At the Heart of the Journey CHAPTER SEVEN God’s Prophet’s At the Heart of the Journey

Introduction - The prophet is a special kind of messenger from God - The Hebrew word for prophet, Nabi, was connected first with Moses - Prophecy became a literary movement

Introduction - “Latter prophets” were made up of major and minor prophets Minor Prophets • Hosea • Amos • Obadiah • Jonah • Micah • Nahum • Habbakuk • Zephaniah • Haggai • Zechariah • Melachai Major Prophets • Isaiah • Jeremiah • Ezekial

Introduction - Common marks/roles of prophets • Prophets received a call from God and felt compelled to follow it, leaving their former way of life behind • Spoke messages that were unpopular with the ruling establishment

Introduction Call Narrative: Story that describes a person’s initial awareness that God wanted him or her to do something specific

Introduction - The call narratives of Isaiah and Jeremiah follow a similar pattern: The setting is one of mystery or holiness God initiates the call The person resists God reassures the person God sends the person on a mission

Marks of the Prophets - Judges were also considered prophets (Deborah, Gideon) - Prophecy was rooted in the early military leaders of Israel - Passionate concern for the poor whenever they suffered oppression by the rich - Prophets spoke in first person, as if God was speaking

Servants & Prophets - The prophets called people back to right relationships with Yahweh - During this time, many Israelites had begun to worship the god Baal along with Yahweh - Prophets reminded people that Yahweh was a jealous God who demanded their loyalty

Servants & Prophets - Four prophets in the northern kingdom: 1.) Elijah 2.) Elisha 3.) Amos 4.) Hosea

Servants & Prophets - Elijah (Read 1 Kings 17-18) • Name means, “The Lord is my God” • Considered the father of the prophets • Was a spiritual warrior in a struggle that sometimes became violent • Symbolized the struggle between the religion of Yahweh and religion of Canaanites

Servants & Prophets - Elisha • Carried on the work of Elijah • Sided with the suffering of the poor • Main concerns were social justice and religious devotion to Yahweh

Servants & Prophets - Amos • First prophet for whom there is a recorded collection of sayings • Strongest on the issues of social justice • Spoke out against many of the sins of those living in the northern kingdom • Although people continued in their sinfulness, he believed they could never completely frustrate the plan of God for the salvation of mankind

Servants & Prophets - Hosea • Offers some biographical information • Held out more hope for Israel than Amos • Acted out part of his message in his own life • Controversial marriage symbolizes God’s relationship with Israel • Compared the love of God with the love between husband and wife and parent and child

Styles of Prophets Common Themes - Repent of your sins and God will save you - God can bring good, even from destruction • Even the people’s sinfulness will not cause Yahweh to abandon his covenant

Styles of Prophets New Ideas - Incompatibility between Canaanite paganism and true Yahweh worship - Questioning luxurious materialistic lifestyles - God’s compassion and forgiveness

Fall of Northern Kingdom - Assyria invaded Israel capturing the city of Samaria - Upper class residents were deported to upper Mesopotamia - Most of the population of Israel was left in the north to continue to work the land for the Assyrians - Kingdom ended in 722 B.C.