Prophets were men raised up of God
in times of declension and apostasy in Israel. They were primarily revivalists
and patriots, speaking on behalf of God to the heart and conscience of the
nation. The prophetic messages have a twofold character: first, that which was
local and for the prophet's time; secondly, that which was predictive of the
divine purpose in future. Often the prediction springs immediately from the
local circumstances (e.g. Isa_7:1-11
with Isa_7:12-14).
It is necessary to keep this
Israelitish character of the prophet in mind. Usually his predictive, equally
with his local and immediate ministry, is not didactic and abstract, but has in
view the covenant people, their sin and failure, and their glorious future. The
Gentile is mentioned as used for the chastisement of Israel, as judged
therefore, but also as sharing the grace that is yet to be shown toward Israel.
The Church, corporately, is not in the vision of the O.T. prophet (Eph_3:1-6). The future blessing of Israel as a
nation rests upon the Palestinian Covenant of restoration and conversion (Deu_30:1-9, refs.), and the Davidic Covenant of
the Kingship of the Messiah, David's Son (2Sa_7:8-17,
refs.), and this gives to predictive prophecy its Messianic character. The
exaltation of Israel is secured in the kingdom, and the kingdom takes its power
to bless from the Person of the King, David's Son, but also
"Immanuel."
But as the King is also Son of
Abraham (Mat_1:1), the promised
Redeemer, and as redemption is only through the sacrifice of Christ, so
messianic prophecy of necessity presents Christ in a twofold character--a
suffering Messiah (e.g. Isaiah 53.), and a reigning Messiah (e.g. Isaiah 11.).
This duality, suffering and glory, weakness and power, involved a mystery which
perplexed the prophets (1Pe_1:10-12; Luk_24:26-27).
The solution of that mystery lies,
as the New Testament makes clear, in the two advents--the first advent to
redemption through suffering; the second advent to the kingdom glory, when the
national promises to Israel will be fulfilled ( Mat_1:21-23;
Luk_2:28-35; Luk_24:46-48, with Luk_1:31-33;
Luk_1:68-75; Mat_2:2; Mat_2:6; Mat_19:27-28; Act_2:30-32;
Act_15:14-16). The prophets indeed
describe the advent in two forms which could not be contemporaneous (e.g. Zec_9:9; contra; Zec_14:1-9),
but to them it was not revealed that between the advent to suffering, and the
advent to glory, would be accomplished certain "mysteries of the
kingdom" (Mat_13:11-16), not that,
consequent upon Messiah's rejection, the new Testament Church would be called
out. These were, to them, "mysteries hid in God" (Eph_3:1-10).
Speaking broadly, then, predictive
prophecy is occupied with the fulfilment of the Palestinian and Davidic
Covenants; the Abrahamic Covenant having also its place.
Gentile powers are mentioned as
connected with Israel, but prophecy, save in Daniel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Nahum,
is not occupied with Gentile world-history. Daniel, as will be see, has a
distinctive character.
The predictions of the restoration
from the Babylonian captivity at the end of seventy years, must be
distinguished from those of the restoration from the present world-wide
dispersion. The context is always clear. The Palestinian Covenant Deu 28:1-30.9
is the mould of predictive prophecy in its larger sense--national disobedience,
world-wide dispersion, repentance, the return of the Lord, the regathering of
Israel and establishment of the kingdom, the conversion and blessing of Israel,
and the judgment of Israel's oppressors.
The true division of the prophets
is into pre-exilic, viz., in Judah: Isaiah, Jeremiah (extending into the
exile), Joel, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah. In Israel: Hosea,
Amos, and Jonah. Exilic, Ezekiel and Daniel, both of Judah, but prophesying to the
whole nation. Post-exilic, all of Judah: Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The
division into major and minor prophetic writings, based upon the mere bulk of
the books, is unhistoric and non-chronological.
The keys which unlock the meaning
of prophecy are: the two advents of Messiah, the advent to suffer (Gen_3:15; Act_1:9),
and the advent to reign (Deu_30:3; Act_1:9-11); the doctrine of the Remnant (Isa_10:20, refs), the doctrine of the day of the
Lord ( Isa_2:10-22; Rev_19:11-21), and the doctrine of the Kingdom
(O.T.; Gen_1:26-28;
See Scofield
- Zec_12:8; N.T., Luk_1:31-33;
See Scofield
- 1Co_15:28). Note). The pivotal
chapters, taking prophecy as a whole, are, Deuteronomy 28., 29., 30.; Psalms2.;
Daniel 2., 7.
The whole scope of prophecy must
be taken into account in determining the meaning of any particular passage (2Pe_1:20). Hence the importance of first
mastering the great themes above indicated, which, in this edition of the
Scriptures, may readily be done by tracing through the body of the prophetic
writings the subjects mentioned in the preceding paragraph. The detail of the
"time of the end," upon which all prophecy converges, will be more
clearly understood if to those subjects the student adds the Beast (Dan_7:8; Rev_19:20),
and Armageddon ( Rev_16:14; Rev_19:17,
See Scofield
- Rev_19:17).
Chronological Order of the
Prophets (According to Ussher)
I. Prophets Before the Exile
(1) To
Nineveh
Jonah,
862 B.C.
(2) To
the 10 tribes "Israel"
Amos,
787 B.C.
Hosea,
785-725 B.C.
Obadiah,
887 B.C.
Joel,
800 B.C.
(3) To
Judah
Isaiah,
760-698 B.C.
Micah,
750-710 B.C.
Nahum,
713 B.C.
Habakkuk,
626 B.C.
Zephaniah,
630 B.C.
II. Prophets During the Exile
Ezekiel,
595-574 B.C.
Daniel,
607-534 B.C.
III. Prophets After the Exile
Haggai,
520 B.C.
Zechariah,
520-518 B.C.
Malachi, 397 B.C.