B I B S T U D Lesson 16 Old Testament Prophets

THE OLD THE OLD TESTAMENTTESTAMENTPROPHETSPROPHETS

DENNIS RAYMOND P. MATURANDENNIS RAYMOND P. MATURANDE LA SALLE –COLLEGE OF ST. DE LA SALLE –COLLEGE OF ST.

BENILDEBENILDE2010120101

THE PROPHETSTHE PROPHETS1.1. Nabi Nabi in Hebrewin Hebrew2.2. One who speaks in One who speaks in

God’s name and God’s name and under His under His inspiration.inspiration.

3.3. One who spoke, One who spoke, acted or wrote acted or wrote under the under the extraordinary extraordinary influence of God to influence of God to make known the make known the divine counsels and divine counsels and will.will.

4.4. His primary function His primary function is to proclaim the is to proclaim the will of God.will of God.

THE PROPHETSTHE PROPHETS5. He also prophesied 5. He also prophesied

by foretelling future by foretelling future events.events.

6. His role then was to 6. His role then was to proclaim and to proclaim and to make the make the proclamation proclamation credible. credible.

7. A prophet brought 7. A prophet brought forward the matters forward the matters that pertained to the that pertained to the “conscience of “conscience of Israel” and to the Israel” and to the manifestation of God manifestation of God to all humans.to all humans.

Marks of a True Prophet of Marks of a True Prophet of God:God:

Denounces evil.Denounces evil. Divine Zeal.Divine Zeal. Divine Imprint.Divine Imprint. God-centered God-centered

rather than self-rather than self-centered.centered.

Spirit of Spirit of Poverty.Poverty.

Suffering-Suffering-servant (trials).servant (trials).

The Prophet’s Role and The Prophet’s Role and Message:Message:

1.1. Discipline the Discipline the OT Kings.OT Kings.

2.2. Stand up for Stand up for justice and justice and defend the defend the rights of the rights of the poor and under poor and under privileged.privileged.

The Prophet’s Role and The Prophet’s Role and Message:Message:

4. Gave instructions 4. Gave instructions concerning formal concerning formal worship on worship on offerings and offerings and sacrifices.sacrifices.

5. Reminds Israel of 5. Reminds Israel of their covenant-their covenant-relationship with relationship with God and all that God and all that that entailedthat entailed..

The Early ProphetsThe Early Prophets::

1.1. ElijahElijah– Confronted the Confronted the

morally-weak King morally-weak King Ahab and his Baal-Ahab and his Baal-worshipping wife worshipping wife Jezebel by sending Jezebel by sending a drought.a drought.

– Escaped the famine Escaped the famine and was fed by and was fed by ravens.ravens.

– Was directed by Was directed by God to a widow and God to a widow and his son in the town his son in the town of Zarephath in of Zarephath in Sidon who were Sidon who were about to eat their about to eat their last meal.last meal.

ELIJAHELIJAH– The widow The widow

miraculously did not miraculously did not run out of her supply run out of her supply of flour and oil when of flour and oil when she fed Elijah.she fed Elijah.

– Her son later died Her son later died but was resurrected but was resurrected by God through by God through Elijah.Elijah.

– Returned to King Returned to King Ahab and challenged Ahab and challenged the 400 priests and the 400 priests and 450 prophets of Baal 450 prophets of Baal to a show of God’s to a show of God’s power in Mt. Carmel power in Mt. Carmel by whose altar will by whose altar will be consumed by fire.be consumed by fire.

ELIJAHELIJAH

– Baal’s priests and Baal’s priests and prophets around prophets around their altar the their altar the whole day with no whole day with no result.result.

– Elijah constructed Elijah constructed an altar to Yahweh an altar to Yahweh with 12 stones with 12 stones representing the 12 representing the 12 tribes of Israel and tribes of Israel and surrounded it with surrounded it with a ditch with water a ditch with water poured over the poured over the altar three times.altar three times.

ELIJAHELIJAH As he prayed to As he prayed to

God the altar was God the altar was immediately immediately consumed by fire consumed by fire proving God’s proving God’s power, then killed power, then killed all the priests of all the priests of Baal.Baal.

Stood for justice Stood for justice when he when he confronted Ahab confronted Ahab who killed his who killed his neighbor Naboth neighbor Naboth just to get his just to get his vineyard and turn vineyard and turn it into a kitchen it into a kitchen garden.garden.

ELIJAHELIJAH

Was taken up by Was taken up by chariots of fire chariots of fire and was and was succeeded by his succeeded by his disciple Elisha disciple Elisha who inherited his who inherited his spiritual power spiritual power and authority and and authority and also his also his miraculous cape.miraculous cape.


2. Elisha2. Elisha– Performed Performed

miracles and miracles and ‘small’ miracles ‘small’ miracles of kindness and of kindness and help for the help for the poor.poor.

– Advised the king Advised the king and foretold the and foretold the lifting of the lifting of the Syrian siege of Syrian siege of the capital, the capital, Samaria.Samaria.

– Authorized the Authorized the life.life.

ELISHAELISHA

– Anointing of Jehu Anointing of Jehu as king who was as king who was later condemned later condemned by another by another prophet, Hosea, for prophet, Hosea, for his bloody actions.his bloody actions.

– When he died, his When he died, his bones became bones became miraculous when it miraculous when it was touched was touched accidentally to the accidentally to the body of a dead body of a dead Moabite who Moabite who returned to life.returned to life.


3. Amos3. Amos– A shepherd A shepherd

who pointed who pointed out that he out that he was not a was not a professional professional prophet.prophet.

– Shocked by Shocked by the complete the complete disregard for disregard for justice of the justice of the people of people of Israel.Israel.

AMOSAMOS

- Denounced their - Denounced their hypocrisy by hypocrisy by offering sacrifice offering sacrifice to God while to God while neglecting the neglecting the poor.poor.

Denounced also Denounced also the luxury-loving the luxury-loving

women and the women and the wealthy wealthy merchants merchants who who ground the faces ground the faces of the poorof the poor


4. Hosea4. Hosea

– Prophesied in the Prophesied in the northern kingdom of northern kingdom of Israel when the disasters Israel when the disasters prophesied by Amos came prophesied by Amos came to pass.to pass.

– Suffered the pain of Suffered the pain of having an unfaithful wife, having an unfaithful wife, Gomer, but did not Gomer, but did not divorce her and bought divorce her and bought her back from slavery as her back from slavery as instructed by God since instructed by God since his love is stronger than his love is stronger than his anger.his anger.

HOSEAHOSEA

– God likened Israel to God likened Israel to Gomer’s unfaithfulness.Gomer’s unfaithfulness.

– Hosea showed the Hosea showed the people of Israel of their people of Israel of their sins and told of the sins and told of the profound love of God if profound love of God if they will return and they will return and genuinely repent from genuinely repent from their sins to restore their sins to restore their covenant with their covenant with God.God.

The Early ProphetsThe Early Prophets::5. Isaiah5. Isaiah

– He was an aristocrat, He was an aristocrat, friend of the kings friend of the kings and a cultured and a cultured statesman who lived statesman who lived and prophesied in and prophesied in Judah during the Judah during the reigns of King reigns of King Jotham, Ahaz and Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.Hezekiah.

– Saw a vision of the Saw a vision of the Lord filling the Lord filling the temple with His temple with His presence and presence and surrounded by surrounded by winged creatures who winged creatures who constantly cried Holy, constantly cried Holy, holy holy!holy holy!

ISAIAHISAIAH– Constantly pleaded Constantly pleaded

with his people to put with his people to put their trust in God and their trust in God and not in military not in military achievements.achievements.

– Also denounced the Also denounced the people’s hypocrisy people’s hypocrisy and told them the and told them the importance of importance of holiness by ceasing holiness by ceasing evil and doing good.evil and doing good.

– Spoke of the coming Spoke of the coming of the Emmanuel or of the Emmanuel or Messiah as a Messiah as a descendant of David descendant of David and referred to God and referred to God as “The Holy One” or as “The Holy One” or “Qadosh”.“Qadosh”.


6. Micah6. Micah– A contemporary of A contemporary of

Isaiah who was a Isaiah who was a rough and outspoken rough and outspoken peasant who peasant who declared his oracles declared his oracles to both Israel and to both Israel and Judah.Judah.

– Spoke fiercely of Spoke fiercely of God’s desire for God’s desire for justice and of the justice and of the destruction that destruction that would come upon would come upon Jerusalem if its Jerusalem if its rulers, priests and rulers, priests and false prophets did false prophets did not repent.not repent.

MICAHMICAH

– Denounced Denounced the rich who the rich who defrauded the defrauded the poor, usurers, poor, usurers, swindlers and swindlers and venal judges.venal judges.

The Prophets and the The Prophets and the Nations:Nations:

1.1. JeremiahJeremiah

– His name means His name means “Yahweh has “Yahweh has appointed”.appointed”.

– Known as the “Weeping Known as the “Weeping Prophet” because he Prophet” because he grieved so deeply the grieved so deeply the sins of his people.sins of his people.

– One of the three Major One of the three Major Prophets and e Prophets and e reforming prophet.reforming prophet.

– Witnessed the capture Witnessed the capture and destruction of and destruction of Jerusalem.Jerusalem.

JEREMIAHJEREMIAH

– Survived six kings of Judah Survived six kings of Judah – Amon, Josiah, Jehoahaz, – Amon, Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah.Zedekiah.

– Appointed by God to Appointed by God to oversee the affairs of the oversee the affairs of the nations and kingdoms.nations and kingdoms.

– His message was not His message was not popular and was popular and was considered as messages of considered as messages of doom, which made the doom, which made the people resent him.people resent him.

JEREMIAHJEREMIAH

He repeatedly He repeatedly conveyed the anger conveyed the anger and resentment of and resentment of Yahweh to His Yahweh to His people. people.

He deplored the He deplored the people’s immorality, people’s immorality, insincerity, apostasy insincerity, apostasy and the and the superficiality of superficiality of their leaders.their leaders.

He was ill-treated, He was ill-treated, misunderstood and misunderstood and often times beaten, often times beaten, imprisoned and imprisoned and threatened with threatened with death.death.

JEREMIAHJEREMIAH

Several times Several times doubted if the doubted if the messages he messages he delivered were delivered were correct or that God correct or that God might have might have deliberately misled deliberately misled him. him.

King Zedekiah King Zedekiah ignored the prophet’s ignored the prophet’s advise about advise about surrendering to the surrendering to the Chaldeans which Chaldeans which resulted his and his resulted his and his family’s death and family’s death and the destruction of the destruction of Jerusalem.Jerusalem.


2. Nahum2. Nahum His name means His name means

“Comfort” and “Comfort” and was also known was also known as the Elkoshite.as the Elkoshite.

He prophesied He prophesied the destruction the destruction of Nineveh, of Nineveh, capital of their capital of their enemies, the enemies, the Assyrians.Assyrians.


3. Zephaniah3. Zephaniah

His name means His name means “the Lord has “the Lord has hidden” or “God’s hidden” or “God’s treasures”.treasures”.

One of the last One of the last prophets of Judah prophets of Judah before its fall to before its fall to the Babylonians.the Babylonians.

ZEPHANIAHZEPHANIAH

He emphasized on the He emphasized on the corruption of the people corruption of the people of Judah during the of Judah during the Assyrian rule and the Assyrian rule and the punishment of God.punishment of God.

His theme was the His theme was the coming of the “Day of coming of the “Day of the Lord” and reminded the Lord” and reminded people that God is truly people that God is truly merciful for those who merciful for those who are going to repent.are going to repent.


4. Habakkuk4. Habakkuk– His name means His name means

“plant”, “fruit tree”, “plant”, “fruit tree”, or “one who or “one who embraces”.embraces”.

– Judah was committing Judah was committing idolatry and was idolatry and was punished through the punished through the Babylonians.Babylonians.

– His theme is that God His theme is that God is the “avenger” but is the “avenger” but He is also “merciful” He is also “merciful” and that God is and that God is stronger than the evil stronger than the evil of the world.of the world.


5. Joel5. Joel

– His name means His name means “Yahweh is God”.“Yahweh is God”.

– He spoke of He spoke of terrible plagues terrible plagues such as of such as of locusts, death, locusts, death, sickness and sickness and weather weather disturbances.disturbances.

JOELJOEL

– He called the people He called the people to repentance, to repentance, reminded them of reminded them of the Day of the Lord, the Day of the Lord, the fulfillment of the fulfillment of God’s promises and God’s promises and the outpouring of the outpouring of the Spirit.the Spirit.


6. 6. ObadiahObadiah His name means His name means

“Servant of the “Servant of the Lord” or Lord” or “Worshipper of “Worshipper of Yahweh”.Yahweh”.

Has the shortest Has the shortest book in the Old book in the Old Testament.Testament.

Spoke to the Spoke to the Israelite’s Israelite’s enemies, the enemies, the Edomites Edomites (descendants of (descendants of Esau).Esau).

OBADIAHOBADIAH

His message was His message was a condemnation a condemnation of Edom for not of Edom for not helping Israel helping Israel defend itself and defend itself and for being a bully for being a bully to Israel.to Israel.

Also prophesied Also prophesied that the whole that the whole nation of Edom nation of Edom would eventually would eventually die out.die out.


7. Jonah7. Jonah

His name means “dove”.His name means “dove”. He was a stubborn and He was a stubborn and

defiant prophet who defiant prophet who wanted his own way wanted his own way rather than God’s.rather than God’s.

He was tasked by God to He was tasked by God to preach to the Assyrians preach to the Assyrians at Nineveh but boarded at Nineveh but boarded a ship and went the a ship and went the opposite direction.opposite direction.

He was thrown He was thrown overboard when the ship overboard when the ship was hit by storm and was hit by storm and was swallowed by a big was swallowed by a big fish and remained inside fish and remained inside its belly for three days its belly for three days and three nights.and three nights.

JONAHJONAH

He finally preached to He finally preached to the Assyrians who the Assyrians who eventually repented but eventually repented but was disappointed at God was disappointed at God for forgiving them.for forgiving them.

The theme of the book is The theme of the book is the universality of God’s the universality of God’s kingdom and His love kingdom and His love and care for all men.and care for all men.

The Prophets during the The Prophets during the Captivity of IsraelCaptivity of Israel

1.1. EzekielEzekiel

– His name means “the His name means “the one whom God will one whom God will strengthen”.strengthen”.

– A contemporary of A contemporary of Jeremiah.Jeremiah.

– A priest who was A priest who was called by God to be a called by God to be a prophet.prophet.

– He saw a vision of He saw a vision of God of a machine God of a machine upholding God’s upholding God’s throne and His throne and His likeness of glory.likeness of glory.

EZEKIELEZEKIEL

– He also saw a vision He also saw a vision of a valley of dry of a valley of dry human bones human bones symbolizing the symbolizing the discouraged people discouraged people of Israel.of Israel.

– He preached by He preached by stomping his feet, stomping his feet, clenched fists, mimes clenched fists, mimes and other weird and other weird gestures to catch gestures to catch people’s attention.people’s attention.

– He described and He described and foretold of God’s foretold of God’s judgment and judgment and deliverance.deliverance.


2. Ezra2. Ezra

His name means His name means “help”.“help”.

Instituted reforms in Instituted reforms in the Jewish church and the Jewish church and state and were mostly state and were mostly administrative.administrative.

He reformed the He reformed the ecclesiastical ritual, ecclesiastical ritual, organization of the organization of the synagogue improved, synagogue improved, and the rise of the and the rise of the rabbinate and rabbinate and eventually the eventually the development of the development of the Sanhedrin were Sanhedrin were attributes to his ability.attributes to his ability.


3. 3. NehemiahNehemiah Collaborated with Collaborated with

Ezra in reforming Ezra in reforming Israel.Israel.

He was a rich and He was a rich and well-educated Jew well-educated Jew in Persia.in Persia.

Rebuilt the City of Rebuilt the City of Jerusalem.Jerusalem.

Facilitated the Facilitated the return of the Jews return of the Jews in exile.in exile.


4. Malachi4. Malachi His name means “the His name means “the

Messenger of Yahweh”.Messenger of Yahweh”. The last OT prophet The last OT prophet

before John the Baptist before John the Baptist and prophesied about and prophesied about John.John.

He was horrified by the He was horrified by the easy and careless way of easy and careless way of Jewish spirituality of his Jewish spirituality of his times, especially the way times, especially the way they worship.they worship.

His reprimands to the His reprimands to the Jewish people were direct Jewish people were direct especially to those who especially to those who married foreign idol-married foreign idol-worshipping women and worshipping women and reminded them to repent.reminded them to repent.


5. 5. DanielDaniel

His name means “God His name means “God Judges” or “My Judge is Judges” or “My Judge is God”.God”.

He was one of those He was one of those Jews deported to Jews deported to Babylon and belonged Babylon and belonged to a noble family.to a noble family.

Was trained and Was trained and educated to become educated to become leaders and advisers to leaders and advisers to the Babylonian court.the Babylonian court.

DANIELDANIEL

His three friends, His three friends, Shadrach, Meshech and Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, were Abednego, were commanded to commit commanded to commit idolatry but refused and idolatry but refused and were thrown into a fiery were thrown into a fiery furnace but survived furnace but survived uninjured.uninjured.

Interpreted the strange Interpreted the strange words, words, Mene, TekelMene, Tekel and and PeresPeres which appeared on a which appeared on a wall, which meant that wall, which meant that God has numbered the God has numbered the Babylonian kingdom that Babylonian kingdom that they have been judged they have been judged and the kingdom will be and the kingdom will be divided among the Medes divided among the Medes and the Persians.and the Persians.

DANIELDANIEL

Was thrown in his old Was thrown in his old age to a den of hungry age to a den of hungry lions for continuing to lions for continuing to pray to God despite a pray to God despite a prohibition but prohibition but unscathed.unscathed.

Prophesied about the Prophesied about the Messianic Kingdom to Messianic Kingdom to replace all world replace all world empires and had visions empires and had visions of the Son of Man.of the Son of Man.

Other Relevant Old Other Relevant Old Testament ChracatersTestament Chracaters

1.1. Queen Esther:Queen Esther:

She was an adopted She was an adopted daughter and niece or daughter and niece or cousin of Mordecai, a cousin of Mordecai, a Jewish official in Jewish official in Persia.Persia.

She was a beautiful She was a beautiful woman who got woman who got married to King married to King Xerxes, without Xerxes, without revealing of her Jewish revealing of her Jewish nationality, after he nationality, after he divorced his wife divorced his wife Queen Vashti.Queen Vashti.

QUEEN ESTHERQUEEN ESTHER

Became a heroic figure Became a heroic figure for the Jews by for the Jews by outwitting the Jewish-outwitting the Jewish-hating official Haman.hating official Haman.

Haman planned to Haman planned to execute all Jews execute all Jews especially Mordecai but especially Mordecai but was the one sent to the was the one sent to the gallows instead through gallows instead through the beauty and the beauty and intelligence of Esther.intelligence of Esther.

Other Relevant Old Other Relevant Old Testament ChracatersTestament Chracaters

2. The Maccabees:2. The Maccabees: It is about the story of It is about the story of

successful resistance of successful resistance of the Jews against foreign the Jews against foreign dominance.dominance.

The main character is The main character is Judas Maccabeus who led a Judas Maccabeus who led a rebellion against the rebellion against the Syrians.Syrians.

The books visualize God as The books visualize God as close at hand, the close at hand, the resurrection from death, resurrection from death, the intercession of the the intercession of the saints, the prayer for the saints, the prayer for the living and the dead; and living and the dead; and confident faith, optimistic confident faith, optimistic hope and sincere love of hope and sincere love of God.God.

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B I B S T U D Lesson 16 Old Testament Prophets