LADDERS OF PRIORITIES

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PROPHECIES ABOUT A SAVIOUR Deuteronomy 4 verse
25-31 Biggest category of books in the
Bible Major/Larger (4) and Minor/Shorter
Prophets (12) Active between about 760 BC and
460 BC lt 2 of OT prophecy is about the
coming Messiah. lt 5 describes the new
covenant/messianic age. lt 1 concerns
events that are yet to come in our time. After
King Solomons death in 923 BC Israel divided
into northern kingdom (Israel) - Jeroboam and
southern kingdom (Judah) - Rehoboam
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• Prophets were spokespersons for God
• more forth-tellers than fore-tellers.
• In narratives, we hear more of what they did than
  said
• In prophetic books, we know more of what they
  said.
• The Role of the Prophet in Israel
• They were Covenant Enforcers/Conscience
• of blessings and curses announced in advance in
  Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 4 and 28-32.

3
Six categories of blessing life, health,
prosperity, agricultural abundance, respect and
safety. Ten categories of curse/punishment death
, disease, drought, dearth, danger, destruction,
defeat, deportation, destitution, disgrace.
4
Faithfulness Repentance Blessing Punishmen
t Comfort/Apathy Disobedience
5

• They spoke as Gods direct representatives
• Prior to 722 BC (Israel) 586 (Judah) warnings
• After 586 BC (Judah) comfort, mercy, hope to
  exiles
• To read the prophets requires understanding of
• the Big picture
• the specific situation
• the forms/structure of the oracles
• Five main forms of Oracles
• The Lawsuit (Is 3 v 13-26)
• The Woe (Habakkuk 2 v6-8)
• The Promise/Salvation oracle (Amos 9 v11-15)
• The Enactment (Is 20 v1-6)
• The Messenger Speech (Is 38 v1-8)

6
To rightly interpret Bible passages for our day,
we must seek to understand the context, intent,
style wording. Beware of eisigesis (reading
meaning into text) not exegesis (taking meaning
out of text)
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What are the lasting lessons of the
prophets?   The prophets reveal Gods character
and covenant Gods mind and mission Gods person
and purposes/priorities   The prophets reveal
warnings against the three Is Idolatry,
Immorality, Injustice   and the messages of hope,
forgiveness, reconciliation, new beginnings.
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