PROMISE TO PROSPERITY TO EXILE
On Solomon's death, Israel, one united kingdom was divided into 2 Kingdoms:
Israel (North) under Jereboam II and Judah (South) under the coregency of Amaziah/Azariah (Uzziah). Starting in a state of prosperity and peace (930BC) from Jeroboam IIs reign. Israel was at its largest territorial boundary under Jeroboam II. Because of its location, many armies passed through Israel's fertile crescent. Northern tribes exposed to more trade and from the Babylonians and Assyrians.
The pre-exilic prophets warned Israel of impending doom, if they did not turn their hearts and lives to God. These prophets were writing prophets as Kings required the development of the scribal profession.
The pre-exilic prophets urged Israel to repent from general sin, religiosity, syncretism, idolatory, social injustice, ignoring God and not acknowledging Him and His love. Israel is warned that unfaithfulness will result in judgement and punishment in exile and devastation of the land. Israel was envied by many who passed through it. While God relents in judgement there is a point of no return. Despite this, God is merciful, promising restoration. Many passages of the pre-exilic prophets are used in the New Testament and many considered to be prophecies of Christ.
These prophets marked a new type of prophet, one which embodied and empathised with God in their heart and actions. Some understanding them to pre-figure Christ, the prophet-priest-king. The Day of the Lord is mentioned many times in these passages, a time when God personally engages with creation in judgement, both immanent and eschatologically.
The haughtiness of people shall be humbled, and the pride of everyone shall be brought low; and the Lord alone will be exalted on that day. Isaiah 2:17
The poetry of the books is graphic and expressed poetic, the imagery is particularly beautiful when expressing God's love and particularly gloomy when expressing judgement.
Assyrians++ Towards Judgement
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LOOK BACK
- CREATION Genesis 1-2
- FALL Genesis 3
- PROMISE ABRAHAM Genesis 12, 15, 17
- EXODUS Exodus 1-2, 15, 19:1-20, 21, Psalms 105:23-45
- SINAI COVENANT- 3rd Covenant Exodus 19-20
- CULTIC SYSTEM: Law, Priest, Cult -Mosaic sacrifice established Leviticus**
- CONQUEST + SETTLEMENT: Joshua 23-24
- KINGSHIP: Israel wanted kings like the other nations: 1 Samuel 8, 12,25; 2 Samuel 5
- DAVIDIC LINE ESTABLISHED: 2 Samuel 5-7
GOD IS KING
ISRAEL WANTS A KING WHICH DISPLEASES GOD [Samuel, Elders, God]
Then the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, "You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then a king to govern us, like the nations." But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." Samuel prayed to the Lord, and the Lord said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all thatthey say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they arte doing this to you. Now then listento their voice; only- you shall solemly warn them, and show them the ways of the king whoshall reign over them...the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel;they said, "No !" but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we may be like the other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and go out before us and fight our battles. 1 Samuel 8:4-20
EVERLASTING KINGDOM [Nathan to David]
He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. But I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure before me; your throne shall be established forever. In accordance with all these words and with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. 2 Samuel 7:17
GIVEN A KING IN ANGER [God/Hosea to Israel]
Where now is your king to save you ? Where in all your cities are your rulers, of whom you said, 'Give me a king and rulers.' I gave you a king in my anger and I took him away in my wrath. Hosea 13:10
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CONTEXT
KINGS: 1050-1010 SAUL > 1010-970 DAVID > 970-931 SOLOMON > 930 KINGDOM DIVIDEDPROPHETS: Samuel 1029-1000 to United Israel > Nathan 975-960 to United Israel
Jonah 770BC to Nineveh > Amos 760 to Israel > Hosea 760-730 to Israel >
Isaiah 740-700 to Judah > Micah 737-690 to Judah
Habakkuk 630 to Judah > Zephania 627 to Judah > Jeremiah 627-580 to Judah > Daniel 605-530 to Judah > Ezekiel 593-570 to Judah > Nahum 593-570 to Nineveh > Haggai 520 to Judah > Zechariah 520-518 to Judah > Joel 500 to Judah > Obadiah 500 to Edom > Malachi 433 to JudahDIVIDED KINGDOM 930BC >
Israel is divided with the death of Solomon 1 Kings 12
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LOOK DOWN & FORWARD
8thC NORTH (ISRAEL)- Prophets: Amos, Hosea
The minor prophets, Amos and Hosea are the only writing prophets in the Old Testament who focussed on the northern kingdom of Israel. 1(60) A generation earlier Elisha and Elijah had focused on the Northern Kingdom. Amos prophesies for a short period while Hosea prophesies for a greater length of time almost to the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 BC. Both prophets expose the coming judgement on the nations and Israel. Amos strongly condemns social injustice which has permeated all levels of society. Amos shows that God is negotiable to a point, he negotiates with God and God relents. O Lord God forgive, I beg you ! How can Jacob stand ? He is so small ! The Lord relented concerning this; 'It shall not be,' said the Lord' Amos 7:2
AMOS SOCIAL JUSTICE PROPHET
Amos, a herder and dresser of sycamore figs from Tekoa. He is of Israel's upper classes but was not wealthy it seems as he followed his own flocks. He is called to prophesy by God, a seer, 7:14 points out that Israel's high priveledge 2:9-11; 3;2 comes with high responsibility and hence greater judgement. This principle is carried into the new testament 2:4; 3:2; 4:12. Romans 2 shows Gods righteous judgement, that He shows no partiality, and judges with the same standard one judges others.
Not many of you should want to become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes James 3
Amos emphasises social justice in his teaching. Amos 4:1 indicts oppression of the poor and need while others live in luxury, but do not grieve over sin, 'Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on couches, and eat lambs from the flock...who drink wine from bowls, anoint themselves with oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph [sin].' 6:4-6. Amos is scathing in his curse on the priest Amaziah in Bethel 7:16-17 who tries to implicate him to king Jereboam, for prophesying the death of the king in war, and judgement with Israel's exile 2:4-11. Judah's exile is also prophesied 2:4-5.
Amos reveals that God will speak through the prophets, and natural disasters [like those in Egypt] and destruction 4:6-13 to make Israel turn in dependence on Him.
Does disaster befall a city, unless the Lord has done it ? Surely the Lord does nothing without revealing his secret to His servants the prophets. The lion has roared; who will not fear ? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy ? 3:6-8
I gave you cleaness of teeth [no food] in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you di not return to me, says the Lord. And I also withheld the rain from you when there were still three months to the harvest...' 4:6-7
The message is, that one's 'religion' is defined by one's everyday life. Offerings must be accompanied by law and works, or are meaningless 4:4 Even the holy places, Bethel and Gilgal will not save them 5:5 Amos says to, 'Hate evil and, love good; maintain justice in the courts.' 5:14-15 He says to 'let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream !' 5:24, While the near future seems dim still Amos concludes with hope. Like the eternal kingdom promised to David 2 Samuel 7:17, Amos 9:11-15 says, 'the days are coming,' declares the Lord...'I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted.'
Amos shows that God cares about justice, immorality, the weak, the poor and the way they are treated. Some of the indicators are given in Amos 2:6-11:
...sell the righteous for silver...the needy for a pair of
sandals...trample the head of the poor into the dust...push afflicted out of the
way...father and son go to the same girl...in the house of God they drink wine
with fines they have imposed...
Then Amos prophesies a time of famine, not of bread but of the Lord's words, they will wander seeking it, but shall not find it. 8:11-12 Its as if the Lord's silence is judgement. The Day of the Lord is considered the day of judgement 3:14 Amos describes Israel as the elect 3:2, yet does not use the word covenant. Possibly to remove false sense of security. The elect are those who will know the will of God. 2:11; 3:7 This is no guarantee of divine protection. Slavery, oppression, incest, pleasure from oppression. These things displease God and profane His Holy name (2:7). The new Testament emphasises the imperative to care for the needy and weak Matthew 25:31-46
Lets conclude with the passage from (Amos 3:3 NKJV): 'Can two together unless they be agreed ?' This is key in understanding God's relationship with us. Are we in agreement with the Holy Spirit or with the Words of God ? Do the people choose what is right and good and repent and reform or choose what is wrong, to their well deserved retribution.
Abraham's promise to him, was that his children would one day bless the nations. How can one bless the nations if one can't bless one's own, but exploit them in usury. The remnant seems the only way, a 'righteous branch' is seen as a paradox in Amos, a source of contempt and hope. Yet it can be understood as an eschatological entity separate from the nation (2)
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HOSEA EMBODYING RELATIONSHIP
LOOK UP: WORDS, PHRASES, IMAGERY, METAPHORS, INTERTEXTUAL LINKS,
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LOOK DOWN: GENRE, HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, LITERARY CONTEXT, SOCIO-POLITICAL/IDEOLOGICAL, EDITORIAL CONTEXT, LITERARY CONTEXT:
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WORDS, PHRASES, IMAGERY, METAPHORS, INTERTEXTUAL LINKS,
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CONTEXT
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FUNCTION
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MEANING THEN ?
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BACK: THEOLOGY (LARGER CONTEXT OF REVELATION)
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FORWARD: APPLICATION, ESCHATOLOGY
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SUMMING UP, PROMISES, THREATS, FULFILLMENT
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Hosea is probably the most graphic portrayal of indictment on Israel's unfaithfulness and state before God.
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WHOSE 'DAY OF THE LORD' GOD'S ISRAEL'S or OURS ?
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8thC SOUTH (JUDAH) PROPHETS: MICAH, ISAIAH
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Micah
Isaiah
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RESOURCES
1 Walton, J.H. Strauss, M.L. Cooper, T. Jr. The Essential Bible Companion, Michigan, Zondervan
2 Windsor, Lionel. The Development and Significance of the Remnant: In the Old Testament Prophets, (Cited, October 2008) Online: http://www.lionelwindsor.net/bibleresources/bible/old/Remnant.htm
Minor Prophets Summaries (Excellent Summaries. Note: Historical-Redemptive Teaching)
