Old Testament Prophecy: Judgment and Hope for God's Kingdom

The Prophesied Kingdom: Old Testament Prophets and Promise

God's Mouthpiece

  • The Role of a Prophet: The core function of a prophet is to be God's spokesperson, proclaiming His word to others.
    • This is illustrated by God appointing Aaron as Moses' representative to the Israelites: "He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country" (Exodus\ 4:16-7:2).
    • Divine Inspiration: Prophecy originates not from human will, but from men who "spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2\ Peter\ 1:21).
    • Prophets' Own Claim: This is consistent with the prophets' introductions, such as Jeremiah's, "The word of the Lord came to me" (Jeremiah\ 1:4).

Covenant Enforcers

  • Moses as the Definitive Prophet: God revealed His Law through Moses at Sinai, establishing a covenant that would guide all future generations.
    • Covenant Conditions: To remain in the promised land and enjoy God's blessings, the Israelites had to obey His law. Disobedience would lead to judgment and eventual exile from the land.
    • Prophets' Role: Prophets who succeeded Moses primarily acted as "covenant enforcers." They urged the people to obey God's law, reminding them of the blessings that followed obedience and the curses that followed disobedience.
  • Early Great Prophets: Elijah and Elisha
    • Active in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the 9th century BC.
    • Their ministry often involved public confrontations with kings, challenging them to live according to God's law and repent of idolatry and lack of trust.
    • Spiritual Decline under Ahab: This period was marked by widespread apostasy, particularly the worship of Baal, and the killing of many of God's prophets.
    • Mount Carmel Contest: Elijah publicly challenged the prophets of Baal, resulting in a clear victory for the one true God.
    • Elijah's Despair and God's Reassurance: Despite the victory, most people did not turn to God, leading to Elijah's dejection: "The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left" (1\ Kings\ 19:10).
    • God reassured Elijah, revealing that He had "reserve[d] 7,000 in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal" (1\ Kings\ 19:18). While 7,000 is more than one, it represents a very small proportion of the nation.
    • Shift in Prophetic Understanding: Early prophets like Elijah and Elisha initially believed there was still time for the people to return to the Lord before judgment. However, as time progressed and the people's disobedience continued, later prophets realized God's judgment was inevitable.

The Writing Prophets

  • Emergence of Written Oracles: From the 8th century BC onwards, prophets began to record their messages, many of which are preserved in the Bible.
  • Categorization by Region and Time (Figure 24):
    • Northern Kingdom (early 8th century BC, leading to Assyrian destruction in 722 BC): Amos, Hosea.
    • Southern Kingdom (Judah):
      • 8th century BC: Isaiah, Micah.
      • 7th century BC (leading to the Babylonian exile in 586 BC): Jeremiah.
      • During Exile (early 6th century BC): Ezekiel, Daniel.
      • Post-Exilic (late 6th century BC, after the return from exile): Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.
  • Prophetic Books in the Bible: There are 17 prophetic books.
    • Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel (collectively referred to as 'major' due to the length of their books).
    • Minor Prophets: The remaining books (not 'minor' in importance, but in length).
  • Two Dominant Themes: All prophetic books revolve around two major themes: Judgment and Hope, both rooted in God's covenant with Israel.

Judgment

  • An Unpopular Message: God's judgment is often neglected in modern religious discourse, indicating a lack of engagement with the prophetic books.
  • Prophets' Primary Focus: Long sections of the prophetic books are dedicated to exposing the people's sin and announcing God's judgment against it.
  • Foretellers vs. Forthtellers: Prophets were not solely predictors of future events (foretellers); their primary role was to speak God's word to their contemporary society (forthtellers), often delivering messages of impending judgment.
  • Scope of God's Judgment (Figure 25, drawing from Amos):
    • Judgment on the Nations (Amos\ 1:3-2:3): As the creator of the world, God holds all nations accountable for their actions, not just His chosen people.
    • Judgment on Judah (Amos\ 2:4-5): God's own people are considered especially culpable due to their covenant with Him. They are condemned for rejecting the Lord's law, failing to keep His decrees, and being led astray by false gods. God declares, "I will send fire upon Judah that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem."
    • Judgment on Israel (Amos\ 2:6\ ff): Despite their belief in immunity, Israel faced strong condemnation. Their favored status amplified the severity of their sins, especially after all God had done for them, including rescuing them from Egypt and raising up prophets. "I brought you up out of Egypt. I also raised up prophets from among your sons, but you commanded the prophets not to prophesy" (Amos\ 2:10,12).
      • Amos's critique extends to all areas of life, encompassing social injustice, greed, and religious apostasy, emphasizing God's sovereignty over every aspect of existence.
    • The "Day of the Lord": This anticipated day, which the Israelites expected to be a day of victory against their enemies, would instead be a day when they themselves would face God's wrath (Amos\ 5:18).
  • Historical Fulfillment of Judgment: The complacency of both Israel and Judah was shattered by historical events:
    • The Assyrians defeated Israel in 722\ BC.
    • The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and took the people of Judah into exile in 586\ BC.
  • Divine Interpretation of Events: The prophets emphasized that these were not random historical events but acts of God's judgment, fulfilling the warnings given at the inauguration of the covenant with Moses.
    • Analogy: Jamie and the Puddles: A friend explains this with an analogy: Jamie, despite clear warnings from his mother about being sent to his room for splashing in puddles, repeatedly disobeys. When he is punished, his mother explains, "Jamie, it's your own fault. I told you very clearly that if you carried on splashing in the puddles, you'd be sent to your room. You kept doing it, and that's why you're there now."
    • Parallels with Israel: This mirrors the Israelites' situation: they received clear warnings through Moses and Joshua about the consequences of turning away from God (judgment and exile). They disobeyed, leading God to continually warn them through prophets before finally bringing judgment via the Assyrians and Babylonians. Prophets like Ezekiel later explained that these events were God's promised punishment, not a sign of His weakness compared to pagan gods. God remained in control, using the Babylonians to execute His judgment.
  • God's Character and Warning: God, while infinitely loving, is also holy and hates evil. His judgment in the Old Testament serves as a warning against complacency, foreshadowing a far more terrible judgment at the end of time (Revelation\ 20:11-15). Humanity's only hope on that day is to trust in Christ's atoning death.

Hope

  • God's Faithfulness: To be faithful to His word, God must judge His people. However, His word also dictates that judgment is not the final chapter. While there's a conditional element to God's promises (blessings for obedience, curses for disobedience), there's also an unconditional element, particularly His solemn promise to Abraham: "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis\ 12:1-3).
  • Covenant as Basis for Hope: Therefore, the same covenant that forms the basis of the prophets' message of judgment also underpins their message of hope.
    • Prophets speak of a glorious future for Israel, often described as an "action replay" of the 'good old days' under Moses, David, and Solomon, but "much better."
  • Elements of Future Hope: This future includes a new exodus, a new covenant, a new nation, a new Jerusalem, a new temple, a new king, and even a new creation. God's ultimate goal is not merely to rebuild the 'partial kingdom' of Israel but to establish the 'perfect kingdom,' where His people live in His place, under His rule, enjoying His blessing.
    • God's People: The Remnant: Although God will bring terrible judgment, He will not utterly destroy His people. A remnant will be preserved to form a new nation: "In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God" (Isaiah\ 10:20-21). Isaiah's son, Shear Jashub ('a remnant will return'), symbolizes this message.
    • A New Exodus: The plight of the exiles in Babylon mirrors the Israelites' slavery in Egypt. Just as God rescued them then, He promises an even greater 'new exodus': "The days are coming when men will no longer say, 'As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,' but they will say, 'As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the North and out of all the countries where he had banished them,' for I will restore them to the land I gave to their forefathers" (Jeremiah\ 16:14-15).
    • The Servant of the Lord (Isaiah): Isaiah introduces a mysterious figure, "the servant," who will accomplish this new exodus. While sometimes identified with the nation of Israel (Isaiah\ 44:1-2), other passages clearly depict an individual who will rescue the remnant of Israel (Isaiah\ 49:5-6; 52:13-53:12). This rescue is achieved through His suffering and death (foretold using the prophetic perfect tense, treating future events as if they've already happened due to their certainty):
      • "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah\ 53:5-6).
      • This Servant is both the embodiment of true Israel and the one who dies for the sinful remnant, taking their punishment (exile from God) so they can be forgiven and a new Israel established. This prophecy was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus' death on the cross, as He stated: "Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark\ 10:45).
    • Inclusion of the Nations: The Servant's mission extends beyond Israel to encompass all nations. Just as Israel was meant to be a "kingdom of priests," channeling God's blessings to the world (Exodus\ 19:6), God declares to the Servant: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah\ 49:6).
    • God's Place: New Temple and New Creation: Ezekiel's vision begins with God's glory departing the original temple in Jerusalem as an act of judgment. However, it ends with a glorious vision of a new, magnificent temple (Ezekiel\ 40-48), into which God returns. A life-giving river flows from this new temple.
      • This vision transcends a mere earthly building; it symbolizes a new creation. God's redemptive plan is not limited to Israel or even humanity in general. The Creator seeks to completely undo the effects of the Fall and renew the entire world. The prophesied New Jerusalem is not just a city on earth but represents this new creation: "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy" (Isaiah\ 65:17-18).
    • God's Rule and Blessing: New Covenant: A fundamental promise of hope is the "new covenant": "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah" (Jeremiah\ 31:31).
      • This is not a complete abandonment of past promises but God's faithful means of blessing His sinful people. Given their continual disobedience, a new approach is needed to reconcile His faithfulness to bless with His need to punish. The new covenant makes this possible.
      • Unbreakable and Internal: It will be unbreakable, providing a way for sin to be dealt with, ensuring forgiveness and an intimate knowledge of God for all His people. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts" (Jeremiah\ 31:33).
      • The Holy Spirit: Ezekiel and Joel clarify that this promise includes the indwelling presence of God's Holy Spirit in the lives of all His people (Ezekiel\ 36:26-27; Joel\ 2:28-32).
      • Inauguration: Jesus inaugurated this new covenant through His death, declaring at the Last Supper: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" (Luke\ 22:20).
    • God's Rule and Blessing: New King: Just as God ruled through a king in the old covenant era, He would do so again. Prophets built upon God's promise to David (2\ Samuel\ 7:12-16) of an eternal, universal king from his lineage—the Messiah (Christ, anointed one, Son of David).
      • The salvation of God's people and the fulfillment of all His promises depend on this King: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever" (Isaiah\ 9:6-7).
      • Daniel's vision portrays this figure as "like a son of man," given "authority, glory and sovereign power. All peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him" (Daniel\ 7:13-14), clearly indicating He is no ordinary monarch.
      • Jesus Himself affirmed His divine kingship by alluding to Psalm\ 110:1 (where David calls the future ruler "my Lord"), indicating He is more than just David's son but also the Son of God (Mark\ 12:35-37).
      • Suffering King: Some Psalms prophetically depict the king's suffering, such as the cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psalm\ 22:1; also Psalms\ 2, 89, 110).
    • God's Rule and Blessing: Great Blessing: The era of fulfillment will bring immense blessing to the entire world, a return to Edenic peace and prosperity.
      • Agricultural abundance: "The Reaper will be overtaken by the ploughman, and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills" (Amos\ 9:13-14).
      • Harmonious creation: "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them" (Isaiah\ 11:6).

The Psalms

  • Nature and Authorship: The book of Psalms is a collection of hymns and prayers used in Israelite worship, compiled over a long period, with many attributed to King David.
  • "Little Bible": It is called the "little Bible" because it encapsulates themes found throughout Scripture.
  • Three Key Themes (Figure 26):
    • Praise: The Psalms are primarily God-centered, exalting Him as the great King of all the earth and of Israel. His people praise His power, holiness, justice, and compassionate salvation. Examples include "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods" (Psalm\ 95:1-3). See also Psalms\ 100, 121, 145.
    • Prophecy: The Psalms are the most frequently quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament. Many psalms point directly to Jesus as God's eternal King: "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy" (Psalm\ 45:6-7). However, they also foretell His suffering: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psalm\ 22:1). See also Psalms\ 2, 89, 110.
    • Personal Experience: The Psalms offer profound insight into the believer's heart, laying bare the diverse experiences of faith in God the King, ranging from great certainty and joy to doubt and depression. These expressions resonate with Christian believers today. "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" (Psalm\ 13:1). "The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?" (Psalm\ 27:1). "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord" (Psalm\ 84:1). See also Psalms\ 23, 42, 73.
  • Central Truth: "The Lord is King forever and ever" (Psalm\ 10:16). This reinforces the promise that Abraham's blessing to the nations will be fulfilled through God's saving acts for Israel (Isaiah\ 61:1-3).

The Post-Exilic Period and Unfulfilled Promises

  • Return from Exile (538 BC): Six decades after the exile began, Cyrus of Persia defeated Babylon and allowed the exiles to return to Judah and rebuild their temple. This seemed like an immediate fulfillment of the prophecies of hope.
  • Disappointment and Partial Fulfillment: However, the restoration was not the triumphant success the prophets had promised:
    • Only a small number of exiles returned, facing significant opposition.
    • The second temple, eventually built, was far less magnificent than Solomon's, leading older returnees to weep at its foundation while younger ones rejoiced (Ezra\ 3:11-13). It was not the glorious new temple Ezekiel prophesied.
    • The "new Jerusalem" was modest, not the grand new creation foretold.
    • Crucially, the people did not have new hearts. Despite Ezra's efforts to reaffirm God's law, disobedience persisted, as lamented by Nehemiah (Nehemiah\ 13).
  • Post-Exilic Prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi): These prophets continued the dual message of their predecessors. They condemned their hearers for breaking the covenant and warned of judgment, but they also pointed to a future time when God would fully act to fulfill His promises, enabling His people to enjoy all the blessings of the covenant.
  • The Unfinished Story: The Hebrew arrangement of the Old Testament concludes with 2 Chronicles, ending with a hint that the exile of God's people would soon be over. While a physical return happened, it was not the comprehensive 'new exodus' the prophets envisioned. Spiritually, God's people remained in a state of anticipation, or 'exile,' awaiting the Lord's full return and the complete fulfillment of His salvation promises.
    • "God's kingdom still has not come because God's king has not come."

The End of the Old Testament and Anticipation

  • Malachi's Final Promise (Figure 28): The last prophet, Malachi, insists that the King will appear, preceded by a messenger: "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come" (Malachi\ 3:1). This sets the stage for the coming of the Messiah and the New Testament.

Figure 27: The Prophesied Kingdom Summary

  • The Pattern of the Kingdom: Adam and Eve, living in the Garden of Eden under God's word, enjoying perfect relationships.
  • The Perished Kingdom: Humanity's fall, leading to no one in God's ideal place, banishment, disobedience, and curse.
  • The Promised Kingdom: God's promise to Abraham: his descendants, inheriting Canaan, bringing blessing to Israel and the nations.
  • The Partial Kingdom: The Israelites residing in Canaan, specifically Jerusalem and its Temple, operating under the Law and led by a human king.
  • The Prophesied Kingdom (Future Fulfillment):
    • God's People: A remnant of Israel, expanded to include the nations.
    • God's Place: A new temple and a new creation (new heavens and new earth).
    • God's Rule & Blessing: A new covenant, established by a new king, bringing great blessing.

Bible Study: Hosea (Hosea\ 1-3)

  • Relationship Stages: Analyze the progression of the relationship between the prophet Hosea and his wife Gomer.
  • Mirroring God and Israel: Explore how this marriage serves as an allegory for the relationship between God and His people, Israel.
  • People's Sin: Identify the specific sins of the people revealed through this imagery.
  • God's Judgment: Understand how God's judgment is portrayed.
  • Hope: Discover the elements of hope presented and how they echo the promises made to Abraham and David.
  • Learning and Application: Reflect on what the passage teaches about God and humanity, and how these insights should transform personal lives and understanding of the upcoming "present kingdom."