The Bible, Plain and Simple An Overview of the Bible's Structure, Major Characters, Events, and Teachings SESSION # 14 -- "The Kingdom Era -- The Prophets to Judah" I. LET'S REVIEW THE BIBLE The Books of the Bible The Bible contains a total of books in the two major sections of the Bible The Old Testament contains books and the New Testament contains books. The Old Testament has three major divisions: H, P, & P. The Old Testament concludes with a long section of 17 Prophetical Books, which are further divided into the 5 Major Prophets & 12 Minor Prophets. The Major Prophets are called major because of the length of their writings not because their prophecy is more important. The Major Prophets are: Isaiah, Jeremiah / Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel There were six Old Testament Prophetical Books written during the Kingdom Era whose messages primarily addressed Judah: Isaiah, Micah, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah & Lamentations. Old Testament Chronology < = B.C. = > A.D.??? 1520 1400 1050 590 660 400 0 Creation Preservation Promise Law Battle Kingdom Exile Rebuilding Interlude Poetical Books Prophetical Books Israel Judah Hosea Ezekiel Joel Amos Daniel Haggai Habakkuk Zachariah Isaiah Malachi Micah Zephaniah Jeremiah Lament Assyria Jonah Nahum Edom Obadiah
Fill in the missing blanks in the Storyline & Sub-Storyline for the Kingdom Era Era Character Location 1. Kingdom David Israel Kingdom Storyline God raised up a monarchy of K to R His chosen N for 400 Y. Sub- Storyline for Poetical Books Hebrew P wrote with P thoughts and words of I to communicate God's C, His W, His W, and His W to His people. II. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE BOOK Almost every day we can turn on the TV and witness a courtroom scene. O.J. or someone else is being prosecuted. During Old Testament days the prophets were God's prosecuting attorneys. God's people often broke the Old Covenant Law, so God sent his representatives, the prophets to prosecute the case. There was sometimes a predictive (foretelling) element in the prophet s message and writings, but mainly the prophet's writings were a declaration (forth-telling) of God's exhortations, warnings and judgments to His covenant people. The true prophets of Israel and Judah spoke with absolute authority. They were God's spokesmen. God's Spirit spoke through them to declare faithfully God's Word. That is why the prophets often addressed the people with the familiar introduction, "Thus says the LORD (Jehovah),..." The Old Testament prophets wrote primarily to four nations, although there are brief messages addressed to the surrounding nations. Nevertheless, the nations of Judah, Israel, Assyria and Edom received primary attention. In today's session we will look at the six prophets who wrote primarily to Judah. Jeremiah wrote two prophecies; one named after him and another recording his lament.
III. LET'S SET THE STAGE FOR THE BOOKS Let's look at the Sub-Storyline for the Prophetical Books to Judah written during the Kingdom Era. Sub- Storyline for Prophetical Books to Judah Hebrew Prophets brought God's Word of Judgment, Hope and the Promise of a coming Redeemer who would save the Remnant of God's People. IV. LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BOOK A. Isaiah - The Prophet Promises Judgment and Future Comfort The great prophet, Isaiah, served forty years from about 740-700 BC. His ministry began when the great King Uzziah died. He continued to minister to King Jotham, King Ahaz, and King Hezekiah. Due to the growing strength and invasions of the Assyrians the times of Isaiah were turbulent. Isaiah emphasizes the judgment and salvation of God. Isaiah's main theme is that God is the 'Holy One of Israel' who must punish his rebellious people, but afterward will comfort and save them. Isaiah called the faithful believers to seek the Lord and to respond in faith to what God was doing to establish His kingdom. God promised to save His people through a Suffering Servant. A godly portion of God s people will survive judgment and exile. Therefore this remnant was to wait for the Christ to usher in a new age. B. Micah - The Prophet Prosecutes God Case but Offers Hope Micah is a contemporary of Isaiah who lived through the same difficult years of Assyria's aggression against Israel and Judah. Micah predicted the conquest of Samaria that occurred during his lifetime. Micah arranged his nineteen prophecies into three cycles. Each cycle begins with a declaration of judgment, yet each cycle ends with a message of hope and salvation. Judgment seems to mark the overall tone of the book, however. Micah prophesied that God would no longer tolerate the continual evil of His people. While God remained faithful to His covenant, His people broke God s will and would therefore have to suffer the covenant curses. Yet, like Isaiah, Micah looked beyond the judgment to soon follow to the future hope of the coming Messiah. The Lord will preserve a small portion of God s people and will raise up a Leader out of Bethlehem, the City of David. This great act of salvation is due to God's amazing mercy and compassion.
C. Habakkuk - The Prophet's Perplexed Complaint to God Habakkuk lived near the time of Babylon s approaching invasion into Judah. Samaria had already been conquered by Assyria, and now Babylon had gained a great victory at Carchemish, where the Egyptians tried to stop Babylon's advance. Habakkuk's prophecy can be dated around 600 BC. Habakkuk did not address the covenant people as much as he addressed the Covenant God. Habakkuk was perplexed at God's apparent silence in the face of social evils. Habakkuk complained to God concerning His perceived inactivity. But God responded by declaring that the evils have not escaped His notice and that He would judge Judah at the hands of the pagan Chaldeans (Babylonians). Habakkuk (and others) must learn to live by faith. Habakkuk was brought by God to praise and trust in the Sovereign Almighty Lord. D. Zephaniah - The Prophet Prophecies the Immanent Day of the Lord Zephaniah (whose name means 'The Lord hides') prophesied during the reign of King Josiah, probably before this godly king's notable reforms. Nineveh had not yet been destroyed (612 BC). This made Zephaniah a contemporary of the great prophet Jeremiah. Zephaniah's prophecy focused on the soon to come Day of the Lord. This dreaded day of doom for God's rebellious people would mean judgment for Jerusalem. It is a day in which there would be "devastation, darkness and gloom." Yet the prophet offered encouragement to the wayward nation, because God will yet in the future be merciful to His people. God would one day purify and restore a faithful remnant of Judah. E. Jeremiah - The Prophet Preaches Judgment and Describes Jerusalem's Fall The other major prophet who prophesied to Judah was Jeremiah, who labored in ministry to the bitter end and beyond. Jeremiah prophesied through the approaching judgment of Jerusalem. He endured the Fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. and continued to minister to those left in Judah and Egypt, while others were carried away captives to Babylon. Josiah's reforms failed to make a significant impact upon the nation. The time for repentance had finally passed, so the nation quickly ripened for judgment. The covenant people would lose the Promised Land. Salvation would come now to another generation that would go into exile. Jeremiah preached a message of salvation, but only on the other side of judgment. This salvation would come in the New Covenant that the Lord would establish with His people. But this time the Lord would empower his people to obey His will. Jeremiah is personally involved with the people. He is often called the weeping prophet. Baruck who recorded this lengthy book records his message given to us in the Bible.
F. Lamentations - The Prophet's Pitiful Sorrow for Jerusalem The book of Lamentations is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah. Lamentations is a series of five poems or laments. The book is clearly classic Hebrew Poetry. A special literary form is used as each line of each lament begins with the next succeeding letter in their Hebrew alphabet. Lamentations is an expression of grief for fallen Jerusalem. It freely expresses anguish, sorrow and bewilderment. Yet at the climax of the book the poet is brought to boldly declare that God is still merciful and faithful, His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness! The Jeremiah, trusts that God will eventually judge the pagan nation, Babylon, whom God used to judge Judah. V. LET'S QUIZ OURSELVES Fill in the Sub-Storyline for the Prophetical Books to Judah: Sub- Storyline for Prophetical Books to Judah Hebrew P brought God's Word of Judgment, Hope and the P of a coming R who would save the R of God's People. Match the Biblical Book with the appropriate title: A. Isaiah The Prophet's Perplexed Complaint to God B. Micah The Prophet Preached Judgment and Describes Jerusalem's Fall E. Habakkuk The Prophet Prophecies the Immanent Day of the Lord F. Zephaniah The Prophet's Pitiful Sorrow for Jerusalem G. Jeremiah The Prophet Prosecutes God Case but Offers Hope H. Lamentations The Prophet Promises Judgment and Future Comfort
VI. LET'S DO A LITTLE BIBLE SEARCH Find the chapter(s) where the following quotes are found in the OT Prophetical Books to Judah: Isaiah Come now, and let us reason together Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer Comfort Ye, Comfort My people Behold! My Servant whom I uphold Habakkuk For I will do a work in your days which you will not believe Are Thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? But the just shall live by his faith. O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! I am the First and I am the Last Besides Me there is no God Zephaniah He is despised and rejected by men, The great day of the LORD is near;... A Man of Sorrows... That day of wrath, a day of trouble Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; The King of Israel, the Lord, is in our Seek the Lord while He may be found midst; you shall see disaster no more. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me Jeremiah For behold, I create a new heavens Before I formed you in the womb I and a new earth knew you;... I ordained you a prophet Heaven is My throne, Is there no balm in Gilead? and earth is my footstool The days are coming, says the LORD Micah that I will raise to David a Branch of They shall beat their swords into plow- righteousness shares; and their spears into pruning hooks I will make a new covenant with the But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, out of you house of Israel and with Judah shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler Lamentations Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity Because His compassions fail not. and passing over the transgression... They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness VII. LET'S LOOK AHEAD During our next session we will consider the Prophets to Israel Other Nations.