Discovering The Prophets in the Old Testament: A Small Group Bible Study

Discovering the Prophets in the Old Testament

Ten Prophets You Should Know

A Small Group Bible Study - Student Edition

Bruce Reed Pullen

Discovering the Prophets in the Old Testament - Student Edition

By Bruce Reed Pullen

Copyright 2017 - Bruce Reed Pullen

Smashwords Edition

ISBN (eBook): 9781301375530

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It should not be re-sold or given away to other persons. If you form a Bible study group to discuss this book, please ask members of the group to purchase either the student or leader=s study guide. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then would you please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite book store and purchase your own copy. The author thanks you for your financial support. Sections of this document may be quoted in a review.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations contained here are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NRSV), copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. They have given permission for its use. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked CEV are from the Contemporary English Version. It is copyrighted by the American Bible Society. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, and 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188 has given permission for its use. All rights reserved.

If you wish to use a study Bible to supplement your discussions, we recommend the Life Application Study Bible in the New Living Bible Translation for its extensive resources and more contemporary language; the Discipleship Study Bible (NRSV) for its notes on our responsibilities in response to the Good News; and the Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV) for its detailed scholarly notes on the meaning and background of the scriptures.

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Author

Bruce Reed Pullen is a graduate of Rutgers University (B.A.), Colgate Rochester Divinity School (B.D.), Princeton Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Palmer Theological Seminary (D. Min.). He served as senior pastor in churches in Hopewell, New Jersey; Burlington, Iowa; Alton, Illinois; and Westfield, Massachusetts, and as an interim pastor in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and New London, New Hampshire. Bruce, and his wife, Judy, are retired and live in Elgin, Illinois. He is the author of:

Discovering Celtic Christianity B Ten Celtic Saints You Should Know

Discovering Baptist Beginnings B Ten Baptists You Should Know

Advice from Paul - Letters to the Thessalonians and Philippians

Small Group Bible Studies

Discovering the Prophets in the Old Testament B Ten Prophets You Should Know.

Discovering Justice in the Old Testament - Ten Kings You Should Know

Introduction

Jesus came preaching the message, ARepent,@ that is ATurn from what you are doing to doing what is right, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.@ The prophets had a similar message. Over a period of several hundred years, their message was consistent: faith in God places certain responsibilities on God=s people. We invite you to reflect upon and then discuss in a small group the call of the prophets to do what is right and to live responsibly.

Perhaps you are at a point in your life when you want to dig deeper into the Bible. You probably have read the gospels and possibly the Acts of the Apostles. During your devotional periods you may even have read the rest of the New Testament and possibly some of the Old Testament. In this book you are invited to dig deeper into the lives of the Old Testament prophets and to apply their message to your life.

This study and discussion guide is designed to be used in a small group Bible study of the Old Testament prophets and their messages. This is the Student Edition. Additional material for a leader is included in a Leader=s Edition. We begin with Amos, one of the early prophets. Then we will explore the messages of Isaiah, Hosea, Micah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and finally Malachi. Although we have selected specific scriptures to illustrate the message of the particular prophet, you may wish to dig deeper and read the whole book bearing the prophet>s name, especially when it comes to the books of the minor prophets which are brief. Included are questions in each session to facilitate reflection and discussion. The first question is usually a general one. An overview gives us a brief picture of the prophet>s life followed by notes on specific scripture texts often including what Jesus might say about the issue. The sessions close with a prayer.

Contents

The Prophets

1. Amos

2. Hosea

3. Isaiah

4. Isaiah II

5. Micah

6. Zephaniah

7. Habakkuk

8. Jeremiah - early

9. Jeremiah - later

10. The Poet - Lamentations

11. Ezekiel

12. Zechariah

13. Malachi

14. Time Line

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Chapter 1 - Amos

Scripture Study - Amos 1, 4, 5, and 8

Focus Verse: ALet justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream (Amos 5:24).@

Calling for Justice

Amos came preaching a message of social justice and of ethical living calling the people to become more responsible for life in their communities. God does not forbid wealth and certainly is not against worship. However, Amos said both must reflect an active concern for doing what is just and morally right in our communities.

Opening the Discussion

1. In the last few years, has there been a person or event that called you or your church to take a more active role in caring for your community? Explain.

2. What have you or your church done to help people who have been unfairly or unjustly treated?

Amos - the book

We begin our fascinating study of the prophets with the book of Amos which most scholars agree is the earliest of the prophetic books. Amos establishes a pattern which succeeding prophets followed. Amos called God>s people to repent for failing to live as God would have them live. If they did not, they would cease to exist as the people of God. There is little comfort and hope in this message. Amos concluded, AThe end has come upon my people Israel (Amos 8:2)" and it did when the prophecy came true in 722 BC with the invasion of Assyria.

Amos was called to a prophetic ministry from his vocation which centered on sheep. Scholars indicate he was probably not a lowly shepherd, but rather the owner of land upon which he had planted sycamore trees and raised sheep. Some speculate he might have been the keeper of the temple herd and thus of high rank since his preaching reflects a high level of education. AAmos came from Tekoa (Amos 1:1)@ in Judah, several miles south of Jerusalem, a wilderness surrounded on three sides by limestone and used on occasion as an outpost for Jerusalem. The goats and sheep would have found it difficult to find food there. Amos says he is not a Anabi@ or paid prophet, but was self-supporting; he did not need to use prophecy as a means of earning a living in Judah (Amos 7:14). Since Amos did not depend on others for his support, he could freely speak the truth.

A look at a time line (see the Time Line) indicates that Amos was active during the reign of Uzziah (Judah) in the south and Jeroboam II (Israel) in the north. The date is somewhere around 760 BC. (Amos 7:14-15). His ministry was short; it has been estimated from just a few hours to at most a few months. Jeroboam=s power was developed at a very high cost to the people. The poor were exploited. Worship of the one true God was combined with the worship of false gods. Amos was called by God to travel to the northern kingdom to Bethel to challenge the direction Israel had taken under Jeroboam.

Amos - the man

What kind of man was Amos? He was passionate about his faith in God, a man who was stern, austere, with an uncompromising sense of morality and social justice. The writing shows a masterful control of the Hebrew language by Amos. He was a shrewd observer with a genius for reflection. His style is hard, direct, original, creative and yet traditional. His preaching was a radical challenge to the establishment, the privileged, and the prosperous. Amos, a man of faith, is called by God to protest injustice and immorality.

Civil war split David>s kingdom into north (Israel) and south (Judah), with the north blossoming economically but shriveling spiritually. The movers and shakers climbed the ladder of success, while the rest