Introduction to the Prophets

The word "prophet" is of Greek origin and means someone who predicts future events. Initially, the Hebrews called the prophets "Roim" – that is, Seers – because they received their prophecies through visions; later they were called "Nebiim" – that is, inspired ones, taught by God (1 Sam 9:9). There were always prophets among the chosen people (Gen. 1. 2:24. Jude 14.15. 2 Pet. 2:5. Gen. 1. 20:7. 27:27, etc. 49:1, etc. 37:5. Num. 12:6-8. Sir. 46:1. Judg. 4:4. 1 Sam. 3.), but their true activity began with the introduction of the monarchy when the Israelites became more lax in keeping God's law (1 Sam. 2:12, etc.), and the nation faced the danger of the dissolution of the direct relationship between God and the people. At this time, they were found together in societies or schools where they did not train for prophecy per se, as this was a gift from God, but they could still prepare; from then on, they often emerged until the destruction of the nation, which they sought to prevent, occurred because the corrupted people did not heed their warnings. As can be seen from their writings, their task was, on one hand, to strengthen the people's covenant with the divine King and direct their trust solely in His help during times of distress; on the other hand, to punish wickedness, false religiosity, and the increasingly rampant idolatry, and to instruct them to keep the law in spirit and truth. To give more weight to their teachings, they proclaimed divine judgment on the disobedient and stubborn, and joyful promises to the pious and the good who languished in distress, especially and most frequently the coming of the future savior and his universal, divine kingdom on earth; sometimes extending their threats and promises to other nations as well.

To better understand the prophets, it is particularly important to consider the following:

1. Since the prophets perceived the events they had to foretell in their visions as present and at the same time as past events, it is understandable why they proclaimed them to their listeners and readers in the present or past tense, for example, Isa. 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given;" compare Isa. 42:1, 45:1-8; then, why they commonly omit the specific time at which a prophesied event will occur. Compare: Zech. 14:7. Sometimes they do provide specific details, like Jeremiah predicting the seventy years of Babylonian captivity, and Daniel the timing of the Messiah's coming and death; but this happens only when the timing itself is the subject of the prophecy. Compare: Isa. 7:8.

2. The prophets do not always present the events they prophesy in full context, but rather take up only certain aspects as revealed to them by God in accordance with external circumstances and relations. Thus, they sometimes speak only of the Messiah's lowly state and at other times only of His glorious state (Isa. 53:11), and therefore, individual prophecies are to be viewed as fragments that form a perfect picture when the individual aspects are gathered together.
   
   

3. The visions of the prophets sometimes resemble perspective images. In these, the objects in the foreground are most clearly outlined; but the further one looks into the distance, the more everything merges and becomes obscure. Similarly, in sacred historical visions, the prophecies soon to be fulfilled are the most comprehensible, while those concerning the distant future are relatively less clear and more obscure. Thus, the Messiah's state in His humility, being a nearer fact, is much more clearly indicated (compare: Isa. 53) than His second coming in glory. Furthermore, as in perspective images, not all objects between the foreground and background are detailed, and the foreground often appears merged with the background: so in prophetic visions, distant future events appear in close proximity to the soon-to-be-fulfilled events, without the intervening period being recognizable, but everything is presented together and intertwined as a single image on the perspective board. This is how Jer. 50, concerning Babylon's conquest by the Persians, is combined with Jer. 51, concerning the ultimate destruction of that empire, though over a thousand years separate the two. Compare: Zech. 9:9-10, Joel 3.
   
   

4. In such perspective prophecies, events are always assembled that are similar or related as a type to the fulfillment, e.g., the deliverance from the Assyrians with the deliverance by the Messiah (Isa. 10:11), the liberation from Babylonian captivity with the redemption by the Messiah (Micah, Hosea, Isa., Amos, Jeremiah, Ezekiel in many places), David and Solomon, Alexander and the Maccabees with the Messianic era. Compare: Hosea 2:20, Zech. 9, 11.
   
   

5. The prophets often received their communications about the future in visions and therefore often in images. To properly interpret these images, one must distinguish between what is real and what is merely a figure of speech. This will be achieved if the fulfillment of the event in history is compared with the prophecy. From this, it will become clear what in the image is real and what should be considered mere figurative language; for example, the analogy of the vineyard (Isa. 5) is clarified by the history of the rejection of the Jews, the often figurative description of the Messiah (Isa. 11:42) by His historical account. Nevertheless, in distinguishing between the figurative and the subject matter, careful attention must be paid, because something can only be considered mere figurative language when the image does not find a perfect explanation in a later event, which the former only partially foreshadowed; for example, the figurative description of the release from Babylonian captivity finds its more perfect explanation in Christ's first and second coming; the images, therefore, cannot be confined to that first event alone or considered mere embellishments but must also be explained concerning those further events that will perfectly fulfill them (compare: Isa. 40-66). In cases where the prophecy refers to the second coming of the Lord, the interpretation of the images must be awaited from history.
   
   

6. The images used by the prophets are often so-called types or foreshadowings, that is, names of Old Testament persons and objects which in a higher sense signify the Messiah and the persons and objects of His coming kingdom. Thus, the Messiah is often called King David, His kingdom David's kingdom, His redemption the deliverance from the Red Sea and the wilderness (Isa. 11:15-16, Zech. 10:11, Hosea 2:15, Jer. 23:6, Micah 4:1, etc.), and the enemies who gnash their teeth against Christ's followers are mentioned under the names of pagan nations who rose against the Israelites, e.g., Moab (Isa. 25), Edom (Isa. 63, Amos 9:12), Magog (Ezek. 38).

From the aforementioned characteristics of prophetic communications, it is clear that prophecies must contain a certain obscurity. However, this does not detract from them, but on the contrary, this obscurity is one proof of their divine origin, as it makes them similar to God's other works and decrees. In other works and events of nature and history, God is also hidden, but He hides so that He may be sought, and only the seekers find Him. Similarly, prophecies are wrapped in beneficial obscurity, so that only the seekers find Him, and find Him in faith.

Not all prophets were inspired by God to write down the revelations and visions they received; only a few left behind writings for posterity of what they taught orally. Those whose writings we still possess are the four major prophets and the twelve minor prophets, along with Baruch, the scribe of Jeremiah. Major and minor prophets are so named based on the larger or smaller extent of their written prophecies. Among the major prophets, Isaiah is first.

1. The word "prophet" comes from the Greek verb "profanai," originally meaning "to speak on behalf of someone." In its original meaning, a prophet is a person who speaks to their fellow humans on behalf of God, as God's messenger. In biblical Hebrew usage, prophets were once called "roeh" or "chozeh" (seer) (1 Sam. 9:9; 2 Sam. 24:11; 1 Chron. 29:29), but later they were generally called "nabi," which means "one who speaks with overflowing enthusiasm," "inspired." Throughout the history of revelation, we encounter pious men and women from the beginning who were special heralds of divine will and instruments of divine providence, and thus in a broader sense were "prophets" (Noah, Abraham and the other patriarchs, Moses, Joshua, the judges, Samuel; Miriam, Moses' sister, Deborah the prophetess, etc.); but God sent them in an almost unbroken line since Israel became a kingdom, to keep the king on the path of theocracy and prevent tyranny, as well as from considering themselves independent rulers of Mosaic law. Thus, we see Samuel alongside Saul, Gad and Nathan alongside David. The prophets were sometimes surrounded by larger groups of pious youths who sought greater zeal and piety under the prophet's guidance. Such "schools of prophets" already existed in Samuel's time (1 Sam. 10:5, 19:20). However, these schools were not necessary prerequisites for the prophetic vocation.

2. Prophecy was a grace freely given by God, primarily not for the prophet's own benefit, but for the sanctification of their listeners. Balaam (Num. 22-25) shows that God could bestow the grace of prophecy even on a pagan, but aside from this one instance, Old Testament prophets were pious, God-fearing people. The prophetic calling required a special invitation from God, but otherwise, the future prophet needed no specific preparation or education. Thus, we see that prophets came from various walks of life. Amos was a shepherd, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and possibly Joel were priests, Zephaniah came from the royal family, Isaiah and Daniel were also of noble origin. God's true prophets, especially Jeremiah, often fought against false prophets who claimed to be God's messengers, although God had not called them, and flattered the people for earthly, mostly material interests, instead of urging repentance and penance.

3. The prophets' work primarily addressed their contemporaries. At a time when, according to the Books of Kings, the priesthood often did not live up to its calling and idolatry sometimes had royal patrons, maintaining faith in the one God and the messianic idea required that God choose His messengers in an extraordinary way and communicate His will to them. As God's messengers, the prophets served God's cause with fearless courage, encouraging the good, but if necessary, rebuking and threatening the wicked; they promised God's blessings for keeping the law but predicted God's punishments for breaking it. From the 8th century B.C. onwards, prophets increasingly wrote down their teachings. From then on, the following themes constantly recur in their speeches: the sins of the chosen people, the various divine punishments for these sins, culminating in the Assyrian or Babylonian captivity. But so that the people would not despair during the punishments, the prophets predicted God's forgiving mercy, the return from captivity, the restoration of Zion, and the messianic happiness awaiting Zion (God's Church). In the prophets' speeches, the person, work, redemptive death, glory, and eternal reign of the Messiah emerge majestically and increasingly clearly. The prophets also paid attention to pagan nations insofar as their fate was intertwined with the chosen people's fate; but Egypt, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Assyria, Babylon, etc., often served as foreshadowings of all enemies of God's kingdom.

The prophets were not strict politicians or statesmen, but their calling often meant they had a decisive word in important state affairs. Thus, Isaiah warned King Ahaz against alliances with Assyria and Egypt, and Jeremiah demanded loyalty and submission to the Babylonian great king.

4. The prophet did not live in a constant state of rapture, but received God's revelations on a case-by-case basis: either through divine words, inner illumination, dreams, visions - sometimes symbolic visions - or rapture. Sometimes an angel revealed the future to the prophet (e.g., Daniel and Zechariah). But with the inspired prophets, there were always genuine divine revelations, fundamentally different from mere human foresight or pagan divinations. The prophet proclaimed the divine revelation mostly orally, but sometimes also with striking symbolic actions to draw their contemporaries' attention to God's revelations. Symbolic actions were particularly frequent with Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

The prophetic books do not contain the entirety of their work, but mostly preserve excerpts or fragments of their speeches for posterity, recorded either by themselves or their disciples. Thus, most of Jeremiah's book was compiled by Baruch (Jer. 36:1-4, 27, 28). This fragmentary and sometimes mosaic-like nature sometimes makes understanding the prophetic books difficult.

5. It is noteworthy that the prophets often describe the messianic kingdom, and even the coming Messiah Himself, using Old Testament institutions, symbols, and foreshadowings. Thus, David and Zerubbabel are types of Jesus Christ; the Old Testament temple and its worship are types of the New Testament Church and its life. Zion and the Jewish people are generally types of the Christian Church; the glory and wealth awaiting Zion are types of the Church's glory and infinite treasures of grace. The prophets' speeches are full of imagery and stylistic figures that should not be interpreted literally. The coming Messiah is sometimes described as the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:1-6, 11:6, etc.), other times as a mighty warrior treading His enemies' blood (Isa. 63:1-6, etc.).

The prophets do not see the entire future clearly and at once, but only as much as God's wisdom reveals to them.

The interpretation of prophetic writings heavily relies on prophetic perspective. Just as a viewer on a mountain top sees the surrounding peaks and mountain ranges but not the valleys and chasms between them, nor can they tell which peak is higher or closer, so too the prophet sees distant future events but, without definite divine revelation, cannot tell which event is closer or farther, nor how much time separates individual events. For example, Isaiah connects Assyria's defeat in 701 B.C. with the depiction of messianic happiness (10:5-11:16). When prophets foretell the coming of the Messiah, they mostly do not distinguish between Jesus Christ's first and second coming, His birth in Bethlehem, and His fearsome coming at the end of the world. It even happens that some aspects of a prophecy refer to the Messiah's first coming, and other parts to His second coming.

The prophets are so certain of what God reveals to them that they often describe future events in the Hebrew tense expressing completed action.

6. We speak of major and minor prophets based on the length of their surviving writings. However, there is no difference in authority between the two groups; both the major and minor prophets are equally God's inspired messengers. Biblical scholarship recognizes four major prophets and twelve minor prophets. The major prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The book of Baruch, the faithful companion and friend of Jeremiah, follows Jeremiah's writings in the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and the Syriac translation canons. Daniel's book is found among the "Writings" rather than the prophets in the Hebrew canon. The minor prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The book of Jesus Sirach's son (49:12) shows that the minor prophets' writings were already compiled into one book by the early 2nd century B.C.; and according to its preface, all the prophets were already available in Greek translation by the 38th year of Ptolemy VII Physcon Euergetes, King of Egypt (132 B.C.). The oldest prophet whose writings have survived is Amos (mid-8th century B.C.); the last prophet who wrote is considered to be Malachi (mid-5th century B.C.).