05. The Prophetic Element in Scripture

The Prophetic Element in Scripture

Chapter 4 This is one of seven elements which together constitute the whole body of the Word of God, namely: History, Biography, Prophecy, Ethics, Devotion, Messianic Revelation and Spiritual guidance. This prophetic element pervades all the rest. It is the eye of Scripture, with supernatural vision—backsight, insight and foresight, or power to see into the past, present and future. It is, therefore, the miracle of utterance, as other miracles are wonders of power, and evinces omniscience, as they do omnipotence, thus reflecting the image of the glory of God. The words “prophet” and “prophecy,” etc., occur so frequently, over four hundred times, that they suggest special study.

“Prophet” is always used in one of two senses, and prophecy is regarded from two corresponding points of view. When a prophet predicts or foretells, he sees and represents the future in the light of the present; when he rebukes, reproves, counsels, or admonishes, as Jehovah’s representative messenger—forth-telling rather than foretelling, he portrays the present in the light of the future.[1] [1]Compare Edersheim

Hence there are two sorts of prophetic teaching: the preceptive and the predictive. Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist belong to the former; David, Daniel, Isaiah, John, to the latter; Moses, Hosea, Malachi, to both.

Predictive prophecy is the foremost proof to which the Word of God appeals in its own behalf. It was the standing miracle by which God challenged faith in His inspired Word, defying all the worshippers of other gods and their sages and seers to produce any such proofs that their gods were worthy of worship or their prophets true representatives of a divine religion (compare Isaiah 41:21-23).

Prophecy characterizes one of the three main divisions of Old Testament Scripture, the others being the historic and the poetic or devotional. The common Hebrew word, Nabi, from a root, meaning to boil up, or bubble as a spring, suggests the impulse of inspiration (2 Peter 1:21) as a mouthpiece of God giving utterance to an outflow of divine thought. The divine message was communicated by dreams, visions, trance or ecstasy, or in ways not revealed. Prophets were known as seers—men who had supernatural insight or foresight, or both. The ecstatic state predominates in the Old Testament, and is not the highest, for neither Moses nor our Lord ever was in it. The prophetic office was mainly one of teaching, and intensely practical, meant to rebuke and reform, rouse and incite to action; hence the “schools of prophets” in the later days of Elijah and Elisha, associations of men, more or less endowed with the Spirit, out of whom a succession of prophets might come. Eichorn discriminatingly calls Moses’ Song (Deuteronomy 32) the “Magna Charta of Prophecy.” For a transient inspiration, or a special occasion, men might have the prophetic gift, irrespective of character, as in Saul’s and Balaam’s cases: but those who had a continuous mission as prophets were men of deep piety like Isaiah and Daniel. The main criteria of a true prophet were:

1. The accordance of his messages with the Revealed Law.

2. His not promising prosperity to the rebellious and unrepentant.

3. His own conscious call and assurance of his mission (Jeremiah 20:8-9; Jeremiah 26:12).

4. His consequent power to produce in others conviction of truth.

5. His foresight of the Messiah and His career.

Fulfilled predictions and miracles were only confirmatory proofs when his teaching was in harmony with previous revelations of God’s mind in Scripture (Deuteronomy 13:2). The promulgation of the prophetic message might be oral or written; sometimes what was first by word of mouth was afterwards committed to writing for preservation and wider dissemination. Probably all prophecies thus put in scroll form are yet extant, though some oral utterances may have been lost to us.

Prebendary Horne has attempted to arrange the Old Testament “seers” in chronological order, but even scholars disagree as to the exact place of several of the prophets in the prophetic succession. It may help students to embody here the results of Horne’s investigations, specifying only the times of the Kings of Judah to promote simplicity and avoid burdening the memory.

The word prophet has come from the mediaeval use of the Greek word (propheteia) to carry the sense of prediction, but the larger idea of interpretation should not be lost, and in the latter sense the church still has the prophetic gift, so far as godly preachers and teachers unfold and declare to men the Word of God. We know not how far the Holy Spirit may, even now, empower believers with spiritual insight, though foresight is very rare.

God seems to have meant that something corresponding to the regal, sacerdotal, and prophetical orders should always exist in the church—in those fitted to guide and govern; in others, called to administer ordinances and act as media of communion with God and worship; and again in others who by clear apprehension of divine truth are prepared to teach. But, in no proper sense are there any priests, for all believers constitute a priesthood with privileges of immediate access to God. A peculiar and very significant fact about the whole prophetic element is that, when its fragmentary utterances are brought together, they are found to constitute one organic body. All predictions of the Word of God may be arranged in concentric circles—the innermost pertaining to our Lord Jesus Christ, as heart and center of all prophecy; then, next outside, the circle of predictions pertaining to the Hebrews as God’s chosen people; then next, the circle of national predictions, having reference to the various peoples located about, and having special connection with Jewish history; and then outside of all, the earliest forecast of the history of the race. We can best convey this idea by the two diagrams which accompany this section.[1] [1]From theBible and Spiritual Life, by the Author.

In predictive prophecy we have an impregnable rock fortress for rational faith, defying all successful assault. It is a double defense—it proves the divine origin, inspiration and authority of Scripture; and because at least one-half of all its forecasts converge upon the Lord Jesus Christ, it vindicates His Deity and Messiahship. The central Messianic prediction (Isaiah 52:13 to Isaiah 53:12) is alone sufficient. Jewish and Christian writers agree that it is a portrait of the coming Messiah, differing only as to the historic person to whom it refers and who answers to the portrait.[1] [1]Compare Edersheim. The highest crown of the prophetic office was found in the fullness and clearness of Messianic revelation; hence Isaiah has been known as the “Evangelical Prophet,” because in his writings are found more predictions about the coming Christ than in anyone or all of the others. Hence also the master device of Satan in seeking to impugn and impair the prophetic value of Isaiah’s writings.