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THE PROPHETS

The religious teachers, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi are known as the twelve Prophets, at different periods, other works were composed, by Isaiah. c.732 B.C.E, Ezekiel c.591 B.C.E, Jeremiah c.580 B.C.E., Daniel c. 536 B.C.E., and Esther c.475 B.C.E., Chronicles and Ezra and Ecclesiastes were completed c.460 B.C. E.

They denounced apostasy, they predicted the downfall of the entire Jewish nation, and what they said came true. (Nehemiah 9:) Dark warnings were uttered by the Jewish Prophets, they declared that the Jews would have only themselves to blame for the evils to come. Instead of cherishing the pure worship of the Almighty God, and keeping faithfully to the laws of Moses, they had imitated the idolatrous rites of their neighbours and bowed their knee to Baal.

Isaiah (Hebrew Yeshayaku, Salvation of Jehovah ), one of the great Hebrew prophets, began his predictions in the last years of Uzziah's reign. Of his father, Amoz, we know nothing, of Isaiah only a little about the circumstances of his life. We do know, however, that he had great influence over the kings and people of Judah.The prophetic writings show that due to their prosperity, the Jews had become to love luxury.

The first portion of the writings consists chiefly of declarations of sins and threatening of judgments Thus Isaiah scathingly denounced the rich for "grinding the faces of the poor." The increasingly elaborate ceremonies of the temple are also condemned. What matters in the sight of God is the inner man and not the outward showy display.

(Isaiah 1) " To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord. I am full of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats...... Your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow......."

The last 27 chapters, of Isaiah together with some previous ones, hold out promises of a glorious future. The style throughout is clear and simple, yet dignified and sublime in the highest degree.

The prophets were feared and respected Elijah the Tishbite, a native of Gilead, an eminent prophet. 1 Kings 17:- 21: Elijah flourished in the 9th century B.C., during the reigns of Ahab and Ahaziah, and until the beginning of the reign of Jehoram.

About B.C. 910, he assured King Ahab that for several years there should fall on the land neither dew nor rain, but as he pleased to pray for it. The drought began. Directed by God, Elijah concealed himself by the brook Cherith, near the bank of Jordan. There he drank of the brook, and was miraculously fed with bread and flesh, which ravens brought him every morning and evening. When this brook dried up, the prophet went to the N.E., at the direction of God, and dwelt with a heathen widow of Zarephath, of Zidon. As he entered the city he met this poor widow gathering a few sticks, to dress a handful of meal and a little oil, for her and her son, as their last repast; she neither having nor knowing where to get any more food. Elijah desired her to bring him a drink of water. As she went to bring it, he called after her, and bade her bring him a little bread also. She told him the wretched case of herself and her son. Elijah bade her first make a small cake for him, and then dress for herself and child; for her handful of meal and small quantity of oil should never waste, till plenty should return to the country. The Zidonian widow believed the prophet; obeyed his orders, and received him into her house. After he had staid with her about two years, her only son died. Oppressed with grief, she complained that Elijah had come to call her sin to remembrance, and to slay her son. He took the child laid him upon his own bed, himself upon him, and earnestly begged the Lord to return him to life. His request was readily granted, 1 Kings Chapter 17.

The voice of God called Elijah to his duty, 1 Kings Chapter18. vs.19. His special function was to denounce vengeance on the kings of Israel for their apostasy, Ahab was king of the northern kingdom and had gone over to the false worship of the pagan god Baal. Elijah challenged the priests of Baal assembled on Mount Carmel to ask their god to bring down fire from heaven to take the sacrifice on their altar. Elijah then showed who the true God is, in the presence of the king the assembled people and the priests of Baal, fire from heaven consumed the offering. The slaughter of the idolatrous priests excited the anger of Jezebel, wife of Ahab, Elijah, after obtaining the long desired rain, fled for his life to the mountain of Horeb.The story of their defeat makes a dramatic interlude in the plain historical record in the Book of Kings. (1 Kings 18: 18-40)

He returned to denounce Ahab for the murder of Naboth. After Ahab's death, Elijah showed Gods power by consuming several companies of soldiers, sent to apprehend him, 2 Kings 1.

Elisha was chosen to succeed him, the brave servant of God was received up to heaven in a chariot of fire, on the further side of Jordan, in the presence of Elisha, 2 Kings 2:.

Elisha, was a native of Abel-meholah, son of Shapha. God found him ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen, and cast his mantle over him, thereby intimating his call to follow and succeed him, 1 Kings 19. 16-21. He become the disciple and successor of Eljah, many miracles of prediction and cure, and even of raising the dead, are ascribed to him. He held the office of prophet for fully sixty - five years, from the reign of Ahab to that of Joash (latter half of 9th century B.C.)

Elisha's deeds are recorded in 2 Kings 2: 9; 3:13-21

The Hebrew Prophets also predicted the appearance of a Messiah who would bring deliverance from these tribulations. For the most part the Jews believed that this meant a leader would be sent by God to restore their lost kingdom and overthrow their oppressors. This was a mistaken interpretation (Daniel 7:12-14) for it is god's kingdom that will be come, his will that will be done.

The story is continued in a way that was unexpected, some 400 years after the writing of the last Book of the Old Testament, John the Baptist started declaring in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3-5) that flesh shall see the salvation of God (Luke 4: 4-16) and of the one that was to come .