The books of the Prophets are boring, why read them?
Let's be honest, the prophets (Isaiah- Malachi) were written to a people group that isn't most of us (ancient Israel and Judah), in a time period and place that is no longer relevant to us, so why was it included in the Bible and why should we drudge through the monotony and redundancy that sums up the writings of the prophets?
I have a few thoughts as to why I think this section of Scripture is relevant for readers today, particularly if you identify with the Christian faith. As far as practical relevance is concerned I think it serves as a historical record of the fall of Israel, and the development of the new covenant. In order to understand much of what Jesus and his apostles teach it is imperative to understand the history that they come from; they all started as pious Jews after all. A major theme among the prophets is the promise of a messiah. This sets the stage for the cultural and religious atmosphere for when Jesus is preaching his message.
There is also a great deal to learn about the character of God. If you believe that God is unchanging, and you have a relationship with this God, then is it not worth understanding God in these books which proclaim destruction? One attribute of God that is displayed through the writings of the prophets that is clear to me is that if you enter into a covenant with the Living God then break it, expect him to still abide by the terms of the agreement. Nothing that was done to the Israelites/Judahites should come as a surprise. It was all spelled out in the terms of the covenant that was originally made between them and God (then reaffirmed in Deuteronomy). So, if there is anything for a modern reader to apply from the prophetic texts today, it is that God will uphold the terms of his agreements. Jesus is yet another fulfillment of God's promise to his people, as well as all peoples of the earth.
Reading through the prophets can be difficult at times, but there is great reward for the diligent reader. What do you think of the prophets? Are there areas you find of interest, or struggle to understand? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
I always dug reading Hosea and Amos, but I studied Ancient Biblical interpretation as an undergrad so I HAD to read them.
Job is the best story in the Hebrew Bible IMO.
Right on :D What do you like about Job?
It's point is that if you are going to have faith, you shouldn't expect anything from it. I like that.
Oh, and there were THREE different authors within the Book of Isaiah, which we can know because of references to historical sites that did not exist when Isaiah #1 was writing, for example.
Yes! This is a view often held by non-evangelical scholars. Many evangelical scholars hold that Isaiah was the author of the entire work based upon the unity of the book that would be very difficult to achieve from three authors across three different time periods. They also base this upon how Isaiah is quoted in the New Testament, always accrediting authorship to the prophet Isaiah. Ultimately the evangelical community concludes that even if there were multiple authors, it is undeniable that there is literary and theological unity throughout the book, though there is a split in consensus on this matter.
Although I did not read more than 2 words, I like the amount of effort you put into this. XD
Thank you :D