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Handout 1Print Handout 1

Background Notes on Classical Hebrew Prophets

1. Ancient Israel split into two kingdoms- North (Israel) and South (Judah)-922 B.C.E.
   
   A. Caused by political differences: North did not want to accept rule of new king; time period characterized by chaos and confusion.
   
   B. Question: What problems would this kind of political change cause for everyday people?
   
   C. Social and religious strife ensued.

   1. Many turned away from traditional religious practices and the law.

   2. Widespread lack of concern and care for the needy: poor, widows, orphans, etc.

   3. Question: How would neglecting the needy affect society?

2. The prophets emerged as advocates for change/reform.
   
   A. They challenged the people to turn back to their religion.
   
   B. They chastised the people for social injustice, especially neglect of the needy.
   
   C. They believed they were imparting the word of God.
   
   D. Ancient Hebrew word for prophet is nabi (literally, "mouthpiece).
   
   
3. Two prophets illustrate this particular type of advocacy.
   
   A. Amos

1. He came from the south and prophesied to the north.

2. He was a shepherd and farmer and returned to his profession after delivering his prophetic message.

3. Question: Amos came from the country and spoke to the city. Would this cause any difficulty for him?

4. He accused the wealthy of neglecting the poor and needy.

5. He urged them to change their ways immediately or suffer dire consequences (attack from a foreign nation).

B. Jeremiah

1. He came from the south and spoke to the south.

2. He was a priest.

3. He charged the people with lack of justice and not defending the rights of the needy.

4. He suffered for his stance.

a. He was imprisoned and beaten.

b. He was thrown in a well and left to die.

5. Question: Why do you think Jeremiah was punished by his own people for delivering his message?

c. Both were advocates for social change and were ignored in their lifetime, but history proved them to be accurate.

Handout 2Print Handout 2

Excerpts from Amos and Jeremiah

Amos 2
⁷ They trample on the heads of the poor
as upon the dust of the ground
and deny justice to the oppressed.
Father and son use the same girl
and so profane my holy name.

Amos 4
Israel Has Not Returned to God
¹ Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria,
you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy
and say to your husbands, "Bring us some drinks!"

Amos 5
¹⁰ You hate the one who reproves in court
and despise him who tells the truth.

¹¹ You trample on the poor
and force him to give you grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,
you will not live in them;
though you have planted lush vineyards,
you will not drink their wine.
¹² For I know how many are your offenses
and how great your sins.
You oppress the righteous and take bribes
and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
¹³ Therefore the prudent man keeps quiet in such times,
for the times are evil.

¹⁴ Seek good, not evil,
that you may live.
Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you,
just as you say he is.
¹⁵ Hate evil, love good;
maintain justice in the courts.
Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy
on the remnant of Joseph.

Amos 5
²⁴ But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Jeremiah 5
Not One Is Upright

¹ "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,
look around and consider,
search through her squares.
If you can find but one person
who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
I will forgive this city.
² Although they say, 'As surely as the LORD lives,'
still they are swearing falsely."

³ O LORD, do not your eyes look for truth?
You struck them, but they felt no pain;
you crushed them, but they refused correction.
They made their faces harder than stone
and refused to repent.
⁴ I thought, "These are only the poor;
they are foolish,
for they do not know the way of the LORD,
the requirements of their God.
⁵ So I will go to the leaders
and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the LORD,
the requirements of their God."
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
and torn off the bonds.

Source: BibleGateway homepage, http://bible.gospelcom.net

Jeremiah 5
²⁶ "Among my people are wicked men
who lie in wait like men who snare birds
and like those who set traps to catch men.
²⁷ Like cages full of birds,
their houses are full of deceit;
they have become rich and powerful
²⁸ and have grown fat and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it,
they do not defend the rights of the poor.
²⁹ Should I not punish them for this?"
declares the LORD.
"Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?

Jeremiah 7
False Religion Worthless

¹ This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ² "Stand at the gate of the LORD's house and there proclaim this message:
" 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. ³ This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. ⁴ Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!" ⁵ If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, ⁶ if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, ⁷ then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever.

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