Prophets
Generally I
Generally I
A prophet is someone who _____________-
delivers a specific message from God to a specific audience
Who was the most common audience for the oracles of Isaiah and Jeremiah?
King
Royal Court
People of Judah/Israel
Which historical prophet lived first: Jeremiah or Isaiah?
Jeremiah was arrested and thrown into _____ as his prison cell (and left for dead).
cistern/well
According to the prophets, who is in control?
God. Always.
What is the main reason given for why God is sending punishment (to Israel/Judah)?
When prophets of Judah wrote an oracle to a foreign nation, who was its most likely intended audience?
The people of Judah
Where did Jeremiah live?
Jerusalem
Put the following nations in the order in which they ruled over Israel/Judah (earliest to latest).
Persia, Assyria, Babylon
True or false: the last time the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem, Jeremiah encouraged the people of Judah to surrender.
True: Jeremiah encouraged them to surrender to the Babylonians.
The book of Isaiah is split into three parts. Which part contains the writings/oracles of 8th century Isaiah?
First Isaiah
Which prophet wrote about the "Suffering Servant?": Isaiah or Jeremiah?
Isaiah
Jeremiah was an active prophet during the reigns of five kings of Judah. Name two of the five.
Josiah, Jehoahaz (Shallum), Jehoiakim (Eliakim), Jehoiachin (Jeconiah), Zedekiah (Mattanyahu)
Jeremiah comes on the scene during the reign of King Josiah of Judah. What significant event happened during Josiah's reign that influences the lives and thinking of the people of Judah?
Josiah's renovation of the temple
"Finding" Deuteronomy during temple renovations
Josiah's religious reforms
Prophets sometimes employ physical symbols to reinforce their prophetic messages (i.e. Isaiah walked around naked for three days). Name one such example from Jeremiah.
Broken jug/flask (symbolizes the people of Judah approaching a level of brokenness that may be beyond repair) (ch. 19)
The Linen Loincloth (It sits unused and reaches a point where it cannot be used anymore; represents the faith of the Judean people) (ch. 13)
Deed of land purchase (ch. 32)
Boiling pot (ch.1)
Good and bad figs (ch. 24)
How does a prophet prove they are not a false prophet
Over time they earn the respect and trust of others. This especially happens when they give advice to their king and it proves prudent.
Second Isaiah, more than a simple scroll, appears to have actually been _______________, which helped spread its message to Jews living throughout the Persian Empire.
A simple traveling drama - most likely performed outside.
What job did Jeremiah's dad have?
HINT: It likely played a role helping Jeremiah think about his faith.
A person, such as Jeremiah, could be held in the courtyard of the guard as a way to punish them or as a way to ______ them.
It was dangerous to speak of an occupying power such as the Babylonians. If you get caught, they could make life difficult for you. Describe one method employed by prophets that allowed them to avoid detection.
Wild animals used in reference to foreign nations
Use a "safe" nation in place of an unsafe one (address Babylonians instead of the Persians who currently ruled over them)
Use a cipher "sheshack" 51.41
Name four prophets of God from Genesis through Jeremiah:
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, Deborah
Why did prophets mostly write oracles in poetic verse?
It was meant to make it easier to remember
Likely repeated frequently in public (public courtyard) and like a catchy song they were meant to stick in people's minds.
How did Jeremiah's messages get turned into scrolls?
He hired a scribe (Baruch)
Name four nations identified as enemies of Judah/Israel.
You may write as many as eight guesses
Egypt, Assyria, Babylon (Chaldea, Amorite), Edom, Philistia, Ammon, Moab, Midian, Israel/Samaria/Ephraim (enemy of Judah), Amalek, etc.
Prophetic messages get a bad wrap for their doom and gloom. What is an example of a message of hope from Jeremiah?
God will return you
God will restore Judah/God's people
God will not forget
God will destroy Judah's enemies
BONUS: how many words in the book of Jeremiah?
BONUS 2: What percentage of the way through the Bible are we now? >67%