Daniel 2:35). For some time he held a high position in Nebuchadnezzars government (chapter 2:48), and became a trusted counselor of the great king. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. Enigmatic is his statement that this 5th year of captivity was also the thirtieth year. It is believed that the prophet refers either to his own age or to that year as the 30th year reckoned from the reform which took place during the 18th year of Josiah. Those in Israel who put forth their best efforts to cooperate with the revealed will of God realized, personally, a measure of the benefits He had promised. The Temple was apparently rebuilt, and sacrifices were regularly offered at the time of the prophets activity (chapter 1:7-10). This ties together all the other material: consult the separate tables Chart of Israel's Kings and Prophets NOTES: Dates in {brackets} indicate a period of co-regency with the prior king (s). Also note that during this time the prophets Jeremiah & Ezekiel were active. chapter 11:9, 10). 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. These observations seem to place Zephaniah in the early years of Josiahs reign, perhaps about 630 B.C., as a contemporary of Habakkuk. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. (chapter 5:14), after which he was recalled to Persia. Several prophecies followed a few months later (Zechariah 1:7 to 6:15). According to His beneficent purpose, the covenant promises were to have met fulfillment in large measure during the centuries following the return of the Israelites from the lands of their captivity. Nations that had known nothing of the true God would run to Jerusalem because of the manifest evidence of divine blessing that attended Israel (chapter 55:5). For these reasons his ministry can be dated from about 755 (or earlier) to about 725 B.C. 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). A comparison between some of his prophecies and those of Amos indicates that Hosea was a younger contemporary of Amos (cf. They were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come (1 Corinthians 10:11). See on Zechariah 1:8. He belonged to a family of priests whose home town was Anathoth. However, there is no valid reason why Malachi should not be considered a proper name. 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. This tables shows the reigns of each of the Kings of Judah and Israel, The prophets call us to re-learn the lesson that a respect for the creator of the earth we occupy is a starting point for peace between the earth and its inhabitants. All who have faith in Christ are one in Him, and, as a the spiritual seed of Abraham, are heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:9, 28, 29). Continued obedience was necessary to the continuance of divine favor, whereas persistent disobedience must inevitably culminate in the rejection of the Jewish nation as Gods chosen instrument for carrying out the divine plan (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). For example, Nathan was King David's prophet, and he was financially supported by the king. by means of a broken line. The Incredible Bible - First in the BKA Series. That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel, the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth to-day. Gods call to the nations would have been, Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth (Isaiah 45:22). In the prophetic picture God is represented as gathering the nations to Jerusalem (Joel 3:1, 2; Zephaniah 3:6-8; cf. Holiness of character (Levites 19:2; see on Matthew 5:48). Bible Commentary / Produced by TOW Project. In one way or another each of these attempts at interpreting the messages of the Old Testament prophets neglects significant teachings of Scripture, evades fundamental principles of exegesis, and provides a distorted picture of the predictive sections of prophecy. The period following 750 BC, beginning with Hosea and Amos, is often referred to as the classical period of prophecy and those prophets as writing prophets. Before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, God warned them not to forget that the blessings they were to enjoy there if they cooperated with Him would come as divine gifts (see Deuteronomy 8:7-14), not primarily as the result of their own wisdom and skill (verses 17-19). Its people were given no promise of complete restoration to their former power in Palestine. God entered into solemn covenant relationship with him (Genesis 15:18; 17:2-7), and his posterity, Israel, inherited the sacred trust of being Gods chosen representatives on earth (Hebrews 11:9) for the salvation of the entire human race. Skill in agriculture and animal husbandry. However, it is possible that some of his undated prophecies were given at a later time. God did not forsake His people, even during the Captivity. Henceforth, he says, there is no difference between Jew and Greek (chapter 10:12, 13). Timeline: Prophets in the Reigns of Kings of Judah and Israel. Isaiah 2:2-4). In preparation for this time please read 2 Kings 23:29-25:30, & 2 Chronicles 36. He played an important role during two momentous periods: (1) under Ahaz, during the war between Syria and Israel (chapters 7-11), and (2) under Hezekiah, during a siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib chapters 36; 37). Strangely, no evidence suggests that any of these knew in person any of the others. Joel*. Eventually Gods purposes will prevail and the plan of salvation will succeed, irrespective of the failure of any person or group. Numbers 14:26-34. 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. The following simple rules are suggested as a safe approach to the study of each prophetic passage of the Old Testament: 1. Ezekiel 38:16, 18-23; 39:1-7). It is not known whether Malachi is the name of the author or simply the title of an otherwise anonymous author, since Malachi means my messenger. If it is the latter, his is the only anonymous work among the prophetic books of the Old Testament. Also, Jeremiah (chapter 26:18), quoting Micah (chapter 3:12), testifies that Micah ministered during Hezekiahs time. x=kU0g\ET,? Israels unwillingness to submit to the restrictions and requirements of God, prevented them, to a great extent, from reaching the high standard He desired them to attain, and from receiving the blessings He was ready to bestow upon them. endobj
He probably died in the Nile country. 3. Below is a list of the prophets with dates, kings and historical events regarding Israel and her prophets. To the very last, Christ would have averted the doom of the Jewish nation if the people had received Him. 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). seem to refer to those recorded in 2 Kings 8:20-22 and 2 Chronicles 21:8-10, 16, while nothing points to the troubles caused by Hazael, as narrated in 2 Kings 12:17, 18 and 2 Chronicles 24:23, 24, it has been concluded that Joel gave his messages during the time lying between these two events. This count was 48 male and 7 female Prophets.. Of course, there is much debate about who is included in the list. 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. The fickle, human will is the weak, unstable factor in conditional prophecy. 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). 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. "yonah" (dove) Sent to warn the inhabitants of Ninevah (Capital of Assyria) of God's Judgement. Eventually, all the nations would call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord and be gathered unto it, not to walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart (Jeremiah 3:17). All rights reserved. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Jeremiah 49:14, 16), and Joel (Obadiah 15, 17; cf. In that day every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 14:16; cf. 4:3 with Amos 8:8; Hosea 4:15 with Amos 5:5; and Hosea 8:14 with Amos 2:5). They blindly overlooked those scriptures that point to the humiliation of Christs first advent, and misapplied those that speak of the glory of His second coming. Uzziah was sole king over Judah from 767 to 750, and Jeroboam over Israel from 782 to 753. It is possible that he worked much longer, as part of chapters 9-14 may have been given at a much later time. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Owing to the failure of the Jews as Gods chosen people, many of the prophecies of the Old Testament, such as those affirming the worldwide mission of Israel and the ingathering of the Gentiles (see Genesis 12:3; Deuteronomy 4:6-8; Isaiah 2:2-5; 42:6; 49:6; 52:10; 56:6, 7; 60:1-3; 61:9; 62:2; Zechariah 2:11; 8:22, 23; etc. Solomon's, so that we have a scale of increasing year numbers. Jeremiah had been chosen by God for his office before birth (chapter 1:5), and was called to be a prophet at a tender age (chapter 1:6, 7). The short book of Obadiah, consisting of only 21 verses, is not dated and its chronological setting is uncertain. 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. Timeline of the Prophets Bible Commentary / Produced by TOW Project The table below shows where in time the prophets fit within the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. 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). Isaiah 3:12; 9:16) meant the permanent, irrevocable cancellation of their special standing before God as a nation (cf. 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 prophesied to the people of Israel during the years that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Kezekiah were kings of Judah and when Jeroboam II was king of Israel. The sons of the stranger [or Gentile, 1 Kings 8:41; see on Exodus 12:19, 43] would join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord (Isaiah 56:6; Zechariah 2:11). Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. The completeness and finality of this rejection is evident from chapter 8:19, 20: As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God. The rejection of Jesus by the leaders of Israel (cf. The life of Christ is a perfect example of the character of God would have His people develop (see on Luke 2:52). At Mt. Deported to Babylon, they were to learn in adversity the lessons they had failed to learn during times of prosperity (Jeremiah 25:5-7; 29:18, 19; 30:11-14; 46:28; Ezekiel 20:25-38; Micah 4:10-12), and to impart to the heathen Babylonians a knowledge of the true God. The church in this generation has been endowed by God with great privileges and blessings, and He expects corresponding returns. In this case, he was an octogenarian. 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. *This is the traditional date for Joel, but the date is uncertain and suggestions range from the ninth to the. Cooperation with the natural laws of body and mind would result in ever-increasing mental strength, and the people of Israel would be blessed with vigor of intellect, keen discrimination, and sound judgment. However, all his messages were addressed to the northern nation. For illustrations of the reversal of threatened judgment, see Jonah 3:3-10; cf. Blogger Grid member Craig T. Owens (@craigtowens) created the helpful chart below delineating the Old Testament prophets and kings of Israel and Judah and has now updated it: [Sign up to receive in your inbox a free daily reading of the Old & New Testament from Bible Gateway]. 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). Nation after nation would come over (Isaiah 45:14), that is, be joined with and cleave to the house of Jacob (chapter 14:1). Historical setting You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work. DIVIDED KINGDOM c.930-c.586 BC From the internal strife that divided the nation of Israel to the prophets who warned of the coming exile. 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. This leaves Ezekiel with a ministry of at least 22 years, from 593/92 to 571/70. Yet, since Gods purposes are immutable (Psalms 33:11; Prov. In spite of the bold and zealous efforts of such prophets as Elijah, Elisha, Amos, and Hosea, the northern kingdom rapidly deteriorated and was eventually carried into Assyrian captivity. Furthermore, it should be remembered that the Messiah, after the flesh, was a Jew, that the charter members of the Christian church were all Jews, and that Christianity grew out of Judaism. 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). Faithful Work After the ExileHaggai, Zechariah, Malachi All who turned from idolatry to the worship of the true God, were to unite themselves with His chosen people. Since Josiah came to the throne as a child, he must have lived under a regent, which explains why no king is mentioned by Joel. 2nd return of exiles (458) Malachi (c. 460) 440. 6. Joshua and Judges spoke of the history just after the time of Moses. 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. All that had been promised might yet come to pass if they would only love and serve Him (Zechariah 6:15; cf. Daniel himself so understood these promises (Daniel 9:1-8). The kings of Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia, whose dates for this period are well established, are shown in a separate column. It is true, he says, that national Israel stumbled at the stumblingstone, Jesus Christ (Romans 9:32, 33; 11:11; cf. NOTE: This will conclude our study of Kings. It is possible that he was a Temple singer, since his third chapter is dedicated to the chief singer on my stringed instruments (chapter 3:19). The prophet was a citizen of Judah, but delivered messages to the kingdom of Israel as well. 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. They were doing no positive good; therefore they were doing incalculable harm, and their influence became a savor of death. However, there is also no reference made to Persia, which would be expected if the book was of so late a date. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Prophets in Israel These repeated Messianic predictions were designed to lift the eyes of the people from the transitory events of their own time to the coming of Messiah and the establishment of His eternal kingdom, in order to afford them a view of the things of time in the light of eternity. The Talmud (Megillah 14a) says that there had been twice as many prophets as the number of people who left Egypt (2,600,000), but only those whose messages were for future generations were recorded. 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). 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). Amos presents himself to his readers as a herdsman and a gatherer of sycomore fruit (chapters 1:1; 7:14). Our collection of maps are simple and they are free. Prophet to Judah Prophet to Israel Joel* *This is the traditional date for Joel, but the date is uncertain and suggestions range from the ninth to the fourth century. Thus it was with Daniel, a bright example of what man may become, even in this life, if he will make God his strength and wisely improve the opportunities and privileges within his reach (see Daniel 1:8-20). ***The Scripture references provided are those that help estimate the time periods of each prophets ministry. Between the return from Babylon and the rejection of the Messiah, Israel was to have its second and final opportunity as a nation to cooperate with the divine plan (see Jeremiah 12:14-17). 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. Click on the different category headings to find out more. The list is roughly chronological . 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. One challenging point in history is the divided kingdoms of Israel (the 10 northern tribes) and Judah (the 2 southern tribes). Hence, the year 603 can be considered as the beginning of Daniel . Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Daniel was taken to Babylon in 605 B.C., during the accession year of Nebuchadnezzar (see on chapter 1:1). Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. A study of the Old Testament prophets that consists primarily of lifting selected passages here and there out of their historical context and arbitrarily applying them to our dayas if the prophet spoke exclusively for our benefitis fraught with grave danger. 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. Micah states that his ministry fell in the time of the kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (chapter 1:1). Under Nebuchadnezzars successors Daniels service seems not to have been desired. A portion of the nation of Israel returned to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel in 535 B.C., and then with Ezra in 458 B.C., and Nehemiah in 444 B.C. ), success must and will comethrough Israel after the spirit. The remaining messages and prophecies, found in chapters 9-14, are not dated, a fact that prevents us from fixing the duration of the prophets activity. Israel's Kings & Prophets | Craig T. Owens Contributors: Alice Mathews Adopted by the Theology of Work Project Board December 9, 2010. What makes it challenging when reading straight through the Bible [in chronological order] is that the history is covered in 1 and 2 Kings and then again in 1 and 2 Chronicles. A Jewish legend claims that he was stoned to death by his people. With Him there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17). But it was not until his 3rd year in captivity, the 2nd year of Nebuchadnezzar, that young Daniel gave the first proofs of his prophetic calling (chapters 1:5, 17; 2:1, 19). 1 Kings 22:28). Log in, Chart of Old Testament Prophets and Kings, timeline of Old Testament prophets and kings, David, great goodness and great sins, yet always a man after Gods own heart, Samuel and Saul, the importance of listening to God & how to do it, Judges & Ruth, My Way or Gods Way, how to live the best way, How to Correctly Understand & Apply Bible Stories & Biblical Narratives, The Book of Joshua, 9 Lessons on how to fight and win in the battles of life, Chart of Old Testament Prophets and Kingswhere they fit in history, NEW for 2023 Reading Schedules through the Bible in Chronological Historical order, plus free journaling pages, Intro & Overview of Old Testament Prophets, little understood, incredibly important, Joshua: How to fight and win in the battles of life, Deuteronomy: Gods love and how we should live in response. (r!W6 l3uY8&"|flz;44~6. Revelation 17:13, 14, 17). His call came to him sometime in October/November, 520 B.C., in the same year as Haggais first appearance (chapter 1:1). Used by permission. Technical know-how would render products made in Israel superior to all others. Indeed, this secondary application is for us today the more significant. 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. But he will listen also for the further import the prophets words may have for later times, particularly, our time. Prophets of the Assyrian Period Jonah Jonah (790-770 B.C.) Large Map of Israel in the First Century - Click around on the Cities. was 42,360, besides servants. Period Northern Kings Northern Prophets Southward Kings Southern Prophets United kingdom under Saul, David, Soro, c. 1030 - They looked for Messiah to reign as a temporal prince (cf. As individuals and as a nation God proposed to furnish the people of Israel with every facility for becoming the greatest nation on the earth (see Deuteronomy 4:6-8; 7:6, 14; 28:1; Jeremiah 33:9; Malachi 3:12). The Christian church is a spiritual nation scattered all over the world, and such details obviously could not apply to it in a literal sense. Some of these prophets only have their words recorded in Kings or Chronicles, while others have their words recorded elsewhere in the Bible (usually the book name is the prophets name). Thus, for more than 1,500 years, a great experiment designed to test the relative merits of good and evil was conducted before the world. Among them about 30,000 are specified (Ezra 2 and Neh 7) as belonging to the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. For these reasons Daniels extended prophetic ministry can be dated approximately from 603 to 535 B.C. Nehemiah 13:23-27). Hence, he seems to have labored at a time before Assyria played a role in Palestinian affairs. In a mysterious way known only to God the prophets words were sometimes intended to meet their fulfillment in the then far-distant future. The prophets thus provided a firm foundation for the faith of the apostolic church and made a direct and vital contribution to the Christian faith. 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. %PDF-1.5
Mark 7:9). Because I find it hard to think about Blessings if they followed the LORD and curses if they forsook him. Through His people Christ is to manifest His character and the principles of His kingdom. Hence, Jonah was probably the earliest of the prophets under discussion. Blessings if they followed the LORD and curses if they forsook him. He quotes Hosea 2:23. In the inspired utterances of the prophets of old the sincere seeker for truth will thus find messages of inspiration, comfort, and guidance for today. A less-well-defined school of interpretation bases its approach to the prophetic portions of the Old Testament on the theory that the prophet, while bearing messages to the people of his day, also took occasional excursions into the distant future, with the result that many of his forecasts did not apply to literal Israel at all, but were intended exclusively for Israel after the spirit, that is, for the church today. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Elijah | Biography, Name, Meaning, Story, & Elisha | Britannica Jonah **Uzziah is alive until 740, King of Israel Jeroboam II (793-753) Important Dates 760 750 740 (767-740**) but 750. 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). This page and its content is copyright 2012. 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). Four eminent Hebrew prophets addressed themselves to the people of Israel and Judah in the latter half of the 8th pre-Christian century: Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah. Those who think that chapter 52 was added as an inspired postscript by Jeremiahs secretary or one of his disciples, believe that he died some 20 years earlier, about 580 B.C. for more details of the individual monarchs and prophets. Timeline of the Prophets 2 Samuel 12:7 - "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says", The Story of the Bible - Part One - The Old Testament. Interactive Timeline of the Kings & Prophets Interactive Timeline of the Kings & Prophets Psalm11918.org Our recent studies of the writings of the prophets have brought our attention to the era of the kings of Israel and Judah. Hosea 2:6-13). The house of God in Jerusalem would eventually be called an house of prayer for all people (chapter 56:7), and many people and strong nations would come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before Him in that day and be His people (Zechariah 8:22; 2:11). The modernist school of interpretation denies the predictive element in prophecy altogether, arguing either that the predictions were written down after the events thus foretold took place or that such predictions reflected nothing more than the prophets hopes for the future, or those of his people.
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