Isaiah - Malachi

E-Mail:JohnStevenson@Bellsouth.net

Website:http://JohnStevenson.net

FACILITATOR: John Stevenson

Consulting Professor:Dr. Richard PrattProfessor of New Testament,Reformed Theological Seminary

E-mail: rpratt@rts.eduWebsite: http://www.thirdmill.org

SESSION ONE:

HERMENEUTICAL ISSUES IN OLD

TESTAMENT PROPHECY

WHAT WAS AN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET?

God, after He spoke long agoto the fathers in the prophetsin many portions and in manyways, in these last days hasspoken to us in His Son...(Hebrews 1:1-2a).

Old Testament Designations for "Prophet"

• Prophet - aybn• Seer• Servant• Messenger• Man of God

The Function of the Old Testament Prophet

• They functioned as Preachers

• They functioned as Predictors

Distinctive Roles of Prophet Versus Priest

Priest Prophet

Represented the peopleto God.

Represented God tothe people.

Ministered theceremonies of worship

Ministered theproclamation of the

Word.

WHAT DID THE PROPHETS DO?

• Covenant Dynamics in Ancient Near East and Covenant Diplomats

• Covenant Dynamics in Israel and the Prophets

Covenant Dynamics in Israel and the Prophets

• Received messages from God

• Called by God

• Wrote Scriptures

• Passed Biblical Tests

THE HISTORY OF THE PROPHETS

Pre-Monarchial Patriarchal Prophets

• The Patriarchs

• Prophets of the Exodus and Conquest

• Prophet/Judges

Prophets of the United Kingdom• Samuel

• Gad

• Nathan

Early Prophets of the Divided Kingdom

• Ahijah

• Shemaiah

• Shemaiah, Gad and Iddo

• Jehu

• Elijah and Elisha

Jerusalem

ISRAEL

JUDAH

Judah & Israel

J udah Category Israel

Jerusalem Capital Samaria

1 Dynasty Dynasties 5 Dynasties

Judah &Benjamin

Tribes 10 Tribes

By Babylon in586 B.C.

Conquered By Assyrian in721 B.C.

Returned to theLand

Afterward No Return

Jerusalem

ISRAEL

JUDAH

BETHEL

DAN

EGYPT

Damascus Babylon

ASSYRIA

Literary Prophets of the Divided Kingdom

• Obadiah: Prophesied of Edom

• Joel: Date uncertain

• Jonah: God’s attitude to Gentiles

• Hosea: Israel’s Unfaithfulness

• Amos: Social Injustice

• Isaiah: To Judah

• Micah: To Judah and Israel

Jerusalem

ISRAEL

JUDAH

721 B.C.

Pre-Exilic Prophets of Judah

• Nahum: Judgment against Nineveh

• Zephaniah: Day of the Lord against Judah

• Habakkuk: Prayer

Jerusalem

ASSYRIA

Babylon

(Chaldeans)

Medes

Scythians

Jerusalem

Babylon

(Chaldeans)

Medes

Scythians

Prophets of the Exile

• Jeremiah: “The Weeping Prophet”

• Daniel: Historical Narrative and Prophetic Visions

• Ezekiel: Common Captivity

Jerusalem

Babylon

Medes

Persia

Cyrus the Great539 B.C.

RETURN FIRST SECOND THIRD

Reference Ezra 1-6 Ezra 7-10 Nehemiah 1-13

Date 538 B.C. 458 B.C. 444 B.C.

Leaders SheshbazzarZerubbabel

Ezra Nehemiah

PersianKing

Cyrus Artaxerxes Longimanus

ElementsOf theDecree

As many aswished could

return &rebuild

Temple.

As many as wishedcould return &

complete the Temple.Allowed to have own

civil magistrates.

Allowed torebuild the

walls aroundthe city.

RelatedEvents

Work begunbut then

halted until516 B.C.

Problems with inter-marriage

Wall rebuilt in52 days.

Prophets ZechariahHaggai

Joel? Malachi

Post-Exilic Prophets

• Joel? - The Day of the Lord and Ultimate Restoration

• Haggai: Encouragement to rebuild the Temple

• Zechariah: Visions of God’s Working in History

• Malachi: A call to faithfulness

So they tore down the altar, 46 andstored the stones in a convenientplace on the temple hill until a prophetshould come to tell what to do withthem (1 Maccabees 4:45-46).

The Jews and their priests haveresolved that Simon should be theirleader and high priest forever, until atrustworthy prophet should arise (1Maccabees 14:41).

WHAT ARE THE CONTOURS OF PROPHETIC PREDICTIONS?

• Blessings and Cursings

• Greater and Lesser

• High and Low Determination

Two Types of Covenants

• Covenant of Parity

• Suzerain Covenant

Deuteronomy 28

If You Obey If You do Not Obey

The LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the LORD your God.

All these curses shall come upon you and overtake you

Blessed shall you be in the city

Blessed shall you be in the country.

Blessed shall be the offspring of your body...

Cursed shall you be in the city

Cursed shall you be in the country.

Cursed shall be the offspring of your body...

Greater and Lesser

Leviticus 26

Greater and LesserLeviticus 26

Verses 14-33Promises of Curses

Verses 1-13Promises of Blessing

• Rain for crops• Security in land• Victory over enemies• God with His people

• Disease• Invasion• Defeat• “Seven times more”• Removed from Land

HIGH AND LOWDETERMINATION

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying, 2 "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I shall announce My words to you." 3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. 4 But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.

Jeremiah 18:1-4

Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, 6 "Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.

Jeremiah 18:5-6

Jeremiah 18:7-10

At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; 8 if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it.

Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it; 10 if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it.

Flow of Thought

Prediction Historical

Contingency Fulfillment

If I speak concerning a nation to destroy it

If they turn from their evil…

I will relent of the calamity

If I speak concerning a nation to plant it

If they do evil and do not obey…

I will think better of the good

High & Low Determination

• Conditional Predictions: “If… then” clauses

• Unqualified Predictions

• Confirmed Predictions

• Sworn Predictions

Homework for next Class

• Begin Viewing He Gave us Prophets Series - Audio at www.thirdmill.org for lessons 1-6.

• Take notes on Lesson 1 of He Gave us Prophets and turn in for grade (Use Study Guide on Web).

• Read Pratt’s Historical Contingencies & Biblical Predictions at Website