The Essence of the Old Testament by Ed Hindson & Gary Yates

The Essence of the Old Testament by Ed Hindson & Gary Yates

Author:Ed Hindson & Gary Yates [Hindson, Ed & Yates, Gary]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Religion, Biblical Studies, Old Testament, Bible Reference
ISBN: 9781433677502
Google: ZUS5AwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00ANXWMTG
Publisher: B&H Books
Published: 2012-07-13T04:00:00+00:00


Chapter 21

POETIC BOOKS

Poetry is one of the world's earliest forms of artistic expression. While it is not as common today in the Western world, it was a familiar mode of communication in the Middle East. In ancient cultures entire epics were recorded and preserved in poetry. They usually originated in verbal and musical expressions and were later recorded in written form.

The Hebrews were imaginative people. Their poetry and music were closely connected to each other and accompanied domestic and social life in all of its prominent scenes. Not only were poetry and music an important part of weddings, harvests festivals, feasts, and funerals, but they also had a central place in the religious life of Israel. While prose may seem sufficient for recording facts, the Hebrews used poetry to express the soul. The religious life of Israel is a record of real human experiences. The poetic portions of the Old Testament therefore portray the emotions and the experiences of God's people.

The English Bible groups five poetic books together: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. This, however, is not to exclude other portions of Scripture from the poetic genre. The prophetic books rely heavily upon the poetic mode of expression to communicate their timeless message, as do a few portions of the Pentateuch and the historical books.

Job: Questions of Suffering

Psalms: Songs of Praise

Proverbs: Words of Wisdom

Ecclesiastes: Meaning of Life

The Song of Songs: Songs of Love



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