Chapter 24: Introduction to the Prophets

Astyages

By the middle of the sixth century, Babylon and Media existed as the two greatest powers in Mesopotamia. In 550 BC, _________________ was king of Media. Page 330.

Mount Carmel

First Kings 18 records Elijah's dramatic contest with the prophets of Baal on ____________________, a contest in which God demonstrated that He, not Baal, was Lord in Israel. Page 320.

Vaticinium ex eventu

Latin phrase meaning "prophecy after the fact," or "a prophecy from an outcome." This refers to a literary technique employed intertestamental apocalyptic writings whereby a well-known event of the past is cast in predictive, futuristic language. The author speaks of events that have already occurred as if they had not actually taken place. - The author assumes the position of the predictive prophet and speaks of the events as though it were still in the future. Some have argued the Akkadian texts are example of ________________________. Page 324.

Nebuchadnezzar II

Nabopolassar's son, _____________________________ (605-562 BC), firmly established Babylon as the dominant empire in the ancient Near East. Page 329.

Merodach-baladan II

One Chaldean, ____________________________, challenged Assyrian power from 721 BC to 710 BC and briefly in 703 BC before meeting defeat. - Chaldeans were people living in southern Mesopotamia, organized in strict tribal groupings called "houses," settled along the lower Tigris and Euphrates River. Page 329.

Qarqar

One of the most noted kings was Shalmaneser III (859-824 BC), who in 853 BC at the city of ____________ battled a coalition of small nations whose leaders included Benhadad II of Damascus and Ahah of Israel. Page 328.

Shalmaneser III

One of the most noted kings was _____________________ (859-824 BC), who in 853 BC at the city of Qarqar battled a coalition of small nations whose leaders included Benhadad II of Damascus and Ahah of Israel. Although __________________ was unsuccessful at Qarqar, later battles won him control of many of these western nations, including Israel whose King Jehu paid him homage. Page 328.

Mari

The ancient city ________, located in the Euphrates River, was an important city in Old Babylonian times, and it presents us with a second possible parallel to biblical prophecy. Under its king Zimri-Lim, ________ became a leading city that controlled much of upper Mesopotamia until the Babylonian King Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC) conquered Mari and added its territory to his own. People known as ecstatics (Akkadian muhhu) resided in and around ________, and many scholars have noted parallels between the muhhu and the biblical prophets. Page 324.

Tiglath-pileser III

The rise of _________________________ (745-727 BC) to the throne of Assyria marked the beginning of a period of Assyrian expansion. Page 328.

Darius

Under Cambyses (530-522 BC), Persia's second ruler, Persia extended its influence into Egypt, and ____________ and Xerxes (486-464 BC--the "Ahasuerus" of the book of Esther) fought extensively with Greece. Page 331.

Artaxerxes

Under Haggai and Zechariah's influence, the people finished the temple in 516 BC. Ezra and Nehemiah came to Judah later during the reign of __________________ (464-423 BC), rebuilding the walls and establishing further religious reforms. - Many Jews, however, stayed behind in Babylon, remaining part of Babylonian society. Page 331.

Classical prophets

When we say "the Prophets," we usually mean those individuals who lived during the period from about 800 to 450 BC and served as spiritual messengers to God's people by the power of the Holy Spirit. Three men especially helped to lay classical prophecy's foundation: Moses, Samuel, and Elijah. Page 319.

Omen texts

Collection of texts that began to be compiled during the Old Babylonian Period (2000-1595 BC). - Probably considered scientific in their own day, these texts reflected the belief of these ancient people that the world was a complex web of cause-and-effect relationships with a supernatural intention often lying behind an event. - Thus the _________________ preserved a written record of these events and their consequences; if certain events recurred, that meant the gods were about to repeat their prior actions. For example, if a sacrificial animal has a red spot on its liver, that might indicate a military victory for the king. These texts have little in common with the biblical prophecy, for they lack any sort of moral basis. - While their gods simply revealed their will through interrelated events in nature, the prophets took their stand on God, His word, and His covenant. Page 323.

Akkadian prophecies

Akkadian texts of the first millennium BC that simply list various political events of a particular historical period; their intention is somewhat vague. - It seems that the writers wrote these texts to make them look like prophecy, although some scholars have suggested that the texts are more closely related to apocalyptic literature or are examples of prophecy written after these events. - These prophecies differ significantly from classical biblical prophecy. Page 323.

Shamshi-Addu

Archaeologists have discovered evidence that the Assyrians were present in the ancient Near East as early as about 2000 BC. - Most of the early evidence comes from Asia Minor, though an early king, ______________________ (1815-1782 BC), pushed eastward and controlled most of upper Mesopotamia, including Mari. Page 328.

Apocalyptic literature

Body of symbolic, "revelatory" documents containing a unique manner and style of communication and sharing a basic content. ______________________________ was widespread in Judaism around the time of Christ and had a profound influence on early Christianity. - The New Testament book or Revelation is the oldest document actually claiming the title "apocalypse" or "revelation." Page 325.

Cappadocia

Cyrus, Astyages's son-in-law, led a revolt against him and defeated him, thus inheriting northern Mesopotamia, Syria, Armenia and ____________________. - In 539 BC, Cyrus marched on Babylon and took the city without a fight. Page 330.

Babylonian Period

Early second millennium BC (2000-1595 BC), during which the Babylonians began to compile what we now call omen texts. Page 323.

Nabopolassar

In 626 BC, with Assyria declining, _________________________ (626-605 BC) established a Chaldean dynasty at Babylon; and with the help of the Medes and others, defeated Nineveh in 612 BC. - His son Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 BC), firmly established Babylon as the dominant empire in the ancient Near East. Page 329.

Mari prophecy

One of the basic categories of evidence regarding the existence of prophecy in other civilizations of the biblical world and its relationship to the biblical prophets. Although similarities between Mari prophecy and biblical prophecy do exist, striking differences appear with a closer look at the texts and sharply distinguish the biblical prophets from the ecstatics of Mari. - The Old Testament prophets asserted that God's covenant with His people had implications for daily living. - A proper relationship with God should result in just and ethical treatment of other people; certain actions and beliefs were true and right because God has so ordained them. - Furthermore, the prophets spoke to all of society, not just to the royal household. Page 323.

Ecstatics (muhhu)

People who resided in and around the ancient city of Mari, of whom many scholars have noted parallels with the biblical prophets. - These individuals delivered messages that they had received through dreams, visions, or trances; each served a particular god or goddess. - In their utterances, they might warn the king of rebellion, counsel him regarding expeditions, promise him victory over his enemies, or encourage him to serve the deity more faithfully. Page 324.

Alexander the Great

Persian victory over Greece, however, did not last, for _____________________________ defeated Darius III (335-331 BC), bringing an end to the Persian Empire. Page 331.

Classical prophecy

Prophecy that generally addresses all the people, informs them of God's wrath against their sin, warns them to repentance, and proclaims God's salvation for those who will turn to Him. Such prophecy was written by those who served as God's special messengers to His people by the power of the Holy Spirit from about 800 to 450 BC. The Old Testament books of Isaiah through Malachi are good examples of classical prophecy (i.e., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habkkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi). Bible scholars often refer to the classical prophets' writings as classical prophecy because their message tend to have certain similar features, including: 1) inform the people of God's wrath against their sin 2) warn them of approaching judgment 3) call them to repent 4) proclaim God's salvation for those who will turn to Him. Page 319.

Foretellers

Prophets to whom God revealed the future--sometimes the near future and sometimes the distant future--and who then declared it to their own generations. The prophets spoke of judgment and of restoration, of bad news and of good news, primarily to motivate God's people to be faithful living in the present. Page 322.

Forthtellers

Prophets who told forth God's truth to their own generation; the prophets pointed out the evils of their day and called the people to repent, warning them that while the covenant brought many privileges, it also brought many responsibilities, including justice, righteousness, and holiness. Page 322.

Nonliterary prophets

Prophets whom God called to prophesy but who never wrote down their messages, leaving to others the task of recording their words and deeds; we know their ministries only through the accounts of them in the Old Testament historical books. The _________________________ generally tended to focus on the king and his court, advising the king on various matters and sometimes warning him about the consequences of his sin. - Examples of such prophets include Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 1:1-13:21), unnamed prophets who appeared in Saul's day (1 Sam. 10:10-12; 19:20-21) and later during the divided kingdom (1 Kings 13), Ahijah (1 Kings 11:29-39), Micaiah (1 Kings 22:7-28), someone designated only as "a man of God" who spoke words of judgment to Jeroboam I (1 Kings 13:1-10), and a woman named Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20). Page 325.

Eschatological

Relating to eschatology. - Eschatology is a term for that part of theology that deals with the doctrine of the last things. As such, eschatology is concerned with death, judgment, heaven, hell, resurrection, Jesus's second coming, and so on. A common theme of the prophets' writings is the day of the Lord. - Often this concept refers to a time of immediate judgment, whereas in other passages it refers to God's ____________________ judgment at the end of the ages. - The day of the Lord includes three aspects: God's judgment on unbelievers, the cleansing and purging of God's people, and the salvation of God's people. - The prophets warned God would judge all sin wherever He found it. Page 327.

Sargon II

Revolts and unrest in Syria and Palestine led to Tiglath-pileser's western campaign; Damascus eventually fell in 732 BC, while Israel and Judah became vassal states. When Hosea, Israel's last king, revolted, Shalmaneser V (726-722 BC) and his successor, _____________ (722-705 BC), conquered Samaria and led Israel into exile. Page 328.

Xerxes

Under Cambyses (530-522 BC), Persia's second ruler, Persia extended its influence into Egypt, and Darius and ____________ (486-464 BC--the "Ahasuerus" of the book of Esther) fought extensively with Greece. Page 331.

Cambyses

Under __________________ (530-522 BC), Persia's second ruler, Persia extended its influence into Egypt, and Darius and Xerxes (486-464 BC--the "Ahasuerus" of the book of Esther) fought extensively with Greece. - Persian victory over Greece, however, did not last, for Alexander the Great defeated Darius III (335-331 BC), bringing an end to the Persian Empire. Page 331.

Zimri-Lim

Under its king ________________, Mari became a leading city that controlled much of upper Mesopotamia until the Babylonian king Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC) conquered Mari and added its territory to his own. Page 324.