WebAnd Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot. What is fascinating is that the prophets Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were all contemporaries. Baruch, son of Neriah. Although the Hebrew term naar, youth, or child, by which the prophet designates himself verse (6), does not give an indication of Jeremiahs exact age at the time of his call, the context of the passage in which this word appears seems to favor the interpretation that he was still very young, perhaps less than twenty. He would have come, He would have died, and would have risen again. Thus Israel was to blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit (Isaiah 27:6). One royal visitor to Jerusalem exclaimed, The half was not told me! (1 Kings 10:1-9). If chapter 52, a historical appendix, was written by the prophet, he must have lived until 561, when Jehoiachin was released from prison by King Evil-Merodach of Babylon (see chapter 52:31). He will listen to the prophet speaking to Israel of old and endeavor to understand what his words meant to the people who originally heard them. This division, though tragic, served to insulate, for a time, the southern kingdom, Judah, from the tide of idolatry that soon engulfed the northern kingdom, Israel (see Hosea 4:17). Nehemiah 12:12, 16). (27-3) Ezekiel 25:3. Hearing of all the advantages with which the God of Israel had blessed His people and all the prosperity He had procured for them (Jeremiah 33:9), the pagan nations would admit that their own fathers had inherited lies (chapter 16:19). Ninevehs destruction, which came in 612, is referred to as a future event, indicating that Zephaniahs work preceded this date. In that year, in the fifth month, there was public conflict between Jeremiah and the prophet Hananiah (Jeremiah 28). Even to the time of the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiahs message remained the same: submit to the yoke of Babylonia. Jeremiahs prayer occurs in a context and we would be remiss to consider the prayer apart from that context, which is, Jeremiahs obedience to some very difficult commands from God. Furthermore, the fact that the people of Tyre and Sidon do not appear as hostile nations of Judah until the last decades of its history, while they are mentioned by Joel as Judahs enemies, seems also to point to a late date for the prophets ministry. 4. Christianity is a historical religion, and its inspired messages are anchored to the hills and valleys, the deserts and rivers, of the ancient world, and to literal men and women who once walked the earth. They voluntarily accepted God as their sovereign, and this constituted the nation a theocracy. 3. 4:3 with Amos 8:8; Hosea 4:15 with Amos 5:5; and Hosea 8:14 with Amos 2:5). WebIsaiah was a prophet of the southern kingdom, living in a critical period of his nation. To their own question, What nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them? the Gentiles would answer, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people (Deuteronomy 4:7, 6). Discover what application later inspired writers make of the prophecy, and on this basis determine its possible significance for Gods people in this time. The glorious promises originally made to literal Israel are meeting their fulfillment today in the proclamation of the gospel to all men (Revelation 14:6, 7). During the siege, reprobate Israelites would be slain by their foes (Zechariah 13:8; 14:2). A study of the Old Testament prophets that consists primarily of lifting selected passages here and there out of their historical context and arbitrarily applying them to our dayas if the prophet spoke exclusively for our benefitis fraught with grave danger. In other words, they prophesied and ministered about the same time. If Jeremiah had been writing a novel, he would have been the hero of his own story. It is possible that Hebrews 11:37 refers to this event. He played an important role during two momentous periods: (1) under Ahaz, during the war between Syria and Israel (chapters 7-11), and (2) under Hezekiah, during a siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib chapters 36; 37). According to this view, Jeremiah said, in effect, that Jerusalem would be deserted for about 70 years, about the length of a persons life. Discover what the message meant to the people of that time. The glory that distinguished the early part of the reign of Solomon was due in part to his own faithfulness during that time, and in part to the fact that his father David had seemed to appreciate fully Israels exalted privileges and responsibilities (see Psalms 51:10, 11; Isaiah 55:3; cf. See Exodus 31:2-6; 35:33, 35. 19:21; Isaiah 46:10; Acts 5:39; Hebrews 6:17; etc. Jerusalem would have become a great missionary center, and the earth would have been set ablaze with the light of truth in one grand, final appeal to those who had not as yet accepted the invitation of divine mercy. He saw the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Beth Hamikdosh, after his warnings and prophecies fell on deaf ears. In view of the light they had received from God, they were even worse than the heathen, to whom they felt so much superior. Many years later, in writing to the strangers, or Gentiles (1 Peter 1:1: see on Exodus 12:19, 43), as the elect of God (1 Peter 1:2), Peter refers to them as the chosen ones of God, a holy nation, a peculiar people (chapter 2:9), formerly not a people, but now the people of God (verse 10). 2. Both of these extreme methods wrest the obvious intent of the Scriptures and render a sound understanding of the messages of the prophets for the church today unattainable. The consecutive order of the book of Haggai would indicate that his whole recorded ministry lasted not longer than 31/2 months, beginning (chapter 1:1) on August 29, 520 B.C., and extending, in his last two recorded speeches (chapter 2:10, 20), to December 18, 520. Jer 2 - 6 2, 3 God sends Jeremiah to Jerusalem to give a series of messages to the people of Judah. This leaves Ezekiel with a ministry of at least 22 years, from 593/92 to 571/70. Seventy weeks490 years of literal timewere determined upon the Jews, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness (Daniel 9:24). Also, Jeremiah (chapter 26:18), quoting Micah (chapter 3:12), testifies that Micah ministered during Hezekiahs time. In Isaiah Eventually Gods purposes will prevail and the plan of salvation will succeed, irrespective of the failure of any person or group. Furthermore, the repeated mention of Judahs wickedness, described as enormous in his day (see chapters 1:4-6, 8, 9, 12; 3:1-3, 7), points to the time before Josiahs reform, which began in 623/22. WebJeremiah 15:1 Then the LORD said to me: "Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Nothing is impossible with God. Since Josiah came to the throne as a child, he must have lived under a regent, which explains why no king is mentioned by Joel. The sanctuary became Gods dwelling place among them (see Exodus 25:8), its priests were ordained to minister before Him (Hebrews 5:1; 8:3), its services provided an object lesson of the plan of salvation and prefigured the coming of the Messiah (1 Corinthians 5:7; Colossians 2:16, 17; Hebrews 9:1-10; 10:1-12). Nehemiah 13:23-27). Malachi 3:12), and their God the only true God (Isaiah 45:14). See Deuteronomy 7:13; 28:2-8; Malachi 3:8-11. Dead sea scrolls. In spite of Israels ultimate failure, a limited knowledge of the true God and of the Messianic hope was widespread when the Saviour was born (see on Matthew 2:1). Those in Israel who put forth their best efforts to cooperate with the revealed will of God realized, personally, a measure of the benefits He had promised. Salvation was to be of the Jews, in that the Messiah would be a Jew (John 4:22), and by the Jews, as messengers of salvation to all men (Genesis 12:2, 3; 22:18; Isaiah 42:1, 6; 43:10; Galatians 3:8, 16, 18). Then came a pause in his activity of almost two years, at the end of which Zechariah received another divine message, on December 6, 518 (chapter 7:1), recorded in chapters 7 and 8. During the reign of Zedekiah, Judahs last king, Jeremiah was thrown into prison, being considered a traitor to his country (chapter 37:11-16) because he advised his people to surrender to the Babylonians. WebEmphasize that when God prompted Isaiah to write about the Lord Jesus it was way before Jesus was born. Without this, the many advantages would only result in harm to themselves and to others. This period spanned the reigns of five kings of Judah: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Again and again God warned Israel that blessing goes hand in hand with obedience and that a curse accompanies disobedience (see Deuteronomy 4:9; 8:19; 28:1, 2, 13, 14; Jeremiah 18:6-10; 26:2-6; Zechariah 6:15; etc.). It is certain, however, that he lived and labored in the southern kingdom, and that his main prophecy dealt with Assyria in general and Nineveh in particular. Ch 2: Israel Forsakes God Ch 3:6 Unfaithful Israel Ch 4:5 Disaster From the North Ch 5: Not One Is Upright Ch 6: Jerusalem Under Siege Jer 11 - 12 2, 4 Ch 11: The Covenant Is Broken; Plot Against The glorious era of David and Solomon marked what might have been the beginning of Israels golden age). The life story of Jeremiah is better known than that of any other prophet. God may reject one nation or group of people in favor of another if those first summoned persistently refuse to cooperate with Him (see Jeremiah 18:6-10; cf. For these reasons Daniels extended prophetic ministry can be dated approximately from 603 to 535 B.C. But they are to be saved as Christians and not as Jews. WebA radical reinterpretation of the biblical prophets by one of America's most provocative critics reveals the eternal beauty of their language and the enduring resonance of their message. On the other hand, the destruction of Nineveh is described as an event still future (chapter 3:7). Old Testament Study. It was their unwillingness to submit to the restrictions and requirements of God that prevented them, to a great extent, from reaching the high standard which He desired them to attain, and from receiving the blessings which He was ready to bestow upon them. For illustrations of the reversal of threatened judgment, see Jonah 3:3-10; cf. Israels unwillingness to submit to the restrictions and requirements of God, prevented them, to a great extent, from reaching the high standard He desired them to attain, and from receiving the blessings He was ready to bestow upon them. The late date is taken here, without prejudice toward an early one. Remember that the record of Gods dealings with His people in ages past has been recorded for the benefit of all later generations to the end of time. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.. 4:14; Colossians 2:2-4, 8; 2 Peter 1:16; Revelation 22:18). Hosea was from the Northern Kingdom, Micah and Jeremiah were from the Southern kingdom. Jer 31:35. It was Gods design that the whole earth be prepared for the first advent of Christ, even as to-day the way is preparing for His second coming. Superior intellect. It is impossible to date the devastating plague of locusts that the prophet so vividly describes and compares with the terrors of the coming day of judgment. Uzziah was sole king over Judah from 767 to 750, and Jeroboam over Israel from 782 to 753. Obedience to the law of God would make them marvels of prosperity before the nations of the world, living witnesses to the greatness and majesty of God (Deuteronomy 8:17, 18; 28:11-13). That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel, the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth to-day. ), have never been and can never be fulfilled to them as a nation. Nehemiah 13:10-12; Malachi 2:11-16; cf. Thereafter, God let out his vineyard [see Isaiah 5:1-7] unto other husbandmen who would render him the fruits in their seasons (see on Matthew 21:41). King James Bible At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. 2. It was ordained of God to meet the needs of His people at the time it was given and to remind them of the glorious destiny that awaited them as a nation, of the coming of the Messiah, and of the establishment of His eternal kingdom. WebIsaiah's time, Babylonian exile, and return to exile 21 Q Where did Jeremiah live when he was called to be a prophet? 9:129) This verse first They devised different theologies to respond to the destruction of the Temple. Zechariah probably belonged to a priestly family (chapter 1:1; cf. The prophet Ezekiel, a priest, was one of the 10,000 Jews taken into exile by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 B.C., when King Jehoiachin was carried to Babylon. All men would recognize that Israel stood in a special relationship to the God of heaven (Deuteronomy 7:6-14; 28:10; Jeremiah 16:20, 21). A Anathoth 51 Q Who became king of Babylon about the same time as Jeremiah was called by God? He belonged to a family of priests whose home town was Anathoth. There was nothing God could have done for them that He did not do, yet they failed. After the murder of Gedaliah, the new governor of Judea, the Jews of Mizpah, fearing the revenge of Nebuchadnezzar, went to Egypt and took with them Jeremiah as well as his secretary Baruch (chapter 43:6). What are the common divisions of Isaiah made by contemporary scholars? You may not distribute or commercially use the content on any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system. All who have faith in Christ are one in Him, and, as a the spiritual seed of Abraham, are heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:9, 28, 29). As individuals and as a nation God proposed to furnish the people of Israel with every facility for becoming the greatest nation on the earth (see Deuteronomy 4:6-8; 7:6, 14; 28:1; Jeremiah 33:9; Malachi 3:12).