Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

Origins of the Prophets and Prophecy

Marks of the Prophets
Major Prophets
Minor Prophets

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

Prophets and Prophecy

1. The prophet is a special kind of messenger from God
2. Prophets were present through the early and late stages
of the Old Testament
3. Moses was Gods first messenger
4. Prophecy became a literary movement as the sayings of
selected prophets were gathered and kept
5. Former prophets appeared in earlier times while the
latter prophets later

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

Major Prophets versus Minor Prophets

The difference is related to the length of the book and not
the importance of the prophet or his message
Major prophets
Minor prophets

Hosea

Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel

Joel
Obadiah

Micah

Zechariah Haggai

Habakkuk

Amos

Zephaniah
Nahum

Malachi
Jonah

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

Prophecy
1. Prophets received a call from God and felt compelled to
leave their former way of life to follow it
2. Ways they received the call to prophecy: voices, dreams,
visions, inspiration to share Gods message
3. They often spoke unpopular messages with the rulers
4. In general, the message of the prophets was meant to
convert their listeners to God
5. They warned the people to repent of their sins under the
penalty of punishment if they failed to do so

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

Call Narratives of Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah

1. The setting is one
of mystery / holiness

2. God initiates
the call.

3. The person
resists.

5. God sends the

person on a mission.

4. God reassures
the person.

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

Marks of Prophecy
1. Prophets inherited the role of Moses They usually
based their criticism of Israel on the statutes of Moses
2. Prophets were spiritual warriors During the time of
the kings, they were demilitarized judges or
specially selected messengers of God
3. Prophets were social revolutionaries Their
religious concern (to serve YHWH and no
other gods) was always accompanied by
their social and political concerns

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

Marks of Prophecy
4. Prophets were messengers of God The prophets
almost always spoke in the first person, as if God
were speaking, by the use of the messenger formula

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

The Book of Isaiah

1. Isaiah is quoted in the New Testament
more than any other prophetic book
2. It represents the work of more than one
writer, from more than one time:
(a) Jer 139: details the ministry
of the prophet in Jerusalem
(b) Jer 4055: written by an anonymous prophet
living during the Babylonian exile; it includes
four Servant Songs fulfilled in Christ
(c) Jer 5666: a mixture of poetry and
prose that provide a message of hope

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

The Book of Jeremiah

1. Jeremiah remained in Jerusalem through all
the events of the siege and exile of the people
2. He preached that Judah was paying a price
for its infidelity and the best course of action
would be to submit to Babylon so Jerusalem
could escape destruction
3. In his Temple Sermon he warns that those who oppress
refugees, orphans, or widows to reform their evil ways
4. He suffered personal trauma for being
a prophet with an unpopular message

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

The Book of Ezekiel

1. Ezekiel was deported with the first group of exiles
in 597 and began his prophecy in Babylon
2. He experienced a series of bizarre visions and actions:
(a) Ez 1-24 warns of Jerusalems impending doom
(b) Ez 33-48 a resurrection of Jerusalem after the exile
4. His visions and actions:
(a) the call to prophecy (Ez 1-3)
(b) the transport to Jerusalem (Ez 8-11)
(c) the valley of dry bones (Ez 37)
(d) the restored Israel (Ez 40-48)

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

The Book of Daniel

1. Although Daniel did not receive the traditional call by
God to preach, the Catholic Old Testament includes it
with the prophetic books
2. It has three main divisions which include
prophecy, history, and apocalyptic literature
3. Apocalyptic literature:
(a) Arose in circumstances of Jewish oppression
(b) This highly symbolic writing protected the
authors as well as the readers from persecution
(c) Apocalyptic writing also found in sections
of Ezekiel and Zechariah

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

The Minor Prophets

1. The Book of Hosea Hoseas controversial marriage
symbolizes Gods relationship with Israel; his message
is the faithfulness and love of God for his people
2. The Book of Joel Joel is filled with apocalyptic
images and describes the day of the Lord which
would mark a new beginning when God will pour out
his spirit on all humanity
3. The Book of Amos Amos preached a strong message
of social justice, speaking against many of the
sins of those living in the northern kingdom
and condemning the abuses of the wealthy

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

The Minor Prophets

4. The Book of Obadiah Obadiah contains a harsh
denunciation of the Edomites who had participated
in the sack of Jerusalem, and prophesies their
destruction and Judahs restoration
5. The Book of Jonah A parable about Gods
compassion on all people, even non-Jews, in which
Jonah represents Israel who sinfully rejected Gods
call and listened to their own voices
6. The Book of Micah Micah warned the people that if
they did not return to the Lord and observe the Law,
they would be destroyed; writes of a messiah who
would come to lead Israel to peace and justice

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

The Minor Prophets

7. The Book of Nahum Nahum depicts YHWH as
both an avenger who protects his people from
their enemies, but also as merciful, who orders
the world in his moral goodness
8. The Book of Habakkuk Habakkuk warned of Judahs
capture by the Babylonians and provided a lyrical
reminder of Israels past
9. The Book of Zephaniah Zephaniahs prophesied a day
of the Lord that would bring doom, yet in spite of the
infidelities, Gods mercy would spare a holy remnant

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of Gods Word

Part 1E The Prophets

The Minor Prophets

10. The Book of Haggai Haggai sought to encourage the
Jews to complete the rebuilding of the Temple
11. The Book of Zechariah Zechariah too encouraged the
completion of the Temple and predicted a messianic
age to come
12. The Book of Malachi The predominant theme is
fidelity to Gods covenant and a prophecy
about the coming messenger who would
announce the day of the Lord