LESSON 13 • The Prophets of the Divided Kingdom

INTRODUCTION

“The second of the three sections in the Hebrew Bible is called “The Prophets.” It includes four books of prophetic history called the former prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) and four scrolls of latter prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and The Twelve). Our English Bibles do not follow the Hebrew ordering. Instead we follow the Greek version (Septuagint) in which the latter prophets plus Daniel and Lamentations are the last section of the Old Testament (Isaiah to Malachi)....In addition, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel along with Daniel are often called “the major prophets” and The Twelve prophetics books (Hoshea to Malachi) “minor prophets.” This, however, only refers to the size of the books, not the stature of the prophets!” (Baylis, pp. 274-5)

CHARACTERISTICS OF PROPHECY

(1.) Connection. Prophecies were based in present day happenings. While they might foreshadow future events, those predictions were given to shape current actions by allowing the present to be seen in the light of God’s eternal purposes.

(2.) Telescoping. Predictions often found fulfillment in stages, even though in the reading of them it sounds like a single event.

(3.) Dating. Prophecies should be though of as revealing promises of God rather than as a chronology of coming events.

(4.) Antithesis. Themes of destruction are accompanied by messages of hope.


JONAH

Set in the days of Assyria’s threatening invasion, Jonah is a message of deliverance for an ungodly nation. Jonah is a prophet called of God to go to the wicked city of Nineveh (capitol of Assyria) and deliver a message of repentance or doom. Fearing that these people, whom Jonah saw to be the enemies of his nation, would repent, and further fearing that God would spare them if they did, Jonah sought to run from his responsibilities to be God’s messenger. In a wonderfully interesting narrative, Jonah is caught by God, who patiently teaches him about His grace and patience. It is in the message of this book that we see God as possessing compassion which we cannot fathom.

AMOS

Amos, a fig-picker by trade, is call by God to go to the sophisticated citizens of Bethel, and to deliver a message of imminent danger. These people, trusting in their secure borders and seemingly endless wealth, and devout in the externals of their worship, felt comfortable in oppressing the needy. While it appeared God must have been satisfied with their piety, for they were be comfortably blessed, all the while He is gathering himself to roar out their destruction.

HOSEA

Maybe the hardest life lived by any prophet was that lived by Hosea, who prophesied to the nation of Israel of her unfaithfulness to God. To make His point, God instructs Hosea to marry a prostitute from Israel named Gomer. She bears three children, and the name of each shows a stage in the unfaithfulness of Israel to Jehovah. The first born is Jezreel, a name which not only shows the place where the judgment of God will begin, but signifies the anger of God toward Israel, anger like that of Gomer toward Hosea. The second is a daughter named Lo-Ruhamah, which means “not loved”, showing how Israel has acted without love to God. The third is an illegitimate son named Lo-Ammi (not mine) which symbolizes how God will turn His back on the people and treat them as though they are not His, except they repent. The story of the book, which illustrates the lengths to which God goes to redeem His people, has Gomer running away from Hosea and returning to her immoral ways. God requires Hosea to go and find her and bring her back home, despite her conduct. The story abruptly ends without our knowing “the rest of the story”, such as does Hosea’s steadfast faithfulness and unending efforts turn her around. It might be the most fascinating story in the books of the prophets.

JOEL

Though the circumstances of Joel’s life are uncertain, the theme of his message is not. Joel is warning the people of impending doom if they do not repent. Already facing a plague of locust, Joel warns that this is not to be compared with the destruction coming at “the day of the Lord” unless they change. Like many of the prophets, Joel appears to have been effective, for the end of the book celebrates a time in which God will “pour out my spirit on all flesh” and that forgiveness will be abundant in the land.

MICAH

Micah was a prophet of the latter half of the eighth century B. C. who warned Judah. While she saw Assyria as her greatest threat, Micah tries to get the people to see that it is they themselves who are their own worst enemies. The land was seized with crime, bribery, fraud, violence, injustice. In four oracles which rotate between judgment and hope, Micah calls the people back to a God who is rich in compassion and abundant in forgiveness. His message is that though the people have not been faithful to their covenants, God will always be faithful to His.

ISAIAH

Isaiah is call the “Messianic Prophet.” In many ways this book represents the finest of prophetic literature. It is not just the message of Isaiah which gives it this designation, but the style and themes which he employs to communicate to the people for an extended period of time which give him claim to being the “prince of prophets.” Isaiah’s role extends through the reign of at least four kings. Before his call in chapter six (and a more glorious call has no man ever received!), Isaiah indicts the people through stirring symbols. Following his call, he outlines the future for the nation of Judah, a future of woes and sorrows. It is Isaiah who changes the attention of the people from Assyria to Babylon, and who shows the judgment coming upon them for their failure to turn to God. Then, as the model for all prophets, he consoles the people by reminder of God providential care for them as a people. But most, he shows God’s precious promise of care for all humanity in the coming sacrifice of Himself in the person of His Son for the sins of all mankind.


“There are two very distinct halves written from different perspectives. The first half (chs 1 - 39) is largely filled with indictments of the nation for her sin and threatens the Assyrian invasion. The last half (chs 40 - 66) is often called the “Book of Consolation” and addresses people in exile in Babylon to challenge their faith and offer hope...Chapters 36 - 39 provide a narrative transtition that irreversibly links the two parts.” (Baylis, p. 288)

KEY SCRIPTURE READINGS

Hosea 1 - 3
Joel 2:28 - 3:21
Amos 1, 2, &9
Jonah 1 & 2
Micah 1 & 5:1-7
Isaiah 6, 40, 53

QUESTIONS FOR CLASS DISCUSSION

1. How does the prophetic notion of justice relate to notions of justice today? What types of injustice are particularly stressed in these prophetic books?

2. How does the notion of hope relate to the message of judgment? How can these both be true?

3. What examples do we have of “telescoping” of the final outcome in a way that associates it with the current times? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this feature of prophesy? How does this relate to the question of the imminency of the future kingdom of God?

4. What features of God does the title “The Holy One of Israel” suggest? How does this title relate to the future servant and restoration?

5. In what variety of ways is the Day of the Lord pictured in the prophets? Why is it called “the Day of the Lord”?

6. What is the importance of covenant to the prophets? In what way is God’s grace evident in these books?