The Christ of the Prophets

Question 1

The ministry of Israel’s writing prophets centers primarily about what events?

Answer 1

Israel’s exile and restoration

Question 2

Hosea and Amos ministered where and when?

Answer 2

Northern kingdom during 8th century

Question 3

Which prophets ministered to the Southern kingdom?

Answer 3

Micah and Isaiah

Question 4

Which prophets were 7th century?

Answer 4

Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Jeremiah

Question 5

Which prophets were exiles in Babylon? When?

Answer 5

Daniel and Ezekiel, 6th century

Question 6

What did banishment from the land mean to the people?

Answer 6

Possession of the land sealed for the people their position as heirs of God’s blessing, so exile signified God’s people becoming “Not-my-people.” In forcing them to return to the land of their origins, the Lord indicated that blessings of the nation had been removed

Question 7

What does the whole prophetic movement deal with?

Answer 7

Prophets were raised up to deal with explaining the why of Israel’s exile; which only God could reveal

Question 8

Who did exile hold meaning for?

Answer 8

contemporary Israelites. But also in accordance with the role of the major movements of the history or redemption, this event also was designed by the Lord to communicate redemptive truth across the generations

Question 9

Other examples of events like Exile, which held meaning for those alive and generations to come?

Answer 9

Exodus communicated concept of redemption from guilt of sin by blood; possession of Canaan anticipated eschatological entry into rest for people of God; monarchy embodied principle of messiah’s lordship over his people in final Kingdom

Question 10

How was exile different than other phases of redemptive history?

Answer 10

Rather than moving forward the nation’s experience of redemption, expulsion appeared to cancel out all the gains that had been made up to that point. So exile created a theological crisis for the nation

Question 11

Who was exile for?

Answer 11

For the apostate, the compromising believer, for Israel the servant, for the faithful remnant.

Question 12

Who were the apostate? How did exile teach them?

Answer 12

Those who once confessed Yahweh as God but now were disbelieving by syncretism. They had always lived in the midst of God’s elect. But in exile their final fate is clarified. They are under curse and must be cut off for breaking the covenant. Exile depicts eternal banishment.

Question 13

Who were the compromising/disobedient? What did exile teach them?

Answer 13

The believers who walk in disobedience. Exile taught that the Lord would severely chasten his people if they persist to sin. His punishment is better than what sin deserves

Question 14

Who was “Israel” and what did exile mean?

Answer 14

Israel was a typological embodiment of the servant of the Lord. Theology of the suffering servant developed out of Exile. Imagery similar to Jesus becoming Not-my-People to mine.

Question 15

Who were the faithful remnant and what does Exile mean for them?

Answer 15

Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel and other faithful worshipers of true God transported in company of rebellious. Faithful scattered among nations and door was opened in new way for participation in God’s kingdom.

Question 16

How long was the restoration after exile?

Answer 16

History of restoration spans approximately 150 years from 536 to 400 BC

Question 17

What three stages can restoration be broken into?

Answer 17

(1) First return and beginning to rebuild (536)
(2) The re-beginning of the rebuilding (520)
(3) The second return under Ezra and Nehemiah (458)

Question 18

What phases of restoration did the prophets restored from Exile (Haggai and Zechariah) prophesy in?

Answer 18

Final two phases of restarting to rebuild and second return.

Question 19

Time and placement of Malachi?

Answer 19

during the time of the second return under leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah.

Question 20

Ezra 3: How did people respond to the new temple

Answer 20

Shouts of joy from younger generation rejoicing with older generation weeping with wails of disillusionment

Question 21

zech 4:10: small beginnings

Answer 21

Days of grandeur would eventually come, but in the meantime the little things must not be despised. God’s people must not resort to their own devices

Question 22

Why did work on the temple cease later that same year? (ezra 4)

Answer 22

rigid samaritan opposition

Question 23

How long until people continued work on the temple?

Answer 23

15 years

Question 24

When did Haggai first urge renewal of efforts? Zechariah?

Answer 24

Just after accession of Darius I as Medo-Persian emperor (522BC). Zechariah two months later calling people to repentance

Question 25

Under Haggai and Zechariah how long did temple take to build?

Answer 25

4 years (516 completed)

Question 26

Where does Esther fit in?

Answer 26

the next 75 years in Persia. The vast majority of exilic captives remained in the land of deportation. At end of period Ezra led the second return to Jerusalem in 458 BC Ministry of Malachi would have occurred at same time

Question 27

How is Malachi placed if not dated?

Answer 27

circumstances parallel second return. Temple completed and sacrificed restored, but priesthood needed purification and mixed marriage common. similar abuses with Ez and Neh.

Question 28

State of the people when let out of Babylon?

Answer 28

less than 50,000 people, confined to small area because of northern hostile Samaritans, and Negev below. severely restricted. meager return. selfcentred and neglectful. complacent.

Question 29

2nd half of of 6th century was hardly a restoration, why?

Answer 29

shell was there but substance absent. lack of monarchy. no highest sacrifice because ark of covenant lost (day of atonement). No king, or priesthood, so mosaic theocracy not reconstituted.

Question 30

Who is Zerubbabel?

Answer 30

Governor, descendant of David. Powers only from Persian government.

Question 31

Why restore at all if so meager?

Answer 31

God was intent on displaying before the world his unswerving commitment to realize his purposes of redemption among a fallen humanity and keep line of continuity with past purposes for both his people and among the nations. Also, state of humiliation so he might fulfill role of suffering servant, not king already in place of glory.

Question 32

What is the state of the nations upon return?

Answer 32

israel small people vulnerable under foreign powers picture of god’s true people through all ages in midst of alien forces. (1) they are at rest despite participation in decimation of god’s people and (2) inevitably experience divine judgement (horns and craftsman)

Question 33

What did prophets anticipate in future?

Answer 33

1- Jerusalem and the temple will be rebuilt
2- God himself will return to live with his people
3- many more people will return
4- Sin will be removed
5- the lord’s priestly servant-messiah will come

Question 34

What does it look like for jerusalem and temple to be rebuit?

Answer 34

central feature. short term fulfillmnt with wealth of ntations towad project. longterm realizzatio npredicted for greater glory in eschaton.

Question 35

God returns to live with people

Answer 35

real tragedy not exile but departure of god from midst. return to me and i will return to you. and abiing prescen of holy spirit.

Question 36

many more people will return

Answer 36

four winds of heaven. eat and west to jerusalem. restore tribes of north. gentile nation will join.

Question 37

Sin will be removed

Answer 37

if sin root of banishment, removal of sin’s defilments must be essential part of restoration. proper cleansing from sin. zechariah provision for cleansing.

Question 38

Lord’s priestly sevant messaighw will come

Answer 38

hope of future king and kingdom in larger dimension. florious and humble.

Question 39

Joshua is specifically idnetified as a person smybolic of things to come

Answer 39

“The Branch” title used by prophets to identify the expected messiangic dkin of david’s line. Merger of kingly and priestly roles unique to zechariah ‘s messianism.

Question 40

What are the emphases of exie and restoration? the pivitoal point in the ministry of israel’s prphetss

Answer 40

isrealse experience of exile and restoration becomes a clear basis for prophetic projection into future; city of jeru and messiah both playmajorr roles for israel; exile and restore ahve significant impact on all nations of the world

Question 41

jeremiah’s 70 years?

Answer 41

captured nation will serve babylon for seventy years and will return to own land after seventy years.

Question 42

particulars of 70 years

Answer 42

1) 23 years after 13th year of josiah is 605 (inclusively)+70 is 536 cyrus decree

Question 43

restoration is more than geography

Answer 43

forgivenesss of sins, new life of grace, , and inclusion of gentile nations; and rejuvenation of earth ,adn resurrection of dead