Old Testament Survey III

Learning Objectives

• Understand how God restored His exiled people to their land and rebuilt both the temple and their covenant identity under Ezra and Nehemiah
• Recognize God’s hidden providence in Esther, even where His name is never explicitly mentioned
• Survey the message and historical context of each of the twelve Minor Prophets
• Trace the themes of justice, judgment, and the Day of the Lord across the Minor Prophets
• See how the Minor Prophets anticipate the coming of Christ and the New Testament
• Complete a full survey of the Old Testament from Genesis through Malachi

Syllabus

Overview

Old Testament Survey III completes the Old Testament Survey series, picking up where Survey II left off in exile and carrying students through the return to the land and every Minor Prophet to the very end of the Old Testament. Students will trace the rebuilding of the temple and the walls of Jerusalem under Ezra and Nehemiah, see God’s hidden hand at work in Esther, and survey the message of all twelve Minor Prophets, ending with Malachi’s final call to covenant faithfulness on the threshold of four hundred years of prophetic silence before the New Testament begins.

Reading Plan

Weeks 1-2: Ezra and Nehemiah (the return from exile and the rebuilding of the temple and the walls). Week 3: Esther (God's providence in the Persian diaspora). Weeks 4-9: the Minor Prophets in roughly chronological order - Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah and Jonah, Micah, Nahum and Habakkuk, and Zephaniah (Israel and Judah before and during the exile). Weeks 10-12: Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi (the post-exilic prophets, ministering after the return).

Required Materials

A personal Bible in one of the following standard translations: ESV, NIV, NASB 1995, CSB, LSB, or NLT; a notebook or journal for reading notes and reflection.

Grading & Completion

Assessment focuses on engagement with Scripture and demonstration of comprehension. Students complete weekly reading assignments and a short weekly quiz covering that week's material. A final exam covering the entire course is available once every week has been passed.

Course Outcomes

• Upon completion, students will be able to summarize the return from exile and its significance for covenant identity
• Upon completion, students will be able to identify the major themes and historical context of each Minor Prophet
• Upon completion, students will be able to trace the Old Testament trajectory toward the coming of the Messiah