CHAPTER 5CHAPTER 5

KINGS AND PROPHETS KINGS AND PROPHETS AWAITING THE MESSIAHAWAITING THE MESSIAH

JESUS CHRIST:JESUS CHRIST:GOD’S REVELATION GOD’S REVELATION

TO THE WORLDTO THE WORLD

The Bible on FriendshipThe Bible on Friendship

Putting others Putting others firstfirst

ConfidentialityConfidentiality

DependabilityDependability

HumilityHumility

Positive influencePositive influence

Conquest of the Promised Conquest of the Promised LandLand

JoshuaJoshua

The Lord fought The Lord fought for Israel, and for Israel, and

without his help, without his help, the Israelites the Israelites

would never have would never have settled in the settled in the “land flowing “land flowing with milk and with milk and

honey.”honey.”

Joshua led the Joshua led the Israelites into the Israelites into the Promised Land.Promised Land.

JudgesJudges

In ancient Israel, judges were those who In ancient Israel, judges were those who acted as temporary military leaders, as acted as temporary military leaders, as well as arbiters of disputes within and well as arbiters of disputes within and

between tribes.between tribes.

Judges were also expected to remind the Judges were also expected to remind the people of their responsibility to God.people of their responsibility to God.

DEBORAHDEBORAH GIDEONGIDEON

JEPHTHAHJEPHTHAH SAMSONSAMSON

Cycle of ApostasyCycle of Apostasy

The Monarchy of IsraelThe Monarchy of Israel

Israel’s Final JudgeIsrael’s Final Judge

Samuel was Israel’s Samuel was Israel’s last and most last and most significant judge.significant judge.

Toward the end of his Toward the end of his life, the people life, the people clamored for a king.clamored for a king.

Samuel warned Samuel warned against this.against this.

Choosing a KingChoosing a King

Saul was selected king Saul was selected king but lost the kingship but lost the kingship because he disobeyed because he disobeyed divine commands.divine commands.

David was anointed by David was anointed by Samuel to replace Samuel to replace Saul.Saul.

Saul fell on his sword Saul fell on his sword in despair.in despair.

Israel’s Israel’s Greatest KingGreatest KingDavid became the sole David became the sole

king of Israel, uniting all king of Israel, uniting all tribes into a single tribes into a single

nation.nation.

David brought the Ark David brought the Ark of the Covenant to of the Covenant to Jerusalem to show Jerusalem to show YHWH’s abiding YHWH’s abiding

presence to the new presence to the new nation.nation.

David had has faults for David had has faults for which he begged which he begged

forgiveness.forgiveness.

Solomon succeeded his Solomon succeeded his father as king.father as king.

A Divided A Divided KingdomKingdom

Solomon was known for his Solomon was known for his wisdom.wisdom.

Solomon was corrupted by his Solomon was corrupted by his office.office.

After his death, Israel was After his death, Israel was split into the Kingdom of Judah split into the Kingdom of Judah

(south) and the Kingdom of (south) and the Kingdom of Israel (north).Israel (north).

Assyria’s destruction of the Assyria’s destruction of the northern kingdom in 721 BCnorthern kingdom in 721 BC

Babylonian captivity of the Babylonian captivity of the southern kingdom in 587-586 southern kingdom in 587-586

BCBC

God Sends ProphetsGod Sends Prophets

Prophets of the Prophets of the Northern KingdomNorthern Kingdom

Elijah and ElishaElijah and Elisha

Elijah taunted the Elijah taunted the king’s pagan prophetsking’s pagan prophets

Next to Moses, Elijah Next to Moses, Elijah is the greatest of the is the greatest of the OT prophets.OT prophets.

He was present at He was present at Jesus’ TransfigurationJesus’ Transfiguration

Elisha succeeded Elisha succeeded ElijahElijah

Prophets of the Prophets of the Northern KingdomNorthern KingdomAmosAmos

MessageMessage: Worship of : Worship of God must show itself God must show itself in concrete deeds of in concrete deeds of mercy and justice to mercy and justice to the weak and the the weak and the poor.poor.

HoseaHosea

MessageMessage: To accuse : To accuse Israel of sin and Israel of sin and infidelity to God but infidelity to God but show that God still show that God still loved the Chosen loved the Chosen People People

Prophets of the Prophets of the Southern Southern KingdomKingdom

IsaiahIsaiah

Largest of all the Largest of all the prophetic booksprophetic books

The Chosen People The Chosen People must imitate God’s must imitate God’s holiness by righteous holiness by righteous living and true living and true worship.worship.

Compared the nation Compared the nation to a vineyard that God to a vineyard that God cultivatedcultivated

Prophets of the Prophets of the Southern Southern KingdomKingdom

JeremiahJeremiah

Shouted the love of a Shouted the love of a God who desperately God who desperately wanted the Chosen wanted the Chosen People to repentPeople to repent

Became a living symbol Became a living symbol of God’s messageof God’s message

Compared YHWH to a Compared YHWH to a potter who would mold potter who would mold the nation in his handsthe nation in his hands

Prophets of the Prophets of the Southern ProphetsSouthern ProphetsMicahMicah

MessageMessage: Foretold a : Foretold a coming Messiah who coming Messiah who would lead Israel to would lead Israel to peace and justicepeace and justice

EzekielEzekiel

MessageMessage: keep the : keep the Sabbath and follow Sabbath and follow the law of holinessthe law of holiness

The Babylonian ExileThe Babylonian Exile

Living in a foreign land and Living in a foreign land and intermarriage led to a loss of intermarriage led to a loss of

identity.identity.

Without a Temple, Jewish exiles Without a Temple, Jewish exiles gathered in synagogues where gathered in synagogues where

they studied and prayed together.they studied and prayed together.

The Message The Message of Second of Second

IsaiahIsaiahSUFFERING SERVANT SUFFERING SERVANT

SONGSSONGS

• Speaks of God’s Chosen Speaks of God’s Chosen One who will bring One who will bring justice to the world and justice to the world and treat the bruised reed treat the bruised reed tenderlytenderly

• Tells how God chose the Tells how God chose the servant before his birthservant before his birth

• Describes how God’s Describes how God’s special messenger runs special messenger runs into resentmentinto resentment

• Parallels to Jesus Parallels to Jesus Christ’s suffering—lamb Christ’s suffering—lamb led to slaughterled to slaughter

Return and Return and RecommitmentRecommitment

After the return to the Holy Land, a After the return to the Holy Land, a purified Judaism was more faithful to its purified Judaism was more faithful to its vocation of witnessing to the nations by vocation of witnessing to the nations by

keeping the Law.keeping the Law.

Jesus Christ—the Messiah—was born in Jesus Christ—the Messiah—was born in Bethlehem while Herod the Great ruled Bethlehem while Herod the Great ruled

as king of Judea.as king of Judea.