Situated in the years leading up to the overthrow of Judah by the Babylonians, Jeremiah's prophesies are set against a tense atmosphere of threat and invasion. Strongly warning of God's judgement and the nation's imminent catastrophe, Jeremiah lost credibility amongst his contemporaries as the years progressed, but the length of his book and the duration of his ministry establishes him as a major figure in the Old Testament. The fulfilment of his prophecies in later events of the Bible reassert the truth of his words and his speeches and prayers depict a God whose anger is a passionate...

An introduction to the Old Testament that not only covers all the key components of most OT courses but also helps students to think for themselves about key issues of interpretation.

Both Lamentations and Ezekiel focus on the destruction of Jerusalem, an act of divine punishment for the city's faithlessness over many years. Lamentations is caught up in the catastrophe that befalls the city, and combines grief, sorrow and pleas for mercy in its few short chapters. Ezekiel reflects on the same events from the standpoint of those living in exile in the city of Babylon, but turns his attention to the future, offering a series of positive visions that speak of God's plans for ultimate redemption. His prophecies are significant for the hope they offer in the wake of Jerusalem's...

The Book of Daniel begins with the trials of the Judahites in the aftermath of Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians in 587 BC, when many were forced to live as immigrants in a strange land. It continues with visions relating to the trials of Judahites back in Jerusalem in a time of persecution four centuries later, visions that promise them God's deliverance. The twelve shorter prophets are situated between the eighth and fifth centuries and speak both warnings and instructions to God's people. For instance, Amos's visions warn of Israel's downfall, Jonah speaks to a wayward generation...