Lesson 4 : Prophetic Books – Major Prophets
Lesson 4 : Prophetic Books – Major Prophets
Books : Isaiah to Daniel
Specific Objectives:
By the end of this session, the student will be able to:
- Know the fourth division of the bible (Prophetic Books – Major Prophets)
- Tell how many books the Major Prophets consists of
- Name the books of Major Prophets
- Understand the meaning and purpose of the Prophets
- Recite the memory verse
Bible Reference:
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
Joshua 1:8 “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Words to Remember:
Prophecy – a message inspired by God, a divine revelation; it involves a process in which one or more messages are communicated to a prophet by God then communicated to other people
Prophet – a person who speaks God’s truth to others. It comes from the Greek word prophetes, which can mean “one who speaks forth” or “advocate.”
Major Prophet – a grouping of book in the Old Testament. The term “major” refers to their length, in distinction to the Minor Prophets.
Pre-Session Activity
Greet the children as they arrive. Make certain that you know their names. As they arrive, have each child joins in a circle or around a table. Play a game, sing a song or give them activity to introduce the new lesson
Lesson Proper
A. PREPARATION and MOTIVATION
Teacher, review what we have learned so far about the Bible.
(Make sure that all students will be able to answer all the questions correctly)
- What are the two primary divisions of the Bible? (Old & New Testament)
- How many books the Bible consists of? (66 books)
- How many books the Old Testament consists of? (39 books)
- How many books the New Testament consists of? (27 books)
- What is the first division of the Old Testament? (Books of Law)
- What is the collective name for the first five books of the Bible? (Pentateuch)
- What are the first five books of the bible? (G-E-Le-N-D)
- What is the second division of the Old Testament? (Books of History)
- Name the twelve books of history.
- What is the third division of the Old Testament? (Books of Poetry)
- Name the five books of Poetry.
Teacher: Last week we learned about the five books of Poetry. Today we will learn about the 5 books called the Major Prophets.
B. INTRODUCTION
For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21)
The books of the prophets are divided into two groups, the Major Prophets and the Minor Prophets. The titles Major and Minor do not mean that the books in one group are more important than those in the other, but that the books in the Major Prophets are longer than those in the Minor Prophets.
Who knows what a prophet is? A prophet is someone who hears God’s message and passes it on to His people. Prophets in Bible times were men who spoke and wrote for God. Before the Bible had been completely written down and put together, prophets would tell people what God’s messages were. They would speak to God and God would tell them what to tell the people. When a prophet speaks and gives messages, it is the Holy Spirit speaking (God) not the prophet.
Prophets had two functions:
- To explain the plan and purpose of God and tell us what He will do in the future.
- To turn people from their evil ways back to God that they might be saved.
There are certain qualities that are supposed to be seen in the life of a true prophet of God. Consider a few of these qualities…
- Prophet must receive his call and gifts from God, not anointed by another prophet or receive his gift by other spiritual means (Ephesians4:11).
- A prophet must be properly trained, experienced and mature in the word of God (1Timothy3:6)
- A prophet must be extremely humble, for the secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant (Psalm25:14).
- True prophets are fearless; they don’t compromise the word of God, but always willing to die for the truth (1Kings22:10-51).
- A true prophet does not prophesy any time he wishes, or any time people consult him. A prophet prophesies only when the Holy Spirit moves him (2 Peter 1:20).
C. LESSON
ISAIAH
(The Lord is Salvation)
Author: Isaiah
As the book clearly declares, the author is Isaiah, the son of Amoz, an apparently influential and distinguished Jewish family. Isaiah is the first of the Major Prophets and his name means “salvation of God” or “the Lord helps me.”
Appropriately enough, the basic theme of Isaiah’s message is that salvation is bestowed only by grace, by the power of God, the Redeemer, rather than by the strength of man or the good works of the flesh. The holy God will not permit ungodliness in His covenant people, and will therefore deal with them in such a way as to chasten and purge them and make them fit to participate in His program of redemption. Isaiah sets forth the doctrine of Christ in such full detail that he has rightly been described as “the evangelical prophet.”
Isaiah was best known as the Hebrew prophet who predicted the coming of Jesus Christ to save mankind from sin.
Key verse/s: “Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
JEREMIAH
(The Lord Exalts)
Author: Jeremiah
As with Isaiah, this book clearly identifies the human author who is Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah from the priest city of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. He was called before his birth to be a prophet of the Lord and a tester of his people.
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. And before you were born I consecrated you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1: 5)
Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet because he prophesied so much gloom and doom and he was full of despair for what he knew was coming. His name means “the Lord exalts” and that is what he focuses on but not before judgment comes to the house of Judah. The important themes in this book are warnings of God’s judgment against sin are prominent throughout the book, but with that there was also the message of hope and restoration if the nation would genuinely repent.
Jeremiah prophesied that:
- God would raise up a descendant of David to serve God and guide His people—a reference to Jesus Christ’s coming (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:14-17).
- God would heal the spiritual wounds of His people, restore His covenant with them and build up and plant His people Israel again (Jeremiah 30:12-17; 31:27-28, 31-34; 32:38-41).
Key verse/s: “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. (Jeremiah 23:5).
LAMENTATIONS
(A River of Tears)
Author: Jeremiah
While the author of Lamentations remains nameless within the book, strong evidence from both inside and outside the text points to the prophet Jeremiah as the author. The book of Lamentations is book of sorrowful songs or poems. The name implies that the topic is expressing grief over something (to lament). Its purpose was to express despair and teach God’s people that disobedience to the Lord results in immense suffering and distress. Jeremiah pours out his emotions in compassion, and empathy for God’s nation, as he watches them inhabit a foreign land.
Lamentations includes two elements that portray the Saviour:
- It portrays Him as the Man of Sorrows who was acquainted with grief, who was afflicted, despised, and scorned by His enemies (cf. 1:12; 3:19: 2:15-16; 3:14, 30).
- Jeremiah’s weeping over the destruction of Jerusalem is perhaps also a picture of Christ who wept over Jerusalem (see Matt. 23:37-38).
EZEKIEL
(Strength of God)
Author: Ezekiel
The author is Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, who received his call as a prophet while in exile in Babylon. His ministry as a prophet demonstrates a priestly focus with his concern for the temple, priesthood, sacrifices, and the Shekinah glory of God. Ezekiel’s focus is on condemnation for Israel’s sin and consolation in view of what God will do in the future. The name Ezekiel means “strength of God” or “God makes strong” which is appropriate because he needed strength as he was taken captive by Babylon during the first fall of Jerusalem. His name can also be said to mean “God makes strong” or “God hardens.
After Jerusalem was destroyed, Ezekiel began prophesying about the hope that God would restore the Jews to their land some day. God showed Ezekiel how he could bring a bunch of old dry bones to life. In the same way God could bring his people back to life if they would turn to him.
Key story: The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37)
The hand of the Lord took Ezekiel to a valley full of bones. It looked as though many people had died in a terrible disaster and then, through the passage of time, only bleached bones remained. Ezekiel was God’s prophet. He knew God’s power, and he trusted God’s Word. So whatever God told him, Ezekiel obeyed, even when it seemed as absurd as prophesying to bones. Ezekiel did as God instructed, and the lifeless bones came to life and stood up. God gave them flesh and skin and breathe. They looked like a vast army, for there were very many of them.
DANIEL
(God is Judge)
Author: Daniel
The book is named after its author. The Hebrew word for Daniel means either “God is Judge” or “God is my Judge.” The theme of Daniel is God’s sovereign power as the one true God, who judges and destroys the rebellious world powers and will faithfully deliver His covenant people according to their steadfast faith in Him. Daniel was written to encourage the exiled Jews through revealing God’s sovereign plan for Israel during and after the period of domination by the Gentile world powers.
How CHRIST is seen in Daniel:
- One of the key portraits of Christ in Daniel is that of the coming Messiah who will be cut off (a reference to the cross) (9:25-26)
- However, Christ is also portrayed as the great stone who will crush the kingdoms of this world (2:34, 45), the son of man (7:13)
Key story: Daniel in the Lions’ Den (Daniel 6)
Though King Darius never intended for Daniel to stop worshiping his God, the king was bound to obey the law he signed. Daniel was thrown into the den of lions while the king worried for his well-being. The Bible says that the king did not sleep that night. He was troubled with what would happen to Daniel. The Bible tells us that Daniel was not harmed by the lions at all. Their mouths were shut and they did not scratch or tear Daniel. When the king came to see Daniel the next morning he was relieved to know that Daniel was still alive. He helped Daniel climb out of the pit.
King Darius then ordered the men (and their families) who made the wicked law to be thrown in with the lions. The Bible says that they had not even touched the ground by the time the lions tore them and began to eating them. The lions didn’t leave Daniel alone because they were not hungry; they left him alone because God refused to let them eat him.
Memory Verse
2 Tim 3:16
Beginners : “All Scripture is breathed out by God,”
Primary : “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
Intermediate : “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
Questions to Ponder:
- What is the fourth division of the Old Testament? (Prophetic Books – Major Prophet)
- How many books the Major Prophets consists of? (5 books)
- What does the book of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel means?
- What does “Prophet” means?
- What is the main theme of the books of Major Prophets?
- Name the first twenty two books of the Old Testament.
Life Application
The ancient prophets were chosen by God to represent Him in a variety of ways to the nation of Israel. Their primary function was to speak for Him. Phrases such as “God said,” “God says” and “thus says the Lord” are common throughout their writings.
Nowadays, characteristics of these prophets are still the same. God can communicate and reveal His message through preaching by our Pastors, Evangelists and even to the disciples. This shows that God never changes and He still loves and care for His people and He want them to turn from their wicked ways and seek Him.
Activity:
Beginners : (Craft) – to create the five books of Major Prophets
Materials –printed cut-out letters, pictures, coloring
Primary : (Craft) – to create the five books of Major Prophets
Materials –printed cut-out letters, pictures, coloringIntermediate : (Craft) – to create a picture Bible “pop-up”
Close in Prayer
Father, again, we thank You for our Bibles. They are truly remarkable and special books. I pray that You would in still in our hearts a love for Your word and a desire to read and understand all that You have made sure was written down for us. You’ve given us Your word so that we might have all that we need for life and godliness. And for that we are truly grateful. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.
