If you’re interested, I highly recommend this book. It’s no longer in print, but you can still find it available for purchase in digital format through the Olive Tree Bible Software library.
Grace and Peace
Grace and Peace
An Historical Survey of the Old Testament - Recommended read
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CONTENTS:
1. Foundations for Study of the Old Testament The Book Itself The Old Testament and History The Old Testament and Science The Old Testament and Prophecy The People of the Old Testament The History of the Old Testament Period The Land of the Old Testament
2. In the Beginning The Ancient Near Eastern World Views of Creation The Act of Creation (Genesis 1–2) The Fall of Man (Genesis 3) The Genealogy of Adam and Eve (Genesis 4–5) The Flood (Genesis 6–9) The Dispersion of the Nations (Genesis 10–11)
3. The Founding Fathers The Historical Background The Old Testament and the Patriarchal Period Abraham (Genesis 11:26–25:8) Isaac (Genesis 25:9–27:46) Jacob (Genesis 28:1–38:30) Joseph (Genesis 39:1–50:26) Egyptian Culture and Life in the Patriarchal Period
4. Creation of a Nation Old Testament Chronology The Historical Background and Date of the Exodus Israel in Egypt (Exodus 1–14) Israel in the Sinai (Exodus 15–Numbers 21) Israel in the Plains of Moab (Numbers 22–Deuteronomy 34)
5. The Theocratic Foundation Ancient Near Eastern Law Enlargement of the Covenant and Meaning of the Theocracy The Mosaic Law The Tabernacle The Priesthood
6. Conquest and Conflict The Historical Background of the Period The Conquest (Joshua 1:1–Judges 3:7) Canaanite Religion The Judges (Judges 3:7–16:31) The Condition of the Times (Judges 17:1–1 Samuel 7:17)
7. An Age of Greatness Historical Background Saul (1 Samuel 8–31) The Reign of David (2 Samuel 1–1 Kings 2; 1 Chronicles 11–29) The Reign of Solomon (1 Kings 3–11; 2 Chronicles 19) Hebrew Poetry Hebrew Wisdom
8. A House Divided Ancient Near Eastern Historical Background Israel and Judah to the Time of Jehu (1 Kings 12:1–2 Kings 9:6; 2 Chronicles 10:1–22:7) The Prophets of the Period
9. Catharsis Before Calamity Historical Background Reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18–20; 2 Chronicles 29–32) The Prophets of the Period (725–675) The Last Years of Judah The Prophets of the Period (650–585)
10. Return and Renewal The Babylonia-Persia Contest The Age of the Captivity The Persian Empire The First Return from Babylonia Subsequent Returns from Babylonia Intertestamental History
Preface: The passing of twenty-five years has not essentially altered the premises and concerns that underlay the initial publication of An Historical Survey of the Old Testament in 1966. That it passed through fifteen printings over the years also testifies to the ongoing need for a work like this, one that adheres uncompromisingly to the Old Testament as inerrant Scripture and yet, in a clear and fair manner, addresses the difficult issues raised by contemporary biblical scholarship. Neither time nor knowledge has stood still in a quarter of a century, however, so the time has come for a complete revision of the original work. Former students, colleagues, and the publisher have insisted that the project be undertaken, especially since the fundamental need of undergraduate teachers and their students remains the same as ever: an up-to-date, scholarly, and clearly written exposition and defense of the Old Testament as an historical record of the Word of God. The basic approach in this revision is identical to that of the original edition, but certain sections are rewritten in light of fresh discovery and new insights. Issues dominant in 1966 seem now not so important, but new ones have arisen, issues that could scarely have been anticipated then. Hence, the present work eliminates some old material and adds some new, making the volume familiar to earlier readers but renewed in its credibility and usefulness by virtue of its contemporaneity. The author expresses special gratitude to friends and family for their continued encouragement to set about this task. His wife, Janet, prepared the test bank. He stands deeply in debt to Mrs. Linda Worrell, who with unbounded patience and enthusiasm undertook the word processing as if it were her own project. In particular, he dedicates the final result to the finest model of collegiality he has ever experienced, the faculty of Old Testament studies of Dallas Theological Seminary: Dick Averbeck, Bob Chisholm, Don Glenn, Mark Rooker, and Rick Taylor.
Eugene H. Merrill, An Historical Survey of the Old Testament, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991), 9.
Preface to the First Edition: Having taught beginning Old Testament courses for a number of years, the author has felt the need for some time for a text that would meet some needs that were not being met by other books in the field. Being firmly committed to the conservative school of thought, he has had to forgo works that, because of their critical historical and theological biases, were deemed inappropriate for the conservative freshman or sophomore student who is in the rudimentary stages of his Old Testament study. And yet many of the conservative books either have not had the depth of scholarship necessary for a college approach or have gone beyond the ability of the beginning student in their details and presuppositions. Moreover, many of them are restricted to too narrow an approach, such as an emphasis on content, historical background, doctrine, or other specific areas. Since this study approaches the Old Testament as an historical record of God’s revelation to the world through Israel, the historical structure of the Old Testament has been the basic framework. To this has been added information from the ancient Near Eastern world in which biblical history took place, including discussions of geographical, historical, and archaeological matters that illuminate the biblical story. Because of current criticisms of the reliability of the Old Testament in its scientific statements, special attention has been paid to this aspect of the record. Every effort has been made to eliminate paraphrases of the narrative sections of the Old Testament, but naturally some retelling has been necessary in order to maintain coherence and smoothness. In those areas of the Scripture where the account does not speak so clearly of itself the present work provides special attention. It is hoped that the student will study this volume as an ancillary to the Word of God, an aid to its better understanding. The author hereby expresses much-deserved recognition to those who have contributed long hours in seeing this most enjoyable project to completion. First, to his wife, Janet, who typed the entire final draft and offered unending encouragement and inspiration, a special thanks is due. And warm appreciation is gladly given to Miss Pené Cansler of the Bob Jones University English department who offered invaluable suggestions concerning mechanics and style. Finally, the generous help and support of many of his students, particularly Mr. William Alford, must not go unrecognized. It is with a sincere prayer that this effort may create a love for the Old Testament as the inspired Word of God that this book is made available.
Eugene H. Merrill, An Historical Survey of the Old Testament, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991), 11–12.
Thanks for the recommendation.
If you would like a free survey of the history of beliefs, it is in lessons 7 & 8 on our
website <truthseekersfellowship.com>
Also, we are creating our own survey of key OT teachings in lesson 6 or on the thread of that name.
1. Foundations for Study of the Old Testament
The Book Itself
The Old Testament and History
The Old Testament and Science
The Old Testament and Prophecy
The People of the Old Testament
The History of the Old Testament Period
The Land of the Old Testament
2. In the Beginning
The Ancient Near Eastern World
Views of Creation
The Act of Creation (Genesis 1–2)
The Fall of Man (Genesis 3)
The Genealogy of Adam and Eve (Genesis 4–5)
The Flood (Genesis 6–9)
The Dispersion of the Nations (Genesis 10–11)
3. The Founding Fathers
The Historical Background
The Old Testament and the Patriarchal Period
Abraham (Genesis 11:26–25:8)
Isaac (Genesis 25:9–27:46)
Jacob (Genesis 28:1–38:30)
Joseph (Genesis 39:1–50:26)
Egyptian Culture and Life in the Patriarchal Period
4. Creation of a Nation
Old Testament Chronology
The Historical Background and Date of the Exodus
Israel in Egypt (Exodus 1–14)
Israel in the Sinai (Exodus 15–Numbers 21)
Israel in the Plains of Moab (Numbers 22–Deuteronomy 34)
5. The Theocratic Foundation
Ancient Near Eastern Law
Enlargement of the Covenant and Meaning of the Theocracy
The Mosaic Law
The Tabernacle
The Priesthood
6. Conquest and Conflict
The Historical Background of the Period
The Conquest (Joshua 1:1–Judges 3:7)
Canaanite Religion
The Judges (Judges 3:7–16:31)
The Condition of the Times (Judges 17:1–1 Samuel 7:17)
7. An Age of Greatness
Historical Background
Saul (1 Samuel 8–31)
The Reign of David (2 Samuel 1–1 Kings 2; 1 Chronicles 11–29)
The Reign of Solomon (1 Kings 3–11; 2 Chronicles 19)
Hebrew Poetry
Hebrew Wisdom
8. A House Divided
Ancient Near Eastern Historical Background
Israel and Judah to the Time of Jehu (1 Kings 12:1–2 Kings 9:6;
2 Chronicles 10:1–22:7)
The Prophets of the Period
9. Catharsis Before Calamity
Historical Background
Reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18–20; 2 Chronicles 29–32)
The Prophets of the Period (725–675)
The Last Years of Judah
The Prophets of the Period (650–585)
10. Return and Renewal
The Babylonia-Persia Contest
The Age of the Captivity
The Persian Empire
The First Return from Babylonia
Subsequent Returns from Babylonia
Intertestamental History
Bibliography
Index of Subjects
Index of Authors
Index of Scripture
Maps
Eugene H. Merrill, An Historical Survey of the Old Testament, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991), 5–7.
Thanks. That's definitely more than I anticipated.
A high point I enjoyed from Merrill’s Historical Survey of the Old Testament was his emphasis on God’s sovereign hand guiding Israel’s history despite human failure. It really brought out how the Old Testament isn’t just ancient history but a record of God’s covenant faithfulness unfolding through time.
Blessings!
Spirit poured out as I read your post, you are one of His Own!
Bless you and thank you kindly
Bless you and thank you kindly
What might be most edifying for folks on CC is seeing what is said about the correlation of the OT with secular history and science, including the beginning of the universe, the meaning of Adam and Eve, and the significance of the patriarchs, especially Moses, as well as the justification for the genocidal conquest of Canaan and the conflicting emphases of the Messianic prophecies and Ezra.
Can you C&P some of this?
Because Merrill’s book is under copyright, I cannot provide large excerpts from it. However, I can highlight and copy brief quotations (fair use) for educational or discussion purposes:
Eugene H. Merrill, An Historical Survey of the Old Testament, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991), 52.
---Excerpt for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY----
(Historical Survey of the Old Testament, An) Finally, on the sixth day, man himself was created (bārā’,; vv. 26-28). The nature of man is implied. He was in the image (ṣelem) and likeness (demût) of God and his function is clearly spelled out: he was to multiply, fill the earth, and dominate all things. All that is intended here is the mere mention of the fact and purpose of man’s creation. Chapter 2 enlarges on both a great deal.
(Historical Survey of the Old Testament, An) Because of the great emphasis on man’s having dominion over all nature, at least in the animal world, and its attestation in subsequent history until the flood, it appears that this was a most essential point. To what extent this domination was possible is uncertain, but it surely involved much more than is commonly thought. It is very likely that the remarkable conditions described by the prophets with regard to millennial life were the common, ordinary features of man’s life in his innocence (Isa. 11:6-9; 65:25; Hos. 2:18). “The lion and the lamb shall lie down together, and a little child shall lead them” may not be poetic after all, for the evidence clearly supports the possibility that man at one time could do this very thing. All this fortifies the earlier contention that natural law, after all, may be neither more nor less than restrictive measures placed on man as a result of sin. What might man do apart from this curse? The innocent Adam and the sinless Christ, with their domination of nature, answer that question eloquently (Matt. 17:20; Mark 4:39-41; 6:48-50; Luke 19:30-35).
Finally, God told man what he might eat, a diet consisting only of vegetables, both for him and for all animals (1:29-31). Only after the flood did men and animals become carnivorous, an indication of the deteriorating relationship between them, a deterioration that permeated the entire earth as a result of sin (Rom. 8:19-23).
(Historical Survey of the Old Testament, An) The seventh day was set apart as a day of rest, for within six days God had created all things, and now he rested (2:1-3). The thought is not that God was weary and needed respite, but merely that he ceased from creative work. His was now a task of maintenance, not creating. So the seventh day was set apart by God; from that time man was to commemorate the creation on the sabbath day as a monument to God’s power and glory.
God’s resting from creation flies in the face of evolution, which requires some form of eternal creationism. It is more scientific than scientism, which claims that creation is an ongoing process, for one of the cardinal principles of true science is that matter can be neither created nor destroyed; it can only be converted nonreversibly to heat energy.
(Historical Survey of the Old Testament, An) The Anthropological Approach (2:4-25)
The parallel account of creation in Genesis 2 deals almost exclusively with man. The passage begins by describing the purposelessness of a creation without a subregent acting on God’s behalf in nature (2:4-7). The stage is set, the scene is drawn, but there is no prime actor to give it all life and meaning. Then the creation of this actor is described in profoundly simple terms. The verbs employed here are of great interest, for they relate the steps involved in the creative act. Genesis 1:27 records that man was created (bārā’,), meaning that the concept of a man first came into existence. Now man is made (‘āśāh, 1:26) and formed (yāṣar). ‘&Amacrśāh refers to the assembling of anything, yāṣar to the perfecting of what is made. All together they suggest the tender and loving care that God lavished on his chief created object.
Eugene H. Merrill, An Historical Survey of the Old Testament, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1991), 52.
The book is available for electronic purchase for 27.99 on the olivetree website.
https://www.olivetree.com/store/product/17642
Thanks for the excerpt, and although I find it underwhelming, I would be interested to know if it gets better if you want to share another excerpt. This one did not go beyond what the Bible says and what has been written in every commentary since then, so I doubt there is anything that can be copyrighted.
For example, regarding "The nature of man is implied. He was in the image (ṣelem) and likeness (demût) of God and his function is clearly spelled out", notice that he skipped the nature and went right to the function, which as he says, is spelled out.
Another example is that I see no Scriptural warrant for speculating that "It is very likely that the remarkable conditions described by the prophets with regard to millennial life were the common, ordinary features of man’s life in his innocence (Isa. 11:6-9; 65:25; Hos. 2:18). “The lion and the lamb shall lie down together, and a little child shall lead them”.
Finally, I see nothing edifying by him merely noting that "God’s resting from creation flies in the face of evolution, which requires some form of eternal creationism. It is more scientific than scientism, which claims that creation is an ongoing process, for one of the cardinal principles of true science is that matter can be neither created nor destroyed; it can only be converted nonreversibly to heat energy."
In brief, explain something we do not already know!
No worries — I understand if this section wasn’t what you were hoping for. Merrill’s strength isn’t necessarily in breaking new doctrinal ground but in tracing theological development through history and context.
I shared the excerpt mainly to illustrate his interpretive method and tone, not to claim it’s revolutionary. His later sections — especially those correlating the patriarchs and the Exodus with extrabiblical chronology — do get more analytical.
This book might not be a good fit for everyone, but personally, it’s one that fed me spiritually. Sometimes what stirs the heart isn’t something entirely new, but the way familiar truth is framed with reverence and depth.
Grace and Peace
I like that you like to share the word of God with people and to go in to depths about it which I think is overboard.
But me personally I do not go by what people say, and do not care to, but I will go over things myself.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
1Jn 2:27 But the anointin but I think you make g which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
And I do not think I have to.
I hate to say it but I think you make things complicated by the way you put it forth.
Why can't people put it in simple terms and get to the point.
If I learn on my own I believe I will learn better.
But I appreciate what you are doing but it is not for me unless I want to wade through a bunch of words complicating things and not making it simple and to the point.
At least that is the way I see it.
I understand. I was edified by an older/earlier generation of historical and doctrinal authors, such as William Barclay.
(No, not Moses--he was before my time.)
I was just disappointed that Merrill did not express my understanding of Genesis 1:27: “God created man in his own image, male and female.” The word “image” seems to mean with the capacity to communicate with God and make moral choices (Gen. 1:26-31). The essential aspect of being a human rather than a robot or subhuman creature is God consciousness and moral conscience, which enables a person to experience love and meaning. This is what makes humans different from animals, whose behavior is governed mainly by instinct. Souls have awareness of “the requirements of the law”, which may be perceived via creation (Rom. 1:20). Although image refers to God’s personality rather than to sexuality, it does seem that here we have equality of the sexes indicated.
I appreciate your comments, and I will reply in their order.
While I believed what my parents and pastors taught, when I was a senor in HS I asked my parents for a modern English Bible
for Christmas and read it from cover to cover for myself--something I have done with three other versions since then.
We should note that people who wrote Scripture such as John 16:13 and 1John 2:27 were instrumental in us being taught by the HS.
Like Timothy, I began learning Scripture quite simply from the time I was born (2Tim. 3:15), but as I grew I learned more complicated truths until by the time I was 18 I craved knowing more than the simple Gospel (1Cor. 13:11, 1Cor. 3:2,6&10, Heb. 6:1-3), mainly because I was becoming aware of atheism and apostasy.
When you arrive at that point in your sanctification process, I hope the learning I share in our website will help grease the skids
for your spiritual progress, and if you think of better or less complicated ways of saying what I attempt to communicate, please
let me know and I will amend the website accordingly. Thanks!
