second set of five plagues, God began to hear the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. God knew Pharaoh would resist his will, and still offered the chance of good. With the final plague, the night of Passover, God turns the tables on Pharaoh. Just as Pharaoh killed the sons of the Israelites, so God will kill the firstborn sons of Egypt. Unlike Pharaoh, however, God will provide a means of escape through the blood of a lamb. - On the night of the ritual Passover, a young, spotless lamb is painted its blood on the door frame of their house. When the divine plague came over Egypt, the houses covered with the blood of the lamb would be “passed over” and the sons spared. Every year since, the Israelites have reenacted this night to remember and celebrate God’s justice and mercy. - In his pride and rebellion, Pharaoh loses his son and is compelled to finally let the Israelites go free. The Israelites slaves make their escape from Egypt, but as soon as they leave, Pharaoh changed his mind. He gathered an army and chased after them for a final showdown, thinking that he will slaughter them by the waters of the sea. However, the Israelites run into the sea and discover they’re walking on dry ground that God provided. When Pharaoh pursues them, the waters surge around him, destroying him. (Exodus 16-24, House 31-34) - After the people sing a song in praise to the Lord, the story takes a turn. The Israelites trek through the wilderness on their way to Mount Sinai and are starving and thirsty. In their distress, they start criticizing Moses and God for rescuing them from Egypt. Even though God graciously provided food and water for his people, there was a dark shadow cast, and the people did not care for God nor Moses. God didn’t trust them and put them to the test. Moses being exhausted, talked to Jeroh, his father-in-law, a priest, who advised him to anoint leaders for minor problems who fear god and could assist, so Moses could breathe. - Moses leads the people to the foot of Mount Sinai, where God invites the nation to enter into a covenant relationship. God says that if the people of Israel obey the terms of the covenant, they will become a “kingdom of priest”, acting as God’s representatives to the nations and showing them his character by how they live. - The people accept the offer from God’s presence on the mountain. God opens the terms of the covenant, the famous 10 commandments. Laws stating about Israel’s worship and social justice, which shaped how Israel was to live differently from the other people. - God takes the relationship forward and tells Moses that he wants his holy and divine presence to dwell in the midst of Israel. - On came the detail, the architectural blueprints of a sacred tent called the tabernacle. There is an outer courtyard with an altar, an outer, and inner room in the center of the tent, and inside the inner room, is a golden box with angelic creatures on it. - After staying with God for 40 days and 40 nights, Aaron is left in charge of the people. They begin to sin, not aware of Moses’s whereabouts. They request a new god to be made and go back to praising their Egyptian god’s. Aaron takes the people’s gold, melt it in the fire and created a golden lamb. The people celebrate breaking the covenant rules, growing drunk and worse. Moses unaware, God informs him to go back to his land for his people are sinning. He’s angry and is tempted to destroy all the Israelites and restart the nation using Moses’s family. Moses goes down and ends the celebration. Aaron creates excuses for his doing, and Moses orders the Levites to kill the people still sinning. Around 3,000 people are killed. He breaks the stones of the Ten Commandments, symbolizing the covenant being broken. - He throws the lamb into a fire, turning it into dust and putting it in the people’s water, for them to drink. He then requests the people out to go and hunt for offerings to send God for forgiveness, and to restore the Ten Commandment Stones. - The Lord grants them a second chance and does so as Moses requested. (Leviticus 1-16; House 154-164) - The law of Moses was a “schoolmaster to bring the people of Israel unto Christ. - 1-7; Describes various kinds of sacrifices that the people were to make. The sacrifices represented the Savior and his atoning sacrifice. - 8-10; explained the requirements placed upon the priests for them to be worthy to perform the sacrifices. - 11-15; explained the various laws regarding cleanliness and uncleanliness. These laws demonstrated the need to be clean personally, as families and as people. - 16; is the spiritual culmination of all the laws of cleanness. It gives instructions concerning the great cleansing sacrifice offered each year on the Day of Atonement. - Day of Atonement; it’s an accurate picture of how god forgives sins. Once one’s sins have been covered by Jesus’s righteousness, the Lord acts as if all transgressions no longer exist. The God of the covenant has offered the people of the covenant full pardon and total forgiveness. (Deuteronomy 1-17; House 137-161) - Moses speaks to the Israelites, reminding them of their journey after leaving Mount Horeb and their travels through the wilderness toward the Promised Land. - God commands them to go and take possession of the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. - Moses recalls how he told the people that he couldn’t bear the responsibility of leading the large nation alone. - Leaders, judges, and officers were appointed to help govern the people, chosen from wise and respected men from each tribe. - The leaders were commanded to judge fairly, without partiality, and to listen to both great and small alike. - They were warned not to be afraid of anyone, for judgement belongs to God. (Deuteronomy 18-34; House, 188-205) - Moses reminds the Israelites of how they approached the Promised Land and suggested sending spies to explore it. - Twelve men, one from each tribe, were sent to survey the land and bring back a report. - The spies returned with a positive report, confirming the land was good and fruitful. - Despite the favorable report, the Israelites refused to go up and take the land due to fear. - They complained, saying the people of the land were stronger and lived in fortified cities, and mentioned giants (The Anakites) who lived there. - Moses tries to calm their fears by reminding them of how the Lord had previously fought for them in Egypt and had guided them through the wilderness. - He reassures them that God will continue to lead and fight for them in Canaan. - Despite Moses’ encouragement, the people did not trust in God’s protection. - God hears their complaints and their lack of faith in his promise to give them the land. - Moses passes and gave blessings to his people, for he loved them and told them to obey God, take the promised land, and finally trust their covenantal partner. - Israel could not survive without them, and he was the most well served man that no one could replace. (House, 188-205) Deuteronomy - The Israelites frequently turned to idol worship, despite God’s commands to worship him alone. - This idol worship was part of a repeating cycle of disobedience, punishment, repentance, and deliverance by god. - Israel asked for a human king to lead them, rejecting God as their true King - God allowed it but warned that human kings would lead to more oppression - Israel continually fell into a cycle of sin, where they disobeyed God’s laws, faced consequences, cried for help and were forgiven, only to fall back into sin again. - This cycle of rebellion and repentance highlights their struggle to remain faithful to God despite his repeated mercy and help. - Saul is anointed as the first king for the people as God permits, he leads Israel to victory. However, he disobeys God, offering an unauthorized sacrifice and failing to destroy the Amalekites as commanded. - His disobedience leads God to reject him as king, marking a turning point where God’s choice shifts to David. (House, 243-248) - Samuel functions as both judge and prophet, mediating between God and Israel. He warns the of the consequences of choosing a king, highlighting that human leadership will not solve their spiritual disobedience. - Throughout Israel’s history, prophets are sent to remind the people of their covenant with God and call them to repentance when they fall into sin. - David is the youngest of a family, who was decided as king after Saul’s continuous failure. His heard is described as aligned with God’s will, contrasting Saul’s disobedience. - David unites Israel, establishes Jerusalem as the capital, and brings the Ark of the Covenant to the city. However, David also sins, showing that even God’s chosen leaders are imperfect. - Despite David’s flaws, God makes an eternal covenant with him, promising that his lineage will lead to the Messiah. - The kings that follow David continue to lead the people astray, failing into idol worship and neglecting God’s commands. - The Israelites repeatedly break the first commandment, worshiping Baal and other god. The people’s spiritual unfaithfulness persists, despite God’s constant reminder through prophets like Elijah and Elisha. - Disobedience eventually leads to the division of the kingdom and later the downfall of both Israel and Judah, culminating in exile. (Judges 1-21; Ruth 1-4 House, 301-312)