Redemptive-Historical Survey of the Prophets 1. Prophet definition a. Gift of prophecy i. Word analysis 3 root words (1 "seer" ro ʾeh ר א ה - form rʾh "see". Participle ראה 1. Sam 9:9 2x, 11, 18, 19; 2 Sam 15:27; Isa 30:10; 1 Chr 9:22; 26:28; 29:29; 2 Chr 16:7, 10). 7 of 12 uses refer to Samuel. However, this does not mean that all revelation was visual. "Seer" is an older term (1 Sam 9:9). seer, - ח ז ה - form - h zh - see, perceive. Participle חזה 2. visionary (2 Sam 24:11; 1 Kgs 17:13; Isa 29:10; 30:10; Amos 7:12; Mic 3:7; 1 Chr 21:9; 25:5; 29:29; 2 Chr 9:29; 12:15; 19:2; 29:25; 29:30; 33:18, 19; 35:15). 17 uses in OT. prophet ; 315 - נ ב יא - form - nbʾ- prophesy. Noun נבא 3. uses in OT; most common designation for prophet. Etymology is debatable. It may mean to flow, boil up, bubble forth as in ecstasy. But this requires a change in the final consonant, which is rare. Closest cognate is Akkadian, nabu, to decree, proclaim, command, make known. But the more common Akkadian meaning is to name. ii. Prophets receive revelation through the Spirit (Num 11:29; 2 Pet 1:21). This reception is a blessing that Moses hoped all would experience (cf. Joel 2:28; 1 Cor 14:5). iii. Prophets receive revelation from the Lord through words, dreams or visions. Prophecies are not always clear; they can be presented in parables, poems, and song (Hos 12:10; 1 Chr 25:1). God reveals and conceals through prophets (Num 12:6-8). This is contrasted with Moses with whom He speaks face to face (Num 12:6). iv. People can also inquire of God through the prophets something as mundane as lost donkeys (1 Sam 9:6ff). Gifts or fees are expected (1 Sam 9:8; 1 Kgs 14:3; 2 Kgs 4:42; Amos 7:12; Mic 3:5). False prophets seemed to have taken advantage of this system (Amos 7:12; Mic 3:5, 11; Jer 14:18). v. New revelation 1. Not all prophets receive the same quantity of revelation. 2. Some prophets had more important redemptive revelation that dealt with entire nations. vi. Revelation is to be publicly proclaimed (Jonah). vii. Prophets are to intercede to God for people (Gen 20:7; Jer 7:16; Ezek 22:30). viii. Ecstatic prophets 1. At times, strange bodily manifestations occurred (1 Chr 25:1). Hosea 9:7 uses the idea that prophets were madmen. 1
2. Not all prophets are necessarily ecstatic. The negative connotation of ecstatic prophets could have arose from false and/or pagan prophets (cf. 1 Kgs 18:20ff; 2 Kgs 9:11; Jer 29:26). Saul and his messengers stripping was not necessarily a common prophetic practice (1 Sam 19:24). 1 True prophecy does not disconnect one from your mind, but lifts the mind to its highest degree of intercourse with God; and this lies in the sphere of consciousness (Vos 226). ix. Musicians who prophesied with instruments (1 Sam 10:5ff; 1 Chr 25:1). This includes prophecy through poetry (Psalms). b. Prophetic office i. The entirety of Deuteronomy may be seen as a covenant document between God and Israel. ii. Deuteronomy 18:15-22 establishes a formal covenantal office of the prophet. This passage immediately follows the establishment of the office of the judge (Deut 16:18-17:13), king (Deut 17:14-20) and priest (Deut 18:1-8). Moses is the paradigm prophet (Deut 18:15-18; 34:10); this prophet of the Deuteronomic covenant will be like Moses. iii. God s ordained method to speak to Israel is through the prophets, in direct contrast to pagan methods such as sorcery and the like (Deut 18:9-14). So the prophet has divine authority. 1. God also reveals his will through casting lots (Lev 16:8; Josh 18:6, 8, 10; 1 Sam 14:41; Acts 1:26), dreams (Deut 13:1; 1 Kgs 3:5-15), visions, and the Urim and Thummin (Ex 28:30; Lev 8:8; Num 27:21; 1 Sam 23:2, 4, 9-12; 28:6; Ezra 2:63; Neh 7:65). 2. God does nothing without revealing his secret to the prophets (Amos 3:7). iv. Prophet is to be an Israelite (Deut 18:15). v. Prophets are appointed by God (Deut 18:15; 1 Kgs 19:16; Isa 61:1; Jer 1:5), 1. Prophetic office is not necessarily dynastic, unlike the offices of king and priest. 2. In contrast to judges, kings, and priests, there is no formal, public ceremony for the appointment. 3. In contrast to judges, kings, and priests, prophets are only raised when the need arises and on God s prerogative. Each prophet is not necessarily commissioned in the same manner. Some prophets had access to the Glory council: Enoch (Jude 14-15), Noah (2 Pet 2:5; cf. 1 Pet 3:20; Heb 11:7), Micaiah (1 Kgs 22:13-23; 2 Chr 18:12-22), Jeremiah (Jer 23:18), Isaiah (Isa 6). 1 Saul's stripping had theological implications of shame and of distancing Saul from the office of king. Plus,.(ג ם) also LXX does not contain 2
4. Prophets serve as mediators because the people cannot handle direct communication with God (Deut 18:16; cf. 5:23-27). vi. True vs false prophets 2 1. True prophets will only say things that do come to pass (Deut 18:22). So some time may pass before a prophet s true character comes to light (cf. 1 Sam 3:19; Jer 26:16; Ezek 2:5; 33:33). However, this is not the only criteria, false prophets may also correctly predict the future (Deut 13:2). 2. True prophets will always lead you to follow God s previously revealed law in its entirety (Deut 13:1-5). vii. Covenant prosecutors 1. Prosecutes Israel and renews promises based upon the Deuteronomic covenant. 3 2. Foreign nations are also condemned due to their violent treatment of Israel (Nah, Obad, etc.). They are also condemned at times based on natural law; precepts of right behavior that is discernible by all people (Amos 2:1). 2. Redemptive-Historical overview of the Prophetic office a. Two main periods of prophets i. Samuel to pre-writing prophets (ca. mid-8th c.). 1. Samuel is the start of the prophetic division following the earthly king as the Deuteronomic covenant stipulated (Acts 3:24). 2. There is the possibility of repentance and conversion; prophets speak as reorganizers or reconstructionists and so their revelation was largely specific to their time. 3. Kings and prophets largely counterbalanced one another. ii. Writing prophets until the close of OT prophecy. 1. Though calls to repentance continue, they are increasingly perfunctory. Prophets increasingly revealed an eschatological future that far transcended OT Israel. Thus the shift to writing prophets; their received revelation was eschatological and was not only for OT Israel but also for future generations. 2. Kings and prophets were largely opposed to each other due to royal apostasy. b. Group prophets i. Elijah and Elisha sons of the prophets (1 Kgs 18:4; 20:35; 2 Kgs 2; 4). 2 True prophets are generally messengers of woe, social nonconformists, traditionalists, vindicated by events, blameless (Williams 63-9). 3 But apart from all such individual considerations, we must remember the general character of the prophetic revelation. The law institutes and commands, prophecy explains the reasons and motives on which institutions and obedience are based. Behind the berith lies something deeper and more fundamental, the nature and will of Jehovah (Vos 259). 3
ii. Samuel group (1 Sam 19:20). iii. Group prophets submitted to leaders and performed tasks on their behalf (2 Kgs 2:15; 1 Sam 19:20; cf. John 1:35). iv. Group prophets may have been common (Amos 7:14). c. New covenant (see my Prolegomena) i. Prophetic office and its analogous apostolic office ceased with the completion of the canon. Revelation was fulfilled in Christ because He is the goal of the OT. The Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Christ) continues to work in hearts through Scripture. ii. Due to the Christ-centeredness of the OT, dispensationalism s understanding of the prophets can be problematic. Classic dispensational theology sees the Mosaic theocracy continuing to stand parallel with the New covenant church today. However, they are not in parallel but in linear succession to each other, from the provisional and transient to the perfective and permanent stage of the kingdom (KP 344). Thus to search the OT for prophecies that effect modern Israel as OT Israel is fruitless; the prophecies have already been fulfilled in OT Israel s lifetime or have already been fulfilled in Christ. 3. Form-criticism - identifies and analyzes literary types or genres. Not all uses conform exactly. At times though, differences in the forms may convey meaning. Scholarship differs on the identification of many forms and its elements. The forms below are some of the more prevalent uses in the prophetic books but is not exhaustive. a. Prophetic call (e.g. Exod 3:1-12). i. Divine confrontation (3:1-3) ii. Introductory word (3:4-9) iii. Commission (3:10) iv. Objection from the prophet (3:11) v. Reassurance from God (3:12a) vi. Some sign from God confirming his intent (3:12b) 4 b. Prophetic lawsuit (e.g. Isa 1:2-31) i. Witnesses (1:2a) ii. Lawsuit (1:2b-4) iii. God s past acts of loyalty (1:2b-4) iv. Indictment (1:15-19) v. Sentence (1:20, 24-25, 28-31) c. Disputation speech (e.g. Ezek 33:10-20)- challenges the guilty and encourages faithfulness. i. Introduction (33:10a) ii. Explanatory remark (33:10b-11) iii. Refutation (33:12-16) iv. Concluding refutation (33:17a) v. Rejoinder (33:17b-20) d. Woe oracle (e.g. Isa 31:1-4) 4 Williams, 54-8. 4
i. Opening (31:1a) ii. Accusation (31:1b) iii. Judgement (31:2-4) e. Oracles against foreign nations (e.g. Isa 13-23; Jer 46-51; Ezek 25-32; Amos 1:3-2:6; Nah; Zeph 2:4-15) f. Prophecy of salvation (e.g. Jer 32:36-41) i. Situation (32:36a) ii. Prediction of salvation (32:36b-40) iii. Conclusion (32:41) g. Oracle of salvation (e.g. Isa 44:1-5)- addresses present needs. i. Declaration of God s fidelity (44:1-2) ii. Oracle of salvation (44:3) iii. Purpose of salvation (44:4-5) h. Proclamation of salvation (e.g. Isa 41:17-20)- general announcement. i. General need (41:17a) ii. Prediction of salvation (41:17b-19) iii. Purpose (41:20) 5 i. The Book of the Twelve- The Minor Prophets are a single, redacted literary unit with its final composition dated to the 5th c. Arguments against this thesis is as follows: i. Early Jews saw the Minor Prophets as 12 separate, literary units collected into one scroll. No pesher (ancient Hebrew commentary) or rabbinic interpretation of the Minor Prophets as one literary unit exists. ii. Superscriptions and clear conclusions support reading them as separate books. iii. Postulates a unique genre. Prophetic books abound, but the Book of the Twelve would be wholly unique. iv. Theological arguments (see my Prolegomena). 4. Summary of selected prophetic motifs a. Day of the Lord - Parousia, the second coming of Christ, (Acts 2:20; 1 Cor 5:5; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Thess 2:2; 2 Pet 3:10-12; Rev) or types thereof (Joel 1:15; Amos 5:18-20; Zeph 1:7-14). i. Theophany (Gen 3:8; Isa 13:1-6) ii. Judicial verdict 1. Curses: punishes faithless based on their works (Isa 2:12-18; Jer 46:10; Ezek 30:1-6). 2. Blessings: purifies remnant based on Christ s works (Isa 58:6-14; Zeph 2:2-3; Mal 4:1-6). iii. Establishes God s eternal kingdom over creation (Joel 3:17-21) b. The Davidic Messiah-King (Hos 3:5;) i. Eternal reign (Amos 9:11-15; Hag 2:21-23). ii. Israel unites under Him (Mic 5:1-4). iii. Returns Israel to proper worship (Zech 3:9-10). 5 VanGemeren, 400-09. 5
iv. Jeremiah s curse on David s dynasty necessitates an eschatological/typological interpretation of these Messianic promises (Jer 22:30). c. Spirit-restored hearts i. God will send His Spirit (Joel 2:28-29; Isa 32:15; 44:3). ii. Related to the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:30-32; cf. Acts 2:1-21). d. Israel and the Nations i. Gentiles included into God s kingdom (Zech 9:10; Zeph 2:11; 3:9). ii. Inclusion is based on their worship of the Lord (Isa 19:18-24). 6