This course gives a brief survey of the Old Testament, examining the themes of kingdom, covenants and canon. We will see that the Old Testament is not a random amalgam of episodes, genealogies and prophetic tidbits. Instead, it is unified around the central theme of the kingdom of God which was administered through covenants and applied to life through the Old Testament as a "canon," or guideline. This course is based on the lecture series, Kingdom, Covenant, & Canon of the Old Testament, produced by Third Millennium Ministries and presented by Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr.
The first five books of the Old Testament are commonly called the Pentateuch. They tell the story of the nation of Israel from creation to preparation for the conquest of the Promised Land. But is the Pentateuch simply the historical account of God’s chosen people, or is it something more? This course explores the books of Genesis through Deuteronomy, examining why they were written, what they meant to their original audience, and how we should respond to them today. This course is based on the lecture series, The Pentateuch, produced by Third Millennium Ministries and hosted by Dr. Scott Redd with contributions from a variety of professors.
NOTE: This course includes lessons from the courses The Primeval History and Father Abraham, as well as new lessons on the Pentateuch. If you have already studied The Primeval History and/or Father Abraham, you may wish to study only the lessons that you have not completed. If so, you should ask for your grades from the other courses to be applied to this course. (See the Syllabus for further explanation.)
Genesis 1–11 contains some of the most familiar stories in the Bible. In its ancient context, this collection was not a simple historical record. Rather, it was a forceful argument condemning Egypt and encouraging Israel to follow Moses to the Promised Land. This course provides an analysis of Genesis 1:1-11:9, looking at the background, the literary structure, the original meaning, the theological purpose, and modern applications. This course is based on the lecture series, The Primeval History, produced by Third Millennium Ministries and presented by Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr.
Christians, Muslims and Jews all look to the patriarch Abraham as the father of their faiths, but these religions draw very different conclusions from his biography. This course explores the account of Abraham’s life in Genesis 11:10-25:18 from a distinctly Christian perspective in order to analyze what these stories meant for those who first received them and what they mean for us today. It is based on the lecture series, Father Abraham, produced by Third Millennium Ministries and presented by Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr.
The book of Joshua covers the period of Israel's history from the conquest of Canaan to just after Joshua's death. Although certain events in the book can leave modern audiences feeling more than a little uncomfortable, it helps to remember that God promised to be with Joshua in all that he did, especially in leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, establishing Israel's tribal inheritances, and calling God's people to remain faithful to the terms of God's covenant. This course teaches about the background, purpose, contents, and application of the book of Joshua. It is based on the lecture series, The Book of Joshua, produced by Third Millennium Ministries and hosted by Dr. Seth Tarrer with contributions from a variety of professors.
Many Christians are intrigued by biblical predictions but at a loss when it comes to understanding them. Feeling overwhelmed by their complicated history and literature, we often disregard them altogether, but when we understand the prophets' motivations and methods, we are better equipped to discover the significance of their words for today. To that end, this course dispels common misunderstandings about the prophets, provides guidelines for interpreting prophecy, and gives the student confidence to begin studying prophetic literature. This course is based on the lecture series, He Gave Us Prophets, produced by Third Millennium Ministries and presented by Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr.