RETURN TO GOD’S COVENANT THE PROPHETS RETURN TO GOD’S COVENANT

What Do Prophets Have in Common? They understood that God wanted his People to come back to him with their whole selves. They lived good, moral lives themselves. They obeyed God. They knew that God wanted his People to treat ALL people with justice.

PROPHETS At the heart of the message of the biblical prophets is a return to following God’s Covenant. It was not necessarily a return to the “exact same” practices of the people as in prior days when they were faithful to the Covenant. The message included a continued honoring of the principles of the Covenant, which were laws that fostered communal identity and practices that brought about God’s desire for peace; justice; human dignity; respect for creation; love of God, neighbor, and self; liberation from sin and bondage; and much more. This was to be done in “new” ways based on the ways the community had grown and matured over time.

Humanity falls into idolatry, resulting in disease, war, and grief. God creates or enters into a Covenant and it is good. Humanity falls into idolatry, resulting in disease, war, and grief. God sends teachers, kings, prophets, or others who lead the people to repentance. The people return to following the Covenant. Peace and God’s healing return to the people.

Major Prophets Writing Prophets Each has a book of the Bible named after them. Major Prophets have longer books. Minor Prophets have shorter books. Major Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel

Minor Prophets Micah Hosea Amos Joel Obadiah Jonah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

ISAIAH MOST POPULAR SPANS 3 TO 4 CENTURIES 1ST:SPEAKING IN JERUSALEM. 2ND: IN EXILE IN BABYLON 3RD:ADDRESS TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOW RETURNED TO JERUSALEM.

FIRST ISAIAH Isaiah 7:1–17 was also important for the writers of the Gospels. In trying to give words to their experience of Jesus the Christ and named Jesus as their Immanuel (God with us). Although the dominant message found in Isaiah of Jerusalem is one of judgment, texts about hope, like that of Immanuel, provide a vision beyond the impending downfall of Judah and Jerusalem.

ISAIAH 2 Another prophet was called by God to speak words of comfort and reassurance to the exiles in Babylon. The prophet spoke of a figure who was the servant of God and who was commissioned by God to fulfill a specific role.

3 ISAIAH This prophet reassured the people that Jerusalem would be restored and that it would be a glorious day when this happens. Although the time of rebuilding would be difficult, Isaiah sought to encourage the people to remain faithful. The coming day of God’s completion was imagined in terms of peace and wholeness, when natural enemies would live together in harmony and war would be no more

ISAIAH First Isaiah challenged the Israelites to eliminate the unjust treatment of the poor. Second Isaiah offered words of hope and encouragement during the Exile. After the Exile, Third Isaiah cried out against the return to unjust and idolatrous practices

EMMANUEL IS WITH US The Book of Isaiah sings of messianic hope. The promised Messiah would be wisdom incarnate, a defender of his people, a faithful parent, and an agent of peace. He would inaugurate a peaceful kingdom.

Messiah and King Isaiah announced that a new king would come from the throne of David. He would judge with righteousness. He would inaugurate a peaceful kingdom. All creation would bow before Emmanuel