Mobile Ed: OT204 Social World of the Old Testament (4 hour course)
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
In an age of international travel and migration, we’re familiar with people who look, sound, eat, and believe differently than we do. In order to become friends, it’s helpful to understand where they come from and how they do things differently, or the same, as we do. In the same way it is necessary to understand someone who comes from a different place than we do, how much more necessary is it to understand someone who is from not only a different geographical place, but also a different time than we are? The Old Testament starts at the beginning of the world. This course will undertake the task of crossing the bridges of geography, climate, time, and a landscape unknown to us: ancient Israel. Throughout the course, David W. Baker will address aspects of life from our own culture and time, as well as family structure and societal systems from ancient Israelite life. As we learn more about the social world of the Old Testament, we will be struck not only by our differences, but also by our common humanity, sharing the same dreams, hopes, and fears as they did.
Introduction
- Introducing the Speaker and the Course
Unit 1: The Land of Ancient Israel
- Differences between Ancient Israel and the World Today
- The Geographical Location of Israel
- The Topography of Israel
- Resources for Studying Ancient Israel
Unit 2: Families and Home Life in Ancient Israel
- What Is a Family?
- Biblical Patterns of Marriage
- Aspects of Israelite Families
- Financial Transactions in Marriages
- Stages of a Marriage
- Childbearing and Childbirth in Israel
- Barrenness in the Ancient Near East
- Miscarriages in the Ancient Near East
- Nursing and Naming a Child in the Ancient Near East
Unit 3: Occupations and Economics in the Ancient Near East
- Economic Realities of Family Life
- Childhood in the Ancient Near East
- Occupations Outside of the Home
- Occupations for Women in the Ancient Near East
- Using People as Pledges in Business Transactions
- Legal Rights of Women in the Ancient Near East
- Literacy of Women in the Ancient Near East
- Introduction to Economics
- Genesis and Economics
- The Created Order
- Human Cooperation in Creation
- Ownership of Personal Property in Israel
- The Destructiveness of the Fall
- The Socioeconomics of Land Ownership
- Supporting the Poor in Israel
Unit 4: Government in Ancient Israel
- Leadership Development in Israel
- Moses’ and Joshua’s Leadership
- The Judges and the Monarchy
- The King’s Rule in Israel
- David’s Ascension as King
- Bureaucratic Appointments of David and Solomon
Unit 5: Religious Activities in the Ancient Near East
- Personal and National Altars
- The Sections of the Tabernacle
- Symbolism in the Tabernacle
- Shrines in Israel, Women and Prayer
- Women and Worship in the Ancient Near East
- Religious Practices of Women in the Ancient Near East
- Purposes of the Priests in Israel
- Practical Tasks of the Priests in Israel
Conclusion
- Course Summary
David W. Baker is a professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio, where he’s taught since 1986, following teaching assignments at the University of Durban-Westville and the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. He’s also lectured in Argentina, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Dr. Baker has a particular interest in pedagogy, constantly exploring new means and media to enhance the learning and teaching experience for both the instructor and the student. He has contributed to, edited, or written over 40 books, including Isaiah in the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, The NIV Application Commentary: Joel, Obadiah, Malachi, and Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch. Forthcoming books include Genesis 37–50: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text in the Baylor Handbook on the Hebrew Bible Series, 1 & 2 Kings in the Teach the Text Commentary Series, Genesis in the Apollos Old Testament Commentary Series, and 1 & 2 Samuel in the Believers Church Bible Commentary Series.
He’s blessed with a wife, Morven, who immigrated to Canada from Scotland—a start that prepared her to support Dr. Baker in his geographical wanderings. Morven is a counselor specializing in women’s issues, specifically sexual abuse and domestic violence. Together, they have two children and three granddaughters.
Getting the most out of Mobile Ed
�������Logos Mobile Education is a highly effective cross-platform learning environment that integrates world class teaching with the powerful study tools and theological libraries available in Logos Bible Software. Every course provides links to additional resources and suggested readings that supplement the lecture material at the end of every transcript segment.
This course was produced with screencast videos. These videos provide tutorials showing you how to use Logos Bible Software in ways that are tied directly into the content of the course. We are now producing Activities resources as a replacement for screencast videos. We plan on updating this course to include this additional Activities resource in the future for no extra charge.
