Earlier commentators attempted to equate the two men, because of the use of similar expressions in their utterances (Micah 1:2; cf. 3:5). Hence no reference to these two kingdoms was made by the prophet. Chronologically, Isaiah lived during a time just after the northern 10 tribes of Israel were destroyed by the Assyrians. 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). Inasmuch as it is possible to date the kings of Judah and Israel, especially the later ones, with comparatively high accuracy, the various reigns during which these sixteen prophets ministered have been entered in this chart according to the tentative chronology used in this commentary. Although no chronological data are found in the book, certain statements permit a comparatively exact dating of Habakkuks prophecies. Long before Norman Podhoretz became one of the intellectual leaders of American neoconservatism, he was a student of Hebrew literature and a passionate reader of the Observe the conditional aspects of the prediction and ascertain whether or not, or to what extent, the conditions were met. For some time he held a high position in Nebuchadnezzars government (chapter 2:48), and became a trusted counselor of the great king. 5. These are followed by chapters 7, 8, 9, 10. By Which king? Answer Isaiah's opening statement in the Book of Isaiah, that he lived during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, means that he actually lived in the eighth century BCE. Joel 1:15; 2:1, 32) can hardly serve as evidence for either a late or an early date. In Isaiah The Temple is mentioned as still existing (chapter 2:20), which shows that the book was written before Nebuchadnezzars destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Many messages and prophecies can be understood correctly only if seen against the background of the time in which the prophets ministered and in the light of the events that happened during their lives. Since no conclusive evidence for any of these three views exists, all are presented here: 1. But when the Jews rejected Christ there was no such assurance of reinstatement. Then Gabriel came to reassure him of the restoration of his people and the eventual coming of the Messiah (verses 24, 25). Daniel 2:35). 9:129) This verse first Ambassadors from one foreign country after another would come to discover, if they might, the great secret of Israels success as a nation, and its leaders would have the opportunity of directing the minds of their visitors to the Source of all good things. Uzziah was sole king over Judah from 767 to 750, and Jeroboam over Israel from 782 to 753. This period spanned the reigns of five kings of Judah: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. He quotes Hosea 2:23. Isaiahs whole ministry from Uzziah to Manasseh must therefore have lasted more than half a century. 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. Had Israel as a nation preserved her allegiance to Heaven, Jerusalem would have stood forever, the elect of God (Jeremiah 7:7; 17:25). What is fascinating is that the prophets Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were all contemporaries. Jeremiah 1:7 But the LORD told me: "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' In a mysterious way known only to God the prophets words were sometimes intended to meet their fulfillment in the then far-distant future. They would send messengers to Israel with the declaration, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you (Zechariah 8:23). 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). Paul emphasizes the fact that the rejection of literal Israel as Gods chosen instrument for the salvation of the world does not mean that individual Jews can no longer be saved (chapters 9:6; 11:1, 2, 11, 15), for he is a Jew himself (chapters 9:3; 10:1; 11:1, 2). Jeremiah 32:17 highlights this point by stating, "O Sovereign Lord! Yet in mercy, God still bore with His people, and in due time Messiah came (Malachi 3:1-3). In the introduction to his book he declares that he worked under the kings Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam II of Israel. The prophets vivid description of the catastrophe that had befallen Thebes leaves the impression that the event was still fresh in the memory of the people, whereas Assyrias power, although waning, was not yet near its end. But here, as in all exposition of Scripture, we should avoid affirming as the explicit teachings of the Bible that which is our private, finite view, however plausible it may appear to be. Jer 31:35. 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). Far from becoming the light of the world, the Jews shut themselves away from the world as a safeguard against being seduced into idolatry (see Deuteronomy 11:26, 27; cf. When the probationary period of 490 years ended, the nation was still obdurate and impenitent, and as a result forfeited its privileged role as His representative on earth. Jeremiah When they brought forth wild grapes instead of the mature fruit of character, He inquired, What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? (Isaiah 5:1-7). This prophecy must have been pronounced either before Jeroboam came to the throne (approximately 793 B.C.) Similarly, the ways in which God dealt with men in crises of the past are often cited as examples of the manner in which He will deal with all the world in the last day (see on Deuteronomy 18:15). 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). If these rules are consistently followed the resulting interpretation can be accepted with confidence. WebWhat are the common divisions of Isaiah made by contemporary scholars? Feebleness and disease were to disappear entirely from Israel as the result of strict adherence to healthful principles (see Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 7:13, 15; etc.). He is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). 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. His early ministry seems to have coincided with the last years of King Uzziahs reign (see Introduction to Isaiah), but his official call to the office of a prophet came in 740/39, the last year of King Uzziah (chapter 6:1). Only when its leaders formally rejected the Messiah and declared before Pilate their allegiance to no king but Caesar (John 19:15) did Israel as a nation irrevocably withdraw from the covenant relationship and the theocracy. Micah states that his ministry fell in the time of the kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (chapter 1:1). (27-3) Ezekiel 25:3. Jodi T. Religion. He purposed to make them an honor to His name and a blessing to the nations about them. Nothing is impossible with God. (2 Chron. Whatever the Jews, as a nation, may do, now or in time to come, is in no way related to the former promises made to them. Hence, he seems to have labored at a time before Assyria played a role in Palestinian affairs. The 7th-century view.This view holds that Joels ministry seems to fit into the early years of Josiah, when Assyrian power was nearing its end and Babylon was still a weak kingdom. The postexilic view.The absence of any reference to a king of Judah or to Assyria or Babylon, the reference to the hostility of Tyre and Sidon, and the mention of Greeks have been taken by some commentators as evidence for a postexilic date for Joel. All Israel consists of both Jews and Gentiles, thus all Israel shall be saved (Romans 11:25, 26). Furthermore, the rise of the Chaldeans and their invasion of the West is predicted, but this seemed at that time completely incredible (chapter 1:5-7). He should not be confused with Micaiah, the son of Imlah, a prophet of Israel in Ahabs time (9th century B.C.). Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, however, did. 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. 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. Seventh-day Adventists believe that, generally speaking, the promises and predictions given through the Old Testament prophets originally applied to literal Israel and were to have been fulfilled to them on the condition that they obey God and remain loyal to Him. This chart shows only those events that are mentioned in the Bible and that are of importance to an understanding of the prophetic messages. Holiness of character (Levites 19:2; see on Matthew 5:48). The ministry of Amos may therefore have fallen in the years 767-753 B.C. The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings WebThese chapters in Ezekiel are similar to those in Isaiah and Jeremiah where prophetic burdens are pronounced on certain foreign nations (see Isaiah 1323; Jeremiah 4651). His work is characterized by skill in the use of language, a well-balanced syntax, and a lively and impressive poetry. Had Ezekiel Known Jeremiah Personally The prophetess Huldah was a relative and contemporary of All rights reserved. The life story of Jeremiah is better known than that of any other prophet. Paul makes it clear beyond argument that when he speaks of Israel as the chosen people of God he means it in this sense. The book makes no reference to the fall of Samaria, which took place in 723/22 B.C., and it can therefore be concluded that the prophets last message was given prior to Samarias destruction. Jeremiah 22:26 I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth into another land, where neither of you were born--and there you both will die. Not only is Malachi last in the sequential order of the prophets; it is also the last prophetic book produced in pre-Christian times. The chart allows both ideas, indicating his possible ministry during the two decades preceding 560 B.C. Acts 13:22). Even during the Captivity, and later under foreign tutelage, Israel remained a theocracy in theory if not fully in practice. There was nothing God could have done for them that He did not do, yet they failed. When the siege of Jerusalem was temporarily lifted at the approach of an Egyptian force, Jeremiah started to leave Jerusalem to go to the land of the tribe of Benjamin. How did Jeremiah die Ezekiel The day, before, He had called it my house (chapter 21:13), but henceforth He no longer owned it as His. In the 5th year of Jehoiachins captivity, 593/92, Ezekiel had his first vision by the river Chebar, a canal near the famous city of Nippur in lower Babylonia (chapter 1:1-3). Prophecies of the Restoration (Ezekiel 2548) Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel Pride obscured their vision [see Luke 19:42]. It was to be the result of wholehearted cooperation with the will of God as revealed through the prophets, and of divine blessing added to human efforts. He states that he ministered under King Josiah (chapter 1:1), who reigned from 640 to 609 B.C. 2. It is an undeniable historical fact that, to this day, the majority of these predictions have not been fulfilled. Unfortunately, Nehemiahs second term as governor cannot be dated, which fact makes it also somewhat difficult to date Malachi. WebIsaiah's time, Babylonian exile, and return to exile 21 Q Where did Jeremiah live when he was called to be a prophet? 3. If the nation had been faithful to its trust and had appreciated the high destiny reserved for it by God, the whole earth would have awaited the coming of the Messiah with eager expectancy. Obadiahs prophecy, directed against Edom, presupposes that a looting of Jerusalem and a carrying away of many Jews into captivity had recently taken place. For these reasons his ministry can be dated from about 755 (or earlier) to about 725 B.C. 2. It is thought, furthermore, that his ministry fell in the years when the high priest Jehoiada acted as regent for the child king Joash (2 Kings 11:17 to 12:2), which fact would explain why the king is not mentioned anywhere in the book, while at the same time the Temple service flourished. They were to show forth His praise (chapter 43:21), to declare His glory among the heathen (chapter 66:19), to be a light to the Gentiles (chapters 49:6; 42:6, 7). 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). Daniel himself so understood these promises (Daniel 9:1-8). They voluntarily accepted God as their sovereign, and this constituted the nation a theocracy. A date, possibly about 630 B.C., but before the Chaldeans had become a power of some importance, would seem most appropriate for the period of Habakkuks prophetic activity. 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. I will call them my people, which were not my people (Romans 9:25, 26). Upon His final departure from the sacred precincts of the Temple, Jesus said, Your house is left unto you desolate (Matthew 23:38). This Upper Egyptian capital city, better known by its Greek name Thebes, was destroyed by King Ashurbanipal in 663 B.C., a date that provides the upper time limit of Nahums prophecy. In the prophetic picture God is represented as gathering the nations to Jerusalem (Joel 3:1, 2; Zephaniah 3:6-8; cf. At times they had an import, not only for the age in which the prophet lived, but also for a day far future; in other words, they had a dual application. But they are to be saved as Christians and not as Jews. This would make Isaiah first cousin to King Uzziah and grandson to 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. olt final Psalms 68:31. 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 But because of apostasy it was the predictions of national honor and glory that could not be fulfilled. Shortly after this event he once more rose to a high position of honor and responsibility in the newly formed Persian Empire (chapter 6). Jesus own verdict was, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (Matthew 21:43; cf. Prophecies of the former classification cannot now be fulfilled because they were strictly conditional in nature and limited in scope, by their very nature, to literal Israel. Galatians 3:27-29; see on Deuteronomy 18:15). 4. However, he is again found playing a role on the night of Babylons fall, as interpreter of the mysterious handwriting on the wall (chapter 5). answer. This concept of the role of Israel is reiterated again and again throughout the Old Testament. The older generation place him in the 9th century B.C., whereas most commentators are now inclined to assign him either to the time of King Josiah or to the postexilic period. Jeremiah (Yirmiyahu) It was Jeremiahs lot in life to be known throughout the ages as the prophet of doom, for he was G-ds main spokesman in the generation of the destruction of Jerusalems first Temple. The Babylonian Captivity For a graphic picture of how one nation would have responded to the irresistible appeal radiating from an Israel faithful to God, see Isaiah 19:18-22; cf. These promises of prosperity and a successful mission were to have met fulfillment in large measure during the centuries following the return of the Israelites from the lands of their captivity. Nick Baumgardner, a senior writer from the same publication, predicts Notre Dames all-time sack leader will fall to the early third round in his latest mock draft.. Daniel Jeremiah, a draft analyst for the NFL Network, concurs. Isaiah WebISAIAH, DANIEL, AND ZECHARIAH We need to make a comparison between the three prophets, Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah, in two matters: in Gods economy toward His chosen people and in Christ for the people of His concern.