PROPHECY SECTION EDITED BY CHARLES L. FEINBERG, Th.D., Ph.D. DIRECTOR, TALBOT THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
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By LEHMAN STRAUSS, Litt.D.
B ib l ic a l prophecy is at once a neglected and needed study in our times. We are living in a world of scientific, political, and moral change, of proportions so unprecedented as to have no historic parallel. The clev erest statesmen, politicians, and leaders in world affairs seem to sense that we are at the crossroads of civilization, at a converging of the ages; and while many of them would like to believe that the future of mankind is bright with prospect, they know in their own minds, and some will even admit, that we are in a great world crisis, which promises little but increasing darkness and confusion. Where can we turn for enlightenment and encour agement at such an hour? Certainly there are no pro phetic prospects in the Koran. I find no facts about the future in Mrs. Eddy’s Science and Health. Neither Roman Catholic dogma nor Protestantism’s New Mod ernism offers any assuring word of hope and expectation. However, the Bible, the Word of God, offers not only an explanation of the day in which we live but an interpretation of the future as well. Such an interpre tation, if accepted, will, at least, give one peace of mind by delivering the mind from the fear of an uncertain future. To 'this solemn pursuit of prophetic revelation we now give ourselves. We shall not make any attempt at a technical and linguistic distinction between “ proph ecy” and the “ prophets,” but rather treat them together as parts of a whole. Prophecy cannot be studied without giving consideration to the prophet, nor can we study the office of the prophet, and at the same time omit the subject of prophecy. I. The Origin of Prophecy Our first investigation continences with a considera tion of the origin of prophecy and the prophetic order, or institution. The whole prophetic movement is of Divine origin. By the very nature of the case it had to begin with God since its basic precepts and bold predic tions go beyond the possibility of man, either to conceive or to carry out. The earliest passage in the Old Testa ment that speaks in any detail about the origin of the prophetic office is found in Deuteronomy, chapter eighteen. Here God is speaking to Moses and He says, The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him y e shall hearken . . . I w ill raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him (Deuteronomy 18:15,18). The occasion of prophecy and of the prophet we shall consider farther on in this article. However, two points of interest call for our attention; namely, both the. prophet and what the prophet says originated with God. While this is not the first mention of a prophet in the
Bible (Abraham being the first man to be called a prophet in Genesis 20:7), it seems quite clear that God’s word to Moses has some reference to the establishment of the prophetic office as such. I know of no passage that gives a stronger warrant for the existence of the pro phetic office as a Divine institution than does this in Deuteronomy eighteen. The prophet whom the Lord will raise up is said to be “from the midst of thee, of thy brethren.” Speaking of Israel in general, God added, “ I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren.” This indicates that the prophet and the prophetic office were to be Jewish. The prophet himself was to be an Israelite. One who failed to meet this requirement could not occupy the office of a prophet. Those men whom God would raise up for the purpose of revealing His plans to the people would come out of Israel. There are to be no self-appointed prophets. The prophet, as well as the prophetic institution, must ori ginate with God. The Lord Himself will raise up the prophets so that both the office and the man are to be regarded as the gift of God. This is as it must be, inas much as the purpose of the prophetic institution and the prophet is to serve as a means of communicating the mind of God. If God chooses to publish His infinite wisdom to man, then He reserves the right to select His media of publication. The self-styled prophet is not called by God, and he who is not called and informed by God ought not to be heard by the people. Jeremiah, however, was a true prophet of God, for we read, Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou earnest forth out of the womb I sancti fied thee, and 1 ordained thee a prophet unto the nations (Jeremiah 1:4, 5). But in Jeremiah’s day there were also false prophets claiming to be God’s prophets and prophesying lies in the name of Jehovah. The false prophets had predicted the direct opposite of what the Lord had said to Jere miah. God had said He would send famine and the sword to the people. This contradiction disturbed Jere miah, for the Scripture says, Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall y e have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. And the people to whom they
APRIL, 1959
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