Overview of the Prophetic and Wisdom Literature
Notes
Transcript
Major Prophets
Major Prophets
Isaiah
Isaiah
Key Themes:
Key Themes:
Judgment and Hope: Isaiah prophesied the coming judgment on Judah and surrounding nations for their sin. Yet, he also spoke of the future restoration of Israel and the coming of a Messiah who would save God’s people.
Messianic Prophecies: Isaiah predicts the coming of a suffering servant (Isaiah 53), a redeemer who would bear the sins of the people.
Holiness of God: A major theme in Isaiah is the holiness of God, particularly in the vision of God’s throne room (Isaiah 6).
Notable Prophecies:
Notable Prophecies:
• The suffering servant (Isaiah 53).
• The new heaven and new earth (Isaiah 65:17-25).
• The virgin birth prophecy (Isaiah 7:14).
Jeremiah
Jeremiah
Key Themes:
Key Themes:
The Fall of Jerusalem: Jeremiah warns of the coming invasion by Babylon, which would destroy Jerusalem and the temple.
Covenant and Repentance: Jeremiah calls for Israel to return to God, lamenting their idolatry and unfaithfulness.
New Covenant: Jeremiah promises a future time when God will make a new covenant with Israel, writing His law on their hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Notable Prophecies
Notable Prophecies
• The promise of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
• The destruction of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 39).
• The prophecy of seventy years in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:10).
Lamentations
Lamentations
Key Themes
Key Themes
Grief and Mourning: This book contains poems expressing the devastation and sorrow following the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
God’s Faithfulness: Despite judgment, Lamentations expresses hope in God’s steadfast love (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Notable Passages
Notable Passages
• Lamentations 3:22-23 – “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases…”
Ezekiel
Ezekiel
Key Themes
Key Themes
• God’s Sovereignty: Ezekiel emphasizes God’s absolute control over history and nations.
• Symbolic Acts: Ezekiel uses dramatic actions (such as lying on his side) to convey prophetic messages.
• Restoration of Israel: Ezekiel promises that Israel will be restored after their exile.
Notable Prophecies
Notable Prophecies
• The vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37).
• The vision of the new temple (Ezekiel 40-48).
Daniel
Daniel
Key Themes
Key Themes
• God’s Sovereignty Over Nations: Daniel highlights God’s control over the rise and fall of empires, with visions about four great kingdoms.
• Apocalyptic Visions: The book contains visions about future kingdoms, including the rise of the final kingdom of God.
Notable Prophecies
Notable Prophecies
• The dream of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2).
• The vision of the four beasts (Daniel 7).
Minor Prophets
Minor Prophets
Hosea
Hosea
Key Themes:
Key Themes:
• God’s Love and Israel’s Unfaithfulness: Hosea’s marriage to an unfaithful wife mirrors Israel’s spiritual adultery.
• God’s Judgment and Mercy: Hosea calls Israel to repentance while highlighting God’s deep, persistent love.
Notable Passages
Notable Passages
• Hosea 11:1 – “When Israel was a child, I loved him…”
Amos
Amos
Key Themes
Key Themes
• Social Justice: Amos condemns Israel’s oppression of the poor and idolatry.
• Judgment on Israel and the Nations: Amos prophesies the fall of Israel due to its corruption.
Notable Passages
Notable Passages
• Amos 5:24 – “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
Jonah
Jonah
Key Themes
Key Themes
• God’s Mercy: Jonah’s mission to Nineveh demonstrates God’s willingness to forgive the wicked if they repent.
• Reluctant Prophecies: Jonah’s reluctance to preach to Nineveh reflects God’s patience and grace.
Notable Passages
Notable Passages
• Jonah 3:10 – “When God saw what they did and how they turned from
their evil ways, he relented.”
Wisdom Literature
Wisdom Literature
Proverbs
Proverbs
Key Themes
Key Themes
• Practical Wisdom: Proverbs provides short, memorable sayings that teach wisdom for everyday life, with a focus on righteousness, discipline, and godly living.
• The Fear of the Lord: The foundation of wisdom in Proverbs is reverence and awe before God.
Notable Passages:
Notable Passages:
• Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
• Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”
Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes
Key Themes
Key Themes
• The Meaninglessness of Life: Ecclesiastes explores the vanity of human pursuits and emphasizes that life without God is meaningless.
• Enjoyment of Life’s Gifts: Despite its bleak tone, Ecclesiastes encourages enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures.
Notable Passages
Notable Passages
• Ecclesiastes 1:2 – “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher. Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
Job
Job
Key Themes
Key Themes
• Suffering and the Sovereignty of God: Job wrestles with why the righteous suffer, ultimately realizing God’s sovereignty and wisdom.
• Faith in the Midst of Suffering: The book demonstrates Job’s faith despite immense suffering.
Notable Passages
Notable Passages
• Job 1:21 – “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of
the Lord be praised.”
• Job 42:5-6 – Job’s final repentance and recognition of God’s wisdom.
Song of Songs (Song of Solomon)
Song of Songs (Song of Solomon)
Key Themes
Key Themes
• Love and Marriage: The book celebrates romantic love between a husband and wife, often interpreted as a metaphor for Christ’s love for the church.
Notable Passages
Notable Passages
• Song of Songs 2:16 – “My beloved is mine and I am his.”
