Summary of Isaiah to Malachi in the Bible
An Overview of the Last Seventeen Books of the Old Testament
Sep 29, 2009
The last seventeen books of the Old Testament features epic prophecies from major prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel, as well as shorter prophecies from various minor prophets.
The Book of Isaiah
In the Bible, God uses Isaiah as a mouthpiece to warn Israel of their sin and coming punishment in one of the longest books of the Bible (sixty-six chapters). Isaiah continually urges Israel to repent of their worship of other gods and sinful sexual and social practices.
He also prophesies the blessings Israel will enjoy if they repent and the suffering they will endure if they remain in their disobedience, which include attack from other nations but Israel refuse to listen.
God helps one of Israel's kings, Hezekiah in battle and later when he is dying, Hezekiah prays to God who adds fifteen more years to his life.
Isaiah also sees visions of God in heaven and prophesies the birth of Jesus Christ. He prophesies exile for Israel and their eventual rescue by God.
Jeremiah - the Mournful Prophet
In the Bible, God tells Jeremiah to prophesy against Israel's sin and unfaithfulness. Israel is likened to an unfaithful woman who God rebukes for being adulterous, urging her to return to Him.
Jeremiah becomes highly distressed by his prophesies of Israel's capture and near annihilation by other nations, which is a punishment from God because of their worship of Idols and false religion. He also foretells Israel's rescue and return to Jerusalem.
A Summary of Lamentations
Lamentations was written by Jeremiah and details Israel's sufferings for being unfaithful. Israel is referred to as the 'Daughter of Zion' and her poverty, famine and shame is described.
Ezekiel - the Visionary Prophet
In the Bible, God shows Ezekiel many visions of heaven, of angels with four wings many faces and of the throne of God. Ezekiel also becomes the physical embodiment of various prophesies e.g. God tells him to pack his bags and leave Israel because in the same way Israel will leave their land and go into exile.
Israel is also symbolised as an abandoned baby girl who God adopts and cares for until she becomes a beautiful woman who then betrays God. God then shows Isaiah a vision of a new temple.
Daniel and the Lion's Den
In captivity in Babylon, Daniel and three other young Israelite men named Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego impress the King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon with their wisdom and good behaviour, so he honours them and makes Daniel a top official.
Daniel then interprets the king's dreams twice when nobody else could and is again honoured. King Nebuchadnezzar then required all his empire to worship a huge golden image he had made, and when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused they were thrown into a furnace but they are rescued by God.
Later, mysterious writing appear on a wall and Daniel is able to interpret it to mean the death of Nebuchadnezzar's successor king Belshazzar. Daniel is honoured but jealous officials convince the king to decree that everyone must pray only to him. Daniel continues to pray to God (as the officials predicted) and is thrown into the lion's den but is rescued by God. God then gives Daniel visions of the future.
Hosea - a Minor Prophet
In this Biblical story, God tells Hosea to marry an adulterous woman as a symbol of Israel's unfaithfulness to God, then they are reconciled again to symbolise how God will also forgive Israel.
Joel - a Minor Prophet
The Bible's story of Joel is a short, hopeful book full of promises of Israel's repentance leading to restoration when they will no longer hunger but have an abundance of food and all they have lost they will be returned to them.
The Books of Amos and Obadiah
In this part of the Bible, Amos declares judgment and destruction of Israel because of their unfaithfulness and urges them to repent. Obadiah prophesies similar woes on Israel because of their sin.
Jonah and the Fish
In this Biblical story, God sends Jonah to preach to a sinful city called Ninevah but he refuses and boards a ship going somewhere else. God then sends a storm to torment the ship, Jonah realises its from God because of his disobedience and asks to be thrown overboard, after which the storm subsides.
Jonah is swallowed by a fish and whilst inside its belly, prays to God. The fish spits him out and Jonah preaches to Ninevah which repents and is saved.
Micah, Nahum and Habakkuk
Micah prophesies doom and misery for Israel and also the birth of Jesus Christ and Nahum prophesies the fall of Ninevah in this portion of the Bible.
Habakkuk complains to God about evil men prospering, and God answers saying the wicked will fall and only the righteous will prosper in the end.
Zephaniah, Haggai and Zechariah
Zephaniah warns Israel of coming destruction and their future restoration and Haggai leads the rebuilding of the house of God in Jerusalem.
Zechariah sees visions from God of angels, Satan and Joshua, and other symbolic visions of Israel's sin and redemption.
Malachi - the Last Book of the Old Testament
Malachi prophesies the last days of the world and the birth of John the Baptist. The last two verses of the final book of the Old Testament says "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.
"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."
The Old Testament features the history of Israel, God's chosen people and God's intervention into their lives. It's a precursor to the New Testament which features the life of Jesus Christ — an Israelite and the Son of God — and the beginning of Christianity.
Readers may also enjoy learning about Genesis to Joshua and Judges to Song of Solomon.
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