Isaiah (est. 740-681 BC)

Victims beheaded during Egypt's civil war

Isaiah, son of Amoz and he was given a message about Judah and Jerusalem, that they should turn from their wicked ways or face destruction.  Isaiah is told about Immanuel who will be born in the line of David and will be born of a virgin, and is also told about the coming of the Holy Spirit.  Isaiah says that he trusts the Lord, despite knowing that God is no longer pleased with Israel.

The philistines and arameans attacked Israel but even still people did not turn from their wickedness, the the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh turned against each other but then joined forces to attack Judah.  So God says that the Assyrians will attack Jerusalem and Mount Zion, but Isaiah is told to tell the people that once they trust in God then he will punish Assyria for their crimes, even destroying the forests of Lebanon.

The destruction of various places are foretold such as Babylon, Moab, Zoar, Damascus, Ethiopia, Tyre, Canaan, Sidon, and even the destruction of the world.  A civil war in Egypt is foretold, later an angel kills 185000 Assyrian soldiers who were on their way to destroy Jerusalem and it is declared that "None who are evil will live in peace."

Mani (216 - 276 A.D.)

Mani was a prophet and the founder of a gnostic religion than became known as Manichaeism, a religion that was once widespread but it now extinct.  He was born in around Seleucia-Ctesiphon in Assyria (modern-day Iraq).

He received visions at the ages of 12 and 24 telling him to leave his father's Jewish Christian sect and to teach the true message of Christ.  From there he traveled to India and Afghanistan and may have been influenced by Buddhism.  When he returned in 242 A.D. he became favoured by King Shapur, yet when Bahram succeeded to the throne everything changed, Bahram was a supporter of Zoroastrian movement and persecuted the Manichaeans, Mani was caught and put in prison and later crucified.

It is said that he wrote seven works, although none of these have survived in their complete form, they include the Mani-Codex and the Book of Giants.  His teachings that have survived tell us that he believed that good and evil existed in a constant struggle.  He believed that salvation was possible through education, self-denial, fasting and chastity.  He claimed to be the last of the prophets, and followed the teachings of other prophets; Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Nikotheos, Zoroaster, Buddha and Jesus.

Ezekiel (est 595 - 571 B.C.)

Ezekiel, the son of Buzi,in the place of the Chaldeans.  Ezekiel was a priest who saw a 'whirlwind of fire' and from it came all manner of things, things with wheels and things with wheels, he is told by God to go to the children of Israel, and he is given a book containing sadness and grief and woe, and yet he has to eat the roll in order for him to deliver its words, told to tell them whether they listen or not.

He travels first to Telabib to the captives there where he declares that wickedness creates iniquity, once done the iniquity cannot be changed but the soul can be saved (Eze 3:18 & 19)

He walked and talked with God and Ezekiel himself is used to represent the Jewish nation, told about a siege on Jerusalem and how the people were divided into three, one part destroyed, one part killed by a plague and the last part scattered.

"Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none" (Eze 7:25)

Then he met with the elders of Judah, and he had another vision, in a vision he foresees the destruction of the wicked people in Jerusalem, that captives will be taken to Babylonia, and he sees the throne of God and his four angels, as Ezekiel begs for lives of the people, God promises him that the people to scattered will return and live in Israel once again.  He is told to condemn the false prophets who speak falsehoods, they know that they make it up yet they believe in what they say.

In Ezekiel 18, it talks about people charging high interest rates are evil, we are instructed to "start thinking pure thoughts" and to "stop sinning and live".  Ezekiel is told to pass on messages in cryptic parables, he even admits that "I confuse them with my messages"

Not only will Babylonains come to attack but also armies from Assyria, Chaldean tribes of Pekod, Shoa and Koa, Ezekiel's wife dies and God tells him not to mourn as a sign for what punishment that is coming for the rest of Jerusalem.

Ezekiel is also told to give other messages; to condemn the people of Ammon, Moab, Edom the Philistines, Egyptians and Ethiopians, and the cities of Tyre Sidon Thebes, and to condemn the King of Tyre and the King of Egypt.  Daniel is mentioned as a source of knowledge (Eze 28:3) as well as the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.  Ezekiel is told that if he refuses to pass on God's message then he becomes responsible for their fate (Eze 33:8) God promises Ezekiel that he will rebuild the nation of Israel.

On another occasion God takes Ezekiel to the valley of bones where he raises bones up out of the ground to have muscles and skin to make an army and he tells Ezekiel to breath life into them.

Then Ezekiel is told to condemn Gog the ruler of Meshech and Tubal in the land of Magog, as they with their allies from southern Spain will attack Israel, yet the army will be put to death (this a prelude to the revelations prophecy?), the army will be buried east of the Dead Sea.

Next Ezekiel is given the measurements to re-build the temple, and how to divide up the land between all the tribes and that the trive of Levi shall be the priests.