Prophets & Kings

1. OT timetable.2. David & Bathsheba story.3. Prophets.

Israel surrounded by its ancient enemies

Timeline1300-1250 Exodus1250 BCE Hebrews came to Canaan1250-1020 Judges1020-1000 Saul anointed the first king 1000-961 King David961-922 King Solomon; First Temple built922 Solomon’s kingdom divided into Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah)

721 Northern kingdom is defeated by the Assyrians626-587 Prophet Jeremiah in Judah.597 Judah defeated by Babylon; 587 Temple destroyed597-538 Babylonian exile538 Beginning of Persian period. Return from exile.520 Temple rebuilt. “Second Temple Judaism” starts.

Ancient Israel and UN plan for the partition of Palestine in 1947

Israel before and after the six-day war of 1967.

King David

• Who was David?• What did David plan to do for God in 2 Sam 7: 2.• How did God respond? What did God promise David in 2 Sam 7: 8-

17?• Sum up the contents of David and Bathsheba story in 2 Sam 11.• Why did Nathan choose to reprimand David by telling him a parable?

2 Sam 12.

The call of the prophet JeremiahNow the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a boy'; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.

Jeremiah lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem. Rembrandt van Rejn, 1630.

The task of the prophet2And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. 3He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. 4The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD." 5Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them. (Ezekiel 2: 2-5)

Sistine chapel, ceiling.

True & false prophets

Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak--that prophet shall die." You may say to yourself, "How can we recognize a word that the LORD has not spoken?" If a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD but the thing does not take place or prove true, it is a word that the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; do not be frightened by it.

Deuteronomy 18:19-22

Moses: the greatest prophet

And he said, "Hear my words: When there are prophets among you, I the LORD make myself known to them in visions; I speak to them in dreams. Not so with my servant Moses; he is entrusted with all my house. With him I speak face to face-- clearly, not in riddles; and he beholds the form of the LORD. Numbers 12:6-8

Main features of biblical prophets

1. God’s spokesmen: “Thus says the Lord.”2. Mediators between God and Israel.3. Challenge to the power of the kings.4. Message: response to situations. Doom,

reproach, repentance, justice will be vindicated5. Sometimes announce the inevitable, at other

times future depends upon human choices.6. Rarely successful.