PROPHETS OF JUSTICE

HISTORICAL CATCHUP

• think back to your study of the judges, kings and prophets
• recall that there were 12 tribes, each ruled by a local judge
• the judges governed, made judicial decisions, and acted as religious leaders
• sometimes, if necessary, the judges acted as military leaders
• This system worked for the Israelites for a long time

MILITARY COMPETITION

• the people of israel were concerned about conquest
• the surrounding nations had far more military power
• the people began to talk of a united monarchy
• the hope was to unite the tribes and have better defense
• the prophets warned against this--"We don't need a king, God is our King!"

A UNITED MONARCHY

• the prophets didn't succeed
• the first king was saul
• he was not a very strong king- he liked to fight
• but he wasn't good at combat- David was
• and, the people liked David

DAVIDIC MONARCHY

• after some messy plot twists and family betrayal
• David becomes king
• he is better than saul, but isn't super concerned
• with governing the people, just gaining land
• David had trouble leading the people religiously

DAVIDIC LINE

• Remember the Davidic Covenant?
• Solomon, David's son becomes king
• Solomon judged wisely and expanded the kingdom
• He built up the city of Jerusalem and built the temple
• However, his love of women led to his downfall as well

A DIVIDED KINGDOM

• two of solomon's sons took over
• they divided the kingdom into north and south
• the northern kingdom had more people (10 Tribes)
• They kept the name "Israel"
• The southern kingdom was named Judah

NORTHERN KINGDOM

• Under constant attack
• assyrians, babylonians, samarians, persians, egyptians, Greeks
• (And eventually Romans....right before Jesus' time)
• Occupying powers gave puppet power to Israelite rulers
• israelites lost religious and political freedom

To add to the woes of the northern kingdom, the occupying powers often exiled local leaders to dissuade the people from revolting.

They took the peoples' lands, didn't allow them to worship yhwh, and made them serve which ever ruler was in charge at the time.

JUDAH- SOUTHERN KINGDOM

• Judah was able to stave off occupation for 135 years longer than Israel
• Eventually, they were conquered as well.
• However, there were a few very valiant revolts and rebellions
• (Remember the maccabeean revolts and the brief rule of the hasmonean dynasty?)

Jerusalem was located in the southern kingdom.

One of the last occupiers, Antiochus IV, defiled the temple.

He kicked out the Israelites, made it a temple to zeus and sacrificed a pig (unclean!) on the altar of yhwh

THe previous incident led to the Maccabean revolt and the first hanukkah celebration!

MICAH-PROPHET OF JUDAH

MICAH'S PROPHECY

• sympathy for the poor and vulnerable
• many passages are often quoted in catholic literature and doctrine
• He mourns the crimes of both kingdoms
• 2:1-4, 3:1-4
• HOw is Micah reacting to the injustice the Israelites are facing?

PROPHET OF PEACE

• Micah 4:1-3
• Micah 6:6-8
• What is the of peace that micah creates?
• How can 6:8 speak to us as disciples in justice today?

ISAIAH - PROPHET OF NORTH

ISAIAH

• verses alternate btw god's voice and Isaih's
• Often spoke of God's sorrow- his children
• had stopped being faithful
• God is more sad and disappointed than angry

SONG OF THE VINEYARD

• Isaiah 5:1-7
• vv 1-2 1st person, Isaiah
• vv3-6 1st person, God
• v 7, 1st person, Isaiah

METAPHOR

• Isaiah's Friend=God
• Vineyard=Judah
• Grapes= people

HOW CAN WE RELATE THESE PROPHETs to injustices we see today?