Prophets spoke God’s message without fear or favor. This message varied according to the circumstances of the time, so 8th and 7th century prophets faced kingdoms, that were often complacent in the face of increasingly powerful empires based in mesopotamia, but whose economic and political structures oppressed the weak and poor. After the fall of Jerusalem in 586bce by contrast the prophets addressed discouraged people, who often lacked hope that God could or would save them from pagan empires and their many gods. The prophet books are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Each of these prophets prophecsied at different times, some before the exile, other during and after the exile. The major themes of the books includes, the universality and uniqueness of God, the purpose of God for humanity, the particurity of Israel and their ethical life as a key to the fulfilment of the purpose and the escthatological dimension.
The dominant tone and purpose of particular books, or sections of a book, can be understood against these historical periods. So, Amos begins with prophecies concerning several nations (universality of God) Amos 1:1-2:3. it was followed by prophecies concerning depraved Israel, successful, but lacking in moral character and seeking to use outward trapping of piety as a covering for their deeds (particularity of Israel) chpt 2:6 While a prophet speaking to a later time might contain mainly messages of hope and encouragement. Yet the God who seeks to persuade the covenant people to put their lives right is also the God who remains faithful, even to an often faithless humanity, and so all the books also contain glimpses of future blessing.
Jeremaiah means whom Jehovah has appointed. This mighty man of God was appointed for a great mission even before his birth. Jer.1:5. His mission and message was cheifly one of judgement upon Judah because of his shameful and persistent sins. Jer. 1:10. Jeremaiah was called as a weeping prophet but he received some great visions of promise, the return from captivity, chapt.25;29 the new covenant chapt.31 and the whole ultimate return of the Messaiah to Jerusalem chapt.23. It was Jeremaiah and Christ that fortold and wept over the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Jer,22:5-7, Matt.23:37-39. And each of them were rejected by his own people. Jer.20:1-3, 36:32 and John 1:11. This shows how God uses mission to justify his peolpe and to plant a solidarity among His nation and the nations of the world.
Ezekiel devotes a significant amount of time foretelling the restoration of Israel as a nation and to their God, Yahweh (Ezekiel 36-39). While Ezekiel wrote, the Jews were in captivity and their nation, Judah, had been destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Thus, Ezekiel’s prophecies gave assurance to the Jews that although they were for the time being in exile and under humiliation, they would eventually return to their land permanently. Chapter 36 talks about the return to the land and the prosperity of the new country. Chapter 37 contains the “Valley of Dry Bones” vision, in which God promises to restore life to Israel. Finally, a promise is given in the chapter that Israel would be united as one nation and be established permanently.
Daniel meaning ‘my God is judge’ shows the sovereingty of God’s control over all events in the history of humanity. The things which appear in Daniel’s visions such like the great statue, the beasts, the angelic messangers, and the description of God’s glory are also being potrayed in the book of Revelation.
The prophecies of Hosea and Amos are alike. Hosea was asked to solidarise the relationship between God and Israel through his marriage to a prostitute.
Isaiah is a combination of prophecy concerning events that would affect Israel during and following his lifetime, prophetical statement concerning the coming Messiah, and descriptions of the millennial kingdom yet to come.
Therefore, the mission in the prophets are of social justice, the restoration of Israel, solidarity and future blessings and judgement for humanity.
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