06.12. The Other Major Prophets

Chapter 11 The Other Major Prophets In chapter 10 we considered the argument for one Isaiah rather than two merely from the negative point of view, i.e., we took up some of the objections to a single author and the replies that might be made to them. But before addressing ourselves to the other Major prophets there is something more to be said from the positive point of view. For example, the synthetic reading of Isaiah impresses one with its unity, and gives no suggestion of the break at Isaiah 40:1-31, which the critics magnify. Then again, there is only one superscription or introduction to the book, that at the beginning, which in the nature of the case seems to include the whole. Did a second writer come into view at Isaiah 40:1-31, we should naturally expect a second introduction suggestive of it.

Then there are other internal evidences of unity, for example, peculiar words or phrases common alike to both sections. Take the title of Jehovah in Isaiah, “The Holy One of Israel,” which is used but thirty times in the whole of the Old Testament, and twenty-five of them in this book. The query at once arises whether it is found in both parts of the book? If it is it becomes a striking testimony to the oneness of authorship of both parts. But as a matter of fact it is not only found in both parts, but as evenly as possible divided between them, twelve times in one part, and thirteen in the other! Furthermore, as many writers have pointed out, the local coloring of part two is as thoroughly Judaic as that of part one; the rocks, and the mountains, the valley streams, the flocks and herds belong to Judah and do not belong to Babylon. And then finally, added to this internal evidence is the historic which should ever be kept in view, and which we have applied from time to time to all the books, viz.--the fact that neither the Jewish nation on the one hand, or the Christian church on the other has ever known of more than one Isaiah. Christ and his apostles never mentioned more than one, and although he and they quoted from both parts of the book many times, there is not the slightest intimation on any occasion that they were not always dealing with one and the same author. Thus much for Isaiah. To pass now to Jeremiah, we have to deal with a prophet as to whose personal history we know more than in the case of any other, and one concerning whom the critics have but little to say. He follows Isaiah about three quarters of a century, and was called to the prophetic office in the reign of Josiah, and while he was still very young. His native place was Anathoth (Jeremiah 1:1), from which he was driven by persecution (Jeremiah 11:21), when, coming to Jerusalem, he entered upon a still more strenuous life to which there was little “let up” until the end of his career. His work in Jerusalem divides itself into four parts chiefly, viz.--the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, and the period of the remnant left by Nebuchadnezzar after the captivity. By this remnant he was subsequently carried against his will into Egypt where, presumably, his life closed.

“His history brings before us a man forced as it were, in spite of himself, from obscurity and retirement into publicity and peril. Naturally mild, susceptible and inclined rather to mourn in secret for the iniquity which surrounded him than to brave and denounce the wrong-doers, he stood forth at the call of God, and proved himself a faithful, fearless champion of the truth, amid reproaches, insults and threats. This combination of qualities is so marked, that it has well been regarded as a proof of the divine origin of his mission.” His prophecies are not arranged in chronological order in his book for some reason difficult to determine, but the chiefest among them are those in which he predicts the dominance of Babylon (Jeremiah 27:1-22), the period of seventy years captivity of Judah (Jeremiah 25:1-38), the return to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 29:1-32), the coming of the Messiah (Jeremiah 23:1-40), the final abrogation of the Mosaic law (Jeremiah 3:1-25), the Gospel dispensation, and finally that of the Millennium (Jeremiah 31:1-40). His authority is abundantly sustained by quotations in other parts of the Bible, and especially in the New Testament, for which, as in other instances, the reader is referred to the marginal notes of his Bible. The book of Lamentations follows Jeremiah and although it was classed by the Jews among the “Holy Writings” rather than the “Prophets,” yet for convenience it will be dealt with here as in the case of Ruth and the book of Judges. Although it does not contain the name of Jeremiah it has always been attributed to him without successful contradiction as far as I am aware. To quote the Bible Hand-book, “The book expresses with pathetic tenderness the prophet’s grief for the desolation of the city and the temple of Jerusalem, the captivity of the people, the miseries of famine, the cessation of public worship, and the other calamities with which his countrymen had been afflicted for their sins. The leading object was to teach the suffering Jews neither to despise ‘the chastening of the Lord’ nor to ‘faint’ when ‘rebuked of him,’ but to turn to God with deep repentance, to confess their sins, and humbly look to him alone for pardon and deliverance. The book consists of five chapters, each being a separate, complete poem.”

Ezekiel, like Jeremiah, was a priest as well as a prophet, although neither seems to have served in that capacity. He was carried captive into Babylon during the reign of Jehoiachin, about ten years before the destruction of Jerusalem, and prophesied from that place contemporaneously with Jeremiah in Judea.

There seem to be four natural divisions of the book, as follows:-- Ezekiel 1:28, Ezekiel 2:1-10, Ezekiel 3:1-27, Ezekiel 4:1-17, Ezekiel 5:1-17, Ezekiel 6:1-14, Ezekiel 7:1-27, Ezekiel 8:1-18, Ezekiel 9:1-11, Ezekiel 10:1-22, Ezekiel 11:1-25, Ezekiel 12:1-28, Ezekiel 13:1-23, Ezekiel 14:1-23, Ezekiel 15:1-8, Ezekiel 16:1-63, Ezekiel 17:1-24, Ezekiel 18:1-32, Ezekiel 19:1-14, Ezekiel 20:1-49, Ezekiel 21:1-32, Ezekiel 22:1-31, Ezekiel 23:49, Ezekiel 24:1-27; Ezekiel 25:1-17, Ezekiel 26:1-21, Ezekiel 27:1-36, Ezekiel 28:1-26, Ezekiel 29:1-21, Ezekiel 30:1-26, Ezekiel 31:1-18, Ezekiel 32:1-32; Ezekiel 33:1-33, Ezekiel 34:1-31, Ezekiel 35:1-15, Ezekiel 36:1-38, Ezekiel 37:1-28, Ezekiel 38:1-23, Ezekiel 39:1-29; Ezekiel 40:1-49, Ezekiel 41:1-26, Ezekiel 42:1-20, Ezekiel 43:1-27, Ezekiel 44:1-31, Ezekiel 45:1-25, Ezekiel 46:1-24, Ezekiel 47:1-23, Ezekiel 48:1-35. The first (Ezekiel 1:28, Ezekiel 2:1-10, Ezekiel 3:1-27, Ezekiel 4:1-17, Ezekiel 5:1-17, Ezekiel 6:1-14, Ezekiel 7:1-27, Ezekiel 8:1-18, Ezekiel 9:1-11, Ezekiel 10:1-22, Ezekiel 11:1-25, Ezekiel 12:1-28, Ezekiel 13:1-23, Ezekiel 14:1-23, Ezekiel 15:1-8, Ezekiel 16:1-63, Ezekiel 17:1-24, Ezekiel 18:1-32, Ezekiel 19:1-14, Ezekiel 20:1-49, Ezekiel 21:1-32, Ezekiel 22:1-31, Ezekiel 23:49, Ezekiel 24:1-27) consists of prophecies of the usual character in strict chronological order, up until the final destruction of Jerusalem. The nation is charged with sin, and, in perfect agreement with the teachings of Jeremiah, is shown the hopelessness of every effort to shake off the Babylonish yoke, especially through any confederacy with Egypt. The second part (Ezekiel 25:1-17, Ezekiel 26:1-21, Ezekiel 27:1-36, Ezekiel 28:1-26, Ezekiel 29:1-21, Ezekiel 30:1-26, Ezekiel 31:1-18, Ezekiel 32:1-32) is, in a sense, parenthetic, and consists of discourses against the nations. These are not grouped chronologically perhaps, but in accordance with a kind of moral unity. The third part (Ezekiel 33:1-33, Ezekiel 34:1-31, Ezekiel 35:1-15, Ezekiel 36:1-38, Ezekiel 37:1-28, Ezekiel 38:1-23, Ezekiel 39:1-29) is related to Israel again, and is composed of discourses uttered after the destruction of Jerusalem. Like all the preceding prophets, Ezekiel in these discourses speaks chiefly of mercy, salvation and ultimate blessing and triumph for his people. Part four (Ezekiel 40:1-49, Ezekiel 41:1-26, Ezekiel 42:1-20, Ezekiel 43:1-27, Ezekiel 44:1-31, Ezekiel 45:1-25, Ezekiel 46:1-24, Ezekiel 47:1-23, Ezekiel 48:1-35), which really belongs to part three perhaps, shows the return of the glory of God to the land, and the reestablishment of the sanctuary and the twelve tribed nationality in the latter days, or rather in the coming age--(Synthetic Bible Studies). The consideration of Daniel must be postponed to another chapter.