How To Read the Bible by Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stewart Chapter 10 The Prophets – Enforcing the Covenant in Israel Presented by Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF

Introduction Prophetic scripture was written in ancient Israel between BC. -4 major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel) -12 minor prophets. The Hebrew word for prophet comes from a Semitic verb, “to call”. Latin- prophetes minores: shorter or less important. Latin meaning of major = longer or larger. Minor prophets: Shorter in length. The Jews grouped the minor prophets into one book, “The Book of the Twelve.”

The Nature of Prophecy 1. The Meaning of Prophecy – not just foretelling the distant future < 2% of the OT prophecy is Messianic < 5% specifically describes the new covenant age < 1% concerns events yet to come in our age. 2. The Prophets as Spokespersons The prophets main purpose was to speak for God to their contemporaries. Of the hundreds of prophets in ancient Israel only 16 were chosen to deliver oracles Not always presented in their chronological sequence; sometimes there is no historical setting. 3. The Problem of Historical Distance We are far removed from the religious, historical and cultural life that was clear to ancient Israel It is hard to put it all in the proper cultural context and to whom things are said and why.

The Function of Prophecy in Israel 1.The prophets were covenant enforcement mediators - God gives us the law. He states curses and blessing. God tells the people of these “incentives” through the prophets. 2.The prophets’ message was not their own but God’s - They were responding to a divine call. Their words were prefaced by statements like, “This is what the Lord says.” and “declares the Lord.” 3.The prophets were God’s direct representatives -They held a societal office. Some even installed or deposed kings. They declared war and they spoke against war. 4.The prophets’ message is unoriginal - They presented to their generation the essential content of the original Mosaic covenant’s warnings and promises to gain the interest of the people to whom they were sent. They did not initiate a new message or alter an old message.

The Exegetical Task 1. The Need for outside help Bible dictionary: to get background information and to catch the main point. Bible commentaries: These provide the meanings of individual verses. Bible handbooks: Contains Bible dictionaries and commentaries. 2. The Historical Context The prophet could be speaking of an era or the time frame of a particular oracle. 3. The Larger Context 16 books (Amos to Malachi) come from a time period of only 300 years Spoke mainly to the events of the Assyrian exile 722 BC, the Babylonian Captivity 587 BC and the rebuilding of the nation and reinstitution of orthodoxy. 4. The Specific Context

Individual Oracles Think “oracles” as one thinks “paragraphs” in the epistles. Some oracles are written down without knowing where the oracle ends or begins. We are left wondering if an oracle was written on the same day to the same audience. (Amos 5) How are the component parts to be understood? Are some to be grouped together?

The Forms of Prophetic Utterance The Lawsuit: The court convenes The Woe: Announcement of distress The Promise: The Enactment Prophecy The Messenger Speech The Prophets as Poets We place very little emphasis on poetry except in music, but it served an educational purpose. 1)Synonymous parallelism: the 2nd line repeats and reinforces the 1st line - reinforcing by repetition. 2)Antithetical parallelism: the 2nd line contrasts the thought of the 1 st - reinforcing by contrast. 3)Synthetic parallelism: the 2nd line adds to the first - reinforcing by additional information

Hermeneutical Suggestions 1.A Caution The Prophet as Foreteller of the Future: It is not the prophet’s primary task to predict future events. But the temporal events need to be seen in the light of God’s overall, eternal plan. We need the proper perspective…always. 2.A Concern: Prophecy and Second Meanings There are times when the New Testament references to the Old Testament do not appear to refer what the New Testament says it does. (Hos 11:1) The New Testament writer draw analogies. (Ex Paul in the Rock which is Christ. 1 Cor 10:4) There are metaphorical and allegorical meanings that the Holy Spirit has authorized some writers to make. We are not allow to do this? (p. 202) He had Sensus Plenior “fuller meaning”. It is a function of inspiration and not illumination. (P. 203) 3.A Final Benefit: The Dual Emphasis on Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy This is correct belief and correct action. The prophets can remind us God’s determination to enforce his covenant. If we love God and love our neighbor, the eternal result will be blessings. The results in this life are not guaranteed. (p. 204) Those who disobey will experience curses no matter how well their life fares in this world. (Malachi 4:6)