Prophets AND Prophecy

Opening Prayer Jeremiah 29:11-14 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the LORD.

The Organization of the Bible Refresher The Old Testament has 46 books divided into four sections: The Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) The Historical Books (Joshua thru 2 Maccabees) The Wisdom Books (Job through Sirach) The Prophets – 18 books (Isaiah through Malachi) These books are the collected speeches and biographies of the Israelite prophets.

God’s Revelation Continues 70 AD North Kingdom Falls722 BC Kingdom Splits 928 BC Creation The Church Isaiah ~721 Malachi ~433

Prophets There are prophets all throughout Israel’s history. A prophet will always seek to direct men to the Lord and bring them into right standing with God. The prophets speak about specific times and events, and are pointing to how Jesus will be the fulfillment of all of those things.

Prophets There are two classifications of prophets; major and minor Major Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel Minor Prophets Baruch, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi

Isaiah 721-701 BC (Southern Kingdom – Judah) For Isaiah, the vision of God’s majesty was so overwhelming that military and political power faded into insignificance. He constantly called his people back to a reliance on God’s promises and away from finding security in human plans and dealings. This meant that ethical behavior was required of human beings who wished to live in the presence of such a holy God.

Jeremiah 650 - 600 B.C (Collapse of Southern Kingdom - Judah) Judah is caught between Egyptian expansion to the south and Babylon to the North Book of Jeremiah combines history, biography, and prophecy. Jeremiah suffers greatly for his calls to return to God. Because of their failures, the destruction is inevitable but God remains with them. Hope for the Future

Jeremiah “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses to dwell in; plant gardens, and eat their fruits. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters. There you must increase in number, not decrease. Promote the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you; pray for it to the LORD, for upon its welfare depends your own. Thus says the LORD: Only after seventy years have elapsed for Babylon will I visit you and fulfill for you my promise to bring you back to this place. For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope. When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, you will find me with you, says the LORD, and I will change your lot; I will gather you together from all the nations and all the places to which I have banished you, says the LORD, and bring you back to the place from which I have exiled you.” (Jer. 29:4-14)

Ezekiel ~585 BC 587: Destruction of Jerusalem, beginning of the Babylonian Exile. The people are responsible for the punishment of exile, justifying the Lord’s decision to destroy their city and Temple. Those who heed God’s word become the New Israel Ezekiel is clear on one point: the Lord punishes and restores for one reason—for the sake of his name, in order to demonstrate once and for all that he is Lord.

Daniel Apocalyptic, like the Book of Revelation This book takes its name not from the author but from its hero. Daniel was among the first Jews deported to Babylon, where he lived at least until 538 BC Chapters 1 – 6; the moral is that people of faith can resist temptation and conquer adversity. There follows in Chapter 7 – 12; a series of visions promising deliverance and glory to the Jews in the days to come.

Prophets Purpose Vehicle of God’s Message The prophets seem to be providing context for the present troubles and not necessarily future tribulations “Why are we in the situation we are in?” “Why is the world the way it is?” Most often the prophet’s message is one of repentance and is not one folks want to hear.

God of Infinite Mercy When we consider God is a God of love and the heart of God is mercy, we must remember that even when God uses a prophet to bring correction, he does so in the Spirit of Love with the hope of turning a person or a church or nation back to the heart of God. Even a warning is given by a prophet with the hope that it will bring repentance and prevent judgment. God will send a prophet often as a last resort before judgment comes.

Less This You better shape up More This

Message of the Prophets The message of the prophets is one of hope and the love and the care of God. Jeremiah tells the people (for God) “And to this people you shall say: Thus says the LORD: See, I am giving you a choice between life and death.” (Jer. 21:8)

Prophets Today “The encounter with the living Jesus, in the great family that is the church, fills the heart with joy, because it fills it with true life, a profound goodness that does not pass away or decay. “But this experience must face the daily vanity, the poison of emptiness that insinuates itself into our society based on profit and having (things), that deludes young people with consumerism,” Pope Francis.

Wrapping Up God is not afraid to tell us when we are messing up. When we make choices to sin we lose the freedom to act as his sons and daughters. He does not delight in our pain rather he allows us to exercise our free will which means we do things which take us away from him. Yet he is ever present, right beside us all the time. If we but step back he will be there to comfort and protect us. This is the message of hope! Whatever we do, and the things we do will cause us and others pain, he is there, waiting offering grace.

Prophecy Today Luke 4:16 “ Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown” We like our prophets to flatter, not to challenge. Are you open to the prophetic challenges in your own life? In a world full of war? Are we open to messages of peace In a world full of hate? Are we open to messages of love In a world full of grudges? Are we open to forgiveness

Conclusion The role of prophets has not died, only changed. In every age there are people who challenge us to be faithful to God, and remind us about God’s faithful love for us.

Closing Prayer Our Father