Name: ____________________________ Grade 8 - __

Chapter 10: The Prophets: Calling Us to Conversion (Elijah, Amos, Hosea)

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
DOCTRINE –know that the messages of the prophets remind us of our covenant with God in Jesus Christ
through our Baptism. God called Elijah, Amos and Hosea to be His spokespersons to His people.
MORALS – challenged to act justly, care for our fellowmen and condemn oppression of other. The prophets
serve as the conscience of Israel.
WORSHIP – practice true worship and live a morally upright life promoting peace. A prayerful life must bear
fruit in a life of practical loving service to others.

A Divided Kingdom

 After Solomon died, the twelve tribes of Israel were divided. The south part of the land was called the
Kingdom of Judah. Two Israelite tribes lived there. They were called Jews. Rehoboam was the king
 Rehoboam was Solomon’s son. He was not a good king.
 The north part of the land was called the Kingdom of Israel. Ten Israelite tribes lived there. Jeroboam
was their king. Jeroboam was strong and brave, but he was not a good king.
 Jeroboam made golden idols and burned sacrifices to them. He told the people to worship the idols.
 A prophet of God told Jeroboam to repent. But Jeroboam would not repent.
 Jeroboam and Rehoboam had armies. They fought each other for many years. Jeroboam and Rehoboam
were wicked kings. They did not teach the people to obey God.
 The Israelites became wicked like their kings.

Early Old Testament Prophets

 The prophets were important characters in the Old Testament. Along with the kings, prophets were
considered leaders of Israel.
 For the Israelites, a prophet was a person called and inspired by God to deliver His message. The
prophets proclaimed their message using imagery and symbolism.
 The prophets were not fortune tells. They did not force events to happen using any kind of human
power.
 Because the prophets spoke about the sins of the people, they were often unpopular. Many refused to
believe or listen to them. The prophets were accepted by the people if their predictions came true.

Elijah: The Prophet of the One True God

The true Christian faith does not accept worshipping many gods. But it is true that we mix up God with false gods in
many aspects of our daily life.

Elijah

o Elijah name means “Yahweh is my God”

o Pointed to his mission of fighting for the true God
o He was called “trouble of Israel” aside from hi outright attack on Baal. Elijah denounced the king’s
injustice to poor.

 Called by God to prophesy to the northern kingdom of Israel during a period of idolatry.
 The kings of the North set up golden calves and propped up an altar “where Yahweh dwelt”
 The problem was that Baal, the Canaanite god of fertility, was also represented by a bull. Before long, people
were mistaking Yahweh wit Baal.

 First asked by God to prophesy a long drought to the northern kingdom

 People forgotten their covenant with God
 On the third year of drought, God summoned Elijah to present himself to the king and announce God’s
promise of rain.
  The Contest at Mount Carmel
 Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to prove who the real provider of Israel.
 The 450 prophets of Baal built altars of sacrifice and agreed that only one true God could produce
fire from heaven to burn up the offering.
 Many saw the fire of Yahweh consume the holocaust. Rain followed, bringing the drought to end.
 A Quiet God
 Elijah climbed to the top of Mt. Horeb
 He waited for God, strong wind, an earthquake followed, then came a great fire but still the Lord
was not here. There was a tiny whispering sound
 Elijah hear God’s voice
 This teaches us that God’s presence can be felt not necessarily in great events of history but in the
small and seemingly insignificant affairs of life.
 Seizure of Naboth’s Vineyard
 The story is a case of land grabbing which is a form of social injustice.
 King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel to Naboth a simple farmer
 Naboth’s vineyard was situated near the King’s property so he strongly desired the land
 Naboth refused to sell what was an inheritance from his ancestors.
 Jezebel had made false accusation against Naboth, who was eventually charged guilty.
 Elijah came to the scene and pronounced judgment.

Amos: The Prophet of Social Justice

Amos

o Shepherd from Tekoa in Judah

o He lived during the reign of Jeroboam II
o Israel was beginning to prosper but economic wealth brought great injustices to many
o Israel seemed to be more concerned with accumulating wealth rather than doing morally good deeds

 Amos Exposes Israel’s sins

 Bible describes Amos as a fiery prophet who pointed out the sins of Israelites in the roaring voice of
God.
 His speeches in the first chapters of his book on the Bible criticized the evildoings of Israel’s enemies.
 Just as they were beginning to believe his sermons, Amos turned to them and spoke even more
harshly about their sins.
 Amos Condemns Israel’s sins of Injustices
 Amos angrily scolded dishonest businessmen and traders for using wrong weights and measures.
 He also accused moneylenders of charging very high interest rates on loans.
 Amos also accused the Jews of doing false worship and using their ill-gotten riches to offer empty
sacrifices to God.
 Amos spoke of God’s concern for His people, especially the poor and the oppressed
 Our covenant with God demands us t promote social justice and have authentic concern for others,
especially the poor, the widows and the orphans.
 Any social injustice is a crime against God.
 Amos Warns the People of God’s Judgment
 Amos predicted that unless the Israelites stop their acts of social injustices and their practice of
idolatry, their nation would fall and be destroyed.
 Because the Israelites were not united under God, in spite of Amos’ repeated warnings the Israelites
continued to sin
 Am 9:8, 11, 14-15
“But I will not destroy the house of Jacob completely…On that day I will raise up the fallen hut of
David; I will wall up its breaches, raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old… I will bring
about the restoration of my people Israel; they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities, plant
vineyards and drink the wine, set out gardens and eat the fruits… [N]ever again shall they be plucked
from the land I have given them”
  The social issues during the time of Amos are very similar to the issues we face at the present time. Just like
the Israelites, we turn deaf ears to repeated warnings of God’s judgment on our sins. We continued to look
the other way as many forms of social injustice happen around us.

Hosea: The Prophet of Divine Love

Hosea

 Native of Israel who preached after the time of Amos

 Hosea spoke to the Israelites the way Amos did and passionately criticized Israel’s sinful ways
 However his tone was softer and his message was full of love and sympathy
 He had lived put his message before he preached it
 God called Hosea to marry a prostitute named Gomer
 Hosea deeply in loved his wife, but she was repeatedly unfaithful
 Lo-Rouhama and Lo-Ammi (Hosea’s children) – not loved and not people (the meaning of their names)

 Hosea Present insights into God’s love

 Hosea became a living image of God’s unquenchable and tender love for people who did not love
Him back with constant fidelity.
 Gomer represented Israel whom God faithfully loved and called to repentance repeatedly.
 Hosea’s message to Israel, God will always love us, His children and He will never leave us
 Hosea challenges us today
 Hosea broken marriage is an image of our relationship with God
 His story forces us to reflect if we are like Gomer
 Hosea’s life shows us true faith. His devotion to Gomer brought him closer to God because it
helped him realize that faith is an everyday decision to love the people around us.
 Hosea challenges us to look at our own ungratefulness
 Hosea’s life shows us that God keeps on loving us no matter how stubborn or sinful we are.
1 WHOLE SHEET OF PAPER PER ACTIVITY

Name: ____________________________________ Grade 8 - ___

Activity 1: Making Social Justice Happen

Name five groups of Sectors of people who in your opinion are treated most unfairly in Philippine Society.
Rank them starting from the people who are treated worst. Opposite the sectors, write what you can do to
promote justice to these people.

SECTORS TREATED UNFAIRLY WHAT CAN I DO TO PROMOTE JUSTICE

1.

2.

3.

Activity 2: Developing Christian Attitudes

Create a web chart with words/events that demonstrate how God has shown the traits of Christian Attitudes
taught by the following prophets: Elijah, Amos and Hosea. Below the chart reflect on how can you develop these
attitudes?
Name: ____________________________ Grade 8 - __

Chapter 11: The Prophets: Calling Us to Renewal (Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah)

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
DOCTRINE – know that it is only God who can transform and save each one of us. God the one who heals,
renews and gives new hope to His people.
MORALS – realize we are responsible for our actions, whether good or bad. With God’s help, we can change for
the better.
WORSHIP – reaffirm our faith in God by receiving the sacraments, particularly the Sacrament of Reconciliation
and the Holy Eucharist.

Jeremiah: Be Confident in the Lord

Young man from priestly family of Anathoth

Prophesied until the reign of King Zedekiah, Israel’s last king

God’s Call to Jeremiah

Shy and timid, he was not very confident the he could carry out God’s task for him

God himself touched Jeremiah on the mouth while saying “See, I place my words in your mouth” (Jer 1:9)

Jeremiah’s Message from God for Us

Jeremiah speaks of true faith in God – the people were clinging on to the external symbol of their fait instead of
focusing on the person of God, who was the source of all their blessings. Jeremiah also spoke against the empty
religious rituals of the Israelites and their continued idolatry.

Jeremiah speaks about God’s judgment – God called the Israelites to become His faithful people, but they refused to
cooperate with Him. In a vision, Jeremiah saw a boiling pot being poured over Judah. It was a vision of the fall of
Jerusalem.

Jeremiah speaks about the new covenant – he spoke of God’s promise that whoever remained faithful to Him would
be part of the New Covenant. The New Covenant, God would no longer simply give laws like the Ten
Commandments. Instead He would infix His laws in the very hearts of His people. This law is the presences of the
Holy Spirit who can help us understand God’s will and follow it.
1 WHOLE SHEET OF PAPER.

Name: ____________________________ Grade 8 - __

Activity 1: An Experience of Empowerment (FRONT part of the paper)

Think of a time when someone made you feel confident about yourself. Talk about how this person empowered
you to do better. What does our Christian faith teach us about how God empowers us?

Activity 2: Renewing Ourselves (BACK PART of the paper)

Take some time to reflect on your life as a student. Find a symbol for your present life and draw the new
symbol you wish for yourself as a better person in the coming school year?

PLEASE WRITE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IN YOUR

CLF NOTEBOOK

KEEP SAFE! STAY HOME!

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS