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Old Testament Field Guide

  1. Lesson One
    Getting Ready
    19 Activities
    |
    4 Assessments
  2. Lesson Two
    Geography and Religion
    11 Activities
    |
    3 Assessments
  3. Lesson Three
    Geopolitical History
    15 Activities
    |
    2 Assessments
  4. Lesson Four
    Ancient Near Eastern Sources
    11 Activities
  5. Lesson Five
    Impact of the Old Testament
    11 Activities
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

Participants 170

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Old Testament Field Guide Ancient Near Eastern Sources Behind | Workbook: Colossians 2:8 and Ancient Near East Writings, Part 1
Lesson 4, Activity 3

Behind | Workbook: Colossians 2:8 and Ancient Near East Writings, Part 1

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The passage below gives clear warning to believers to beware of human traditions and philosophies:

Memory Verse

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Colossians 2:8

This passage has been cited as a rationale for Christians to avoid studying books and texts other than the Bible. Thus, studying “parallels” from the ancient Near East could be viewed with suspicion as having the potential to lead believers astray or to stir up doubt.

BibleJourney, however, will occasionally expose you to excerpts of writings from the ancient world—writings from the same period as the Bible. We have good reason for this which we’ll explain in a moment.

Grab your Workbook Journal!

[Record your answers in the workbook provided at the beginning of this course.]

  1. Is studying ancient Near East writings dangerous for a believer? If so, why?

  1. In what ways do you think looking at other ancient Near East writings could inform and enrich your study of the Bible?