عنوان

The End Is the Beginning:

Number

TLpq2451346140

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

The End Is the Beginning:

General Material Designation

[Thesis]

First Statement of Responsibility

Balbier, Michael

Title Proper by Another Author

An Analysis of the Decree of Cyrus in Chronicles

Subsequent Statement of Responsibility

Bramer, Stephen J

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Dallas Theological Seminary

Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.

2020

Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item

253

Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree

Ph.D.

Body granting the degree

Dallas Theological Seminary

Text preceding or following the note

2020

Text of Note

THE END IS THE BEGINNING: AN ANALYSIS OF THE DECREE OF CYRUS IN CHRONICLES Michael Balbier Readers: Stephen J. Bramer, Alexander R. Gonzales, and James E. Allman Various interpretations abound about the meaning of the ending of Chronicles-the decree of Cyrus. These interpretations range from a necessary editorial addition to Chronicles to an added catchline joining the books of Chronicles with Ezra. Others interpret the decree as a final historical event of the book. Still others view the decree as foreshadowing or referring to a future hope. Some hold that Cyrus's last statement of Chronicles, "go up," is an ongoing invitation for all Jews to return to the land and to worship the Lord. Others view the decree as solely the reference to a future Davidic hope. This hope could be in the nonspecific future, or this future could be eschatological. Those who view the hope as eschatological have argued from other biblical books that the decree of Cyrus refers to the eschatological program of Israel. However, this dissertation intends to support the eschatological interpretation of the decree of Cyrus first from Chronicles itself. Second, because of this claim, this study will demonstrate that the decree of Cyrus has a literary function within the book of Chronicles. This means that it cannot simply be an added catchline or later editorial insertion to make a clearer connection with the book of Ezra. Literary patterns and themes developed throughout Chronicles demonstrate that the decree is not only the final historical event of the book, but it is part of Chronicles' overall message of Davidic hope-a hope that the audience of Chronicles needed to hear. The decree by Cyrus commenced hope in the rebuilding of the temple-the place, as Chronicles specifically develops, where worshipers come to hear of what the LORD has done and what he will do. The temple is a place where the temple personnel beseech the LORD to remember his covenantal commitments to Abraham and David. It is a place where worshipers remember these commitments. Worship in Chronicles is both retrospective and prospective. Furthermore, the intentional last phrase of Chronicles, "let him go up," not only foreshadows a future return of the Davidic Covenant and return of Israel to her Promised Land, but it also is part of a historical pattern in which the LORD has continuously shown himself to be faithful.

Exegesis & hermeneutics

Old Testament

Religion

Rhetoric

Balbier, Michael

Bramer, Stephen J

Electronic name

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y