Elijah and Elisha instituted the Age of Prophets with an explosion of signs and wonders. Now comes the 
hard part. Or actually, it’s always hard, speaking truth to stony hearts, but the miracles will soon be out while oracles and exhortations are in. Israel (the northern kingdom, that is) is hanging on only by God’s mercy: Amos and Hosea are sent to warn them, first by words and then by actions.
Jonah is a special case, and not just because of his big fish adventure. He is sent to warn Israel’s enemies, a signal to him (and to us) that God’s heart is for the world, not just one nation or one race. Jonah as the first “global prophet” is a stunning success in some ways and a miserable failure in others.
For the .pdf of this week’s challenge, with Bible passages, questions, and activities, click here:
Bible Reading Challenge Week 28: Kings & Prophets – Jonah, Amos, Hosea
(This is a continuation of a series of posts about the “whole story” of the Bible. I plan to run one every week, on Tuesdays, with a printable PDF. The printable includes a brief 2-3 paragraph introduction, Bible passages to read, a key verse, 5-7 thought/discussion questions, and 2-3 activities for the kids. Here’s the Overview of the entire Bible series.)
Previous: Week 27: Kings & Prophets – Elijah
Job asked, “Where is wisdom to be found?” It’s a good question, but an even better question might be, “What is ‘wisdom’?” These days we hear the adjective more than the noun: wise woman, wise words, wise government officials–well, admittedly, we don’t hear those words in combination too much. I wonder if that says something about our times: we understand the characteristics of wisdom (what it looks like) without understanding it.
David’s reign ended with an ugly scramble for a successor, but God already had someone in mind. Once again, he passed over the older sons to settle on a younger one–a boy who may have been overlooked in the mad scramble of palace intrigue, but who, we are told, was loved from birth (II Sam. 12:24). Solomon was known for wealth, wit, and wisdom–and later for women. But his place in redemption history was secured by what he built.
What’s your idea of a hero? Is there anyone today, in the military or the sports world, who looks like a hero to you? To a nation that had been longing for the ideal king to lead them and a “Mighty man” to look up to, David fit that description: the teenage boy holding up the head of a giant, the captain who had “slain his ten thousands,” the loyal subject who became a generous monarch, the chief shepherd of his people who made them feel like somebody.
“The nation” is now a kingdom. King Saul, as it happened, was a prelude. Now the true king appears, the one God had in mind all along. Every Sunday-school child knows about the boy who killed the nine-foot giant with a single stone, and the shepherd who killed predators with nothing but a stick and his bare hands. David is also one of the few people in the Bible who receives a physical description. From the minute he appears, it’s as if the Word is saying, “Watch this one: he’s special.” But for all that, David’s purpose and place in salvation history outweighs his person.
Samuel’s speech to the people in I Sam. 8:10-18. You want a king? Here’s what kings do.
