The Prophets © John Stevenson, 2014

Pentateuch Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy Historical Books Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther Poetic Books Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon Prophetic Books Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Historical Books Period of the Patriarchs Exodus and Sinai JudgesKings of Israel and Judah Return Poetic Books Torah Prophetic Books

What is a Prophet? They functioned as PreachersThey functioned as Preachers They functioned as PredictorsThey functioned as Predictors Prophet versus PriestProphet versus Priest

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying, 2 “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I shall announce My words to you.” 3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. Jeremiah 18:1-3

But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. Jeremiah 18:4

Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, 6 “Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:5-6

At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; 8 if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it. Jeremiah 18:7-8

Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concern- ing a kingdom to build up or to plant it; 10 if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it. Jeremiah 18:9-10

Prediction If I speak concerning a nation to destroy it Contingency If they turn from their evil Fulfillment I will relent of the calamity If I speak concerning a nation to plant it If they do evil and do not obey I will think better of the good

2 Samuel 12:22. “…for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’” Jonah 3:9. “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” Joel 2:14. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him

Conditional Predictions: “If… then” clausesConditional Predictions: “If… then” clauses Unqualified PredictionsUnqualified Predictions Confirmed PredictionsConfirmed Predictions Sworn PredictionsSworn Predictions

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

“If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land; 20 But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 1:18-20).

Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” (Jonah 3:4).

Then the LORD answered me and said, “Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run.” (Habakkuk 2:2).

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3).

“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. 23 I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.” (Isaiah 45:22-23).

The Old Testament Gospel

The BibleIsaiah Old Testament: 39 Books New Testament: 27 Books Judgment: 39 Chapters Comfort: 27 Chapters Total Books:66 Books Total: 66 Chapters

Chapters 1-35 Judgments in the Present Chapters 36-39Chapters Historical Interlude Glory in the Future The Judgment of God The Comfort of God Messiah the Judge Messiah the Servant God’s Government A throne (6:1) God’s Grace A lamb (53:6)

The World of Isaiah’s Day

Isaiah 1 A Microcosm of the Entire Book of Isaiah

Isaiah 1:2-3 2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the LORD speaks, “Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me. 3 An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master's manger, But Israel does not know, My people do not understand.”

Isaiah 1:4 Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him. Literally “Seed of Evil Ones.”

Isaiah 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah.

Isaiah 1:11 "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?” says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams, And the fat of fed cattle. And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats.

Isaiah 1:21 How the faithful city has become a harlot, She who was full of justice! Righteousness once lodged in her, But now murderers.

Isaiah 1: Then I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning; After that you will be called the city of righteousness, A faithful city." 27 Zion will be redeemed with justice And her repentant ones with righteousness.

Isaiah 6:1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

Isaiah 6:2-4 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

Isaiah 6:5 Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

Isaiah 6:6-7 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, with a burning coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 And he touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven.”

Child Motif Shear-jashub (Isaiah 7:3) Immanu-el (Isaiah 7:14; 8:8) Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isaiah 8:3) Isaiah’s children (Isaiah 8:18) The Royal Child (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Historical Interlude Isaiah 36-39

Isaiah 1-35 Messages for Israel under Assyrian struggle Isaiah Isaiah Isaiah Invasion of the Assyrians Hezekiah faces death & Babylon Messages for Israel looking ahead to Babylon & Persia Historical Section Prophecy JudgmentComfort

Isaiah 53

Jeremiah The Weeping Prophet

Isaiah Saw the Northern Kingdom of Israel taken into Captivity at the hands of Assyria Jeremiah Saw the Southern Kingdom of Judah taken into Captivity at the hands of Babylon Foretold of the judgments that would come in the future Explained the reasons for the judgments Judah was experiencing Looks primarily to the future Looks primarily to the present

IsaiahJeremiah Bold and fearlessGentle and compassionate Was married to a prophetess and had children with prophetic names Was commanded not to take a wife or have any children

 Jerusalem Carchemish  Babylon Nebuchadnezzar Pharaoh Neco

 Jerusalem  Megiddo Pharaoh Neco (Josiah) Josiah dies at Megiddo and is replaced by his son Jehoahaz

Call of Jeremiah (1) Prophecies of Judah & Jerusalem (2-35) Historical Narrative Prior to the fall of Jerusalem (36-38) The fall of Jerusalem (39) After the fall of Jerusalem (40-45) Prophecies of other nations (46-51) Fall of Jerusalem (52)

Jeremiah 31:31-32 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Old Covenant Let us go up to the house of the Lord New Covenant Go unto all the world and make disciples of the nations JerusalemChurch

Lamentations The Song of Sorrow

Lamentations

Lamentations 3:40-42 Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the LORD. We lift up our heart and hands Toward God in heaven; We have transgressed and rebelled, Thou hast not pardoned.

Lessons from Lamentations God is Sovereign over the affairs of menGod is Sovereign over the affairs of men Sin brings forth tragic consequencesSin brings forth tragic consequences There is hope in the darknessThere is hope in the darkness

Ezekiel The Prophet-Priest

Ezekiel’s call (1-2) Judgment (3-7) Temple (8-11) Judgment (12-14) Pictures (15-19) Judgment (20-23) Pictures (24) Amon Moab Edom Philistia Tyre Sidon Egypt Watchman (33) Restoration (34-37) Gog & Magog (38-39) New Temple (40-48) Oracles against Judah Oracles against Nations Oracles of Salvation

Amos Josiah Jehoahaz Jehoiakim Jehoiachin Zedekiah Obadiah? Jeremiah Daniel Ezekiel Habakkuk Joel? Jerusalem & Temple Destroyed Fall of Nineveh Babylonian Captivity

Ezekiel’s Chariot Vision Something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire (1:4).Something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire (1:4). Four living beingsFour living beings Wheels within wheelsWheels within wheels

1 Chronicles 28:18...the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the model of the chariot, even the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD

Daniel 7:9 I kept looking Until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire

Meaning of the Vision God is the God over all life, whether wild animals or domesticated animals or birds of men The wheels are a picture of the mighty power of God.

The Glory of the Lord Ezekiel sees the glory of the presence of the Lord within His temple (8:4). The glory of God is seen at the doorway to the temple (9:3). It next leaves the doorway and moves out to the Eastern Gate (10:18)

The Glory of the Lord It moves completely out of the city of Jerusalem: And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood over the mountain which is east of the city (Ezekiel 11:23).

Ezekiel’s Vision John’s Revelation A Temple within the CityThe New Jerusalem Ezekiel is taken in this vision to a very high mountain (40:2) John is carried in the Spirit to a great and high mountain (21:10) A man uses a rod to measure the dimensions of the temple (40:5-ff) An angel measures the city with a rod (21:15-17) The entire temple area is a perfect square (42:15-20) The entire city is a perfect cube (21:16)

Ezekiel’s Vision John’s Revelation A Temple within the CityThe New Jerusalem The presence of the glory of the Lord enters the temple (43:3-4) No need of sun or moon because the Lord illumines His city (22:5) No foreigner is admitted into the temple (44:9) Nothing unclean and no unbeliever is allowed into the city (21:8, 27) A river of water flows out of the temple (47:1) A river of the water of life comes from the throne of God (22:1)

Ezekiel’s Vision John’s Revelation A Temple within the CityThe New Jerusalem There are a total of 12 gates around the city (48:30-34) There are 12 gates to the city (21:21) The name of the city shall be: “The Lord is there” (48:35). The throne of God shall be there (22:3)

Ezekiel 43:4-5 And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. 5 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.

Daniel Statesman-Prophet

1:18:1 Written in the Third Person Written in the First Person Seven Historical Narratives Four Prophetic Visions Written in Aramaic Written in HebrewHebrew Prophetic History relating to the Gentiles Prophetic History relating to the Jews Prologue

Daniel 2 Vision of a great statue Daniel 7 Meaning Kings & Kingdoms Vision of beasts from the sea Head of fine gold BabylonLion with wings Breast & arms of silver Medes & Persia Bear with three ribs in its teeth Belly & thighs of bronze Greek Empire Leopard with 4 wings & 4 heads Legs of iron & clay; ten toes Antiochus? Rome? Beast with iron teeth & ten horns

Daniel 2 Daniel 7 Meaning All previous kingdoms destroyed by the stone cut without hands Coming of the Lord and His Kingdom Ancient of Days takes his seat and passes judgment A new kingdom that will never be destroyed (2:44) His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom (7:27)

Daniel 7 Dream comes in the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel 8 Vision given in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king Successive beasts rise up out of the ocean Babylon Medes & Persia Greece Other Kingdom A ram standing by a canal is attacked by a goat coming from the west Medes & Persia Greece Terrible beast has ten horns Large horn broken; gives way to ten horns

Out comes a small horn that… Out comes a small horn that… Daniel 7Daniel 8 Pulls up three previous horns Utters great boasts Alterations in times and law Wages war against saints and wins against them Grows exceedingly Magnifies itself against heaven Removes regular sacrifice & throws down the temple Flings truth to the ground

Daniel 7Daniel 8 Saints are given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time Endures for 2300 mornings and evenings Then sovereignty, dominion, and greatness are given to the saints of the Most High Then the holy place will be properly restored

Alexander the Great “To the strongest”

Antiochus Epiphanes Comes on the heels of Alexander’s generalsComes on the heels of Alexander’s generals Magnifies itself against the Jews and against their GodMagnifies itself against the Jews and against their God He puts a stop to the sacrificial system and makes alterations to the LawHe puts a stop to the sacrificial system and makes alterations to the Law He attempts to overturn the truth of the ScripturesHe attempts to overturn the truth of the Scriptures He has power over the nation of IsraelHe has power over the nation of Israel

His sway over the Temple endures for approximately 3 and a half years (2300 mornings and evenings).His sway over the Temple endures for approximately 3 and a half years (2300 mornings and evenings). Then the holy place is ultimately properly restoredThen the holy place is ultimately properly restored Antiochus Epiphanes

Daniel 11:31 And forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

Daniel 12:1 Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.

Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

“A time of distress…” Abomination of Desolation brought by Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 B.C. Destruction of the Temple brought by Titus in A.D. 70 The Final Judgment

Daniel 12:4 But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.