The messages of Pre-exilic Prophets
- Amos
(750)
Amos is the earliest of the writing
prophets. He is the first of the four 8th century prophets. He has
the prophetic voice for the poor and the oppressed against the injustice done
by the rich upper class of the society. He was a man from the southern kingdom
of Judah, from the village of Takoa. He prophesized in the northern kingdom of
Israel. He was a breeder of livestock and a tender of mulberry figs (Amos
7:14). We do not know much about him. What we know is that he prophesized in
Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom and in Bethel. He is one of the
twelve minor prophets. His prophesies have come down to us in written form. His
prophetic activity occurred during the reigns of Uzziah, king of Judah and
Jeroboam II, King of Israel. His prophetic activity was to fulfill God’s
command to him. He was a prophet of divine judgment and Yahweh was sovereign in
his thoughts.
Messages:
Amos preached judgment on the house of Israel. The destruction that he
prophesized against Israel was certain, inescapable and total. He proclaimed
the judgment of Yahweh against Israel because of its injustice towards the
poor, its cult without ethical values, its rejection of the word of God and its
refusal to repent and return to Yahweh.
Through Amos, God tells the people
that he is going to judge Israel for its sins, and it will be a foreign nation
that will enact his judgment. The people understand judgment as the coming of
"the Day of the Lord." "The Day of the Lord" was widely
celebrated and highly anticipated by the followers of God. However, Amos came
to tell the people that "the Day of the Lord" was coming soon and
that it meant divine judgment and justice for their own iniquity. It is a theme
of his prophecy that all peoples are equal in the sight of God.
Hosea (745)
Hosea is the Hebrew word which means
“God has Saved” or “God is Salvation”. He was a son of Beeri. He is the first
of the so called Minor Prophets (Hos. 1:1). He has three children. He was
called the first prophet of grace and Israel’s earliest evangelist. He lived at
a time of great crisis for the northern kingdom of Israel. He began his career
in the middle of the eighty century (c. 750 BC.). He is the only writing prophet who came from
the northern kingdom of Israel. He began exercising his prophetic ministry
there in the last years of king Jeroboam II (786-746 BC). He was either a
priest or cultic prophet.
Message: The main
theme of Hosea's prophecy is the idolatry of Israel and infidelity to Yahweh.
The punishment for the sin of faithlessness to their God, according to the
prophet, was exile from their land (Hosea 9:3). His marriage is a part of his
message. This might be called a parable. He was told to "take a wife of
harlotry" which may mean he married a prostitute. He had three children
whose names were given by God. The names of these children are: 1. Jezreel (which
means "I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I
will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel." 1:4); 2.
Lo-ruhamah which means “not pitied”; and 3.Lo-ammi which means "not my
people." The picture of adultery is used as a metaphor for idolatry (and
not only in Hosea). It emphasizes their unfaithfulness to the God who has been
faithful to them. Hosea gives a call to Israel to return to God. He also
preached that God desires steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of
God rather than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6). God will call his son out of Egypt
(Hosea 11:1). The prophet depicted a God who lamented the ingratitude of his
people: like a loving parent, Yahweh cared for Israel who was like a child (cf.
11:1-4); like a husband, Yahweh lamented over Israel who acted like a faithless
wife (cf. 2:2-3). Hosea gave them the message that disaster and destruction
would come as a result of their sin (cf. 11:5-7). He said to them that there
was the possibility of divine compassion (cf. 11:8-9), if the Israelites
repented (cf. 14:1-3). He pictured the relationship betweeen Israel and Yahweh
as one in righteousness, justice, steadfast love, mercy and knowledge of God
(cf. 2:19-20). He is the only prophet in the OT who explains the relationship between
God and Israel in terms of marriage.
Isaiah
(740-700)
Isaiah was the most prominent of all
the 8th century prophets. He was the son of Amoz (Is. 1:1;2:1) not
Amos the Prophet, who was apparently a man of humble rank. The Prophet, first
Isaiah, preached between 740 and 687 BC. Most likely he belonged to an
aristocratic family. His family was close to the royal house because he had
easy access to the royal court unlike other prophets. He was married to a
prophetess. He had at least two sons. His ministry lasted four decades under
four kings Uzziah (died in 740 BC),
Jotham (750-731), Ahaz (735-715) and Hezekiah (729-684).
Message: The large
book of Isaiah is universally recognized to divide into three distinct sections
(not to mention various subsections within these major sections). The context
of chapters 1-39 is Judah before
the Babylonian Exile. Chapters 40-55 (often called "Second Isaiah" or
"Deutero Isaiah") express hope for the people of Judah during the Exile. Chapters 56-66
(often called "Third Isaiah" or "Trito Isaiah") seem to
describe life in Judah after
the Exile. Isaiah speaks many harsh words of doom and judgment to the people of
Judah. In the opening chapter, Isaiah denounces Judah's worship as being empty
and meaningless because the people were known for their wrongdoing (1:10-20).
Throughout the book, Isaiah regularly warns of the "day of the Lord" (or "that day") as a
time of strong judgment on God's people (for example, 2:6-22). The book of
Isaiah contains oracles against foreign nations such as Assyria (10:5-19) and
others as well (chapters 13-22). Isaiah 24-27 is often called the
"Apocalypse of Isaiah" because it describes impending judgment in
terms similar to Jewish apocalypses of later times.[1]
Micah (740)
Micah is a Hebrew word which means
“who is like Yahweh”. He was a prophet of the eight century (740-735) BC. He is
called “Micah of Moresheth” because he came from the town, Moresheth Gath. This
town is situated some twenty five miles southwest of Jerusalem. He prophesied
during the reign of Jothan, Amoz and Hezekiel (Mic. 1:1; Jer. 26:18). He was
Contemporary with Amos, Hosea and Isaiah. His prophetic ministry was during the
days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (i.e. c.742-687).
Message: Like the
book of Isaiah, Micah spook about of doom (1:2-2:11; 3:1-12; 6:1-7:7) and hope
(2:12-13; 4:1-5:15; 7:8-20). He courageously prophesied disaster unlike the
false prophets of his time (2:6-11; 3:5-8). “He bravely conveys God’s message
which is one of condemnation. He invites the transgressors to listen to God’s
judgment against them (1:2). He lashes out against unscrupulous wealthy,
unethical tradesmen, corrupt military leaders, venal judges, avaricious priests
and prophets.” He reminds them that they have totally forgotten ‘to do what is
right, to love loyally and to walk humbly with God’ (6:8). So, without any
fear, he declared that the Lord would come to judge and punish (1:3-4); Samaria
would be destroyed (1:6-7); the places of the south would undergo punishment
(1:8-15); Jerusalem would become a help heap of ruins. Micah announced that the
city of Jerusalem would suffer destruction (3:12) due to the disobedience of
the people (3:1-3, 9-11). Like the prophets Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah, Micah
denounces empty worship rituals in favor of "doing justice, loving mercy,
and walking humbly with your God" (Micah 6:6-8).[2]
Despite such harsh words, Micah
speaks quite positively of the exaltation of Israel, Jerusalem, and the dynasty
of David among the other nations where we fine in (chapter 4:1-5:15). Like to
Isaiah 9:2-7; 11:1-9, Micah describes an ideal king that would come from
Bethlehem (5:2; cf).
Zephaniah (630)
Zephaniah is the Hebrew word which
means, “God has concealed or preserved”. He was a son of Cushi and the great
grandson of Hezekiel and the ninth in the order of the Minor Prophets. He is
one of the 7th century prophets like Nahum and Habakuk.
Message: Zephaniah
prophesied against the irreligious conditions of Jerusalem because during his
time the Jewish society had become corrupted by its pagan worship, idolatry and
rejection of Yahweh’s laws. He spoke mainly about the day of Yahweh which will
affect not only Judah but also other nations. The most important theme of the
prophecy of Zephaniah was Judgment of God against Judah, the nations and also
restoration.
The first verses indicate a sweeping
judgment that "I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the
earth...man and beast...birds of the air and the fish of the sea...I will cut
off mankind from the face of the earth" It's hard to know how literally to
take this and how much of the face of the earth is referred to.
The prophecy continues against
Jerusalem and Baal, against the officials and king's sons. But it continues in
chapter 2 to call the humble to seek the Lord and "perhaps you may be
hidden on the day of the wrath of the Lord."
The indication may be that this was
early in the reign of Josiah when the people were still living in the ways of
Manasseh and Amon who had reigned before and Josiah had not come into his real
power. It may be that Zephaniah was even instrumental in turning Josiah to the
ways of the Lord.
Like Amos and Isaiah, Zephaniah
announces the impending day of the Lord
to be a time of judgment (1:7-18). In the midst of a message of such doom,
Zephaniah offers some hope for the people by stating that a remnant that would
survive (3:11-13). The book of Zephaniah concludes with a joyful song rejoicing
that judgment had been avoided (3:14-20).[3]
Nahum (660)
The word Nahum comes from the Hebrew
word means “consolation or compassion”. A prophet who was born at Elkosh a town
in southwest Judah and who prophesied about Nineveh.
Message: The theme
or message of Nahum is fully a prophecy against Nineveh and its
destruction. Similar to Jonah he is
prophesied and calls the nation to repentance. Although the people of Nineveh
repented under Jonah’s preaching, the people quickly go back to their old ways
or evil ways. That is why Nahum calls them to repent and reminds them that God
is sovereign over the nations (Nah 1:1ff). Two major themes arise in the book
of Nahum that connects to the New Testament and Christ. First, like we read in
the book of Jonah, God is bringing his salvation to all peoples of the earth.
This picture of salvation to the nations fully blooms with the work of Jesus
and the gospel spreading all over the world. Second, we see God as a warrior
who will judge the nations and as we will see with Obadiah this divine warrior
is Christ who will judge all the nations in righteousness. Here we see also
that Nahum 1:2-14 describes the Lord
as a punishing God, slow to anger but great in power. Nahum describes Assyria
as the enemy of the Lord and the Lord’s people. Therefore worthy of the
punishment it received (1:15-3:19).[4]
Habakkuk (600)
He is the eight of the Minor
Prophets whose parentage, birth place and era are unrecorded (Hab. 1:1; 3:1).
Although he is not much more known to us but he was a prophet of Judah and of
the tribe of Levi and of the temple singers (Hab. 3:19). The prophecy of
Habakkuk is considerably more reflective than that of Nahum.
Message:The great
message of Habakkuk is that God will not allow evil to continue. We see a
powerful picture of God as a divine warrior taking vengeance on evildoers (Habb
2:1-17). God tells him "Behold, he
whose soul is not upright in him shall fail but the righteous shall live by his
faith (2:4)".
Then he proclaims woes on the arrogant man who shall not abide. Chapter 3 is a
prayer of praise by Habakkuk ending in a real statement of faith. Those who
wait on this visitation of God will do so by faith. It is by faith that God’s
people will be delivered. The indication at the end "To the choirmaster:
with stringed instruments" probably indicates that the last chapter at
least was intended as a psalm of praise to be sung in the temple. In other
words, God’s people must trust him and believe his promises despite the
evildoers that surround them. This statement Paul makes it very clearly that
the upright live by faith (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; cf., Heb 10:38). So the aim of
people faith is Christ. He will return and deliver his people as a great divine
warrior and only those who wait by faith will be saved (Rev 19:11-19). Habakkuk
concludes that he can rejoice in God whatever the circumstances.[5]
Jeremiah (626-587)
Jeremiah was born about 650 B.C. of
a priestly family but become a prophet by the divine call of God comes before
us or one of the grandest man of the OT. history. He was called to the
prophetic office through a vision (Jer. 1:1; 4-16) and labored for some forty
year.
Message: The
Book of Jeremiah is primarily a message of judgment on Judah for out of control
idolatry (Jeremiah 7:30-34; 16:10-13; 22:9; 32:29; 44:2-3). After the death of
King Josiah, the last righteous king, the nation of Judah had almost completely
abandoned God and His commandments. Jeremiah compares Judah to a prostitute
(Jeremiah 2:20; 3:1-3). God had promised that He would judge idolatry most
severely (Leviticus 26:31-33; Deuteronomy 28:49-68), and Jeremiah was warning
Judah that God’s judgment was at hand. God had delivered Judah from destruction
on countless occasions, but His mercy was at its end. Jeremiah records King
Nebuchadnezzar conquering Judah and making it subject to him (Jeremiah 24:1).
After further rebellion, God brought Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian armies
back to destroy and desolate Judah and Jerusalem (Jeremiah chapter 52). Even in
this most severe judgment, God promises the restoration of Judah back into the
land that God has given them (Jeremiah 29:10). The Prophet Jeremiah had a most
difficult message to deliver. Jeremiah loved Judah, but he loved God much more.
As painful as it was for Jeremiah to deliver a consistent message of judgment
to his own people, Jeremiah was obedient to what God told him to do and say.
Jeremiah hoped and prayed for mercy from God for Judah, but also trusted that
God was good, just, and righteous. We too must obey God, even when it is
difficult, recognize God’s will as more important than our own desires, and
trust that God, in His infinite wisdom and perfect plan, will bring about the
best for His children (Romans 8:28).[6]
Joel (600-200)
Joel is a common name in the Hebrew bible,
meaning “Yahweh is God”, the son of Pethuel and the prophet in the days of
Uzziah, king of Judah (Joel 1:1).
Message: The theme
or prophesy of Joel was the day of the Lord is seen as darkness and judgment,
but also restoration. Joel speaks of locusts,
a new disease of locusts as an analogy for the coming Day of the Lord, warning
that devastation is in store, and that repentance is required. He calls the
people to fast and to pray to God. In 2:18 Joel indicates that God heard their
prayers and healed the land. The attack of locusts is seen as armies enter by
force from the north, and as a metaphor for judgment that God will send in the
form of an actual army. And he looks forward beyond the relief from the locust
plague to a later time when God will pour out His Spirit on the people (quoted
by Peter at Pentecost) and a time (still later) when God shall bring judgment
on the nations because of their behavior of Israel and Judah and a time when
"Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem to all generations, I
will avenge their blood, and I will not clear the guilty for the LORD dwells in
Zion" (3:20-21). With the coming of the Spirit, God is dwelling with his
people and ushering in a new time of abundance and salvation. Part of his
prophecy was fulfilled at Pentecost. The Day is seen as one of division: to
those who love God, it brings blessing; to those who hate or ignore him,
destruction. This prophecy of Joel is rich in apocalyptic imagery and strongly
eschatological in tone.[7]
Jonah (eight century)
Jonah is the son of Amittai of Gath
helpers, the first Hebrew prophet or missionary, sent to heathen nations
Nineveh (Jonah 1:1 II Kings 14:25).
Message:The theme
of the prophecy of Jonah to Nineveh was judgment as well as his disobedience.
Jonah is commanded to call the Assyrians, Nineveh to repent of their sin (Jon
1:2). We all are very familiar with the story of Jonah. However, we often miss
the point of this important book; namely that God’s principle to save people
from all nations which is clearly revealed in the Old Testament, for the entire
city of Nineveh repents (Jon 3:1ff). This message is God’s mercy on sinners.
Christ is the true Jonah. He fulfills this prophecy of Jonah by making
atonement for sin and also carries forth the message of hope and restoration to
all the peoples of the world (Matt 12:39-41).
By this way at the end we see that it is very interesting to note, the
sailors on the ship prayed to the LORD for save, and that "the people of Nineveh
believed God."
- Obadiah
(580)
The word Obadiah comes from the
Hebrew word means “worshiper or servant of Yahweh” We know nothing of the
author although his oracle against Edom, a long-standing enemy of Israel,
indicates a date of composition sometimes fifth century BC. According to the Hebrew canon, he is a
prophet, four of the Minor Prophets and according to LXX fifth. So he was a
prophet of Judah lived over 550 years before Christ (Obad. 1). Obadiah is the
shorter book of an Old Testament.
Message:Obadiah
prophesies aboutJudgment on Edom for their treatment of Judah. Edom was the
descendants of Esau who were a source of conflict for the Israelites. The
Edomites rejoiced over the destruction of Israel by foreign invaders, but God
rebukes them and assures them of their destruction, while promising Israel
deliverance and peace (Oba 1:1-21). Much like many nations in the Old Testament
(e.g., Egypt, Babylon), Edom represents those who stand against God’s people,
which in the New Testament is represented by the evil world standing against
Christ and his church. So the final judgment of Edom is fully realized when
Christ, as a great warrior, comes the nations and save them (Rev 19:11-19;
20:7-10).[8]
[1]The Catholic Encyclopedia for Home
and School, Vol. 7,
S.V. “Isaiah”, by Brun J. Edger, New York, McGraw, 1965, p-522.
[3]Ibit,s.v. “Zephaniah”, p-665.
[4]Today’s Dictionary of the Bible,s.v.
“Nahum”, by Bryant T. A., Guidepost, New
York, 1982, p-443.
[5]Ibit,s.v. “Habakkuk”, p-272.
[6]HUBERT, Lockyer, All the Men of the Bible,s.v. “Jeremiah”, The New Revised Standard
Version, New York, 1990, p- 183.
[7]Today’s Dictionary of the Bible, s.v. “Joel”, by Bryant T. A., Guidepost, New York, 1982, Pp-
315-316.
[8]Harpers Bible Dictionary, by Paul J. Achtemeir, Ed, s.v. “Obadiah”, Theological
Publications in India, Bangalore, 2002, Pp- 717-718.
posted by Johnastine @ 21:26
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