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

Sign of the Scrolls of Witness: dictated to Baruch, who then read them publicly

12. 36:4, 27

$ VWDWHPHQW DERXW -HUXVDOHP·V

fall

Sign of the Hidden Stones:

13. 43:8-10

To mark the place where Nebuchadnezzar will

Jeremiah in Egypt hid stones

in brick courtyard

set up his throne

Sign of the Sunken Scroll: wrote

14. 51:59-64

A sign that Babylon will sink

calamity of Babylon,

down and not rise

read it publicly, threw in Euphrates

Enacted Prophecy The plan of the fearful Jewish remnant in Jerusalem seemed logical: flee to Egypt and escape the invading Chaldeans. The prophet Jeremiah, with anguished heart, admonished and threatened his countrymen not to go. His dire warnings were quickly cast aside, however, and the remnant pursued their escape from destruction, compelling the prophet to go with them. The refugees settled in several Egyptian cities but Jeremiah was retained in Tahpanhes, where 3KDUDRK·V SDODFH VWRRG Jeremiah had done everything in his power to make his people understand they must submit to Nebuchadnezzar, or else his hordes would devastate Judah. He preached and talked in vain. *RG HQKDQFHG WKH VSRNHQ SURSKHFLHV ZLWK D VHULHV RI IRXUWHHQ ´VLJQVµ WKDW ZHUH WR EH OLNH ´DFWHGµ words: -- WKDW LV FRQVWDQW YLVXDO UHPLQGHUV RI WKH ZRUG RI WKH /RUG« -HUHPLDK paraded before the diplomats of Edom, Moab, Ammon and Sidon, for instance, wearing a wooden yoke (Jeremiah 27), an act whose symbolic imagery was easily understood ² and which they disdainfully rejected. While Jeremiah found himself in Tahpanhes under duress, an amazing word of the Lord came to him. The hardened Jews were so dull of hearing that God now chose to give them a mind-boggling exhibition that would make a major statement to three nations ² Egypt, Judah and Babylon. This message to Jeremiah, living as he was among idolatrous Egyptians and treacherous Israelites, must have prompted some hesitation, but he proceeded as directed: >*RG@ VDLG ´:KLOH WKH SHRSOH RI -XGDK DUH ZD tching, bury large rocks between the pavement VWRQHV DW WKH HQWUDQFH RI 3KDUDRK·V SDODFH KHUH LQ 7DKSDQKHV 7KHQ VD\ WR WKH SHRSOH RI Judah, ¶7KH /25' $OPLJKW\ WKH * od of Israel, says: I will surely bring my servant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, here to Egypt. I will set his throne on these stones that I have hidden. He will spread his royal canopy over them. And when he comes, he will destroy the land of Egypt. He will bring death to those destined for death; he will bring captivity to hose destined for captivity; he will bring the VZRUG DJDLQVW WKRVH GHVWLQHG IRU WKH VZRUG« +H ZLOO SLFN FOHDQ WKH ODQG RI (J\SW DV D sh HSKHUG SLFNV IOHDV IURP KLV FORDN«·µ -HUHPLDK -12, NLT). Some enacted prophecies are heartrending HSLVRGHV (]HNLHO·V ZLIH GLHG E\ GLYLQH GHFUHH for instance, on the day the siege of Jerusalem began ² as a sign of God (Ezekiel 24:16-27). The prophet was not (as we have seen) to lament or show any remorse at his tragic loss; he was to be mute until the city fell. Another example was Hosea, who was to love a wayward wife regardless of her unfaithfulness and disloyalty (Hosea 1:2).

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