The Prophets: God

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The Prophets Gods Spokesmen

• Introduction

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Background Kingship Established

• After the death of Joshua, Israel was ruled by
  elders or Judges.
• Israel asked the priest Samuel to appoint a king
• God granted their request and Saul was chosen
• Saul was succeeded by his son, Ish-Boseth, then
  David, and finally Solomon.

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Background Kingdom Divided

• After Solomons death, the kingdom divided into
  two parts with Israel in the North and Judah in
  the South.
• Both kingdoms had mostly bad kings who worshipped
  idols, though Israel was the worse of the two
  regarding leadership.

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Isaiah Jehovah is salvation (740-680 B.C.)

• Prophesied for a period lasting forty to sixty
  years during the reigns of four rulers of the
  southern kingdom of Judah Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,
  and Hezekiah.
• Primarily called to prophesy to the Kingdom of
  Judah.
• Proclaimed a message of repentance from sin and
  hopeful expectation of Gods deliverance in the
  future.

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Book Divisions

• The Book of Isaiah easily divides into two major
  sections
• First, the prophet foretells a coming judgment
  upon the Hebrew people if they do not return to
  the Lord (Ch. 1-39). That judgment finds its
  immediate fulfillment in the impending Babylonian
  captivity.
• Second, in spite of that temporal judgment,
  deliverance ultimately can be theirs (Ch. 40-66).
  There will be a return from the captivity and,
  finally, ultimate salvation will be provided by
  the coming Messiah.
• There are numerous prophetic glimpses of Christ
  in Isaiah, so much so that he is called the
  messianic prophet.

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Isaiahs Foreshadowing

• The imagery of chapter 53 is poignant and
  prophetic and contains a complete picture of the
  Gospel.
• Jesus was despised and rejected (v. 3 Luke
  1334 John 110-11),
• Stricken by God (v.4 Matthew 2746),
• Pierced for our transgressions (v. 5 John 1934
  1 Peter 224). By His suffering,
• He paid the punishment we deserved and became for
  us the ultimate and perfect sacrifice (v. 5
  Hebrews 1010).
• Although He was sinless, God laid on Him our sin,
  and we became Gods righteousness in Him (2
  Corinthians 521).

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Jeremiah Jehovah Exalts (627-585 B.C.)

• Jeremiah prophesied during the reigns of five of
  Judahs kings Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim,
  Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.
• His total preaching career probably spanned more
  than sixty years. Known as the weeping prophet,
  was the most persecuted character of the Old
  Testament era.
• His own Jewish kinsmen cursed him, beat him,
  threw him in prison, etc. (1510 20 322-3
  3715).

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Jeremiahs Warnings

• The southern kingdom (Judah) was in a downward
  spiral. Jeremiah commenced his ministry in the
  thirteenth year of Josiahs administration. His
  message was two-fold
• He initially sought to bring his people to a
  state of genuine repentance
• Warn the people of the punishment that mighty
  Babylon, Gods instrument of wrath, would inflict
  upon them.

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Jeremiahs Lamentations

• (586 B.C.) Jerusalem was breached by the
  Babylonian army and the Hebrew temple was burned
  to the ground.
• Lamentations is a sort of funeral song,
  commemorating the tragic destruction of
  Jerusalem.
• Zion, or Jerusalem, is desolate!

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