a very brief introduction to the prophets

The Prophets

They have a queer way of talking, like people who, instead of pro-ceeding in an orderly manner, ramble off from one thing to the next so that you cannot make heads or tails of them or see what they are getting at. Martin Luther

[The] ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6 NIV

why bother with the prophets?

to know God

Why do we have the Bible?So that we can know God

them

GOD

us us

prophets = nabi

called (by God) to call out (for God)

Prophets are called by God

. . . to speak from God

. . . about God

The Word of the LORD

Whether he is discussing the past, present or future, the prophet is seeking to make God the most genuine reality that men can know and experience.

A.B. MickelsonInterpreting the Bible, p. 287

[The prophets] entered into God’s heart, sharing his anger and his grief, his sense of rejection, and his continuing passionate love for his people. Through the prophets we get a glimpse of the complexity and depth of God’s person that is not duplicated anywhere else in the Bible.

NLT Study Bible

not foretelling

forthtelling

Prophecy is essentially a ministry of disclosure, a stripping bare. Israel’s great prophets do not merely lift the veil of the future in order to destroy false expectations; at the same time, they expose the conduct of their contemporaries. . . . Prophets tear the masks away and show the true face of the people behind them.

Hans Walter Wolff, Confrontations

Calling people back to the covenant

Covenant enforcement mediators(Fee and Stuart)

Warning of judgment

Promising restoration

Restoration

Basic pattern

Identification of Israel’s sin

Announcement of judgment

Declaration of God’s love for Israel

Announcement of blessing

Fulfilment

NewTestament

Promise

OldTestament

deep focus

two horizons

covenant

Adam

Noah

Abraham

I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.

Genesis 12:1–3, NLT

Moses

Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on the earth; for the earth belongs to me. . . .

Exodus 19:1

covenant blessings

life

prosperity

health respect

abundance

security

covenant curses

disease

defeat

drought

dearth

dangerdisgrace

death

destruction

deportation

destitution

David

Don’t you realise that the Lord, the God of Israel, made a lasting covenant with David, giving him and his descendants the throne of Israel forever?

2 Chronicles 13:5

JUDAH

ISRAEL

Rehoboam

Jeroboam

922 BC

SamariaShechem

Jerusalem

931 BC880 BC

Tirzah

909 BC

BaashaOmri

Amos

Jonah

Hosea

800 780 760 740 720 700

800 780 760 740 720 700

Isaiah

Micah

the message of the prophets

41

PeaceProsperity(Hosea 8:14; Isaiah 9:10)

Confidence(Amos 3:15;

5:11)

Poverty

Exploitation(Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:5-8)

Idolatry(Hosea 13:2)

Humanity’s most fundamental need isto be right with God

2

Religion, politics and society must all be on

a firm moral base

3

God offers us the choice of judgment or hope

4

Assyria45

47

700 680 660 640 620 600

700 680 660 640 620 600

Nahum

Habakkuk

Jeremiah

Zephaniah

Babylon49

The [Latter Prophets] did not call for reform, for they knew it was too late; the end of the present order was near and could not be averted.

Donald GowanReclaiming the OT p. 125–6

600 580 560 540 520 500

600 580 560 540 520 500

Daniel

Ezekiel

Jeremiah

Hab

akku

k Hag

gai

Zec

hari

ah

Malachi (440)

Joel?Oba

diah

?

The future kingdom of God

5

These distant future events . . . are announced to serve as beacons for God’s people – beacons which will help them get their bearings and set their course in life, beacons which will give direction, hope, and encouragement, even in the darkest hour.

Sidney Greidanus,The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text, p. 235

a universal kingdom

coming and continuing

a coming King

The glory of God

6

God’s glory in the prophets

God’s glory revealed as he gathers a people and redeems

them

Jeremiah 31:10–11

God’s glory revealed in a new Zion

Isaiah 2

God’s glory revealed in new Davidic king

Jeremiah 23:5–6

God’s glory revealed in a new temple

Ezekiel 47:1

God’s glory revealed in new creation

Isaiah 65:17

God’s glory revealed in new covenant

Jeremiah 31:31–33

God will be shepherd

Ezekiel 34:11–13, 26–31

God’s righteousness revealed in salvation of nations

Isaiah 42:6b–7; 49:6b

The Lord’s anointed will do this

Isaiah 11:1–4; 42:1; 49:1–3; 50:4; 59:21; 61:1

Death

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