Latter Prophets: The Major and Minor Prophets Also known as Classical Prophets Canonical Prophets Writing Prophets

Meaning of Prophet Hebrew word “nabi ” originated from Akkadian “nabitu ” meaning “to call” Active meaning: to call out the message Passive: the one who is called English word prophet comes from Greek “prophetes” meaning “to speak for, proclaim,” or “to speak beforehand, to foretell”

Other Terms for Prophets Seer Man of God Watchman Messenger of Yahweh Man of the Spirit

Major Prophets Major and Minor Prophets are distinguished by the length of the books that bear their names 3 Major Prophets in Hebrew Bible Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel

The Twelve Minor Prophets MT Hosea [before 721] Joel Amos [ca 793-740] Obadiah Jonah [2 Kgs 14:25] Micah [ca 750-700] LXX Hosea Amos Micah Joel Obadiah Jonah

The Minor Prophets… Nahum [between 663 and 612] Habakkuk [609-597] Zephaniah [Josiah] Haggai [520] Zechariah [520 and 518] Malachi [ca 486-450]

Approximate Chronology of the Classical Prophets 8th century (pre-exilic) Jonah son of Amittai [Jeroboam II; 2 Kgs 14:25] Amos [Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam II] Hosea [before fall of Jehu’s dynasty] Isaiah [Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah] Micah [Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah]

Chronology of the Classical Prophets 7th century: Zephaniah [Josiah]; Nahum [between 663 and 612]; Jeremiah [627-583]; Habakkuk [609-597; perhaps shortly after 605]

Chronology of the Prophets 6th century (exilic): {Obadiah} Ezekiel [593-571 or 570] (Daniel [605-538, or considerably later]) (Isaiah 40-66 [ca. 550-538 (possibly later)] Postexilic: Haggai [520] Zechariah 1-8 [520 and 518] {Joel} Malachi [btw ca. 486 and 450] Zechariah 9-14; {the book of Jonah} {} date not certain

Factors Determining the Positioning of the Twelve Chronology: only approximately by century Themes: LXX differs from MT in the ordering of the first 6 prophets to reflect different emphasis House’s suggestion sin of Israel and the nation punishment of sin restoration of both from that sin

3 Key Moments in Israel’s History Amos Hosea Micah Isaiah 1-39 Zephaniah Jeremiah Nahum Habakkuk Ezekiel {Obadiah} Isaiah 40-55 Haggai and Zechariah Isaiah 56-66 Malachi 800 BC - 722 BC Fall of Samaria 700 BC 600 BC 586 BC Fall of Jerusalem 538 BC Cyrus Decree 500 BC 400 BC

Division among Latter Prophets Pre-exilic Foretelling the disaster of Exile Message of Judgment: to warn Israel and Judah of their sins Against their contemporary cult Change message after the Babylonian invasion

Division among Latter Prophets Postexilic Look beyond disaster to more favorable divine purposes for Israel Still have oracles that predict selective judgment Moral teachers to exhort Encourage the re-establishment of cult

Cf. Jer 38:4 Jere 38:4 (NASU) Then the officials said to the king, "Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm." The Lachish Ostraca VI

To my lord Ya’ush. May YHWH regard my lord with favor! May good fortune attend thee just now! Who is thy servant, a dog, that my lord sent (him) the king’s [letter] and the letters of the princes, [saying]: “Read pray!” In truth, the words of the [prophets] are not good, in as much as they weaken the hands of the whole [people], and slacken the hands of the [men] who serve in the army…. …my lord, wilt thou not write to them, saying “Why do ye such a thing? …in Jerusalem… King… …As YHWH, thy God, liveth, since thy servant hath read the letters, thy servant no longer had…

Tell Lachish

Room where Lachish Letters are found

Some of the Lachish Letters

The role of the prophets Member of the divine council Member of prophetic tradition Speaker for God’s kingdom Critic of human kingdoms

The Characteristic of the Prophets Ecstatic behavior Called by God to speak God’s message Moved by the Holy Spirit Their lives set as paradigm

The Themes of the Prophets Theo centric The condition of Israel Sinful Worship Failure of the leaders: King, Prophets, Priests, Judges Social injustice against the poor Treacherous business practices Excess extravagance Relationship between God and Israel The future

True and False Prophets Criteria of validation: When they misled people (Deut 13:2; 18:20; Jer 2:8; 23:27) When their morals were loose (Jer 23:14) When they practiced magic and divination (Isa 8:19; Jer 14:14)

Characteristic of True and False Prophets True Prophets False Prophets Revelation Holistic proclamation Independence from power structures Members of divine and social institution Vision of the reality of God’s kingdom Theo centric ethics Suffering for the sake of God Syncretistic Selective proclamation Dependence on power structures Members of a social institution Guardians of status quo: monarchy, temple Man-centered ethics Popularity and power

The Relevancy of the Old Testament Prophets

5 characteristics of the message of the prophets Preachers of the law of Moses God’s delegates The prophets as social reformers The prophets as messengers of the oracles of God to the nations The prophets as announcers of judgment and salvation

Chiastic Structure of the Book of Micah

Judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem 1:2-2:11 Promise of deliverance 2:12-13 A. Judgment against Israel’s leader 3:1-12 Hope for Zion’s future 4:1-5 B. Remnant’s hope: restoration of ruler 4:6-8 C. Present dire situation in Zion with hope of deliverance 4:9-10 Present siege by nations but eventual victory 4:11-13 Present helpless judges and the future ideal king 4:14-5:5 B’. The future role of Israel’s remnants 5:6-8 A’. God’s future purge 5:9-13 Hope of deliverance in the future 5:14 God’s indictment against Israel 6:1-7:7 A prophetic liturgy: hopes and prayers 7:8-20

Contemporary Relevance of the Prophets Take the moral teaching of the prophets at their face value We are summoned to repent and to execute a “U-turn” theology The Messiah will come a 2nd time just as the prophets foretold he would come the first time

Case Study: Jer 31:15 What is the historical meaning? How does NT (Matt 2:18) reinterpret it? How do we appropriate its message?