The MAJOR & MINOR Prophets - The 16 Writing Prophets Of The Hebrew Canon

7KH $UDPDLF VHWV IRUWK PDWWHUV SHUWDLQLQJ WR WKH *HQWLOH ZRUOG ZLWK OLWWOH QRWLFH RI *RG·V SHRSOH the Jews; and apparently, God saw that Aramaic, the language of the Gentile world, was more suitable to record those matters than was Hebrew, which was distinctly Jewish. The Hebrew [portion of the book], on the other hand, concerns Jewish matters. 9 Chapters 1 and 8-12 are clearly of greater interest to the Jews if written in Hebrew: such things as, the Hebrew captives, the oppression of the Jews by the Syrian ruler (Antiochus Epiphanes), the history of the Jews outlined in the Seventy Weeks Prophecy and finally oppressions of the Jews by the Antichrist. Daniel the Author, Seer and Diplomat-Administrator Only two of the writing prophets ministered in Babylon during the Exile: Daniel and Ezekiel. Back in Judea, Habakkuk may still have been alive at that time, and Jeremiah was continuing a vigorous ministry there. ´'DQLHO·V OLIH DQG PLQLVWU\ EULGJH WKH HQW ire seventy-year SHULRG RI %DE\ORQLDQ FDSWLYLW\ µ 10 /HW·V WDNH D PRPHQW WR UHYLHZ WKH VHWWLQJ IRU 'DQLHO·V OLIH 1HEXFKDGQH]]DU·V March. Things began coming to a head for Judah in 626 B.C. when Babylon rose up in a mighty surge against the Assyrian Empire, overthrowing Nineveh the capital in 612 B.C. Then, their army moved westward led by General Nebuchadnezzar, and the Babylonians defeated the Egyptian armies at the pivotal battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C. Afterward, 1HEXFKDGQH]]DU·V IRUFHV PDUFKHG VRXWKZDUG ILQDOO\ DWWDFNLQJ -HUXVDOHP 'XULQJ this time Nebuchadnezzar rushed back to Babylon and was crowned king, then returned to subdue Jerusalem, bringing Judah under his control. He demanded booty, captives and tribute from his captured cities; thus, from Jerusalem he took the valuable objects of the temple and also young male captives to be trained in Babylon for possible staff positions and--some suggest -- to superintend the care of the Jewish captives. Judah became tributary to Babylon, the beginning of the end of the nation. Babylon became the dominant power if the region. Rulers Galore. 1HEXFKDGQH]]DU·V resident ruler of Jerusalem was Jehoiakim (originally LQVWDOOHG E\ (J\SW·V 3KDUDRK 1HFR , with the name Eliakim) RQH RI -RVLDK·V VRQV ZKR continued for seven years to reverse any religious reforms his father had instituted (as well as undermine the authority of Babylon); Nebuchadnezzar replaced this untrustworthy appointee with -HKRLDNLP·V eighteen-year-old son Jehoiachin, then finding him unsatisfactory (after three months), quickly replaced him with his uncle Mattaniah (third son of former King Josiah), whom Nebuchanezzar gave the throne name of Zedekiah. ´=HGHNLDK KDV WKH GXELRXV GLVWLQFWLRQ RI being the king of Judah during its final destruction. The 11 years of his reign will come to a GLVDVWURXV HQG ZLWK WKH IDOO RI -HUXVDOHP µ 11 Say, let ·V WDNH D PRPHQWDU\ EUHDN IURP KLVWRU\ ! A story: There was a country preacher, not to well educated, who was known for his inspirational, exciting stories. He became famous through his boast that his Bible could fall open to any page, and he could with closed eyes bring his finger down on that page and then use that given verse as the topic of his sermon. One day, a visitor to his service requested that he prove his boast. Willingly the preacher let the Bible fall open, and with eyes closed lowered his finger down to the open page (which was in Daniel). As he opened his eyes, he saw the text using the strange, ORQJ ZRUG ´1HEXFKDGQH]]DU µ 5LVLQJ WR WKH FKDOOHQJH DQG XVLQJ DOO KLV LPDJLQDWLYH and oratorical abilities after a

9 Leon J. Wood, The Prophets of Israel, p. 353. 10 Wilkinson, p. 221. 11 F. LaGard Smith, The Narrated Bible , p. 1019.

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