Major Prophets

1. Major Prophetsfrom the Bible – 12th
July2016
“Everyone has sinned.Noone measuresup to God’sglory”(Romans3:23).
The Major Prophetswere mendivinelydesignatedtobe spokesmenforGod.Isaiah,Jeremiah,
Lamentations,Ezekiel,andDaniel make upthe booksof the OldTestamentthatare inthiscategory.
Four of the five booksare namedfor the menwhose messagesare written.Theywere calledwatchmen,
messengersof God,prophets,orforetellers.Theystoodalongsidethe priestsof theirday.
The PropheticBooksare filledwith propheciesof the comingMessiah.Because of Hislove forhumanity,
God doesnot wantanyone toperish.Yeteveryhumaneverbornhas sinnedagainst Himaswe learn
fromRomans 3:23, “Everyone hassinned. Noone measures up to God’sglory”. Therefore,Godmade a
wayfor the atonementof sin.He promisedacomingMessiah manytimesthroughthese prophetsinthe
bible.GodsentHisonlysonJesusChristas the atoningsacrifice sothat throughsame we are saved.As
Christianwe knowthatwe needtorepentforour sinsand by acceptingJesus asone’ssaviourthathe or
she can enterthe Kingdomof God.
The propheticmessages, statedof Jesusmanyyearsbeforeinhappened.These prophecies gave insight
intoGod’swill andplan. These propheticmessages were givenas exhortationsasa call or invitationof
knowledge andcomfortingforthe Jews whowere eagerlyawaitingthe arrival of the Messiah. Their
writingswere encouragingandchallenging,butalsoattimes,servedaswarnings.The propheticbooks
were callingpeopletoturnback to God and turnaway fromsin.Theyteach us that disobedience to
Gods will invitesdisasterbecause ineverythingandanything,thatGodisincontrol.
These spokesmenforGodfunctionedinthree ways: Firstlywe cansee thattheyservedthe community
at timesas preachers, throughwhich theirwordsexplainedthe MosaicLaw and fulfilledtheirtaskof
admonishing,denouncingsin,warningof judgment,callingforrepentance andbringing comfortand
promise of pardon. Secondly we learnthattheywere foretellers andannouncedthe impending
judgment,deliverance,andthe comingMessiah. Thirdlywe canlearnthattheywere watchmenover
Israel andtheyprovided warnings thatwere issuedaboutallianceswithmilitary/political powersand
againstreligiousapostasy. Eachof these Prophets broughtmany Messages tohelphumanity aswe learn
fromthe bible. Assuchwe will take five of the Major Prophetsas follows:
Isaiah’s message:It issuedacall to the nationof Judahto returnto servingGod.He revealedeventsof
the future,butthat was onlypartof the book.In Isaiahchapters1-39, he scornfullycondemnsJudahfor
strayingfromGod and callsfor repentance.The secondhalf offershope andconsolationasIsaiah
proclaimsthe promisesof the comingMessiah.Thispromise for TheHoly one of Israel,Lord God of
Israel, and MightyOneof Israel, beingYahweh, isthe chief focusof Isaiah’sbook.Consideredthe
greatestprophet,Isaiah’sstandwasoftenseenasconfrontational sohe eventuallybecame unpopular
and wasexecutedafter60 yearsof ministry. We can learnof a prophecywhichisjustone amongmany
inIsaiah55:3, “Giveear andcome to me; listen,that you may live.I will make an everlasting
covenantwith you, my faithful lovepromisedto David”.
Jeremiah:We can observe thathe oftenusedsymbolismtorelayhismessage,butitseemednoone
wantedtolisten.Thus,Jeremiahfeltlike afailure duringhis40yearsof ministry.He wasverypoor,
thrownintoprison,andlivedadepravedlife.Thisprophetsufferedextreme lonelinessandrejection.He
has beencalledthe “weepingprophet”andthe “reluctantprophet.”Jeremiahsufferedmuch

2. opposition,butremainedfaithfultoGodwith humble obedience.The majortheme of hisbookistwo-
fold:cautionsof God’sjudgmentandthe hope of restorationthroughrepentance. We canreadof a
prophecyfrom Jeremiah33:14, “‘The days are coming,’declaresthe LORD,‘when I will fulfill thegood
promiseI madeto the peopleof Israel andJudah.
Lamentations: ThisshowsthatGod sufferswhenHispeople suffer.Itisthe one of the five booksinthis
sectionthatis notnamedfor a prophet,butisbelievedtobe authoredbyJeremiah.The “weeping
prophet”weptearnestlyforhisnationandJerusalem;Godhadshownhimthe comingjudgmentdue to
theirrejectionandrebellion.Theywouldsufferthe destructionof Jerusalem!Jeremiah’spurposewasto
teachthe Hebrewswhattheirdisobediencewouldreap if theydidnotrepent.Hisbookof Lamentations
has beencalledafuneral songfora nationGod and Jeremiahgreatlyloved.
Ezekiel : He willinglychose toobeyGodand wasalsoa first-handwitnesstothe capture andfall of
Jerusalem.Ezekielwascalledtobe a prophetduringhisexiletoBabylon.He enactedacaring shepherd’s
heartwithgreat concernfor the priesthood,the temple,sacrifices,andthe gloryof God (calledShekinah
glory).The theme inthisbookshowsthatsometimes,due toman’srebellion,itbecomesnecessaryto
sufferagreat fall before people choose torespondtoGod’sgrace.Whenwe are stubbornlydisobedient,
God cannot drawus back to Him unlesswe awake andbecome humbled.Ezekiel endswitha
proclamationof the faithfulnessof God,hope,andaprophecyforthe blessedfutureof Hispeople.
Daniel:Thisbook centersaroundGod’spowerful sovereigntyandHisremarkable andprotectivehand
on Daniel.Daniel hadthe God-givengifttointerpretdreamsandvisions.While inBabyloniancaptivity,
thisHebrew’sgiftwasimplementedtowinthe unusual favorof KingNebuchadnezzar.Throughvarious
miracles,Daniel andhiscompanionsweregrantedprominentpositionsinthe Babylonianregime.These
dreamsservedtoprovide Daniel withan interpretationof the ruler’sbizarre dreamsaswell asdramatic
visionsof the future.The bookof Daniel isa precursorand companiontothe Bookof Revelationinthe
NewTestament.The prophecyof the successionof governmentsorkingdomsthroughhistoryis
presentedwithaman-likefiguresymbolicallydressedinrepresentationof eachrulingKingdom.Ithas
been100 percentaccurate.