Reference: Prophets, The
Morish
The books so designated form a distinct and most important part of scripture. Prophecy usually implied a ruined state of things among God's people, calling for His intervention. Some of the prophecies are appeals, reminding the people of what God had done for them, and declaring how willing and ready He was to bless them if they would be faithful to Him; though interwoven with this are constant predictions of that which will be for the blessing of Israel in the future, after they have for the time been set aside. Others strictly allude to events which were then or are still future. As a whole the prophets refer to Israel as an inner circle, or chief platform, on which the dealings of Jehovah were and will be developed, and with which the Messiah is in immediate relation. The nations formed an outer circle, and were regarded more or less according to their relations with the twelve tribes. These nations are sometimes spoken of as being God's instruments by whom He punished His own people, they themselves having afterwards to bear the punishments of God. Beyond and above all, there is God's universal government; in which everything is in result to be made subject to the Messiah, while God's promises are made good to Israel, for all Israel will again be brought into blessing, with Jehovah in their midst surrounded with glory, and the nations will be blessed with them.
The Prophetic scriptures naturally fall into three divisions.
1. Those that were given to Israel while still a nation, though divided into two parts, extending to the complete break up of Judah.
2. Those referring to the times of the Gentiles, which began with Nebuchadnezzar, and, continuing beyond the days of the Messiah on earth, are still running on: these are almost entirely given in Daniel.
3. Those given after a portion of Judah had returned from exile, when they were helped by the prophecies of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, which present the time of the Messiah on earth, and go even beyond to future blessing.
To these may be added the prophecies in the Gospels, the Epistles, and the Revelation, embracing the judgements of God upon apostate Christendom and the nations generally; the final overthrow of Satan, and universal blessing, ending with the judgement of the dead and a glorious outlook into the eternal state.
It will not be inappropriate here to add a few words as to the relative position, in point of time, of the various O.T. prophetic scriptures. It may be premised that the burden of the prophets Obadiah, Jonah, and Nahum has special reference to Edom and to Nineveh, that is, to peoples that were always hostile to Israel. There is but little whereby to fix precisely the dates of Joel and Habakkuk. Of the remainder, Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah are anterior to the captivity of the ten tribes. The visions of Isaiah, however, have reference to Judah and Jerusalem. It appears probable, whatever may be the reason, that the testimony commonly known as "the prophets" began in the time of Jeroboam 2 king of Israel, Uzziah being his contemporary in Judah. The introduction of prophetic scripture indicated that the ordinary relations of the people with God had broken down, Lo-ammi being prophetically written upon them.
Others follow closely, as Micah, who prophesies concerning Samaria and Jerusalem, though no personal reference is made to a king of Israel; and, either before or contemporary with the captivity of Judah, Jeremiah and Zephaniah. The prophets Ezekiel and Daniel speak from the land of Chaldea, when all present hope was over for both Israel and Judah, and the times of the Gentiles had set in. After the return from the captivity we have Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The testimony of the prophets extended thus over a period of from three to four hundred years.
The approximate dates of each of the prophets may be seen in the tables of chronology under KINGS.
The Books of Isaiah and Jeremiah are remarkable, the former as being the most comprehensive of the prophecies, taking up almost in order the various moral questions involved in God's dealings with Israel, and giving what may be described as a general prophetic framework; and the latter as bringing out, in a peculiarly touching way, the feelings induced by the Spirit of Christ in regard of God's people when, there being no remedy, the end was come.
Two remarks of great importance as regards prophecy may be made: first, that no prophecy carries its own interpretation: each has to be understood in its place and relation to the whole system of prophecy. Secondly, that the scope of all prophecy takes us on to the day of the Lord; the judgement of the nations and of the wicked in Israel; the establishment of the kingdom; and the reunion of Israel and Judah under the Lord their righteousness. This is the great end of God's ways on earth. This recovery and blessing by God of His ancient people, in their Messiah, may be said to be a golden thread running through all the prophets. It was ever before God, and shines out everywhere.
It is of the greatest importance, both for the right understanding of these scriptures, and for a true appreciation of what Christianity is, to see that the church has no place in the prophets. In the church there is neither Jew nor Gentile, and the prophets recognise both, while carefully maintaining the distinction between them. Prophecy treats of the earth and of the government of God and its issue: the Christian belongs to heaven, and he will reign with Christ in the kingdom. In the A.V. of the O.T. the headings of many of the chapters are misleading: the church often spoken of in them is never found in the text; Christ is there, and the manifestation of God; and the scriptures which develop His ways, and speak of the sufferings and the glories of the One to whom the Christian is united, are of deep interest to him, though he himself may not be immediately spoken of.
Some Christians, though they know and enjoy certain portions of prophecy., without seeing its reference strictly to the remnant of Israel, fail to study the prophets. Not a few deem the study to be unprofitable
See Verses Found in Dictionary
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
His name shall endure for ever; before the sun his name shall be disseminated, and all Gentiles shall be blessed in him; they shall call him blessed.
And he shall judge among the Gentiles and shall rebuke many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a child shall shepherd them. The cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. read more. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall return to set his hand again to possess the remnant of his people which were left from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the islands of the sea. And he shall raise up a banner, as an example for the Gentiles and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. read more. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil those of the east together; they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the sons of Ammon shall obey them.
Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy saving health and hast not been mindful of the Rock of thy strength; therefore thou shalt plant pleasant plants and set it with strange slips: In the day that thou shalt plant them, thou shalt make them to grow and shalt make thy seed to flourish early; but in the day of gathering, the harvest shall flee and shall be desperate sorrow.
And in this mountain the LORD of the hosts shall make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of purified wines, of fat things full of marrow, of purified liquids. And he will undo in this mountain the mask of the covering with which all the peoples are covered and the veil that is extended over all the Gentiles. read more. He will destroy death forever; and the Lord GOD shall wipe away every tear from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people he shall take away from off all the earth: for the LORD has determined it.
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that have taken rule over this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hid ourselves: read more. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where shall remain this house that ye built unto me? and where shall remain this place of my rest? For all these things my hand has made, by my hand has these things been, said the LORD; but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word. read more. He that kills an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrifices a lamb as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offers an oblation as if he offered swine's blood; he that burns incense as if he blessed iniquity. They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.
Thou didst see until a stone was cut out, not with hands, which smote the image upon its feet that were of iron and baked clay and broke them to pieces. Then was the iron, the baked clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them again; and the stone that smote the image was made into a great mountain that filled the whole earth.
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron; and as iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things, and as iron that breaks all these things, it shall break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou didst see the feet and toes, part of baked potters' clay and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divisive; but there shall be in it some of the strength of the iron, such as thou didst see the iron mixed with baked clay. read more. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of baked clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly fragile. Concerning that which thou didst see, the iron mixed with baked clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men, but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven shall raise up a kingdom which eternally shall never become corrupted, and this kingdom shall not be left to another people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. In the manner which thou didst see that out of the mountain was cut one stone, not with hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has shown the king what shall come to pass hereafter; and the dream is true, and its interpretation sure.
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and trod down that which was left with its feet; and it was very different from all the beasts that had been before her; and it had ten horns. As I was considering the horns, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking grand things.
Then I had the desire to know the truth regarding the fourth beast, which was so different from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and its nails of brass; which devoured and broke in pieces and trod down that which was left with its feet; also regarding the ten horns that were in its head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; and that same horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke very grand things, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. read more. I saw that this horn made war against the saints and overcame them; until such time as the Elder of great age came, and the judgment was given unto the saints of the most High; and the time came, and the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth king in earth, which shall be greater than all the other kingdoms and shall devour the whole earth and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns signify that of this kingdom ten kings shall arise; and another shall rise after them; and he shall be greater than the first kings, and he shall bring down three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High and shall break down the saints of the most High and think to move the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the half or dividing of a time.
In one week (they are now seventy) he shall confirm the covenant by many: and at the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and because of the many abominations, desolation shall come, even until complete destruction shall be poured out upon the abominable people.
In one week (they are now seventy) he shall confirm the covenant by many: and at the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and because of the many abominations, desolation shall come, even until complete destruction shall be poured out upon the abominable people.
And the king shall do according to his will, and he shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god and shall speak marvels against the God of gods and shall prosper until the indignation is accomplished, for the determination has been made. Neither shall he care for the God of his fathers, nor the love of women, nor care for any god, for he shall magnify himself above all. read more. But in his place shall he honour the god of fortresses, , a god whom his fathers did not know; he shall honour it with gold and silver and precious stones and with things of great price. And with the people of the strange god that he shall know, he shall make strong fortresses, increase their glory; and cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall be awakened, some for eternal life, and some for shame and everlasting confusion. And those that understand shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and those that teach righteousness to the multitude as the stars in perpetual eternity.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
And the LORD shall be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD shall be one, and his name one.
and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory.
with the hope that the same creatures shall be delivered from the slavery of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. For we now know that all the creatures groan together and travail in pain together until now.
And even if all Israel were saved, as it is written: There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall take away the ungodliness from Jacob; and this shall be my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins.
Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall all indeed be raised, but we shall not all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised without corruption, and we shall be changed.
Let no one deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, opposing and exalting himself against all that is called God, or divinity, so that he as God sits in the temple of God, making himself appear to be God. read more. Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And ye know what impedes this now, that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity is already working, except that he who dominates now will dominate until he is taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and remove with the clarity of his coming: that wicked one, who shall come by the working of Satan with great power and signs and lying miracles, and with all deception of iniquity working in those that perish because they did not receive the charity of the truth, to be saved. Therefore, for this cause, God shall send the operation of error in them, that they should believe the lie; that they all might be condemned who did not believe the truth, but consented to the iniquity.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For there shall be men who are lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, evil speakers, disobedient to their parents, unthankful, impure, read more. without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, without temperance, without meekness, without goodness, traitors, rash, puffed up, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are those who creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with various lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. And in the manner that Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men of corrupt understanding, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall not prevail, for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as that of those also was.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, they shall heap up unto themselves teachers who shall speak to them according to their own lusts, and thus they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall return unto fables.
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly persevere in the faith which was given once unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares without fear or reverence of God, who from beforehand have been ordained unto this condemnation, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying God who alone has dominion, and our Lord Jesus, the Christ.
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod, and he said unto me, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those that worship therein. But leave out the court which is within the temple and measure it not, for it is given unto the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty-two months.
And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven vials and talked with me, saying unto me, Come here; I will show unto thee the condemnation of the great whore that sits upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. read more. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman seated upon a scarlet-coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and of the filthiness of her fornication; and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I marvelled with great surprise. And the angel said unto me, Why didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and shall go into perdition; and those that dwell on the earth shall wonder (whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world) when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
And they are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he comes, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, is also the eighth king, and is of the seven, and goes into perdition. read more. And the ten horns which thou hast seen are ten kings, which have not yet taken a kingdom, but shall take authority as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind and shall give their power and authority unto the beast.
And the ten horns which thou didst see upon the beast, these shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
And I saw the heaven open, and behold a white horse; and he that was seated upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. And his eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no one has known, but he himself. read more. And he was clothed with a garment dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies that are in the heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the Gentiles; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that flew in the midst of the heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God, that ye may eat flesh of kings and flesh of captains, and flesh of mighty men and flesh of horses and of those that sit on them and the flesh of everyone, free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that was seated upon the horse and against his army. And the beast was taken and with it the false prophet that wrought miracles in its presence, with which he had deceived those that had taken the mark of the beast and had worshipped its image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the others were slain with the sword that proceeded out of the mouth of him that was seated upon the horse; and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, the serpent of old, which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years read more. and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon it, that he should deceive the Gentiles no more, until the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after it is necessary that he be loosed a little while. And I saw thrones, and those who sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of those that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and who had not worshipped the beast neither its image neither had received its mark upon their foreheads or in their hands; and they shall live and reign with Christ the thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection; on such the second death has no authority, but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go out to deceive the Gentiles which are upon the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints about and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.