Building on the covenantal foundation set down in the Pentateuch, the pre-exilic prophets lamented that Israel was breaking God’s covenant and called on them to repent. They warned the people that if they did not repent God would pour out upon them the curses of the covenant, including the ultimate curse of exile. Yet even in the midst of their dire warnings, judgment is not their final word. Although they anticipate that their warnings will not be heeded and that exile will be the result, they also look beyond the exile with hope toward a period of restoration.
The exilic prophets were given the task of explaining to the people why such a disaster had befallen God’s chosen ones. The exilic prophets point to the repeated violations of the covenant. The exile occurred because Israel sinned against God. Yet judgment is not the final word for the exilic prophets either. Hope remains. The exilic prophets also look forward to restoration beyond the exile. Finally, the post-exilic prophets also have to explain to the people why restoration has not come in its fullness. They too call the people to covenant faithfulness, reminding Israel that continued disobedience will result in judgment rather than blessing. They continue to look forward to further restoration, to the coming of the Messiah, and to the establishment of his kingdom in its fullness.
In this post, we will look at several passages from the prophets that provide great insight into the person and work of the coming Messiah—the Christ. Keep reading
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