INTRODUCTION TO THE PROPHETS
Even though God had redeemed His people from slavery in Egypt and made them a mighty nation, with both a civil and spiritual law that called for their obedient commitment, the nation of Israel was constantly backsliding into idol-worship, civil war, immorality, and the complacency found in a life of abundance and ease. To speak to Israel (and even some foreign nations) on His behalf, the Lord chose His Prophets.
The Call to Obedience
The Prophets were raised up by God to call the people to remembrance,
repentance and obedience. The people had taken such God-given
institutions as sacrifices and made them into ritualistic substitutes
for the true obedience they were designed to represent (Isa. 1:11ff.;
Jer. 7:21ff.; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:25; Micah 6:6-8).
Distinguishing False From True
How can we distinguish what is true from what is false when it
comes down to religious opinion and testimony? We must compare
the opinion and testimony against God's word. To the people of
the Old Testament, the Law of Moses stood as the test of religious
opinions. The false prophet would try to introduce some "new
morality," such as described in Jer. 23:9-22.
The Prophet's Call
The true prophet claimed the "council" of God, that
is, being in close communication with God through consultation
and companionship. The words most generally used to describe this
relationship in the Bible are: prophet and seer. The word prophet
means "called (by God)," and indicates that God's mind
and will have been revealed to and through the chosen one (2 Tim.
3:16). Seer points to the ability of the prophet to "see"
into the affairs of men and the mind of God and indicates a change
God makes in the man chosen for this task (2 Pet. 1:21). This
ability to "see" would include looking into the past,
present, and even the future.
'Thus Says the Lord'
God chose His prophets from many walks of life. Some did not even
want to be prophets (Jonah). Their message was first and foremost
to those living in the time of the prophecy, yet it is for us
as well (Acts 7:38). While some prophets were occasionally dramatic
in their presentation, most chose the method of spoken sermons
to deliver their prophecy.
How the prophets came to be in possession of God's will is not very clear (Jer. 47:1; Eze. 17:1; Zech. 8:1), but they leave no doubt that they expected their words to be taken as the words of the Lord Himself. It is interesting to note how the Lord worked through the personalities of each of the prophets, giving us the writings of each individual and not some dull, carbon copy boilerplate.
The Present and the Future
God deliberately placed the prophets at crucial turning points
in the history of His people. Amos addressed the social decadence
and permissiveness caused by a time of national affluence and
religious formalism. Isaiah preached to a people on the verge
of passing the point of no return in their relationship with God
(Isa. 6:9ff.). Jeremiah was on hand at the fall of Jerusalem,
while Ezekiel was there as the nation underwent exile. They were
available to explain how God would even use the wicked to punish
His people if the need arose, and to predict what would happen
if the people failed to repent. To avoid future destruction the
people were commanded to repent now (Isa. 2:5, 10, 22; 3:1ff.
31:6,7).
The Message of the Prophets
There are five major themes that constitute the framework of the
prophet's teaching:
The Prophets - Some Additional Thoughts
At the head of the third great section of the Old Testament stands
Isaiah. Sixteen prophets are named including the other Major Prophets:
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel; along with the 12 so-called minor
prophets. Remember, the designation "major" or "minor"
simply refers to the length of the book, not its importance.
The prophets wrote over a period of 250-300 years, spanning the decline, the exile, and the return of the children of Israel. Most of their messages were directed toward Judah and Jerusalem: Isaiah, Joel, and Micah before the fall of Jerusalem; Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah at the time of the fall and during the exile; and Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi at the time of the return and after.
The mission of the prophets was usually a last ditch effort by God to save His people. The urgency and danger that surrounded them in their endeavors often placed them in life or death situations.
(Adapted from Eerdmans Handbook to the Bible pp. 370-376, including an article entitled: "The Prophets, Introduction" by Alec Motyer.)
Worship From The Heart by Alan Smith
A little boy asked his father what was the highest number he had ever counted. Replying that he didn't know, the father asked his son his highest number. It was 973.
"Why did you stop there?" wondered the father
"Because church was over."
I suspect that you have probably sat through worship services where your mind was focused on something just as trivial rather than on God. It's easy to let the mind wander. "I can't wait to see the ball game this afternoon." "I wonder what we're having for lunch." "I've never noticed before that the carpet down there is starting to unravel a bit." Is it any wonder that we so often leave the worship assembly with the feeling that it wasn't very meaningful?
Worship should be a time when we are confronted with the majesty and glory of God. As we reflect on God's power, we realize how much we need Him in our times of weakness. As we reflect on God's wisdom, we realize how much we need Him in our times of indecision. As we reflect on God's holiness, we are made aware of our own sinfulness and the need for forgiveness. As we reflect on God's love, we realize the effort God has gone to, to make that forgiveness available.
It's not a ritual we go through every week. It is an opportunity to express our praise to the One who means more to us than all the earth. As we truly worship and praise God from the heart, we become more aware of how much we want to live close to Him. We leave with the challenge to "be holy as He is holy."
"For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth." (Psalm 96:4-9)
QUOTABLE QUOTES (Selected from The Beacon)
"Measure wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you have for which you would not take money."
"What you worship determines what you become."
"We live what we believe; all the rest is jut religious talk."
"The highest reward for a man's toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it."
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Our weekly services are held at 1318 Griffin Road, Leesburg, Florida
34748.
Phone: (352) 365-9946 for times of services.
Web site: http://www.careydillinger.com/cocbs/cocbshp.htm
MONTHLY BIBLE READING: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, the Prophets
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
BIBLE INSIGHT is published
for the members of, and visitors to, the Church of Christ at Beverly
Shores, Leesburg, Florida, USA.
Carey Dillinger is the editor. He can be reached at the church
address or via e-mail: webmaster@careydillinger.com