Prophets Study Guide

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~ Prophet Study Guide ~

Prophet - a person God chooses to speak his message of salvation. They speak the message of repentance calling people back to God, in a way their community would understand.

What is a prophecy?

Oracle - a message communicated by prophets on behalf of God to prophesy is to build up God’s people.

Edification:

Knowing God’s mind

Doing God’s will

Sharing God’s life.

What did they prophesy about?

Warning: sin and God’s punishment if they keep sinning

Hope - how God will save the people from present oppression

How they should respond to God is promising for the future

Messiah (salvation) something God is promising for the future.

Messiah - the anointed one who would protect and unite Israel and lead the chosen people to freedom

The message about the Messiah:

Is the servant of God

Who will encounter great suffering and then be glorified

Will be a virgin’s son

Called Immanuel “God with us”

Prophets and the Cycle of Redemption:

God creates or enters into a covenant and its good

Humanity falls into Idolatry, resulting in disease, war, and grief

God sends teachers, kings, prophets, or others who lead the people to repentance

The people return to following the covenant

Peace and God’s healing return to people

Characteristics of Prophets:

Obedience

→ they obeyed God

Justice

→ called people to treat others with dignity and love

→ called people to treat others fairly; care for the poor.

Morality

→ followed commandments: Loving God and neighbor

Persistent and determined:

→ called Jews to return to the relationship with God and committed themselves to a relationship with God

Leadership (Brave)

→ God’s voice to the people

→ Even if it meant persecution

Writing Prophets:

Each has a book of the Bible named after them

Major Prophets have longer books

Minor prophets have shorter books

Prophets also acted out oracles in strange and sometimes shocking ways

Ezekiel- lies on his side for 430 days to act out the siege of Jerusalem

Isaiah- walks around the city naked to demonstrate coming defeat Egypt & Ethiopia

EX: MAJOR PROPHETS - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel

Non - Writing Prophets:

They do not have books of the bible named after them

They are major characters in the stories in 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 kings - Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, God

EX: MINOR PROPHETS - Micah, Hosea, Amos, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malach

~ Prophets ~

Ezekiel:

Priest of Ancient Israel

Promised to be truthful and faithful in his work

Nehemiah:

Governor of Jerusalem

Rebuilt the wall and re-established their economy

Popular among Jews because of his great communication skills

Elijah & Elisha:

Called by God to urge the people of Ancient Israel to turn from sin and to return to the true God

Spoke their message to the people of Ancient Israel

They were messengers of God in Ancient Israel

Zechariah:

Miracle Worker

Gave speeches at his temple

Persuaded Jews to build the temple of Jerusalem

Predicted the messiah coming through Jerusalem on a donkey.

Jeremiah

Warned the people of Jerusalem that Jerusalem would be destroyed

Prophesied that a guy would bring back a remnant to rebuild Jerusalem

Daniel

Foretold that the king’s kingdom will fall and the king will be killed by the Persians

Worked for the kings of Babylon

King’s vision interpreter (interpreted dreams)

Isiah

His goal was to spread hope about the coming of Messiah

Saw a vision of God

Words encouraged people to be patient for the coming of the messiah

Micah

Calls for Israel to repents and return to God

Foresaw the birth of a descendant of David

Inspired to speak the truth

Able to connect with the less fortunate