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
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His dominion shall be from the one sea to the other, and from the flood unto the world's end.
His name shall endure forever; his name shall remain under the sun among the posterities, which shall be blessed in him. And all the heathen shall praise him.
And he shall be judge among the heathen and tell many nations their faults. And they shall turn their swords into mattocks and their spears into scythes. One nation shall not lift up a sword against another, neither shall they teach to war any more.
Then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb, and the Leopard shall lie down by the goat. Bullocks, Lions and cattle shall keep company together, so that a little child shall rule them. The cow and the Bear shall feed together, and their young ones shall lie together. The Lion shall eat straw like the ox, or the cow. read more. The child while he sucketh, shall have a desire to the serpents nest, and when he is weaned, he shall put his hand in to the Cockatrice den. No man shall do evil to another, no man shall destroy another, in all the hill of my Sanctuary. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, even as though the water of the sea flowed over the earth.
At the same time shall the LORD take in hand again, to conquer the remnant of his people which are left alive: From the Assyrians, Egyptians, Arabians, Ethiopians, Elamites, Chaldeans, Antiochians and Islands of the sea. And he shall set up a token among the Gentiles, and gather together the dispersed of Israel; yea, and the outcasts of Judah from the four corners of the world. read more. The hatred of Ephraim and the enmity of Judah shall be clean rooted out. Ephraim shall bear no evil will to Judah, and Judah shall not hate Ephraim: but they both together shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the West: and spoil them together that dwell toward the East. The Edomites and the Moabites shall let their hands fall, and the Ammonites shall be obedient unto them.
So shalt thou, O Damascus, be desolate: because thou hast forgotten God thy Saviour, and hast not called to remembrance the rock of thy strength. Wherefore thou hast also set a fair plant, and grafted a strange branch. In the day when thou didst plant it, it was great, and gave soon the fruit of thy seed: But in the day of harvest, thou shalt reap a heap of sorrows and miseries.
Moreover, the LORD of Hosts shall once prepare a feast for all people upon the hill: A plenteous, costly, pleasant feast, of fat and well-fed beasts, of sweet and most pure things. Upon the hill shall he take away the side veil that hangeth before the face of all people, and the covering wherewith all Gentiles are covered. read more. As for death, he shall utterly consume it. The LORD God shall wipe away the tears from all faces, and take away the rebuke of his people through the whole world. For the LORD himself hath said it.
Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye mockers that rule the LORD's people, which is at Jerusalem. For ye comfort yourselves thus: "Tush, we have made a covenant with death, and with hell we are at an agreement. Though there break out any sore plague, it shall not come upon us. For with deceit will we escape, and with nimbleness will we defend ourselves." read more. Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God: "Behold, I will lay a stone in Zion, a great stone, a costly corner stone, for a sure foundation: that whoso putteth his trust in him, shall not be confounded. Righteousness will I set up again in the balance, and judgment in the weights. The tempest of hail shall take away your refuge, that ye have to deceive withal: and the overflowing waters shall break down your strongholds of dissimulation." Thus the covenant that ye have made with death shall be done away: and the condition that ye made with hell, shall not stand. Yea, when the sore plague goeth forth, ye shall be trodden down under it.
Thus sayeth the LORD: Heaven is my seat, and the earth is my footstool. Where shall now the house stand, that ye build unto me? And where shall be the place, that I will dwell in? As for these things, my hand hath made them all, and they are all created, sayeth the LORD. Which of them shall I then regard? Even him that is of a lowly troubled spirit, and standeth in awe of my works. read more. For whoso slayeth an ox for me, doth me so great dishonour, as he that killeth a man. He that killeth a sheep for me, choketh a dog. He that bringeth me meat offerings, offereth swine's blood. Who so maketh me a memorial of incense, praiseth the thing that is unright. Yet take they such ways in hand, and their soul delighteth in these abominations.
Thou beheldest it till a stone was cut without hands, which smote the image upon the feet that were both of iron and earth, and brake them to powder. Then was the iron, the earth, the copper, the silver and gold broken altogether in pieces: and became like the chaff of corn, that the wind bloweth away from the summer floors, that they can no more be found. But the stone that smote the Image, became a great mountain, which fulfilleth the whole earth.
The fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron. For like as iron bruiseth and breaketh all things: Yea even as iron beateth everything down, so shall it beat down and destroy. Whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of earth and part of iron: that is a divided kingdom, which nevertheless shall have some of the iron ground mixed with it, forsomuch as thou hast seen the iron mixed with the clay. read more. The toes of the feet that were part of iron and part of clay, signifieth: that it shall be a kingdom partly strong and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with clay: they shall mingle themselves with the seed of simple people: and yet not continue one with another, like as iron will not be soldered with a potsherd. In the days of these kings, shall the God of heaven set up an everlasting kingdom, which shall not perish, and his kingdom shall not be given over to another people. Yea, the same shall break and destroy all these kingdoms, but it shall endure forever. And whereas thou sawest that without any hands there was cut out of the mount a stone, which brake the iron, the copper, the earth, the silver and gold in pieces: by that hath the great God showed the king, what will come after this. This is a true dream, and the interpretation of it is sure."
After this I saw in a vision by night, and behold, the fourth beast was grim and horrible, and marvelous strong. It had great iron teeth, it devoured and destroyed, and stamped the residue under feet. It was far unlike the other beasts that were before it: for it had ten horns, whereof I took good heed. And behold, there came up among them, another like horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked away. Behold, this horn had eyes like a man, and a mouth speaking presumptuous things.
After this, I required diligently to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was so far unlike the other beasts, and so horrible: whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass: which devoured and destroyed, and stamped the residue under his feet. I desired also to know the truth, as touching the ten horns that he had upon his head, and this other which came up afterward, before whose face there fell down three: which horn had eyes and a mouth that spake presumptuous things, and looked with a grimmer visage than his fellows. read more. I beheld, and the same horn made battle against the saints - yea, and gat the victory of them - till the time that the Ancient of Days came, that the judgment was given to the chiefest saints; and till the time that the saints had the kingdom in possession. He gave me this answer, 'That fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth: it shall be more than all other kingdoms, it shall devour, tread down, and destroy all other lands. The ten horns, are ten kings that shall arise out of that kingdom, after whom there shall stand up another, which shall be greater than the first. He shall subdue three kings, and shall speak words against the highest of all: he shall destroy the saints of the most highest, and think that he may change times and laws. They shall be given under his power, until a time, two times, and a half a time.
He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of the abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation determined shall be poured upon the desolate."
He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of the abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation determined shall be poured upon the desolate."
The king shall do what him list, he shall exalt and magnify himself against all that is God. Yea, he shall speak marvelous things against the God of all gods, wherein he shall prosper, so long till the wrath be fulfilled, for the conclusion is devised already. He shall not regard the God of his fathers, nor the desires of women. Yea, he shall not care for any God, for he shall magnify himself above all. read more. In his place shall he worship the mighty Idols: and the God whom his fathers knew not, shall he honour with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant jewels. This shall he do, seeking help and succor at the mighty Idols and strange gods. Such as receive him, and take him for God, he shall give them great worship and power: yea and make them lords of the multitude, and give them the land with rewards.
Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to perpetual shame and reproof. The wise, such as have taught others, shall glister as the shining of heaven: and those that have instructed the multitude unto Godliness, shall be as the stars, world without end.
For the earth shall be full of knowledge of the LORD's honour, like as the waters that cover the sea.
And the LORD himself shall be king over all the earth. At that time shall there be one LORD only, and his name shall be but one.
And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven. And then shall all the kindreds of the earth mourn, and they shall see the son of man come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
For the very creatures shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. For we know that every creature groaneth with us also, and travaileth in pain even unto this time.
And so all Israel shall be saved. As it is written, "There shall come out of Zion he that doth deliver, and shall turn away the ungodliness of Jacob. And this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins."
Behold, I show a mystery unto you: we shall not all sleep: but we shall all be changed, and that in a moment, and in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall blow, and the dead shall rise incorruptible: And we shall be changed.
Let no man deceive you by any means, for the Lord cometh not, except there come a departing first, and that that sinful man be opened, the son of perdition; which is an adversary, and is exalted above all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he shall sit as God in the temple of God, and show himself as God. read more. Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth: even that he might be uttered at his time. For the mystery of that iniquity doth he already work, which only looketh, till he be taken out of the way and then shall that wicked be uttered, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the appearance of his coming, even him whose coming is by the working of Satan, with all lying power, signs, and wonders: and in all deceivableness of unrighteousness, among them that perish: because they received not the love of the truth, that they might have been saved. And therefore God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe lies: that all they might be damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
This understand, that in the last days shall come perilous times: For the men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, cursed speakers, disobedient to father and mother, unthankful, unholy, read more. unkind, trucebreakers, stubborn, false accusers, rioters, fierce, despisers of them which are good, traitors, heady, high minded, greedy upon voluptuousness more than the lovers of God, having a similitude of godly living, but have denied the power thereof. Such abhor. For of this sort are they which enter into houses, and bring into bondage women laden with sin, which women are led of divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come unto the knowledge of the truth. As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, even so do these resist the truth, men they are of corrupt minds, and lewd as concerning the faith: but they shall prevail no longer. For their madness shall be uttered unto all men as theirs was.
For the time will come, when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine: but after their own lusts shall they whose ears itch get them a heap of teachers, and shall turn their ears from the truth, and shall be given 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, to exhort you, that ye should continually labour in the faith, which was once given unto the saints. For there are certain craftily crept in, of which it was written aforetime unto such judgement. They are ungodly, and turn the grace of our Lord God unto wantonness; And deny God the only Lord, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Woe be unto them, for they have followed the way of Cain, and are utterly given to the error of Balaam for lucre's sake, and are cast away in the treason of Korah.
And then was given me a reed, like unto a rod, and it was said unto me, "Rise and mete the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein; but the court which is without the temple cast out, and mete 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, which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, "Come, I will show thee the judgment of the great whore, that sitteth upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed whoredom, and the inhabiters of the earth are drunken with the wine of her fornication." read more. And he carried me away into the wilderness in the spirit. And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet beast full of names of blasphemy, which had ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold, precious stone, and pearls, and had a cup of gold in her hand, full of abominations, and filthiness of her fornication. And in her forehead was a name written, a mystery: "Great Babylon, the mother of whoredom and abominations of the earth." And I saw the wife drunken with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great marvel. And the angel said unto me, "Wherefore marvellest thou? I will show thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that beareth her, which hath seven heads, and ten horns. The beast that thou seest, was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and shall go into perdition, and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder - whose names are not written in the book of life from he beginning of the world - when they behold the beast that was, and is not.
they are also seven kings. Five are fallen, and one is, and another is not yet come. When he cometh he must continue a space. And the beast that was, and is not, is even the eighth, and is one of the seven, and shall go into destruction. read more. And the ten horns which thou seest, are ten kings, which have received no kingdom, but shall receive power as kings at one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
And the ten horns, which thou sawest upon the beast, are they that shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
And I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse: and he that sat upon him was faithful and true, and in righteousness did judge and make battle. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew but himself. read more. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and his name is called the word of God. And the warriors which were in heaven, followed him upon white horses, clothed with white and pure raynes: and out of his mouth went out a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the heathen. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he trod the wine-vat of fierceness and wrath of almighty God. And hath on his vesture and on his thigh, a name written, "King of Kings, and Lord of lords." And I saw an angel stand in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly by the midst of heaven, "Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God, that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and of high captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all free men and bond men, and of small and great." And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their warriors gathered together to make battle against him that sat on the horse and against his soldiers. And the beast was taken, and with him that false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that received the beast's mark, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast into a pond of fire burning with brimstone: and the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth, and all the fowls were fulfilled 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 took the dragon, that old serpent which is the devil and Satan, and he bound him a thousand years: read more. and cast him into the bottomless pit, and he bound him, and set a seal on him, that he should deceive the people no more, till the thousand years were fulfilled. And after that he must be loosed for a little season. And I saw seats, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God: which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had taken his mark upon their foreheads, or on their hands: and they lived, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the others of the dead men lived not again, until the thousand years were finished. This is that first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. For on such shall the second death have no power, for they shall be the priests of God and of 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 people which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle; whose number is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the plain of the earth, and compassed the tents 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 a lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were and shall be tormented day and night for ever more.