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