Elijah (est.875-848 B.C.)

Elijah was a prophet from Tishbe in Gilead, he went to Ahab in Samaria and declared a drought in the name of God.  He lived in a creek where birds brough him food, until he was instructed to go to Zarephath.  A widow gave him food but her son died, and Elijah brought him back to life. (similar story to that of Elisha?).

Elijah is sent back to Ahab after three years to say that it will once again rain, but Ahab has been searching for him, many prophets had been chased or killed (this is where Obadiah had saved over a hundred)

Elijah tells Ahab to call all his prophets of Baal to a meeting on Mount Carmel where he challenges them to call their god to light a fire to cook a bull.  They failed and he didn't so they were all killed as false prophets. Then the rain returned.

Ahab's wife sent Elijah a death threat so he fleed to Beersheba in Judah, angels provided him with food and water and he went to Mount Sinai to speak with God.  There God revealed himself with fire wind and earthquakes, and he is instructed to appoint a new King and a new prophet to replace him(Elisha)

Elijah later foretells the death of Ahab.  Elijah and Elisha travel from Gilgal to Bethel, then to Jericho, then to Jordan.  Elisha asks Elijah for "double portion of thy spirit", and is told it will be given if he watches him ascend to heaven.

Elisha (est.848 - 793)

Elisha the son of Shaphat was anointed to be a prophet by Elijah to be his eventual successor; he was ploughing in a field when Elijah found him.  From there they traveled from Gilgal to Bethel, then to Jericho, then to Jordan where Elijah planned his ascension.

Elisha asks Elijah for 'double portion of thy spirit', and he is told that it will be given if he watches Elijah ascend to heaven.  After that Elisha gained new understanding, instantly able to smite and to part water, and even cursed children who mocked him, causing a bear to attack them

Elisha then traveled to Mount Carmel and then onward to Samaria.  The King came seeking his help, and so a minstrel played music and the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha to tell the king what to do.

A woman later asks for help (supposeldy the wife of a son of a prophet) and Elisha helps her, afterwards he would often pass when in the area to share bread. Elisha eventually predicts that she will have a baby (after previously being barren), later on Elisha revives the boy after he dies.

King of Syria sends Naaman to Israel to be healed by the prophet, and is told to wash in the river seven times before he gets healed, and Elisha refuses payment as a reward, but his servant Gehazi runs after Naaman and takes payment, but in doing so, incurs Elisha's curse which makes him take Naaman's leprosy.  Sons of prophets are moving to Jordan to make a new home and Elisha goes with them.  King of Syria sends an army to besiege Dothan and fetch the prophet, but Elisha made them all blind and took them to Samaria.  Elisha was able to predict the price of food, the death of various people and a seven year famine among other things.  Prophets had the power to anoint a new King, even on his death bed, sick, the King came and grieved and yet Elisha left him with a prediction that he would only defeat the Syrians three times.

Prophet Obadiah (est605-585BC)

Prophet Information:

Obadiah, which means “servant of the Lord”, according to the Book of the Bee he was from the country of Shechem and was a captain over fifty soldiers until he became a disciple of Elijah and became worthy of prophecy, later he died in peace

Mission/Message:

Obadiah’s message was to announce the coming destruction of Edom, the Edomites were related to the Israelites yet they had not helped when Israel was being destroyed, and they gloated over their own security.

Documentation:

The authors name is given as Obadiah however the date and place of the book is still debated. There are some parallels between the book of Jeremiah and this book, which some have suggested points to either a common source for their material. It is possible that they lived at the same time and were in some way interdependent on each other, but there are no records of this.

Best known for:

-Announcement of the coming destruction of Edom

Attributes of his personality:

Very little can be found due the shortness of the book, however it is recorded that he was possibly sent out to destroy Elijah and the prophets, but instead helped them and as a reward received the gift of prophecy.

Supernatural Aspects:

The book mentions a vision, and also the author speaks as if God had spoken directly to him

Examples of prophecies:

-The destruction of Edom

-The notion of the Deliverer

End Times Prophecies:

The establishment of the ‘Lord’s kingdom’ or the Israel state.

Prophet Malachi (est440-430BC)

Prophet Information:

Malachi, meaning ‘my messenger’, according to the Book of the Bee he was nicknamed 'angel' because of his good looks.  He had two brothers Nathaniel and Josiah.  It is said that he was buried in the Tomb of the Prophets in Israel.

Mission/Message:

Malachi’s mission is more of reassurance and warning for the people of Jerusalem not to give up and that the day of the Lord will come. Malachi also condemned several sins in the same way Nehemiah did when he returned to the city.

Documentation:

There is some doubt over the prophet’s name, as messenger was a general term used to describe priests and prophets; however there is a likelihood that this was his name also. Malachi’s book is the last book of the twelve Minor Prophets (although some claim Joel came later)

Occupation:

A priest and a prophet

Best known for:

-Announcing the Day of the Lord is coming

Attributes of his personality:

Sarcasm features in the book as well as repetition.

Supernatural Aspects:

It says that the ‘word of God came to him’ and that he was an oracle.

Examples of prophecies:

-The prediction of the coming Day of the Lord

-The prediction of John the Baptist

End Times Prophecies:

Malachi mentions that God will send the prophet Elijah, which could represent John the Baptist (who was said to be like Elijah) or a reference to the prophets mentioned in the book of revelations. He also mentions how the Day of the Lord will ‘burn like a furnace’ and all evil-doers will be destroyed.

Prophet Jonah (est775-785BC)

Prophet Information:

Jonah son of Amittai, his name means “dove”, according to the Book of the Bee he was from Gath-hepher, which is near to Gaza and the sea coast.

Mission/Message:

To travel to Nineveh (a place of great menace to Israel) and proclaim to them of their imminent disaster, according to the Book of the Bee he moved away after he had prophesied to Assyria until he met with Elijah's widow and he decided to return to Judea, he was buried in the cave of Kainan.

Documentation:

The author of the book of Jonah is unknown however it is traditionally thought to be Jonah himself who wrote it. The book itself is very narrative in comparison to other books of prophecies which has led some to believe that it is not historical. There is also debate over when it was written, some say after 612B.C and others say it was written after the times of Amos but before the invasion of the Assyrians.

Best known for:

-Running away from God and ending up being thrown off a boat and swallowed by a great fish, which spat him out onto land three days later.

Attributes of his personality:

Low self-esteem (believing he could not accomplish God’s mission for him), stubborn and flawed (lying to the sailors of the boat), possibly suicidal (“better for me to die” and “I am angry enough to die”)

Supernatural Aspects:

It says that the “word of God came to him”, speaking as if God spoke directly to him. The provision of a vine to grow from nothing and give him shelter from the sun

Examples of prophecies:

-His job was to go and ask the people of Nineveh to turn from their ways in order to avoid disaster and they did what was asked, and they were saved which made Jonah angry for Nineveh was a great menace to Israel.

End Times Prophecies:

There are no direct prophecies about the end times, or about the Day of the Lord. However, there is the distinct lesson that a sinful person can turn from his wicked ways and be forgiven, which is something that many people may draw upon during the end times.