WBS.235
FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
OLD
TESTAMENT SURVEY – 15
FROM AMOS TO ISAIAH
2 Kings 17:12 For they served idols, whereof IAUE had said unto them,
Ye shall not do this thing.
13 Yet
IAUE testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by
all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments
and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and
which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
14
Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck
of their fathers, that did not believe in IAUE their Elohim.
Before the name of IAUE could be entirely forgotten from the
house of Israel, the prophets were sent to:
1. Warn the people that if they do not repent, judgment
will come.
2. Warn the people that because they have not repented, judgment is on its way.
3. Inform the people that IAUE will not destroy all. He will retain a remnant among the people.
4. Inform the people that IAUE will raise up one (the Messiah) who will draw all peoples to Him.
2. Warn the people that because they have not repented, judgment is on its way.
3. Inform the people that IAUE will not destroy all. He will retain a remnant among the people.
4. Inform the people that IAUE will raise up one (the Messiah) who will draw all peoples to Him.
Let’s start, today,
with a quick look at the timeline and what is happening around the world.
1807 BC - Jacob
and Esau were born to Isaac.
1800 BC - The Hittites invented iron and made the first weapons made of iron.
1800 BC - The Hittites invented iron and made the first weapons made of iron.
1792 BC - Abraham
dies.
- Hammurabi is crowned king of Babylon.
1710 BC - Rachel
dies after giving birth to Benjamin.
1700 BC - Babylon invents the first windmills used for the purpose of irrigation.
1700 BC - Babylon invents the first windmills used for the purpose of irrigation.
1600 BC - Chocolate is
discovered in northern Honduras.
1606 BC - Joseph dies.
1542 BC - Moses is born.
1606 BC - Joseph dies.
1542 BC - Moses is born.
1250 BC - Deborah is
judge over Israel.
- The events in the book of Ruth
take place.
- Assyria divides the circle
into 360 degrees.
1200 BC - The
Phoenicians move from the Arabian peninsula to the Mediterranean
coast.
- The Philistines settle along
the coast of Palestine.
1115 BC - King
Tiglath-Pileser I leads Assyria to new era of power.
1025 BC - Saul dies
985 BC - David dies.
945 BC - Solomon dies.
985 BC - David dies.
945 BC - Solomon dies.
790 BC - The
prophet Jonah is sent to preach repentance to the Assyrians in Ninevah
in an effort to stave off the
judgment of IAUE against them.
Now we pick up the history of the divided
kingdom where we left off in our last lesson.
Northern Kingdom – Israel:
Because Yehu (Jehu)
had eradicated Baal worship from the northern kingdom of Israel, IAUE promised
that four generations of this family would rule Israel (2 Kings 10:30).
Yehoahaz was the first generation, Yoash the second. Yereboam II was the
third. During the reign of Yereboam II the prophets Amos and Hosea
served the northern kingdom (2 Kings 14-17). Amos declared to Israel that
the house of David will indeed yet produce the ruler of the world (despite the
rejection of that promise by Yereboam I and the ten tribes that founded the
northern kingdom). Hosea asserted that IAUE will be the Elohim of all
nations (despite the golden-calf worship and many other idolatries of Israel).
Zachariah succeeded
Yereboam II to become the fourth generation promised to Yehu. After
ruling for only six months, he was killed by Shallum, who subsequently ruled
for only one month. Shallum was killed by Menahem, who ruled for ten
years (2 Kings 15 8-14). Thus, in the space of barely a year, Israel had
four kings (Yereboam II, Zachariah, Shallum and Menahem) from three different
bloodlines.
During the rule of
Menahem, the Assyrians were threatening the northern kingdom. Menahem
staved off an invasion by agreeing to pay tribute to Assyria. Menahem was
succeeded by his son Pekahiah.
Pekahiah ruled for
two years and was conspired against by his own captain, Pekah, who slew him and
reigned for the next twenty years. Pekah formed an alliance with Syria
and attacked the kingdom of Judah, during the reign of king Ahaz (son of Yotham).
They were not able to defeat Judah. In order to strengthen Judah’s position
against Syria and Israel, Judah’s King Ahaz dispatched messengers to
Tiglath-Pileser III to enter into a tributory relationship with Assyria (2 Kings
16) in exchange for Assyria's help against Syria and Israel. The agreement
was made and Assyria marched against Damascus and defeated Syria. Tiglath
Pileser III also began to take portions of Israel captive.
It was largely
during the reign of Pekah that the prophet Micah
served in Israel. Micah foretold of the coming prince of Bethlehem and of
his universal reign.
Hoshea, the son of
Elah, conspired against Pekah, killing him and assuming the throne of
Israel. Unfortunately, King Hoshea would have the misfortune of being the
last king of Israel. Hoshea paid tribute to King Shalmaneser of Assyria (successor
to Tiglath-Pileser III) in the early years of his reign; but later he began to
withhold the annual tribute. Shalmaneser discovered that Hoshea was
conspiring with Egypt against him, so he overthrew Samaria (the capitol city of
Israel) and carried Israel away into captivity; thus bringing to an end the
kingdom of Israel. (Circa 722 BC)
Southern Kingdom – Judah:
During the reign of
Yehu, king of Israel, and the four generations of kings promised to his
bloodline, the kingdom of Judah continued the singular bloodline of
David. Judah was ruled by Ahaziah, Athaliah, Yoash, Amaziah, and Uzziah (also
called Azariah). It was during the reign of Uzziah that the prophet Isaiah (Yeshayahu) began to serve the southern
kingdom of Judah.
Isaiah ministered as
a prophet during the reigns of Uzziah, Yotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1; 2
Chronicles 26-29; 2 Kings 14-17). His prophecies focused on the coming
Messiah and his glorious reign. He foretold of judgment to come; but
assured the Hebrews that IAUE would retain a faithful remnant among the people
who would live to enjoy a wonderful future under Messiah.
Uzziah had been
stricken with leprosy by IAUE for presumptuously burning incense in the holy
place, which was the unique service of the Levitical priesthood (2 Chronicles
26:16-23). Uzziah’s son, Yotham, served as co-regent with his father until
Uzziah died. [The prophet Isaiah began his ministry during the
latter part of the reign of Uzziah during this period of co-regency.] Yotham
had the testimony that he did that which was right before IAUE; but despite his
righteous ways, the people were still corrupt.
Yotham was succeeded
by his son, Ahaz. Ahaz did evil in the sight of IAUE. Not
only did he follow in the wickedness of the kings of Israel, he fashioned idols
unto the Baals, and even burned his children in the fire (sacrificed to
Molech). It was for his great wickedness that IAUE stirred up the
alliance between Israel and Syria. Though they were not able to overcome
Judah, Israel did slay 120,000 warriors of Judah in a single day, and carried
away 200,000 women, sons and daughters. As they approached Samaria, a
prophet named Oded met them and
warned them that it was because of Judah's sin that IAUE had given Judah to
them in battle. He instructed them to let the captives return lest IAUE's
wrath be turned upon them. Israel fed, clothed and anointed the captives
and released them to return to Judah (2 Chronicles 28). (It is
interesting to note that despite their commitment to pagan deities since the
formation of the northern kingdom, they still feared the power and wrath of
IAUE.)
IAUE also raised up
the Edomites to attack Judah and to carry away captives. The Philistines,
also, moved against the southern cities of Judah and inhabited them. Even
the Assyrians, though Ahaz committed to pay tribute to them, assaulted
Judah. All of Judah was discomfited for the iniquity of Ahaz.
After Ahaz died, his
son, Hezekiah, ruled and did right before IAUE, walking in the ways of King
David. He dispatched posts throughout Judah and even throughout all of Israel
requesting all Hebrews to come to Jerusalem to observe the Passover and to restore
their faith in IAUE. In his exhortation to the ten tribes of Israel, he said:
II Chronicles 30:9 For if ye turn again unto IAUE, your brethren and
your children shall find compassion before them that led them captive, and
shall come again into this land: for IAUE your Elohim is gracious and merciful,
and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.
With only few
exceptions, all Israel laughed him to scorn. Israel’s rejection of this final
opportunity to repent and to demonstrate their allegiance to IAUE and to His
Law secured their fate. IAUE brought healing and restoration to Judah,
however, as they experienced a celebration of faith unlike anything since the
days of King Solomon.
As we read the
prophecies of Amos, Hosea, Micah and Isaiah, it is helpful to understand they were
contemporaries, and probably knew each other. Their writings chronicle
the words of IAUE to the children of Israel during the last sixty years of the
northern kingdom before its destruction at the hands of Assyria. They also witnessed the revival of the
southern kingdom of Judah.
Kingdom heart: a heart that offers
no resistance to the performance of the will of IAUE.
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