Significance of the Prophets.

Before  we discuss historical events described in the Bible, we should briefly comment on the

significance of prophets in the life of the Jewish nation. Even though the Law of Moses did

command priests to teach godliness to the people, yet this commandment was rarely followed in

practice. Most priests limited their activities to offering sacrifices in the temple and cared little

about educating the people. For this reason the people remained in ignorance of spiritual things.

Idolatry practiced by the Gentile neighbors and their cruel and immoral customs were easily bor-

rowed by the Jews and led to apostasy from faith in God. With rare exceptions, Jewish kings and

other  leaders  were  poor  role  models  for  the people. In order to instruct the people in the true

faith, God frequently sent them His prophets. Prophets had an enormous impact on the faith of

the nation and quite often saved it from spiritual disaster.

  While priesthood among the Jews was inherited, yet it was God who called each prophet to

the ministry individually. Prophets came from all social groups. Some of them were peasants or

shepherds and were almost illiterate, while others came from royal families and were highly edu-

cated. The main task of the prophets was to point to failures of the people in matters of religion

and morality and to restore godliness in the nation. While teaching people about the faith,  the

prophets frequently predicted the future events in the life of the nation, as well as the coming of

the Savior of mankind, Messiah, and the end of the world. Often a prophet would gather quite a

few  followers and disciples who would stay around him for a long time. These would form

brotherhoods or prophetic schools, helping prophets in their spiritual labors. Prophetic brother-

hoods  became  especially  prominent  during the time of the prophet Samuel who gave them a

strong organizational structure and made them a source of spiritual and moral revival of the na-

tion. Thus the prophets were spiritual leaders (elders) of their brotherhoods, members of which

lived in well organized communities where they studied the Bible, prayed to God, copied books

and rewrote chronicles which would later become a source of the historical books of the Bible.

Sometimes the more gifted of the disciples in these communities were called by God to prophetic

ministry, thus continuing the cause of their prophet and teacher.

  Out of prophetic communities came people who fearlessly opposed idolatry and uncompro-

misingly kept and spread the faith in God. These were men strong in spirit and not afraid to tell

the truth to the face of kings and the mighty of that time. For this, prophets were often persecuted

and ended their lives in martyrdom. From the time of the prophet Samuel, prophets were always

present throughout the Old Testament history. Prophetic ministry reached its peaks in the time of

the prophets Elija and Elisha, and later, in the times of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel.

  As  centuries  passed,  the  Jews  developed  a concept of a true prophet as opposed to false

prophets: a true prophet was distinguished by seeking no benefit of his own, by obedience to God

and fearless performance of his duty, by exceptional humility and love for people, by being strict

with himself and living a pure life.