The Prophets

Isaiah – Who was he?

• 66 chapters• Ch. 1-39 actually written by

Isaiah• Son of Amoz• Lived 742 B.C.E. – 700 B.C.E.• Experienced vision in the

temple• Theses: Repentance and

Renewal

Latter Chapters

• Chapter 44-55 anonymous author

• Written during Babylonian exile

• 55-66, picks up upon theme of renewal

State of Israel

• Compares to rest of nature• Something gone wrong with

humanity• Allusions to Genesis?• Imagery of sickness• Assyrian invasion: physical

manifestation of sin

Seeing the Throne of God

• Throne of God surrounded by Seraphs

• Gap between humanity and God

• Isaiah not worthy• Purified

Rely on God, Not Worldly Powers

• Aware Assyria going to attack• Pact with Egypt• Trust in God instead• Egypt backstabs Israel• King of Judah surrenders to

Assyrian king

Suffering Servant

• Not typical depiction of a saviour

• Many Jews overlooked passage

• Became central focus in New Testament

Ezekiel – Who was he?

• Priest• Living during Babylonian exile• Intense personality• Religious Regulations• 48 Chapters• Warning – Despair - Renewal

Opening

• Ezekiel’s Vision• Creatures? Cherbuin Angels?• Glory of God

Return After Captivity

• God will return the promise land

• Heart of Stone• Heart of Flesh

Everlasting Covenant

• What about Previous covenants?• People kept turning away in sin• Ultimate covenant that removes all guilt and

shame

Valley of the Dead

• All those who have died (Cut off from God and life)

• God will give new life• Eternal life• Foreshadowing of Christ,

and ultimatly, all of our fates

Daniel – Who was he?

• Contemporary of Ezekiel• Carried off to Babylon• Advisor in the royal court• Called Daniel, because it is

about Daniel, not written by Daniel though

Structure

• Introduction• 2 main parts• Daniel’s life in Babylonian

politics• Daniel’s prophetic visions

Life in the Babylonian Royal Court

• Refuses to eat unholy food • Interprets dreams• Refuses to worship false idols• Burning furnance• Not afraid to speak his mind• Feast of Belshazzar• Lion’s Den

Daniel’s Visions

• Chapter 7• Four beasts• Babylon, Persia, Greece,

Rome• 7:7 the fourth and worst

beast• God’s kingdom established

Vision in Daniel 8

• Ram and Goat charging• Interpreted by Gabriel• Greece and Persia• From Greece, will come a great

ruler• Alexander the Great?

Apocalyptic Literature

• Eschatology• Increasing corruption• Resurrection of the dead• St. Michael, defender of Israel• Need to purify ourselves• 12:13 – not everyone will

turn to God