LAMENTATIONS of Jeremiah anciently formed an appendix to the book of that prophet. The utter desolation of Judah, especially of Jerusalem, is expressed in touching strains of grief and anguish, every letter is written with a tear, and every word is the sound of a broken heart. The immediate occasion on which these lamentations were composed was the death of the last godly king of Judah, Josiah; in his death the national hopes were for the time being lost. (2 Chron. 35:2525And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations. (2 Chronicles 35:25).) Chapter 1, Jerusalem utterly desolate; chapter 2., not the sword of the Chaldean, but Jehovah the author of Jerusalem's ruin; chapter EL, the prophet identifying himself with the afflicted people, because they are Jehovah's; chapter 4, Jehovah has judged His people and will assuredly judge their and His enemies. Chapter 5., Jehovah's gracious character appealed to in the confidence of faith. The alphabetical structure of these chapters according to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, save the last chapter, is not marked in our English bibles.
EZEKIEL resided with his family at Tel Abil, on the banks of the river Chebar. His house became a favorite resort for his exiled countrymen. (See chap. 8,14,21.) The prophecies contained in this book are arranged in chronological order, unlike those in Jeremiah, in which the moral order is that adopted by the Spirit. These striking prophecies were uttered during a period of 22 years, and in the land of Mesopotamia, where large numbers of both Israel and Judah were located: the former by the Assyrians, the latter at a later epoch by the Babylonians; chapters 1-24, chronologically arranged prophecies bearing upon the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans chapters 25-39, judgment upon those nations who assisted or sympathized in the ruin of Judah: this judgment goes on embracing Gog and her allies in the closing days; chapters 40.-48., Israel's millennial arrangements as to her land, city, and temple.
DANIEL, of the seed-royal of Judah, was taken captive at the first Babylonian invasion of Judea, and was quickly raised to the exalted position of prime minister, which office he continued to occupy through successive reigns, surviving the Babylonian dynasty, and on to the third year of Cyrus the Persian. In these prophecies, which were uttered in and about the royal court, the rise, course, and doom of Gentile power is calmly and solemnly announced, as also the connection between Daniel's people, the Jews, and the Gentiles in the latter day. Chapters 1-7, " the times of the Gentiles," or general history of the four universal empires, but in their connection with the Jews; chapters 8-12, the latter day circumstances of apostate Judah and of apostate Gentile power. (Read chapters 2. and 7. with chapters13. and 27. of the Revelation.)
HOSEA wore the prophetic mantle for about sixty years, and it will be observed from the opening verse of the book, the time, length, and persons embraced in his prophetic ministry. Both houses of Israel, and not the Gentiles at all, are the subjects of these signs and stirring appeals to the conscience. Chapters 1-3, God's dispensational ways set forth under striking prophetic signs and symbols; chapters 4-14, all Israel, as also Ephraim and Judah severally, morally appealed to, and their sins faithfully declared.
JOEL enlarges upon " the day of the Lord," making Jerusalem the center, and certain local judgments the historical ground-work. These prophecies suppose Israel, or at least Judah, restored to her land, and the northeastern Gentiles gathering with one accord against the ancient people as before; but Jehovah roars out of Zion, and speaks from Jerusalem in awful judgment upon the nations, and Judah is remembered in everlasting mercy. Yea, " all flesh " of which Pentecost was a pledge and sample, will share in the heavenly blessing.
Amos has his great burden-judgment upon all Israel, as also upon those nations bordering upon Immanuel's land and which are to be incorporated within the territory prophetically assigned to Israel, but in the end glory breaks for Jehovah's people, beloved for the fathers' sake; and the ruined tabernacle of David will be raised up and glory once again fill the land. Chapters judgment upon Israel, Judah, Tire, Moab, Edom, &c., but with special reference to the former; chapters 7-9, symbolic visions and signs, first of judgment, then of rich blessing upon all Israel.
OBADIAH is a short prophecy of about 21 verses; announces the doom of Edom-a mountainous country of but 100 miles in length, and inhabited by the warlike descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. The perpetual hatred of this people to Israel is presented as the cause of their utter destruction, whose country then becomes the everlasting possession of Israel.
JONAH was one of the earliest of the Judah prophets (2 Kings 14:2525He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher. (2 Kings 14:25)), and no doubt the Gentile mission on which he was sent-so distasteful to a Jew-was the reason of his vain attempt to get outside the range of God's presence and action. God's governmental ways with nations as witnessed in His dealings with Nineveh, the proud capital of the Assyrian kingdom, as also the personal history and circumstances of the prophet, make the book an exceedingly important and valuable one. Jehovah, Jonah, and Nineveh are so wrought up that it is scarcely possible to divide the book-it requires to be read as a whole.
MICAH was a contemporary with Isaiah and describes millennial blessedness in almost the same terms as that sublime prophet. (See 4. 1-3 with Isa. 2:2-42And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:2‑4).) Jerusalem and Samaria, the respective capitals of the two kingdoms, are specially singled out as objects of divine judgment. Here also the place of the Savior's birth is named. Chapters 1,2, Jehovah's universal summons and judgment announced, especially on Judah; chapters 3-5., the civil and ecclesiastical leaders of Israel are here addressed, yet in this section the prophetic intimation of blessing and glory are in grandeur and fullness unequaled in the sure word of prophecy; chapters vi., vii., the Lord's controversy with His people.
NAHUM announces the certain doom of Nineveh, which had been spared for nigh a century and a half because of its repentance under the preaching of Jonah. That wonderful city, of immense size and strength, sustained a siege of about two years under the combined forces of the Medes and Babylonians. Its utter destruction however was decreed by God, and so it fell to rise no more in the year 625, B.C. Chapter 1, the character of Jehovah is grandly celebrated and Judah remembered in blessing; chapters ii. And 3., character of Nineveh " the bloody city," with details of its lengthened siege and capture.
HABAKKUK intimates the impending ruin of Judah by the Chaldeans, who in turn become the object of divine judgment; the character of these northern invaders of Palestine, as also the prophet's personal identification with the people, impart a peculiar charm to this book. Chapter 1, the prophet in trouble as he contemplates the march of the ravaging Chaldean through the land; chapter 2. the prophet in faith ascends his, watch-tower, and from thence beheld the judgment of the Chaldean; chapter 3., the prophet's sublime and fervent prayer to Jehovah.
ZEPHANIAH has as his text the expression " day of the Lord," which occurs fourteen times in the first chapter. The judgments here announced are universal in extent, yet most minute-none escape. Iniquity, judgment, and glory, are the themes of our prophet. Chapter 1, the whole land devoured by the fire of the Lord's jealousy; chapter 2., the God-fearing exhorted to seek the Lord, so that they may be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger upon the heathen; chapter 3., latter-day judgment upon the assembled heathen, and rich blessings for Israel.
HAGGAI is one of the post-captive prophets, and contains four messages carefully dated hi each case.
Chapter 1, or message one, the people's indifference to Jehovah and His interests; chapter 2. 1-9, or message two, the latter glory, or the millennial temple, Israel's encouragement; chapter 2. 10-19, or messages three, the people called to consider their ways; chapter 2. 20-23, or message four, Jehovah will overturn all opposing powers and kingdoms.
ZECHARIAH has Jerusalem in the fore front of these prophecies and details connected with the last days of Gentile supremacy over Judah. Chapters 1-6, blessing of Jerusalem and Judah, with judgment upon the Gentile opposers of God's people, presented in a series As remarkable visions-all seen in one night; chapters 7-14, this pre-eminently millennial section concerns Jews and Gentiles alike, both for judgment and blessing, Jerusalem being prominent.
MALACHI unfolds the moral condition of all classes of the returned remnants of Judah from the Babylon exile, and leaves them thus till the coming of John Baptist. Chapters 1,2, the sin of the people, and of the priests, in view of Jehovah's grace and claims, chapters 3,4, Jehovah coming in grace (chap.3), thus in judgment (chap. 4.), and a godly remnant separated from the mass distinguished. w. S.
(Concluded from page 103.)