Prophets

7 Pages 1717 Words

Hosea – a born Israelite, married to Gomer, an unfaithful wife (became a sacred prostitute at one of the Boal ahrines), a personal tragedy that profoundly influenced Hosea’s teaching. Hosea spoke to the people in the Northern Kingdom when he began his prophetic career during the last years of Jeroboem and continued his teaching from 750-722 B.C., - a time of national disintegration. Sermons of Amos had no effect; there was a general state of moral decay and corruption. Hosea was motivated to speak because of Israel’s continued infidelity took form of ruthless oppression of poor and crass idolatry. Hosea’s message stressed the theme of forgiveness, and the chastisement of a jealous lover longing to bring back the beloved to the fresh and pure joy of their first love. Hosea Ch 11 and 14 Summit of Old Testament theology, God’s Love expressed with tenderness.

Amos – a shepherd from Tekoa, near Bethlehem, and a Judean by birth. God sent Amos to the Northern Kingdom during the reign of Jeroboam II (786-747 BC), a time of prosperity and moral corruption. Amos’ message was to call people back to the high moral and religious demands of Yahweh’s revelation, (The Sinai Covenant) to denounce hollow prosperity of the Northern Kingdom, and to prophecy overthrow of sanctuary, fall of monarchy, captivity of his people (30 years later, the northern kingdom is overthrown by the Assyrians). Amos 5:4 God tells how if you believe in him you shall live a long a fulfilled life.

Micah – a strong and resolute man who came from Moresheth, a little town southwest of Jerusalem. Micah lived during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah – between 742-687 B.C. (a contemporary of Isaiah in the South, and of Hosea in the North). Micah was motivated to speak to the masses because it was said that Micah was for Judea what Amos had been for Israel – a man who saw the oppression for the poor by the rich as a crime crying out to heaven f...