Jeremiah (640 B.C.) his prophecies were delivered in a time of great distress and apostacy for the people of Israel, who he rebuked for their sins and idolatry...'As you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own'(Jeremiah 5:19) This was fulfilled in the Babylonian captivity.Jeremiah warned the people concerning these events, pleading with them to turn from their sins, but to no avail. He recieved only scorn and persecution. Jeremiah's life is described in some detail.Jeremiah laments Israel's captivity in Babylon, by Rembrandt.jpg
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Ezekiel (597 B.C. ff) The book of the prophet Ezekiel begins with a vision of God (Ezekiel 1:1) in which he sees messengers from God and a glowing wheel within a wheel surrounded by fire, a cloud, and a whirlwind. The angels reprove rebellious Israel. Ezekiel was a priest who had been carried off in the Babylonian Captivity. Ezekiel was given a special call to be a prophet of God, he saw himself as a sheperd and a watchman over Israel, he was told to reprove and warn Israel, for their rebellion against God (Ezekiel 5:5), Idolatry (ch. 8), false prophets who said that Israel would not be punished for its sins(ch. 13), oppressing foreigners, orphans, and widows (ch.21:7), and details the punishments which would befall Israel (ch's 12-19). Ezekiel predicts the restoration of Israel, and a description of the end times which name Russia(ch. 39), and the Millenial Temple (ch. 40).
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Daniel (605 B.C.ff) a jewish captive carried off from Jerusalem to Babylon in 605B.C. His prophecies foretelling world history were so accurate that atheists in the 3rd century A.D. claimed that it was written after the fact (note that Daniel is mentioned in the book of Ezekiel, written around 625B.C., as Ezekiels contemporary) Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzars dream which the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers could not interpret(see Daniel 2:1-35), so Daniel was raised to a high position in the Babylonian government. Daniels friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not worship Nebuchadnezzars statue and were thrown into a fiery furnace, but the angel of the Lord was seen with them, and they did not burn(Daniel 3:1-30). Daniel refused to worship the statue of King Nebuchadnezzar and was thrown into the lions den, but the lions would not bite ( Daniel 6:1-28). Daniel had a vision of a beast whose body parts represented coming world empires, he foretold accurately the world empires of Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, and a revived Roman empire after the rapture (Daniel ch 7) Daniel also prophecied about the End Times, in prophecy similar to the book of Revelation ( see Daniel ch.'s 11, 12)
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Hosea (750 B.C.) lived in a period (750-722 B.C.) that was leading up to the captivity of the ten tribes in 722 B.C., and his prophecies generally were a warning to Israel, and Judah, of coming judgement from God for their sins.Hosea's wife left him to become a prostitute, just as Israel had left God to seek after false gods. But as Hosea continued to love his wife and finally brought her home again, so God continued to love Israel and promised to restore her to favor as well.
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Joel (between 900-500B.C.) Joel uses a plague of locusts to symbolize the coming judgement of God on Jerusalem (with the invasion of the Assyrians and Babylonians)(see Joel 1:6) Joel is mostly noted for his prophesy foretelling the day of Pentecost, at least 500 years later....."And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; And upon the servants, and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit"(see Joel 2:28,29)
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Amos (790 B.C.ff) was a herdsman who did not even consider himself a prophet(see Amos 7:14,15) yet he was called of God to prophesy to Israel. Amos was a contemporary of Isaiah, also prophesied concerning the coming punishment of Israel from God via the Assyrians and the Baylonians. Israel was sinning sins of injustice(see Amos 2:6), fornication in the Temple (2:7), official corruption (2:8), greed (2:6), and false worship (4:4). Amos also pronounced judgement on the surrounding nations...Damascus (1:3), Gaza (1:6), Tyre (1:9), Edom (1:11), Ammon (1:13), and Moab (2:1). Amos prophesied that God would sift Israel as grain through a sieve, and a remnant would be replanted and not pulled up again (9:8-15).
Obadiah ( some say as early as 848 B.C., some date him at 586 B.C.) prophesied concerning the destruction of Edom, a nation that treacherously participated in the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, while the Israelites were the descendants of Jacob, Jacob and Esau being brothers, for this violence Edom is condemned, and will be punished ( see Obadiah 1:2-9)
Jonah (762 B.C.) was called to preach repentance and offer saving forgiveness to the 120,000 people of Nineveh, Assyria. This showed God's love and concern for all people, even Gentiles (see Jonah 4:11). Jonah refused and fled on a ship, he was thrown overboard, swallowed by a fish, and disgorged upon the shore. Jonah finally obeyed God, and the people of Nineveh repented and were spared.
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Micah (750 B.C.ff) also prophesied about the fall of Israel to the Assyrians and Babylonians ( see Micah 1:12-15). Micah has a fairly well known prophesy..."and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" ( 4:3)....."But thou Bethlehem, Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel." ( 5:2)
Nahum (663 B.C. ff) recorded the downfall of Thebes, a city of Egypt, conquered by the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal in 663 B.C. Nahum also predicted the fall of the Assyrian city of Nineveh, which occured in 612 B.C. Nineveh had attacked Jerusalem, and it worshipped idols (see Nahum 1:12-15).
Habbakkuk (609 B.C. or before) records a dialogue between the author Habakkuk and God concerning how God would allow an unrighteous nation like Babylon to punish Judah for its sins(see Habakkuk 1:12-17), God stated that ..."the just shall live by faith" (2:4), God also pronounces the future judgement of Babylon.( 2:8). Habakkuk's prayer... "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour." ( Habakkuk 3:17,18)
Zephaniah (640 B.C.ff) was a prophet to Judah just before it was destroyed in 587 B.C. Josiah the king, moved by Zephaniah's prophecy instituted reforms in 621 B.C., including banning Baal worship( see Zephaniah 1:4). But these reforms were too little too late, the people slid back in to their evil ways and the city fell to the Babylonian invaders.He also pronounced judgement on the surrounding nations.(2:4-15)
Haggai (520 B.C.) was sent by God to preach to the restored community after the Babylonian captivity, and to encourage them to finish the project of rebuilding the Temple
Zechariah (520 B.C.) a contemporay of Haggai, encouraged the people to serve God without fear. Also prophecied concerning the coming of Christ.
Malachi (450 B.C. ff) a prophet to the restored community to give serious attention to their spiritual problems. He ends his book with a prophecy concerning the coming Messiah and His forerunner- John the Baptist(called Elijah)( see Malachi 4:5)
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PROPHETS INSIGHT: God's prophets reproved and entreated God's people to return to God. The solution they offerred was ultimately the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
