Know Your Bible Part 6 A Survey of God s Word

Transcription

1 Major Prophets: Isaiah Daniel Know Your Bible Part 6 A Survey of God s Word Let s review the four major divisions of the Old Testament books: 1) Law (5 books) 3) Wisdom (5 books) 2) History (12 books) 4) Prophecy (17 books) Introduction to the Prophetic Books: The 17 books of prophecy are usually classified as Major Prophets and Minor Prophets (not due to importance but size). Three kinds of leaders were very important in the Old Testament period: 1) Prophets 2) Priests 3) Kings A prophet was basically a spokesman for God (see 2 Pet. 1:21). Some were writing prophets and others were non-writing prophets (for example, Elijah and Elisha). The role of a prophet involved two things: 1) forth-telling ( thus saith the LORD ) 2) fore-telling (predicting God s future plan) The test of a true prophet was the fulfillment of his predictions (Deut. 18:21-22). God s message sometimes confronted and sometimes comforted the people. See Isa. 1:2-4 and 40:1. To understand these books, we must understand their historical setting. See Isa. 1:1; Jer. 1:1-3. Some prophets wrote before the captivity. Some prophets wrote during the captivity. Some prophets wrote after the captivity. The prophets wrote many things about Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:10-11): 1) Christ s sufferings (1 st coming) 2) Christ s glory (2 nd coming) Isaiah: The Prince of the Prophets Isaiah ministered mainly in Jerusalem during the divided kingdom period.

2 The Book of Isaiah has been called the Mount Everest of Hebrew prophecy. The Book of Isaiah resembles the whole Bible in miniature: Isaiah 1-39: Man s need of salvation (God s holiness and judgment) Isaiah 40-66: God s provision of salvation (God s mercy and promise of a Savior) Key verses in Isaiah: Isa. 6:1-8 Isaiah s vision and call to preach Isa. 9:6-7 Christ s birth and kingdom Isa. 40:10-31 God s greatness and grace Isa. 53:1-12 Christ s sacrificial death for sinners Jeremiah: The Weeping Prophet Jeremiah ministered during Israel s darkest days of God s judgment. Much of this book is Jeremiah s autobiography, describing how the people rejected him and his message. Key verses in Jeremiah: Jer. 1:1-9 He was ordained and empowered by God. Jer. 9:1-3 He was burdened because people had forsaken the Lord. Jer. 20:7-9 He wanted to quit preaching, but He could not stop. Jer. 22:29 He preached a simple and direct message. Lamentations: Sad Funeral Poems for Jerusalem Jeremiah wrote Lamentations after Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 B.C. Lamentations is the saddest book in the Old Testament. This book reminds us that disobedience leads to disaster. Key verses in Lamentations: Lam. 3:22-23, God s mercy and faithfulness Lam. 4:11-12 God did something unbelievable Lam. 5:15-21 Jeremiah pleaded for Israel s restoration

3 Ezekiel: The Dramatic Preacher of God s Glory Ezekiel ministered among the Jewish captives in Babylon. Ezekiel s messages were often illustrated by unusual actions. Along with his verbal messages God used his visual images. For example, he imprisoned himself in his own house (Ezek. 3:24-27); he lay on his left side for 390 days and on his right side for 40 days (4:4-6); He shaved his head and his beard (5:1-4); and he was not allowed to mourn his own wife s death (24:16-18). Ezekiel was a hard-headed preacher sent to a hard-hearted people (Ezek. 3:5-9). Key verses in Ezekiel: Ezek. 2:1-8 Ezekiel preached to a rebellious people Ezek. 3:17-19 Ezekiel was a spiritual watchman Ezek. 9:1-8 God punished the wicked and preserved the faithful Ezek. 37:1-14 God is able to make dry bones come alive Daniel: The Statesman Prophet Daniel was taken to Babylon as a teenager and was selected for government service. He served for sixty years during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus. The Book of Daniel reveals the sovereignty of God. Daniel shows God s guidance, power, and intervention in human affairs. Daniel gives the outline of world prophecy. Daniel is the companion book to Revelation. Key verses in Daniel: Dan. 1:1-21 Daniel and his friends stayed faithful under pressure. Dan. 3:1-30 Daniel s friends would not bow and could not burn. Dan. 5:1-31 Daniels interprets the handwriting on the wall. Dan. 6:1-28 Daniel was delivered from the lions den. Dan. 12:1-4 God tells Daniel things about the future.

4 Major Prophets: Isaiah Daniel Know Your Bible Part 6 A Survey of God s Word Let s review the four major divisions of the Old Testament books: 1) (5 books) 3) (5 books) 2) (12 books) 4) (17 books) Introduction to the Prophetic Books: The 17 books of prophecy are usually classified as Major Prophets and Minor Prophets (not due to importance but size). Three kinds of leaders were very important in the Old Testament period: 1) 2) 3) A prophet was basically a for God (see 2 Pet. 1:21). Some were writing prophets and others were non-writing prophets (for example, Elijah and Elisha). The role of a prophet involved two things: 1) ( thus saith the LORD ) 2) (predicting God s future plan) The test of a true prophet was the of his predictions (Deut. 18:21-22). God s message sometimes and sometimes the people. See Isa. 1:2-4 and 40:1. To understand these books, we must understand their. See Isa. 1:1; Jer. 1:1-3. Some prophets wrote the captivity. Some prophets wrote the captivity. Some prophets wrote the captivity. The prophets wrote many things about Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:10-11): 1) (1 st coming) 2) (2 nd coming) Isaiah: The Prince of the Prophets Isaiah ministered mainly in during the divided kingdom period.

5 The Book of Isaiah has been called the of Hebrew prophecy. The Book of Isaiah resembles the whole Bible in miniature: Isaiah 1-39: of salvation (God s holiness and judgment) Isaiah 40-66: of salvation (God s mercy and promise of a Savior) Key verses in Isaiah: Isa. 6:1-8 Isaiah s Isa. 9:6-7 Christ s Isa. 40:10-31 God s Isa. 53:1-12 Christ s Jeremiah: The Weeping Prophet Jeremiah ministered during Israel s of God s judgment. Much of this book is Jeremiah s, describing how the people rejected him and his message. Key verses in Jeremiah: Jer. 1:1-9 He was by God. Jer. 9:1-3 He was because people had forsaken the Lord. Jer. 20:7-9 He wanted to, but He could not stop. Jer. 22:29 He preached a message. Lamentations: Sad Funeral Poems for Jerusalem Jeremiah wrote Lamentations after Jerusalem was in 586 B.C. Lamentations is the in the Old Testament. This book reminds us that leads to. Key verses in Lamentations: Lam. 3:22-23, God s Lam. 4:11-12 God did something

6 Lam. 5:15-21 Jeremiah pleaded for Israel s Ezekiel: The Dramatic Preacher of God s Glory Ezekiel ministered among the Jewish captives. Ezekiel s messages were often illustrated by. Along with his verbal messages God used his visual images. For example, he imprisoned himself in his own house (Ezek. 3:24-27); he lay on his left side for 390 days and on his right side for 40 days (4:4-6); He shaved his head and his beard (5:1-4); and he was not allowed to mourn his own wife s death (24:16-18). Ezekiel was a preacher sent to a people (Ezek. 3:5-9). Key verses in Ezekiel: Ezek. 2:1-8 Ezekiel preached to a Ezek. 3:17-19 Ezekiel was a Ezek. 9:1-8 God punished the wicked and the faithful Ezek. 37:1-14 God is able to make Daniel: The Statesman Prophet Daniel was taken to Babylon and was selected for government service. He served for sixty years during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus. The Book of Daniel reveals the. Daniel shows God s guidance, power, and intervention in human affairs. Daniel gives the. Daniel is the companion book to. Key verses in Daniel: Dan. 1:1-21 Daniel and his friends under pressure. Dan. 3:1-30 Daniel s friends would not and could not. Dan. 5:1-31 Daniels interprets the on the wall. Dan. 6:1-28 Daniel was delivered from. Dan. 12:1-4 God tells Daniel things about.