The Prophets Why the need for Prophets? Wasn’t God’s Word enough? 1.Persistent Rebellion 2.Religious Compromise 3.Moral Collapse, from top down 4.Changing

The ProphetsThe Prophets

Why the need for Prophets? Why the need for Prophets? Wasn’t God’s Word enough?Wasn’t God’s Word enough?

1.1. Persistent RebellionPersistent Rebellion

2.2. Religious CompromiseReligious Compromise

3.3. Moral Collapse, from top downMoral Collapse, from top down

4.4. Changing Social OrderChanging Social Order

5.5. Changing International SceneChanging International Scene


Basic Premise of Prophecy:

There are 2 realms in the universe

1. Divine 2. Human

How will communication take place between them?


Man’s Way: Reach to God Man’s Way: Reach to God

•Signs Signs

•Divination / MagicDivination / Magic

•Necromancy: communing with deadNecromancy: communing with dead


God’s Way: God reaching to man.God’s Way: God reaching to man.

(See Numbers 12:6)

•VisionVision

•Dream (Joseph, Daniel)Dream (Joseph, Daniel)

•VoiceVoice


What was a prophet?

1. Prophet (nabi): One who speaks for God

2. Seer (roeh): One who sees as God sees


General Functions of a ProphetGeneral Functions of a Prophet

1. Forth-tellingForth-telling: Spokesmen for God

2. Fore-tellingFore-telling: Forecasters of future events

Role of Prophets vs. PriestsProphets:

1. Called for specific task1. Called for specific task2. Represents God to the 2. Represents God to the

peoplepeople3. Minister to the people in 3. Minister to the people in

the cities and countrysidethe cities and countryside4. Concerned with internal 4. Concerned with internal

righteousness of heartrighteousness of heart

5. Teachers as “Reformers”5. Teachers as “Reformers”

Priests:

1. Appointed for life1. Appointed for life

2. Represents the people 2. Represents the people before Godbefore God

3. Minister to the people in 3. Minister to the people in the Templethe Temple

4. Concerned with religious 4. Concerned with religious ritual of outward ritual of outward symbolssymbols

5. Teachers as “informers”5. Teachers as “informers”


Prophetic BeginningsProphetic Beginnings

1. Abraham 1. Abraham Genesis 20:7Genesis 20:7

2. Moses2. Moses Deut 18;Deut 18; Exodus 20:18-21Exodus 20:18-21

3. Samuel3. Samuel 1 1 Sam 3:20Sam 3:20


Classes of ProphetsClasses of Prophets

1.1. Oral (Speaking) ProphetsOral (Speaking) Prophets

Primarily: 10th-9th century B.C. Primarily: Prophets to the Kings

• Elijah 1 Kings 17-19

• Elisha 1 Kings 19


2. Classical (Writing) Prophets2. Classical (Writing) ProphetsPrimarily: 8th & 7th century B.C.Primarily: Prophets to the people

•Major: Isaiah, Jeremiah

•Minor: Amos, Hosea, Micah

Themes of ProphetsThemes of Prophets

1.1. Ethical ThemesEthical Themes

• Repent / Return to God bWv (Joel 2:12ff)

• Personal Holiness: justice, mercy, humility (Micah 6:6-8; Is 1:10-17)

2. Eschatological Themes2. Eschatological Themes

• Coming of the “Day of the LORD” (Is 2, Joel 2)

• Coming of the Messiah / Messianic Age (Is. 9:1-7, 42:1-4, 52:13-53:12; Jer 31:31-34)

• Judgment on unbelievers /Salvation on God’s People

The United Monarchy

Dates (BC) Prophets of United Israel

1020-1000 Samuel

975-960 Nathan

The Divided Kingdoms

Dates (BC) Israel (Northern) | Judah (Southern) Dates (BC)

870-850 Elijah | x x

850-800 Elisha | x x

750-745 Amos | [Jonah] [740-730]

750-745 Hosea | x x

x x

| Isaiah of Jerusalem 742-700

| Micah 722-701

| Zephaniah 628-622

| Jeremiah 626-586

| Nahum 612

| Habakkuk 605

| Ezekiel 593-573

| Obadiah c. 586/5

| Isaiah 40-55 540

| Haggai 520-515

| Zechariah 520-515

| Isaiah 56-66 515-500

| Joel 500-350?

| Malachi 500-450

| Jonah 450-400

The Major Prophets

IsaiahIsaiah Jeremiah (and Book of Lamentations)Jeremiah (and Book of Lamentations) EzekielEzekiel DanielDaniel

Prophet: IsaiahProphet: Isaiah

NameName:

Isaiah means: The LORD is salvation

Dating of Events: Isaiah 1:1Dating of Events: Isaiah 1:1

•InternationallyInternationally, the setting was the rise of Assyria under Tiglath-Pileser, Sargon, Shalmanezer and destruction of Northern Israel in 722 B.C.

•NationallyNationally, Death of King Uzziah (740B.C.), Jotham, rise of King Ahaz (743-728 B.C.), and Hezekiah (728-697).

Prophet: IsaiahProphet: Isaiah

Book OutlineBook Outline:

Isaiah 1-39 Book of Judgment

Isaiah 40-66 Book of Comfort

Important Passages:Important Passages:

Call of Isaiah 6

Sign of Immanuel 7-9

Comfort 40

Servant Songs 40-53

Prophet: JeremiahProphet: Jeremiah

Name:

Jeremiah means: The LORD appoints

Dating of Events: Jeremiah 1:1-3In the 13th Year of Josiah 640-609 B.C.[Jehoahaz; not mentioned] 3 month reignIn the Days of Jehoiakim 609-598 B.C.[Jehoichin; not mentioned] 3 month reignUntil the 11th year of Zedehiah 598-587 B.C.

•Jeremiah served from 627-587 B.C.

Prophet: JeremiahProphet: Jeremiah

•Overview of Jeremiah

Prophetic UtterancesProphetic Utterances (Poetry) Jeremiah the Preacher

Chap 1-25

Chap 26-29

Chap 30-31

Chap 32-45

Chap 46-51

Chap 52

AutobiographicalAutobiographical (Prose) Jeremiah the Person

Prophet: JeremiahProphet: Jeremiah•The Call Chap 1:4-10

•The Warnings of Israel’s Sin Chap 2

•The Temple Sermon Chap 7 Chap 26

•Five Laments11:18-12:6 Plot against Jeremiah

15:10-21 Prosperity of Wicked

17:14-18 Jeremiah’s Loneliness

18:18-23 Another Plot

20:7-18 Jeremiah’s Call

Prophet: JeremiahProphet: Jeremiah•The False Prophets Chap 27-29

•The New Covenant Chap 30-31

Prophet: EzekielProphet: Ezekiel

Name Ezek: Be Strong

El: God

Either as a prayer; May the Lord Strengthen

Or

A statement;The Lord will strengthen


Vocation

Priest

Dating and Place of Ministry

•It is interesting that the entire ministry of Ezekiel takes place outside of the boundary of Palestine in Babylon (597-571 B.C.) . . . But there are times when he speaks (or has a vision) as if he was in Jerusalem.


Visions of God’s Glory

Chap 1-3 Vision of God as He sits on the throne

Chap 8-11 Vision of God departing the Temple

Chap 40-48 Vision of God returning to New Temple


Outline of Ezekiel

Chap 1-3 Call of Ezekiel

Chap 4-24 Oracles of Judgment against Judah/Jerusalem

Chap 25-32 Oracles against other Nations

Chap 33-48 Prophecies of Hope to exiles

Prophet: DanielProphet: Daniel

NameName:

Daniel means: God is judge

Dating of Events: Dating of Events: •Dan 1:1 Dan 1:1 606 B.C.606 B.C. Daniel’s deportationDaniel’s deportation

•Dan 2:1Dan 2:1 603603 Daniel’s interpretationDaniel’s interpretation

•Dan 5:31Dan 5:31 539539 Daniel’s handwritingDaniel’s handwriting

•Dan 6:1Dan 6:1 538538 Daniel in Lion’s denDaniel in Lion’s den

•See also 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, 10:1See also 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, 10:1

Daniel - TraditionalDaniel - TraditionalDaniel - TraditionalDaniel - Traditional

6:28 7:1Chap 1 12:13

Material:

Historical

Material:

Prophetic

Prologue

2:1

Daniel - TraditionalDaniel - TraditionalDaniel - TraditionalDaniel - Traditional

6:28 7:1Chap 1 12:13

Activity:

Daniel Interprets Others’ Dreams

Activity:

Angel Interprets Daniel’s Dreams

CausationCausation

Prologue

2:1

DanielDanielDanielDaniel

2:1 6:28 7:1Chap 1 12:13

History: Theology of History

Visions: Theology of

Eschaton

Prologue

God has acted graciously to the faithful and punished the proud

We can wait faithfully, for God holds the future

Big Picture QuestionBig Picture Question: Precisely, how does 2-6 relate to 7-12?

Documents

The Prophets Why the need for Prophets? Wasn’t God’s Word enough? 1.Persistent Rebellion 2.Religious Compromise 3.Moral Collapse, from top down 4.Changing