The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) The Prophets 3 categories The Former Prophets The 3 Major Prophets The Scroll of the 12

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) The Former Prophets These include all those speaking and acting God's will/word prior to the 'writing' prophets Notably: Moses,Miriam,Joshua, Deborah, Samuel, Nathan, Elijah and Elisha We have touched on all except Elijah and Elisha, more on them shortly

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) The Three Major Prophets Jeremiah Ezekiel Isaiah We will examine each of these with some detail later

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) The Scroll of the 12 (the Minor prophets) Not less important, just less written work handed down Amos, Hosea, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah NB: Daniel is not included! That work is a combination of historical fable and apocalyptic vision. (more later)

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) Prophet One who hears (understands) God's word/will and communicates (speaks, acts, writes) it to the people

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) God's Word/Will ruach Torah dabar/devar chokmah “And the Word of the Lord came to me...” “And the Spirit of the Lord was upon me...” Shema Israel!

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) The Former Prophets: Elijah and Elisha The bridge between the Former and Later Prophets Reign of Ahaz and Jezebel Miracles Gentiles Elijah/Moses parallels

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) The Minor Prophets of the Northern Kingdom Amos and Hosea Amos – opponent of idolatry, champion of the oppressed Hosea – voice of compassion, symbol of chesed

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) Early Warning to the Southern Kingdom Micah Proto-Isaiah (1-12, 28-33, 36-39) Micah – of Moresheth, warns Jerusalem lest her fate be that of Samaria, associated with reforms of Hezekiah, cited by Jeremiah Isaiah – the original prophet vision of ch. 6 ref. to Hezekiah and Sennacharib

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) Pre-exilic Minor Prophets of the Southern Kingdom Micah – early warning Zephaniah – the 'day of the Lord' Nahum – staccato poetry on the destruction of Ninevah Habakkuk – “How long, O Lord?”

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) Jeremiah 625?- 587 reform soiled loincloth metaphor allegory of the potter persecution of the prophet a shoot from Jesse conquest-exiles- imprisonment-flight to Egypt Baruch Jehoiakin Ezekiel – ? a prophet in Exile apocalyptic visions of the Throne, the fall of Jerusalem, vision of a new Temple The Major Prophets and the Exile

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) Deutero-Isaiah 540 BC ch the fall of Babylon Cyrus is Messiah 'comfort ye my people' the 4 servant songs 'Seek God and live!' Trito-Isaiah ch the turmoil of return the hope for a better future

The Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures) Post-exilic Minor Prophets Haggai – a restored Temple shall be filled with God's glory Zechariah - visions of the Throne, the 'day of the Lord' Malachi – God, the loving but vexed father, 'turn back' Joel – lament, 'day of the Lord', 'turn back' Obadiah – oracle against 'Edom' (Jonah – a fable concerning a reluctant prophet and a repentant Gentile city)