In our series, “Success story of the Unsuccessful Prophets”, today in the second part of this series. Before we go any further, let’s hit loop line, as it were, and have a brief chronological recap of the history of the Nation of Israel till the advent of the Messiah, especially keeping in view the benefit of those who are uninitiated on this subject:
Reminded…
1. Call of Patriarch Abraham with the Divine Promise of giving the:
a) Land Flowing with milk and honey to his descendents (Gen 12:1-3/Gen 15) by extermination of the sinful Amorites (Gen 15:6), the original occupants of the same.
b) Messiah-the Promised Child of Abraham (Gen 15:4/Gal 3:16-18), who would be the cause of Divine Blessings coming upon both the Jews and the Gentiles (Gal 3:29)
2. The Settling of Abraham’s descendents in Egypt and their deliverance from Egyptian oppression in order to lead them to the land promised to Father Abraham.
3. The Deuteronomic Covenant (Deut. 28) with Abraham’s descendents now christened as the “Nation of Israel” and the conquest of the Promised Land (Joshua).
4. Era of Judges as the leaders of the Nation of Israel (Judges) till the beginning of the era of the Kings.
5. Era of the Kings till the end of the reign of King Solomon (1 and 2 Samuel/1 Kings 12).
6. Division of the Kingdom of Israel into two:
a) Northern Kingdom of Israel and
b) Southern Kingdom of Judah.
7. Serious deterioration of spiritual climate in both the kingdoms with kings and people deserting their Redeemer God (from Egyptian bondage — See Jeremiah 2) and choosing lifeless idols as their gods.
8. Warning from the Almighty through His prophets to His people to turn from their detestable ways (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Amos, Hosea) lest they lose their Promised Land much in the way Adam and Eve lost their Promised Land…viz…Garden of Eden (Hosea 6:7).
9. The Jews turning a deaf ear to all the prophetical warning, besides persecuting the Prophets.
10. The Exile from the Promised Land, firstly with:
a) Israel (2 Kings 17), and then
b) Judah (2 Chron 36).
11. Return from the Exile and re-establishment of Jewish Society under the leadership of priests like Joshua, Ezra (Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra and Nehemiah) in the Promised Land, albeit under the overall reign of the Medo-Persians, who were the World super-powers at that time.
12. The priest being the leaders of the nation (the likes of Annas and Caiphas — See John 18:13-14) till the advent of the Messiah under the over-all reign of the world super power, Rome which had displaced the Greek Empire (The latter had previously unseated the Medo-Persians as the world super power).
Time to hit the main track once again and “go back” to the time preceding and following the Exile in the following part (3rd) of this ongoing series with the spotlight firmly trained on the ministry of the servants of God of that dispensation and the response they got from their “audience”…
Prayer: Father, we have been exhorted that the historical section in the Scriptures is there to serve us as an admonition, lest we repeat the mistakes of those under the Covenant before us. Enable us to pay careful heed to Scriptural history at at all times. In Jesus’ Name. Amen
Suresh Manoharan
J and SM Ministries
(To access the entire “The Success Story of the Unsuccessful Prophets” mini-series, please click here.)