The Former Prophets tell the story of the rise and fall of the state of Israel. This story is told in light of the conviction that obedience to the Lord brings blessing while disobedience brings calamity. This is a theme shared with the book of Deuteronomy, and for that reason these books are often called the Deuteronomic History.
Questions for Reflection
- Compare the perspective taken in the Deuteronomic History (that obedience to God brings blessing while disobedience brings calamity) with the comments of Jesus in Luke 13:1—5 and John 9:1—3. Does the perspective taken in the Deuteronomic History connect with your own experience of the world? If so, how may Jesus’ words be understood?
- How do we interpret the view of war demonstrated in the Former Prophets? In the book of Judges we read about the total destruction local populations as the Hebrew people move into Canaan. Is it ever okay for a nation to exercise total annihilation as a means of controlling its neighbors? Was there ever a time in the past when this would have been okay?