Week 5: The Major Prophets

Know: 

Then the Lord reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put My words in your mouth.  See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”  Jeremiah 1:9-10

Consider:  This post is part of a developing series:  Around the Bible in 80 Days. Remember that every type of Scripture (historical books, prophecy, poetry, gospels, epistles, etc.) and even every passage points us to Jesus in at least one of four ways:  why we need Him to save and lead us (Galatians 3:19-22), why we are to trust Him as glorious and worthy (1 Peter 1:16-21), how He works as our Prophet, Priest and King (Hebrews 1:1-3) or how we are to follow Him by faith (2 Timothy 3:14-17)  It shouldn’t surprise us, then, that all of the prophets point to Jesus. (Acts 10:45)

This week we consider the Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel.  They’re described as “major” because they have more to say, not because their messages are more important than the shorter books of the Minor Prophets or other prophets elsewhere in Scripture.  All prophets were to serve as God’s mouthpiece.  (Exodus 4:14-16, Deuteronomy 18:18, 2 Samuel 7:4-5, Isaiah 51:16, Jeremiah 1:9, Ezekiel 24:21, etc.)  But God didn’t primarily send them to tell the future – He sent them to guide the future of His people by calling them (especially false prophets and wayward priests and kings) to repent for renewed faith and obedience. (Isaiah 37:1-7, Jeremiah 26:1-9, Ezekiel 22:23-29, Lamentations 2:6, etc.)   In the language of Jeremiah 1:9-10, He tears down our constructions of personal glory to build them as His dwelling for their joy in His glory, and He uproots our misplaced attachments and replants our love in Him to bear fruit for Him.  So when God “changes His mind” and doesn’t invoke a particular discipline that He’s relayed through a prophet, He’s simply following through on His original desire: to bless our obedience and faith. (Exodus 32:14, 1 Kings 21:17-29, Isaiah 38, Jeremiah 18:5-10, 26:19, etc.)  But His patience has limits. (Ezekiel 24:14)

The Major Prophets remind us of God’s holy call and gracious work to love His people with both hands – discipline and blessing – for their repentance and restoration to follow Him in obedience, unity and joy in Christ.

God loves us with both hands for our growth and joy in Christ.

Re: View

                                                                 
 
Reflect:  Questions for Journaling & Discussing

1. Which books of the Bible are called the Major Prophets?
2. Why are they referred to as “major” prophets?
3. Which verse in Acts 10 tells us that all of the prophets point to Jesus?
4. Why did God “change His mind” about some prophesies of discipline?
5. Will God always be patient and change His mind?
6. How would you describe the “two hands of love” in the prophets?
7. When has God’s hand of discipline changed you and later blessed you?

Continue: Memory Verse & Daily Homework

 Day 1: 

Isaiah – “God is my salvation – I will trust and not be afraid”

The portion of Isaiah 12:2 above reflects the meaning of Isaiah’s name (God is my salvation) and probably the theme of the book – to trust and obey, whether His people were (or are) being blessed or disciplined.  Memorize Jeremiah 1:9-10 (or Acts 10:45) and meditate on some applications to times of blessing and times of discipline.  Consider some of the key prophesies about Jesus in Isaiah:  Isaiah 9:1-2 and His ministry to Gentiles, Isaiah 11:1-16 and how He will lead as King, Isaiah 40:3-5 and having His way prepared, Isaiah 52:13-53:12 and the fact that He was to be a Suffering Servant.  For each one, ask yourself three questions:  1) What was the immediate significance of this prophecy in their circumstances?  2) How was Jesus the greater fulfillment of this prophecy when He came in human form?  And 3) where in my life should this prophecy make a difference in my faith and obedience right now?

Day 2:

Jeremiah – “I know the plans I have for you – plans to proper you.”

Jeremiah 29:11 may be one of the most quoted and misapplied verses in all of Scripture.  The Lord certainly had (and has) a plan to prosper His people, but it is primarily by spiritual discipline to purifying His people for greater holiness and joy in Him – not by material blessing to indulge His people for greater pleasure in His stuff.  The following are some of the most commonly quoted passages from Jeremiah:  Jeremiah 1:5-8, 17:5-10, 23:1-6, 29:10-19, and 31:27-37.  Read a few of them in context and restate in your own words how and why God’s discipline can lead us to greater joy through purity in Christ.  Then praise and petition the Lord regarding His loving discipline for purity in His people today.

Day 3: 

Lamentations – “Great is Your faithfulness”

Lamentations 3:23 was the inspiration for the wonderful hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”.  Read the whole but short book of Lamentations and then all verses of the hymn.  How well does the hymn reflect the message of Lamentations – that God disciplines His people in order to bring them to repentance for greater faith and obedience?  Ask some Christian friends to discuss and pray with you about the lyrical content of music in worship services and Christian radio today.  You might use some of the following example questions to prompt your discussion and prayer.  How much should a Christian song reflect specifics in God’s Word (His character, commands, promises, actions in certain passages, etc.)?  How clearly does the lyrics of the song communicate God’s Word?  How well does the tune assist worshipers in joining in appropriate praise, personal confession or more general lament, petitions for justice, thanksgiving, etc.?  What are some of the hymns/songs that convey the fuller message of God’s character, our need to repent and truth, His grace and holiness and our joy in Christ?  And how might we encourage our leaders to use such songs more often?

Day 4: 

Ezekiel – “…Then you (and they) will know that I am the Lord”

The Lord repeats this phrase (with “you” or “they”) 41 times in the book of Ezekiel.  And He refers to Himself as the “Sovereign Lord” 210 times, depending on your translation.  That’s over 13 times more than any other book in the Bible.  God drives this message home because His people have been captured by their enemies and taken into exile, and they think this is because God blinked or didn’t have the power to stop it.  In fact, He was the One who arranged it.  Use an online Bible search site to find some of the 41 passages “then you (or they) will know that I am the Lord”).  How do some of these passages remind you of times that you or other Christians thought God had abandoned you or them?  What are some of the supernatural works that God promised and delivered to increase the faith and obedience of His people?  What might have God orchestrated right now to increase faith and obedience in some of His wayward people?  Since the intellectual knowledge of God’s sovereignty did not always result in the faith and obedience of Israel, for what other end did God prove His sovereignty over them?  How might that apply to the many people who call themselves by His name today?

Day 5:

Daniel – “The King of kings – dominion, power, might and glory”

This quote from Daniel 2:37 originally referred to God’s authority given to Nebuchadnezzar to rule over the land and even His people while they were in exile.  But it foreshadows and, thus, fully applies to the Lord Jesus, the true King of kings and Lord of lords. (Psalm 136:3, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14 and 19:16, etc.)  So it shouldn’t surprise us that the first six chapters of Daniel are the prophet’s addresses regarding God’s rule through Nebuchadnezzar in their time, and the last six refer to God’s rule through Christ – either in His first coming or His second or both.  To a lesser degree than Nebuchadnezzar but in the same sense, God has given each of His people levels of authority and responsibility over others in our lives.  Husbands are to lead their wives; parents are to lead their children; employers are to lead their employees; government officials are to lead their constituents, etc.  Based on what you read in the first six chapters in Daniel, how should God’s rule over you encourage your faith and obedience to Him?  Based on what you read in the last six chapters, why must our ultimate hope for leadership be in Christ?

Post A Comment: 

From the time God first brought you to faith in Christ, how much had you heard sermons, devotionals or other teachings from the Major Prophets?  What did you learn about Major Prophets that you didn’t already know?  What questions do you have?  Inquiring minds want to know!

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