Alpharic Research

Institute
Centre for Research in Philosophy, Theology and
Ethics
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+2349066927954

PROPHETIC RELIGION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND

THE NEW TESTAMENT PROPHETIC MINISTRY
BY
GODSWILL OME UFERE
Email: [email protected], [email protected]; __GSM: +2347045155575
FEBRUARY, 2022

Introduction revealed the mind of God towards the people

According to Akintola, belief in prophets is a as the prophets served as the conscience of the
pillar of faith in Abrahamic religions of people and as the eye of God.
Judaism and it is also believed that the
Prophetic Religion in Israel
prophetic religion of Israel coincided with the
The prophetic religion is concerned with the
monarchical period and the prophets served as
religion of Israel as it affects the activities of
the divine instructors of kings (07). In thought,
prophets in the land of Israel. Israel had a shift
the word ‘prophetic’ has suffered a good deal
in religion at a time, and such was the period
from the rough treatment which it has received
of the prophets speaking through God. This
at the hands of controversialists. We may too
time has been interpreted to be theocratic in
easily assume that its meaning in the Biblical
nature and redirecting in the actions of the
tradition is limited to the impoverished and
people. It was when God's holy law for life
uncertain sound which it has in modern usage.
had ceased to be an effective force for
This is a most misleading assumption, and we
molding men and society that God raised up
therefore we tend to answer the question of
men to call the people back to Him and His
what make up the essential characteristics of
ways. These men are called prophets. Wright
genuine prophetic religion as it appears in the
noted that “Sometimes the fault of the people
tradition of Israel. Worthy of note is the fact
was more of a reversal of right priorities. For
that the prophetic
instance, sacrifices were intended for lapses
into disobedience; but there were periods in
Old Testament history when they were seen as From the general activities of the prophets, it
substitutes for the life of obedience and ritual could be clearly drawn that “monotheism”
techniques for keeping God happy” (124). was the emphasis of the prophets, especially
This means that when the nation’s religion the major prophets (Isaiah, Ezekiel and
was corrupted into this sort of non-moral Jeremiah) and some other minor like Hosea,
situation, the prophets raised their good test. Malachi, Jonah also stressed the issue of
Their intention was to recall the people from worship of God alone. More so, some minor
false priorities, to insist on God’s primary prophets like Amos spoke against injustice
requirements that His people should obey his and oppression in the society.
commands and live out His standards. Another understanding of the worship life of
the people at this period could be seen in the
The above, according to Aune, agrees with the mirror of the reality of the prophets basically
Hebrew word for prophet (nabi), which fighting against apostasy, syncretism and
means, one called by God to speak for Him”. idolatry. And such found the bases of this time
The prophet’s calling was not hereditary, or religious revolution. God was always angry
rather, like the priests, God chose His men with the people when they did any of the
from different walks of life (23). Some, like above, as it flourished at that time. Thus, the
Jeremiah and Jonah were very reluctant prophets presented both the rise and the fall of
recruits, especially when they learnt what God the religion of the Jews.
wanted them to do. Out of their fellowship
with God (1Kings 17:1), the prophets came The Prophets’ Message
with His message for their contemporaries and According to Peterson, Prophets arose in
for us too (Acts 7:38). He communicates the Israel during the period when Israel’s kings
will of God (forth tell) and sometimes foretells challenged the people in power—the political
events (e.g. 1Sam.10:1ff, Is.7:14, Jer. 28:15ff, rulers and the economic elite (117). Israelites
Jer.44:29-30). On how they received the Prophets in their ministry have often been
messages, we are told no more than that “the described as critics, and so they were, even
word of the Lord came” (e.g. Jer.47:1, though that is not an adequate description
Zech.8:1). because a critic applies a standard of judgment
according to his knowledge of the subject
under consideration. It is however, not in that
Worship in the Time of Prophetic Religion senses that prophets were critics, for their
words were not born simply out of their own
political insights. In their greatest moments ordained and had their part in the overruling
they uttered what they believed to be God divine purpose. Thus, the prophets declared,
given words which might be distasteful not how in Egypt and at the Red Sea, in the
only to their hearers but to themselves. It is wilderness and in Palestine, God had kept, and
therefore authoritative words, expressive of cared for His people; and how by prophet,
the will and purpose of God. God sought that priest and Nazarite, had sought to keep them
men should serve Him with willing hearts, faithful, and by judgment in fire and famine,
that they should be righteous and holy as He pestilence and sirocco, He rebuked and
was holy. Their fellowship with Him and with endeavoured to recall them (Rowley 80).
one another constituted the two fold aspects of
The prophets in their utterances also spoke of
one service. Thus, religion and life were
the future. Since the future was under the rule
bound together in one (Deut 6 verse 5; Lev. 19
of God, and His purpose remained
verse 18).
unchanging, He could reveal to His servants
As it was, their fellowship with God was future events. However, these events were not
broken by faithlessness and the service of unalterably determined by the will of God.
false gods; and their fellowship with one They were conditionally determined and.
another was broken by oppression, injustice whether or not they would be brought to pass
and guile. God therefore wants them to amend depended upon men.
their ways by rendering to Him pure service
To Jeremiah, God said:
and turning away from idols; and in their
dealings with one another they must let At one moment I may speak
"justice run down as waters and righteousness concerning a nation and concerning a
as a perennial stream" (e.g. Amos 5: 24). kingdom, to pluck, and to pull down,
and to destroy it; but if that nation
The prophets in their utterances dealt not only
against which I have pronounced
with the contemporary events of their time but
judgement, turn from their evil, I will
also looked at those before and after. They
repent of the evil that I purposed to do
interpreted the course of history and they
unto them. And at another moment I
made known the shape of coming events
may speak concerning a nation to build
(Tillich 165). God, they believed was working
and to plant it; but if they did evil in
out His purpose on the plane of human
my sight and obey not my voice, then I
history. Therefore, whether man
will repent of the good where-with I
acknowledged it or not, human events were
 said I would benefit them" (Jer. 18 Elijah was an early prophet whose narratives
verse 7 - 10). are recorded in the last part of First Kings and
the first part of Second Kings. We know very
Sometimes the prophets not only declared
little of what he said, but we are told stories of
that judgment would come from God upon the
wonders that he performed, including the
sinful people, but they specified the occasion
prediction of a drought and the multiplication
of the judgment or its nature or the agent
of food. In one amazing story, Elijah won a
through whom it would be accomplished (Is.
contest against the 450 prophets of the god
7: 1; 8: 6; 4: 1, Jer. 6:22).
Baal and proceeded to kill them all. At the end
Peterson, however, clearly observed that not of his life, Elijah was taken up in a fiery
all the prophets were anti-establishment, chariot, leaving his mantle and power to his
however. For example, Nathan was King successor, Elisha. To this very day, at every
David’s prophet, and he was financially celebration of the Passover, the Jews look for
supported by the king. But most of the the return of Elijah, whom they consider to be
prophets criticized the direction in which the the greatest of the prophets. It was in that role
people were being led by their rulers, and this as greatest of the prophets that Elijah appeared
often got them into trouble. They were met at the Transfiguration of Jesus (Rowley 111).
with hostility, ridicule, mistreatment,
punishment, and exile (119). The word  Amos
prophet means, “to speak for.” The prophets Amos was a shepherd from the town of Tekoa
spoke for God to the people, receiving God’s in Judah, the southern kingdom. He insisted
message through visions, dreams, and that he was not a professional prophet. In the
ecstasies. The prophetic message varied with middle of the eighth century B.C. he felt
the circumstances (Oesterley 90). When things called by God to prophesy in Israel, the
were going well, the prophets warned the northern kingdom. The message Amos gave
people about impending doom if they did not there was disagreeable to Israel’s ruling
change their ways. When things were going powers. He identified all of Israel’s neighbors
badly, they supported the people with words as being under God’s care and subject to
of encouragement and hope. God’s punishment. His harshest words,

Selected Prophets in the Prophetic however, were aimed at Israel itself,

Religious Era specifically its royalty and aristocracy. Amos

condemned these elite for enriching
 Elijah, the Prophet themselves at the expense of the poor, and he
made it clear that they were doomed, with no the prophecies of Second Isaiah is a collection
chance of avoiding disaster. of oracles about the Suffering Servant,
passages which have become familiar to us as
His message was more than the ruling class part of the liturgies of Holy Week.
could bear, and he was forced to leave the
religious center of Bethel and return to the Around the year 734 B.C., Isaiah met with
south. But by then Amos had changed the King Ahaz in Jerusalem and advised him on a
direction of the prophetic discussion of justice serious dilemma the king faced. Isaiah wanted
and righteousness, from focusing on God’s to show the king that the Davidic dynasty still
dealings with the people to the people’s had God’s support. Isaiah spoke to the king of
dealings with each other. The heart of Amos’ a sign that would be given—a young woman
message is: “Let justice roll down like water.” would give birth to a son, and his name would
be Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). In other words, he
 Isaiah
would represent God’s favor with the king and
The Book of Isaiah in the Old Testament gets
with the Davidic dynasty. Isaiah may have had
its name from a prophet who lived and worked
in mind the future king Hezekiah, but
in Jerusalem before the Exile, but that prophet
Matthew saw things differently. Matthew saw
did not write everything that is in the Book of
Isaiah’s message to Ahaz as a prophesy about
Isaiah. His prophetic teachings are included in
Jesus (Matthew 1:22–23). For Matthew the
the first 39 chapters. The writings of another
belief that “God is with us” was a basic theme
prophet, whom we call Second Isaiah, are in
of his Gospel, and he returns to it in the
chapters 40–55. The teachings of yet another
middle of his work (18:20) and at the very end
prophet, whom we call Third Isaiah, are found
(28:20). The Church has always followed
in the rest of the book. Second Isaiah dealt
Matthew’s lead in using the passage from
with the horrible experience of the destruction
Isaiah to learn important things about Jesus
of Jerusalem and the exile of most of the
(Rowley 113-114).
people to Babylon. These events seemed to
contradict the Exodus experience and God’s  Jeremiah
covenant with Israel, through which they had Jeremiah was born of a priestly family in the
been given their land. In the process of trying middle of the seventh century B.C. He
to help them keep their hope and trust in God supported the efforts of King Josiah to restore
alive, Second Isaiah developed a beautiful the worship of the true God, but when idolatry
theology of divine providence. Mixed in with returned after Josiah’s death, Jeremiah was so
critical of the people that he was arrested, Temple. As a prophet, Ezekiel spoke words of
imprisoned, and publicly disgraced. After the condemnation and challenge, but he also
Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar captured spoke words of consolation. He promised
Jerusalem and exiled the king, Jeremiah tried salvation for those in exile who would change
to steer the new king in a moderate direction, their lives (Rowley 115).
but his efforts failed. Nebuchadnezzar
returned in 587 to completely destroy Roles of Prophets in Israel at this Era of
Jerusalem. Jeremiah was taken to Egypt Prophetic Religion
against his will, and prophesied from there.
The role of a prophet during the period of
Jeremiah made important contributions to the
prophetic religion was not more of telling the
Israelite understanding of repentance, justice,
future but pulling and throwing down,
and prophesy. He is most remembered for his
destroying, building and planting the word of
prophesy of “a new covenant with the house
God in people.
of Israel and the house of Judah.”
Furthermore, God told Jeremiah that “I will 1. The prophet admonished, warned,
place my law within them, and write it upon directed, encouraged, interceded,
their hearts” and “All, from least to greatest, taught and counseled. He brought the
shall know me, says the LORD, for I will word of God to people and called
forgive their evildoing and remember their sin people to respond.
no more” (Jeremiah 31:31,33–34). 2. The prophet served as a leader, even
though they respected the king but the
 Ezekiel kings took instructions from them

Ezekiel was a priest in the Temple in based on spiritual matters and the

Jerusalem. He was probably taken to Babylon worship of God.

in 597 B.C. with the first group of exiles when 3. The prophet was the eye of the people.

the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem. The He saw for the people what the will of

Book of Ezekiel records what happened four God was. As an eye, the prophet

years later. Ezekiel was living in a village in explains the plan and purpose of God

Babylon when he received his call to be a and tells people what God will do in

prophet. He prophesied to the exiles that the the future; as Amos 3:7 states that

Temple would be destroyed because of the “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing,

idolatry of the Jews before the exile. In 587 but he reveals his secret unto his

B.C. the Babylonians did indeed destroy the servants the prophets.”
 4. The prophet turned people from their century B.C., the role of the prophet becomes
evil ways back to God that they might quite pronounced. The reported concerns of
be saved the latter prophets seem to broaden vastly.
(https://www.christiantruthcenter.com/r Muilenburg classifies the major concerns of
ole-of-a-prophet/). the prophets of this period into six areas.
Eichrodt pointed out other functions of These are 1) the political order, 2) the
prophets during the era of prophetic religion economic order, 3) the land, 4) administration
as follows: of justice, 5) power and pride, and 6) the
1. They spoke on behalf of God; world of nations (127-129).
2. They foretold the future events;
1. The Political Order: Yahweh was King
3. They guided and counseled kings;
over Israel. The loose tribal structure of the
4. They called people back to
Israelite society led to invasions by other
repentance/gave message of hope;
peoples, particularly the Philistines. The
5. They guided the people about the
people demanded a new order of life with a
covenant;
king ruling over them Eventually Yahweh
6. They condemned evil in the society;
granted the plea through Samuel, and Saul
7. They warned people of God's
was anointed king. The initial concept of the
judgment;
king being the servant and vicegerent of
8. They made people understand the
Yahweh during the reigns of Saul, David, and
nature of God;
Solomon transformed into a west Asiatic style
9. They offered sacrifices to God;
kingship in later years. The Covenant was
10. They anointed Kings;
forgotten and Yahweh became one of the gods
11. They interpreted the visions and
being worshiped. The prophets rose up time
dreams form God/ current events (134-
and again reminding the kings of the higher
135)
sovereignty of Yahweh, but to no avail.
Other Major Concerns of the Prophetic
2. The Economic Order: The change in the
Religion
political order accompanied a greater reliance
Generally, apart from the worship
on the socio-economic norms of the people
inconsistencies of the people, the period of the
around them. Along with Phoenician
latter prophets is full of upheavals and
mercantilism, a capitalistic and urban class
disobedience to the Divine Law. We see a
arose in Israel, replacing the nomadic culture.
general decline after Solomon. Thus, by the
"With the loss of old restraints we hear of
time of Amos during the middle of the eighth
commercial dishonesty, exploitation of the
poor, the luxury of the rich, gross indulgence, upon it, it lies barren and desolate, and all that
and insensate lust for profit. Amidst all the it has to yield is thorns and thistles"
feverish preoccupation with riches and power
and comfort and pleasure; all the bustling 4. The Administration of Justice: With the
commercial activity and the ever-rising prices; rise of the urban and capitalistic economy and
the building of fortifications for defense and new political order, the greed for wealth and
of fine houses for the privileged; the property led to misuse of judicial powers. The
elaboration of cultic observances with their prophets condemned this outright. "The courts
sumptuous festivals and celebrations, their have come under the control of the privileged
pilgrimages and rites, their music and choirs, and powerful, the rich and prosperous, the
and, withal, the syncretism with the cults of successful and aristocratic elements in the
nature and prosperity - amidst all there was population. As the king was reminded that he
one voice that was stifled and repressed. It was subject to a higher sovereignty, so the
was the voice of Israel's covenant-making and judges are told that there is a Judge who
covenant-keeping God. But was it stifled? Not judges them"." 'This incessant and insatiable
quite! For there were prophets in the land to greed for gain is one of the recurring themes
sound the cry of protest and outrage, repeating of prophetic protest. But what is even worse is
with the urgency born of faith and memory that the judges acquit the guilty for a bribe and
and holy awe, God's categorical and insistent deprive the innocent of their rights (ha. 5:23;
'thou shalt not "' Mic. 7:3; Ezek. 22:12)".

3. Land: "The land belongs to me" (Lev. 5. Power and Pride: The prophets are most
25:23). 25:23). Yahweh had given this land as vehement in their criticism of power in all its
a gift to Israel for them to sojourn; but He forms and guises. They are least concerned
retained ownership. The Israelites were about the realities of political and international
technically strangers in the land. (Lev. 25:23). problems, alliances or compromises that result
But Israel had defiled the land by its conduct. thereof. "All the professions are subjected to
It is this conduct that determined the the same acidic criticism: priests, prophets,
productivity of the land, "for both land and scribes and sages, princes, and judges. They
people live under a common historical and are all tempted to abuse their power and status
moral sovereignty. When God commands it to and to become victims to their pride. Even
yield, the land breaks forth into fertility and women, especially the wives of the rich are
abundance; when he pronounces judgment bitterly denounced for their haughtiness and
heartlessness. The prophets show little Many of the Old Testament prophecies were
chivalry; the modem ideal of the gentleman is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. And, he also behaved
not to be found in the Old Testament". "The and did the works of a prophet. Though, some
mighty empires - Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, dispute over certain actions of Christ tagged as
and the rest come within the range of being prophetic but the fact is that the Old
prophetic scorn and disdain. ... The vaunting Testament prophecvies were fulfilled in him
pride and arrogance of the mighty will be and he was also a prophet. We turn now to
brought low by the Lord of history. There is a Jesus’ life out of which his prophetic ministry
monition that keeps interposing itself flowed. Is it a realistic model for the life of
throughout the Scriptures: Be not proud!" ministerial religious today? If so, what are the
implications of the prophetic character of
6. The World of Nations: The prophets do not religious life for the behavior of religious in
present a unified view of the world they lived ministry and in relation to the hierarchy?
in, nor of the people they were surrounded by.
First, Jesus’ prophetic vocation was rooted in
Unlike most other prophets, Amos and Isaiah
and expressive of his mystical life, the intense
present a universalistic outlook by placing
contemplative prayer life that the Gospels
Israel at par with other nations and including it
present as the root of his experiential
within the judgment to come. They also
knowledge of God. He not only took part in
admonished other nations against their deeds.
Jewish vocal prayer and liturgy (e.g., see Lk.
Otherwise, most other prophets are concerned
4:16; Mt. 26:17) . He spent long periods --
about the unique position of Israel among the
whole nights (Lk. 6:12), hours before dawn
nations. Israel is chosen to fulfill the divine
(Mk. 1:35), times of decision making (Lk.
purpose in history.
6:12-13) and anguish (see Mk. 14:32-42), and,
at least once, “40 days” -- in prayer to God
Prophetic Ministry in the New Testament
(see Mk. 1:13 and pars.). Jesus not only knew
Prophetic ministry as evidenced in the New about God; he knew God intimately. He
Testament is built largely on the person of experienced God as his “Abba” (Mk. 14:36),
Jesus Christ. However, the first reference to a his loving parent, from whom he drew his
person as being a prophet in the New own identity, and whose project was his own.
Testament was John, the Baptist because he In John’s Gospel Jesus speaks of being “one”
dressed and behaved like one. The people with God (Jn. 10:30) whose words he speaks
mistook him to be the reincarnation of Elijah and whose works he does (see Jn. 14:10).
but to this, he denied.
The prophet’s direct and immediate Jesus had prophetic credibility among the
experience of God is the root of her or his people because he “spoke with authority,”
words and actions. But this activity is often precisely not as the scribes, that is, not by
enough critical of or even in opposition to the virtue of institutional position nor backed up
positions of the legitimate ecclesiastical by texts (see Mk. 1:27; Mt. 7:29). He spoke
authorities who are usually presented as, and “like no other person ever has” (cf. Jn. 7:45-
in fact are, God’s institutional representatives. 46). It was not because he was God in thin
Jesus’ confrontation with the officials over the disguise or because he was credentialed by the
woman taken in adultery was not an isolated religious establishment, but because his truth
case. He was frequently in heated conflict telling, despite overwhelming personal threat
with the hierarchy. We can be tempted to when what he said and did ran counter to what
think that such opposition to institutional the laws or the officials required, manifested
authority was fine for Jesus in relation to the to the people that he was indeed representing
Jerusalem hierarchy in the first century but not the true God. Only later, only after the
for us in relation to ecclesiastical authority in Resurrection, did they realize that this
our own time. Jesus, after all, was God so he “prophet, mighty in word and work,” was
knew all the right answers. And the Jerusalem indeed the Son of God. During his public life,
hierarchy was degenerate and filled with evil his authority flowed from what he did and
hypocrites. said. No one can confer, and no one can
“claim,” moral authority. It belongs only to
To sanitize (and even trivialize) Jesus’
one earns it. Jesus was powerfully, personally
prophetic ministry in this way is to miss the
authoritative and that is why he was
point entirely. Jesus did not claim personal
recognized as a prophet.
divine authority when he acted prophetically
in relation to the religious institution. He Furthermore, the religious officials of Jesus’
claimed to be speaking for God, not as God. time were no more wicked, hypocritical,
And it is important to note that his adversaries oppressive, immoral, or corrupt than officials
were claiming exactly the same thing, that is, of state and Church in other ages. They had
to be God’s official representatives to the the same status among their contemporaries as
people which, in fact, they were. They do our legislators, priests and bishops,
actually had the ecclesiastical authority of presidents and popes. The presumption of
office on their side, which Jesus did not legitimacy and competence was theirs by
because he was not a priest, an elder, a scribe, virtue of their office. The officials Jesus
or any other kind of religious official. confronted were not wearing signs saying
embezzler, hypocrite, pedophile, adulterer, 14). We face the same challenge today. There
pornographer, so that anyone looking at them are many men of integrity, holiness, and
would know that Jesus was certainly right to compassion holding office in the Church. But
call them to account. Jesus was seeing in popes can be wrong, even culpably so;
them, in their teaching and their behavior, bishops can be criminals; priests can be
what his contemporaries, like so many of us embezzlers or sexual predators. One thing is
when we deal with people in high places, were certain: hierarchical status, office in the
conditioned not to see, or were afraid to name. Church, is no guarantee that the speaker or his
And he bore witness, at risk of his life, to what message comes from God. An office holder
he saw. may be prophetic, or a prophet may hold
office, but the two charisms as such do not
The problem for Jesus’ contemporaries was
imply each other. And history suggests that
the same as ours today. How are we to judge
there is virtually always tension, if not
between voices competing for our acceptance?
opposition, between institutional and
How do we recognize the prophet, the one
prophetic authority.
who “speaks for God?” Obviously, as the
horror of the Holocaust made clear for all Besides an intense life of prayer which unites
time, it is profoundly immoral to uncritically the prophet to God, a second requirement of
“follow orders” simply because they come prophetic identity and mission is a certain
from someone in authority. Jesus warned his freedom from attachments which pressure the
contemporaries to beware of the official person to prefer personal or institutional
teachers, of the priests and elders and goods, the maintaining of the status quo
Pharisees who “sit in the chair of Moses” but within which one’s own position and interests
are hypocrites (see Mt. 23:1-5), whited are protected, to God’s interests or the good of
sepulchers (see Mt. 23:27), self-serving those to whom one is sent. Jesus was
oppressors of the poor in the name of God. extraordinarily “unattached,” not only
inwardly, but even in his personal lifestyle. By
There were, of course, sincere men among the
his own choice, he had no family to provide
ecclesiastical officials of Jesus’ time, like
for or to protect. He owned no personal
Nicodemus (Jn. 3, 7, 19); and the scribe who
property that he could lose. He held no official
was “not far from the kingdom of God” (Mk.
position of power, political or ecclesiastical,
12:28-39). But there were many others, like
that his actions could jeopardize.
Caiaphas (Jn. 11:49-50 with 18:14), who were
“the blind leading the blind” (see Mt. 15:10-
Of course, family, property, and power are not finger to move them” (Mt. 23:4). Rosa Parks
necessarily impediments to prophetic freedom. and Nelson Mandela were willing to pay the
Like St. Thomas More, many people in high price for their witness for racial justice. Jesus
places, with much to protect personally, defending the woman taken in adultery was
professionally, and politically, have given risking his life for hers. Witness to the truth is
their lives in witness to the truth. But being never comfortable or self-aggrandizing for the
without such attachments is a bulwark of true prophet, and the risks are usually high.
prophetic freedom simply because it makes it “Witness” from the favored side of power is
easier to “hear,” without distortion from one’s dubiously prophetic. The issue that emerges as
own inner voices or outer demands, the voices central when the prophetic charism conflicts
that are relevant to the issues one must with institutional authority is precisely the one
discern. With less “static” from legitimate operative in much of the current struggle
competing interests the prophet can more between the institutional church and religious,
easily listen full-time, with all his or her namely, obedience.
attention, for the truth to which witness is
The Relevance of the Prophetic Religion to
required, the truth that must be done
Us Today
regardless of orders to the contrary.
Discernment based on attentive listening, not This study on the prophetic religion is
submission to the will of another, is the essential or significant to us today as
essence of prophetic obedience. Christians because the Bible is the only book
which gives us an accurate forecast of the
Third, a major and non-negotiable criterion of
future, we must turn to its pages in order that
the true prophet is the coherence between the
we may be delivered from inexcusable
prophet’s message and the prophet’s life. The
ignorance and be prepared as God unfolds His
more insensitive one is to the devastation
prophetic programme (Matthew 22:29).
one’s teaching or legislating causes in the
Unfortunately, many Christians do not
lives of real people, the more willing one is to
consider the prophetic religion as being of
“stone the sinner” in order to bolster official
any important because of these reasons:
authority and guard public morality, the more
likely it is that, no matter how highly placed, Some mistakenly think that the subject is too
one is a “blind guide,” one of those Jesus involved and difficult. It is true that
described who “tie up heavy burdens, hard to prophecies can only be fully understood in the
bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; light of their fulfilment, but the “main lines of
while they themselves are unwilling to lift a prophetic truth” revealed in the Bible may be
understood by all who will obey 2 Timothy and there is a unity running through the entire
2:15. Some feel that to study prophecy leads book. Only by accepting the whole can we
to speculation. There is a danger of this, but have at our disposal all the truth God wants us
surely we can be Spirit-led in our study of to know, and only thus can we rightly divide
God’s truth? Still others say that the prophetic the Word (2 Timothy 2:15). If “the New
outlook is a very dark one and that to study it (Testament) is in the Old concealed and the
leads to pessimism –- but can a believer be Old (Testament) is in the New revealed”, then
pessimistic? –- see what Isaiah 53:11 and we must study Old and New in order to gain
Hebrews 10:13 say. the message of the whole.

Consider the following propositions which 3. There is a special reason why we should
constitute some of the reasons why the search, study, understand and believe the
prophetic religion is significant to us today:- prophetic Word. In Luke 24, notice that the
word “all” is used three times in verses 25 and
1. The major portion of the Bible consists of
27. By this statement our Lord set His seal to
prophecy; thus, if we neglect this portion we
the reliability and the authority of the
neglect the major part of our Bible. Glance
prophetic writings of the Old Testament. Does
through the pages of your Bible and notice
this not constitute a strong reason why we
how much is composed of prophetic
should study these prophecies, especially as
statement, and then remember that the major
they reveal Him? Look up Luke 24:27 and
part of Bible prophecy still awaits fulfilment.
John 5:39.
If we do not study prophecy we must confine
ourselves to a very selected section of the Old 4. The already fulfilled prophecies in the Bible
Testament. Moreover, we shall need to be in a special way confirm the inspiration, the
very careful in reading the sayings of our Lord accuracy and therefore the authority of the
recorded in the four Gospels, for many of Book. Because all the Bible prophecies which
them are prophetic. The Epistles also contain have been fulfilled have been fulfilled
much prophecy, and so does the book of literally, to the very letter. Prophecies relating
Revelation! The whole Bible is inspired, and it to the coming of the Messiah, to the Jews and
contains God’s message concerning future to the Gentiles were written hundreds of years
things. before they were fulfilled. Take the following
prophecies relating to our Lord’s first advent:-
2. The Scriptures cannot be rightly understood
Isaiah 40:3 tells us that John was to be His
or unfolded if the prophetic sections are
forerunner; Isaiah 7:14 that He would be born
neglected. The Bible is one glorious whole,
of a virgin; Micah 5:2 that He would be born we look out on the world with all its unrest,
in Bethlehem; Psalm 72:10 and 15 that the alarm, arming for war and wickedness?
Wise Men would visit Him; Isaiah 53 that He
7. We must warn the ungodly of what is going
would be the sin-bearer of His people;
to happen in the future, and in order to do this
Zechariah 11:12-13 that He would be betrayed
we must be instructed in God’s programme for
and sold for thirty pieces of silver; Psalm
the days ahead. Every Christian should be
22:14 and 17 that He would be crucified;
constantly re-echoing John the Baptist’s
Isaiah 53:9 that He would be buried with the
warning –- Matthew 3:7, for God’s solemn
rich; Psalm 16:8-10 that He would rise again;
judgments are soon to fall upon a Christ-
and Psalm 68:18 that He would ascend on
rejecting world.
high. Thus, seeing that all the prophecies
concerning our Lord’s first advent were 8. Only as we understand the prophetic Word
literally fulfilled, does not this fact give us shall we be safeguarded against the perils and
great confidence in the Bible, and are we not vices which are peculiar to these closing days
also perfectly justified in expecting that all the of the age. We should constantly read 2
prophecies concerning His second advent, and Timothy, chapter 3, and notice that verses 1-
all the prophecies which await fulfilment, will 13 show the characteristics of these days, and
also be literally fulfilled? that verses 14-17 tell us how we may be
delivered from the “pull” of these evil things.
5. Only by reading and studying the prophetic
Scriptures can we know what God is doing 9. Prophetic truth received into the mind and
and thus be prepared for events. The prophetic heart powerfully influences character and
word is God’s blueprint of future events –- conduct. In Romans 15:4 we are told about
look up Amos 3:7, and then Genesis 18:17; three results of studying prophecy, and Daniel
John 15:15 and 16:4, and compare Romans 10:19 has something important to say to us
11:25; 1 Corinthians 10:1 and 1 Thessalonians about this too. Also, there is a special blessing
4:13. promised to all who will read and study God’s
prophetic truth.
6. Prophetic truth strengthens faith at a time
when the whole world is gripped with fear. Conclusion
Luke 21:26 is certainly true of many in the
The prophetic religion of Israel was not lost in
world today, but Luke 21:28 should be true of
the progressiveness of time but its voice began
all believers. If we leave God out of our
to wane with time. Possibly, it cannot be said
reckoning, how can we help being fearful as
that the monarchical period sustained the
prophetic religion but it can only by rightly years and putting it into the monarchical; but
said that the prophetic period came in order to it could be seen from the discourse that the
help the administration of kings of Israel. The prophetic religion could be seen in a period
prophetic religion, (headed by the prophets referred to as “theo-monarchical.” However,
who spoke by divine inspiration) is one of the God had permitted the people to have kings
most significant periods in the history of but He still, through the prophets indirectly
Israel. Critically, many scholars refer this ruled the people, in fact, making the king a
period as a full-flesh monarchical period by listener to the prophets of their time.
categorizing the prophetic in post-theocratic

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