The writing Prophets are distinctive from Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who were called prophets but they did not write any books. The writing Prophets are called so to make a distinction between the two prophetic groups commonly referred to as the writing or oral prophets. Prophets have a long presence in Israel’s history certainly this maybe why similarities have been found in the writing of the prophetic books. The writing prophets have been studied by many scholars and they have found some common themes in the books such as God, worship and punishment (McConville, 2002). With a short critique of some general information, patterns should reveal themselves. Thus, using a chronological review that includes information about the nations in the time of the prophets that notes the King of their time along with the general message of each prophet some similarities should standout. Obadiah is a salvation oracle, it is arguable this was the first writing Prophet to emerge just before the prophecy of Joel. The oracle dates to the time of 840-830 B.C. (Barnes, 2012). The periods of the writings have been estimated. The King of the nation “is not mentioned”(McConville, 2002) in his writings for that time. The focus of the book by Obadiah is on the judgment of Edom by God. The Edomites had great hatred of Israel. The message of Obadiah is of disaster to befall upon Edom because of its pride and cruelty against Israel. This shows that God stands with his chosen people in times of trouble and will exalt them giving them hope. As it has been noted, the book of Joel is also written in a close sequence to Obadiah it mentions no King, nor does it mention the name of the warring nation that has been coming against Judah. Although, it is e... ... middle of paper ... ..., that the temple should be rebuilt immediately. In the book of Malachi he finds the Israelites once again growing indifferent to their spiritual commitments, neglecting duties to the temple, as well as skirting worship and righteousness. Malachi reprimanded them however he did not leave them without hope. Malachi forecasted the coming promise of Elijah who would prepare the way for the Messiah. Malachi was the last prophet of God until John the Baptist. The motive for declaring the return of Elijah was to instill hope to let the people know that God was in control. In conclusion, it can be seen that the prophets spoke the word of God for the benefit of Israel’s spiritual condition. Even though the prophets had spoken many times of great sin bring the anger of God with His great wrath, their message always included God’s love that gave hope through repentance.
“Exploration of Similarities in Religious Texts: A Further Look at the Koran, the Tanakh and the New Testament”
The message of Zechariah was to give hope to God’s people by revealing God’s future delivering through the Messiah. The exiles had made their way from Babylon to rebuild the temple, but the work had been ...
To discuss the topic of idolatry, social injustice, and religious ritualism, it is not hard to find out that there are many examples in the Holy Bible that teach people about the Sin of Idolatry, social injustice, and religious ritualism. Some of the prophets who were chosen by God, such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, Micah and Hosea, are good examples of those issues. God used those people and their stories to teach other people about His words and His will.
Obadiah stands between Amos and Jonah, noted by Smith and Page is that both of whom prophesied in the eighth century B.C. and since Obadiah’s date appears to be early in the sixth century B.C., a catchword or theme may explain the canonical position of the book. The approaching day of the Lord is one such theme.
Nevi'im( the Prophets) "…consists of narratives relating to Israel's …" (Harris, 3) history as a nation on its land and a "…collections of oracles" (Harris, 6) . Supporters of God's covenant do battle against the paganism of neighboring groups and among the Israelites themselves. The Prophets seem to have become a closed collection of books and status equal to that of the Law.
King James II’s rise to power in the 1680s became an extremely turbulent time for all under his reign. This was primary due to Catholic versus Protestant relations. Unlike his brother Charles II, James II openly professed his Catholic beliefs and granted religious freedom to all. Aside from religious toleration, his appointing of Catholics to high government posts enraged the Protestant colonialists even more. One individual was Governor Andros. He wrongfully imposed taxes, took way self-governing systems, ended jury trials, and oppressed Puritan beliefs.
In the eleventh century BCE Israel is divided into twelve tribes. The prophet Samuel is called upon to bring the people under one ruler or king and lead Israel into a monarchy. However this brings a major split and for the first time we find a military and political leader, the King, along with a spiritual leader, or the prophet. The prophet played the role of moral keeper and would make sure that the King was ruling justly and keeping the Law of God.
While the Jews were still trying to find the holy land, the brother of Moses, Aaron, established a priesthood. They build the tabernacle, a large tent, it became the center for Jewish worship. In 1077 B.C. a member of the tribe of Judah, David, became King of the Israelites. He firmly established kingship and priesthood in the nation's capital of Jerusalem. Solomon, David's son, built a large temple in Jerusalem. The messiah would come from David's line. There were three prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, each warned of punishment from god.
In the Pentateuch, Aaron and Miriam are the only two other individuals who are called prophet and prophetess. In Exodus 7:1, the Lord says to Moses that Aaron would be his prophet and would help him talk to Pharaoh in order to ask him to let the Israelites go. In Exodus 15:20, Miriam, Aaron’s sister, is also looked upon as a prophetess. When the people were crossing the Red Sea, Miriam leads all the women with timbrels and with dancing while she praised the Lord for what he had done. Another place where someone is quickly referred to as a prophet is in Genesis 20:7, when Abram is given this title by God, but it does not seem to be as relevant as the previous latter instances where Aaron and Miriam are given these titles.
Surveying the Old Testament reveals the theme of God’s faithfulness to his people. In light of this understanding, the restoration of the Israelites prophesized in the Old Testament is essentially the fulfillment of every covenant with God. This perspective relates to the work of Christ and encourages any follower of God to trust in his faithfulness.
Moreover, God’s messengers are also themes of the Qur’an. There are many stories of the Prophets in the Qur’an. The Qur’an shows that Adam who is the first Prophet is the first human being, and the Prophet Muhammad is the last Prophet. In addition, it shows that how the Prophets suffered and faced difficulties in bringing the God’s message to all human being. However, the Prophets were patient and focusing on how to deliver the message to all people peacefully. Also, the messengers are “charged with relating and with interpreting for their people” “the history of prophecy and the fate of the nations that have passed away before them” (Madigan, 85).
The Prophet is a book of short essays by Kahlil Gibran on a variety of themes ranging from love and marriage to pain and death presented by a character named Almustafa. By using a variety of rhetorical devices such as metaphors, similes, and imagery, he enhances the ideas presented in each section and makes them easier for the reader to comprehend and put into practice. Although written in 1923, all of the themes are still very relevant in today’s world, perhaps even more so.
The prophet Isaiah lived during a very troublesome era during the years 742-701B.C.E. He preached during the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah (783-742), Jotham (742-735), Ahaz (735-715), and Hezekiah (715-687). Judah faced many challenges and crises throughout those years primarily at the hands of the Assyrian Empire. Isaih interpreted the events as part of the Lord's will, and he encourages the people to trust in the Lord rather than relying on political alliances.
Smith, James E. The Major Prophet. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1992. Print. The. Old Testament Survey Series -.
Jesus’ healing ministry constructed a profound theological statement to Israel, similar to his selection of the twelve apostles and his eating with sinners. God’s promise one day to establish his kingdom and renew his people visible and available in preview to any who witnessed his deeds of the teacher from Nazareth.