Announcements Exam next Monday – all the usual policies apply Matt’s review session will be Wednesday evening instead of tonight –7:00 pm in J 112 For those doing extra credit, it must cover –1 Kings 21 through the end of 2 Kings –2 Chronicles 18 through the end of 2 Chronicles

Oseh Shalom (Job 25:2b) O-SEH SHALOMBIMROMAV The One Who Makespeacein His heights HUYA’ASEHSHALOMALENU Hewill makepeacefor us VE’ALKOLISRAEL And for allIsrael VE’IMRUIMRUAMEN And saysayAmen! YA’ASEHSHALOM, YA’ASEH SHALOM SHALOMALENU VE’AL KOL ISRAEL (4 times)

Prophets and Prophetism

Review and Preview The people have been called by God They have the Torah as the statement of the covenant They were in the Land for ca. 800 years They had the monarchy and the covenant with David The Temple had been indicative of God’s presence with them Because of disobedience, they lost the Land and the Temple The prophetic material is timely, calling for both national and personal reformation Here is a rabbinic proverb for us: The one who studies and forgets is like a woman who gives birth to a child and buries it.

Introductory Issues Definitions of prophecy (II Peter 1:19-21) –God’s communication to humankind through human beings –“carried along by the Holy Spirit” [implications] Torah, history, and prophecy [the rabbinic proverb] –Covenant enforcement mediators – calling God’s people back to the covenant (remember Lev 26; Deut 4 and 28-32) –Critical periods Elijah and Elisha confronted Baal The immanent fall of the northern kingdom Sennacherib’s threat to Judah and Jerusalem The fall of the south, the destruction of the Temple, and the exile The return from exile and rebuilding the Temple

Categories of prophets Former (early) prophets (in Judges, Samuel, Kings and Chronicles) –Who were some of these individuals? –In what contexts did they appear? Writing prophets –Four major prophets –Twelve minor prophets

Recipients of Prophetic Messages Israel – Hosea and Amos Judah before the fall of the north and later the south – Isaiah, Micah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah (Lamentations), Joel, Zephaniah Exile – Ezekiel (before and during fall of Jerusalem) and Daniel Return – Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi Assyria – Jonah and Nahum Edom – Obadiah The major prophets also have sections pronouncing doom on foreign nations

The Person of the Prophet Titles –“man of God” –“seer” –“prophet” (navi) –“servant of the Lord” Authority of the Call – Isaiah 6; Jeremiah 1; Ezekiel 1-3; Amos 7:12-15 –God’s personal intervention –Prepared for unpopular reception The prophetic test (or “when is a prophet not a prophet of the Lord?”) – Deut 13:1-3; 18:20-2

The Message of the Prophets Prophetic “media” –Visions and dreams –Symbolic actions –oracles Characteristic features of prophetic preaching –Emphasis on the sovereignty of God –Judgment on sin and unbelief –Encouragement for the faithful in difficult times –The messianic hope and the kingdom of God Kingly reigning Messiah Suffering Servant