Major Prophets: Isaiah

Major Prophets

Isaiah (Is)

• Isaiah proclaims the need for the Chosen People to have faith and rely on God's promises.
• He emphasizes the importance of ethical behavior in the presence of a holy God.
• The book includes the four Songs of the Servant of the Lord, which are often applied to Christ in Christian tradition.
• The four Songs are:
  • Isaiah 42:1-9
  • Isaiah 49:1-7
  • Isaiah 50:4-9
  • Isaiah 52:13-53:12
• The book contains 66 chapters.

Jeremiah (Jer)

• Jeremiah is a harsh messenger who predicts the divine punishment of Israel.
• He witnesses the destruction of Jerusalem and the holy city.
• He suffers arrest, imprisonment, and public disgrace.
• He voices the suffering and hope of the Chosen People.
• The book contains 52 chapters.

Lamentations (Lam)

• The Book of Lamentations is a collection of five poems that respond to the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC.
• The book expresses honest emotions about the harsh realities of a violent world.
• It serves as a witness to a biblical faith that acknowledges pain and suffering.
• The book contains 5 chapters.

Baruch (Bar)

• The book attempts to explain the trauma of the exile in terms of sin, punishment, repentance, and return.
• It includes a prayer of the exiles, which is a confession of sin and a request for mercy.
• The book also includes a hymn in praise of Wisdom and a poetic text that encourages the exiles to hope for their return.
• It concludes with a polemic against idolatry.
• The book contains 6 chapters.

Ezekiel (Ez)

• Ezekiel was sent into exile and prepared his fellow countrymen in Babylon for the final destruction of Jerusalem.
• The first part of the book reproaches Israel for past and present sins and predicts further devastation and exile.
• After the destruction, the book promises salvation in a New Covenant.
• Ezekiel's prophecy expresses his firm belief in a forthcoming restoration, symbolized by the vision of the dry bones in chapter 37.
• The book also contains the vision of the four living creatures.
• The book contains 48 chapters.

Daniel (Dn)

• The book takes its name from its hero, Daniel, who was one of the first Jews deported to Babylon.
• The book was written to strengthen and comfort the Jewish people during the persecution of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (167-164 BC).
• The book contains traditional stories (chapters 1-6) that tell of the trials and triumphs of Daniel and his three companions.
• The moral of the stories is that people of faith can resist temptation and conquer adversity.
• The book includes well-known episodes such as the writing on the wall, Daniel in the lion's den, and the story of Susanna.
• The book contains 12 chapters.
• The four companions are:
  • Daniel (Belteshazzar)
  • Hananiah
  • Mishael (Meshach)
  • Azariah (Abednego)
• The writing on the wall includes the words "Mene, Teckel, Pares" (5:25).