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The Major Prophets, including the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel, play a significant role in the Bible. They are referred to as the “Major Prophets” because they are longer than the twelve “Minor Prophets” that come after them in the Old Testament. While the Major Prophets seamlessly integrate into the overall narrative of the Bible, they also convey a unique and profound message of their own.
The primary message of the Major Prophets is the imminent arrival of the Messiah to establish His reign. They stress the importance of Israel and the nations repenting for failing to uphold God’s righteous standards. Through repentance, they can receive God’s salvation and avert His judgment on the day of the Lord.
At the heart of the Major Prophets’ message is the Messiah. The Hebrew term for “Messiah” means “anointed one,” while its Greek equivalent is translated as “Christ” in English. The Major Prophets disclose that the Messiah, as a descendant of David, would unify and safeguard Israel and serve as a “light for the nations” (Isaiah 42:6;ESV;cf: Jeremiah 23:5-6;Ezekiel 37:26-27). The New Testament confirms that Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled these Messianic prophecies and more. Additionally, Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Messiah (Luke 24:44-47), His disciples affirmed it (Matthew 16:13-20), and the early church preached it (Acts 4:24-28).
The Major Prophets also convey that the Israelites transgressed the law given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, which outlined righteous living standards based on His holiness. Leviticus 19:2 summarizes this law.arizes the relationship between God’s commands and His character: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” cf: Isaiah 6:3. Living in obedience to the law wasn’t only in the Israelites’ best interests, but also set them apart from the nations (Deuteronomy 4:7-8; Romans 9:4-5). Yet they fell short of keeping it, necessitating their repentance and rededicating themselves to righteous living.
The core message of the Major Prophets is found in each of the five books, including the forthcoming arrival of the Messiah, the need for people to repent of sin, and the judgment or blessing that awaits each person. Because their authors are different and some of their settings and themes are unique, the books highlight aspects of the core message to varying degrees. Yet when taken together, the core message of the Major Prophets is evident and powerful.
Before the exile, during which the Israelites were forcibly removed and held in captivity by foreign powers for seventy years, the Major Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah urged repentance to avoid judgment and attain blessing at the Messiah’s coming. Isaiah admonished Israel for its spiritual infidelity, while foretelling that the Messiah would embody both suffering and salvation (Isaiah 52:13-53:12; 61:1-3). Jeremiah urged repentance, pointing out Israel’s idol worship. He also foresaw a “righteous Branch,” who is the Messiah, starting a New Covenant focused on faith, not nationality (Jeremiah 31:26-40; cf: Hebrews 8:8-12). Lamentations, written by Jeremiah, reflects on Israel’s sins and God’s mercy, emphasizing repentance.
When the exile occurred, the prophetic messages of Ezekiel and Daniel shifted to address theImmediate circumstances of the Israelites while maintaining the core themes that Isaiah and Jeremiah established. Ezekiel explains that the New Covenant the Messiah will establish will be a lasting one characterized by God’s peace and presence (Ezekiel 18:31-32;37:26-27). Additionally, Daniel represents and advocates for unwavering faithfulness to God. He provides visions of the Messiah who would rule the world as God’s anointed one, promising deliverance and redemption for the faithful (Daniel 1;2:35,45;7:13-14;9:26;11:33-35). Together, Ezekiel and Daniel emphasize God’s supreme rule and the promise of final restoration.
Building on the prophetic vision of repentance and redemption, the New Testament reveals that Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the prophets’ hopes. As the Messiah, Jesus taught that everyone falls short of God’s standards (Mark 10:18;cf: Romans 3:23). Yet, in grace He extends forgiveness to all those who believe in Him (John 3:16;cf: Ephesians 2:8-9). By embracing this good news through repentance of sin and putting one’s faith in Jesus for salvation, sinners can avoid the judgment that the Major Prophets foretold and instead secure the blessings that they promised “and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15).
