Understanding Biblical Prophets and Covenants

Understanding the Prophets

• 15 prophets have their own books in the Bible, including Ezekiel, Obadiah, and Habakkuk
• Biblical prophets are not just fortune tellers, but Israelites who had a radical encounter with God's presence and were commissioned to speak on God's behalf

The Covenant

• The covenant is the mutual partnership between God and the Israelites
• God rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt and invited them to become a nation of justice and generosity, representing God's character to the nations
• The covenant required all Israelites to give their trust and allegiance to God alone

The Prophets' Role

• The prophets reminded Israel of their role in the partnership and accused them of violating the covenant (e.g., idolatry, alliances with other nations, injustice towards the poor)
• They called the Israelites to repent and turn back to God
• They announced the consequences for breaking the covenant, known as "The Day of the Lord"

The Day of the Lord

• The Day of the Lord is not just about the end of the world, but about God's justice on Israel's corruption and on the violent nations around them
• The prophets used cosmic imagery to describe these events, showing how they fit into the bigger story of God's mission to bring down corrupt and violent nations
• The Day of the Lord is bad news for those who are part of Babylon, but good news for those waiting for God's kingdom

The Prophets' Message

• The prophets cared about the present and the future
• They used cosmic poetry to describe events, such as the return of the exiles to Jerusalem and the establishment of a new Messianic King
• The prophets' message was one of warning and hope, showing how God would turn Israel's tragic story into one of hope and restoration for all nations

The Prophets' Lives

• Some prophets were powerful, persuasive speakers, while others lived on the margins and performed symbolic stunts to communicate their message
• The prophets were often shunned by Israel's leaders, and their writings were a form of resistance literature
• The prophets' works were later studied and arranged by unnamed prophets to create the Hebrew scriptures

Understanding the Prophets

• 15 prophets have their own books in the Bible, including Ezekiel, Obadiah, and Habakkuk
• Biblical prophets were Israelites who had a radical encounter with God's presence and were commissioned to speak on God's behalf, differing from fortune tellers

The Covenant

• The covenant is a mutual partnership between God and the Israelites, established after God rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt
• The covenant's purpose is for Israel to become a nation of justice and generosity, representing God's character to the nations
• The covenant requires all Israelites to give their trust and allegiance to God alone

The Prophets' Role

• Prophets reminded Israel of their role in the partnership and accused them of violating the covenant through actions like idolatry, alliances with other nations, and injustice towards the poor
• They called the Israelites to repent and turn back to God
• They announced the consequences for breaking the covenant, known as "The Day of the Lord"

The Day of the Lord

• The Day of the Lord is about God's justice on Israel's corruption and on the violent nations around them, not just the end of the world
• The prophets used cosmic imagery to describe these events, showing how they fit into the bigger story of God's mission to bring down corrupt and violent nations
• The Day of the Lord is bad news for those who are part of Babylon, but good news for those waiting for God's kingdom

The Prophets' Message

• The prophets cared about the present and the future, using cosmic poetry to describe events
• They described events like the return of the exiles to Jerusalem and the establishment of a new Messianic King
• The prophets' message was one of warning and hope, showing how God would turn Israel's tragic story into one of hope and restoration for all nations

The Prophets' Lives

• Some prophets were powerful, persuasive speakers, while others lived on the margins and performed symbolic stunts to communicate their message
• The prophets were often shunned by Israel's leaders, and their writings were a form of resistance literature
• The prophets' works were later studied and arranged by unnamed prophets to create the Hebrew scriptures