B102 Helyer Worksheet 3

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Old Testament Survey II Helyer Worksheet #3 Text: Yesterday, Today and Forever: The Continuing Relevance of the Old Testament , by Larry Helyer (second edition). Instructions: 1. Read All of the Assigned Chapter . 2. After downloading and saving this file to your computer/laptop, answer the first question about your reading. 3. Complete the following worksheet by typing your responses underneath each question. 4. Save your finished worksheet in a Word or PDF file format, and upload it to the course home page by clicking on the applicable assignment link. Student Name: Joseph Mora Date: 11/11/23    Reading : Have you read the entirety of the assigned chapter in preparation for answering the questions on this worksheet (Type ‘Yes’ or ‘No’)?      Yes ***If you have not read the entire chapter, there is no need for you to submit the worksheet. You must read the entire chapter and answer the questions below to have your worksheet graded. Questions : The following questions can be sufficiently answered in one small paragraph, 3-5 sentences, unless otherwise stated. If the question requires answers with sub-points, 1-2 sentences will be sufficient. 1. What are the major terms and titles given to the prophets? Provide a sentence definition of each term. a. One term used is seer (ro’eh) which refers to physical sight, however in some contexts it refers to mental perception b. Another term used is prophet (navi) which is used most frequently and refers to an authorized spokesperson.   c. A third term is seer (hozeh) which has an intensified visionary aspect apart from ro’eh and things such as trances and visionary experiences used being experienced. d. One title used is “man of God” which was never used by a prophet themselves but used by others to refer to the prophet.
e. Another title is “servant of the Lord” which was the most honorable and stresses the close and holy relationship between God and the prophet.     f. A third title is “messenger of the Lord” which defines a prophet in functional terms in which the role of the prophet is summed up as.      2. What passage provides what is nearly a formal definition of a prophet? Jeremiah 1:7 provides a formal definition of a prophet. It defines the role and function of a prophet. It sums up that a prophet was supremely the spokesperson for God.    3. What are six aspects of the position of the prophet in Hebrew society? Provide a brief explanation of each aspect. a. One aspect is that the position was not hereditary, prophets were called from different tribes and families of the Hebrew society unlike its kings and priests. b. Another aspect is that the position is not elective, the prophet themselves are not actively seeking to be a prophet for God but are called by God.   c. A third aspect is that the position is not confined to men, which is worth noting that Deborah, Huldah, and Noadiah were female prophets on the OT. Truly shows that God will use whoever for His purposes. d. A fourth aspect is that the position is determined by a divine call, it is God who calls His prophets and not a man requesting of God to be a prophet for with the role comes many discouraging moments that one could easily turn from the role. It can only be withheld by the power of God.    e. A fifth aspect is that the position served as a check on the power of kings, the prophet had the duty of confronting, aiding and guiding those who were in power to adhere to the stipulations of God’s covenant with His people.      f. A final aspect is that the position has an international scope to ministry, meaning that the messages were not limited to Israel, but shows God’s concern for all His creation.     4. In what ways did ancient pagan prophets attempt to “tip the hands” of their gods? Pagan prophets attempted to “tip the hands” of their gods by means of divination techniques. These techniques fall into two categories; observation of nature and/or manipulatory techniques. In light of observation of nature, this would include movements of heavenly bodies, solar/lunar eclipses, animal behavior, and weather behavior. A few manipulative techniques are rhabdomancy, hydromancy, and necromancy.    5. In what ways was the literature that the Hebrew prophets produced distinct from the pagan prophets’ literature?
The literature that the Hebrew prophets produced differed from pagan prophets literature in a few ways. Unlike Hebrew literature, pagan literature does not have evidence of urgent exhortation for repentance or parallels to God’s glowing promises for His people. Hebrew literature is marked by unity and cohesion, whereas pagan literature lacks unity and is diverse.   6. What were the seven stages of Hebrew prophetism? Give a brief summary of each stage. a. The first stage is the Primeval period, in which we see Noah exercising the gift of prophecy and see the curse of Canaan and the blessing of Shem. b. The second stage is the Patriarchal period, where we see Abraham being called a prophet, intercessory prayer is a hallmark noted in the office of the prophet, Abraham catches of glimpse of redemption through the near sacrifice of Isaac, Jacob also has some revelatory experiences.    c. The third stage is the Mosaic period which would be considered where prophecy really comes into its own. His life establishes a pattern for his successors. A central significance is found in his mediatorship of the Sinai covenant.      d. The fourth stage is Samuel and the school of prophets, in which we see a transition between tribal federation to monarchy. This was the beginning of the role of checking the power of the kings and speaking for God in light of a need for repentance.      e. The fifth stage is Elijah and Elisha, in which they show up at the time of the divided kingdom of Israel and Judah. It was in this period that the prophets challenged the syncretism of their day. In their lives we see association of mount sinai, challenge of false gods, and the call of God’s people to repent.      f. The sixth stage is the period of the classical prophets, in which designates the writing prophets as opposed to the verbal prophets who left no literature left behind. This period focused more on the nation rather than individuals.      g. The final stage is the period of malachi and the cessation of prophecy. It is within this stage that literature came about to aid in guiding the people since there were no prophets to do so. Some think that this period of silence was a period of preparation for the ultimate revelation of God’s purpose and design.    7. What two reasons does Helyer offer for the “cessation of prophecy”? a. One reason mentioned is the setting of a stage. Helyer writes of a period of preparation for the ultimate revelation of God’s purpose and design, which is the coming of Jesus Christ.    b. Another reason was that of fulfillment of prophecy. The latest prophecy of the Messiah and its fulfillment in Jesus validated the prophetic word and displayed it to be more divine than just “words of men.”    
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