God with Us: An Introduction to the Old Testament

Prophecy
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* Compare Ezekiel 37:26–28 to Exodus 40:34–38 and 1 Kings 8:1–21.
* Discuss the important "signs" given in these passages, which help assure God's people that they are restored.
God communicated with the Israelites through signs since He is invisible. The passages display unique signs that reinforce God's goodwill for his people. They show that God is pleased and willing to reside amongst the people and that His love is eternal. Ezekiel 37:26-28 emphasizes the peace that God makes and maintains with His people. Exodus 40:34–38 shows how God resided in the earthly sanctuary the Israelites built. The Israelites felt His presence day and night. In 1 Kings 8:1–21, God fulfills His promise to David that his descendant would build the temple when Solomon builds it. The passage also emphasizes the importance of the ten commandments that exist as an eternal jointer between humankind and God.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines restoration as going back or taking back something to its original state. God intended to restore the initial relationship He had with humankind that was shuttered in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve lived peacefully without physical suffering until Satan tricked them. The genesis of sin shuttered God and humankind's relationship, distancing them as we see when God came looking for Adam and Eve, and they were hiding because they were naked (Genesis, 3:8). From the passages, God wants to mend the broken ties as He now dwells in the temple Solomon built. God cares for us Christians and cannot forsake us. He is willing to forgive our mistakes and make great our relationship with Him as it was during Adam and Eve. He created man in His likeness and cannot forsake him if a man repents his sins.
* Describe what you can learn about God from the last sentence in the book of Ezekiel (48:35)
The last sentence in Ezekiel 48:35 says, "And the name of the city from that time on will be: the Lord is there." It is the norm of humankind to name things concerning context and future ambitions. For instance, Isaiah in the Bible foretold the coming of Jesus. He said, "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" because he would possess qualities that would serve as the genesis for the titles contained in the names (Isaiah 9:6). The verse in Ezekiel signifies that the Lord is present in the city and that He dwells in the place forever as a name stays for many generations. The name also alludes to the incident of the burning bush that Moses witnessed. The bush was on fire, but it was not burning because the Lord was there (Exodus 3:1-6). This indicates that the Lord is wonderful and works miracles.
Therefore, the last sentence in the passage has a significant implication for us. Through it, we learn that God is omnipresent, and He lives within us even when we do not see him. Having the name that echoes the Lord's presence ensures that He lives forever within our midst and guides us as He did to Moses in the burning bush. The sentence also motivates us when we face hardships. It is an assurance that God will not forsake us in any way. Whenever we feel that we are giving up, we remember that the Lord dwells in our midst forever. Names often insinuate what we wish the state of affairs to be and THE LORD IS THERE in the sentence alludes to our daily need for God to help us in different situations.
* The first fulfillment of Daniel 11:31–32 came during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes and the time of the Maccabean revolt. This happened in 168 BC.
* How many years after Daniel's vision was this fulfillment? Discuss how a prophecy spoken that far into the distant future could encourage Daniel's people.
Daniel's prophecy came 70 years later during Antiochus Epiphanes and Maccabean revolt in 168 BC. The prophecy and its fulfillment is a great inspiration to Daniel's people. First, it reminds them of how great the God Daniel worships is. The prophecy came several years later hence further acting as an encouragement to Daniel's people that God fulfills his promises at His designated and preferred time no matter the time.
Similarly, the prophecy would help convince Daniel's people that he was a true prophet. The nature of humankind is that it never accepts something until they have proof. The fulfillment of the prophecy made people believe in Daniel's prophecies and his revelations' true nature. His followers wanted an assurance that Daniel was worshipping a true God who fulfills promises and makes prophecies come true. The fulfillment of the prophecy would act as a perfect convincing point to the people.
Through the prophecy's fulfillment, Daniel's people would believe in future prophecies because they already saw one's fulfillment. Human nature is fragile and only needs tender care, which includes solid proof to convince them to adopt a certain thinking line. Similarly, the prophecy is a prove that solidifies the trust of his followers to future prophecies. This is because the prophecy that came to pass gained him credibility.
* Discuss how reading Old Testament prophecies encourages us now, especially when we don't understand all the symbolism
The contemporary world has very little knowledge about symbolism and indications of prophecies. People do not have enough faith, too, worsening the acceptance of prophecies. The little faith means people would not accept the sign of prophecies as they unfold. It makes it worse because prophecies often take an indefinite time, meaning they pass during the times we least expect.
Reading the Old Testament provides great insights that inform the contemporary world about prophecies. Prophecies took different times to be fulfilled in the old testament. For instance, Daniel's took seventy years, meaning most people who were present during the time of prophecy did not witness its fulfillment. This teaches contemporary society that patience is an important virtue in waiting for unfulfilled prophecies to be fulfilled. Several signs might have manifested themselves, but people do not know that a certain prophecy has manifested the signs because of a lack of knowledge in reading symbols.
* Why were the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles written? Discuss how these books contributed to the re-establishment of the nation of Israel
The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles contains the genealogy starting from Adam and Eve, and the story of the ancient Judah and Israelites history until the proclamation of King Cyrus the Great in c. 540 BC and the Babylonian captivity. The books Emphasize the tribe of Judah and Levitical priests who majorly re-established the worship in Jerusalem. The author is anonymous. Although the Jewish tradition believes Ezra wrote it, there is no concrete evidence to support this belief ("Book of First Chronicles Overview - Insight for Living Ministries," 2020). 1 and 2 Chronicles account for the Kings of Israel's story and how God was faithful to Israel's promises. The two books show that the author was a great historian because he referenced annals, books, and other historical records.
The books record events in four different acts; first from Adam to David, David's reign, Solomon's reign, and lastly from Jerusalem to Babylon. However, the main focus is on God's covenant with David and the temple. A read through the 1 and 2 Chronicles portrays the temple as the center of interest. David plans the temple, Solomon builds it, kings are crowned in it, prophets are killed in it, and the law is rediscovered.
1 and 2 Chronicles were very instrumental in the ...