The Message of the Prophets


Course Description

Christians sometimes approach the Old Testament with a mixture of awe and bewilderment, knowing that it contains pearls of wisdom, but unsure how to dive for them ... especially when it comes to the Prophets.


In The Message of the Prophets course, professor J. Daniel Hays offers a scholarly yet readable and student-friendly introduction to the Old Testament prophetic literature, presenting the message of each prophet in both its historical and biblical context and tracking that message through the New Testament to discuss what it means for believers today.


Hays focuses on synthesizing the message of the prophets, which enables students to grasp the major contours of the prophetic books clearly and concisely. After identifying what the message meant for ancient Israel, Hays helps students to move toward theological application today, enabling them to gain a better understanding of God and the relationship between God and his people.


The Message of the Prophets course is meant for formal students and independent learners alike, anyone who would like to better understand the role that the Old Testament prophets play in the Christian faith.

By completing this course, you'll gain:

  • familiarity with the genre of Old Testament prophecy
  • insight into the theological themes of each prophetic book in the Old Testament
  • a greater grasp of how to apply the messages of prophetic literature today
  • confidence in your growing knowledge through unit assessments and personalized review sessions that include award-winning memory building tools
  • confidence in your growing knowledge through personalized review sessions, unit assessments, and award-winning memory building tools

Course Instructor

J. Daniel Hays

Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary


J. Daniel Hays is dean of the Pruet School of Christian Studies and professor of Old Testament at Ouachita Baptist University. He is the author of From Every People and Nation, and he has coauthored Grasping God's Word; Preaching God's Word; Journey into God’s Word; The Story of Israel: A Biblical Theology; Iraq: Babylon of the End Times?; Apocalypse; and The Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy. He teaches adult Sunday school at his local church in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and preaches frequently throughout the nation. 

Course Outline

1.   Prophets, Prophecy, and History

2.  Literature and Message of the Prophets

3.  Prophets and Biblical Eschatology

4.  Isaiah 1-39

5.  Isaiah 40-66

6.  Jeremiah 1-29

7.  Jeremiah 30-52 and Lamentations

8.  Ezekiel

9.  MIDTERM EXAM


10.  Daniel

11.   Hosea, Joel, Amos

12.  Obadiah and Jonah

13.  Micah

14.  Nahum and Habakkuk

15.  Zephaniah and Zechariah

16.  Haggai and Malachi

17.  FINAL EXAM

Course Textbook

This course is based on the book The Message of the Prophets by J. Daniel Hays. While taking this course, you will have online access to most of this book's contents. However, if you want off line access or want this book in your personal library as a long-term reference, you may purchase it by clicking on the button to the right which will link you to amazon.ca.

Course Details

The Message of the Prophets

by J. Daniel Hays


15 Units, Self-paced

9 Hours of Video

12 Months of Access to All Online Content

3 Credits toward a Certificate, Diploma or Degree

Support by a Clearwater College Professor


Cost: $510 CAN