JOSHUA, JUDGES. RUTH, I SAMUEL, 2 SAMUEL, I KINGS, 2 KINGS, I CHRONICLES, 2 CHRONICLES, EZRA, NEHEMIAH, ESTHER, ISAIAH, JEREMIAH, LAMENTATIONS, EZEKIEL, DANIEL, HOSEA, JOEL, AMOS, OBADIAH, JONAH, MICAH, NAHUM, HABAKKUK, ZEPHANIAH, HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH, MALACHI—in all, twenty nine books.
NOTE.
[Priesthood, the normal means and institution appointed by God for the blessing of His people, utterly broke down, and, instead of sustaining Israel in her need and misery, it actually became a stumbling-block in the family of Eli (1 Sam. 1-1 Sam. 3.); then prophecy was regularly established in Samuel (Acts 3:2424Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. (Acts 3:24)), and by this ordinance of sovereign divine appointment God could address Himself to the conscience of His people. The Priest was the people's representative before Jehovah; while the Prophet was Jehovah's mouthpiece to the people. A Prophet then, is simply one who can bring the mind of God to bear upon the conscience, it may be His mind as to present state—that mainly characterizes the historical books, as from Joshua till Esther; or it may be in the unfolding of His purposes as to the future, which is the broad feature of the books from Isaiah till Malachi. It is this application of the word prophecy (see also 1 Cor. 14.) which has led to the classification of the above books under the one comprehensive title, "The Prophets.")