Prophets, Major Prophets

8/12/2019 Prophets, Major Prophets

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The Major Prophets

The Prophets of Israel Viewed as a Whole

Their Designation

The first division of the Old Testament was known as the Law with the second being called the

Former Prophets, but these included four books which have already been outlinedJoshua,Judges, amuel, and !ings" Though these books deal with the history of #srael, they werecomposed from a prophetic viewpoint and possibly even the authors themselves may have been

prophets by profession"

The seventeen books considered in this section were classified in the $ebrew %ible as the Latter

Prophets" The term &latter' speaks primarily of their place in the canon rather than of their

chronological position" These prophets are sometimes called the writing prophetsbecause theirauthors wrote or recorded their utterances" There were other oral prophetslike (athan, )hi*ah,

#ddo, Jehu, +li*ah, +lisha, Oded, hemaiah, )ariah, $anani, Jahaiel, and $uldah who left norecords of their utterances" -ostly because of their sie, the Latter Prophets are subdivided intothe -a*or Prophets .#saiah, Jeremiah, and +ekiel/, and the twelve -inor Prophets, whose

writings could all be included in one large scroll which came to be known in 0reek as the

1o2decaprophe2ton, 3the Twelve4Prophet %ook5/"67

1aniel, usually viewed as one of the -a*or

Prophets in the +nglish %ible, actually appears in the third division of the $ebrew 8anon called3the 9ritings"5

Lamentations will also be dealt with here because of its place in the +nglish %ible, though in the

$ebrew %ible it is among the five rolls or megilloth, the shorter books, which were brief enough

to be read publicly on anniversaries"

Their Description

The authors of these books were described or referred to by a number of terms due to the natureof their ministry and calling" They were called prophets, seers, watchmen, men of 0od,

messengers, and servants of the Lord" :nger writes;

)ccording to # amuel


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)s can be seen from :nger's comments, a certain amount of uncertainty eCists regarding the

eCact meaning of the word 3prophet"5 The wordprophetis from the $ebrew aybDnE .nabi/" The

deviration of this word is a matter of controversy, but the essential idea in the word is that of anauthorizedspo!esman" This is clear, not from the etymology of this word which has been lost in

antiuity, but from its use in three Old Testament passages; .?/Exodus 6:28-7:2" 9hen -oses

ob*ected to being the spokesman for 0od to Pharaoh, 0od appointed )aron to be -oses prophet,i"e", his authoried spokesman" The issue here is one person speaking for another" .=/Numbers12:1-8" )aron and -iriam, perhaps out of *ealousy, sought to supplant -oses as mediator of

0od's revelation with themselves .cf" Gs" =/, but 0od dramatically intervened to show $e wouldspeak directly with -oses alone and that $e would also speak through those called prophetsby

dreams and visions" %ut the implication as to the meaning of 3prophet5 is clear" ) true prophet is

one who speaks for 0od to man" .@/Deuteronomy 18:9-22" Just before the death of -oses, we

have the formal announcement of the office of the nabi, the prophet, on a continuing basis"6=

These verses make it clear that the prophet is one who speaks forth the message which 0od has

revealed to him"

Their Directive or Message

)s a mouthpiece or spokesman for 0od, the prophet's primary duty was to speak forth 0od'smessage to 0od's people in the historical conteCt of what was happening among 0od's people"The broadest meaning is that of"orthtellingH the narrower meaning is that of"oretelling" #n the

process of proclaiming 0od's message, the prophet would sometimes reveal that which pertained

to the future, but, contrary to popular opinion, this was only a small part of the prophets message"Forthtellinginvolved insightinto the will of 0odH it was exhortative, challenging men to obey"

On the other hand,"oretellingentailedforesightinto the plan of 0odH it waspreditive, either

encouraging the righteous in view of 0od's promises or warning in view of coming *udgment" othe prophet was the divinely chosen spokesman who, having received 0od's message,

proclaimed it in oral, visual, or written form to the people" For this reason, a common formulaused by the prophets was, 3Thus says the Lord"5

)s 0od's spokesman, their message can be seen in a three4fold function they had among the

people of 0od in the Old Testament;

!irst" they funtioned as preaherswho eCpounded and interpreted the -osaic law to the

nation" #t was their duty to admonish, reprove, denounce sin, threaten with the terrors of*udgment, call to repentance, and bring consolation and pardon" Their activity of rebuking sin

and calling for repentance consumed far more of the prophets' time than any other feature of

their work" The rebuke was driven home with predictions about the punishment that 0od

intended to send on those failing to heed the prophet's warning .cf" Jonah @;>/"

#eond" they funtioned as preditorswho announced coming *udgment, deliverance, andevents relating to the -essiah and $is kingdom" Predicting the future was never intended merely

to satisfy man's curiosity, but was designed to demonstrate that 0od knows and controls the

future, and to give purposeful revelation" The prediction given by a true prophet would be visiblyfulfilled" The failure of the prediction to be fulfilled would indicate that the prophet had not


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spoken the word of #ahweh.cf" 1eut" ?B;=74==/" #n ? amuel @;?


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instruction .1euteronomy/ of the nation of #srael as the custodians of the oracles of 0od .Kom"

@;?/ and the channel for -essiah .0en" ?=;?fH Kom" 46/"

Then further preparation for 8hrist was given in the Historical ooksby giving the nation the

Land of #srael for their possession .Joshua/" The nation was then oppressed by foreign nations

and was unfaithful, still 0od raised up *udges and found faithfulness in the nation .Kuth/"tabiliation was given to the nation under king aul .? amuel/, then eCpansion under king

1avid .= amuel/, and glorification of the nation under olomon's reign .? !ings ?4?7/" This

was followed with division in the nation .? !ings ??4==/ into the northern ?7 tribes and thesouthern tribes of Judah and %en*amin" These both suffered deterioration .= 8hronicles/ resulting

eventually in deportationby )ssyria and %abylon .= !ings/" 8onseuently, the Temple suffered

depriation.? 8hronicles/ and destruction .= 8hronicles/" $owever, 0od's faithfulness to $ispromises remained and so there was reconstructionof the Temple .+ra/ and restorationof a

remnant of the nation to the land .(ehemiah/ followed byprotectionof 0od's people .+sther/"

)ll the while, in the Poetical ooksthere was alwaysspiritual aspirationfor 8hrist with the

moral foundation being laid in the Law and the national framework being developed in the booksof $istory"

Through the Prophetical ookswe have the nation of #srael, through the prophets, looking

forward with great e%pectationto 8hrist" This is done in the following ways;

The earlier prophets .$osea, Joel, )mos/ eCpect a national restorationby the -essiah" #saiah

and -icah predict international salationthrough the coming of 8hrist" %ut Obadiah, Jonah,(ahum, $abakkuk and ephaniah warn of 0od's retribution on the nations" Lamentations

grieves over 0od's retribution on His peoplebut Jeremiah looks for a coenantal rea""irmation

in 8hrist" +ekiel eCpects the nation's religious restorationand 1aniel predicts itspolitical

restoration" )fter the %abylonian captivity $aggai and echariah eChort the people in theirreligious reconstructionand -alachi in theirsocial and moral reconstruction, as they await the

coming of the 3sun of righteousness thatD shall rise, with healing in its wings5 .-al" >;=/"6A

ISAIAH (The Salvation of Yahweh)

Author"

)s the book clearly declares, the author is #saiah, the son of )mo, an apparently influential anddistinguished Jewish family" #saiah but he appears to have been on familiar terms with the royal

court even in the reign of )ha" $e was evidently a well4 educated student of international

affairs, who spent most of his time in the city of Jerusalem, where he rubbed shoulders withroyalty and gave advice on foreign affairs because he was so in touch with the crosscurrents of

world affairs" Though often scoffed at, being directed by 0od, he vigorously opposed any

entangling alliances with foreign powers .whether with )ssyria as against amaria and1amascus, or with +gypt as against )ssyria/" )s warned by the Lord in chapter siC, his cause

was doomed to failure, for both government and people chose to put their trust in the political

alliances of man rather than in the sure person and promises of 0od"


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)n old tradition relates that he was martyred at some time in the reign of -anasseh, possibly by

being sawed in two inside a hollow log .d" $eb" ??;@I/" ince he records the death of

ennacherib in #sa" @I;@I4@B, it is fair to assume that #saiah lived until after ennacherib's deathin AB? b"c"

6I

The unity of the book of #saiah has been challenged by liberal critics who hold that a 31eutero4#saiah5 wrote chapters >74AA after the %abylonian captivity" 8oncerning the various viewpoints

of the critics, Kyrie writes"

-uch dispute has arisen over the authorship of chaps" >74AA" ome assign the entire section to a

31eutero4#saiah,5 who lived around 6>7 %"8" .after the %abylonian captivity/" Others see a

3Trito4#saiah,5 who wrote chaps" 6A4AA" till others see insertions and editing as late as the firstcentury %"8", a position difficult to maintain in view of the discovery of the Mumran #saiah scroll

dated in the second century %"8"

These suggestions attempt to eliminate the supernatural element necessary for predictive

prophecy" $ence, the %abylonian captivity and the return under a Persian king .specificallynamed 8yrus/ are not viewed as being predicted ?67 years in advance, but as happenings

recorded after the events" %ut even if one were to grant such a conclusion, it would not invalidate

predictive prophecy" The name of !ing Josiah was predicted by a prophet three centuries before

his time .? !ings ?@;=/, and %ethlehem was named as the birthplace of -essiah seven centuriesbefore the event .-ic" 6;=/" #n addition, there is predictive prophecy in chaps" ?4@< of #saiah .see

I;?AH B;>,IH @I;@@4@6H @B;B for prophecies soon fulfilled and 7;6 and 6B;?>H ??;A4< with A6;=6H @6;A with >?;?B, etc"/"

To claim two or more authors for this book is also to contradict the evidence of the (ew

Testament" Muotations from chaps" >74AA are found in -atthew @;@H ?=;?I4=?H Luke @;>4AH )cts

B;=BH Komans ?7;?A, =7, and all are attributed to #saiah" -oreover, in John ?=;@B4>?, uotationsfrom #saiah A;


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Date"

I>7NAB7 %"8"

#saiah had a very long ministry that ranged from around I>7 to AB7" $is ministry began near the

end of the reign of :iah .I


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%e& 'or"

)gain in keeping with the theme and #saiah's name, the key word issalation"

%e& (erses"

!"#$%3Therefore the Lord $imself will give you a sign; %ehold, a virgin will be with child andbear a son, and she will call $is name #mmanuel"

&"'(!" For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to usH )nd the government will rest on$is shouldersH )nd $is name will be called 9onderful 8ounselor, -ighty 0od, +ternal Father,

Prince of Peace" There will be no end to the increase of $is government or of peace, On the

throne of 1avid and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with *ustice andrighteousness From then on and forevermore" The eal of the LOK1 of hosts will accomplish

this"

)*"$(!%urely our griefs $e $imself bore, )nd our sorrows $e carriedH et we ourselves

esteemed $im stricken, mitten of 0od, and afflicted" %ut $e was pierced through for our

transgressions, $e was crushed for our iniuitiesH The chastening for our well4being fell upon$im, )nd by $is scourging we are healed" )ll of us like sheep have gone astray, +ach of us has

turned to his own wayH %ut the LOK1 has caused the iniuity of us all To fall on $im" $e was

oppressed and $e was afflicted, et $e did not open $is mouthH Like a lamb that is led toslaughter, )nd like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, o $e did not open $is mouth"

%e& Chapters"

Chapter )*; 9ith a book so full of rich truth and -essianic anticipation, deciding of a keychapter is not easy, but surely #saiah 6@which points to -essiah as a suffering avior who must

die for our sin, is the most remarkable and key chapters of the Old Testament"

%e& People"

#saiah the prophet is the key human personage, but #ahwehby the way $e is focused on as the(ighty &ne o" 'srael, as the Holy &ne o" 'srael, and as the )ord *od o" Hosts, is clearly the chief

focus of #saiah's book"

Christ as seen in )saiah"

(o book of the Old Testament presents a portrait of 8hrist that is as complete and

comprehensive as does #saiah" #saiah portrays -essiah in $is sovereignty above .A;?f/, birth andhumanity .I;?>H H


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Outline"

1ue to the sie of #saiah, we will restrict the outline to ma*or sections"

#" Prophecies of 1enunciation and Judgment .?;?4@;=@/

=" )gainst )ssyria .?>;=>4=I/

@" )gainst Philistia .?>;=B4@=/

>" )gainst -oab .?6;? 4 ?A;?>/

6" )gainst 1amascus and $er )lly, #srael .?I;?4?>/

A" )gainst +thiopia .?B;?4I/

I" )gainst +gypt .?;?4=I;?@/

?" Judgments of the Tribulation .=>;?4=@/

=" The Triumphs and %lessings of the !ingdom .=6;?4=I;?@/


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1" Prophecies )gainst #srael and Judah .9oes and %lessings/ .=B;?4@6;?7/

?" 9oe on amaria .=B;?4=" 9oe to )ssyria, the poiler of Jerusalem .@@;?4=>/

6" 9oe to the (ations .@>;?4?I/

A" %ehold the 8oming !ingdom .@6;?4?7/

+" Prophecies )gainst ennacherib .@A;?4@


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proclaimed 0od's *udgments on an apostate Judah even though he eCperienced opposition,

beatings, and imprisonment .??;?B4=@H ?=;AH ?B;?BH =7;?4@H =A;?4=>H @I;??4@B;=B/"

Date"

A=I46B6 %"8"

Jeremiah was a contemporary of ephaniah, $abakkuk, 1aniel, and +ekiel" $is prophetic

ministry began in A=A %"8" and ended sometime after 6BA" $is ministry was immediatelypreceded by that of ephaniah" ince +ekiel began his ministry in %abylon in 6>;=@/, scoring them severely for their idolatry .?A;?74?@,

=7H ==;;=4@, B, ?I4?/" %ut Jeremiah loved the people of Judah in spite of their sins, and he

prayed for them .?>;I, =7/ even when the Lord told him not to .I;?AH ??;?>H ?>;??/"A@

%e& 'ors or )eas"

Judah's last hour in view of backsliding and unfaithfulness" There are more references to%abylon in Jeremiah .?A>/ than in all the rest of the %ible together"


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%e& (erses"

#"$(#+%(ow the word of the Lord came to me saying, 3%efore # formed you in the womb # knew

you, )nd before you were born # consecrated youH # have appointed you a prophet to thenations"5 Then # said, 3)las, Lord 0odR %ehold, # do not know how to speak, %ecause # am a

youth"5 %ut the Lord said to me, 31o not say, am a youth,' %ecause everywhere # send you,you shall go, )nd all that # command you, you shall speak" 31o not be afraid of them, For # amwith you to deliver you,5 declares the Lord" Then the Lord stretched out $is hand and touched

my mouth, and the Lord said to me, 3%ehold, # have put -y words in your mouth" 3ee, # have

appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down,To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant"5

!",*(,$%3%ut this is what # commanded them, saying, &Obey -y voice, and # will be your 0od,and you will be -y peopleH and you will walk in all the way which # command you, that it may

be well with you"' 3et they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counselsand in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward"

-"##(#,%3)nd they heal the brokenness of the daughter of -y people superficially, aying,

&Peace, peace,' %ut there is no peace" 39ere they ashamed because of the abomination they haddoneS They certainly were not ashamed, )nd they did not know how to blushH Therefore they

shall fall among those who fallH )t the time of their punishment they shall be brought down,5

1eclares the LOK1"

%e& Chapters"

#n keeping with the suffering Jeremiah eCperienced, chapter ? is surely a key chapter in that itrecords the call of the prophet" Then chapter ,*is key in that it gives the prophecy of the

-essiah, the righteous branch who is seen in contrast to the wicked shepherds and lying prophetsdescribed in this same chapter" Twenty4four is another important chapter because it propheciesthe %abylonian captivity which will last for seventy years" Finally, chapters *#(*,are key in

that they speak of restoration, the (ew 8ovenant when the Lord will 3Put -y law in their minds,

and write it on their heartsH 5 .@?;@@/

%e& People"

The key person throughout is of course Jeremiah, his preaching, resistance, and persecution"

Christ as seen in *eremiah"

-any pictures of 8hrist are seen in Jeremiah; $e is portrayed as the fountain of living waters

.=;?@H cf" John >;?>/, the balm of 0ilead .B;==/, the 0ood hepherd .=@;>/, a Kighteous %ranch

.=@;6/, and the Lord our Kighteousness .=@;A/" $e is seen as the one who will bring in the (ew

8ovenant .@?;@?4@>/"

)nother prophecy in Jeremiah has significant -essianic implications"


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The curse on Jehoiachin .Jeconiah, 8oniah/ meant that no physical descendant would succeed

him to the throne .==;=B4@7/" -atthew ?;?4?Itraces the genealogy of 8hrist through olomon

and Jeconiah to $is legal .but not $is physical/ father Joseph" but no son of Joseph could situpon the throne of 1avid, for he would be under the curse of Jehoiachin" Luke @;=@4@Btraces

8hrist's lineage backward from -ary .$is physical parent/ through 1avid's other son (athan

.Luke @;@?/, thereby avoiding the curse" The Kighteous %ranch will indeed reign on the throne of1avid"A>

Outline"

#" Jeremiah's 8all and 8ommission .?;?4?" Judah's %reaking of 0od's 8ovenant .??;?4?@;=I/

6" Judah's 8oming 1rought .?>;?4?6;


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?" Judah's Keaction to Jeremiah's -inistry .=A;?4=>/

=" Judah's )dvice from Jeremiah; ubmit to (ebuchadnear .=I;?4=;?4@B;=B/

+" The Fall of Jerusalem .@A;?46?;A>/

)" Prophecies )gainst +gypt .>A;?4=B/

%" Prophecies )gainst the Philistines .>I;?4I/

8" Prophecies )gainst -oab .>B;?4>I/

1" Prophecies )gainst )mmon .>4@/

)" The Fate of Jerusalem .6=;?4=@/

%" The Fate of 8ertain People .6=;=>4@>/

"AME#TATI$#S (A River of Tears)

Author"

The author of Lamentations is unnamed in the book, but two lines of evidence favor Jeremiah asthe author"


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?"Externa$ Evidene:The consensus of Jewish tradition attribute the book to Jeremiah" The

superscription to Lamentations in the eptuagint points to Jeremiah as the one weeping over the

captivity and the desolation of Jerusalem"

="&nterna$ Evidene:That the author is an eyewitness of Jerusalem's siege and fall is clear from

the graphic nature of the scenes portrayed in the book .cf" ?;?@4?6H =;A, ;?4?=/" Further, thereare a number of similarities between the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations .e"g", the phrase

3daughter of5 occurs about =7 times in each book/" #n addition, Jeremiah is connected with this

type of literature in = 8hronicles @6;=6/"

Date"

6BA or 6B6 %"8"

ince the book was written soon after Jerusalem's destruction which was completed in 6BA, theearliest possible date for the book is 6BA %"8" The graphic immediacy of Lamentations argues

for a date shortly after this like 6BA or 6B6 %"8"

Title of the #oo$"

The $ebrew title of the book is UeQkaQ .3$ow R5/, the first word found in ?;?, =;?H and >;?"%ecause of its sub*ect matter, the book is also referred to in Jewish tradition as +inot,3Lamentations,5 which is the title given to it in the 0reek eptuagint and Latin Gulgate"

Theme an Purpose"

The primary theme of the book is a lament or mourning over the woes that had fallen on sinfulJudah and the pitiable destruction of the holy city and the temple" 0od's promised *udgment for

Judah's sin has come" ) second theme flows out of this of *udgment for sin" Thus the prophetappeals to the chastened nation that they recognie 0od was *ust and righteous in $is dealings

with them, and that they cast themselves upon $is mercy in a spirit of repentance"

#ahwehhas poured out $is wrath, but in $is mercy $e will be faithful to $is covenant promises"

3Thoughthe Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because $is compassions fail not" They are

new every morningH great isour faithfulness5 .@;==4=@/"A6

The special contribution of the prophet Jeremiah as seen in Jeremiah and Lamentations can be

observed by a comparison of these two books;

AA


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%e& 'or"

#n view of the theme and nature of the book, the key word is mourning or lamentations"

%e& (erses"

,")('%The Lord has become like an enemy" $e has swallowed up #sraelH $e has swallowed upall its palacesH $e has destroyed its strongholds )nd multiplied in the daughter of Judah

-ourning and moaning" )nd $e has violently treated $is tabernacle like a garden boothH $e has

destroyed $is appointed meeting placeH The LOK1 has caused to be forgotten The appointedfeast and sabbath in ion, )nd $e has despised king and priest #n the indignation of $is anger"

*",#(,$%This # recall to my mind, Therefore # have hope" The LOK1' lovingkindnesses indeednever cease, For $is compassions never fail" They are new every morningH 0reat is our

faithfulness" 3The LOK1 is my portion,5 says my soul, 3Therefore # have hope in $im"5

%e& Chapters"

urely chapter *stands as a pinnacle in the midst of the other chapters of ruin and destruction

for here the author eCpresses his faith and hope in 0od's mercy who will not re*ect $is peopleforever"

Christ as seen in +amentations"

Lamentations includes two elements that portray the avior; .?/ #t portrays $im as the -an oforrows who was acuainted with grief, who was afflicted, despised, and scorned by $is

enemies .cf" ?;?=H @;?, @7/" .=/ Jeremiah's weeping over the destruction ofJerusalem is perhaps also a picture of 8hrist who wept over Jerusalem .see -att" =@;@I4@B/"

Outline"

#" The 1estruction of Jerusalem .?;?4==/

)" The Lament of the Prophet .?;?4??/

%" The Lament of the 8ity of Jerusalem .?;?=4==/

##" The Lord's )nger )gainst $is People .=;?4==/

)" The )nger of 0od .=;?4?7/

%" The )uthor's Lament .=;??4==/

###" The 1istraught Prophet .@;?4AA/


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)" $is Lament .@;?4?B/

%" $is $ope .@;?=/

8" $is uffering .@;>@46>/

1" $is Prayer .@;664AA/

#G" The 1efeated People of Jerusalem .>;?4==/

)" The iege of the 8ity .>;?4?=/

%" The Keasons for the iege .>;?@4=7/

8" The $ope for the Future .>;=?4==/

G" The Prayer for Kestoration .6;?4==/

)" 8onfession .6;?4?B/

%" Petition .6;?H B;?/ and, along with his fellow eCiles, had a relatively free eCistence"

Date"

6


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Title of the #oo$"

)s with #saiah and Jeremiah, the book of +ekiel gets its name from its author, +ekiel, which is

the $ebrew yehekeUl and means 30od strengthens5 or 3strengthened by 0od"5

Theme an Purpose"

+ekiel's focus is on condemnation .?4@=/ for #srael's sin and consolation .@@4>B/ in view of

what 0od will do in the future" )rcher summarie the theme;

The theme of +ekiel's prophecy is that the fall of Jerusalem and the %abylonian captivity are

necessary measures for the 0od of grace to employ if $e is to correct $is disobedient people and

draw them back from complete and permanent apostasy" %ut the day is coming when Jehovahwill restore a repentant remnant of $is chastened people and establish them in a glorious latter4

day theocracy with a new temple"AI

Kyrie adds the following word that brings out another important element of his ministry;

+ekiel's ministry was to keep before the eCiles the sins that had brought 0od's *udgment onthem and to assure them of 0od's future blessing in keeping with $is covenant" 8hapters ?4=>

were written before the fall of Jerusalem to remind his fellow captives that 0od's *udgment on

the city and Temple was surely coming" 8hapters @@4>B contain prophecies of the still futurerestoration of #srael in the millennial kingdom"

AB

%e& 'or"

9hile the key concept may be found in the word 3restoration,5 the words 3shall know that # amthe Lord5 occurs some A@ times" Other distinctive phrases that are repeated are 3the word of the

Lord came5 .67 times/, and 3glory of the Lord5 .?7 times/"

%e& (erses"

*'",$(*+%3For # will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into

your own land" 3Then # will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be cleanH # will cleanse

you from all your filthiness and from all your idols" 3-oreover, # will give you a new heart andput a new spirit within youH and # will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a

heart of flesh" 3)nd # will put -y pirit within you and cause you to walk in -y statutes, and

you will be careful to observe -y ordinances" 3)nd you will live in the land that # gave to yourforefathersH so you will be -y people, and # will be your 0od" 3-oreover, # will save you fromall your uncleannessH and # will call for the grain and multiply it, and # will not bring a famine on

you" 3)nd # will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, that you may not

receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations"

*'"**(*)" &Thus says the Lord 0O1, 3On the day that # cleanse you from all your iniuities, #

will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt" @> 3)nd the desolate


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land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passed by" @6

3)nd they will say, &This desolate land has become like the garden of +denH and the waste,

desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited"'

%e& Chapters"

8hapters *'(*!speak of the blessings that will come to the mountains of #srael followed by the

hope of restoration of #srael in the vision of the valley of dry bones, which outlines the clear

process of restoration of #srael's future"

8hapters*-(*&anticipate the great global conflict that will occur on the mountains of #srael but

with #srael's enemies defeated by 0od"

%e& People"

+ekiel, son of %usi, a priest called to be prophet to #srael before and after the %abyloniancaptivity"

Christ as seen in ,-e$iel"

8hrist, the -essiah, is pictured as a tender sprig that will be planted on a high and lofty mountain.?I;=@4=>/, a picture similar to that of the %ranch in #saiah .??;?/, in Jeremiah .=@;6H @@;?6/, and

in echariah .@;B; A;?=/" +ekiel also speaks of -essiah as the !ing who has the right to rule.=?;=A4=I/ and who will minister as the true hepherd .@>;??4@?/"

Outline"

)gain, because the great length of this book, only the ma*or sections will be outlined"

#" The commission and 8all of +ekiel .?;?4@;=I/

)" +ekiel %eholds the 0lory of 0od .?;?4=B/

%" +ekiel is 8ommissioned to the 9ord of 0od .=;?4@;=I/

##" Present Judgments on Jerusalem and Judah .>;?4=>;=I/

)" Four igns of 8oming Judgment .>;?46;?I/

%" Two messages of 8oming Judgment .A;?4I;=I/

8" Four Prophecies Through Gisions .B;?4??;=6/

1" The 8ertainty of Judgment 9ith Their 8auses Through igns, -essages, and Parables .?=;?4=>;=I/


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###" Prophecies )gainst 0entile (ations .=6;?4@=;@=/

)" )gainst )mmon .=6;?4I/

%" )gainst -oab .=6;B4??/

8" )gainst +dom .=6;?=4?>/

1" )gainst Philistia .=6;?64?I/

+" )gainst Tyre .=A;?4=B;?/ and by his use of the autobiographical first person fromchapter I;= onward, 1aniel is the author of this prophetic book" )rcher points out;

1espite the numerous ob*ections which have been advanced by scholars who regard this as a

prophecy written after the event, there is no good reason for denying the siCth4century 1aniel thecomposition of the entire work" This represents a collection of his memoirs made at the end of a

long and eventful career which included government service from the reign of (ebuchadnear

in the 6;?6H -ark ?@;?>/" )s one whodid not occupy the prophetic office, the book of 1aniel is found in 3the 9ritings,5 the third

division of the $ebrew %ible rather than in 3the Prophets"5


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Date"

6@I %"8"

#f 1aniel is the author as the book claims, then it written after the %abylonian captivity when

1aniel and other young men were taken captive to %abylon in A76 when (ebuchadnearsubdued Jerusalem" %ut for various reasons, this date has been disputed with many critics

arguing that 1aniel is a fraudulent book which was written in the time of the -accabees in the

second century %"8" rather than the siCth century %"8" 8oncerning the arguments against the

authorship of 1aniel in the siCth century Kyrie writes;

The first attack on the traditional siCth century %"8" date for the composition of the book camefrom Porphyry .)"1" =@=4 @7@/, a vigorous opponent of 8hristianity, who maintained that the

book was written by an unknown Jew who lived at the time of )ntiochus +piphanes .?I64?A@

%"8"/" This view was widely promoted by scholars of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries for

the following reasons; it is alleged that 1aniel could not have made these predictions, since they

were accurately fulfilled and could therefore have been written only after the events occurredHPersian and 0reek words used in the book would have been unknown to a siCth4century Jewish

authorH the )ramaic used in =;>4I;=B belongs to a time after that of 1anielH and there are certainalleged historical inaccuracies" #n answer, we observe that predictive prophecy is not only

possible but eCpected from a true prophet of 0od" ince 1aniel lived into the Persian period, he

would have known Persian words" The presence of 0reek words is easily accounted for, sinceone hundred years before 1aniel, 0reek mercenaries served in the )ssyrian army under

+sarhaddon .AB@/ and in the %abylonian army under (ebuchadnear" Kecent discoveries of

fifth century %"8" )ramaic documents have shown that 1aniel was written in a form of #mperial

)ramaic, an official dialect known in all parts of the (ear +ast at that time" )lleged historicalinaccuracies are fast disappearing, especially with the information provided by the (abonidus

8hronicle as to the identity of %elshaar .6;?/ and with evidence that identifies 1arius the -edewith a governor named 0ubaru .6;@?/"

#n addition, how can the use of relatively few 0reek words be eCplained if the book was writtenaround ?I7 %"8", when a 0reek4speaking government had controlled Palestine for ?A7 yearsS

One would eCpect the presence of many 0reek terms" )lso, the Mumran documents .1ead ea

crolls/, dated only a few decades before the alleged second4century writing of 1aniel, show

grammatical differences that indicate they were written centuries, not decades, after 1aniel"Further, the scrolls of 1aniel found at Mumran are copies, indicating that the original was written

before the -accabean era"I7

Title of the #oo$"

The book is named after its author" The $ebrew word for 1aniel is 1aniyyeUl or 1aniUel, whichmeans either 30od is Judge5 or 30od is my Judge"5 The 0reek form Danielin the eptuagint isthe basis for the Latin and +nglish titles"


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Theme an Purpose"

The theme of 1aniel is 0od's sovereign power as the one true 0od, who *udges and destroys the

rebellious world powers and will faithfully deliver $is covenant people according to theirsteadfast faith in $im" 1aniel was written to encourage the eCiled Jews through revealing 0od's

sovereign plan for #srael during and after the period of domination by the 0entile world powers"This is the time of the 0entiles which began with the %abylonian captivity but will end with theestablishment of -essiah's kingdom as the stone, one cut out without hands, became a great

mountain and filled the whole earth .=;@>4@6H see also I;?@4?>/"

%e& 'or"

Though the words 3king5 and 3kingdom5 occur over and over again, the key idea is the plan of0od for #srael which will end in the establishment of 0od's -essiah !ing as ruler on the earth"

%e& (erses"

,",+(,," 1aniel answered and said, 3Let the name of 0od be blessed forever and ever, For

wisdom and power belong to $im" 3)nd it is $e who changes the times and the epochsH $e

removes kings and establishes kingsH $e gives wisdom to wise men, )nd knowledge to men of

understanding" 3#t is $e who reveals the profound and hidden thingsH $e knows what is in thedarkness, )nd the light dwells with $im"

,"$$%)nd in the days of those kings the 0od of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never

be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another peopleH it will crush and put an end to

all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever"

!"#$%3)nd to $im was given dominion, 0lory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and

men of every language -ight serve $im" $is dominion is an everlasting dominion 9hich willnot pass awayH )nd $is kingdom is one 9hich will not be destroyed"

%e& Chapters"

One of the greatest prophetic chapters in the %ible is 1aniel


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(ebuchadnear, !ing of %abylon in A76 %"8", 1arius who succeeded %elshaar as king,

8yrus, the Persian monarch, and -ichael, the archangel who ministered to 1aniel in chapter ?7"

Christ as seen in Daniel"

One of the key portraits of 8hrist in 1aniel is that of the coming -essiah who will be cut off .areference to the cross/ .;?4@I/

1" %elshaar's Feast and the $andwriting on the 9all .6;?4@?/

+" 1arius' Foolish 1ecree or 1aniel in the Lion's 1en .A;?4=B/

F" 1aniel's Gision of the Four %easts .I;?4=B/

###" The Prophetic Plan for #srael .B;?4?=;?@/

)" 1aniel's Gision of the Kam, the 0oat, and the mall $orn .B;?4=I/

%" 1aniel's Prophecy of the eventy 9eeks of ear .


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67)rcher, +lectronic -edia"

6?:nger, pp" @7A4@7I"

6=K" Laird $arris, L" )rcher, Jr" %ruce !" 9altke, Theological Word -oo! o" the &ld Testament,

Gol" =, p" 6>>"6@

8arl Laney, %ibliotheca acra, Oct"41ec" ?The following chart comparing the four ma*or prophets is taken from The .yrie Study -ible,

/%panded /dition, -oody Press, ?


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Prophets, Major Prophets

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Transcript of Prophets, Major Prophets