The Ancient Prophets

In Western civilization, the most recognized prophets are descended from Abrahamic ancestry, and their histories are canonized within the Old Testament of the Christian Bible and the Jewish Tanakh. A couple of these ancient seers are also mentioned in the Islamic Qur'an. 

These ancient prophets were men who felt themselves to be personal representatives of the Creator and able to foretell messages in His name. The sequence of the renowned prophets began around the 8th century B.C. They were men of vastly religious experiences. Their concern with the social and ethical standings aided in the growth of the Judaic moral teachings... hence the Talmud.

After 800 B.C., the ancient prophets transcribed their messages in a written form to forever preserve the "Words of HaShem (God)" for future generations. In the Tanakh/Old Testament, there were sixteen prophets who left behind written documents for mankind to fathom out. The following is a list containing the Hebrew prophets of the B.C. era and a few of their prophecies:

The Major Prophets...

1) Isaiah - the most noted of the Hebrew prophets. His prophecies (c/740) threatened judgment upon the corrupt and debased Israelites from both kingdoms (Judah and Israel) and predicted the captivity of Babylon. Later, he foretold of the exiles and the coming of the Messiah. These predictions included a magnificent future for Israel. His prophecies were made  500 years before the birth of Jesus.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Isaiah

2) Jeremiah - prophesied during the dark history of the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah. Later, he foretold that Nebuchadnezzar would bring a time of despondency for 70 years upon Judah. This ancient seer wrote with authority of the certainty of the judgment of God upon a sinful people, as well as the greatness of His love.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Jeremiah

3) Ezekiel - started prophesying c/594 and continued his predictions for 22 years. His predictions are mostly in chronological order and contain three parts: 1} overthrowing the nation due to the disobedience to God; 2} surrounding nations being threatened with divine punishment and, 3} pertaining to the future deliverance of Israel and rebuilding their sacred temple.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Ezekiel

4) Daniel - interpreted the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar. His prophesies contained promises of an eternal kingdom and foretold the history of the Chaldeans, Medians, Persians and Macedonians. His insights described various occurrences and happenstances of an apocalyptic world in the distant future.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Daniel

The Minor Prophets...

5) Amos - during 785, he denounced the corruption and oppression of Judah, using pastoral life to impress upon purity and freedom in righteous living. His prophesies were mostly directed to the Northern Kingdom (Israel). Amos taught that the future greatness of Israel was not to be sought through power and wealth, but to be secured through justice and judgment.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Amos

6) Micah - between 759-698, his prophecies flourished. He predicted the restoration of the Theocracy, the promise of forgiveness and forecasted the destruction of Jerusalem. Like the prophet Isaiah, Micah preached against the sins of his time and the horrid oppression of the poor by the rich.


For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Micah

7) Hosea - his predictions soared c/750 and compared the relations of Israel to God with that of a wife to her husband and the defection of the Israelites with a wife's adultery. The message of the prophet held a warning and denunciated the people for their idolatry and sins.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Hosea

8) Joel - delivered ominous warnings about the time of Joash and, after the Exile, dwelt near Jerusalem. His insights were basically divided into two parts: 1} a great calamity caused by locusts; and, 2} God's answer to the people's prayers. Like the prophets before him, he also foretold the Jews would establish a great nation in Palestine in the latter times.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Joel

9) Habakkuk - prophesied in Judah during the reign of Jehoiakim. He was considered one of the most enigmatic of the Minor Prophets; not a lot of information exists about this ancient prophet.

Habakkuk was noted for his prophecies of God's retribution against them by the Chaldeans. The prophet also predicted the Chaldeans own downfall. He flourished with future insights between 630-590.


For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Habakkuk
   

10) Zephaniah - lived during the time of the prophet Jeremiah. His forewarnings consisted of a three part series between 630-624:

1} warnings against Judah and the Philistines; 2} the fall of Nineveh; and, 3} salvation and a blissful future for those purified in the fear of God.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Zephaniah

11) Obadiah - prophesied between 588-583. His predictions were directed against the Edomites (descendants of Esau) for helping to pillage Jerusalem with the heathen foe. As God's messenger, he predicted great doom for the Edomites and also enlightened of a time when the Jews would again rule over all the lands formerly under King David's control.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Obadiah 

12) Jonah - somewhat of a rebellious prophet, first ignored God's command to dutifully preach against the sins of the people of Nineveh. In failing to do so, God caused the ancient prophet to end up in the belly of a whale for three days. Jonah predicted certain territories would be recovered during the reign of Jeroboam (c/786-746). Jonah is revered as a prophet in the Islamic Qur'an.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Jonah

13) Nahum - his predictions were directed against the city of Nineveh. His prophecies were divided into two sections which predicted the sins of the nation and the destruction of Nineveh. Little is known about the prophet Nahum, but some scholars and theologians believe this ancient prophet lived between 700-600 B.C..


For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Nahum

14) Haggai - was noted for his exhortation to the Jews to rebuild their Temple.

His book was purported to exist c/520 and contained four prophecies, all of them dealing with rebuilding the Temple under the reign of Zerubbabel.




For futher reading, please visit: The Prophet Haggai

15) Zechariah - foretold the destruction of Phoenicia and Damascus and the Jews passing a test of courage and perseverance. He predicted the glory that shall come upon Jerusalem after rebuilding the Temple, as well as prophesying that all people will embrace the Jewish faith. Zechariah is revered as a prophet in the Islamic Qur'an.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Zechariah

16) Malachi - was the last of the Nevi'im/Old Testament prophets and dates back to 460-450. Not only did this ancient prophet see the Israelites returning to their old, wicked habits, but he vividly predicted a judgment to be delivered by a Messiah.

For further reading, please visit: The Prophet Malachi

These ancient prophets of yesteryear, some from the Kingdom of Judah and others from the Kingdom of Israel, guided the people, as well as took part in local politics and national literature. Most theologians agree the Hebrew prophets set a standard for the way mankind is to live a good and honest life, but also to prepare for a future of hardship and evil.

During the Babylonian Exile, the prophets created the focus around the forces of the day and kept the Jewish religion alive. The seers of antiquity never tired of emphasizing the external hope of the Jews for the coming of the Messianic era.