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. The following discussion sets forth the principles of interpretation described under 5, and followed by this commentary, together with the scriptural basis on which these principles rest. Those nations that rejected the worship and service of the true God, were to be dispossessed, and Israel would inherit the Gentiles chapter (54:3). 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). Hence the year 571/70 must not be considered as necessarily marking the end of his ministry. Isaiah is reminded who the real king is. In which century B.C. A Nebuchadnezzar 59 Q This article surveys the fundamental problem of the interpretation of the prophetic portions of the Old Testament in terms of their message to Israel of old and to the church today. Thus. The earth would thus be rid of those who opposed God (Zechariah 14:12, 13). For these reasons Daniels extended prophetic ministry can be dated approximately from 603 to 535 B.C. Had Israel as a nation preserved her allegiance to Heaven, Jerusalem would have stood forever, the elect of God (Jeremiah 7:7; 17:25). In these tragic events the words of Moses met their final and complete fulfillment: As the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goes to possess it. Four verses, Isaiah 45:12; 48:13; and Jeremiah 10:12; 51:15 use the Qal perfect form. Spiritual Israel includes both Jews and Gentiles (verse 24). 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. 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. Most of them are mentioned in the Bible, in either the prophetic or the historical books. The fundamental principle by which we can tell unerringly when any particular promise or prediction of the Old Testament made originally to literal Israel is to meet its fulfillment with respect to spiritual Israel iswhen a later inspired writer makes such an application of it. However, all his messages were addressed to the northern nation. The following brief summaries contain the evidence on which the various prophets have been entered in the chronological positions in which they are found in the chart. They looked for Messiah to reign as a temporal prince (cf. ), those pointing forward to the eternal rest in Canaan (Isaiah 11:6-9; 35; 65:17-25; 66:20-23; Jeremiah 17:25; Ezekiel 37; 40-48; Zechariah 2:6-12; 14:4-11), and those promising deliverance from her enemies (Isaiah 2:10-21; 24-26; Ezekiel 38; 39; Joel 3; Zephaniah 1; 2; Zechariah 9:9-17; 10-14; etc. Shortly after this event he once more rose to a high position of honor and responsibility in the newly formed Persian Empire (chapter 6). Foskey, however, is far from a lock to be selected with one of the 31 first-round selections. What archaeological evidence implies Isaiah was a unified book? The prophet Daniel later prayed for more understanding about Jeremiahs time prophecy. 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). God provided Israel with every facility for becoming the greatest nation on the earth. Our study of messages originally proclaimed by holy men of old to the people of their day is not to become an end in itself, but a means of discovering the will of God for all who would render Him truehearted service now, at the climax of the ages. Obadiahs prophecy, directed against Edom, presupposes that a looting of Jerusalem and a carrying away of many Jews into captivity had recently taken place. Thus it had been with Enoch (Genesis 5:24), Abraham (chapter 26:5), and Joseph (chapter 39:2-6). WebThe major prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and the other twelve (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) are minor. Theoretically, the word minor signifies not lesser moral or religious or literary stature but only lesser length. 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 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. Some believe that the prophet refers to the conquest of Jerusalem at the time of King Jehoram (2 Kings 8:20-22; 2 Chronicles 21:8-10, 16, 17) in the 9th century; others believe that the prophet is speaking of Jerusalems destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. Yet many of the promises, particularly those concerning the giving of the gospel to the nations and the establishment of the Messianic kingdom, could not be fulfilled to them because of their unfaithfulness, but would be fulfilled to the church on earth preparatory to Christs return, particularly to Gods remnant people, and in the new earth. And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other (Deuteronomy 28:63, 64). Nothing is known of the prophet Joel beyond the fact that he was the son of Pethuel (chapter 1:1). 5. Several of the prophets messages are dated exactly, and the last of these dated prophetic messages was received in the 27th year of Ezekiels captivity (chapter 29:17), 571/70. 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. Micah was a prophet from Moresheth-gath (chapter 1:1, 14), probably Tell ejJudeideh in southwestern Judah. 19:21; Isaiah 46:10; Acts 5:39; Hebrews 6:17; etc. 3:5). 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. Scholars differ widely in their views concerning the time of Joels ministry. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the L ORD , for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the L ORD. They were the most influential prophets to appear on the scene, and their many prophecies have been preserved in the sacred Scriptures. Holiness of character (Levites 19:2; see on Matthew 5:48). 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. They brought forth wild grapes rather than the mature fruit of a Godlike character (Isaiah 5:1-7; cf. He was sawed in half, Menessah killed him. A Jewish legend claims that he was stoned to death by his people. WebIsaiah 65:12 I will destine you for the sword, and you will all kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not listen; you did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight." Predictions of national disgrace, rejection, and woe that were to result from apostasy would never have been realized. 34:23) 622 Jeremiah 11 and 12 are given. Gods promises are made conditional upon mans cooperation and obedience. Dead sea scrolls. It is possible that he worked much longer, as part of chapters 9-14 may have been given at a much later time. Spiritual prosperity was to prepare the way for material prosperity. Many others, including Lehi and Jeremiah, lived at the same time. The fourth school of interpretation may, at times, arrive at a valid application of the predictive portions of Old Testament prophecy to the church today and to its future experience, but neglects the primary application of these messages to their historical setting, and proceeds, quite arbitrarily, to determine that certain selected passages were written more or less exclusively for the church today. Godlinessgodlikenessis the goal to be reached. Emphasize to the children that the people at the time did not believe Isaiah. 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). What archaeological evidence implies Isaiah was a unified book? Observe the conditional aspects of the prediction and ascertain whether or not, or to what extent, the conditions were met. He would be king over all the earth verses (3, 8, 9), and His dominion from sea even to sea, even to the ends of the earth (chapter 9:9, 10). Also, Jeremiah (chapter 26:18), quoting Micah (chapter 3:12), testifies that Micah ministered during Hezekiahs time. Even to the time of the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiahs message remained the same: submit to the yoke of Babylonia. 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. In that year, in the fifth month, there was public conflict between Jeremiah and the prophet Hananiah (Jeremiah 28). Encouraging Hezekiah and the people through his own trust in God, he was instrumental in saving Jerusalem. The student of the Bible who hopes to secure from it the greatest help will first proceed to reconstruct the historical context of each passage. 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). The British-Israel movement teaches that the Anglo-Saxon peoples are the literal descendants of the ten so-called lost tribes of the northern kingdom and that the promises will, in large measure, be fulfilled to their modern posterity. They were to be far in advance of other nations in wisdom and understanding. The late date is taken here, without prejudice toward an early one. While it is thus known that he began his work in 520 and continued until 518 B.C., the end of his prophetic ministry must be left open. answer. In an age when every wind of doctrine is blowing it is well to make certain that our understanding of Bible prophecy rests upon a positive Thus saith the Lord (see Deuteronomy 29:29; Isaiah 50:11; Jeremiah 2:13; Matthew 7:24-28; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 5, 12, 13; Eph. Returning to their homelands, the Gentile ambassadors would counsel their fellow countrymen, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord (Zechariah 8:21, 22; cf. WebBefore we begin our review of the parts of Jeremiahs early ministry, let us first set out the usual and customary picture of it. Instead of becoming light bearers to the world they absorbed its darkness and reflected that darkness instead. One needs to keep these in mind to better understand the heart of Isaiah's message. Jeremiah sank into the mud, according to the biblical account. ), have never been and can never be fulfilled to them as a nation. 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. Because I find it hard to think about BC dates, I've also included the number of years since the end of Solomon's, so that we have a scale of increasing year numbers. Who served as Jeremiah's scribe? But with regards to how Jeremiah died, the Scriptures leave no record. The covenant with literal Israel proved faulty, not because God failed to carry out His part of the covenant, but rather because Israels fair promises proved evanescent as the morning dew (Hosea 6:4; 13:3; Hebrews 8:6, 7). Furthermore, Old Testament prophecy must first be examined in terms of its historical application to literal Israel before the validity of a derived application to spiritual Israel may be undertaken. Unfortunately, Nehemiahs second term as governor cannot be dated, which fact makes it also somewhat difficult to date Malachi. WebJeremiah was active as a prophet from the thirteenth year of Josiah, king of Judah (626 BC), until after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of Solomon's Temple in 587 BC. 3. 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 should not be confused with Micaiah, the son of Imlah, a prophet of Israel in Ahabs time (9th century B.C.). This would make Isaiah first cousin to King Uzziah and grandson to Psalms 68:31. The prophet was a citizen of Judah, but delivered messages to the kingdom of Israel as well. 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). 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). He is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). Another reason to trust God is there is nothing too complicated for Him. In their meticulous attention to the letter of the law they lost sight of its spirit. Dead sea scrolls. 3. 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. 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). Baruch, son of Neriah. Nehemiah 13:10-12; Malachi 2:11-16; cf. The futurist school ignores both the conditional element pervading predictive prophecy, clearly and emphatically proclaimed by the prophets themselves, and the specific statements of the New Testament that affirm that the privileges and responsibilities of ancient Israel have, in Christ, been transferred to the church. Nothing is impossible with God. 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. Living in a crisis period of his nation, Jeremiah was called to proclaim many messages of reproof and solemn predictions of doom over his people for their disobedience. They cherished the idea that they were favorites of Heaven, and were ungrateful for the opportunities so graciously afforded them. 4:3 with Amos 8:8; Hosea 4:15 with Amos 5:5; and Hosea 8:14 with Amos 2:5). Tell them that in Isaiah 9, Jesus entire life and death is referenced. By nowadays 2 500 years old concerns have simply gone through time changes, but Gods truth spoken by two prophets remains the same. Without this, the people of Israel would not qualify to receive the material blessings God designed to bestow upon them. The importance of their books cannot be overestimated, as many of these prophecies are yet to be fulfilled. from the ends of the earth (Jeremiah 16:19), to the light of truth shining forth from the mountain of the Lord (Isaiah 2:3; 60:3; 56:7; cf. answer. 2. Foskey, however, is far from a lock to be selected with one of the 31 first-round selections. Hence no reference to these two kingdoms was made by the prophet. Indeed, this secondary application is for us today the more significant. chapter 11:9, 10). 9:129) This verse first 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). This situation fits best the time prior to the rise of the Chaldean Empire under Nabopolassar, who began to reign in 626/25 B.C., and who, with the Medes, was responsible for the destruction of Assyria. 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). 4. Eventually, however, it became apparent that the Jews would never measure up to the standard God required of them, as Malachi makes evident (chapters 1:6, 12; 2:2, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 17; 3:7, 13, 14). It is true, he says, that national Israel stumbled at the stumblingstone, Jesus Christ (Romans 9:32, 33; 11:11; cf. Revelation 17:13, 14, 17). All the visions of Daniel recorded in chapters 7-12 were received during the last years of his life, the first one (chapter 7) in Belshazzars 1st year (552 or possibly later), and the last one (chapters 10-12) in the 3rd year of Cyrus, 536/35 B.C. (27-3) Ezekiel 25:3. Through His people Christ is to manifest His character and the principles of His kingdom. They devised different theologies to respond to the destruction of the Temple. The prophet Jonah was a Galilean from Gath-hepher. Accordingly, Abraham became in a special sense the Friend of God (James 2:23) and the father of all them that believe (Romans 4:11). Paul states the same truth in Romans 9:30, 31, where he makes it plain that the Christian church has replaced the Hebrew nation in the divine plan. 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. Jeremiah 12:14-16). 1-39 40-55 56-66. Peter concurs, saying, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, for in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him (Acts 10:34, 35; cf. Then, two months later, the latter died, doubtless unexpectedly; it was the same month when there would have been a septennial reading of the law of Deuteronomy.11 See Exodus 31:2-6; 35:33, 35. Unparalleled prosperity. It ran from the last year Judah's King Uzziah ruled (740 B.C. Their own characters were to be progressively ennobled and elevated, and to reflect more and more perfectly the attributes of the perfect character of God (Deuteronomy 4:9; 28:1, 13, 14; 30:9, 10). For these reasons the 7th-century date for Joel has been adopted in this commentary, although there is no conclusive proof that this choice is correct. Unparalleled prosperity, both temporal and spiritual, was promised them as the reward for putting into practice the righteous and wise principles of heaven (Deuteronomy 4:6-9; 7:12-15; 28:1-14). ), success must and will comethrough Israel after the spirit. He probably died in the Nile country. He quotes Hosea 2:23. The gates of Jerusalem would be open continually to receive the wealth contributed to Israel for the conversion of still other nations and peoples (Isaiah 60:1-11, RSV; Psalms 72:10; Isaiah 45:14; Haggai 2:7, RSV). However, there is also no reference made to Persia, which would be expected if the book was of so late a date. Acts 1:6), to appear as a liberator and conqueror, and to exalt Israel to dominion over all nations (see on Luke 4:19). The blessings of health. Jeremiah 32:17 highlights this point by stating, "O Sovereign Lord! 1 Peter 2:6-8; 1 Corinthians 1:23) but this need not mean that they are to fallGod forbid, he exclaims (Romans 11:1, 22). The success of Israel was to be based on and to include: 1. Gedaliah is made governor over the small group of Jews that remain in Jerusalem.
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