In an age when every wind of doctrine is blowing it is well to make certain that our understanding of Bible prophecy rests upon a positive Thus saith the Lord (see Deuteronomy 29:29; Isaiah 50:11; Jeremiah 2:13; Matthew 7:24-28; 1 Corinthians 2:4, 5, 12, 13; Eph. National greatness. His book contains no direct to establish the time of his mission to Nineveh. Even during the Captivity, and later under foreign tutelage, Israel remained a theocracy in theory if not fully in practice. No chronological data are given, but the prophet speaks of the fall of No (chapter 3:8) as an event of the past. Several of his messages were against various foreign nations. 5. Thus it was with Daniel, a bright example of what man may become, even in this life, if he will make God his strength and wisely improve the opportunities and privileges within his reach (see Daniel 1:8-20). You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work. The work of no other prophet can be dated so definitely as that of Haggai. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Click on the different category headings to find out more. Old Testament Overview - General survey of the Old Testament. All men would recognize that Israel stood in a special relationship to the God of heaven (Deuteronomy 7:6-14; 28:10; Jeremiah 16:20, 21). One challenging point in history is the divided kingdoms of Israel (the 10 northern tribes) and Judah (the 2 southern tribes). Joel*. Revelation 17:13, 14, 17). Numbers 14:26-34. Jesus own verdict was, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof (Matthew 21:43; cf. He should not be confused with Micaiah, the son of Imlah, a prophet of Israel in Ahabs time (9th century B.C.). It is important to note that all the Old Testament promises looking forward to a time of restoration for the Jews were given in anticipation of their return from captivity (see Isaiah 10:24-34; 14:1-7; 27:12, 13; 40:2; 61:4-10; Jeremiah 16:14-16; 23:3-8; 25:11; 29:10-13; 30:3-12; 32:7-27, 37-44; Ezekiel 34:11-15; 37; Amos 9:10-15; Micah 2:12, 13; etc.). At times they had an import, not only for the age in which the prophet lived, but also for a day far future; in other words, they had a dual application. It is thought, furthermore, that his ministry fell in the years when the high priest Jehoiada acted as regent for the child king Joash (2 Kings 11:17 to 12:2), which fact would explain why the king is not mentioned anywhere in the book, while at the same time the Temple service flourished. In view of the light they had received from God, they were even worse than the heathen, to whom they felt so much superior. He says specifically that by Jew he does not mean a literal Jew but one converted at heart, whether he be Jew or Gentile (chapter 2:28, 29). Earlier commentators attempted to equate the two men, because of the use of similar expressions in their utterances (Micah 1:2; cf. They were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come (1 Corinthians 10:11). ***The Scripture references provided are those that help estimate the time periods of each prophets ministry. First Century Israel Map - It was His purpose to set them on high above all nations of the earth (Deuteronomy 28:1), with the result that all people of the earth would recognize their superiority and call them blessed (Malachi 3:10, 12). Nothing is known concerning the prophet Habakkuk beyond his name. Deuteronomy 18 - "And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?' 1 Kings 22:28). June 30, 2021 Last time we considered together the later part of the reign of Josiah. The prophet Jonah was a Galilean from Gath-hepher. DIVIDED KINGDOM c.930-c.586 BC From the internal strife that divided the nation of Israel to the prophets who warned of the coming exile. Hence no reference to these two kingdoms was made by the prophet. Inasmuch as it is possible to date the kings of Judah and Israel, especially the later ones, with comparatively high accuracy, the various reigns during which these sixteen prophets ministered have been entered in this chart according to the tentative chronology used in this commentary. The completeness and finality of this rejection is evident from chapter 8:19, 20: As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God. The rejection of Jesus by the leaders of Israel (cf. Though, on the whole, literal Israel failed to realize her exalted destiny, the chosen race did make a worth-while, though imperfect, contribution to the preparation of the world for the first advent of the Messiah (see on Matthew 2:1). Jerusalem would have become a great missionary center, and the earth would have been set ablaze with the light of truth in one grand, final appeal to those who had not as yet accepted the invitation of divine mercy. 3. The table below shows where in time the prophets fit within the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Hence, he seems to have labored at a time before Assyria played a role in Palestinian affairs. Thus Israel was to blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit (Isaiah 27:6). After the murder of Gedaliah, the new governor of Judea, the Jews of Mizpah, fearing the revenge of Nebuchadnezzar, went to Egypt and took with them Jeremiah as well as his secretary Baruch (chapter 43:6). To the very last, Christ would have averted the doom of the Jewish nation if the people had received Him. Historical setting He had told them that He would progressively diminish their strength and honor as a nation until they should all be carried away into captivity (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; 2 Chronicles 36:16, 17). Ancient Jerusalem - Interactive Study of Jerusalem with Map. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Furthermore, the rise of the Chaldeans and their invasion of the West is predicted, but this seemed at that time completely incredible (chapter 1:5-7). Paul states the same truth in Romans 9:30, 31, where he makes it plain that the Christian church has replaced the Hebrew nation in the divine plan. As he was escaping on a ship bound for Tarshish a great storm arose. That which God purposed to do for the world through Israel, the chosen nation, He will finally accomplish through His church on earth to-day. The late date is taken here, without prejudice toward an early one. Gods promises are made conditional upon mans cooperation and obedience. The consecutive order of the book of Haggai would indicate that his whole recorded ministry lasted not longer than 31/2 months, beginning (chapter 1:1) on August 29, 520 B.C., and extending, in his last two recorded speeches (chapter 2:10, 20), to December 18, 520. These promises of prosperity and a successful mission were to have met fulfillment in large measure during the centuries following the return of the Israelites from the lands of their captivity. Acts 13:22). God was to be glorified in Israel (Isaiah 49:3) and its people were to be His witnesses (chapters 43:10; 44:8), to reveal to men the principles of His kingdom. He purposed to make them an honor to His name and a blessing to the nations about them. <>>> Timeline of the Prophets Bible Commentary / Produced by TOW Project The table below shows where in time the prophets fit within the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Uzziah was sole king over Judah from 767 to 750, and Jeroboam over Israel from 782 to 753. For example, Nathan was King David's prophet, and he was financially supported by the king. Galatians 3:27-29; see on Deuteronomy 18:15). Examine the prophecy in its entirety. Godlinessgodlikenessis the goal to be reached. The covenant with literal Israel proved faulty, not because God failed to carry out His part of the covenant, but rather because Israels fair promises proved evanescent as the morning dew (Hosea 6:4; 13:3; Hebrews 8:6, 7). Henceforth, he says, there is no difference between Jew and Greek (chapter 10:12, 13). ?v>wO?D=`7[wx"*M -3R?$+Rjxwux>zz+ ,hd_AJ`sBJl2| AK7m?4(_^p/_zP_7LmVMNn[5s`#ydtA. He went to Bethel, a sanctuary city of the northern kingdom, to deliver prophecies of warning, reproof, and doom to Israel. Israel. One royal visitor to Jerusalem exclaimed, The half was not told me! (1 Kings 10:1-9). You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. See also the Chronology of the Latter Prophets and the Intertestamental Period. The kings of Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia, whose dates for this period are well established, are shown in a separate column. Used by permission. This is a timeline of the development of prophecy among the Jews in Judaism. Any nation and kingdom that would not serve Israel was to perish chapter (60:12). stream }[~-?)\ Prophet to Judah. They interpreted prophecy in accordance with their selfish desires, because their ambitious hopes were fixed on worldly greatness. Isaiah 54:7; Ezekiel 36:11; 43:10, 11; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 10:6). Desiring the same blessings for themselves, they would make inquiry as to how they too might acquire these obvious material advantages. Just because someone was mentioned in scripture, it does not mean they were a prophet, per se. Most of them left chronological data by which the duration of their ministry can be determined, at least approximately. Human traditions came to be honored in place of the revealed will of God (see on Mark 7:6-9). The fundamental principle by which we can tell unerringly when any particular promise or prediction of the Old Testament made originally to literal Israel is to meet its fulfillment with respect to spiritual Israel iswhen a later inspired writer makes such an application of it. The chart allows both ideas, indicating his possible ministry during the two decades preceding 560 B.C. Nothing is known of the prophet Joel beyond the fact that he was the son of Pethuel (chapter 1:1). Unfortunately, Nehemiahs second term as governor cannot be dated, which fact makes it also somewhat difficult to date Malachi. Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Solomon made his great mistake when he failed to realize the secret of Israels prosperity, and with a few noteworthy exceptions, leaders and people sank lower and lower from generation to generation until apostasy was complete (Isaiah 3:12; 9:16; Jeremiah 5:1-5; 8:10; Ezekiel 22:23-31; Micah 3). Gods word is sure (Isaiah 40:8; 55:11; Romans 11:29), and His plan for the salvation of man will ultimately prevail (Isaiah 46:10). Accordingly, what He purposed to do for the world through Israel of old He will finally accomplish through His church on earth today, and many of the promises originally made to literal Israel will be fulfilled to His remnant people at the close of time. These were remedied by the vigorous actions of the governor. Where the Bible text summarizes a king's reign -- - - Partial years were sometimes counted as full years. Daniel 2:35). Spiritual Israel includes both Jews and Gentiles (verse 24). It is not known whether Malachi is the name of the author or simply the title of an otherwise anonymous author, since Malachi means my messenger. If it is the latter, his is the only anonymous work among the prophetic books of the Old Testament. With the crucifixion of Christ they forever forfeited their special position as Gods chosen people. Under Nebuchadnezzars successors Daniels service seems not to have been desired. They eagerly sought the power of His kingdom, but were unwilling to be guided by its principles. Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. Finally, it was demonstrated before the universe that, apart from God, humanity could not be uplifted, and that a new element of life and power must be imparted by Him who made the world. Had Judah remained loyal to God its captivity would not have been necessary. But here, as in all exposition of Scripture, we should avoid affirming as the explicit teachings of the Bible that which is our private, finite view, however plausible it may appear to be. . You can check these in your browser security settings. The student of the Bible who hopes to secure from it the greatest help will first proceed to reconstruct the historical context of each passage. Micah's prophecy was likely directed toward both Judah and Israel. The Prophets The Dates Bible History Kings and Events Prophets of Israel Jonah 810-790 BC 2 Kings 13-14 Jehoash, Jeroboam II (Amaziah) Joel 790-760 BC 2 Kings 11-15 Uzziah Amos 780-760 BC 2 Kings 14-15 Jeroboam II (Uzziah) Hosea 785-725 BC 2 Kings 15-18 Jeroboam II to Hoshea (Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz) Isaiah 750-695 BC 2 [] The modernist school of interpretation denies the predictive element in prophecy altogether, arguing either that the predictions were written down after the events thus foretold took place or that such predictions reflected nothing more than the prophets hopes for the future, or those of his people. The prophet Zephaniah traces his genealogy back to an important personage by the name of Hizkiah, probably King Hezekiah (the names are the same in Hebrew) of Judah. Not all the prophets were anti-establishment, however. NOTE: This will conclude our study of Kings. With the call of Abraham, God set in operation a definite plan for bringing the Messiah into the world and for presenting the gospel invitation to all men (Genesis 12:1-3). Having begun his ministry in the time of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam II, king of Israel (chapter 1:1), Hosea continued until the time of Hezekiah, king of Judah (chapter 1:1). The exposition of Scripture attempted by proponents of the British-Israel theory consists of an admixture of selected Bible passages with legend, folk tales, and speculation. Prophets arose in Israel during the period when Israel's kings challenged the people in powerthe political rulers and the economic elite. Amir Tsarfati: Israel's Prophetic Timeline. In Jewish tradition it is believed that the period of prophecy, called Nevuah, ended with Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi at which time the "Shechinahdeparted from Israel". Copyright 2008 - http://www.BibleChronologyTimeline.com. It was Gods design that the whole earth be prepared for the first advent of Christ, even as to-day the way is preparing for His second coming. He will listen to the prophet speaking to Israel of old and endeavor to understand what his words meant to the people who originally heard them. Jer 2 - 6 2, 3God sends Jeremiah to Jerusalem to give a series of messages to the people of Judah. He would be king over all the earth verses (3, 8, 9), and His dominion from sea even to sea, even to the ends of the earth (chapter 9:9, 10). You can also change some of your preferences. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. Those who think that chapter 52 was added as an inspired postscript by Jeremiahs secretary or one of his disciples, believe that he died some 20 years earlier, about 580 B.C. A study of the Old Testament prophets that consists primarily of lifting selected passages here and there out of their historical context and arbitrarily applying them to our dayas if the prophet spoke exclusively for our benefitis fraught with grave danger. The prophets vivid description of the catastrophe that had befallen Thebes leaves the impression that the event was still fresh in the memory of the people, whereas Assyrias power, although waning, was not yet near its end. Furthermore, Old Testament prophecy must first be examined in terms of its historical application to literal Israel before the validity of a derived application to spiritual Israel may be undertaken. Most of them are mentioned in the Bible, in either the prophetic or the historical books. To this can be added the mention of Greeks (chapter 3:6), who hardly played a role in Near Eastern history earlier than the 7th century. He appears on the Bible Timeline Poster around the 8th century B.C. 4. 2 Kings 20:1-5; and of promised blessing, see Exodus 6:2-8; cf. Some of these prophets only have their words recorded in Kings or Chronicles, while others have their words recorded elsewhere in the Bible (usually the book name is the prophets name). His work is characterized by skill in the use of language, a well-balanced syntax, and a lively and impressive poetry. See on Zechariah 1:8. These repeated Messianic predictions were designed to lift the eyes of the people from the transitory events of their own time to the coming of Messiah and the establishment of His eternal kingdom, in order to afford them a view of the things of time in the light of eternity. 3. Unparalleled prosperity. Whatever the Jews, as a nation, may do, now or in time to come, is in no way related to the former promises made to them. He is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). The accompanying chart enables the reader to study these prophets in their historical setting. The list is roughly chronological . However, there is also no reference made to Persia, which would be expected if the book was of so late a date. Furthermore, it should be remembered that the Messiah, after the flesh, was a Jew, that the charter members of the Christian church were all Jews, and that Christianity grew out of Judaism. When the Jews rejected Christ as the Messiah, God in turn rejected them and commissioned the Christian church as His chosen instrument for the salvation of the world (Matthew 28:19, 20; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; 1 Peter 2:9, 10; etc.). Four eminent Hebrew prophets addressed themselves to the people of Israel and Judah in the latter half of the 8th pre-Christian century: Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah. In preparation for this time please read 2 Kings 23:29-25:30, & 2 Chronicles 36. Haggais courageous ministry was responsible for the resumption of the rebuilding of the Temple in the time of Darius I, after the work had ceased for some time (Ezra 4:24; 5:1). Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Scholars differ widely in their views concerning the time of Joels ministry. Ezekiel 38:16, 18-23; 39:1-7). Zechariah probably belonged to a priestly family (chapter 1:1; cf. Blog / Chart of Israel's and Judah's Kings and Prophets August 11, 2014 Chart of Israel's and Judah's Kings and Prophets Jonathan Petersen Blogger Grid member Craig T. Owens ( @craigtowens) has created the helpful chart below delineating the Old Testament prophets and kings of Israel and Judah: [ See the updated version of this chart] Owens says: **All dates are approximate time periods of each prophet's ministry. All who turned from idolatry to the worship of the true God, were to unite themselves with His chosen people. 3:5). Used under license from Veer Acts 1:6), to appear as a liberator and conqueror, and to exalt Israel to dominion over all nations (see on Luke 4:19). We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Nations that had known nothing of the true God would run to Jerusalem because of the manifest evidence of divine blessing that attended Israel (chapter 55:5). He probably died in the Nile country. It was to be the result of wholehearted cooperation with the will of God as revealed through the prophets, and of divine blessing added to human efforts. And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other (Deuteronomy 28:63, 64). These observations seem to place Zephaniah in the early years of Josiahs reign, perhaps about 630 B.C., as a contemporary of Habakkuk. When Messiah came, His own people, the Jews, received him not (John 1:11). Not only is Malachi last in the sequential order of the prophets; it is also the last prophetic book produced in pre-Christian times. Owing to the failure of the Jews as Gods chosen people, many of the prophecies of the Old Testament, such as those affirming the worldwide mission of Israel and the ingathering of the Gentiles (see Genesis 12:3; Deuteronomy 4:6-8; Isaiah 2:2-5; 42:6; 49:6; 52:10; 56:6, 7; 60:1-3; 61:9; 62:2; Zechariah 2:11; 8:22, 23; etc. ; (locust and Day of the Lord pictures in Joel), written against Edom (which was enemy of Jerusalem under Jehoram? Text from Earth's Sacred Calendar: The Dated Events of the Old Testament TWENTY-FIVE Israel's 44 Kings and Their Prophets Saul Seeks Father's Donkeys Until the Temple Starts Burning Sunday September 22 - Tishri 10, 1050 BC To Monday July 21 - Av 7, 526 BC 523 Years and 303 Days Jeremiah 12:14-16). However, there is no valid reason why Malachi should not be considered a proper name. Many messages and prophecies can be understood correctly only if seen against the background of the time in which the prophets ministered and in the light of the events that happened during their lives. *The prophets are listed according to their order in the Scriptures. Large Map of the Roman Empire in the Early First Century - Click around on the Places. It was Gods design that the whole earth be prepared for the first advent of Christ, even as to-day the way is preparing for His second coming. Bible Commentary / Produced by TOW Project, 10 Key Points About Work in the Bible Every Christian Should Know, Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership, Learning From the Psalms How to Pray Through Your Work, Situating the Prophets in Israels History, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Large Map of Israel in the First Century - Click around on the Cities. Span includes the period of co-regency (if any). Any idea that the return of the Jews to their ancestral home, that is, to the new state of Israel, may in any way be related to Bible prophecy is without valid scriptural foundation. (chapter 5:14), after which he was recalled to Persia. Higher than the highest human thought can reach is Gods ideal for His children. Roman Empire Map - Its messages show that it was written after the time of the kingdom of Judah, when a governor ruled over the country (chapter 1:8), a fact that points to the Persian period. Both of these extreme methods wrest the obvious intent of the Scriptures and render a sound understanding of the messages of the prophets for the church today unattainable. Obadiahs prophecy, directed against Edom, presupposes that a looting of Jerusalem and a carrying away of many Jews into captivity had recently taken place. The day, before, He had called it my house (chapter 21:13), but henceforth He no longer owned it as His. This fact weakens the arguments for such a late date. The glorious promises originally made to literal Israel are meeting their fulfillment today in the proclamation of the gospel to all men (Revelation 14:6, 7). chapter 11:9, 10). Hosea. They brought forth wild grapes rather than the mature fruit of a Godlike character (Isaiah 5:1-7; cf. A comparison between some of his prophecies and those of Amos indicates that Hosea was a younger contemporary of Amos (cf. In Abraham God found a man ready to yield unqualified obedience to the divine will (Genesis 26:5; Hebrews 11:8) and to cultivate a similar spirit in his posterity (Genesis 18:19). See Deuteronomy 7:13; 28:2-8; Malachi 3:8-11. 2. or during the early years of his reign. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. They voluntarily accepted God as their sovereign, and this constituted the nation a theocracy. The life of Christ is a perfect example of the character of God would have His people develop (see on Luke 2:52). Jeremiah had been chosen by God for his office before birth (chapter 1:5), and was called to be a prophet at a tender age (chapter 1:6, 7).