Prophets and Prophecy. 
 
 PEOF. W. H. GEEEN. 
 
 A C03IPILAT10N P^ROM NOTES OF THE LECTURES 
 BEFORE THE SENIOR CLASS. 
 
 i^Ri>c'jp:r>, :s'OT i^X'£iLisiTii:i>. 
 
 MDCCt'I.XXVlI. 
 
Entered iU-eordinfr to net of Congresi?, in the year 1S7T. by 
 
 W. H. (iREEN, 
 In the Office of the Librariiin of Congress, at Washington. 
 
THE PROPHET. 
 
 What is meant by the term " prophet" in the 0. T. ? True 
 deiSnition : An authoritative and infallible expounder of the will 
 of God. 
 
 The books of the prophets form an important part of the 0. 
 T. writings. This importance is shown in four particulars : 
 
 1. In their authority. — They contain a divine revelation of 
 God's will, and dealings with Israel through over four hundred 
 years, which will is still binding, in its essence, on us to-day. 
 
 2. In their historical value. — Thej'- show to us the religion and 
 theology of the theocracy in its doctrinal aspect, in its most 
 advanced stages. 
 
 3. In their Messianic value. — They contain the fullest and 
 clearest disclosures B. C. concerning the coming Redeemer, his 
 work among men, and his ignominious death upon the cross. 
 They give the criteria for his recognition, holding him up be- 
 fore the world as an object of faith and hope. 
 
 4. hi their apologetic value. — They contain the most astonish- 
 ing exhibitions of supernatural foresight in numerous predic- 
 tions, and furnish us with a powerful argument for the truth 
 and divinity of our religion. In these four points the prophe- 
 cies are most important. 
 
 For the study and appreciation of the character of the pro- 
 phets, we must first see what is meant by the term prophet. 
 
 1 DEUTERONOMY IS : IS. 19. 
 
 The true idea of an 0. T. prophet may be learned first and 
 most explicitl}' from the formal definition given in Deut. 18: 
 18, 19 : " I will raise them up a Prophet from among their breth- 
 ren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth ; and 
 he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And 
 it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my 
 words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of 
 him." This passage is applied by Peter in Acts 3 : 22, 23, to 
 Christ, and is supposed by some to refer to Christ alone. The 
 difficulty of this is found in the connection, which is two-fold: 
 
4 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 a. There were no diviners, charmers, consulters, wizards or 
 necromancers, Deut. 18 : 9-14, to whom they were permitted 
 to resort. The people were forbidden to use any other means 
 of inquiring into the will of God, as the heathen had done, for 
 they would have no need of it. 
 
 b. In condescension to the weakness of the people, as shown 
 on Mount Sinai, when they were not able to endure the pres- 
 ence of God, he promises to send them a prophet, or to raise 
 up one who should stand between them and God. Now so dis- 
 tant an event as Christ's coming could not be used as a reason 
 for their not applying to diviners, or to some substitute for the 
 God of heaven. There must be a nearer one than Christ, hence 
 the 0. T. prophet. 
 
 It is plain from the original language that this passage from 
 Deut. 18: 18,19, being the ground of two different applica- 
 tions, these two applications must be reconciled, by making 
 Deut. 18 : 18, 19, refer to the line of prophets, and that of 
 Peter in Acts 3 : 22, 23, must refer to Christ, the last and 
 greatest of all the prophets. The passage has a Messianic ref- 
 erence, and therefore comprehends Christ and the 0. T. prophets. 
 
 Different Views of the Term " Prophet." — Some com- 
 mentators take the word prophet in Deut. in a collective sense, 
 i. e., it is a singular noun used for the plural. Answer 1. This 
 view is unreasonable, for nowhere else is a singular used for a 
 plural. 2. To so use it, would destroy the individuality of the 
 term, which is so marked, and, besides, all the verbs and pro- 
 nouns are also used in the singular. Some apply it to Joshua, 
 instead of taking it in a collective sense. On the whole, it 
 seems best to understand it in its generic sense, as JBeverneik ; 
 or, in an ideal sense, as Hengstenberg, that is : a. Equivalent to 
 a prophet, at each time of emergency, b. Equivalent to a pro- 
 phet, that is, a complex or ideal person, conceived of as a unit, 
 but embracing in it a whole line, or order of prophets ; e. g., the 
 Pope of Rome is an ideal man, he is one of many in the line of 
 popes ; the President of the United States is an ideal man, 
 being one of many presidents. It is in this sense, that all are 
 combined as one person, into an ideal unity. He argues — 
 
 1. That the prophetic order was to culminate in Christ. 
 
 2. Is called the " spirit of Christ," as in 1 Peter 1 : 10, 11, 
 for the spirit of Christ was to speak through the prophets. In 
 Peter it' says, " searchmg what, or what manner of time the 
 Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified 
 beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should 
 
PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. O 
 
 follow." The Spirit of Christ spoke through these prophets ; he, 
 therefore was, in a certain sense, the only prophet. 
 
 Essential Particulars. — a. God would put His words into 
 his mouth. 
 
 h. Infallibility. He should speak to the people all things 
 commanded, and should give it just as he received it. 
 
 e. His authority should be absolute and unconditional. To 
 refuse or reject him was to refuse or reject God. This subject 
 may still further be illustrated by Moses, thus placing the 
 prophets in contrast with two classes of men. 
 
 1. In contrast ivith heathen diviners, v. 10; and with prophets 
 who spake in the name of other gods, v. 20. These last 
 thought, or sought, to penetrate the will of deity by the observa- 
 tion of omens. This is denounced and prohibited in the verses 
 following. 
 
 2. In contrast ivith false prophets, who profess to speak in 
 the Lord's name, but are unauthorized. These are to be dis- 
 tinguished by their uttering what does not come to pass, v. 22 ; 
 and in teaching what is at variance with ^vhat God has taught 
 them, Deut. 13: 1-5. These false prophets were of heathen 
 origin, and introduced by heathen nations. They belong to the 
 earlier stages, i. e., those under the first, and from the Canaan- 
 ites, e. g., the " witch of En-dor." Or they belong to the apos- 
 tate Kingdom of the ten tribes, " prophets of Baal," 1 Kings 
 18: The false prophets from Israel belonged to a later date, and 
 to Judah. They were courted on account of their smooth 
 words, Jer. 28 : 15. 
 
 II. NAMES, EPITHETS, Etc. 
 
 This is another source whence to derive a true idea of the 
 prophet. They are — 
 
 1. Those names which describe them absolutely. 
 
 2. Those which describe them relatively to God. 
 
 8. Those which describe them relatively to the people. 
 
 a. Nabhi: common term applied to prophet. 
 
 h. Roeh : A seer. And in Hosea 9 : 7, we have : 
 
 c. Ish haruahh: Man of the spirit : inspired man (poetic). 
 
 1. Boeh : Seer does not mean one who simply sees visions, 
 as some have supposed, but one who possesses the power or 
 faculty of foresight in a higher degree than ordinary men. 
 Not confined to visions strictly, but in a wider sense to one 
 who, by God's power, could see what lay hid to others ; the 
 hidden will of God. The common designation of prophets is 
 nabhi, from nabha, to bubble forth; with the passive signifi- 
 
6 PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 cation, is one on whom the spirit of the Lord is poured out, as 
 given by some interpreters. But in Hebrew it signifies "drop- 
 ping;" hence words significant of dropping, are figuratively 
 referred to speaking; therefore, to spenk, and in the passive 
 sense one who is qualified to speak — one skilled in pouring 
 forth words — one Avho pours forth words or utterances, as a 
 spring pours forth its waters. That this is the primary mean- 
 ing of the word is seen from Ex. 7:1, "I have made thee a 
 god to Pharaoh, and Aaron, thy brother, shall be thy prophet," 
 i. e., his spokesman. Hence, what God says to Moses must 
 mean, one who is a mouth-piece of God to man. 
 
 So also in tiie Greek, prophetes is commonly interpreted as 
 p7'0, beforehand, hence speaking beforehand. Again, in a local 
 sense, to speak beforehand was only a subordinate function of 
 the prophet, hence, pro has been referred to place, and not to 
 time, which is the primary signification. 
 
 Nahld gives authority to declare the word of God. This 
 gives signification to 1 Sara. 9: 9. " Beforetime in Israel, 
 when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and 
 let us go to the seer : for he that is now called a Prophet was 
 beforetime called a Seer." Prediction is only subordinate. 
 Pro, in local sense, indicates one who speaks in the presence of 
 another for him ; seer describes simply one who sees ; while 
 prophet is one who speaks Avhat he sees. 
 
 2. Relation to God. — The second series of names are those 
 which show their relation to God, e.g., 1 Sam. 2 : 27, "And 
 there came a man of God unto Eli." Again, they are called 
 servants, 2 Kings 17 : 23, " As he had said by all his serv- 
 ants, the propliets." They are called messengers, 2 Chron. 
 36 : 15, 16, " They wait upon Him ready to do His bidding.'' 
 Those terms, from their nature, are inapplicable to those in the 
 service of false gods. They have, however, a wider sense, a 
 more general use, and are not restricted to prophets, but are 
 used of any employed by God to do his work. Jer. 25 : 9, 
 "Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, my servant." The 
 angels, also, are his messengers, Ps. 119: 91, "For all are 
 thy servants." 
 
 3. Relation to Man. — Thus they are called Roeh: shep- 
 herds, signifying their duty to protect, guide and feed the .flock 
 of God. The general term applied to civil rulers and priests. 
 They are called watchmen, interpreters. The word watchman 
 is equivalent to two Hebrew words, one derived from aphah, to 
 set at a distance, to watch. Is. 21 : 6, " Go, set a watchman." 
 Shamar : a guardian set in the streets or on the walls, a watch- 
 
PROPHETS ANT) PBOPHECY. 7 
 
 man to guard near at hand, to sound the alarm, Is. 62 : 6. In- 
 terpreters : those who explain the otherwise unintelligible Avill 
 of God. He imparts utterances of God's will. Is. 43 : 27. 
 These words correspond to seer and prophet in order. The 
 watchman is one Avho sees what others do not. A seer is a 
 supernatural watchman. An interpreter utters clearly God's 
 will, as a prophet. His qualifications for the functions of a 
 prophet are divine, hence, what he utters is inspired. 
 
 III. PHRASES AND EXPRESSIONS. 
 
 We gather the true idea of a prophet by collecting and com- 
 paring the various phrases and expressions about them. That 
 God's will is made known to them is seen. 
 
 1. Because God speaks to them, He shows them what to say, 
 and what to do ; His spirit rests upon them ; His words come 
 to them ; they hear Him, hence revelations are made to them, 
 and " thus saith the Lord" shows a divine communication. 
 
 2. That they are commissioned to declare His will is also 
 asserted, e. g., God sends them, bids them prophesy, gives them 
 tongues to speak. Tliey are charged with authoritative com- 
 munications to others. They are bound to deliver these under 
 the severest penalties. They declare what they have from God, 
 in contrast with false prophets. They always preface what they 
 say with, " Thus saith the Lord." ISo completely is the pro- 
 phet's own personality lost that often the pronoun is changed, 
 as if God spoke directly. Divine impartation of divine instruc- 
 tion. Modern critics say it is merely a mode of expression 
 among the people, and not actual in fact. 
 
 Skeptical Opinions. — 1. Some regard the prophets as men 
 of superior enlightenment dealing with ignorant people. To 
 conciliate favor for their utterances they publish them as com- 
 ing from the deity, 
 
 2. Others say the prophets were the most advanced represen- 
 tatives of public sentiment. Enthusiasm thus referred to God. 
 They combined what was in the popular heart. They were men 
 who enthusiastically thought that all this was inspiration. 
 
 3. The prophets, they say, were really inspired of God, but 
 only as every right exercise of our faculties is under God's 
 guidance. They differ from Christians not in kind, but in de- 
 gree. Taking any one of these cases, and adopt their views, it 
 takes away the grand distinction of a prophet, it robs them of 
 their spiritual and scriptural meaning. 
 
 Answer 1. The supernatural character of the prophet is in- 
 
o PBOPHETS AND PROP HE CT. 
 
 volved in the supernatural character of the 0. T., and of religion 
 in general. 
 
 2. Though the prophets were holy men, and many of them 
 were highly gifted, yet the inspiration was distinct from their 
 sanctification. Even men who were destitute of piety were thus 
 inspired, — Balaam, Saul, Caiaphas. 
 
 3. It appears from the nature of these communications made 
 to the prophets, that they were such as necessarily imply sup- 
 ernatural communications from above. 
 
 4. It is universally conceded, even by skeptics, that while 
 other nations had their oracles, etc., yet the prophets of Israel 
 stood alone in the character of their revelations. There were 
 deep thinkers elsewhere, and philosophers, but they do not rise 
 beyond ambiguous responses. If prophecy is inherent in all 
 men, how is it that the prophets of Israel stand alone in the 
 purity, value and fitness of their communications. 
 
 Another limitation of the term prophet, not by skeptics, but 
 by religious people, is that a prophet refers to one who fortells 
 future events. The Fathers also held this view. The error is 
 in mistaking a part for the whole of their duty, and the means 
 for the end. Foretelling the future was, of course important, 
 yet it held a subordinate place. The prospective nature of 
 their work gave it a prophetic character. They were not pre- 
 dictors merely, but also teachers, although this, in a large mea- 
 sure, came to overshadow the rest. The constant aim of these 
 disclosures is lost sight of. beside their own inherent grandeur. 
 Remark, 
 
 1. There is no specific reference to future events found in 
 any one of the definitions of prophet already given. However 
 conspicuous this element may appear, it is not essential to the 
 ofiice. They were to speak all that was commanded them, 
 whether present, past or future. 
 
 2. In actual fact we see that the revelations of the prophets 
 do not concern the future exclusively, but refer to the past and 
 present as well, e. g., when Samuel told Saul that his father's 
 asses had been found, 1 Sam. 9: 20, this is past. Abijah, 
 though blind, yet knew and prophesied to Jeroboam's wife, when 
 she came to him in his old age, 1 Kini/s 14 : G-16. This shows 
 present power. Elisha told Gehazi where he had been, 2 
 Kings 5 : 26. Daniel related a dream of Nebuchadnezzar, 
 Dan. 2 : 28. Elisha told the King of Israel words spoken in 
 the bed-chamber by the Syrian king's servant, 2 Kings 6 : 12. 
 Ezekiel 24 : 2, tells them the very day, " Even of this same day 
 the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem." 
 
PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECT. » 
 
 3. The function of the Hebrew prophet was not limited to 
 the revealing of secret events. This was not the main and 
 characteristic part of their work. They were principally di- 
 vinely instructed guides, and the instructors of the people. 
 They maintained in its dignity and integrity the covenant re- 
 lation of the people with God. This was their particular func- 
 tion, and to conduct the people towards the end for which that 
 relation was established, i. <?., the coming of Christ, and his 
 great salvation. His future purposes wore revealed, as were 
 also the past and the present. 
 
 4. To regard the predictions or prophecies merely in the light 
 of prediction of divine help is to mistake entirely their grand 
 aim. Tliis would exalt the subordinate end over the principal. 
 The evidence was often incomplete until the fulfillment, and 
 hence many would thus lose their meaning and value, for the 
 prophets were contemporaries. Other prophecies are consid- 
 ered doubtful, because obscure and enigmatical. Others still 
 by the failure of God to preserve authentic records. Many 
 prophecies were not compiled in the time of the prophets. 
 
 Deuteronomy 18: 18, adds two other functions of the pro- 
 phets. 
 
 1. They were invariably of the chosen people. Balaam, 
 though a foreigner, was no exception to the rule, for the name 
 prophet is given to him only in the N. T. (2 Peter 2 : 16), and 
 here it is used in its wider, more general sense. Balaam is no- 
 where called a prophet in the 0. T., but in Joshua 13 : 22, he is 
 called a soothsayer, and in Num. 22 : 7, " rewards of divina- 
 tion." He was summoned as a soothsayer; God made use of 
 him as he did of the witch of En-dor, but this did not consti- 
 tute him one of the prophets. So also he made use of Abime- 
 lech concerning Abraham's, wife, Gen. 20 : 3. To this may be 
 added Pharaoh's dream, Gen. 41 : 1. Also Nebuchadnezzar's 
 dream, Dan. 2 : 1. These are revelations. The dream of the 
 man in the host of Midian, Judges 17 : i3, 14. All these 
 were for the benefit of God's chosen people, and were confined 
 to the extraordinary circumstances which evoked them, but 
 none of these were prophets, 
 
 2. A second particular in this passage of Deuteronomy is 
 that the prophet was to be one like unto Moses ; that is, the 
 revelations made to him would be like those made unto Moses, 
 a continuation of the scheme which he had begfun, and in the 
 same spirit. They were not therefore, isolated phenomemi, 
 but vital relations to the former scheme. All belons^ed to one 
 closely related scheme, initiated by Moses, and to be continued. 
 
10 PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 by them in likeness to him. The revelation of the 0.- T. is one, 
 a regular unfolding begun by Moses, and carried on by suc- 
 ceeding prophets : their teachings must be like his, and built 
 upon his. The prophets were not antagonistic to the law, but 
 contemplated by the law itself, not to reform it, but to keep it 
 before the minds of the people. It was no afterthought to meet 
 an emergency, but provided for by Moses. Ic was opposed to 
 false losses put upon the law, and to those who sheltered them- 
 selves behind the Uiav. So Christ was also against tradition. 
 Ezekiel 18 : 20, is not opposed to Exodus 20 : 5. This is not 
 contradictory. He, while claiming that they suffered for their 
 fathers' sins, says they also suffered for their own, and putting 
 false constructions on the law. Exodus says, " of them that 
 hate me." Ezekiel appears to Deut. 24 : 16. Therefore, Eze- 
 kiel is the same as Moses, and contrary to false interpretations. 
 They base their instruction on the law, and so ahvays enforce 
 it. This oneness of the prophets with the law, is repeatedly 
 recognized in the 0. T., as well as in the N. T., Is. 1 : 11-14. 
 The prophet here is showing the worthlessness of the ceremony, 
 and does not aim at the abolition of the ritual, but rebukes 
 their heartless formality, joined with ungodly living. Sacrifices 
 became unendurable when joined with lives of sin. The pro- 
 phets were divinely commissioned reformers, not of the law, but 
 of the people. The law needed no correction. They repeat 
 and re-enact the law. Allusions to it abound everywhere, and 
 all their instructions are based upon the law. Is. 8 : 20, refers 
 to the law and testimony. Mai. 4 : 4. Though no direct citations, 
 yet as we see allusions are everywhere found in the prophets, 
 even the forms of expression show familiarity with the law. The 
 law and the prophets are combined in the 0. T., e. g., Zech. 7: 12. 
 So in the N. T. we find the expressions, '' Moses and the pro- 
 phets," " the law and the prophets." 
 
 From the preceding, we see that the prophet is — 
 
 1. Favored with the immediate disclosure of the divine will. 
 
 2. He is authorized to make it known. 
 
 3. Inspired in recording and teaching it. 
 
 We now come to consider, with additional clearness, not only 
 absolutely, but relatively, their position in the theocracy and 
 in the great scheme of divine revelation. 
 
 1. As to certain orders the question arises. How do the pro- 
 phets stand related to other contemporaneous orders of men ? 
 We inquire in the general scheme of divine revelation. 
 
 2. As to other subsequent and antecedent modes of divine 
 communication. 
 
PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 11 
 
 Priests. — The priests were a sacred order of men, mediators 
 between God and man. The priests acted on the part of man 
 before God ; the prophets on the part of God before man. The 
 priests were such by hereditary descent, from representative 
 tribes and families. The Levites were selected as representa- 
 tives for the rest of the people. Tiie priests were an organized 
 body, with gradations of rank. They carried the principle of 
 representation to its farthest extent. The high-priest Avas 
 highest in rank. They were supported by a legal income, from 
 the people in whose behalf they acted. In other ancient na- 
 tions, as Egypt, the prophets belonged to the priesthood, but it 
 was not so in Israel. 
 
 The prophets were without any regular succession. They 
 had no organization among them ; no stipend. They were called 
 to the office by the immediate agency of the Spirit of God, by 
 His sovereign pleasure. Tliey might be taken from any tribe, 
 not excepting Levi, e. g., Samuel. They might come from any 
 part of the land, 2 Chron. 20 : 14. Even from Galilee, as Na- 
 hum and Jonah, notwithstanding the sneer : '• There ariseth no 
 prophet out of Galilee ;" John 7 : 52. They might and did come 
 from any rank. Royal blood, e. g.^ Isaiah, Daniel, Zephaniah. 
 Or from priestly rank, Zechariah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. Or from 
 the most obscure herdsmen, as Amos. Thev might be taken 
 from either sex, as Miriam the prophetess, Ex. 15 : 20 ; De- 
 borah, Judges 4:4; Huldah, 2 Chron. 34 : 22 ; Anna, Luke, 
 2 : 26 ; and four daughters of Philip, Acts 21 : 9. Their de- 
 scent from the prophets was not essential, nor the contrary, 2 
 Chron. 15:18. It belonged to the prophets to declare the 
 will of God. They were valued as being inspired of God. The 
 priests were not usually inspired, their province being to offer 
 sacrifices for the people' before God, and to obtain for them the 
 forgiveness of sins, and yet in consequence of the mediatorial 
 character belonging to these two classes, the functions some- 
 times overlapped. The priests were authoritative expounders 
 of the divine will. In the early period especially was this true, 
 as Joshua in Num. 27 : 21. Repeated mention is made of con- 
 sultation, 1 Sam. 14: 3 ; 1 Sam. 22 : 13; Judges 18 : 5. 
 
 While the prophets were permanent, and the priests not so 
 much so, yet in Ezra 2 : 63, they are commanded not " to eat 
 of the most holy things till there stood up a priest with Urim 
 and Thummim." And in John 11 : 51, the high-priest pro- 
 phesied of Christ's death. In rei-ard to immediate divine com- 
 munication there is this distinction : the prophet received his 
 knowledge by the direct illumination of the Holy Spirit, while 
 
12 PBOPBETS AND PBOPHEOY. 
 
 the priest received his knowledge from Urim and Thummin, or 
 the ephod belonging to it. The difference between them may 
 be illustrated by the heathen omens as opposed to augurs. Be- 
 side the supernatural responses, it was the ordinary province 
 of the priest to teach the law to the people, and to deliver the 
 will of God to them in doubtful cases, Lev. 10 : 10 ; Haggai 2 : 
 11. The prophets were to intercede for the people only by the 
 free offering of prayer ; the priests by symbolical ritual, Lev. 
 10 : 3 ; Deut. 33 : 10. 
 
 Judges. — Another sacred order of men were the judges — ex- 
 traordinary judges. They, like prophets, were the immediate 
 representatives of God, hence they were called to their office by 
 the direct agency of the Holy S{»irit. They were limited to no 
 particular tribe, family, rank, occupation, sex. Deborah was a 
 judge. Judges 6 : 4. Like the prophets, they were inspired, 
 were under the immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit, but for 
 different purposes. They were not to teach, but to rule. They 
 were fitted for the special duties of their office. The office of 
 judge was executive and administrative. They were extraordi- 
 nary magistrates and leaders raised up by God himself in time 
 of special need. They may be called divinely appointed dicta- 
 tors. The prophets were divinely inspired teaf^hers, or ex- 
 pounders of the will of God, but exercised none of the functions 
 of the magistracy. Their aims were not political. Their words 
 are not to be viewed in a political or patriotic aspect. We do 
 occasionally find them confronting kings, but they do not on 
 this account deserve to be esteemed as tribunes of the people or 
 guardians of public liberty. Elijah came into repeated conflicts 
 with Ahab ; Elisha sent a youth to anoint Jehu as king of 
 Israel and destroyer of the house of Ahab. Hosea and Isaiah 
 denounced the dangerous alliance of the kings with Assyria 
 and Egypt. Jeremiah was also against Zedekiah. In all these 
 cases they acted as teachers from God, not as politicians, but as 
 religious instructors. They did not seek the office, and were 
 not building up apolitical party; they were not demagogues. 
 What they opposed was not on the ground of impolicy, but sin. 
 What they maintained was for the honor and the law of God. 
 We must bear in mind that the government of Israel differed 
 from all others. In the true sense it was a theocracy. It was 
 governed by the direct manifestation of God's will. He gave 
 them law, appointed their rulers ; they were his vice-gerents, 
 and hence this gave a religious complexion to all the affairs of 
 state. The idolatry of Ahab's house was a violation of the con- 
 stitution of Israel, as the covenant people of God, and so often 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 13 
 
 called for the intervention of the prophets. Alliances with 
 heathen nations were crimes against the government of Israel, 
 and the will of God. The evil which the prophets predicted 
 was held up as the just judgments of God. When the prophets 
 were consulted by kings and rulers, the responses were not dic- 
 tated by policy, but by the divine will. 
 
 While the prophets were such, and while they stand side by 
 side with the priests and judges, yet their powers were limited 
 only by their great commissions from God. Their office might 
 be so extended as to comprehend all the others. The prophets 
 performed any functions that the occasion might demand. So, 
 in cases of emergency, they might act either as priests, judges 
 or rulers. It was not a profane intrusion for a prophet to offer 
 sacrifices, as it would be for any one else, e. g., in the daj's of 
 the degeneracy of Saul. Here the prophe^^s assumed the func- 
 tions of priests. Samuel, though not a priest, yet offered sacri- 
 fices by virtue of his right as an immediate messenger of God. 
 So also of Elijah and Elisha. The ordinary officers had abdi- 
 cated, or had been deposed. Elijah sacrificed at Carmel. Bread 
 of the first-fruits was brought to Elisha, which he was com- 
 manded to give to the hungry people, 2 Kings 4 : 42. These 
 fruits were due to the priests. The people resorted to Elisha 
 at new-moons, and on the Sabbath, etc., 2 Kings 4 : 23. Samuel 
 took supreme direction over the commonwealth, and acting as 
 judge anointed Saul king, 1 Sam. 7 : 15. He subsequently 
 deposed him and appointed David. Ahijah prophesies to Jero- 
 boam, 1 Kings 11: 29. Elijah was directed to anoint Hazael 
 king over Syria, and Jehu king over Israel, 1 Kings 19 : 15, 16; 
 2 Kings 8 : 12, 13. Not only did they depose and setup rulers 
 over the people of God, but over heathen states as well, being 
 the ambassadors of that God who is ruler and supreme governor 
 of the universe. 
 
 It only remains now to examine the position of the prophets 
 among the methods of divine communication. There is a grow- 
 ing nearness and fullness. There is a difference in the modes 
 of God's revelations of himself. By the first method, we have : 
 
 1. The Theophany, characteristic of the patriarchal period. 
 God made himself personally known. He spoke in audible 
 voice to Abraham concerning the offering up of his son Isaac ; 
 to Jacob, Abimlech and Laban in dreams. He appeared in 
 human form to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, face to face. 
 Then God needed no agent. But when the flood came, and the 
 destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God himself declared it, 
 and sent them out. 
 
14 PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 2. When the seed of the patriarchs swelled into a nation, a 
 new mode of revelation was needed and supplied. The will of 
 God was now revealed through prophets, especially Moses. 
 God no longer stood aloof from and out of connection with 
 men, so to speak. Divine virtue was now made resident in par- 
 ticular men. The spirit descended upon them, and made them the 
 depositaries of His will ; Amos 3:7," He revealeth His secrets 
 unto His servants the prophets." In the solemn transactions at 
 Sinai, when the covenant of God was to be made between Him 
 and His people, He speaks once more with His own voice, 
 but all further communications were made through Moses, and 
 the prophets raised up like to Him. Miracles were wrought, 
 and revelations made through them, e. g., the plagues of Egypt 
 were sent and removed at the bidding of Moses. So, also, the 
 Red sea was divided at the uplifting of his rod. At his word 
 the manna came down from heaven, and water gushed forth 
 from the flinty rock for the famishing people. The drought 
 came and disappeared at the bidding of Elijah. Sennacherib 
 was not destroyed until Isaiah had first foretold it. This sec- 
 ond mode or stage of revelation, while an advance on the theo- 
 phany, was not the ultimate and highest, for Paul says in 1 
 Cor. 13: 8-10, " But whether there be prophecies, they shall 
 fail ; whether there be tongues, they shall cease ; whether there 
 be knowledge, it shall vanish away." 'I'hus he shows that pro- 
 phecy was preparatory to and emblematic of the future. 
 
 3. The prophetic idea is realized in two forms ; a. Individu- 
 al ; h. Universal. All these gifts, etc., of prophets in the 0. T. 
 are but types of better things to come. 
 
 a. The prophetic idea found its consummation in the person 
 of Christ. He was the prophet of God in the highest sense, 
 Deut. 18 : 18 ; Is. 42 : 1 ; 49 : 1 ; 61 : 1. God no longer acts 
 remotely ; He no longer speaks from heaven, nor through His 
 servants, but comes Himself as a man to instruct and bless His 
 people. The prophets were thus types of Christ. The ladder 
 which Jacob saw reaching down from heaven to earth, is thus 
 fully realized. 
 
 h. Universal revelations. The idea of the prophets was des- 
 tined also to be universally realized in the entire body of the 
 people of God. The prophets belonged to the people. They 
 had no native gifts of divination ; they did not exercise their 
 gifts for their own benefit, but for the good of the people at 
 large. They were established among the people for the people. 
 The spirit of prophecy belonged not to the prophets alone, but 
 to all Israel, but was restricted to one individual at first, e. g.. 
 
PROPHETS AND PEOPIIEGY. 15 
 
 Num. 11 : 29, " Eiiviest thou for my sake? Would God that 
 all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would 
 put His spirit upon them!" When Moses desired in this pass- 
 age that all the people might become prophets, he expressed 
 what he beheld in type and pledge, which was yet to reach its 
 final culmination. The ultimate form of communication is not 
 through the few, but when Christ shall come and abide, the 
 Teacher and the Sanctifier, of all the truly regenerate. Joel 2 : 
 28, predicts " the day when the spirit of God shall be poured out 
 on all flesh." Jer. 31 : 34, " And they shall teach no more 
 every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying. 
 Know the Lord : for they shall all know me, from the least of 
 them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord." Then shall 
 the necessity of all prophetic instruction be superseded, and the 
 prophetic order itself swallowed up in the indwelling of the 
 Spirit, in each and every believer. 
 
 Different Classification Proposed. — A somewhat different 
 classification his been proposed by some, corresponding to the 
 three leading dispensations, viz.: the Patriarchal, Mosaic and 
 Christian. This was the classification favored by Dr. Moore, 
 formerly of Richmond, Va., now dead, in his " Prophets of the 
 Restoration." (See Commentary). 
 
 1. In the Patriarchal the form of divine communication was 
 theophanic. 
 
 2. In the Mosaic, theopneustic. 
 
 3. In the Christian, theologic. In this, the will of God is 
 made known by divine writings, the living Word. The present 
 form is the only one that can be really universal. The prophets 
 in this form meet us now, not in prophetic office, but in the pro- 
 phetic word. The next will be the return of Christ, and the 
 completion of the circle, back again to the theophanic, when 
 " the pure in heart shall see God," and be admittted to His 
 presence in heaven. 
 
 The prophetic office itself is divided into three great eras, cor- 
 responding to the three great dispensations to which they are 
 referred. 
 
 1. Theophanic. — This extends from Moses to Samuel. In this 
 the office was rarely filled. There was no regular succession of 
 prophets. 
 
 2. Theopneustic. — From Samuel to Hosea. This is the era 
 of the prophets of action, who were mainly occupied with the 
 present, and so left but few writings behind them. 
 
 3. Theologic. — This period is marked by inspired men. It 
 began with Hosea. The whole period of prophecy during this 
 
16 PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 era looked more to future events. All the books were written 
 during this period, and hence it is called the Theologic era, or 
 marked revelation of truth. They turned away from what had 
 gone before. The oiBce marked the mercy of God's grace to 
 men. The last phase culminated in the incarnation of the S6n 
 of God. He assumed our human nature, and dwelling among 
 us, became the personal Word. 
 
 II. THE PROPHETIC ORDER. 
 
 The law of Moses contemplated and made preparation for the 
 prophets, as it did also for the kings. It is plain that, though 
 coming from Moses, the scheme of divine communication was 
 not to end with him, but it was to be perpetuated by others like 
 unto him. As to the government, the people were not provided 
 with kings immediately after Moses, but were first put under 
 priests ; subsequently were organized under judges ; and, finally, 
 the kingdom was established. So of the prophetic order, it was 
 contemplated in the law, but did not begin at once. The term 
 " prophet" was general at first. God at first was consulted 
 through the priests. The prophets appeared only sporadically 
 as it were. Finally, a continuous and permanent order was 
 created, from Samuel onward, as kings were from Saul and 
 David. 
 
 A " prophet," in its wider sense, denotes any one favored 
 with divine communications. In Gen. 20 : 7, Abraham is called 
 a prophet; in Ps. 105: 15, David is referred to as a prophet : 
 " Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm." 
 In Acts 2 : 30, David is agaiti called prophet. 
 
 In the technical and more restricted sense, the term "pro- 
 phet" belongs to those not only invested vv'ith the gift of pro- 
 phecy, but especially to those who were invested with the pro- 
 phetic office. A distinction is made between donuni propheticum 
 and munus propheticum. In an ofiicial sense, David was not a 
 prophet, but a king. In this sense, Moses was more than a 
 prophet, though in Hosea 12 : 13, he is called a prophet. He 
 was the great exemplar, the great lawgiver of Israel. 
 
 There were other proi)hets in the time of Moses. In Ex. 15 : 
 20 ; Num. 12 : 2, Miriam is called a prophetess. Eldad and Me- 
 dad, and the seventy elders are called prophets, in Num. 11 : 
 25, 26. In Judges 2:1, probably an angel speaks, yet men of 
 
PROPHETS AM) PBOPHECY. 17 
 
 God are spoken of as His messengers, e.g., I Sam. 2 : 27, "And 
 there came a man of God unto Eli," etc. So in Judges 6 : 8, 
 men of God are spoken of as prophets. The prophetic office, 
 however, appears in its full and complete form for the first time 
 in the time of Samuel, Acts 3 : 24. Before the time of Samuel 
 prophecy was rare, as is seen from 1 Sam. 3:1, " The word of 
 the Lord was precious in those days, there was no open vision.'" 
 After the time of Samuel, though rare, the office was regularly 
 transmitted, and seems never to have been entirely suspended 
 until the time of Malachi. 
 
 Seer and Prophet. — The opinion has been pressed by some 
 that the seer possessed the gift of prophecy, but not the office, 
 and thus was distinguished from prophets, who had both the 
 gift and the office. Some say it implies the office as well as the 
 gift, and the Scriptures give the name prophet to every one who 
 was a seer. This distinction holds good, according to the deri- 
 vation of the words seer and prophet, but it is not sustained in 
 the 0. T. usage, e. g., 1 Sam, 9 : 9. The names prophet and 
 seer are both given. The words are used as synonymous. 
 Moeh, seer, was applied to Samuel almost exclusively. The 
 original word for prophet was nabhi, to boil up, to pour forth 
 words, but the function of address was small. The people con- 
 sulted them principally in regard to the future. Moses had this 
 term applied to him, because he taught; but seer was the usual 
 term applied to Samuel. After the change noted in 1 Sam. 9 : 
 9, the word prophet was revived, and became the standard. In 
 1 Chron. 29 : 29, we have three terms for prophet. 
 
 The Call of the Prophets. — The call of the prophets came 
 immediately from God Himself, Amos 7: 15, "And the Lord 
 took me ;" Jer. 1:4," The word of the Lord came unto me ;" 
 Ezek. chaps. 1 and 2. The charge laid on Isaiah in the sixth 
 chapter has been supposed by many to be his original call, but 
 it is more probably a re-investiture, designed to- fit him for a 
 new and special work, like that of John in Kev. 1 : 10 ; or Paul 
 in Acts 22 : 17. In the call of prophets, human instrumentality 
 is only once mentioned, and that was in the case of anointing 
 Elisha by Elijah, in 1 Kings 19 : 16. In the 19th verse, '• cast 
 his mantle upon him." This was a symbolic act. This depar- 
 ture from the ordinary custom was peculiar. The prophets then 
 had to act in the functions of the theocracy. The absence of 
 all allusion to human agency shows that prophets probably had 
 no rite of induction into office. In Deut. 34 : 9, Moses laid 
 his hands on his successor Joshua, to show the impartation of 
 the Spirit, but there is no good reason for supposing there was 
 
18 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 any such ceremony in the line of the prophets. In Ps. 105 : 
 15, the term " anointed" occurs parallel with the term " pro- 
 phet." In Is. 61 : 1, the same term is used. Anointing is 
 symbolical of the Holy Spirit, and hence it is inferred that unc- 
 tion was as customary in the installation of prophets as of 
 kings. The only case where it is spoken of or commanded, is 
 in 1 Kings 19: 16, "And Elisha *** shalt thou anoint to be 
 prophet in thy room." But in this case there is no mention of 
 its actual occurrence. When Elijah was taken up into heaven, 
 his mantle fell upon Elisha as a symbol and pledge, that a 
 double portion of Elijah's spirit should rest upon him, 2 Kings 
 2 : 10. But the prophets in most cases stood in no such rela- 
 tion of succession as Joshua to Moses, and Elisha to Elijah. 
 There is no propriety in any such inductions to office. The 
 possession of the spirit of God was a sufficient induction. 
 
 Age of the Prophets. — The priests entered upon their 
 work at a precise and regulated time. This probably was not 
 the case with prophets, called at God's time. The only one 
 whose age is especially mentioned, is Ezekiel, 1:1. It is here 
 insinuated that Ezekiel began to prophesy when thirty years 
 old, but he was a priest, and this may account for it. Being of 
 priestly origin, and debarred by the captivity from entering 
 the priesthood, he was called at the same age as in the priest- 
 hood. He is the only one whose age is mentioned at the 
 beginning. Zechariah was called when " a young man," 2 : 4. 
 Samuel when "a child." 1 Sam. 3: 1, " the child Samuel." 
 So also Jeremiah, 1:6," Behold, I can not speak, for I am a 
 child." Daniel when a child or youth, for a different term js 
 used in the Hebrew (Dan. 1:7.) From the great length of 
 Hosea's ministry, 60 years, it has been inferred that he entered 
 upon it at a very early age. Haggai, 2 : 3, must have begun 
 his prophetic work when advanced in life. He saw the temple 
 in its glory. 
 
 In 1 Sam. 10 : 5-10, we read of a " company of prophets." 
 The " hill of God " was probably Gibeah. In 1 Sam. 19 : 20, 
 another company at Naioth in Ramah, Samuel's birthplace, is 
 mentioned. Both Saul and his messengers were overcome 
 when they met the prophets, and they prophesied also. The 
 " hill of God " may have been so called because it was the 
 abode of these prophets, or perhaps because they were passing 
 it. Others say there is no evidence for this. The word Naioth 
 means habitations, and this was the common name for the 
 residence of the prophets. In the Targum it is translated 
 " schools " or " house of instruction." In 2 Kings 22 : 14, we 
 
PROPHETS AND PBOPHEGY. 19 
 
 have the same term, college, Avhence we obtain the expression 
 "schools of the prophets." The Bible terras are not applicable 
 to our idea. These schools, or company of prophets, are not 
 heard of in Judah after the time of Samuel. In 2 Kings 22 : 
 14, college or prophetic school is not meant, but " ward." 
 Huldah, the prophetess, lived in the lower part or ward of the 
 city. There is no authority for saying these companies of 
 prophets were to be permanent. They were- establishments 
 constructed for the time and place, q,nd they ceased with the 
 exigency that brought them into existence. They were not 
 schools for instruction to train men for the prophetic office, but 
 they were bands of men, as the term implies, already invested 
 with the office, and with a power sufficient to affect all coming 
 into contact with them. The fact, then, would appear to be 
 this : that they were men of God brought, together, so that 
 under the direction of Samuel they might be centers of refor- 
 mation, in the midst of great apostasy. 
 
 Music. — As music was mentioned in 1 Sara. 10: 5-10, it has 
 been argued that singing formed part of their exercises. That 
 music was taught is plausible, and it has been conjectured that 
 thus David may have learned to become " the sweet singer of 
 Israel." In 1 Chron. 25 : 1, David distributed the service of 
 song among the Levites, who are spoken of as prophets. 
 
 Historians. — As the prophets were the historiographers of 
 the nation, it has also been supposed from 1 Chron. 29 : 29, 
 that recording the history of God's people was a part of the 
 work of the prophets. 
 
 Sons of the Prophets. — It has been supposed that " sons 
 of the prophets" formed an analogous company in Israel. In 
 the history of Elijah and Elisha we have frequent mention of 
 the sons of the prophets, e.^.. Kings 4 : 38 ; 6:1. These sons 
 of the prophets were pupils or adherents of the prophets, re- 
 siding in considerable numbers at times, as would appear from 
 the passages above cited. 
 
 Maintenance of the Prophets. — From 2 Kings 4: 38-44, 
 we see that, though not monastic, or celibates, yet contributions 
 were made for their maintenance. There were communities 
 at Bethel, 2 Kings 2:3; Jericho and Gilgal. Two of these 
 places, Bethel and Gilgal, were prominent seats of idolatrous 
 worship. This shows reason why the prophets intended them 
 to be centers of Reformation, and opposed to idolatry. How 
 long these institutions continued is not known, Amos 7 : 14, 
 is the only place where they are mentioned after the time of 
 Elisha. He says : " I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's 
 
20 PROPHETS AND PHOPIIECY. 
 
 son." In 2 Kings 9 : 1, Elisha sent one of them to anoint Jehu. 
 The sons of the prophets were sometimes delegated to act in 
 the place of a prophet, as in the above passage. Some were 
 inspired though not all of them In 2 Kings 3 : 5, those at 
 Bethel knew and told Elisha that Elijah would be taken away. 
 It does not appear that the prophets were ordinarily taken from 
 these institutions, or received any special training for their 
 work. Elisha was trained by Elijah, but this was a peculiar 
 case, and a rare exception. 
 
 Mode of Life. — Of the mode of life of the prophets little is 
 said. Only incidentally is it alluded to, so that we infer that 
 in most respects it was like that of other men. As an appro- 
 priate dress for their work, they wore a garment of hair, e. g., in 
 Zech. 13 : 4, " Neither shall they wear a rough garment to de- 
 ceive." Is. 20 : .2, " Go and loose the sackcloth from off 
 thy loins." This perhaps is the same referred to in 2 Kings 
 1 : 8, w^here Elijah is called a " hairy man." This official dress 
 was the mantle which Elijah cast upon Elisha. This was not 
 worn as by an ascetic, but as a mourner's dress, mourning for 
 the sins of the people, as a preacher of repentance, Dan. 9 : 18; 
 Ezek. 24 : 18. 
 
 Their Homes. — The prophets usually dwelt in their own 
 houses. Some of them were married, and had families — Isaiah, 
 Samuel, Ezekiel. Jeremiah, 16: 2, was forbidden to marry. 
 Some of them had servants, e. g., Elijah had Elisha in constant 
 attendance; Elisha had Gehazi; Jeremiah had Barak. 
 
 Inspiration.-^As to inspiration it would seem to have been 
 temporary, e. g.^ Saul had only temporary inspiration, 1 Sam. 
 10: 10. The seventy elders, in Num. 11: 25, prophesied, 
 but did not add, i. e., they did not continue to prophesy. Our 
 version conveys just the contrary, " prophesied, and did not 
 cease." Those who were permanently in the prophetic office, 
 seem not to have been under the permanent influence of the 
 Spirit. What would seem to have been from foresight, they 
 only knew when communicated, and what it was. This was the 
 case with Moses, Lev. 24: 12. He did not judge until the will 
 of the Lord was made known. So in the case of Samuel, his 
 own private thought is distinguished from that of God. This 
 is shown in his dealing with the sons of Jesse, 1 Sam. 16: 6, 7. 
 Nathan first told David to build the house of the Lord, but after- 
 ward told him God had forbidden it, 2 Sam. 7: 3. All this is 
 important in showing the nature of prophetic power. They 
 knew and exercised, not at all times, but as God told them to 
 speak. Elisha said, " The word of the Lord came unto them.'' 
 
PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 21 
 
 This shows the distinction between their ordinary and inspired 
 condition. Hence it is said by some that the spirit of prophecy 
 is intermittent, in the way of transient impression, and not j9>'o 
 modum, John 14 : 16, 17. Some think the inspiration of 0. T. 
 prophets is thus inferior to that of the apostles. From Num. 
 12: 6-8, it is supposed that there are diiferent modes of revela- 
 tion. The circumstances are these : Aaron and Miriam had re- 
 sisted the leadership of Moses. At this time Moses was the 
 chief organ of divine communication. The revelations of the 
 others are shown to be, from their inferiority of character, sub- 
 ordinate to his, by their intrinsic character, and by the way 
 they were made known. There was no sufficient reason for be- 
 lieving this was permanent. When the prophets were raised up, 
 " like unto Moses." why should not the Lord speak to them as 
 to Moses? Deut. 34: 10, refers to the age immediately succeed- 
 ing Moses, and so need not be applied to the entire condition. 
 Moses beheld the similitude of God, and spake with him face to 
 face. If the former passages are made to cover the period of 
 all the prophets, it does not confer on them the same power 
 as on Moses, but shows they are thereby only inferior to Moses in 
 the special way of receiving their communications. Moses 
 talked with God face to face, while the others received theirs 
 only by signs, visions, etc. 
 
 This question is principally important only as it relates to 
 the state of mind of the prophets when they received their mess- 
 age. Hengstenberg maintains that the ordinary faculties of 
 the mind — consciousness, understanding, etc., — of the prophet 
 were for the time suspended, and only the spiritual faculties 
 aAvake ; — that they were in an ecstatic state when they prophe- 
 sied. It is true that this was the case sometimes ; it was so in 
 visions. So Avith the prophets their minds were completely ab- 
 sorbed in what they were going to say, or rather in what was 
 within them. Dan. 8: 27, "And I, Daniel, fainted, and was 
 sick certain days." He was physically exhausted. This also 
 was occasionally the case with the apostles, as Peter was in a 
 trance when he saw the sheet let down from heaven. Acts 10: 
 10. John, also, while in Patmos. The apostle Paul was 
 caught up into the third heaven, 2 Cor. 12: 2, 3. It can not be 
 argued from these that the prophets always received their im- 
 pressions in this way, any more than that the apostles did. 
 Usually they were in their ordinary state of mind. Some im- 
 pressions are produced by their writings in which it is seen that 
 all their functions were at work. This is evident from the fact 
 that their peculiarities of style are brought out as in profane 
 
22 PEOPHETS AND PROFHEGY. 
 
 writers. This has been the belief of the church and the apos- 
 tolic fathers. 
 
 Inioard suggestion. — It would appear from the scanty hints 
 on this subject that divine communications were usually by in- 
 ward suggestion, and these they were able to distinguish from 
 their ordinary thoughts in some manner which we can not un- 
 derstand. There were also other ways. 
 
 • Audible voice. — As in 1 Sam. 3: 4, "The Lord called Sam- 
 uel, and he answered, Here am I." Num. 7:8, 9. At the 
 baptism of Jesus, Matt. 3: 17. At the transfiguration. Matt. 
 17: 5. Paul's conversion, Acts 9:4. John 12: 28, 29, "I 
 have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." 
 
 A^igels — Were sometimes employed to. communicate to the 
 prophets, as in Dan. 9: 21, "Even the man Gabriel, whom I had 
 seen in vision,'' etc., " touched me." 
 
 Visions. — Sometimes these announcements were made known 
 by visions. Some writers have gone to the extreme of denying 
 that the prophets had any visions at all. They claim that this 
 was only the form or dress in which they clothed what they 
 wished to say. But there can be no doubt but that visions 
 were really presented to their minds as they record them. When 
 given in detail, it is said such minutiae wouhinot remain. These 
 are more frequent in some prophets than in others. This shows 
 vividness. Visions were more vivid with the later prophets, e. 
 g., Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah ; also Amos 7 ; Is. 6 ; Jer. 1. 
 Visions Avere, 1. Of sensible objects, as when Ezekiel sees the 
 temple, 8 : 3; 11: 1. 2. a. Of symbolic objects as rejiresenta- 
 tive images of another order of creation, b. Or as sacred sym- 
 bols of the sanctuary, e. g., Ezekiel's vision of the cherubim of 
 the High Priest; of the candlestick, in the vision of Zechariah, 
 chaps. 3 and 4. c. Or as symbols may be natural emblems, as in 
 Jeremiah's vision, 1 : 13, of a " seething pot," i. e., evils which 
 were to come upon the people. Also Daniel's vision of the 
 four beasts, Dan. 7. 3. Visions of supersensuous beings. God 
 appears in visions ; so do angels, Is. 6. 
 
 Sometimes the prophets sought for revelations before they 
 were given, e. g., Daniel in the case of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. 
 In most cases, however, revelations were unsolicited. Upon 
 one occasion, Elisha asked for a minstrel, 2 Kings 3 : 15, and 
 when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him. 
 Ordinarily no external aid seems to have been used, Dan 12 : 
 8. The prophets did not always understand the meaning of 
 what was revealed to them. In Zech. 1 : 9-19, an angel inter- 
 preted to Zechariah. 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 23 
 
 CLASSIFICATION OF THE PROPHETS. 
 
 Before entering upon the subject speeificallj, it may be of 
 advantage to us to take a general survey of the classes and 
 groups into which it is divided. It will thus prepare us for a 
 better understanding of the whole. 
 
 Number of Prophets. — There are preserved in the 0. T. 
 the names of thirty-eight prophets, three prophetesses, and six 
 or seven others, whose names are not given. These are but a 
 small proportion of the whole number. The companies of pro- 
 phets, the language of Scripture shows to be great companies 
 gathered at the center of influence. These were inspired men 
 throughout the kingdom. In 2 Kings 2 : 7-16, we read of fifty 
 prophets, or fifty men of the sons of the prophets at Jericho. 
 In i Kings 18 : 4, we read of one hundred prophets being saved 
 by pious Obadiah. He hid them in caves from the persecutions 
 of Jezebel. There were also idolatrous prophets, e. g., 1 Kin^s 
 
 18 : 19, we find the prophets of Baal, 450 ; and the prophets of 
 Astarte, 400, who ate at Jezebel's table. If so many were em- 
 ployed in a false religion, why not at least an equal number in 
 the service of the true religion ? We find only vague expres- 
 sions during the period where more are named, 2 Chron. 24 : 
 
 19 ; 33 : 18 ; 36 : 15. These inspired men only formed the per- 
 manent witnesses of God ; they supplied the place of ordinary 
 teachers. Only the more prominent are mentioned or referred 
 to in the sacred records, so we infer- there were not only one or 
 two at a time, but scores and hundreds in every age, even when 
 not named.- This great body of prophets who were the reposi- 
 tories of God's will, have been variously classified. 
 
 1. The anonymous prophets, and those ivhose names are men- 
 tioned. — The anonymous were by far the greater in number and 
 aggregate influence. All were alike in inspiration and author- 
 ity. Both those whose names have been given, and those whose 
 names have not been preserved, have played an important part 
 in sacred history, but those named were most prominent, hence 
 their names are preserved for us in the Bible. 
 
 2. Canonical and Extra- Canonical. — The Canonical were 
 charged with the teaching of God's people in all ages, and ac- 
 cordingly they have left writings which have been recorded in 
 the sacred book. These comprise all whose names are mentioned 
 as authors of books in the 0. T., and also the authors of Joshua, 
 Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings. The Extra-Can- 
 onical prophets were no less inspired, but their commission was 
 
24 PROPHETS AXD PROPHECY. 
 
 to their contemporaries exclusively. They either left no writ- 
 ings at all, or such as were to have no place in the canon, and 
 hence, what they communicated was not intended for a perma- 
 nent rule of faith. Elijah, Elisha, and others, who were Extra- 
 Canonical, have a larger place in the books than those whose 
 works have been preserved. This division is not the same as 
 the former. Some that were not Canonical were of great influ- 
 ence, and even second to none others, e. g., Elijah. Some of 
 the anonymous prophets or writers were authors of historical 
 books already mentioned, and preserved for us in the sacred 
 canon. 
 
 3. The Former and Latter Prophets. — The Former prophets 
 were authors of the six historical books already mentioned. 
 The Latter prophets were the authors of the strictly prophetical 
 books. These terms, Former and Latter, have reference not to 
 the time of the composition of the books, but are due simply to 
 the order of the books in the Hebrew canon. The Former 
 prophets were those immediately following the Pentateuch. 
 Judges and Samuel were written before the prophetic books, 
 while Kings were written after. The Former prophets were all 
 anonymous, and by unknown authors, except Joshua. Is' one 
 of the strictly prophetical books, so-called, are anonymous, but 
 their names are found either in the books themselves, or at- 
 tached to the close. The reason for this is that prophecy re- 
 quires divine authentication attached to the person, his char- 
 acter and history. It was essential that the person of the 
 prophet should be known. History is authenticated by being 
 proved to be a true narrative. This classification does not 
 embrace such prophetical works as are found in other parts 
 of the canon, e. g., Lamentations of Jeremiah, and certain 
 Psalms, such as may have been written by other prophets. The 
 book of Daniel stands in the Hebrew Bible, not among the 
 prophetical books, but in the Hagiographa. Some say it was 
 because the book of Daniel was written in exile, and out of the 
 Holy Land, that it was excluded from the prophecies, but this 
 furnishes no sufficient reason, for the same is true of Ezekiel. 
 Others allege the reason to be that the collection of the prophets 
 was completed before the book of Daniel was written, and hence 
 it found its place in the later division. This is based on two 
 false assumptions. 1. It is claimed that the book of Daniel is 
 not genuine, not written by him, but is of a later date, and 
 Avritten by another hand. 2. It is assumed that different parts 
 of tlio canon were collected at widely different periods of time, 
 instead of all at once, as it really Avas. The true reason why 
 
PROPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 25 
 
 Daniel is found among the Hagiographa is that Daniel was not 
 a prophet in the strict and official sense. He was an inspired 
 man, but did not exercise prophetic ministi-y among the people, 
 as Ezekiel and Jeremiah did. He held a political station — 
 prime minister of Babylon. The character of the contents of 
 this book justifies us in classifying it among the prophets, in 
 our present classification. 
 
 Turning our attention to the Latter prophets, we find they 
 may be classified into the Major and Minor prophets. This has 
 reference to the size or length, and not to the qualify or rank. 
 
 The Major prophets are three : Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel ; to 
 which, for reasons already assigned, we may join Daniel, though 
 it is not so long. Properly it belongs to an intermediate place 
 between the two classes. 
 
 2. The Minor prophets are twelve in number. In all the 
 ancient catalogues of Scripture, they are regarded as one, under 
 the name of " the twelve," " the twelve prophets." On account 
 of their brevity, they were combined for convenience, and for 
 preserving them from destruction. Though thus combined, 
 they are entirely independent in authority. Their arrangement 
 among themselves is, for the most part, chronological. This is 
 denied, but it may be said — 
 
 a. There are seven out of the twelve books whose dates are 
 known, and they stand in proper chronological order. 
 
 h. This principle determines the position and regular suc- 
 cession in other parts of the canon, e.g., in the Major prophets ; 
 but this is not the case in the Hagiographa, because they were 
 liturgical, and other reasons make change in them. 
 
 c. Tradition favors this. Jerome says those prophetical 
 books having no title belong to the reign of kings named in the 
 books preceding them. 
 
 d. There is nothing in the books themselves to show that 
 they stand in chronological order. The order is determined 
 not by the time when the books were written, for then Hosea 
 would come after Joel ; nor by the absolute time of the begin- 
 ning of each prophet's ministry, for then Jonah would precede 
 the others, 2 Kings 14 : 25 ; but the order is determined by the 
 beginning of that portion of their ministry covered by those 
 books Avhicii bear their names. 
 
 The arrangement of the Minor prophets among themselves, 
 as well as their arrangement in relation to the Major prophets, 
 differs in the Septuagint from that in the Hebrew canon. In 
 the Septuagint, Hosea is followed by Amos, probably because 
 both relate to the ten tribes of Israel. After them, comes 
 
26 PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 Micah in the Septuagint, which relates to both Israel and Judah. 
 In the other cases the Hebrew order is retained. It seems 
 that the Septuagint departed from the Hebrew because of terri- 
 torial reasons, boundary being followed. 
 
 The Major prophets, being the larger and more important, 
 stand first in order in the Hebrew Bible. In the Septua^^int, 
 the order is reversed, perhaps because of chronological reasons ; 
 or perhaps the Minor prophets, because they begin with Israel 
 and end with Judah, stand first, as the Major prophets all relate 
 to Judah, and thus all the prophets of Judah come together. 
 Hosea, the first of the Minor prophets, began before Isaiah, the 
 first of the Major prophets. Or because the Major prophets 
 all belong to Judah, and so correspond with the end of the 
 Minor prophets. 
 
 This division of the prophets just given, into Major and 
 Minor, is purely external and formal. It does not affect the 
 authority or character. There is more breadth and fullness in 
 Micah and Zechariah, and ampler instructions as to the Messiah, 
 than in Jeremiah. 
 
 Further divisions to be made of the prophets have more vital 
 connection with the nature of the work, and the themes on which 
 they respectively dwell : (1.) Divisions as to the sphere of labor, 
 and the tribes ; (2.) Periods of their ministry. 
 
 4. The sphere of the prophets' labor is divided into the pro- 
 phets of Judah, and the prophets of Israel. The prophets of 
 Israel are Hosea, Amos, Jonah ; all the rest are prophets of 
 Judah. The book of Jonah is the record of a special mission 
 to Nineveh, but is mainly designed for the benefit of the covenant 
 people. The distribution of the prophets between the two 
 kingdoms into different fields of labor, has some points of an- 
 alogy with the divisions of apostolic labors to the circumcision 
 and uncircumcision. The gospel of the uncircuracision was 
 committed to Paul, yet he wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews. 
 Peter admitted the first Gentile convert into the church, although 
 his mission was to the circumcision. So there was a division 
 of labor in 0. T. times. But we must remember that the exist- 
 ence of distinct kingdoms was in itself schismatic and sinful. 
 It was never recognized as lawful. The tribes of Israel were 
 one, and formed the one chosen people of God. A writing 
 came from Elijah the prophet of the ten tribes, to King Jeho- 
 ram of Judah, 2 Chron. 21 : l2. Nahum was taken from Israel 
 to labor in Judah. Amos from Judah to Israel. The prophets 
 extended their reformatory work over both kingdoms. Thus it 
 was in the period we are now discussing. Hosea and Amos oc- 
 
PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 27 
 
 casionally addressed themselves to Judah. Isaiah, and Mi- 
 cah sometimes have regard to Israel, although they were pro- 
 phets of Judah. 
 
 5. The prophets may again be divided with reference to the 
 periods to which they belonged, the Assyrian and Chaldean. 
 The design of the prophets is to teach the lessons of the schism, 
 etc., and to record the judgment (Assyrio-Babylonish judg- 
 ment) of God for the good of the church. The work of judg- 
 ment exhibited the forbearance of God, and gave the people 
 time for repentance. Idolatry required a violent corrective. 
 In the fulfillment of ancient threatenings of the law of Moses, 
 this great empire of Asia was raised up for punishment. In the 
 successive stages we see God's mercy in giving opportunity for 
 repentance. The empii'e of Assyria was raised up, and suc- 
 ceeded in overthrowing the ten tribes, the stronger but more 
 sinful of the two. This empire was not permitted to overthrow 
 Judah, the Aveaker. The warning thus given to Judah was in- 
 eftectual. Having disregarded it, Babylon was erected, and 
 they were given into its power. Judah was carried into cap- 
 tivity, and held therein until the time of Cyrus, when it was re- 
 stored. The lessons of prophecy corresponded to the necessi- 
 ties of the people at the time, and reflect the spiritual wants of 
 the people at that particular time. Prophets were raised up at 
 each successive stage of this severe but salutary lesson. The 
 wants of the time are determined. 1. By the condition of the 
 people. 2. By God's purposes respecting them. These differ- 
 ent epochs define the various prophetic periods. Of these 
 periods, the first is : 
 
 a. The Assyrian period, embracing the prophets prior to, and 
 contempoi-ary with, the Assyrian invasion, which overthrew Is- 
 rael and threatened Judah.* To this period belong eight pro- 
 phets, one half of the whole number. Three belong to Israel, 
 Hosea, Amos, Jonah. Five to Judah, Joel, Obadiah, Isaiah, 
 Micah, Nahum. 
 
 h. The Chakiean period, embracing the prophets prior to, or 
 contained within, the period of the Babylonish invasion under 
 JSebuchadnezzar, by which Judah was led captive. To this 
 period belong three, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, Zephaniah. 
 
 c. The Period of Exile, during which Judah was in the land 
 of the oppressors. To this period belong Daniel and Ezekiel. 
 
 d. The Period of Restoration, from Cyrus to the N. T. To 
 this period belong Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. 
 
28 PROPHETS AND FBOPHEGY. 
 
 (1.) I. Typically Messianic. (2.) II. Properly Messiakic. 
 
 A. Implicit. B. Explicit. 
 
 rt. Jonah, i. I. . ■ . 
 
 &. Nahum, ii J. (A.) Periods. (B.) Person. 
 
 ' ' . Isaiah, i. 
 
 (<x.) yegative. (b.) Positive. Micah. 
 
 a. Obadiah, i. _ a. Hosea, i. j j Jeremiah, ii. 
 
 b. Habakkuk, ii. d. Amos, ii. i Daniel, iii. 
 
 Zechariah.iv. 
 /. Joel, i. "1 Malachi. 
 
 e. Zephaniah, ii. I t 
 6. Ezekiel, iii. M" 
 c. Haggai, iv. J 
 
 6. The prophets may still further be divided with reference 
 to their attitude concerning the coming of Christ, and the func- 
 tion they were to perform in preparation for his coming, a. The 
 Non-Messianic, which were only typically or indirectly Messi- 
 anic, b. The Messianic, or directly and properly Messianic. 
 
 (1.) The Non-Messianic prophets did not direct their thoughts 
 to the remote future, but confined themselves to the immediate 
 wants of the people. They comprise nearly all who precede 
 the period of written prophecy, i. e., from Samuel to Hosea, 
 They are restricted almost exclusively to the needs of the people 
 and the time in which they lived. They reclaimed the people 
 from apostasy, made disclosures, and urged the people to ad- 
 here to God, but, as a rule, say nothing of the coming Mes- 
 siah. During this period we find only the most scanty predic- 
 tions of Christ, 2 Sara. 7 : 12-16. There were only enough of 
 this kind to keep alive the Messianic hope of the people, and 
 to preserve their faith from extermination. The teaching was 
 mostly by prophetic types, sufficient for the times. But it is 
 not until the lessons of the types are adequately set forth, that 
 the Messianic prophecy becomes prominent. Yet every prom- 
 ise, even of temporal good, under the old covenant, foreshadowed 
 to them better things for the future, a greater spiritual good. 
 The predictions of this period still have a mediate reference to 
 the Messiah. Acts 3 : 24, " Yea, and all the prophets from 
 Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, 
 have likewise foretold of these days," is therefore true in typ- 
 ical import. 
 
 (2.) The Messianic prophets embrace all from Hosea onward 
 who were writers of prophecy. Those of Canaan not only 
 wrote concerning the present wants of the people, but also for 
 the needs of God's people for all time to come. In these, the 
 doctrine of the Messiah becomes very prominent, and yet in 
 treating this theme there is no dull, lifeless uniformity on the 
 part of the prophets. In treating of the Messiah, the sub- 
 stance, character, and amount of their teaching are all difi'erent. 
 
PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 29 
 
 They do not develop on all sides the doctrine of Christ, but 
 they make their approaches to this theme from diflferent stand- 
 points, exhibit diflferent aspects of it, and with diflferent degrees 
 of fullness. But this divergence shows no discrepancy. It is 
 possible to gather the whole up into a higher unit. They are 
 not only harmonious, but they are mutually self-supporting, 
 and are supplementary to each other. Whether such a com- 
 bination was possible before Christ appeared, or was fully 
 understood, is difficult to say. However, it is plain that all 
 these divine representations do find their counterpart in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ all the enigmas of prophecy are 
 solved, and we see the consistency of what the prophets wrote 
 concerning him. 
 
 7. These sixteen prophetical books may be further classified 
 in respect to their manner of disclosure concerning Christ, 
 This manner may be divided and the prophets viewed as Im- 
 plicitly Messianic, and Explicitly Messianic, a. Implicitly Mes- 
 sianic furnished a link between the prophets of this and the 
 former period. They do not in express terms speak of that 
 which is strictly Messianic, yet their predictions obviously 
 stand in closer connection with the Messianic prophets than 
 the unwritten types do. h. The Explicitly Messianic make 
 Christ the direct theme of prophecy. 
 
 A. Of the Implicitly Messianic or transition prophets, there 
 are only two, Jonah and Nahum. They were not contempo- 
 raries, yet they belonged to the Assyrian period, Jonah in 
 Israel, and Nahum in Judah. The theme of both was the 
 purpose of God with respect to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, 
 the prominent foe of God's people. These two prophets make 
 entirely diverse revelations concerning the fate of Nineveh, the 
 common foe of both nations. They appear at diflferent times, 
 and present Messianic lessons, from diflferent sides. 
 
 a. Jonah, the sphere of whose work lay mainly in the ten 
 tribes, in the time of prosperity under Jeroboam, was sent to 
 prophesy in Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, Jonah 4 : 11. 
 This city was selected rather than some other, because it was 
 then the great hostile power which threatened Israel. Jonah's 
 prophecy had a good effect. By hearkening to his message the 
 city was spared. The contrast is, that Israel is obstinate, and 
 hastening on to destruction, while Nineveh, the heathen enemy, 
 is saved. Jonah had preached a long time to Israel, and they 
 did not repent. He went and preached in Nineveh, and it re- 
 pented at once, and was saved. The great typical lesson is 
 that the gospel shall one day be preached to the Gentiles, and 
 
30 PliOFHETS AND PBOPHEGY. 
 
 they should hear it, while God's ancient covenant people should 
 be cast off. The great foe of Israel was spared to be its over- 
 throw. But the time had not yet come for an actual chano-e. 
 God's purposes were not yet ripe. Therefore Assyria was not 
 then substituted for Israel. Assyria still continued heathen, 
 and Israel the favored people of God. The Gentiles should 
 not only hear the gospel, but obey it, while Israel should be 
 cast off, and deprived of the religion of their fathers. It was 
 typical of what should transpire when Christ came. 
 
 h. The message of Nahum was for Judah, which was not to 
 be overthrown by Assyria as Israel was. Nahum, therefore, 
 predicts the preservation of the people of God. It is not a 
 development of a Messianic prophecy, but this may be inferred. 
 This disastrous overthrow of Assyria stands as a type of the 
 overthrow of all God's enemies, the safety of God's people, and 
 the judgments against an ungodly world. These are totally 
 different, and yet the same. If we put them into contrast, 
 according to Jonah, Israel is cut off; while according to Nahum 
 Israel is saved, and the heathen cut off. 
 
 B. The rest of the prophetic books are Explicitly Messianic, 
 — they teach of Christ in express terms. Here, again, we find 
 a great variety of aspects, far greater than before. As to the 
 character of the Messianic period, we may view it as compris- 
 ing two classes, (a) Those which treat of the Messianic period 
 itself, (b) Those which, in nddition to that, speak of the Mes- 
 siah's person. The one exhibits a negative view of the Messi- 
 anic period in the light of deliverance from present and future 
 evils ; the other develops the positive character. The former 
 declare what the Messianic period is not. A future which stood 
 in no sort of relation to the present, could not be understood by 
 the people, but if so related that the lesson may become com- 
 paratively easy, then we must make the present the point of 
 departure. It is thus we obtain our knowledge of Spiritual 
 things — by our own consciousness, negative and positive. Thus 
 we get an idea of God from a knowledge of ourselves : first, by 
 denying to Him all the imperfections which we find in ourselves ; 
 second, by ascribing to Him all the perfections of what is good. 
 So the prophets do. Some deny to that glorious period the evils 
 of the present. Others positively prophesy blessings and bene- 
 fits on that time. 
 
 (a.) In the negative, Obadiah belongs to the Assyrian period ; 
 Habakkuk to the Chaldean. Both belonged to Judah. Both 
 direct their prophecy to different yet related themes. 
 
 a. Obadiah belonged to the earlier portion of prophecy, and 
 
PROPHETS AXD PROPHECY. 31 
 
 selected Edom, a small neighboring state, as the representative 
 of the enemies of God. The burden of 0. is the downfall of 
 Edom. He reaches into Messianic times, and predicts that 
 every enemy of God shall find its downfall. The book ends 
 with the declaration, " The Kingdom shall be the Lord's." 
 This offers another opportunity for inculcating the same lesson 
 in a more impressive form, which occurred in the Chaldean 
 period, i. e., the universality of His kiuixdom. 
 
 h. Habakkuk in the Chaldean period. A far more formida- 
 ble foe than Edom had arisen. The great empire of Babylon 
 was terrible. It gave a conception of the possible combination 
 which might be arrayed against the people of God. It pre- 
 sents a spectacle of universal empire, ruling almost the whole 
 world. It was given to Habakkuk to predict the overthrow of 
 this hnge empire, and deduce from it the same lesson Obadiah 
 had done, the universality of God's kingdom as opposed to all 
 others. Hab. 2 : 14, " For the earth shall be filled with the 
 knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as tlie waters cover the 
 sea." This truth could insure the downfjill of Babylon, though 
 now at the height of its power. 
 
 (6.) The remaining six prophets are positively Messianic, not 
 only as speaking of this period as one of deliverance, but in a 
 positive sense. They are Joel, Zephaniah, Ezekiel, Haggai, of 
 Judah ; Hosea and Amos, of Israel. They delineate in positive 
 aspect the actual benefits of tlie Messianic period, yet here also 
 is there variety in the mode of preservation. 
 
 a. Hosea takes no note of anything but the fortunes of God's 
 covenant people, and of the Gentile nations merely as execution- 
 ers of what comes upon God's people, without any reference to 
 what shall become of them themselves. He was sent to pro- 
 phesy to the ten tribes shortly before they were to be over- 
 thrown by Assjn-ia. He was to assure the"desporident pious of 
 the glorious future awaiting God's people. The Messianic 
 teaching in Hosea has four points : 1. The favor of God shall be 
 restored forever. 2. The unity of the people of God under one 
 head. No such disastrous schism as at present exists shall di- 
 vide the nation. 3. Immense multiplicity of the people of God. 
 4. Their return. They shall be regathered out of the disper- 
 sion, so threatening, and be brought back to the Lord's land. 
 
 h. Ezekiel, sent to Judah when in exile, develops still more 
 fully and minutely the blessings which the people would enjoy. 
 He adopts the symbols of the old economy, and pushes them to 
 greater lengths than Hosea did. Ezekiel describes in addition 
 to the return, and in minute detail, the fresh partition of lands 
 
32 PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 among the people, the rebuilding and measui"ements of the tem- 
 ple, and restoration of the Levitical ceremonials. This is only 
 in a symbolic and emblematic sense. The theocracy, which 
 seemed to be in ruins, was to be restored after the same general 
 character as before, but on a much larger scale. He refers also 
 to the destiny awaiting their heathen foes, now exulting over 
 Israel's downfall and Judah's captivity. He declares they 
 shall fall before the people of God. There is no mention 
 that the Gentiles shall be partakers of the blessings of God's 
 people. 
 
 G. Haggai comes after the exile and stands on substantially 
 the same platform as Ezekiel, although he seems to be partially 
 paving the way for the extension of the good news of the king- 
 dom to the Gentiles. The government of Judah shall be pro- 
 tected. Whatever may perish, God's people shall be saved. 
 The result is stated in Haggai 2:7, " And I will shake all na- 
 tions, and the desire of all nations shall come : and I will fill 
 this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts." The '' desire of 
 all nations" is not a personal designation of the Messiah, as 
 satisfying the longings of mankind. It does not mean Messiah, 
 as many have explained it. This view is true from various con- 
 siderations, being supported from the prophet's ovin under- 
 standing of the passage. According to grammatical principles, 
 the " desire" of all nations is a collective, feminine singular. 
 The temple seemed poor in comparison with Solomon's, which 
 preceded it, but all the treasures of the nations shall be brought 
 to adorn and beautify the Lord's house. Haggai does not say 
 persons of the Gentiles should be brought into the kingdom of 
 God, but their noblest possessions. He does not say whether 
 they are to be voluntarily brought, or wrested from their unwill- 
 ing hands. This is not explicitly declared, yet all suspense and 
 doubt are removed by the three remaining cnes, who each un- 
 ambiguously affirm that the Gentiles shall share in the blessings 
 of the Messiah's kingdom. This is set forth by each in differ- 
 ent aspects. 
 
 d. Amos speaks of the incorporation of the Gentiles into the 
 kingdom of God, as the result of their spiritual subjugation by 
 Israel, 9 : 12,," That they may possess the remnant of Edom, 
 and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the 
 Lord that doeth this." That the Gentiles, like Israel, were to 
 be called by the " Lord's name," implies that they are to come 
 into the same relation with God as His people. This is the 
 result of conquest by Israel. Active propagation of the gospel 
 proceeding from the heart of the Christian church. So David 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 33 
 
 must be built up as of old. There must be a Spiritual people. 
 The Christian church was to be built up and owe its existence 
 to the Jewish church. This was in part the case. The founders 
 of the Christian church were Jews. 
 
 e. Zephaniah, on the other hand, declares the Gentiles, like 
 Israel, are to be purified by divine judgments, Zeph. 2 : 11 ; 
 8 : 8, 9. According to Zephaniah, God's providential judgments 
 are to be the agents in bringing about the blessing. 
 
 /. Joel 2 : 28, makes no mention of any actual extension or 
 propagation of God's kingdom by those included' in it, nor of 
 the effect of God's providences in breaking down obstacles, but 
 he refers it solely to the outpouring of the Spirit of God, this 
 being the only agency employed in the work. This is in accord- 
 ance with His great promise, " I will pour out my spirit upon all 
 flesh." 
 
 (B.) Person of the Messiah. — The last class of Messianic 
 prophets are those who make revelations, not only concerning 
 the character of the Messianic period, but also concerning the 
 person of the Messiah. This class embraces the six remaining 
 prophets, all of whom belong to Judah. The Personal prophets 
 are Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Zechariah, and Malachi. 
 There is a double reason for confining these explicit disclosures 
 concerning Messiah's person to Judah. First, because the 
 kingdom of the ten tribes was not to survive, as the kingdom 
 of Judah should, till the advent of the Messiah. It was to be 
 destroyed by Assyria, and never be revived again. It was 
 superfluous, therefore, to supply them with marks of ti e com- 
 ing Messiah. Second, the great body of the truly pious, and 
 that in which the proper succession of the covenant people lay, 
 was in Judah. They greatly outnumber the prophecies of 
 Israel, and the disclosures made to Judah far surpass those 
 made to Israel. So, also, Messianic disclosures were limited. 
 These six prophets, who make distinct mention of the person 
 of the Messiah, are distributed through all four of the pro- 
 phetic periods. There are two in the Assyrian period; two in 
 the period of Restoration ; and one each in the Chaldean and 
 Exile periods. Isaiah and Micah belong to the Assyrian; Jere- 
 miah, Chaldean; Daniel, Exile; Zechariah and Malachi, Res- 
 toration. 
 
 a. Jeremiah makes the most scanty revelation of the person 
 of the Messiah. His period was the downfall of Judah. He 
 predicts the Messiah as the righteous king, in contrast with 
 the degenerate monarchs of his own day. He is to restore, 
 not only his people, but all things to his will. 
 
34 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 b. Micah adds the Messiah shall be not only a virtuous king 
 of David's ancient race, but a divine monarch, and an effectual 
 defense and protection against all foes, however powerful. 
 
 c. Daniel contrasts Christ's kingdom with the utmost potency 
 with the greatest kingdoms of the world. He thus carries the 
 teachings of the Messiah to the greatest extent. In symbol, 
 he represents the kingdoms of the world as brutal, figured by 
 beasts of uncommon kinds ; on the other hand, he represents 
 the Messiah as the Son of God, 7 : 13. 
 
 d. Isaiah adds to what has thus far been set forth, his pro- 
 phetic office as teacher of the nations, and the fact of his 
 vicarious sacrifice for sin is set forth most clearly by this prince 
 of the prophets. 
 
 e. Zechariah combines with his kingly office that of his 
 priestly office, making him a priest upon his throne, as well as 
 the Good Shepherd disowned by his flock, thus representing 
 the sufferings he should endure as a priest. 
 
 /. Malachi predicts the Messiah as a judge, refining and 
 purifying by the fires of his justice, separating the righteous 
 from the wicked. 
 
 All of these prophets except Jeremiah present special marks 
 of identification, marks by which he may be known when he 
 comes. Isaiah foretells his birth from a virgin mother, and his 
 ministry in Galilee. Micah foretells his birth in Bethlehem. 
 Daniel mentions the time of his appearing. It should be at 
 the expiration of the seventy weeks. Zechariah speaks of his 
 riding into Jerusalem upon an ass. Malachi, his being pre- 
 ceded by a forerunner, or one who should " come in the spirit 
 and power of Elias," as we read it elsewhere. 
 
 [Various passages quoted or used in support of our present 
 " Division of Prophets." From the Minor prophets : Hosea 1 : 
 10, 11 ; 3 : 5. Joel 2 : 28-32. Amos 9 : 11-15. Obadiah 1 : 31. 
 Micah 4: 1-3; 5: 2. Hab. 2: 14. Zeph. 2: 11; 3: 8,9. 
 Hag. 2 : 6, 7. Zech. 6 : 12, 13 ; 9 : 9 ; 13 : 17. Mai. 3 : 1-3 ; 
 4 : 5. From the Major prophets : Is. 7 : 14-16 ; 9 : 1-7 ; 53 : 
 1-12. Jer. 33 : 15-17. Ezek. chs. 38, 39, 40-48. Dan. 2 : 
 44-45 ; 9 : 24-27.] 
 
 PROPHETS OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL. 
 
 They should not be taken at random, for there is order here. 
 They must not be massed together, nor isolated, so that the 
 connection may be lost. They were part of the divine scheme. 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 35 
 
 a system of training to which the Israelites were subjected, and 
 were conceived in order. The ministry of each particular 
 prophet fills its appropriate place in the era to which he be- 
 longs. The complete study of the prophets embraces : 
 
 1. Each book in its own individual character, and absolute 
 amount of prophecy which it contains. 
 
 2. In its relation to its own group or period. The functions 
 which belong to it individually. 
 
 3. Relation of the mission of each period to the grand sys- 
 tem of prophetic teaching which embraces all the prophets. 
 
 4. Relation of the work of preparation considered as a whole 
 to the entire scheme of training to which Israel was subjected 
 under the whole 0. T., for this preparation by the medium of 
 the prophets is only a part in a greater whole, a. Legal prep- 
 aration by Moses, h. Providential preparation by the history 
 of the people in the historical books — negative and positive. 
 c. Individual preparation : the subjective preparation in the 
 poetical books, the religious experiences of inspired and sancti- 
 fied men, their inward and outward trials which have their bear- 
 ing upon the Son of Man. 
 
 We begin with the consideration of the prophets of Israel, 
 because : 
 
 (1.) This is probably the chronological order. Although the 
 prophets of Israel are in general synchronous with the first 
 periods of Judah, yet Hosea, the first prophet of Israel, began 
 before Joel. 
 
 (2.) It enables us to complete the prophets of one kingdom 
 before beginning the others. 
 
 (3.) The future disclosures made to Israel, as well as the reve- 
 lations concerning; the Messiah, are less full and clear than 
 those granted to the prophets of Judah, and thus there is prog- 
 ress. In order to understand the whole character of their min- 
 istries we must look at the providential circumstances which 
 determined their character. 
 
 I. Intrinsic character of the kingdom and the domestic and 
 foreign relations of Israel. 
 
 a. It was inherently sinful in character, being founded on 
 schism and apostasy, leaving the true worship of God in 
 Jerusalem for the worship of false gods in Bethel and Dan. 
 The very existence of this kingdom was a crime against God. 
 The perpetuity of the kingdom involves this twofold guilt. 
 
 h. There was universal corruption. (1) The kings univers- 
 ally were wicked, in Judah some were good. (2) The abandon- 
 ment, by the people, of the true worship of God, followed by 
 
■S6 
 
 PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 awful sins and violence, which are rebuked by the prophets, in 
 both princes and people. One of the fruits of this is to be 
 found in the fact that there was no regular hereditary succes- 
 sion to the throne, but many usurpations and regicides and in- 
 terregnums. Four out of seven kings during the ministry of 
 this period were murdered, and only two transmitted the crown 
 to their descendants, and this in one generation. There were 
 repeated civil wars, and two periods of anarchy, during which 
 no monarch sat upon the throne for several years. This seems 
 to be a necessary inference from the history, though not ex- 
 pressly stated. The ten tribes having thus cut themselves off 
 from the people of God and his divinely appointed worship, and 
 having become more opposite to the character of God's chosen 
 people, the question arises, How will God treat them and deal 
 with them ? The books of Chronicles omit the history of the 
 ten tribes altogether, as not belonging to the theocratic history 
 of the kingdom of God at all, and confines itself to Judah. 
 
 II. Purpose of God respecting it. 
 
 a. His forbearance hitherto is shown by preserving it for 
 nearly two hundred years in a moderate state of peace and 
 prosperity. The schism began Avith the revolt of Jeroboam I., 
 B. C. 975; death of Jeroboam IL, B, C. 784; shortly before 
 which the latter period begins, and the period of the prophecy 
 of Hosea. 
 
 6. God's favor is shown by interi'upting the course of degra- 
 dation from Jeroboam to Ahab, by : (1) Ministries of Elijah and 
 Elisha. (2) After Ahab, by placing on the throne the princes 
 of Jehu. Jehu was made king, 886 B. C. The first century 
 of the schism, or, more exactly, the first 90 years from the 
 original revolt of Jeroboam to the fall of the house of Ahab, 
 was one of growing corruption, until Ahab and his heathen 
 wife renounced the worship of God entirely for the heathen 
 gods. This process of degradation was broken off by placing 
 Jehu on the throne. The preparation for this was made by the 
 period of Elijah and Elisha, Avhose ministry extended to Joash, 
 the grandson of Jehu, and under Jehu there Avas a zealous re- 
 form, for which he was commended by God. Although the 
 golden calves were stiM retained, Jehu Avas of marked ability, 
 and the princes remained for four reigns, upward of a century, 
 as God had promised to Jehu, 2 Kings 10 : 3. Under the 
 reign of these princes there was prosperity to Israel, and de- 
 liverance from their foreign oppressors, and victory over them. 
 Under Jeroboam II. there was an extension of the kingdom to 
 the limits reached by Solomon, 2 Kings 14 : 25. 
 
PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 37 
 
 c. The raising up of prophets to labor among them for their 
 admonition and salvation, and to show that they were not yet 
 to be cast off, combined ministries of Hosea, Amos, Jonah, be- 
 sides others, as Oded, 2 Chron. 28 : 9, and many more. All 
 these measures failed to effect any thorough reform of the peo- 
 ple of God at large, and the period of forbearance was drawing 
 to a close, and was to be followed by one of judgment.. The 
 term of the house of Jehu was nearly at an end ; his third de- 
 scendant, Jeroboam II., had nearly reached the end of his 
 reign. His successor, Zachariah, was to reign only six months' 
 The great Assyrian power (B. C. 721) was to overthrow Israel, 
 capture Samaria, and take the people into captivity. 
 
 The character of the people and the designs of God respect- 
 ing them are the main elements that determine their necessi- 
 ties and show the nature of the ministry. This ministry was 
 not to be exercised by a single individual. Even as our Lord 
 sent out his disciples two by two, both for mutual aid and coun- 
 tenance, as well as that in the mouths of two or three witnesses 
 his word should be established, so here the prophets were to 
 supplement each other, to seize the truth on different sides, to 
 teach distinct though related lessons. In regard to Hosea, 
 Amos, and Jonah, there was not the full amount of instruction 
 in any one of them, but in the combination of the lessons which 
 they severally teach and in regarding them all together as one 
 united ministry. Yet we must not lose sight of their individ- 
 ual peculiarities. We must show their close connection, and 
 how each had his own distinctive mission to fulfill, but all har- 
 monize and co-operate in the accomplishment of the common 
 end. It is apparent that a people so given to sin, and in the 
 prospect of judgment, needed : 
 
 1. A ministry of rebuke and denunciation. This is a char- 
 acteristic of these three prophets, and is in marked contrast 
 with the three prophets of Judah. This denunciation and re- 
 buke is administered by Hosea directly, Jonah indirectly, Amos 
 in both ways. Hosea and Amos performed their direct work 
 by threatening in so many teruis the complete destruction of 
 the kingdom, and foretelling the captivity and rejection of the 
 mass of the people, and this occupies the bulk -of these books, 
 only a few verses containing a promise of merc3^ Amos 
 threatens the overthrow of many nations around Israel who are 
 less guilty than Israel, while as to the great power Assyria, 
 which was around Israel, he says not a word, leaving it to be 
 inferred that they are to finish their mission of destroying Israel. 
 Jonah also shows indirect proof of the same 'fact. The Nine- 
 
38 PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 vites are less obdurate than Israel, and the actual destruction of 
 Nineveh is postponed. Yet the promises of God are not to be 
 frustrated, mercy was in store for them and for the world, for 
 which the judgment was to be a means to an end. No prom- 
 ises whatever of the proximate future are given to Israel, noth- 
 ing to break the full force of the impending judgment, so that 
 this judgment might be averted. For the present all is dark, 
 but there is a brighter prospect beyond, after the work of judg- 
 ment shall be accomplished. 
 
 2. With an entire absence of all promises for the present, 
 they nevertheless point forward to Messianic blessings. Noth- 
 ing is said about the person of the Messiah, but only about the 
 Messianic period, which is different from th6 contemporaneous 
 prophets of Judah, e. g., Isaiah and Micah. There the person 
 of Messiah is treated of (a) in a more obscure form, sufficient 
 for present purpose to comfort them ; (6) not the same necessi- 
 ty to give marks to a kingdom which was to end long before 
 the advent of the Messiah. For similar reasons, the Messianic 
 period is not largely and fully dwelt upon by these prophets of 
 Israel. They make a contrast between the evils of the present, 
 and the glories of the future. 
 
 1. The attitudes and revelations of the prophets are different. 
 Hosea and Amos are explicit, use express terms, Jonah impli- 
 cit, by actions which foreshadow the future. 
 
 2. There is a difference in the extent of the revelations them- 
 selves respecting the Messianic period. Hosea tells only of 
 the blessin^rs to Israel, Jonah of the calling of the Gentiles, and 
 Amos speaks of both. He unites with Hosea in announcing 
 that the destruction of the kingdom is a necessary antecedent 
 to the fulfillment of their hopes. That they shall be returned to 
 God by these, and be re-united to Judah, and then the blessing 
 shall come. Amos, with Jonah, tells of the future calling of 
 the. Gentiles, but in a different way, and different aspect. Amos 
 foretells the spiritual subjugation of the heathen, by a power 
 from Israel. Jonah treats of the preaching of the Gospel to 
 all nations, and embraced by them voluntarily, while Israel re- 
 mains impenitent and unbelieving. The calling of the Gentiles 
 is implicitly connected by Jonah with the rejection of the 
 Jews. From the N. T. we see that both were fulfilled. 
 
 3. Personal Relations. — Knowledge on this matter is scant3^ 
 The only thing mentioned of Hosea is the name of his father. 
 The residence and occupation of Amos is given. The residence 
 and father of Jonah. 
 
 4. Citizenship. — Hosea and Jonah belong to the kingdom of 
 
PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 39 
 
 Israel. Amos lived in Judah, but ministered to Israel. It is 
 not stated concerning Hosea, but is inferred from knowledge 
 concerning the others. 
 
 5. Scene of their Ministry. — Hosea in the ten tribes ; No 
 particular place mentioned. Amos in Bethel, 7 : 13. Jonah 
 in Nineveh. 
 
 6. Their writings. — Hosea a resume or abstract of a long 
 ministry. Jonah and Amos record a single brief mission, which 
 in the case of Amos was a mission from Israel to Judah. It 
 may have been the whole of his prophetic career, but in the 
 case of Jonah it was not, 2 Kings 14 : 25. 
 
 7. Messianic teaching. — The prophets of Israel do not advance 
 much on the promises made to David, but they are reiterated 
 and re-enforced, expanded in the case of Judah. 
 
 8. Theme. — Hosea exclusively treats of the duty and destiny 
 of the covenant people. Amos relates both to the covenant 
 people and Gentile nations ; Jonah exclusively to a particular 
 Gentile nation. 
 
 9. Form of the Prophecies. — Hosea and Jonah symbolic 
 actions; Amos symbolic visions. 
 
 10. All are recognized and referred to in the N. T. Hosea 
 in Rom. 9: 25 ; 1 Pet. 2 . 10. Amos, James in Acts 15 : 16. 
 Jonah by our Lord, Matt. 12 : 39-41. 
 
 HOSEA. 
 
 PERSON AND BOOK. 
 
 Name, salvation ; from which we may perhaps infer that he 
 was from pious parents. It is the original name of Joshua, 
 Num. 13 : 8, 16. Also, the name of the last king of Israel, 
 2 Kings 15 : 30. He was the son of Beeri, the mention of 
 whom does not prove him to have been a person of distinction, 
 nor a prophet, according to the Rabbins, who say that whenever 
 the name of the father of the prophet is given, the father also 
 was a prophet. It is simply the oriental mode of supplying the 
 lack of family names. 
 
 It is probable that, like most of the other prophets, he was a 
 native of Israel, (a.) If not we should expect it to be expressly 
 mentioned, as in the case of Amos, {h.) The places mentioned 
 in Hosea belong to the ten tribes, and the events belong to the 
 
40 PBOFHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 history of the ten tribes, (c.) Especially (7 : 5) " our king," 
 and such expressions as " the land " (1 : 2) "I have seen " 
 (6 : 10). These indicate a knowledge of the land. 
 
 Some have urged that there are unusual forms in the book 
 which betray the northern idiom, but not enough is known of the 
 Hebrew idioms to warrant such a statement. 
 
 Some have objected to the view of the prophet's belonging to 
 the ten tribes ; that the title of the book indicates that he was of 
 Judah, because he names the kings of Judah, in whose 
 reigns he prophesied. The kings of Judah are mentioned in 
 full, while of the kings of Israel, only Jeroboam is mentioned. 
 The explanation of this is not that he lived in Judah, but that 
 he did not recognize the right of the schism of Israel, and that 
 the king of the house of Judah was the only lawful king. 
 This is shown by other passages, 8:4, " They have set up 
 kings, but not by me ;" and in 3 : 5, they are to come back under 
 the rule of Judah. To these kings of Judah, he adds the name 
 of Jeroboam, king of Israel, for a double reason. (a.) To 
 indicate more exactly the beginning of his ministry. Uzziah's 
 reign lasted until 26 years after the death of Jeroboam, but it 
 was in that part of Uzziah's reign when Jeroboam was still 
 living, that he began his ministry, (b.) Because God by His 
 providence gave a certain kind of sanction to Jeroboam as one 
 of the princes of Jehu, vide 2 Kings 14 : 25-29, " He saved 
 them by Jeroboam the son of Joash." 
 
 Ewald has a kind of intermediate theory, viz.: that the 
 prophet at first belonged to Israel, but on account of opposition, 
 he removed to Judah. 
 
 Marriage. — As to the account of the prophet's marriage, 
 from ancient times interpreters have been divided. Was' his 
 faithless wife an allegory or a fact? In either case it was 
 certainly symbolical of the Lord's relation to His erring people. 
 It is improbable that it was a literal occurence, for 
 
 1. God would not have commanded a holy prophet to form 
 such a connection. Though it is not a command to form a 
 sinful connection, as some have maintained, yet it was certainly 
 a revolting one, would subject him to an endless amount of 
 scandal, and thus destroy his influence. 
 
 2. The law of Moses (Lev. 21 : 7) forbade a priest to marry 
 an unchaste woman. In regard to this, the law of ceremonial 
 purity relative to the priesthood is not to be applied to the 
 prophet, for the priest would not even marry a divorced woman. 
 The high priest (Lev. 21 : 13, 14) could not marry a widow. 
 But the prophets were nevertheless a sacred order of men as 
 
PliOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 41 
 
 well as the priests, and God would not specially direct them to 
 form alliances of this kind. 
 
 3. An argument from the third chapter in which the prophet 
 is again required to form another such connection, without any 
 intimation that the former wife is dead or put away. Is this a 
 direction to renew his connection with the woman? Or is it a 
 direction to marry irrespective of the command ? 
 
 4. Significant names of the children of this woman seem to 
 show that it was merely allegorical. 
 
 5. The action of the first chapter would require years for its 
 performance, requiring not only his marriage, but the birth of 
 several children. 
 
 The symbolic lesson would be lost entirely, and the people 
 would think of the scandal. The marriage is simply an allesrorv. 
 [W. H. G.] => F J s J' 
 
 Date. — " The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son 
 of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, 
 kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, 
 king of Israel," Hosea 1 : 1. 
 
 Duration of Ministry. — Hosea 1 : 1, Uzziah reigned 52 years, 
 Jotham 16, Ahaz 16, Hezekiah 29, in all 113. It can not be 
 supposed that Hosea was prophet during the entire reigns of 
 all these. Jeroboam II. died 784 B. C. Uzziah survived him 
 26 or 27 years. From the death of Jeroboam to the accession 
 of Hezekiah, was 58 years. Supposing Hosea was prophet 
 one year under Jeroboam, and one year under Hezekiah, his 
 ministry would have been sixty years in length. We are not in- 
 formed whether Hosea lived to see the overthrow of Samaria 
 or not. If so, his ministry would be 65 years. If he began his 
 ministry when 20, he was 85 Avhen he died, the oldest of all the 
 prophets. Tlie truth of the title has been impugned. In answer 
 to the charge that these statements are false, we answer : 
 
 1. Those who make them are not agreed among themselves as 
 to the length of his ministry. Some say 55, others 40, others 
 30, others 20, and others still less. This disagreement betrays 
 the insufficiency of the data. 
 
 2. The method pursued by them is inadmissible. They assume 
 the ministry of the prophet terminated immediately after the 
 latest event recorded in the prophecy, and that the absence of 
 allusion to any important event shows that it did not occur 
 during his ministry, but Hosea was not intending to give a his- 
 tory of all events. Ewald says he makes no mention of the in- 
 vasion by the king of Assyria, and therefore it can not have 
 transpired during his ministry, or he surely would have alluded 
 
42 PBOPMETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 to it. Simpson finds an allusion to the assassination of Mena- 
 hem son of Pekahiah. 
 
 3, The truth is directly established by the statements of the 
 book itself. In 1 : 4, the fall of the house of Jehu is predicted 
 as still future. With the exception of six months Jeroboam 
 was the last king, hence Hosea's ministry must have begun in 
 the reign of Jeroboam. In lO : 14, " as Shalman spoiled Beth- 
 arbel in the day of battle." Beth-arbel is Arbela, a fortified 
 town in Galilee ; Shalman is Shalmaneser, whose invasion was 
 under Hosea the last king of Israel, which brings us almost 
 to the reign of Hezekiah. From the former passage he must 
 have begun in the reign of Jeroboam ; from the latter passage 
 he must have continued to Hezekiah. 
 
 Structure of the Book. — Critics are divided. From the brevity 
 of the book it is not probable that it contains all the prophecies 
 Hosea ever uttered. Does not contain distinct discourses which 
 we can state particularly, and their date be ascertained. Dr. 
 Wells says there are five discourses in chronological order. 
 German critics go to the most unwarrantable extremes, multi- 
 plying these divisions, saying that the book is compiled with- 
 out any order at all. Maurer says 13 discourses ; others say 29; 
 some 17, 14, etc., and others many more. Each paragraph is 
 searched to find an historical statement as the theme of discourse. 
 The book is not a congeries of fragments, but is one con- 
 tinuous composition prepared by him near the close of his min- 
 istry, and having in condensed form the discourses of his min- 
 istry. He simply places upon record what is of permanent value 
 to the people of God in such a form as would suit best his im- 
 mediate purposes. 
 
 Ewald proposes an ingenious but artificial division. He says 
 there are two parts corresponding to the two allegories in chaps. 
 1 and 2. 1-2 are the first part of the allegory, and the com- 
 ments ; the remainder, 3-14, is the second part of the allegory 
 and comments. This last comment has three parts : 1, Charge 
 of sin against the people, and against particular classes ; 2, De- 
 nunciation of punishment ; 3, Two retrospects of ancient and 
 better days. 
 
 Perhaps the most satisfactory division is based upon the liter- 
 ary form of the book. The first three chapters are emblematic. 
 The second part of the book, from 4th to 14th chapter, is literal. 
 Agreeably to a hint furnished by chap. 1 : 2, the former may be 
 considered as the earlier part of the prophet's ministry. This 
 comes to the contents of the next. In this the people are 
 charged with outward sins. From the 4th chapter the tone of 
 
PROPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 43 
 
 the book manifestly changes, and the latter division reflects the 
 turbulent period, regicides, etc. Reason in the first three chap- 
 ters for the overthrow of the kingdom clearly foretold, and an- 
 nouncing who shall be the authors of that judgment. In the 
 first part of the book, the Assyrians are not mentioned by 
 name, but in the subsequent chapters they are named. In each 
 of these three main sections of the book are three Messianic 
 passages, making the ends of as many subdivisions. Those in 
 the first section occur at the close of each of the first three chap- 
 ters. In the second section are three promissory passages, 
 6 : 1-3 ; 11 : 8-11 ; 14 : 1-9. The passages are not only of in- 
 creasing length, but are of growing fullness and power. They 
 are climactic in thought. Predictions of the book relate partly 
 to the near and partly to the remote future. 
 
 PREDICTIONS OF HOSE A. 
 
 I. Nearer predictions : (a) ch. 1 : 4, overthrow of the house 
 of Jehu, cf. 2 Kings 10 : 30 ; 15 : 10, 12. (h) The complete de- 
 struction of the kingdom of the ten tribes, the exile of the people, 
 and the desolations of the land, 1 : 4-6 ; 2 : 11-13 ; 3:4, et 
 passim. 
 
 Locality of the Exile. — Forms of statement vary, and appear 
 to conflict. 8: 13, "They shall return to Egypt." 9:6, 
 " ^gyP^ ^^^^^^ gather them up, Memphis shall bury them." But, 
 on the other hand, 11 : 5, " He shall not return into the land of 
 Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused 
 to return." 9:3, " They shall not dwell in the Lord's land ; 
 but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean 
 things in Assyria." 11 : 11, " They shall tremble as a bird out 
 of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria," These 
 varying declarations seem to be : (a) They shall be carried into 
 Egypt; ih) not into Egypt, but Assyria; (c) both into Egypt 
 and Assyria. There is, however, no contradiction here. It is 
 not necessary to sunpose that the prophet was of different mind 
 in different periods of his ministry. The meaning either is, (a) 
 That while a portion of the people shall be scattered into Egypt, 
 and find graves there, the bulk of them shall not go there, but 
 to Assyria, (h) Egypt is here introduced in a symbolic sense 
 as the land in which their fathers had been in bondage, and they 
 should be carried not into literal Egypt, but to a land which shall 
 be to themselves what Egypt had been to their fathers. 
 
 In 1 : 7, he predicts that Judah shall not fall as Israel, but 
 shall be miraculously delivered. Cf. 2 Kings 19 : 35, host of Sen- 
 nacherib smitten by an angel. 8 : 14, subsequent destruction 
 
44 PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 of Judah's cities is directly threatened. The captivity is not 
 predicted, but presupposed, 1 : 11, and 2 Kings 25 : 8, 9, The 
 destruction of the palaces of Judah by fire was fulfilled 130 
 years after his death. 
 
 II. In addition to these predictions, H. predicts four bless- 
 ings belonging to the remote future. («) 1 : 10, Immense 
 multiplication of Israel, as the sand of the sea. {h) Return 
 to God and enjoyment of his favor, 2 : 20, 21. (c) Union 
 with Judnh under King David, the lawful prince of David's 
 line, 1 : 11 ; 3 : 5. {d) Their return thus united from the land 
 of their captivity, 1 : 11 ; 11 : 11. 
 
 Each of these is disclosed in contrast with existing and 
 threatening evils. These evils are : (a) The impending de- 
 struction of the kingdom; (5) Their apostasy from God; (c) 
 Their schism from Judah: {d) Threatened captivity. From 
 the judgments upon Israel, they might fear they would be ex- 
 tirpated, and what is to become of the promises? H. discloses 
 that the promises shall abide in their full force. The work of 
 purgation shall be the means of fulfilling the promise. The 
 schism between Israel and Judah shall terminate. In what are 
 we to look for the fulfillment of these predictions of blessings? 
 They were partially fulfilled before Christ. When some of the 
 Israelites were mingled with the tribe of Judah in the return 
 under Zerubbabel they never relapsed into idolatry, 2 Chron. 
 10: 17; 11 : 13-16. This blending began before the captivity 
 by emigration. It is further asserted that the ten tribes were 
 carried into the same land, into which Judah was subsequently 
 carried — Babylon. Mention is particularly made of Levi, Ben- 
 jamin, Ephraira, and Manasseh being with Judah in settling 
 Jerusalem, 1 Chron. 9 : 2, 3. After return from exile they are 
 repeatedly called Israel, Rom. 9 : 6; 11: 26; Kzra 2 : 70 ; 6 : 
 16, 17. The twelve tribes are recognized in the N. T., Acts 
 26 : 7. Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin, Phil. 3:5; Anna, 
 tribe of Asher, Luke 2 : 36. While here are incipient and 
 partial fulfillments, we do not find what corresponds particu- 
 larly and directly to the terms of the predictions. There was 
 no multitude, as predicted, no complete conversion to God, no 
 inalienable possession of God's favor. The entire body of 
 Israel was not united to Judah. Zerubbabel was not king, and 
 all Israel do not return. As inadequately met before the com- 
 ing of Christ, we must look for the residue since his coming. 
 
 This is explained in two ways, (a) The lineal descendants 
 of the patriarchs, Israel ; (h) the spiritual seed, those wiio are 
 successors to the privileges of Israel. If we adopt the former, 
 
PROPHETS AXD PROPHECY. 45 
 
 the substance of the prediction is that the lineal descendants 
 will be as numerous as the sands of the sea, be converted to 
 God, and made His people. The theocratic king of the house 
 of David will be Christ on an earthly throne ; thus the pre- 
 diction becomes a wholly national one, only applied to the ten 
 tribes, or, at most, to the descendants of Jacob. Any other 
 application is subversive of any real intent. According to the 
 other view the descendants of Israel are to be converted not in 
 the lineal descent of the tribes, but in a spiritual succession. In 
 favor of this latter view, it is urged : 
 
 1. Israel as God's people, and in the sense of the promise 
 never was co-extensive with Abraham's natural posterity. Some 
 excluded, others outside included. Ishmael and the sons of Ke- 
 turah cut off. The descent was counted in the line of Isaac, 
 Esau Avas cut off, and the line counted from Jacob. A pro- 
 vision was made at the same time to give the seal of circumcision 
 to those in the house of Abraham. In every period of the his- 
 tory of God's people has this been the case, Ex. 12: 38-49' 
 Multiplication in Egypt a mixed multitude, Ex. 12 : 49. 
 Strangers as those born in the land, at the same time those who 
 violated the covenant were cut off from the people, Gen. 17 : 14. 
 This excision might occu?r on a large or small scale, might affect 
 individuals or whole nations, Ex. 1 : 10, — the ten tribes rejected. 
 2 Kings 17 : 18, God was angry with Israel. When Christ 
 came, another great excision occurred ; those who received 
 Christ were called the true Israel, all others being apostates. 
 It was the faithful few who inherited the promises, and at the 
 the same time their numbers were increased by believing Gen- 
 tiles, and thus the continuity was preserved. God did not have 
 one people under the 0. T., and another under the N. T., not 
 one church then, and another now. It was Israel then and is 
 Israel still, by a regular succession. Israel was a church as 
 well as a nation, and the promises were to Israel as a church. 
 In the light of the history of the case, believers are those to 
 whom the promises were made, and the church of the 0. T. 
 continued in that of the N. T. 
 
 2. The abundant and explicit testimony of the N. T. favors 
 this view, John 8 : 39 ; Gal. 3 : 7 ; 3 : 28, 29 ; Rom. 2 : 28, 
 29; 4: 11, 12; 9 : 6, 8 ; Rom. 11 argues at length this view 
 in the grafting in of the Gentile branch to the original olive tree, 
 and the ultimate conversion of the original tree ; Eph. 2 : 12-20 ; 
 Rev. 2:9; 3:9. These are the most striking representations 
 that believers in Christ constitute the true people of God. 
 
 3. That this Avas the view taken by the apostles, and by them 
 
46 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 made current in the early church, may be confirmed in this : 
 that if the Jewish converts Avere heirs of anything particular 
 in the church, they would not be blended with others. If the 
 promises had been exclusively to the descendants of the 
 patriarchs as such, they would not have been permitted to blend 
 with Gentiles. There would then have been a distinction 
 between Gentile and Jewish church. 
 
 4. This distinction not having been maintained between Jew- 
 ish and Gentile converts, it would now lead to a most singular 
 anomaly to claim that the Jews are to receive honor above the 
 Gentiles, for if that be so the descendants of the Jews who re- 
 jected the Messiah when he came are to be exalted above those 
 who accepted him, for only the former can be recognized, as 
 the latter are lost in their union with the Gentiles. 
 
 5. The very predictions of H. now in question are applied 
 by two apostles to believing Gentiles : Paul in Rom. 9 : 25, 26 ; 
 Peter in 1 Pet. 2 : 9, 10. Thus applied by the apostle of the 
 uncircumcision and the apostle of the circumcision. Other ar- 
 guments tending to the same conclusion will be raised in taking 
 up other prophets. 
 
 Conclusion. — The Christian church is considered as a body 
 of believers. Christ is the heir of the promises, and it is to 
 the church that the promises are to be fulfilled. This is not 
 expecting a promise to be fulfilled when made to another. Nor 
 is it taking a promise in one sense, and then using it in an- 
 other, but Israel, in the Bible sense, is the Christian church. 
 This is what the Holy Ghost intended in the promises. This 
 is the strict meaning, Israel of the promise are the people of 
 God, for (a) true believers are to be as numerous as the sands 
 of the sea; (h) they are united under one head; they should be 
 brought back to Canaan. The church derives its significance 
 from being the seat of God's worship. There was the temple 
 with God's special presence in the midst of it. There only 
 could sacrifice be offered. To be expelled from that land was 
 to be expelled from the land where God Avas, and to be brought 
 back to this land was to be restored to the favor of God. All 
 worship is now to be in spirit and in truth. Every land may 
 now be a Canaan to God's people, but the lineal descendants 
 have a part in these promises of God. No hope now, but 
 there shall be in the future. They are as truly aliens now as 
 ever the Gentiles were, but when they believe they shall be the 
 children of Abraham, and be received of God. 
 
FBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 47 
 
 AMOS. 
 
 The prophet Amos was by some early fiithers confounded 
 with Amoz, the father of Isaiah. This mistake arose from the 
 two words being alike in the Greek. They are altogether 
 diflFerent in the Hebrew. Amos means burden ; Amoz means 
 strength. He was taken from the herdsmen of Tekoa, twelve 
 Roman miles from Jerusalem, six miles south of Bethlehem. 
 The word " herdsfnan " is applied to the king of Moab as 
 the owner of flocks, 2 Kings 3 : 4. Was Amos an owner of 
 sheep, or a tender of flocks belonging to others ? We learn 
 that he did not own them from 7 : 14, 15. Further he says he 
 was not a prophet — nor his previous vocation, not the son of a 
 prophet, i. e., he had not been taught in the schools of the 
 prophets under Elijah, Elisha, etc. It would seem that he was 
 sent on this single errand to Israel from Judah, and this may 
 have been the whole of his ministry. 
 
 Time. — The time of the delivery of this message is seen in 
 1 : 1. Compare 1 Kings 13 : 1. The time is still further de- 
 fined by saying it was two years before the earthquake. Zech- 
 ariah speaks of it, 14 : 5, the beginning of threatening judg- 
 ments. But this does not aid us, for we do not know when it 
 took place. 
 
 Divisions. — Chs. 1-6, literal ; 7-9, allegorical ; Amos con- 
 sists of three parts. The three parts are : (a) ch. 1 : 
 2 ; 2:5, introductory ; (b) 2 : 6; 9 : 10, denunciatory; (c) 9 : 
 11-15, promissory. 
 
 Theme. — The theme is announced in 1 : 2, a sentence partly 
 taken from Joel 3 : 16. (a) He does so first in a preliminary 
 denunciation of seven nations in succession. Six contiguous 
 Gentile nations, Syria, Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, Moab, 
 and finally Judah. The judgments are successive stanzas of 
 like construction, suggesting argument a fortiori. If these 
 heathen nations are to be punished, how much more Israel. 
 The heathen are generally contemplated as the foes of Israel; 
 in Amos it is difi"erent. Also, if Judah is punished, how much 
 more Israel. These denunciations are embraced in seven stan- 
 zas of precisely the same structure. 
 
 The sins against the nations are ofi'enses against the theocracy. 
 In the case of Judah the sin is difi'erent. The highest offense 
 is violation of God's law. Gentiles vs. the maltreatment of 
 God's people. The only exception, if it be such, is the charge 
 in 2 : 1, against Moab — offense against the Gentiles. Because 
 probably at this time Edom was a subject or ally of Judah. 
 
48 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 (b) Then follows the main portion of the book, the denuncia- 
 tion against Israel. After four chapters of literal, it is pre- 
 sented in the form of five symbolic visions. The five are to 
 represent not as many distinct judgments, but are to be taken 
 together as the same judgment in diff'erent figures. 
 
 Visions. — 1. The first vision, 7 : 1-3, presents the instru- 
 ments of judgments, grasshoppers, under the symbol of devour- 
 ing locusts, being the symbol of foreign foes. 
 
 2. The second sets forth the source of these judgments, 7 : 
 4-7. It is a devouring fire, symbolical of God's devouring 
 wrath. 
 
 8. The third vision, 7 : 7-9, exhibits the character of the 
 judgments, righteous retribution. A plumb-line is seeii, and 
 all that is not perpendicular is thrown down. This is the test 
 of their uprightness. Here the prophet is interrupted by 
 Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, forbidding him to prophesy any 
 longer, and telling him to leave the country. He then resumes 
 the series of his visions in the 8th chapter. 
 
 4. The fourth vision, 8 : 1-3, is intended to represent the 
 near approach of judgments. The prophet sees a basket of 
 summer fruit, and Israel is shown to be ripe for judgment. It 
 is more expressive in the Hebrew on account of the sound of 
 the vowels. 
 
 5. Then the last vision, 9 : 1, the actual infliction of judg- 
 ment. The Lord is seen standing by the altar of idolati-y, and 
 striking down and slaying. The idol is helpless to deliver. 
 
 The main lessons taught by Amos are identical with those 
 taught by Hosea. 
 
 Nearer Predictions. — (a) 7 : 9, The house of Jeroboam shall 
 perish by the sword: fulfilled in 2 Kings 15 : 10, his son killed 
 after a reign of six months. 
 
 (6) He predicts further the destruction of the kingdom, the 
 desolation of the land, and the exile of the people, which was 
 fulfilled after the partial deportation by Tighith-Pileser, was 
 completed by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, 2 Kings 17 : 6. 
 This occupies the main body of the book. 
 
 (c) 6: 9-10, Account of great siege. As regards the fulfill- 
 ment of this we have no means of knowing, but from 2 Kings 
 17: 5, we learn that the siege lasted three years; and 2 Kings 
 6 : 6-24, shows the great distress of Samaria, famine and pesti- 
 lence, on a former occasion. 
 
 id) Predicts that the sons and daughters of Amaziah shall 
 fall by the sword, and he himself die in exile. Of this we 
 have no further account — no means of knowing whether the pre- 
 diction was actually fulfilled — no history on the matter. 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 49 
 
 {e) The special predictions of desolation to Israel, 3 : 14 ; 
 visit to altars of Bethel, 3 : 14 ; 5 : 5 ; Gilgal, 7 : 9 ; cf , 2 Kings 
 18: 10-15. 
 
 More Remote Predictions, 9 : 11-15. — Promissory portion told 
 at the close of denunciation ; 9 : 8, 9, that the exile and disper- 
 sion would not be a total destruction of the people, but should 
 be a sifting, so as to effect a separation between the good and 
 bad; the good are to remain. The fallen and ruined tabernacle 
 of Tavid should be raised up, repaired and restored, 9 : 11. 
 This means David and his royal house shall be restored to 
 former splendor, 2 : 5. The fall of Judah is presupposed. 
 That it is spoken of as fallen is not sufficiently explained in 
 that in his time the rule diminished from twelve tribes to 
 Judah, but that it should include the fall of Judah also, and 
 should entirely fall before the coming of Christ. This was ful- 
 filled in the fall of the royal line, after the Babylonish cap- 
 tivity. The house of David ceased to be royal, and was re- 
 duced to a private condition, but in Christ this kingdom has 
 been restored. The tabernacle of David has been set up in 
 Christ. 
 
 Again, Amos predicts that its sway shall extend over Edom, 
 and all the heathen which are called by the name of the Lord, 
 9 : 12. This can not mean only those nations which David had 
 overcome. No instance can be adduced of an application of 
 this name to any nation because it was tributary to Judah or 
 subject to it. but applied to the covenant people of God, Deut. 
 28 : 10. "Called by the name of the Lord," wherever used, is 
 applied to the covenant people of God, 2 Chron. 7 : 14 ; Dan. 
 9: 18, J9; Jer. 25: 29. In conformity with this usage, the 
 meaning here must be that the re-created kingdom shall bear 
 sway over Edom :\nd other heathen nations, which shall in con- 
 sequence become a part of the covenant people. They shall 
 thenceforth be called by the name of the Lord. The conquest, 
 from this description of it, must not be by force of arms, but 
 conquered in a spiritual sense. This, therefore, is a prophecy 
 of the calling of the Gentiles. As such it is quoted in Acts 
 15: 15-17. 
 
 Further, he predicts the permanent restoration of Israel out 
 of captivity to their own land, 9 : 13-15, and never to be re- 
 moved from it again. This must have a parallel in Hosea, 
 partly fulfilled in the return from exile. The 0. T. forms must 
 be replaced by N. T. corresponding things. The rest was ful- 
 filled in Christ. It will thus be seen that Hosea and Amos 
 agree entirely in predictions of the proximate future or Mes- 
 
50 PEOPBETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 sianic period. They predict the fall of the house of Jeroboam, 
 and the utter destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes. 
 Amos does not mention Assyria as the instrument of judgment, 
 which Hosea does, but he threatens captivity to both Israel and 
 Judah, by a nation to be raised up, 3 : 14. This captivity is to 
 be a distinct one beyond Damascus, 5 : 27. 
 
 Special Predictions. — That the smaller kingdoms in the vicin- 
 ity of Israel should be desolated, direful mortality, etc. In re- 
 gard to Messianic periods Hosea and Amos agree in a spiritual 
 sense. They predict permanent restoration. They shall be 
 united and governed under the son of David, Amos goes be- 
 yond Hosea. (a) In showing the prostrate condition of the fam- 
 ily of David; {h) the announcement in express terms of the 
 calling of the Gentiles, which we have seen is implicitly set 
 forth in Hosea. • 
 
 JONAH. 
 
 Jonah was a native of Gath-ilepher, 2 Kings 14 : 25 ; Josh. 
 19 : 13. Tarshish was a Phoenician settlement in the south of 
 Spain. Jerome says Gath-Hepher was two miles from Sfephoris 
 on the way to Tiberias. 
 
 Date. — (rt) 2 Kings 14 : 25, Israel enlarged by Jeroboam, 
 therefore Jonah prophesied before the close of Jeroboam's 
 reign. (6) Position, was after Obadiah and Amos, and before 
 Micah in the canon, (c) First invasion, 2 Kings 15 : 19, of 
 Israel in the reign of Menahem. A few months of reign and 
 twelve years of interregnum after Jeroboam. Time for Jonah 
 after this invasion, therefore, argue 2 Kings 14 : 25, and the 
 book were at different periods. Mercy first, then judgment. 
 
 Two parts : First and second mission. Aborbaud, dream of 
 Jonah while asleep, Clericus, saved by a vessel with a figure 
 of a whale. Allegorical of different subjects. Parable, popu- 
 lar logical, with historical basis. Heathen myth, supernatural 
 facts of the Bible difiicult. Species of fish not defined. So 
 ketos in Matt., a species of shark, white, soft, long. Winer's 
 story of a fish swallowing a man. 
 
 Repentance of Ninevites incredible. But (a) superstition ; 
 (h) fame of Jonah, his deliverance, defeat of armies, etc., may 
 have added to cause it. Profane historians do not metition it 
 
PROPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 51 
 
 because they have no Assyrian records. 3 : 8, Beasts covered 
 ■with sackcloth (compare Herodotus as to Persians). Various 
 myths have no reserabLance. The Jews did not adopt such 
 myths, but avouUI have shaped the myth to suit personal preju- 
 dice. Half man, half fish, taught the Assyrians the arts of 
 life. 
 
 Positive argument : (a) Natural, obvious interpretation of 
 the language ; (5) Admission into the canon ; {c) Christ's refer- 
 ence to Jonah. 
 
 Value for the prophetic element : (a) Only records that 
 which contains a moral lesson ; many things omitted ; (6) Posi- 
 tion in prophetic books. Why not among the historical books ? 
 It must have a lesson for the future, (c) Extraordinary char- 
 acter of the mission to the Gentiles ; cf. Amos, Obadiah, Na- 
 
 hum, as to foreign nations. Jer. . only sent to prophesy, 
 
 1 Kings 19 : 15, cf. 2 Kings 8 : 7, not for sake of Syria, but a 
 scourge to Israel. id) No pains to carry out mission, (e) 
 Christ calls Jonah " a sign," Matt. 12: 39-41. Hitzig says. 
 Have the fulfillment of prophecy as object. Ewald, shows sal- 
 vation by penitence, pious feeling. Bleek, and Hengstenberg, 
 rebukes the narrowness of the Jews. Motives given to pro- 
 phesy wrongly. Fairbairn, overthrow of Nineveh might humble 
 Israel, therefore, wishes it, 4 : 2. Feared Nineveh should be 
 spared, while Israel is" not. Jewish tradition is more con- 
 cerned for the honor of the son than of the father. Jerome 
 on the subject. Cf. Elijah desiring death because there was no 
 general conversion. Same prediction in the N. T. among the 
 Christians. Symbolic actions showing the Gentiles less ob- 
 durate than Israel, (a) Admonitory ; (6) Typical. Jonah cast 
 into the sea, but mariners cry to God [cf. Deut. 30 : 1-3). Jon-Ji 
 is delivered, Nineveh repents. Israel had many prophets, yet 
 did not repent ; Ezek. 3 : 5-7, " The house of Israel will not 
 hearken." The word of God to be preached to the Gentiles, 
 Amos 9 : 12. Rejection of the covenant people. Luke 4: 25, 
 Elijah sent to the widow of Sarepta, Naaman healed. In John 
 4, Christ preaches to the Samaritan woman. Mark 7 : 25, 
 Syrophoenician woman's daughter healed. Magi at the Sav- 
 iour's birth. Matt. 12 : 40, Son of Man three days and nights 
 in the depths of the earth. Luke 11 : 30, Casting out of Jonah, 
 and death of Christ, not the termination of the work of Jonah 
 or of Christ. Rom. 11 : 15, restoration of Israel — Jonah cast 
 back on the land. 
 
 Date — Placed late, Assyrian exile. There is no proof that 
 Jonah was not the author. Aramseisms not more numerous 
 
0^ PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 than in Hosea. Prayer from Psalms which are later than 
 Jonah. Hengstenberg : Psahns after the exile, then Psalms 
 borrowed from Jonah. 3 : 3, Nineveh '" was " exceeding great, 
 but this states how Jonah found the city. Diodorus, Herodo- 
 tus, agree with Jonah. Moderns differ. Layard agrees with 
 Jonah. Rawlinson : The three days' journe}' is the circuit, not 
 diameter. 
 
 Author. — (a) It is claimed for Jonah 1 : 1. (6) It is placed 
 among the prophetic books, therefore it is from a prophet, (c) 
 The hatred of the Jews for the Gentiles makes its production 
 at a late date impossible, {d) Tradition favors the authorship 
 of Jonah. 
 
 PROPHETS OF JUDAH. 
 
 Condition of the Kingdom. — It was not schismatic. Idolatry 
 was introduced by the daughter of Ahab. The reaction comes 
 in more completely under Joash than under Jehu in Jeremiah. 
 There were four princes in this period. The first and second 
 were godly ; Ahaz, idolatrous; Hezekiah, reformer. Evil was 
 at no time totally eradicated. Inflictions by Syria and Assyria. 
 
 There are five prophets in this period: Joel, Obadiah, Isaiah, 
 Micah, Nahum, and this is their chronological order. Their 
 ministries differ from those of their contemporaries in Israel. 
 
 1. They are ministries of gentleness rather than of severity; 
 of hope, rather than denunciation. They are either positive or 
 negative. Micah, positive; Obadiah, Nahum, negative; Joel, 
 Isaiah, both. The positive give greater space to promise, and 
 make these of a larger and fuller kind than in Israel. Exactly 
 one-half of Joel is promissory ; and Isaiah, in the last twenty- 
 seven chapters, devotes himself expressly to the work of com- 
 fort ; Micah gives large space to promise. The contrast of this 
 period with Israel is great. In Judah, the promises made are 
 not all left to the distant future, but include present deliver- 
 ances. The negative are consolatory. Denunciation and down- 
 fall of their heathen foes, because the overthrow of these is 
 mercy to Judah. Their overthrow is in order that the power 
 may be given to Israel. The heathen for aftime will over- 
 throw the people of God, but it is added that they shall ulti- 
 mately be cast down, and the power given to God's people. 
 
PROPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 53 
 
 This is so in regard to Edora in Obadiah. Nahura tells of a 
 similar judgment on Nineveh and Assyria. Isaiah against 
 Assyria and Babylon. 
 
 2. The greater clemency of the Lord to Judah is shown by 
 granting to the prophets of the kingdom a range of much 
 greater foresight than to Israel. Not only do they advise them 
 of the events immediately before them, but they also disclose 
 the remote future, preparing the people in advance for remote 
 necessities, {a) A most appalling disaster to Judah in the suc- 
 ceeding period, (h) Existence of Judah not limited to this 
 period, but continued, (c) Judah is to be brought into con- 
 tact with the greatest nations of the world, and is to "experience 
 their hostility, {d) Needful for prophetic marks of the Mes- 
 siah to be given. For these reasons a much greater range is 
 given to Judah than to Israel. The overthrow of the ten tribes 
 and its attending circumstances are almost the whole that is 
 given to Israel. To Judah, in addition : A series of successive 
 judgments against Judah; Assyrian invasion, and its failure; 
 captivity of Babylon and its deliverance; overthrow of Nine- 
 veh ; judgments against inferior foes ; and, lastly, the overthrow 
 of Babylon herself, the foe of the future. 
 
 The body of the revelations just given has been variously 
 proportioned. Joel: A general overthrow of the future, with- 
 out distinctly specifying the events in it. Judah has repeated 
 strokes of judgment, and when it is brought to itself by this 
 means, God shall return to it, and execute judgments upon its 
 enemies. This is filled up more in detail by other prophets. 
 Micali dwells exclusively upon the fortunes of God's people, 
 their punishment for unfaithfulness, and their subsequent bless- 
 edness. Obadiah and Nahum individualize the work of judg- 
 ment upon the foes of God's people. Obadiah tells of the fate 
 of Edom, the hereditary foe of Judah. Nahum, toward the 
 close of this period, foretells the downfall of Nineveh. Isaiah 
 goes over the ground in a general way marked out by Joel, but 
 differs from him in unfolding in their details what Joel gives in 
 general outline, while at the same time he goes beyond in the 
 fullness of the blessings of God's people. Blicah : The judg- 
 ments against the foes exceeds Obadiah and Nahum. To no 
 one is so large a view of the future given as to Isaiah, until the 
 time of Daniel. 
 
 3fessianic Predictions. — The range of the Messianic predic- 
 tions of the Judean prophets is also extensive. In Israel it 
 was negative. Judah does this, but goes far beyond this posi- 
 tion. The people shall not only return to God from their apos- 
 
54 PBOPHETS AXD PROPHECY. 
 
 tasy, as Amos says, but they shall also be purged. All their 
 foes shall themselves be humbled and destroyed, all that is nox- 
 ious in animal creation — even death itself. No form of evil 
 shall remain to the people of God. The prophets of Judah are 
 not confined to this negative view of the case. They develop 
 the positive beauties of the period, as to the people of God and 
 the Gentiles. 
 
 1. The people of God, both in inward character and outward 
 condition, shall correspond to what they should be. They shall 
 be holy in their character, and have the Spirit of God poured 
 out upon them, and then their kingdom of peace shall be uni- 
 versal, perpetually prosperous, and shall sway the whole world, 
 whose resources shall flow into it, and contribute to its honor. 
 
 2. The calling of the Gentiles, and their conversion to God, 
 are more clearly revealed than in Israel. It was shadowed 
 forth by Jonah, stated limitedly by Amos, but by the prophets 
 of Judah in the most unambiguous way. 
 
 Person of Christ. — Besides this general development of the 
 characteristics of the Messianic period as respects the people of 
 God and the Gentiles, the Judean prophets bring into view the 
 Person of the Messiah as was not done by the prophets of 
 Israel. The prophets of Israel predicted the family of David, 
 and its rise again, but do not view the Person of Christ. The 
 prophets of Judah say he shall appear during a time of op- 
 pression, and shall spring from the house of David, born in 
 Bethlehem, the son of a virgin. He shall honor Galilee, be 
 rejected by the Jews, but accepted by the Gentiles. By his 
 death, he shall be brought into glory, and establish a kingdom 
 of righteousness. Obadiah and Nahum simply refer to the 
 Messianic period, the former explicitly, the latter implicitly. 
 They simply refer to it in its negative phase, as to its deliver- 
 ance from and judgments upon the foes of God's people. 
 Isaiah and Micah, between whom there is a close connection, 
 speak of the Person of the Messiah, of his birth in Bethlehem, 
 of his deity, and of his- kingly office as Messiah. Isaiah alone 
 gives the birth from the virgin, the sufferings and vicarious 
 death. The blessings are nowhere set forth so well and so 
 gloriously as in Isaiah. 
 
 Divisions. — This prophetic period, though strictly a unit, 
 may be divided into two portions : (a) Outward prosperity un- 
 der the vigorous reign of the pious Uzziah, and before the 
 Assyrians had come, {h) Trial under Ahaz and Hezekiah. 
 This is after the invasion by Syria and Ephraim, and when the 
 Syrians present a threatening aspect. To the first, belong Joel, 
 
FBOPHETS AND PEOPHECY. 55 
 
 Obadiah, and the first six chapters of Isaiah. The prophets 
 endeavor to break the proud spirit of the people, which pros- 
 perity had engendered, by setting forth the coming trials. To 
 the second, belong Micah, Nahum, and considerable of the re- 
 mainder of Isaiah. Here the downfall of Nineveh, and the 
 Messiah as defender and king of hisr people, are displayed. 
 Isaiah's ministry extends not only through both portions of this 
 period, but goes beyond the downfall of Sennacherib, and pro- 
 poses the way for the next period. These prophets of Judah 
 in the Assyrian period may be compared in minor points : 
 
 Personal and Family Relations. — Mention is made of the fath- 
 ers of Joel and Isaiah ; the residences of Micah and Nahura are 
 given ; but of Obadiah, only the name. This is all we have of 
 their personal history, except a few scraps of Isaiah's. Prob- 
 ably all except Nahum belonged to Judah. 
 
 Duration of Ministry. — Isaiah under four kings ; Micah un- 
 der three kings. The ministries of Joel, Obadiah_. and Nahum 
 were probably brief. 
 
 Structure of the Books. — Isaiah in successive portions, which 
 are kept distinct; Micah, a general summary of the revelations 
 made to him, without distinction of date. The other prophets 
 have done the same, unless, as seems to be the case with Oba- 
 diah and Nahum, they have given us only a single discourse. 
 
 JOEL. 
 
 From 1 : 9, 13, 14, some infer that he was of Levitical de- 
 scent. There is no warrant for this. 
 
 Date of his ministry is showa by his position between Hosea 
 and Amos. He must, therefore, have been of the time of 
 Uzziah, and during the part when Jeroboam, king of Israel, 
 was yet living. Some put him at a still earlier date, as far 
 back as Joash. The enemies given as enemies of Judah can 
 all be shown to have been enemies in the time of Joash. This 
 proves nothing, because the powers mentioned were hereditary 
 foes, and ready for war at any time. Amos denounces the 
 same nations, and accuses them of the same crimes. Others 
 place Joel at a later date than [lezekiah. This is claimed from 
 3 : 2, but the " Israel " mentioned there means both branches 
 of the covenant people, and their captivity is future, and not 
 spoken of as past. 
 
56 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 There are two parts, of 36 vs. each : a 1 : 2 ; 2:17, the 
 judgment and exhortation to repentance. h 2:18; 3 : 21, the 
 blessing, a is a description of unexampled distress and scourge 
 of devouring insects. Is it allegorical or real? Whichever 
 they were, they were symbolical of the punishment to Judah by 
 invading enemies. Some say there is an allusion to the four 
 great powers of the ancient world, by which the people of God 
 were successively assailed, h In the second, we pass from 
 judgment to mercy. 
 
 The first part is a description of unparalleled distress by a 
 swarm of insects. There are different views as to what kind 
 of insects is intended, four terms being employed, (a) They 
 denote four kinds of locusts ; {h) Different species of the same 
 kind ; (c) The same insect in successive stages of its growth. 
 Credner : " Gazam is the migratory locust, which visits Pales- 
 tine chiefly in the autumn, 'arbeJi, the young brood, yeleq, the 
 young locust in the last stage of its transformation, or before 
 changing its skin for the fourth time, and chasil, the perfect 
 locust after this last change, so that, as the brood sprang from 
 the gazam, chasil would be equivalent to gazamP (See Keil, 
 "Minor Prophets," Joel 1 : 1-4.) Palestine was first visited by 
 the locusts in the autumn, full grown; this swarm laid its eggs 
 and perished in the Red sea. The combined heat and drought 
 favored the hatching of the eggs in the spring. Then describes 
 a running or climbing. They have to cast the skin four times 
 before they come out perfect. Objections to this view : (a) It 
 requires an interpolation of the laying the eggs, and hatching, 
 and requires a different subject. (6) While assuming distinct 
 significance for three, four is a species. This theory has been 
 modified. But the only proof that there would then be succes- 
 sive stages, is that in verse 4 they occur in a particular order; 
 but in 2 : 25, they occur in another order. 'Arbeh is not so 
 used elsewhere, but is the usual term for locust. Yeleq can not 
 have this meaning, because Nahum 3: 6, makes it mean "full- 
 grown." In Ps. 105 : 34, 'ai'beh and i/eleq are synonymous ; so 
 also 'arbeh and chasil in Ps. 78 : 46. Chasil, Deut. 28 : 38, ex- 
 presses the act of devouring. On the whole, it is best to con- 
 sider them as poetic equivalents of the sauie thing. The terms 
 used really mean " gnawer," " swarmer," " feeder," " devourer." 
 
 Do they mean actual locusts, or are they symbolic? Doubt- 
 less the latter, because : 1. They are a natural figure for hos- 
 tile invaders; cf. Rev. 9: 3-11, and often in SS. 2. It is repre- 
 sented as a judgment of unparalleled severity, and to be the 
 last before the Messianic blessino; shall come. This would be 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 57 
 
 exaggerated if actual locusts were meant. Cf. 2 : 2, the dark- 
 ness was to be before them, not by them, the Lord's hosts. 3. 
 Their ravages are not past nor present — as they must be on the 
 literal hypothesis, for it is impossible to suppose the prophet 
 would spend so much space in predicting a mere swarm of lo- 
 custs, — but future. In 3 : 15, preterites are used and yet refer 
 to the future, and in 1 : 15, " the day of the Lord" is identified 
 w'ith locusts. 4. The connection of the prophecy demands an 
 allegorical hypothesis. The heathen are denounced for crimes 
 not yet committed. This can only relate to the crime predicted 
 in 3 : 7. In consequence of final judgment on the heathen, 
 strangers shall pass through Jerusalem no more, etc. 5. The 
 attributes of the locusts, and the terras used of them, belong to 
 a nation, as goi/, 1 : 6, and am, 2: 2. The latter is twice used 
 of ants, but never the former. They are called "northern," 2 : 
 29 ; but locusts come from the south, and invasions from Baby- 
 lon from the north. The reason assigned for destruction is that 
 they have done great things and will be punished. They shall 
 perish in two seas at once, 2 : 20, and so mere foes on all sides. 
 2 : 17, priests are to pray God for deliverance, that the heathen 
 should not rule over them, which is not because they are so re- 
 duced as to be a prey to the heathen, nor that they should be- 
 come a byword among them. 2 : 25, speaks of the years the 
 locusts have eaten. 2 : 4, 5, they are like horses and chariots, 
 which shows their true meaning. In 1 : 19, 20, the figure is 
 changed to that of fire, v/hich shows it to be but a figure. Lit- 
 eralists say it refers to a drought, but it is not said there would 
 be one. 6. The allegorical view is the oldest, and has also been 
 most prevalent. Targum substitutes names of people for lo- 
 custs. Rufinus is the only Latin fother holding the literal view. 
 Some Jews hold literal view. Bochart finds literal interpreta- 
 tion among Christians, followed by rationalists. It is not nec- 
 essary that all the names, 1 : 12, should have separate signifi- 
 cation. It is a question whether the four different names of 
 locusts have different significations. EphriTsm Syrus refers 
 them to different invaders. Jerome, Cyril, and Hengstenberg 
 refer them to the four world kingdoms of Daniel, which should 
 oppress Israel. Nothing is certain, except that these are curi- 
 ous coincidences. Ch. 1 has descriptions of judgment ; ch. 2 
 has the same theme, but under different aspects, agents are dif- 
 ferent, described in vs. 10, 11, 12, etc.; then in v. 18 the tone 
 changes to that of promise. These promises are of: 1. Re- 
 moval of the scourge, and restoration of all that had been lost, 
 2 : 18-27 ; 2. Bestowment of spiritual gifts, 2 : 28-32 ; 3. De- 
 struction of foes, ch. 3. 
 
58 PBOPBETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 In 2 : 23 occurs in the English version an incorrect trans- 
 lation. The correct meaning is " teacher of righteousness." 
 This includes all whom God commissioned to instruct the people, 
 and includes the prophet, and the greatest teacher of all, the 
 Messiah. " Teacher" is used generically. In consequence of 
 the people being thus led to righteousness, God would give them 
 abundant rains in the first " month,' as in the A. V., but it 
 should be in' the first "place." We observe, 1. This has the 
 sanction of all the versions. 2. The usage of the word moreh 
 is not rain, but teacher, in every other passage. In Ps. 84 : 7, 
 the meaning is disputed. 3. Expression " to righteousness" 
 favors teacher. If it means rain, it must mean that which is 
 suitable, a sense it never has elsewhere. In A. V., " moderate- 
 ly" should be " to righteousness." 4. Translation " former 
 rain" would introduce a tautology, for next clause has the same. 
 He pours out upon them a spiritual blessing. This shall be 
 upon all flesh, i. e., not only upon all mankind, but without na- 
 tional distinction, but also upon all classes of men, irrespective 
 of age, rank or sex. In Acts 2 : 16, Peter tells us the fulfill- 
 ment of the prophecy had begun then, and also the marvelous 
 outpouring of the Spirit was not a final completion of the pro- 
 phecy but only a beginning. There were to be signal judgments 
 upon the enemies of God ; there were to be premonitory won- 
 ders, 2 : 30, 31. In ch. 3 we have an account of the judgment 
 itself. This chapter is figurative, but in substance it has met 
 repeated fulfillment, as one after another of the enemies of God 
 has been destroyed, and it shall finally be fulfilled completely in 
 the universal judgment of the world to come. In 3: 2, the 
 scene of judgment is laid in the valley of Jehoshaphat, which is 
 supposed to be the same referred to in 2 Chron. 20 : 26. Oth- 
 ers suppose from 3 : 16 that the valley nearest the temple must 
 be meant, so a Jewish literalism expects the final judgment there. 
 Jehoshaphat, Jehovah judged, hence "valley of God's judgment." 
 3 : 1-8, charges against the heathen ; all nations are represent- 
 ed as leagued against the Lord, and are destroyed by Him. 3 : 
 9-15, all people are called to come and witness and assist in 
 this afiiiction. 3 : 17-21, the blessed results, His people are 
 to be preserved. The type of the abundance is expressed in 3 : 
 18, even the most desolate places shall be blessed. Egypt 
 and Edom are types of the foes of Israel, and they shall be de- 
 stroved. 
 
PB0PHET8 AND PROPHECY. 59 
 
 OBADIAH. 
 
 Book brief, but not a fragment, name, borne by others, min- 
 istry in Judah, date inferred from position of book. Objection 
 from vs. 11-14. Confirmed [a) perhaps by ver. 20, (h) indefinite 
 allusion to Chaldeans ver. 11, (c) denunciations of Edom in 
 same period by Joel, Amos, Isaiah. Three parts : vs. 1-9 the 
 desolation to which Edom was doomed, vs. 10-16 reason of it, 
 his unbrotherly treatment of Judah, vs. 17-21 contrasted res- 
 toration and enlargement of Israel. Predictions. 1. Capture 
 of Jerusalem vs. 11-14. 2. Hostility then shown by Edom, 
 comp. Ps. 137 : 7 ; Ezek. 35 : 5. 3. Overthrow of Edom {a) by 
 the nations, ver. 1 fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar, comp. Mai. 1 : 
 8, 4 ; (6) by the house of Jacob restored to their ancient seats, 
 ver. 18. 4. Day of the Lord upon all nations, vs. 15, 16, ful- 
 filled successively and simultaneously. 5. Restoration of 
 Israel, vs. 17-21. Saviours human champions and the Messiah. 
 Correspondence with preceding and succeeding prophets, Jere- 
 miah, ch. 49 ; not (a) independently suggested to both, nor (6) 
 servile imitation, but (c) indication of oneness, {d) mutual sanc- 
 tion, (e) call attention to what is about to pass into accomplish- 
 ment. Incidental evidence of genuineness and canonicity of 
 earlier Scriptures. Critical extremes, (a) pedantic minuteness 
 and baseless conclusions ; (h) alterations of text to restore an 
 imaginary .conformity. 
 
 ISAIAH. 
 
 PRELIMINARY CHAPS. I.-VI. 
 
 This prophet is called the " prince of prophets." His writ- 
 ings are the largest and clearest as to the work of the Messiah. 
 Singular fitness in his name. "Isaiah" means "salvation of 
 Jehovah," and such was his message. According to Is. 1 : 1, 
 he was son of Amoz, of whom nothing is known. He lived in 
 Jerusalem, the " middle city," 2 Kings 20 : 4. He was married, 
 and had at least two children, 7:3; 8 : 3, 8. The name of 
 one, Shear-jashub, signifies mercy to Judah after the first 
 coming judgment. The name of the other, Maher-shalal-hash- 
 baz, signifying speedy ruin to Syria. Some suppose a third 
 
60 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 son, 7 : 14, Immanuel, but the child thus spoken of is the 
 Messiah. There is no evidence that his wife was inspired; 8 : 3, 
 called prophetess simply from her relation to Isaiah. 
 
 Leading Events. — 1. Confronting Ahaz, ch. 7. 2. Encourag- 
 ing Hezekiah, ch. 37. 3. Healing of Hezekiah. 37-39 chs., 
 and reproof of his vain display. Ch. 38 : 21 is quoted in favor 
 of his medical skill, but this is given only in virtue of his 
 prophetic office. 
 
 duration of Ministry. — During the reigns of Uzziah, Heze- 
 kiah, Ahaz, Jotham. Not during their entire reigns which 
 would be 113 years. The earliest date in the book, 6:1, the 
 year Uzziah died ; latest date, 36 : 1. Between these, 46 years 
 is the shortest period that can be allowed. Probably his 
 ministry extended some time beyond this. Some say until 
 the time of Manasseh, because (a.) Jewish tradition says that 
 surviving Hezekiah, he was sawn asunder b}"^ Manasseh. Some 
 refer to Heb. 11 : 37. {h) Refers the rest (5 Chron. 32 : 32), 
 of the acts of Hezekiah to a writing of Isaiah, and this, they 
 say, implies Isaiah survived Hezekiah. (c.) A record of 
 Sennacherib's death, Is. 37 : 38. (ci) Not forbidden by Isaiah 
 1:1; cf, Jeremiah 1:3; Dan. 1 : 21. 
 
 Structure of the Book. — I. Utterly confused, jumbled together, 
 disorderly, and some seek to bring them into an order which 
 mangles the book. 
 
 II. Partial and orderly collections, receiving accidental 
 accretions, and ultimately blended. This, too, is arbitrary, 
 based on an assumption of disagreements in the book, and on 
 that of the collection of these parts by another than the 
 prophet himself. 
 
 IIL» Chronologically arranged as delivered. In favor of this 
 it is urged that all the dates which do occur in 'the book are in 
 chronological order. The two cases in which a departure is 
 assumed are chs. 1 and 6. Chapter 6 describes, it is affirmed, 
 the inauguration of the prophet into office. If this be correct, 
 then ch. 6 is the first of all chronologically. They assume 
 that Isaiah having put together his prophecies uttered in 
 the reigns of Uzziah and Jotham, appended to them his original 
 commission in order to show them that the denunciations 
 which he had uttered were in strict accordance with the divine 
 command. But in ch. 6 the prophet describes not his original 
 commission, but a special dedication for a new and specific 
 work. Ch. 1, all suppose to be out of its original place. Not 
 a discourse in the outset of his ministry, but the last of all, and 
 not prepared until the whole was written. It is supposed that 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 61 
 
 this chapter is the introduction prepared at the conclusion of 
 the whole. The decision of the question rests, mainly on the 
 interpretation of vs. 7-9, whether the preterite is historical or 
 prophetical. The latter indicates a future event spoken of as 
 having already occured. The country was not ravaged to the 
 extent there mentioned until the time of Hezekiah. In oreneral, 
 then, the order is chronological. 
 
 IV. Others insist on a topical arrangement, prophecies relat- 
 ing to the same theme being classed together. Yitringa, as 
 follows : (a) chs. 1-12, prophecies relating to Judah and Eph- 
 raira, from the earlier part of his ministry. (6) 13-23, Relating 
 to other nations, (c) 24-35, Punishment of Jews and enemies 
 of the church. {d) 36-39, Historical, (g) 40-66, Person and 
 reign of Christ. Gesenius divides substantially the same, but 
 joins {3) and (e) as both relating to the deliverance from the 
 exile. 
 
 V. A better view is to combine the chronological order and 
 topical. — A record of his ministry in its leading features as 
 they were successively unfolded, viz. : (a) 1-6, Before the Syri- 
 an invasion. Exhibition of the certainty and necessity of the 
 coming judgment. The prophecies were delivered to an out- 
 wardly prosperous people, under Hezekiah and Jothara. Little 
 space is devoted to promises. All that are given relate to the 
 distant future. Messianic period referred to brings out the pres- 
 ent guilt and unfaithfulness. Necessity of judgments to pre- 
 pare for the blessings of the future. Person of the Messiah 
 only once alluded to, and then only obscurely. (6) 7 : 37, Ex- 
 tending to the Assyrian invasion. Alternate between judg- 
 ment and mercy. One judgment by Syria already sent, and an- 
 other by Assyria still in the future. Necessity of a severer 
 judgment in the future. The person of the Messiah appears re- 
 peatedly in his kingly office. He is a pledge of his people's 
 preservation and deliverance from oppression, (c) 38-66, Sub- 
 sequent to the Assyrian invasion. The second judgment by 
 Assyria is past, but another more fearful one is yet to come, 
 which shall not merely threaten the destruction of the holy city, 
 but shall actually accomplish it, and they shall be .taken away 
 from their land, breaking the presumption of sinners over Sen- 
 nacherib's destruction, by this announcement. He yet gives 
 comfort to the pious, who were in danger of despairing, that 
 though this great calamity shall befall them, it shall come to an 
 end, and the oppressor shall be overthrown. Cyrus named, Is- 
 rael named. Here the Messiah is again exhibited, not as a 
 king but as a prophet, and as a sufferer, the head of his people. 
 
62 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 and identified with them in the accomplishment of that which 
 shall avail for the good of others, but suflFering for himself. The 
 last section is adapted to a great necessity of the future, hence 
 not distinct discourses as the preceding, but one connected com- 
 position. 
 
 There is unity of plan in the whole book. 
 
 I. The denunciations of the early chapters increase in vehe- 
 mence, until they culminate in sentence of desolation, by suc- 
 cessive judgments pronounced by God himself, in the vision of 
 ch. 6. This is the germ of all that comes after. The prophet 
 is informed that the people instead of being benefited by his 
 ministry Avould continue in sin until the land should be desola- 
 ted, although they should not be finally destroyed, because there 
 was still a holy seed which should be preserved. 
 
 II. Chs. 7-37. Subdivided, (a) 7-12, (6) 13-27, (c) 28-35, 
 (d) 36-37. (a) Prophecies occasioned by the first of the pre- 
 dicted judgments, the invasion by Syria and Ephraim, promis- 
 \x\Z deliverance from this, but threatenino; a sorer one to come. 
 (5) Meaning of these predicted events to the world at large. 
 (c) Occasioned by the approach of the second judgment, the 
 Assyrian invasion, promising its miraculous defeat. . id) Record 
 of the Assyrian invasion and its overthrow. 
 
 III. Chs. 38-66. (a) Chs. 38, 39, occasion of predicting the 
 third judgment. (5) 40-66, comfort in view of this judgment 
 and assurance of ultimate deliverance. This same work, of 
 judgments upon the people for their sins, is spoken of in general 
 terms by Obadiah and Joel. They said it would be carried to 
 the extent of destroying the holy city, but by what steps and 
 foes, was unknown, until Isaiah revealed it. No prophet of 
 this or any other period is explicit except Daniel. 
 
 I. Subdivided into ch. 1, chs. 2-4, ch. 5, and ch. 6. Ch. 1, 
 vs. 2-4, charge of ingratitude and sin; vs. 5-9, land to be ra- 
 vaged in consequence; vs. 10-15, observance of the ritual 
 could not save them ; vs. 16-20, sin must be repented of and for- 
 saken ; or, vs. 21-31, it shall be wiped out by judgment. 
 Chs. 2-4 : {<i') '1 : 2-4, Zion's glorious destiny, as the seat of a 
 worship which shall attract and bless all nations ; (6) 2 : 5 ; 4 : 
 1, present failure to realize this destiny, which is due to their 
 sins, and shall be remedied by judgments ; (c) 4 : 2-6, Zion shall 
 be thus purged of evil, and rise to her true blessedness and 
 glory; Branch of the Lord and fruit of the Qarth denotes the 
 Messiah ; (a) the Branch, Jer. 23 : 5 ; 33 : 15 ; Zech. 3 : 8 ; 6 : 
 12, comp. Isa. 11 : 1 ; (h) ancient and common explanation ; (c) 
 no other satisfactory. Ch. 5, Parable of the vine and its appli- 
 cation. Ch. 6, The vision, commission and announcement. 
 
FBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 63 
 
 The first period contains four distinct prophecies. In each 
 there is the same idea. They are so many arguments for the 
 necessity of judgment, and of purification, anterior to the Mes- 
 siah's coming. In the second discourse it is put in the glorious 
 destiny of Zion, and the seat of the true religion. In the third 
 discourse the same truths under the emblem of a vineyard, 
 carefully attended to, and yet it produces wild grapes. In con- 
 sequence of this the wall of the vineyard is broken down. 
 This prepares the way for the last discourse, ch. 6, in which 
 these denunciations culminate in a sublime vision. The Lord 
 appears in his temple with majesty, and pronounces formal sen- 
 tence on his people — desolation and banishment, but not of en- 
 tire destruction. According to the election of grace, a remnant 
 shall be preserved. There is a holy seed to remain. 
 
 This idea which is here brought out is really the keynote of 
 the book, and shows reason for its arrangement and structure. 
 All the rest is built upon and grouped around successive judg- 
 ments. The future has thus far been set forth in its general 
 outline, but by Avhat agents the judgment is to be inflicted, is 
 not yet declared. This majestic vision of ch. 6, was seen in the 
 year king Uzziah died, ch. 6 : 1. As Uzziah Avas a leper during 
 the latter years of his reign, Jotham (2 Chron. 26 : 21) was then 
 acting monarch. For the remainder of Jotham's reign, we have 
 no distinct utterances. Whether the prophet was dumb (Ezek. 
 33 : 22) or not, cannot be determined, if new revelation was given 
 him. The king had from his throne pronounced judgment, and 
 the prophet holds his peace. The decree heard in the temple 
 enters on its first stage in the days of Ahaz. Prophet was sent 
 with message which was constantly disregarded. 
 
 II. Chs. 7-37. {a) 7-12. Subdivision of chs. 7-12 : (1) Ch. 7, 
 circumstances, deliverance from this invasion, but a severer one 
 from. Assyria. (2) 8 : 1 ; 9 : 7, Both from this present and 
 that future distress Immanuel is a pledge of protection to them 
 that fear God. (3) 9 : 8 ; 10:4, Ephraim, the foe of the pre- 
 sent, shall perish. (4) 10:5; 10 : 34, Assyria, the foe of the 
 future, shall likewise perish. (5) Ch. 11 : 12, Blessings of Im- 
 manuel's reign. 
 
 The moment Isaiah met Ahaz was a critical one for Judah, and 
 their unbelief was the immediate cause of the evils which fol- 
 lowed. The question was distinctly proposed to them, whether 
 the}^ would rely on God for assistance, or on Assyria. The un- 
 fortunate king of the people chose the fatal consequences. The 
 Assyrian general, Rabshakeh (36 : 2), stood on the conduit of 
 the upper pool, where Isaiah met Ahaz, and delivered his insult- 
 
64 PBOPHETS AND PBOPIIECi. 
 
 ing message. The direful vision of the first chapter is liere 
 given. In his discourse to the king, Isaiah (7 ch.) had sketched 
 dark visions of Assyrian invasion, and no relief. Severe chas- 
 tisement of sins, followed by the overthrow of foes. Such is the 
 future of the people of God. When Isaiah met Ahaz, he de- 
 livered the message, 7 : 7-9. The sign given was the virgin's 
 child, comp. Ex. 3: 11, 12, time of deliverance indicated, 
 vs. 15, 16. Almah, a virgin, (a) etymolog}^ (6) usage, (c) 
 cognate languages, (d) LXX A child miraculously horn, (a) 
 Mat. 1 : 22, 23, (b) solemnity of the announcement, (c) the name 
 and 8: 8-10, (d) 9 : 6, 7. Not the prophet's child, (a) mother 
 a virgin, (b) 8 : 1-4. Three views, (a) Messianic, (b) non-Mes- 
 sianic, (c) double sense. 8:1; 9 : 7, Maher-shalal-hash-baz, 
 deliverance from present and future judgments for those who 
 fear God, of which Imraanuel is the pledge, scene of his minis- 
 try, 9 : 1, 2, its consequences, multiplication, joy, deliverance, 
 end of war, vs., 3-5, person and titles, vs. 6, 7, Jewish, Ration- 
 alistic and Messianic interpretations. 9:8; 10 : 4, overthrow 
 of Ephraim in four stanzas with like ending. 10 : 5-34, over- 
 throw of Assyria, Sennacherib's march, cut down as a forest. 
 Ohs. 11, 12, in contrast Messiah sprouts from root of Jesse, filled 
 Avith the Spirit, restores Paradise, gathers the Gentiles and 
 remnant of Israel, unites Judah and Ephraim, makes them vic- 
 torious over all foes. Messianic passages : 7 : 14-16 ; 9 : 1-7. 
 Chs. 11, 12, progressive climax. 
 
 Chs. 13-27 (b) ten burdens culminating in judgment on the 
 whole world, followed by triumph of the Lord's people, two 
 naturally corresponding series, twofold design, masah. (1.) 
 chs. 13-14 : 27, Babylon, the object of two burdens, here first 
 connected with Judah's exile, to be overthrown by the Medes. 
 13: .17, and become a perpetual desolation, vs. 19-22, in order 
 to the deliverance of the chosen people, who sing their song of 
 triumph over the oppressor's downfall, 14 : 1-23 ; Assyria's 
 overthrow, vs. 24, 25. (2.) 14: 28-32, Philistia rejoicing in 
 calamities of Judah, threatened with a formidable enemy from 
 the north, by whom she shall be devastated in order to Zion's 
 more complete establishment, (3.) chs. 15, 16, against Moab. 
 (4.) chs. 17, 18, Damascus, (a) 17 : 1-11, denunciation of 
 Syria, passing over, v. 3, into one against Ephraim its ally in 
 assaulting Judah ; (6) 17 : 12-14, denounces nil succeeding 
 invaders, however numerous and powerful, with special refer- 
 ence to Sennacherib ; (c) ch. 18, his fall announced to Ethiopia 
 and other distant nations, who bring offerings to God. (5.) 
 chs. 19, 20, Egypt ; (a) 19 : 1-7, ruin under image of drying the 
 
PEOPHETS AND PEOPHEGY. 65 
 
 Nile ; (6) vs. 18-25, mercy, the salvation five times greater than 
 the destruction, v. 18, altar, v. 19, union of Assyria and Egypt, 
 23, and of both with Israel, vs. 24, 26 ; (c) ch. 20, symbolical, 
 action defining time of fulfilhnent. (6.) 2l : 1-10, Desert of the 
 sea, i. e. Babylon ; Elam or Persia joined with the Medes in 
 its capture in a night of festivity. (7.) 21 : 11, 12, Dumah, 
 silence, L e. Edom. (8.) 21 : 14-17, Arabia. (9.) ch. 22, 
 valley of vision, i. e. Jerusalem ; (a) vs. 1-14, denunciation 
 of the city; (6) vs. 15-19, degradation and exile of Shebna ; 
 (c) vs. 20-25, exaltation and establishment of Eliakim. (10.) 
 ch. 23, Tyre to be overthrown by the Chaldeans, vs. 1-15, but 
 to revive after seventy years, and her gain to b'e consecrated to 
 the Lord, vs. 15-18. Ch. 24, General judgment of the whole 
 world. Chs. 25-27, Judah's triumph and blessedness. 
 
 The first five and the last five burdens constitute two series. 
 The first of each series are against Babylon, and the rest 
 against nations subjugated by Assyria and Babylon, and by 
 Avhich the judgment was partially fulfilled. The second and 
 third in each are against minor nations near Palestine. The 
 third of each series is concluded with the time of its fulfillment, 
 " in the years of an hireling," mean " years exactly measured." 
 The object of the fourth of each series is the true covenant 
 people. Damascus is equivalent to Israel here, because they 
 are associated together. The fifth of each series is against 
 prominent heathen powers, both of which series end with prom- 
 ises, and here, too, dates are given, but with reference to the 
 duration and removal of judgments. Twofold design of these 
 burdens : first, for the covenant people ; second, for the nations 
 themselves. All the nations named had been guilty of sins 
 against the people of God, and it is so taught in the first five. 
 Humiliation of Egypt is to remove objects (20: 6) of idolatrous 
 trust from covenant people. The design of announcement to 
 the Gentiles, is, first, that the judgment of one (18 : 7) might 
 lead others to trust in God ; and, secondly, the nations them- 
 selves are to be converted to God, e. g., Egypt and Tyre ; 
 Assyria is mentioned with Egypt, same purpose toward all. 
 These individual judgments are given as parts of God's general 
 judgment of the world, shown both by the beginnings and ends 
 of the burdens. Thus, 13 : 6-13, mentions convulsions of na- 
 ture Avhich did not happen in the overthrow of Babylon, but 
 they are put here because it is viewed as one scene in God's 
 providential work of judgment, as in Matt. 24 : 29 ; and in 14 : 
 26, the character of the judgment is stated, " upon the whole 
 earth; " and in the 24th ch., the judgments terminate upon the 
 
66 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 world at large. In the first six chapters exile of Judah is pre- 
 dicted, but hitherto the agent has not been named, but now 
 Assyria, though only a province, is here declared to be the 
 agent, hence it is the subject of two distinct burdens. In the 
 13th ch. Babylon is to be overthrown by the Medes, and this in 
 14 : 1-2, is declared to be for the deliverance of the covenant 
 people. Hence he reverts to the nearest foe, by whom the first 
 blow was to be struck. Ch. 14 : 24, 25, repeats Syria's over- 
 throw for the comfort of the people. The second burden has a 
 title in 14 : 28, denunciation against Palestine in the year Ahaz 
 died, and they are threatened with destruction from the north. 
 In the fourth burden, which begins against Assyria, and then 
 proceeds to prophesy against Ephraim, since it and Syria were 
 to be devastated by Assyria. Then he passes to the most dis- 
 tant powers under the name of Ethiopia, who are exhorted to 
 behold how God would destroy all his enemies. The fifth is 
 against Egypt. Five cities of Egypt are to embrace the true 
 religion, to one that is to be destroyed, and an altar is to be erect- 
 ed to the Lord, which may mean that Jerusq.lem shall no longer 
 be the only place of sacrifice. If signifying altar of witness, it 
 simply implies conversion of Egypt. 
 
 (c) Chs. 28-35. As the time for the Assyrian invasion came 
 on, the warnings and the comforts needed to be repeated. Ch. 
 28 : 1-6, gives the overthrow of kingdom of ten tribes, followed 
 in rest of section by rebukes and threatenings of Judah, with 
 interjected promises of Assyria's overthrow and Judah's deliv- 
 erance. 
 
 {d) Chs. 36, 37. This section is wound up by these two 
 chapters which give the fact of the invasion by Assyria. 
 Isaiah's prophecy at the time, and the miraculous deliverance. 
 
 III. (a) Chs. 38, 39, are introductory. They give the pro- 
 phet's ministry. After such a judgment, and such a deliverance, 
 it might be hoped that the people would turn to the Lord. But 
 it is not so. A better prince than Ahaz is now on the throne, 
 and yet Hezekiah had not escaped the taint of former kings. 
 His heart was lifted up with pride, and to the messengers sent 
 to him by the king of Babylon with messages of congratulation 
 that he had recovered, he shows the treasures of the Lord's 
 house. This display of the treasures served to excite the cupid- 
 ity of the king, and caused him to take them away from Judah. 
 The people are not allowed to gloat over the defeat of Senna- 
 cherib. As far as this was allowed, it was committed to Nahum. 
 Isaiah announces the Babylonish captivity. From this time he 
 devotes himself to the work of comfort ; not here and there a 
 
PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 67 
 
 ray of comfort, as in the preceding part of the prophecy, but 
 in the great body of what follows. The captivity was so dread- 
 ful that some great thing was needed to prevent the true people 
 of God from falling into utter despair. So Isaiah, a prophet of 
 a former age, prepared the Avay for them. It is for a like rea- 
 son that Daniel was sent to tell the times of Antiochus Epi- 
 phanes, which were to come long after. Isaiah tells of God's 
 great purpose respecting his people. He shows the occasion, 
 design and issue of their suffering. Their sufferings (a) arose 
 not from God's weakness but their sins, (5) were designed to 
 fit them for and further the accomplishment of their task, (c) 
 would issue in blessedness and glory. These topics are inter- 
 mingled in the chapter. 
 
 (6) Chs. 40-66. Each division, of nine chapters each, is 
 distinguished, sometimes by a particular event, without being 
 exclusively occupied by it. Babylon and Cyrus are nowhere 
 else named. This election is divided into — 
 
 (1.) Chs. 40-48, Deliverance from exile, characteristic chap. 
 45. (2.) Chs. 49-57, Sufferings and triumph of Messiah, ch. 
 53. (3.) Chs. 58-66, Future glory of God's people, ch. 60. 
 Shadowed forth, 40 : 2. Mission of Covenant People, includes 
 work of Messiah, both embraced under name Servant of the 
 Lord ; (a) appropriateness of title ; (6) analogies to seed of 
 Abraham, the prophet, son of David, Christ and His church in 
 N. T.; {c) N. T.— Acts 13 : 47, comp. Isa. 49 : 6 ; 2 Cor. 6:2; 
 comp. Isa. 49 : 8; also Jer, 11 : 19 ; comp. Isa. 53, 7 ; {d) appli- 
 cability to all the passages. Can not mean Israel to the 
 exclusion of Messiah; (a) called Israel 49 : 3, but distinguished 
 from them, 42 : 6 ; 49 : 5, 6, as their mediator and restorer ; 
 ip) his atoning death, ch. 53. Mor Isaiah or the prophets : 
 (a) Mission not to Gentiles, (6) nor sufferings vicarious. Nor 
 Cyrus. Nor even Messiah exclusively, for he is charged (42 : 
 9) with unfaithfulness and sin. 
 
 1. Chs. 40-48. Ch. 40, Omnipotence of Him who offers de- 
 liverance, voice crying in wilderness, v. 3. Ch. 41, contrasted 
 impotence of idols ; they can do nothing, but God will raise up 
 Cyrus and redeem His people. Ch. 42, destiny of God's ser- 
 vant, which neither God's seeming apathy, nor his own charac- 
 ter and condition shall obstruct. Chs. 43. 44, God will certain- 
 ly befriend His people in spite of idols and diviners. Chs. 45-47, 
 Cyrus predicted by name, the humiliation of Babylon and the 
 deliverance of God's captive people. 
 
 2. Chs. 49-57. Ch. 49, Servant of Lord complains of want of 
 success ; he shall accomplish the salvation, not of Israel only, 
 
68 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 but of the ends of the earth. The blessedness thence resulting, 
 49 : 12 ; 56 : 8, confirmed by former benefits, viz. : Multiplica- 
 tion of Abraham's seed, 51 : 2, deliverance from Egypt, v. 9, 
 and from Assyria, 52 : 4, and twice interrupted by the suffer- 
 ings of the Servant of the Lord, 50: 6, and ch. 53, Blessings 
 flowing from this vicarious death, ch. 54, offered freely to all 
 without restriction, ch. 55, expressly extended to sons of 
 strangers and those ceremonially debarred from covenant 
 privileges, 56 : 1-8 ; the heavy doom of apostates and sinners, 
 56: 9; 57: 5il. 
 
 3. Chs. 58-66. The wickedness and hypocrisy of the people 
 the cause of their suS"ering, chs. 58, 59, and call for divine in- 
 tervention, 59 : 16, both for mercy and vengeance, bringing sal- 
 vation to Zion, chs. 60-62, and judgment on Edom, the type of 
 her foes, 63 : 1-6. The Servant of the Lord for the last time, 
 61 : 1-3 ; comp. Luke 4 : 18, 19. The prophet's prayer for the 
 speedy accomplishment of these things, 63: 7; 64: 12. The 
 Lord's answer, chs. 65, 6Q, the wicked shall be cut off, God's 
 true servants preserved and blessed, new heavens and new earth, 
 paradise restored, God's people brought back, Gentiles made 
 priests, all flesh worship. Extension of salvation to Gentiles 
 foreshadowed in call of Abraham, Gen. 12 : 3, recognized in Mo- 
 saic period. Num. 14 : 21, and by Psalmists, 22 : 27, 28 ; 72 : 
 8, etc.; and taught with great fullness by Isaiah ; this was the 
 design of (a) the appointment of the Servant of the Lord, 42 
 1, 4, 6 ; (b) the exaltation to be bestowed on Israel, 2 : 2-4 
 60 : 3 ; (e) the judgments on the heathen, whether (a) the over 
 throw of an empire aspiring to be universal, 10 : 34 ; 11 : 9 
 (6) the punishment of individual nations resulting in the con- 
 version of others, 18 : 7, or their own, chs. 19, 23, or, (c) the 
 judgment on all nations, 24 : 14, 15 ; 59 : 18, 19. Represented 
 as (a) a subjugation, 11 : 14 ; (b) voluntary accession, 2:3; 11: 
 10 ; (c) rendering service, 14 : 1, 2 ; 49 : 22, 23, (d) union on 
 an equal footing, 19 : 24 ; 56 : 6, 8; 66 : 21, (e) substitution in 
 place of the rejected sinners of Israel, 65 : 1, 2. Expressed 
 mostly in 0. T. forms : coming up to Zion, off'ering sacrifices, 
 etc., yet occasional intimations of their temporary character, 
 (a) physical impossibility literally understood, 66 : 23 ; (b) un- 
 essential nature of outward forms, 1 : 11-15 ; 58 : 2-7 ; (c) re- 
 moval of Levitical restrictions, 19 : 19 : 64 : 4, 5. 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 69 
 
 GENUINENESS OE ISAIAH. 
 
 For correspondence of Isaiah, 2 : 2-4, and Micah, 4 : 1-3. 
 {Vide Alexander's Commentary.) Also of the four historical 
 chapters, 36-39, and 2 Kings 18: 13 ; 20 : 19. The burden of 
 Moab, chs. 15 and 16 (see 16 : 13, 14,) in consequence of its 
 closing verses has been thought to be the production of a pro- 
 phet older than Isaiah, and simply re-affirraed by him. It is 
 more probable that Isaiah here repeated an earlier prophecy of 
 his own. This prophecy is not in form, but substantially what 
 had been predicted by prophets before him. The question of 
 genuineness is very different from this. Every prophecy from 
 the beginning to the close of the book which implies a foresight 
 of the Babylonish exile, is said to be spurious on the ground 
 that such foresight is contrary to nature, e. g., two burdens of 
 Babylon, 13 and 14 chs., 21 : 1-10, and the comfort (40-66 
 chs.) given to the people of God. 
 
 (1.) Skeptics from a disbelief of prophetic foresight have no 
 influence with those who are Christians. It is simply a begging 
 of the question. 
 
 (2.) Objectors have not a pretext on any external ground. 
 The entire book claims to be the book of Isaiah. So asserted 
 in Chron. 32 : 32. Alluded to in Ecclesiasticus 48 : 22-25. 
 Of the 21 times in which Isaiah is mentioned in the N. T., 11 
 are from this section. No MSS. or versions leave them out. 
 The book has been in Jewish custody from the earliest times, 
 and no doubt has been expressed until recent times. They 
 must have guarded it carefully. 
 
 (3.) The allegations that these sections differ in'style from 
 the other parts of the book have been made in subserviency to 
 the objections already named. There was no discovery of dif- 
 ference in style for 24 centuries, and it was first brought for- 
 Avard when the book was given up on other grounds. What one 
 critic condemns as inelegant, another lauds to the skies. They 
 are quite at variance as to whether these sections differ from 
 one another. They all agree that they differ from Isaiah's style 
 in other places. When they undertake to point to specific dif- 
 ferences in style, they bring up such words and phrases as do 
 not occur in other parts of the book. This may be true if it be 
 allowed that nothing is to be accepted which is found in one 
 book of a writer, but not in another. As far as there is any 
 difference of style in Isaiah, it may be accounted for by the 
 difference of subject and occasion, or difference of purpose, if 
 
70 PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 it be admitted that the last seven chapters had a different pur- 
 pose. These differences of style are the vanities of style of a 
 writer of great genius The changes are due partly to advanc- 
 ing years. The objection of the existence of words and phrases 
 which indicate a later time than that of Isaiah, is established 
 by most uncertain data. Suppositious senses are laid to them. 
 Words which occur in no other writings of that time are said 
 to belong to another period. Sometimes words are found to 
 agree with prophets of an earlier period, and these are rejected. 
 
 (4.) It is impossible to account for the prophecies in question 
 being found in the canon if they were not his own. They were 
 either put there innocently, or by fraud, but how a writer in 
 the time of the exile could succeed in passing one of his writ- 
 ings for those of Isaiah, which were at the time of the forma- 
 tion of the canon is unimaginable, and the greater the number 
 of writers the greater the complexity. How these chapters 
 could have been innocently put into the canon, it is impossible 
 to see. How writings could have appeared in the time of 
 Isaiah, and been mistaken for his is inconceivable. This 
 difficulty is greatly exaggerated by the number of spurious 
 passages. If these passages were taken away the symmetry of 
 the book would be exceedingly marred. It is objected to the 
 two burdens of Babylon, chs. 13, 14, 21: 1-10, that the exile 
 is not predicted, but implied, therefore the writer must have 
 lived in the midst of the exile. Answer. — The prophets often 
 speak of future events as if they were present, their certainty is 
 so great. The exile had been already foretold by Isaiah, ch. 5. 
 It had been foretold by Moses in Lev. 26. Isaiah in ch. 39 
 declares who the agents of this calamity were to be. He speaks 
 of the birth, death and sufferings of the Messiah as past. Are 
 we, therefore, to conclude that these portions were written after 
 the death of Christ ? 
 
 Positive Proofs of Genuineness. — (1.) The title of the first of 
 these burdens (13 : 1) expressly alludes to Isaiah. It was put 
 there by the prophet himself, and was necessary for the statement 
 of the theme. (2.) 14 : 24-27, The concluding part of this burden 
 is admitted to belong to Isaiah. Critics have in vain attempted 
 to find a place for this passage in other portions of the prophecy. 
 It refers to Assyria, but where is there mention of Assyria at the 
 time of the exile, when Assyria had passed away long before? 
 (3.) 21 : 1-6, By the general structure of the burdens, and 
 from the enigmatical title, introducing the figure of the Avatch- 
 man. The structure of these burdens is like all the others, 
 therefore they were written by Isaiah. (4.) The prophetic 
 
PROPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 71 
 
 foresight will not be destroyed by transferring him to the latest 
 period possible — exile. Even when Cyrus was before the walls 
 of Babylon, no one would believe he could overcome the city. 
 
 Objections to 40-66. — (1.) With regard to the last chapters of 
 the prophecy it is objected that the people are represented as 
 already in exile, {a) This is the case far less frequently than it 
 is alleged. The number of passages which relate to the return- 
 ing from exile is small, and many which are said to relate to it 
 are found to relate to it only in connection with other things. 
 The return from exile is from all quarters, and not from one. 
 (h) This objection would make these passages inconsistent with 
 those in which the prophet urges his prediction of coming events 
 in proof of God's foreknowledge and superiority over idols, 41 : 
 22-27 ; 43 : 9-12; 46 : 9-11. If, as is implied in the objection, 
 the prophet merely told what his contemporaries knew, as well 
 as himself, the claims here put forth are absurd, (c) QQ : 6-20, 
 Other passages show that the temple Avas still standing, and its 
 worship observed, 58 : 2-6 ; m : 1-3 ; 43 : 24 ; 65 : 11. Other 
 passages speak of idolatry as still existing, but the Israelites did 
 not practice idolatry in exile ; it must, therefore, have been be- 
 fore that time, 52 : 3 ; 65 : 11 ; 66 : 17, and this, too, in forms more 
 probably derived from Egypt than from Babylon. Other pas- 
 sages speak of the people as courting the alliance with foreign 
 monarchies, but this is the state of things before the exile, {d) 
 As far as the fact is true, the force of the objection is from con- 
 founding the ideal present with the actual present. Such is the 
 assurance of the prophet with regard to the events that he re- 
 gards them as present. 53 : 3-9, The sufferings of the Mes- 
 siah are represented as past, but no one says the prophecy is 
 after the time of Christ. 
 
 (2.) It is alleged that the predictions are plain till the close 
 of the exile, but vague thereafter, and this shows what is the 
 standpoint of the writer. (a) Though the predictions of the 
 fact of the exile, and deliverance from it are sufficiently clear, 
 and are proof of the divine foreknowledge, it is to be observed 
 that the expressions are mostly general, and often specific. 
 The name of Cyrus is given, but no one out of these allusions 
 could make anything like a history of Cyrus. (6) It is a com- 
 mon characteristic of prophecy that it is not an indiscriminate 
 disclosure of the future, but just so much of the future as to 
 furnish useful lessons. The prophet sees only what is made 
 known to him, and just that is foreseen which is necessary for 
 the people. He tells the people who are broken down, that 
 God will protect them, and bring them to ultimate glory. This 
 
72 PBOPHETS AND PEOPHECY. 
 
 is in all plainness revealed to him. (c) In so far as the fact al- 
 leged is true, it makes against the cause for which it is used, 
 clear predictions of the advance of Cyrus, etc. But from the 
 terras of the prophecy it might be inferred that at that time the 
 Messianic period would come at once. Considered as a predic- 
 tion uttered by Isaiah, this juxtaposition is accounted for. The 
 Messiah is the background of all. Thus in speaking of deliver- 
 ance from Syria and Ephraim, he speaks of the birth from the 
 virgin. If Isaiah wrote before Cyrus had taken Babylon, then 
 he must have had foresight, (d) Josephus (Ant. XL : 1, 2), says 
 that these predictions were shown to Cyrus, and were one of 
 the things to induce him to rescue the people of God. This 
 gives a reason why Cyrus restored the people to their own land. 
 This is corroborated by Ezra 1 : 2. (e) The figures and phrases 
 peculiar to Isaiah in this section have been gathered up, and it 
 has been shown that there are multitudes which are found here 
 and in other parts of Isaiah, e. g., " Holy One of Israel," as ap- 
 plied to God, is twelve times in the former part of Isaiah, and 
 fourteen times here. 
 
 MICAH. 
 
 Name, Morasthite, in days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. 
 Title disputed, (a) from form of prophet's name. But va- 
 rious forms used interchangeably in same passage : and mas- 
 oretic note to Jer. 26 : 18 no proof of later usage ; (b) from 
 subject of prophecy, but see 1: 5, 6; (c) from Jer. 26 : 18, but 
 this does not limit his ministry to reign of Hezekiah; {d) from 
 contents of book, but disagreement of those who allege it; 4: 
 9, 10 does not refer to carrying away of Manasseh ; denial of 
 prophetic foresight. 
 
 Summary of prophet's, ministry, not distinct discourses. 
 Three sections ch. 1, 2, chs. 3-5, chs. 6, 7. In the first, judg- 
 ment preponderates, and negative side of coming salvation. In 
 the second, mercy, the positive salvation, person of Messiah. 
 In the third, the threatenings justified, and promises appropri- 
 ated. 
 
PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 73 
 
 NAHUM. 
 
 Name, Elkoshite, Capernaum ? Date (a) inferred from posi- 
 tion of book, (6) from 1 : 9-14 which refers not to captivity of 
 Manasseh but invasion of Sennacherib, (c) from 3 : 8-10, but 
 the event and its date uncertain. Double title. Three parts, 
 ch. 1, decree of Nineveh's overthrow, ch. 2, its overthrow de- 
 scribed, ch. 3, the reasons of it, and the certainty of its ac- 
 complishment. 
 
 CHALDEAN PERIOD. 
 
 Separated from preceding period by the ungodly reigns of 
 Manasseh, 55 yrs., Anion, 2 yrs , and the people under them 
 were very bad. Manasseh was woi'se than any king Israel ever 
 had. He erected altars of idolati-y, even in the temple, and he 
 filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, 2 Kings 21:. 1-16; 2 
 Chron. 33 : 1-9. Manasseh repented and reformed at the close 
 of his reign, but with so little effect upon the popular corrup- 
 tion that the author of Kings passes it over in silence. 
 
 Such was the state of things when Josiah, at 8 yrs. of age, 
 came to the throne. At 12 yrs. of age, he began to purge the 
 land of idolatry. At 18 yrs. he repaired God's house, and 
 abolished idolatry. After 31 yrs. of reign he was slain at 
 Megiddo. Four kings followed, and all were wicked. Of these, 
 the first and last were sons of Josiah by different mothers. 
 Jehoahaz, 3 mos., was carried to Egypt, and died there. Je- 
 hoiakim, 11 yrs. ; he was placed over the kingdom by the king 
 of Egypt ; he exceeded the others in wickedness. In his fourth 
 year, Nebuchadnezzar completed his preparation, and captured 
 Jerusalem. Jer. 46 : 2. The first deportation of exiles was at 
 this time, and the 70 yrs. captivity must be reckoned from this 
 time. The city still continued for some years. The rebellion 
 of Jehoiiichin (3inos.) called for a new demonstration on the 
 part of Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah was a weak prince, in fear 
 of the nobles of the land. He did not protect Jeremiah, or obey 
 his. message. His reign of 11 yrs. terminated with the de- 
 struction of the city. 
 
 I. This period is distinguished from the preceding by the 
 
74 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 greatly increased and increasing corruption. Several signs of 
 this : (a) The character of the kings was an influential cause of 
 the state of things. In the former period Ahaz is the only 
 wicked king ; in this, Josiah is the only good one. And even 
 in his time the idolatry and corruption were only put down for 
 a time. When this Avas past they became Avorse than ever. 
 (h) Obduracy in the face of judgment. In the former period, 
 on the approach of the Assyrians, Hezekiah went in sackcloth, 
 and in prayer to God. But now Jehudi (Jer. 36 : 23, 24) cut 
 in pieces the roll of Jeremiah, and threw it into the fire. Zede- 
 kiah refused to obey the prophets, though the enemy was before 
 the city, Jeremiah chs. 37, 38, And the people were confirmed 
 in evil, Jer. 44 : 17, 18. (c) Persecution and martyrdom of 
 the prophets of God. The former prophets complained that 
 the people had not obeyed their messages, but there was no 
 violence done them. Even judgments of vvhich they were fore- 
 warned were defied, Is. 5 : 19 ; Amos 5 : 18 ; 7 : 12, 13. Now 
 they are the subjects of every form of abuse, 2 Chron. 36: 16; 
 Jer. 26 : 20-23. {d) Prevalence and influence of false pro- 
 phets. The existence of false prophets was intimated in the 
 previous period, but now they appear with an influence and a 
 power such as they never had before. By their promises they 
 break the force of the messages of the true prophets, Jer. 28. 
 This is an index of corruption, especially of the noble classes. 
 [e) Presumptuous trust in covenant privileges, even while disre- 
 garding the conditions of promise, Jer. 7 : 4. Even the captiv- 
 ity of the ten tribes, instead of confirming to them the threats 
 and warnings of the true prophets, bolstered their conceit, be- 
 cause the fact of their preservation thus far proved God's 
 special favor. And Josiah's reformation seems only to have 
 made them self-righteous. 
 
 II. Consequence of nearness of the divine judgment, God's 
 forbearance had reached its last period. The Assyrians had 
 passed off the scene. The Chaldeans are now charged with the 
 execution of this sentence. Ti ey began as soon as good King 
 Josiah died. 
 
 Three prophets in this period ; Jeremiah, Habakkuk and 
 Zephaniah. These occupy an unequal amount of space. From 
 the long ministry of Jeremiah, we have full account of his 
 work. Prophecies of Habakkuk and Zephaniah are brief, as 
 their ministries were. These books may be short, disconnected 
 portions, or summaries of their prophecies. Of their persons 
 we know nothing. The condition of things in Judah at this 
 time was the same as that of Israel before the captivity, which 
 
PROPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 75 
 
 called for the denunciations. There is this difierence, however : 
 (1.) The kingdom was not essentially criminal, nor utterly apos- 
 tate. (2.) It still retained the body of God's people. (3.) The 
 rejection, therefore, was not to be so great nor final. The 
 kingdom looked at a future restoration, hence there is more 
 room for promises, direct and indirect, positive and negative. 
 While, therefore, Jeremiah is like Hosea, and Zephaniah like 
 Amos, Habakkuk proclaiming the overthrow of Babylon is in 
 contrast with Jonah, Jeremiah and Zephaniah are mainly de- 
 nunciatory, with few promises. And so are most of the pro- 
 phecies of this period. Habakkuk is chiefly consolatory. 
 Judgment is necessary in order to break the fatal security of 
 the people. For the sake of the people of God, in view of the 
 great judgment, it was important that the design and result of 
 the judgment should be stated in advance. God was not to 
 break off the covenant of grace, but his promises would still be 
 fulfilled, Hab. 2 : 14 ; 3 : 13. (1.) Jeremiah had a long minis- 
 try, large book of prophecy. The other books are short, and 
 their ministries likewise. (2.) Full details of Jeremiah's life, 
 while nothing is recorded of the others. (3.) Jeremiah and 
 Zephaniah principally judgment on Judah, Habakkuk judgment 
 on Babylon. (4.) Promises given that the judgment should 
 not destroy but purify, limit set to the exile, people, city, king- 
 dom, priesthood should not perish forever, Jer. chs. 31-33. 
 The exile (Jer. 29 : 10), would be temporary. Every apparent 
 loss should be more than compensated, Sequel to the preced- 
 ing period in Judah. His promise was still to stand sure. The 
 ark might perish, but it would not be missed. Every loss was 
 a real gain, Jer. 3: 16, 17. The tables of the law might be 
 lost, but the law was written on their hearts, Jer. 31 : 31-33. 
 The Chaldean period is a sequel of what had preceded it. They 
 were pursuing the same course with the same causes and simi- 
 lar results. The same judgment was still before them, but now 
 nearer. (1.) The range of foresight of these prophets did not 
 reach beyond that of the preceding ones. (2.) They reiterate 
 the same predictions their predecessors proclaimed, often stat- 
 ing them in the same language. They thus conformed to the 
 ancient prophecies, and at the same time give authority for 
 their own predictions. No new or peculiar Messianic predic- 
 tions. Habakkuk gives the negative side of the future, the 
 overthrow of all that obstructs the people of God. Zephaniah 
 is positive, and tells of the regathering of the people from cap- 
 tivity, and of their future glory. Jeremiah is both positive and 
 negative, and at the same time goes beyond Habakkuk and 
 
76 PEOPEETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 Zephaniah, by introducing the person of Christ, as Branch of 
 David, over Israel and Judah united. All three prophets de- 
 clare that the theocracy is now to break up, and that all nations 
 will one day be included in the kingdom of God. 
 
 JEREMIAH. 
 
 No more details of Jeremiah's life are given than of any 
 other canonical prophet. His name signifies "he whom God 
 hath appointed," but the usage of the word makes it mean, " he 
 whom God will throw down," and his was a ministry of over- 
 throw and reconstruction, 1 : 10. He was son of Hilkiah, 
 priest in Anathoth. He was, thei'efore, of priestly descent, 
 like Ezekiel. Was Hilkiah the same as the one mentioned in 
 2 Kings 22: 4? It is not certain, but probably they Avere dif- 
 ferent persons. For (1.) Jeremiah's father is never called the 
 High-Priest. (2.) 1 Chron. 9 : U ; Nehemiah 11 : 11. The 
 High-Priest, Hilkiah, was from Zadok, of the family of Eleazer, 
 to whom this dignity Avas transferred, 1 Chron. 24 : 35 ; 1 
 Kings 2 : 35. (3.) In addition, it has been alleged that the 
 High-Priest must reside in Jerusalem. This is questioned, if 
 the Hilkiah of Jer. 29 : 3, is the prophet's father, then the pro- 
 phet had a brother. The hostility of his house against him is 
 recorded in the 12th ch. 37 : 2, he had a cousin and an .uncle. 
 His uncle is said to be the same Shallum who was the husband 
 of the prophetess Huldah, 2 Kings 22 : 14. Anathoth was es- 
 tablished for the possession of the priests, Josh. 21 : 18. It 
 was three miles north of Jerusalem. Here the prophet was 
 born, 29 : 27, and spenc his early years. He was called at an 
 early age, 1 : 6. This was the year after Josiah began his first 
 reformation. He Avas, therefore, called early to aid this pious 
 king in his work. His youth may not have been so great as it 
 seems to be from the expression, " a child," Avhich is applied 
 to him. This term was applicable from birth to twenty years 
 of age. We do not read that he ever acted as priest, and we 
 know he was never married, 16: 2. In the title of the book, 
 1 : 2, 3, mention is made of Josiah. But Jehoahaz and Jeho- 
 iachin are omitted. His ministry Avas forty years, to the cap- 
 ture of Jerusalemc Under Josiah, eighteen years, 13 : 31 ; Je- 
 hoash, three months ; Jehoiakira, eleven years ; Jehoiachin, 
 
FBOPHETS AND PBOPHEGY. 77 
 
 three months ; Zedekiah, fourteen years. Two remarks : (a) 
 The omission of two of these kings made in Jeremiah, is ac- 
 counted for either by the brevity of their reigns, or because 
 nothing occurs to bring out anything from the prophet. (6) 
 The ministry of the prophet is spoken of as extending only to 
 the captivity of Jerusalem, whereas the prophecies of chapters 
 40-46 were after that date, Dan. 1 : 21. 
 
 Jeremiah's task was to testify of the coming ruin. He had 
 done this for a long time. The kingdom was overthrown, and 
 the people came into captivity. Jn order to complete the pic- 
 ture, he traces the fortunes of the remnant left behind in 
 Jerusalem, and going from bad to worse. We are not to un- 
 derstand, therefore, that his ministry extended only to the cap- 
 tivity. Whatever he was to tell after this Avas not so import- 
 ant. Dan. 1 : 21, a parallel " until the first year of Cyrus ; " 
 but we find him after the third year of Cyrus. Yet the most 
 important part of his ministry was before the first year. 
 
 Three great events. 1. The reformation of Josiah. 2. Cap- 
 ture of Jerusalem in the fourth year of Jehoiakim. 3. Its de- 
 struction in the eleventh year of Zedekiah. With the mention 
 of 2 : 21 and 12 : 6 of the hostile treatment of the men of Ana- 
 thoth, some have said he began his ministry in the place of 
 his birth, but meeting with persecution there, went to Jeru- 
 salem. But 2 : 2 says he exercised his ofiice in Jerusalem 
 from the first, its vicinity being such that men of Anathoth 
 could exercise hostility toward him there easily. Was per- 
 secuted, 36 : 5 ; 22 : 2. The command, in 11 : 6, to the cities 
 of Judah, does not say that his ministry was itinerant, be- 
 cause 26 : 2, he is represented as doing the same. No other 
 prophet except Isaiah met with such treatment. He was per- 
 secuted by others as well as by citizens of Anathoth. Even 
 Isaiah retired from persecution, while Jeremiah kept on. He 
 was warned of this when he was commissioned of God. He 
 was met with sneers, 23 : 33-40. People upheld their false 
 prophets who attempted to destroy the force of Jeremiah's mes- 
 sages. The sight of this evil from the people of God was al- 
 most too much for such a prophet, and he 20 : 14-18, curses the 
 day of his birth. It was not timidity, for no one can exceed 
 him in courage. 20 : 11-13. His enemies were not confined to 
 words, but extended to acts, 20 : 1-6, put in stocks by Pashur. 
 Arrested on charge of treason, 36 : 5, not imprisoned but under 
 restraint. So that, 36 : 19, he could not with safety show him- 
 self. Ch. 29 : 26, 27, his punishment was demanded from 
 Zephaniah. The prophet attempted to leave the city 37 : 13, 
 
78 PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 In spite of his denial of treason he was put in prison 26 : 8. 
 Cast into a pit in the court of the prison to die, 39 : 15-18. His 
 imprisonment must have lasted nine months. During this time 
 Zephaniah consulted him secretly twice. Jeremiah came into 
 Egypt Avhen the Jews fled thence, and he remained there. 
 
 Legends concerning Jeremiah. — That he was stoned by the 
 Jews, and that his grave is in Cairo. Alexandrian Jews loved 
 him because he had been Avith them in Egypt, and they have 
 many legends about him, 2 Mac. 2 : 1-7 ; 15 : 15, 16. From 
 Matt. 16 : 14, it appears that at the time of Christ, there was 
 an expectation of his personal re-appearance, which may be ac- 
 counted for by the fact that no mention is made of his death. 
 Many think that he is one of the two witnesses in Rev. 11. 
 
 The Septuagint differs from A. V. very considerably. 33 : 
 14-26, have been dropped. 46 : 46-51 are not only in a differ- 
 ent order among themselves, but the entire section has been re- 
 moved to stand after ch. 26. These differences are remarked 
 on by Jerome and Origen. Jerome — carelessness of transcrib- 
 ers. The Septuagint made from a faulty MS. Michaelis says 
 there was one edition in Egypt after the prophet's death. From 
 the nature of the variations it is evident that they can not be 
 traced to the ordinary differences in copying. They must have 
 had a purpose. 
 
 Text and Plan of Jeremiah. — Discrepancies between Hebrew 
 and Greek text, abbreviations, additions, alterations, transposi- 
 tions, remarked by Origen and Jerine. Theories of Egyptian 
 and Palestine editions of the original. Due to the translator, 
 (a) Their character ; {b) inaccuracies and arbitrary changes in 
 other books ; (c) 2 Chron. 36 : 20. Prophecies not in chrono- 
 logical order: Hence many commentators complain want of ar- 
 rangement and confusion. Lightfoot and Blaney assume acci- 
 dental dislocation. Eichborn's hypothesis is that there were dif- 
 ferent editions of this book. (1.) These statements are based 
 on a false assumption. The disorder claimed does not exist. 
 (2.) These hypotheses are mere figments of the brain. The only 
 solution they offer is a mere chance. (3.) Nothing can be safely 
 built on the roll of Baruch, 36, because the contents of it are 
 unknown. They were not for permanent preservation, but for 
 a special occasion, 36 : 32. (4.) These theories regard the for- 
 mation of the book as a mere mechanical work, thrown about 
 without any ideas at all. This excludes any participation by 
 the prophet in the arrangement of the book. Reaction in Ger- 
 man criticism, and now Ewald recognizes an orderly arrange- 
 ment. 
 
PROPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 79 
 
 The Book from Jeremiah Himself. — That the book in its pre- 
 sent form proceeded from the prophet is shown : (1.) By the fre- 
 quent use of the first person, both in the individual prophecies, 
 and the headings of the transpositions, which show that he com- 
 posed and arranged them, 12 : 6. (2.) In the fourth and fifth 
 years of Jehoiakim, 36 : 2-32, he reduced to writing what had 
 been given him. He was again told, 30 : 2, to write. That the 
 prophetical book could not have been produced at the time is 
 evident from the fact that these are productions after that time, 
 and formulas of transition. The arrangement topical, hinted 
 27 : 12. Not written piecemeal in the course of his ministry, 
 but a continuous composition prepared at its close. 1. Prophe- 
 cies of different periods put together, those of the same period 
 dispersed. 2. Prophecies accompanied by remarks made at a 
 later period, 25 : 1. 3. Allusions to succeeding portions of the 
 book. 4. Systematic disposition of the matter. 
 
 Analysis of Jeremiah. — Three sections with a historical 
 appendix, ch. 52. I. chs. 1-33, Prediction of the judgment 
 and the restoration. II. chs. 34-45, History of the judgment. 
 III. chs. 46-51, Predictions respecting foreign nations. First 
 section subdivided. A. chs. 1-20, General denunciation of 
 Judah. B. chs. 21-23, Civil and religious leaders. C. chs. 
 24-29, Design and duration of the judgment. D. chs. 30-33, 
 Blessings which would follow. Threatening preponderates, but 
 a few words of promise in each division till the last. In A. not 
 separate discourses, but continuous treatment of one theme ; 
 no date except 3 : 6. Second section. A. chs. 34-38, Evi- 
 dences of ripeness for judgment. B. ch. 39, Destruction of the 
 city. C. chs. 40-45, Fortunes of the remnant. No promise to 
 the people, only one in each division to individuals, the Rechab- 
 ites, 35 : 18, 19 ; Ebed-melech, 39 : 15-18 ; Baruch, ch. 45. 
 
 Contents of Jeremiah. — Abounds in symbols, {a) Visions : 
 almond tree, 1 : 11, 12 ; seething-pot, 1 : 13, 14 ; baskets of figs, 
 ch. 24 ; wine cup 25 : 15. {b) Actions : girdle, 13 : 1-11 ; 
 potter's vessels, l8: 1-6; bottle broken, 19: 1-13; yoke, 27: 
 1-11 ; field purchased, 32 : 6-15 ; Rechabites, ch. 35 ; stones in 
 the brick-kiln, 43 : 8-10 ; book sunk in the Euphrates, 51 : 59-64. 
 (c) Names, Magor-missabib, 20 : 3 ; Shallum, 22 : 11 ; Coniah, 
 22 : 24 ; new application of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, 23 : 5,6; 
 Sheshach, 25 : 26 ; " the midst of them that rise up against me," 
 51 : 1 ; Merathaim, Pekod, 50 : 21. 
 
 I. A. Ch. 1, introductory, describes character of his 
 ministry, first literally, then symbolically, in two visions. Chs. 
 2-20, divided by headings into three parts. (1.) Chs. 1-6 
 
80 PBOPHETS AND PBOPHEGY. 
 
 argument of doom, (a) 2 : 1 ; 3 : 5 Judah guilty of forsaking 
 Jehovah, (h) 3 : 6 ; 4:2 Judah worse than Israel. 3 : 14 
 Judah shnll be brought back to Zion, and God will recognize 
 His marriage relation to them on condition of their returning to 
 Him. This will be fulfilled not in the return of the entire 
 body, but even to single individuals. Instead of the foreign 
 oppressors under whose sway they were, 3 : 15, they shall 
 have pastors like David. 1 Sam. 3 : 14 ; Jer. 3 : 16. (c) 4 : 
 3 ; 6 : 20, Judah to be visited with desolation and exile. (2.) 
 Neh. 7 : 13, Judah's covenant privileges could not save him. 
 The ark of the covenant was to be destroyed even though 
 Judah was relying upon it. God will reveal Himself to the 
 pious among the people, in such a way as they had not ex- 
 perienced before. The whole city of God's people will be made 
 Avhat the ark had been before, v. 17. All nations would be 
 gathered to Jerusalem. The promises of Jeremiah are sub- 
 stantially a repetition of those of Hosea and Amos. There are 
 some differences, however, (a) In Jeremiah there is an enlarg- 
 ment of God's grace. The condition of promise is more indi- 
 vidual, (h) The announcement of Judah's fall is made with 
 more distinctness, because the time of the evil was so much 
 nearer. The speaking of the ark of the covenant as being 
 taken away and destroyed implies a change in the whole 
 economy. The ark had given value to the temple, and if that 
 Avas gone, everything was lost, unless a new order of things 
 should come in to take its place. A new dispensation here, and 
 in ch. 31, was particularly ;ippropri:ite because demolition was 
 already about to take place. The taking away of the ark is not 
 understood by those who think there will be a return to the 
 rituals of Judaism, for what will they be without the ark ? 2 
 Chron. 35 : 3. The prophet then goes on to say that Judah will be 
 given into the hands of the heathen even as Israel was. The 
 temple would not save them, 7 : 4 ; nor their sacrifices, 
 7 : 21 ; nor their possession of the law, 8:8; nor the presence 
 of God, 8:19; nor their circumcision, 9 : 25, 26. Jeremiah 
 12 : 14-17 contains a promise to the Gentiles. God will return 
 to them and bring them to His heritage. The form of this 
 promise gives us a hint as to the literal method of interpreta- 
 tion. If this prophecy does not and can not mean that the 
 lineal descendents of Babylon shall be built up again in their 
 own land, then why are we compelled to regard the promises in 
 the case of Israel as literally a return to their own land? (3.) 
 Chs. 14-20. Judah's doom terrible and inevitable. Yet there 
 is a promise of distant mercy in a form implying the nearer 
 judgment, 13: 14, 15. 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 81 
 
 B. Chs. 21-28. The people having been sentenced, the pro- 
 phet turns to the leaders of the people upon whom the guilt 
 falls. He rebukes the kings of former days, and then con- 
 trasts with them the future faithful shepherds, and especially 
 Messiah. 
 
 C. Chs. 24-29. Purpose and duration of the exile declared 
 in the reign of Jehoiakim, " whom the Lord shall raise up." 
 The former Jehoiakim was only a parody of the kino^ who 
 should come. Zedekiah, " the Lord our righteousness." Here 
 again the first is the mere parody of the second. Jeremiah 
 concludes the first section of the book with a series of promises. 
 
 D. Chs. 30-33. These four chapters are promissory of bless- 
 ings to follow the judgments; as appears from title of ch. 32. 
 They are divided into two parts of two chapters each. 
 
 (1) Chs. 30-31. 1. Ch. 3G. (a) To both branches of the 
 covenant people, [h) To the people separately. To Israel, 
 31 : 1-21. To Judah, 31 : 22-30. The promise is that they 
 should be restored with David as their king. (2) The promise 
 is that God will entei- into a new and more intimate covenant 
 relation with them than formerly when they came out of Egypt. 
 And hence (31 : 31-34,) all shall know the Lord. The covenant 
 written upon stone shall be engraved upon their hearts. The 
 relation to the people shall be indissoluble, fixed as the natural 
 laws of God, 31 : 35-37. (3.) These three truths, {a) the res- 
 toration, (b) the new intensity, (c) the perpetuity of the theoc- 
 racy, having been stated in literal terms (31 : 38-40), are again 
 set forth under a figure of the rebuilding of Jerusalem ; not 
 only in its former dimensions, but greatly enlarged. It shall be 
 rebuilt so as to extend over new territory outside, and formerly 
 regarded as polluted, but now made sacred. Hill of Gareb, 31 : 
 39, the hill of the lepers, that profane spot outside of the city, 
 where the lepers were banished. Goath (31 : 39) : About the 
 meaning of this there is a question. But the derivation of the 
 word will decide it. It may be derived either from goah, to ex- 
 pire, or gaah, to groan. It is probable that it denotes the place 
 of the execution of criminals. The temple is to include all 
 these, and also '' the whole valley of dead bodies ;" not the 
 cemetery, but the valley of Hinnom, which was a very unclean 
 place, and the image of hell, " And of the ashes." This place 
 is the spot to which the ashes from the temple sacrifices were 
 carried out of the city. " And all the fields unto the brook of 
 Kedron." These fields Josiah had defiled by strewing the ashes 
 of the idolatrous vessels which had been burned upon the grass 
 of the worshipers of the false gods, Baal and Astarte, 2 Kings 
 
82 PROPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 22 : 24-26. All these places were profane, yet to be included 
 within the limits of the restored city, and to become holy to the 
 Lord. Idolatry and pollution were not only not to come into 
 the city, but the holiness of the city should reach out and hal- 
 low even that which before had been regarded as irretrievably 
 unclean. That these promises do not belong to the material 
 Jerusalem, nor to the natural Jerusalem as such, but to the spir- 
 itual people of God, is apparent, (a) from inspired application, 
 Heb. 8 : 8 : 10 : 15-17. ip) Also Jeremiah's words elsewhere. 
 God's promises not bound by nationality irrespective of charac- 
 ter, 18 : 6-10 ; the true Israel preserved in the faithful few not- 
 withstanding the rejection of the unbelieving mass, 3 : 14 ; 24 : 
 4-10 ; and the building of heathen in the midst of God's people, 
 12 : 6 ; Avhen the covenant of stone has been broken. God will 
 put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts, 
 31 : 83. After the ark has been taken away (3 : 16), what is 
 there to give sacredness to Jerusalem, which is not possessed by 
 every other city which is spiritual ? Cf. John 4 : 21-23. 
 
 (2) Chs. 32-33. Promises by restoration repeated, re-af- 
 firmed, and enforced by the symbol of the purchase of the field 
 of Anathoth, outside the city. This indicates the certainty of 
 a restoration. He then, in addition, gives: 1. Assurance of 
 the perpetuity of royalty and priesthood (33 : 17, 18). The 
 purpose of God in this matter is as fixed as the succession of 
 day and night. 2. The multiplication of those invested with 
 royal and priestly dignity (33 : 22). Judah was on the point 
 of being broken up and the temple destroyed, the throne of 
 David cast down. But Jeremiah would teach the people of God 
 that these things will not continue forever. A glorious future 
 is before them. The theocracy is not dissolved, but only inter- 
 rupted, to be restored again into a more glorious condition. 
 The promise (33 : 17, 18), is that David and the priesthood 
 should never lack successors. The marginal reading is the true 
 rendering. This secures from extirpation, but not from tempo- 
 rary interruption. Cf. 2 Sam. 7 : 14-16 ; Ps. 89 : 29-37, with 
 Jer. 33 : 22. These promises are fulfilled iu a threefold way. 
 {a) In. a partial fulfillment in Zerubbabel, who, though not 
 strictl}' king, exercised some regal functions, {h) Further ful- 
 filled in Christ, who is the seed of David, (c) Finally in all the 
 true people of God who are all to be made kings and adopted 
 into the house of David. That this is intended appears from 
 33 : 22, where the vast multiplication of the house of David is 
 mentioned. 1. The perpetuity of the kingdom does not require 
 such a vast number of descendants. 2. Its fulfillment in the 
 
PBOPBETS AXD PMOPHECY. 83 
 
 line of natural seed is not only not verified by fact, but would 
 be preposterous and anything but a blessing. Therefore the 
 Septuagint dropped this passage. A reigning family thus mul- 
 tiplied ^YOuld be burdensome for the people to support. 3. The 
 language of the promise is in the precise terms of that to 
 Abraham. Therefore the entire family of Abraham is merged 
 in the house of David. 4. This was the true idea of Israel, as 
 the people of God. They were (Ex. 19 : 6,) kings and priests. 
 These functions for a time were entrusted to individuals, but 
 were to revert to the people. 5. The N. T. teaches its fulfill- 
 ment in all the people of God, 1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1 : 6 ; 5 : 10. 
 Priesthood. — There is an analogous fulfillment with respect to 
 the priesthood. 1. Literal in the return from the captivity. 2. 
 Christ as perpetual priest. 3. All the true people of God are 
 priests, and are included in the family of Levi. That this last 
 is included appears not only from the analogy of kingship but 
 also because : 1. The thing really contemplated in the promise 
 is that the priesthood should be /Jerpe^waZ. No stress was laid 
 on its being in the fleshly family of Levi. The point at issue 
 was not the prerogative of a tribe but the condition of the people. 
 The ofiice should remain. 2. Jeremiah often intimates the abol- 
 ishment of the old economy, which implies a change of outward 
 form. The ark of the covenant (3 : 16) was to be taken away. 
 This intimates the abolishment of the old economy of which the 
 ark was the great representative. Ch. 31 : 1-2 says a new cov- 
 enant was to supersede the old covenant. 3 An older prophet 
 speaks in like manner (Isaiah 66 : 21 ; 61 : 6) of the entire 
 people of God. 4, From the providence of God. The priest- 
 hood of the tribe of Levi has never been literally perpetuated, 
 and could not now be except by miracle, for all the tribal dis- 
 tinctions are lost. If the prophecy of Jeremiah is to meet with 
 any fulfillment at all, it must be spiritual. 5. Teachings of N. 
 T. 6. Even such a literalist as Henderson confesses this. ''We 
 are shut up to the spiritual interpretation of this passage." 
 
 II. Chs. 34-45. A. 34-48, facts adduced as specimens and 
 evidences of the prevailing corruption. Hebrew servants, ch. 
 34. Rechabites, ch. 35, Jehoiakim, cii. 36, Zedekiah, chs. 37, 
 38. B. ch. 39, Destruction of city. C. chs. 40-45, The wretched 
 remnant, closing with personal promise to Baruch. 
 
 III. Chs. 46-51, Probably in chronological order. Promises 
 to Egypt, Moab, Amnion and Elam ; none to Babylon, 51 : 65. 
 Ch. 52, historical appendix, perhaps added by another. (1.) 
 Jer. 51 : 64. (2.) Similar narrative in ch. 39. (3.) Date of 
 52 : 31-34, twenty-six years after the destruction of the city. 
 
PBOPHETS AND FEOPHECY. 
 
 (4.) Coincidence with 2 Kings. Contains no mention of return 
 from exile. Jeremiah's adoption of hxnguage of preceding 
 books, especially ch. 48, Moab ; 49 : 7, etc., Edom ; affords in- 
 cidental proof of their genuineness ; variations not arise from 
 corruption of text. 
 
 LAMENTATIONS. 
 
 One of the five Megilloth, in Hagiographa or after Jeremiah, 
 catalogues of canon. Hebrew, Greek and Latin names. Not 
 composed with reference to death of Josiah, 2 Chron. 35 : 25, 
 nor on occasion of his death with foresight of destruction of 
 city, but on occurrence of this latter event. Five sections of 
 one chapter each ; all alphabetical but the last ; ch. 3, triple 
 recurrence of each letter ; chs. 2, 3, 4, transposition of Ayin 
 and Pe. Not distinct elegies relating to successive stages of 
 Jerusalem's overthrow. Written b}' Jeremiah, (a) unanimous 
 voice of tradition, verse prefixed in Septuagint and Vulgate, 
 Josephus, Origen, Jerome, Talmud, (h) correspondence with 
 character of prophet, coincidences in statement of facts and 
 forms of expression, (c) no ground for disputing it. 
 
 HABAKKUK. 
 
 Of the present and personal circumstances of the prophet we 
 know nothing, except from his book. It is inferred from 3 : 19, 
 his last words, that he was of the tribe of Levi, and one of the 
 family engaged in sacred music of the temple. This is plausible, 
 and, if true, it gives a real explanation of the close resemblance 
 of ch. 3 to the Psalms, and the adoption there of so many tech- 
 nical terms which belong to the Psalms. The title of ch. 3, and 
 the subscription are both modeled after the Psalms. Selah 
 occurs three times; and the last verse is almost verbatim from 
 the Psalms. If this be held, it would be another instance of 
 prophets taken from the temple servitors. Jeremiah, Zechariah, 
 and Ezekiel were priests, while the prophets of the former period 
 
PBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 85 
 
 were independent of the sacred orders, in this degenerate age 
 the fittest material was found among the priests. 
 
 The date of the prophet is inferred from, 1. That the invasion 
 of the Chaldeans would be in the lifetime of that generation, 1 : 
 5, 6. Hence not in the reign of Josiah. 2. Chap. 2 : 20 im- 
 plies that the temple was standing. Musical worship still con- 
 tinued in the temple (3 : 19). This was probably after the 
 twelfth year of Josiah's reign. Hence Habakkuk was a con- 
 temporary of Jeremiah and Zephaniah, and not more than 24 
 years before the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar. 3. The order of 
 minor prophets. Some try to fix the date more exactly, by com- 
 paring it with Jeremiah and Zephaniah. Thus, it is said, that 
 as Jeremiah is much more specific as to the Babylonian con- 
 quest, while Habakkuk mentions only the bare fact, therefore 
 Habakkuk was before Jeremiah. This is sometimes the case, 
 but not always, and therefore can not be made the basis of argu- 
 ment. Sometimes it is reversed, e. g , Isaiah prophesied the 
 overthrow of Babylon more minutely than did Habakkuk. 
 Again, there are passages in which Jeremiah and Zephaniah 
 have borrowed the language of Habakkuk. Yet while this is 
 probably true, the argument as to priority is questionable, be- 
 cause it can be so easily reversed. The design is both minatory 
 and consolatory. Minatory to chastise sinners in Judah ; con- 
 solatory to comfort the pious. As to the prophecy of the over- 
 throw of Babylon, observe : I. Its dramatic power. First 
 he speaks to God for the people. Then God answers. Then 
 the prophet speaks for himself. Then God speaks to the pro- 
 phet. Finally he gives utterance to his prophecies of joy. 
 What is peculiur is this regular alternation from beginning to 
 end, and is an index of the psychological condition of the pro- 
 phet. He is in a rapt, ecstatic state, and the form of the pro- 
 phecy reproduces his own states of mind ; and the dramatism is 
 not merely a form, or due to fancy, but is what really took 
 place, like the visions of other prophets. The prophet is not an 
 artist, but a seer. But this ecstacy does not supersede his nat- 
 ural faculties, but lifts them to a higher sphere. The fact is, 
 the prophetical inspiration has its analogy Avith spiritual illum- 
 ination. A real supernatural communication is made ah extra. 
 Yet the extraordinary method attaches itself to the ordinary 
 methods used by the Holy Spirit. The facts revealed are not 
 absolutely new truths. The unknown is imparted as limited 
 with what was previously understood, and a sense of need is 
 created which demands the new truth ; and thus God revealed 
 His purpose that the land should be ravaged by the Chaldeans, 
 
86 PEOPHETS AND PUOPIIECY. 
 
 and they in turn overthrown. But this was disclosed as part of 
 the spiritual training of the people, and hence given in their 
 moral senses and relations. Judah Avas very corrupt. Fraud 
 and impiety were unchecked. God's law was disregarded. 
 Shocked by this, and personal wrongs, the pious, through Ha- 
 bakkuk, appeal to God if He Avill longer tolerate it. They are 
 in extremity and look up to God. Then the answer comes in a 
 revelation adapted to this state of need. God will punish by 
 the Chaldeans. But with this come fresh doubts and difficul- 
 ties. The fear lest the fierce Chaldeans should involve in pun- 
 ishment the good and bad together. Hence thej' appeal to God 
 again ; and plant themselves upon His attributes and covenant 
 relations. The}'' cling to the conviction that the Chaldean in- 
 vasion was for correction and not for destruction. They appeal 
 to God as governor of the world. Thus the new complexi- 
 ties of Providence demand fresh solutions, and the prophet 
 waits the answer. It then comes. The Chaldeans themselves 
 shall be trodden doAvn, and the people abide the retribution of 
 Jehovah. And hence the people of God are prepared f)r ven- 
 geance in the same way in which they are ever prepared for new 
 supplies of grace. But while this is true, we must not confound 
 the two methods. Here there is a real disclosure of truth. The 
 prophet does not infer a judgment on themselves and upon the 
 Chaldeans, and then announce these results ; but he had a divine 
 revelation necessitating his belief. We have the same general 
 providence to guide us, but we can not so supply it as to make 
 it reveal the future. Hence there was a real revelation, and not 
 a mere inference ; which would be conjectural, delusive, and 
 unfulfilled. Still less is it a vaticinium post evenium. Nor is it 
 a declaration of what was so near as to be within the power of 
 human foresight. On the contrary the prophets declare that 
 they would not believe it though it were told them. And the 
 fact of the overthrow of Babylon could not be calculated upon. 
 Hence the future is disclosed, not as mere disjointed facts, but 
 as the laying bare of the links which bound the future to the 
 present. This lays the foundation of the propheiicum curricu- 
 lum, a common track which all pursue. They proceed from a 
 charge of sin to its penalty. And if in reference to God's 
 people, the}' proceed to faot of deliverance. Observe these 
 especially in Habakkuk. He begins with the sins in Judah ; 
 passes to their punishment by the Chaldeans ; and then to the 
 overthrow of Babylon. While it is a revelation it is not merely 
 an anticipation of history. The prophet is true in represent- 
 ing the future; yet the prophet so surveys it from his own view 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 87 
 
 that it is good evidence that it is prophetical and not historical. 
 Hence it is written from the prophet's own historical standpoint, 
 and by its structure indicates its own prophetic truth. 
 
 Divisions of the Book. — The first complaint, 1 : 2-4. The 
 Lord's response, 1 : 5-11. The second complaint, 1 : 12 ; 2 : 1. 
 The Lord's response, 2 : 2-20. The triumph, ch. 3. The in- 
 justice and oppression in Judah to be punished by the Chaldeans, 
 and the Chaldeans to be punished by their overthrow. The 
 burden, 2 : 4-20, consisting of a brief preamble and five woes in 
 successive stanzas. Messianic passage in the third. Ch. 3 a 
 lyrical * recapitulation, resemblance to the Psalms in style, 
 artistic form, title, subscription and Selah. Applied by the 
 fathers to the advent and work of Christ. Bengel's chronologi- 
 cal hypothesis, V. 2; vs. 3-15 not historical; {a) diversity in the 
 explanation of details ; {h) disproportionate length ; (c) tense 
 of opening verb, v. 3 (Hebrew). Prophetic of a divine descent 
 to judgment, which is to include whatever was most grand in 
 former manifestations of God, directed against the Chaldeans 
 and all other foes. Convulsions of nature poetic and em- 
 blematic or suggestive of the final judgment. 
 
 ZEPHANIAH. 
 
 Habakkuk describes judgment on Chaldeans ; Zephaniah a 
 universal judgment, in which, however, no allusion is made to 
 the Chaldeans, who are viewed, not as objects, but as exe- 
 cutioners of God's wrath. It has special reference to the 
 unfaithful in Judah, and inferior contiguous nations, from whose 
 fate, as in Amos, an argument of Judah's doom is derived, 3: 
 6-8. Zephaniah and Jeremiah more frequent allusions to 
 former Scriptures than Habakkuk. Zephaniah's ancestry 
 traced through four degrees, to Hezekiah, probably the king, 
 (a) identity of name ; (h) traced to so remote an ancestor ; 
 (c) correspodence with the date. Objections that he is not 
 explicitly called king, and that no such son of king Hezekiah 
 is mentioned in the history. Date, 1 : 1, probably after 
 Josiah's twelfth year. Other criteria inconclusive ; 2 : 13, pre- 
 dicted desolation of Nineveh; 1 : 4, "remnant of Baal," cutting 
 off Chemarim ; 1:8," the king's children ;" 3:4," the law." 
 Ch. 1, universal and sweeping judgment, with particular appli- 
 
88 PBOPHETS AND PBOPHEGY. 
 
 cation to the wicked in Judah, vs. 4-13 ; exhortation to seek 
 the Lord as the only means of escape 2 : 1-3; enforced by judg- 
 ments on other nations, exhibited in three stanzas, of four 
 verses each, Philistia in the west, Moab and Ammon in the 
 east, Ethiopia and Assyria in the south and north. In the 
 middle stanza. Messianic allusion, as in Habakkuk. Applica- 
 tion to Jerusalem, 3 : 1-8. Promissory conclusion, vs. 9-20. 
 The heathen shall possess a pure language, and take part in the 
 restoration of God's people. Purity and blessedness of Israel. 
 
 PERIOD OF THE EXILE. 
 
 The course of degeneracy was now violently terminated. It 
 was followed by a period of seclusion and trial. In order to 
 effect the best results in this process, they were, first, to be 
 sifted, the best carried away, the worst left to perish in Jerusa- 
 lem. The good figs indicate those carried into exile. The sift- 
 ing was performed. 1. By the over-ruling providence of God ; 
 2. i>Iatural causes. The Lord had told the people by Jeremiah 
 W'hat was to come. Those who believed the prophecy would be 
 submissive, (a) to the disposition of the people ; (h) to the inten- 
 tions of the Chaldeans. 
 
 Tavo things were needed in this period. 1. Influence 
 upon the people themselves; 2. Influence upon the op- 
 pressors in behalf of the people. The former was exerted 
 by Ezekiel ; the latter by Daniel. Ezekiel dwelt among the 
 exiles foV their instruction, comfort and elevation. Daniel lived 
 at the court of Babylon to protect the interests of the people, 
 and to consult for their welfare as Joseph did before Pharoah. 
 Hence Daniel is placed in the Hagiographa, The work needed 
 was of two kinds, according to the period. The first part of 
 the exile was a transition period, during which there was the 
 mere shadow of a kino;dom. The exile beijan in the fourth 
 year of Jehoiakim. This portion of the period of the exile, 
 therefore, overlaps the former, the Chaldean. Ezekiel, there- 
 fore, was living contemporaneous with Jeremiah. His ministry 
 was fitted to the period. As long as Jerusalem still stood, the 
 false prophets indulged presumptuous hopes ; and hindered the 
 growth of that humility and j)enitence which the captivity was 
 designed to produce. Hence his discourses wore denunciatory, 
 
PE0PIIET8 AND PBOPHECY. 89 
 
 and full of warning, during this time. After the city had actu- 
 ally been destroyed, a ministry of consolation was needed to 
 preserve the people from utter despair. Up to the fall of Jeru- 
 salem his ministry was like that of Jeremiah, but afterwards it 
 entirely changed. 
 
 Ezekiel and Daniel. — (a) Ezekiel w.as to build up the theoc- 
 racy from within, Daniel was to exhibit the kingdom of God in 
 its conflict with, and victory over, the enemies of God. Both 
 use figures. (.6) Ezekiel draws his symbols mainly from the 
 sanctuary with which his position as priest made him familiar. 
 Daniel draws from other sources, (c) There is the same variety 
 in Messianic predictions. Ezekiel sometimes sets them forth 
 from a priestly point of view. Daniel exhibits it as the universal 
 and unending empire of the Son of Man. These prophets note 
 the exact time in which their prophecies were recorded, and 
 sometimes the very month. Ezekiel, 24 : 1-2, tells the fact of 
 the siege of Jerusalem the very day it began. The exile was 
 the conclusion of God's dealings with the Jews. The prophets 
 preceding the exile were limited to the judgments wrought by 
 or upon Babylon. Now they pass from the Babylonish exile to 
 the future troubles of Israel, and the succession of empire, until 
 the Messiah, and the conversion of the world. When the exile 
 was at hand, it Avas necessary to prepare the people for coming 
 events, lest they should suppose that, with the exile, all was 
 lost. This opinion it was necessary to correct, by showing that 
 a long period must intervene, succession of empires, and times 
 of trouble come, before the advent of the Messiah. 
 
 EZEKIEL. 
 
 Fewer details are given of Ezekiel than of Daniel. His 
 work was spiritual, and the events of his life had no special 
 effect upon his work. The record of his life is found in his 
 prophecy. 
 
 Name. — '' One whose God strengthens him," He was car- 
 ried captive eight years after Daniel with Jehoiachin. His 
 ministry began (ch. 1 : 1,) in the fifth year of Jehoiachin's cap- 
 tivity, (this event dated from rather than Zedekiah's reign), the 
 year after Jeremiah's message, Jer. 51 : 59, in the thirtieth year 
 of his age, Num. 4 : 3. During the early portions of his min- 
 
90 
 
 PBOPHETS AND PBOPHECY. 
 
 istry, he was a contemporary of Jeremiah thirty years. This 
 was not from the first year of Nabopolassar, nor from the last 
 jubilee, nor the eighteenth year of Josiah. 1. There is no 
 proof that these were eras. 2. There is no other date reck- 
 oned from them. 3. If intended they would have been men- 
 tioned. 
 
 Scene of Labors.— 2, : 15, at Tel-abib, by the Chebar, same as 
 Habor, 2 Kings 17 : 6. Marriage, 24 : 18. 
 
 Duration of Ministry.— {]r\cQxt^\n. 29 : 17, is the latest date 
 of the book, the twenty-seventh year of Jehoiachin's captivity. 
 The people were hopeful and yet rebellious. But the effect of 
 his labors was shown by: 1. Frequent consultation by elders 
 and others, 8 : 1 ; 14 : 1. 2. Freedom in uttering his reproofs ; 
 3. Moral changes effected during the exile. His Hebrew has 
 more anomalies and foreign forms than that of Daniel, who 
 was both Hebrew and Chaldee. This corruption is first found 
 in Jeremiah. It was natural that the change of language should 
 affect the dialect of the people. 
 
 Division of the Book.— I. Before the capture of Jerusalem, 
 chs. 1-24, denunciatory. II. Respecting foreign nations, chs. 
 25-32. III. After the capture of Jerusalem, chs. 33-48, prom- 
 issory. Opening vision, 1:1; 3 : 15, like Isa. 6 and Rev. 4, 
 based on cherubim over the ark. Design not merely to make an 
 impression of majesty and glory but as preparation for this 
 specific message. The Mosaic symbol its general signification : 
 The God of creation and of temple present in profane land of 
 captivity, and about to make a communication to the prophet. 
 Modifications, its particular application : (a) life and swiftness ; 
 {b) fire, wrath, qualified by rainbow of the covenant. Verbal 
 commission and symbol of roll, 2 : 9 ; 3 : 3, e/. Rev. 10 : 9. 
 After seven days, connected prophecy to end of ch. 7 : Responsi- 
 bilities of his office, four symbolic actions followed by denuncia- 
 tion in literal terms ; (a) tile, besieged city, warfare ; (6) lie bound 
 390 and 40 days. Literal performance physically impossible, out 
 of proportion to the end, weaken the impression, chronological 
 difficulty. Not represent days of siege, with which they do not 
 correspond, and the days stand for years, 4: 6, either of sin' or 
 punishment; how reckoned, {e) bread, [d) hair. Chs. 8-11, one 
 year later. Presumption of inhabitants of Jerusalem ; effect on 
 exiles. 1. The crimes of Jerusalem and its certain destruction, 
 8 : 1 ; 11 : 13. 2. The exiles are God's true covenant people, 
 11: 14-21. Profanation of temple, not perhaps actual, scenes 
 of single idolatrous festival, or various forms of idolatry gath- 
 ered there, but ideal concentration, (a) Lev. 16 : 16-19 ; (h) 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 91 
 
 Ex. 20 : 3 ; (c) temple was Judah's place of worship ; {d) justi- 
 fied by actual profanation at different times. Image of jealousy, 
 chamber of imagery, Jaazaniah, Taramuz, five and twenty men. 
 Six men with the man in linen. Five and twenty men at the 
 east gate, Pelatiah son of Benaiah. Promises to exiles, (a) 
 God will be a sanctuary to them, 11 : 16; (6) bring them back 
 to land of Israel, v. 17 ; {c) give them a new heart, v. 19. Glory 
 of God forsakes the temple. Denunciations continued until the 
 day that Jerusalem is besieged, ch. 21. Seven foreign nations, 
 chs. 25-32. Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Zidou, 
 Egypt. Promises : I. Deliverance from foes, chs. 83-39. II. 
 Restoration of the theocracy, chs. 40-48. I. Evening preced- 
 ing news of fall of city, second formal call of prophet, ch. 33; 
 deliverance from wicked rulers, David their shepherd, ch. 34; 
 from present foes, Edom denounced, contrasted blessedness of 
 Israel, valley of dry bones, union of the two sticks, chs. 35-37 ; 
 from future foes, Gog and Magog, chs. 38, 39. II. Fourteenth 
 year after the city was smitten, 1st month and 10th day. 
 
 Different Opinions. — 1. Historical, of what had been. 2. 
 Mindatory, for the direction of the exiles. 3. Prophetic. It 
 can not be literal. 1. Historical, for (a) it did not correspond 
 with what had been ; (b) unnecessary if it referred to the past ; 
 (c) the language prevents such reference. 2. It is not manda- 
 tory, because the exiles did not follow the commands. 3. It 
 can not be prophetic, for this would be contrary to the dec- 
 clarations of N. T. and the intimations of 0. T. If prophetic, 
 it would predict the return of the Christian church to Jewish 
 forms, but the Jewish ritual is abolished by the sacrifice of 
 Christ and the providence of God. It is symbolic and ideal, for : 
 1. The original temple was symbolical : made use of symboli- 
 cally by Ezekiel elsewhere, Jer. 31 : 38-40. 2. It yields a good 
 and proper sense. 3. There are many things in the vision 
 which could not be carried out literally, e. g., the size of Jeru- 
 salem and the temple ; the stream proceeding from the temple 
 and healing the nations. 4. It is like Rev. 21 : 22. In fact 
 Rev. seems to be a commentary on this passage. Rev. is 
 symbolic. 
 
 II. 40-48, This last vision was at the beginning of the year 
 
 (40 : 1.) These chapters contain 1. Description of the temple. 
 
 . 2. Ritual service in the temple ; '-5, final apportionment of the 
 
 land. Some take literal views, others regard the temple as 
 
 ideal. 
 
 This section is divided: (1.) 40-43 : 12, Measure of the tem- 
 ple. The church of God is to be re-established on the earth. 
 
92 PBOPHETS AND PROPHECT. 
 
 Ezekial's temple in the vision differs from Solomon's real 
 temple, (a) in dimensions, which are enlarged, (6) Ezekiel gives 
 more prominence to subordinate facts. Nothing is . left to the 
 choice or direction of the builders. He gives a great deal of 
 time to the gates, the doors, the courts, etc. These inferior parts 
 have a new and sacred importance connected with them. The 
 court is exalted to a sacred pre-eminence corresponding to the 
 Holy of Holies in Solomon's temple, 43 : 1. In the new temple 
 the glory of God is never to depart. In the old it did, 11 : 23. 
 (2.) 43 : 13 ; 47 : 12. This division gives a description of the 
 holy service. Priests, people and rulers should all be united in 
 the worship, 47 : 1-12. The trees by the stream of life remind 
 us of Paradise. To represent the blessing brought by this 
 stream it is spoken of as flowing to dead localities, even to the 
 Dead sea, which shall be purified, the Dead sea being the symbol 
 of all that is vile and lifeless. Even this shall be vitalized and 
 beautified by this stream of life. The only places not reclaimed 
 are those not reached by this stream. (3.) 47 : 13 ; 48 : 35. 
 Concluding Portion, Division of the land among the twelve 
 tribes. Two points of difference from the real division, (a) 
 Uniformity of division. All have an equal portion from W. to 
 E., and all are on the W. side of the Jordan. No tribe is pre- 
 ferred above another, 47 : 22, 23 ; Rev. 7 : 5-8. It is even said 
 that strangers dwelling among them shall have equal privileges. 
 {h) Ezekiel's division leaves nothing to the decision of men, 
 but all is fixed by God. We can not conclude that the Christian 
 church is ever to return to Judaic forms. This last portion 
 shows how 0. T. forms may set forth N. T. things. 
 
 DANIEL. 
 
 The name signifies " God's "judge," i. e., " one who delivers 
 God's judgments." According to 1 : 1. Daniel was of the tribe 
 of Judah, and of princely descent. He was carried away in 
 the first deportation by Nebuchadnezzar, eight years before 
 Ezekiel. Carried away at the beginning of the exile, he sur- 
 vived its close, but did not return, probably because of advanced 
 age. He was a favorite of Nebuchadnezzar on account of his 
 wisdom and supernatural endowments, wdiich are referred to by 
 Ezekiel, chs. 14 : 14; 28 : 3. He was set aside by Belshazzar, 
 
94 PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 Babylon, prophetic dream, insanity, circumstances of Babylon's 
 capture, Darius the Mede, 120 princes, Medes and Persians, 
 Per&ians and Medes. 7. Knowledge of customs ; land of 
 Shinar, 1 : 2, fed from king's table, changing names of Daniel 
 and his companions, years of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, punish- 
 ments, colossal image, music, women at entertainments, gold 
 chain, king's edicts immutable, the magi. 8. Abundance of 
 symbols as in Ezekiel ; book inconsistent with assumed Macca- 
 bean origin. 
 
 Prophecies. The disclosures in the second and seventh chap- 
 ters are parallel. The second chapter has Nebuchadnezzar's 
 dream — four empires, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Macedon, Rome. 
 The seventh chapter contains the vision of the four beasts — the 
 same four empires. The lion with eagle's wings=Babylon. 
 The bear with three ribs=:the Medo-Persian, greedily raven- 
 ous propensity. The leopard with four wings and four heads^ 
 the Macedonian Empire, portioned into Syria, Egypt, Thrace 
 and Macedon. A nondescript animal with ten horns and a little 
 horn^the Roman empire, whose attack no animal is fierce 
 enough to withstand. Ten horns indicate ten successive kings, 
 and the little horn= Antichrist. St. John sees only one beast, 
 which represents all Daniel's beasts in one. The seven heads 
 of John's beast represent the seven empires in which one un- 
 godly power was embodied. The Apostle says five had already 
 existed, Egypt, Assja-ia, Babylon, Syria, Macedon. The one 
 standing in Rome. Another is yet to come. The interpreta- 
 tion so depends on historical facts that all orthodox writers 
 agree as to its meaning. Skeptics have invented other mean- 
 ings for the symbols. They are, 1. To divide the Medo-Persian 
 empire into two. But [a) this was only one. Media and Per- 
 sia were the same empire. Persians were confederated with 
 the Medes, the only change being that of the reigning family. 
 (5) It is always thus spoken by of profane and sacred writers ; 
 Esther ; Daniel 5 : 28 ; 6 : 8 ; 12 : 15. {c) The skeptics make 
 the leopard represent the Persian empire ; but the leopard has 
 four heads, and the Persian empire was not so divided. 2. To 
 divide the Macedonian empire into two, Babyloniiin, and Medo- 
 Persian, the Macedonian empire of Alexander, and those of his 
 successors being made separate. But (a) the leopard with four 
 heads represents the empire broken into four parts. (5) The 
 fourth empire is stronger and more terrible than its predeces- 
 sors, cf. 8: 22; 11: 4. (c) Then no explanation would be 
 given of the ten horns. 
 
 Chs. 8-12 are supplementary. In chap. 8, the ram=Syria. The 
 
FBOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 95 
 
 he-goat=the Macedonian empire. The horn between his eyes 
 =Alexander the Great, The four horns springing up=Syria, 
 Egypt, Thrace, Macedon, into which the empire was divided at 
 Alexander's death. Out of the Syrian kingdom grew a little 
 horn which waxed greater. This was Antiochus Epiphanes 
 who was monarch of the kingdom, and persecutor of the Jews. 
 
 Ch. 9, revealed in the first year of Darius the Mede, which 
 is the 69th year of the captivity. The prophet was praying for 
 the restoration of the people when further, full disclosures were 
 made to him. It might be supposed that immediately, at the 
 expiration of the captivity, the kingdom of the Messiah would 
 come. But the angel tells the prophet that the seventy weeks 
 are about gone, but that there are yet to come seventy more years 
 to finish the transgression by atonement. All relates to the 
 work of Christ. Within these seventy weeks of years, all these 
 Messianic functions shall be performed. This is made more 
 precise by dividing these seventy weeks into three periods of 
 seven, sixty-two, and one weeks. He informs us from what 
 point of time the seventy weeks are to date, viz., the going forth 
 of the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem. This is not the per- 
 mission of Cyrus to return to their own land. Down to the 
 time of Nehemiah, the city was still in ruins, Neh. 2 : 8. The 
 first efi'ectual measures were taken by him, after that he re- 
 ceived permission to rebuild, Neh. 2 : 5, 6, in the twentieth 
 year of Artaxerxes Longimanus. This is the exact time from 
 which the seventy weeks were to begin. There is some differ- 
 ence among historians as to the length of Artaxerxes' reign. 
 Hengstenberg goes into an elaborate argument, to show that 
 the time of the prophecy was exact. The entire restoration of 
 the city would be accomplished though in the midst of much 
 trouble. After sixty-nine weeks would be the Messiah's public 
 appearance ; in the midst of the last week. His effectual sac- 
 rifice, followed by destruction of the city and sanctuary. What 
 distinctly belongs to the last week is shown in 9 : 27. 
 
 Chs. 10-12. The last vision of the book. In the third year 
 of Cyrus Daniel was in mourning because of the events in Ezek. 
 4 : 1-5. The subject of ch. 8 is here resumed and dwelt upon 
 in literal language. Prediction in literal terms of the over- 
 throw of the Persian empire by Alexander. Division of his em- 
 pire at his death. Persecution of Antiochus set forth. As a 
 relief from these dark pictures he gives the brightness of the 
 future, the resurrection and external glory. Reluctant testi- 
 mony of skeptics to the truth of the prophecies. Apocryphal 
 sections are added in the Septuagint. 
 
96 p:ropsets and pbofhecy. 
 
 .PERIOD OF THE RESTORATION. 
 
 The period of captivity is now over. The decree has been 
 procured from Cyrus that the Jews may return to their own 
 land. Ezekiel has prepared the people inwardly for their re- 
 turn, and for the establishment of the forms of the theocracy. 
 The people had been sifted at the close as at the beginning of 
 the exile. The work of Ezekiel and Daniel had been amongst 
 this better class. It was the better and more pious people who 
 Avould leave their houses and return to Jerusalem to rebuild that 
 desolated city. Returning to their own land, new opposition 
 meets them from the Samaritans, and other enemies. The ex- 
 iles were under strong temptation, therefore, to succumb to de- 
 spair. Haggai and Zechariah cheer them under present trials 
 and discouragements, by showing: 1. That their present weak- 
 ness was no indication that God was not with theiQ. For in 
 spite of present adversities they should rise higher than ever 
 before. They were shown also that the heathen nations should 
 be brought low. and pour in their resources to them; Ezra 5 : 
 1 ; 6 : 14. 2. The altered condition and disposition of the 
 heathen nations. Haggai and Zechariah appear to be sum- 
 moned to the prophetic office within one month of each other, 
 and they labored together. The book of Zechariah, indeed, 
 seems to be an expansion of the smaller one of Haggai. It 
 was the mission of both to show the people that their present 
 condition was due to temporary causes, and should not last for- 
 ever. But in comforting the people, and in promising them 
 that there was danger that they would think the glory was to 
 come immediately, Zechariah prepares them for additional 
 troubles before the promises should be fulfilled, and declares 
 how signally they would be delivered out of them. He dwells 
 chiefly on the external condition of the people. 
 
 Malachi is different. The people must not think that the 
 divine blessing would be given to them without regard to their 
 own character. The altered tones of the prophecies grew out 
 of the difierent circumstances in which they were uttered. The 
 ministry of Malachi was later than that of Zechariah and Hag- 
 gai; and the temple had been built, but the long years of suffer- 
 ing had brought to light certain evil tendencies. It had shown 
 a measure of hypocrisy. These must be removed if they would 
 enjoy the blessings which the older prophets had predicted. 
 Thus we have the 0. T. prophets forming themselves into a 
 grand scheme, and each period forming the preparation for that 
 to come. The prophets are, therefore, not isolated individuals, 
 but are to carry forward from age to age one divine scheme. 
 
PROPHETS AND PROPHECY. 97 
 
 HAGGAI. 
 
 The name signifies " a feast." A relation has been found or 
 fancied in the fact that he labored for the restoration of the 
 feast of the Jewish rituals. He is mentioned in Ezra 5:1; 
 6 : 14. The duration of his ministry is unknown. The dis- 
 courses in his book were all delivered within four months. It 
 would be precarious to say from this that his ministry lasted 
 only four months, as it would be, from Ezra 6 : 14, to say that 
 it lasted through the entire reign. 
 
 There are four discourses, the dates of all which are accurately 
 given. It is not probable that these are the only discourses he 
 ever uttered. They are the only ones for the benefit of the 
 church in the time to come. Cyrus had no sooner died, than 
 the adversaries obtained from the king decrees adverse to the 
 building of the temple. Haggai strives to waken them to cour- 
 age, to the rebuilding of the temple. These discourses were de- 
 livered in the second year of Darius. 
 
 The first (ch. 1) was addressed to Zerubbabel, governor of 
 Judah, and to Joshua, the high-priest. Hag. 1:1. It repre- 
 mandedthem for the suspension in the building of God's house, 
 while they content themselves with dwelling in their own houses. 
 He urges them to go at once and bring wood to build the house. 
 The efi"ect was that the people began that same month to build. 
 
 The second discourse (2 : 1-9) there was danger that the 
 people who had seen the former temple would despise the latter 
 one ; and there is need that Haggai should tell them that 
 the glory of this latter house would be greater than the former. 
 This universal shaking of all nations includes convulsions to 
 take place through all the world. It is the convulsion of states 
 and nations which is shown forth, and it is to take place for the 
 glory of God. The people of God were weak. Their enemies 
 were powerful. But the shaking of the world would begin in a 
 little while, and it should be destroyed. After all had been 
 shaken down, God's house should remain. The design for 
 which this is to take place should fill this house with glory. 
 A common interpretation is that " the desire of all nations " 
 (2 : 7) is the Messiah. Therefore the meaning would be, that 
 the shaking of all nations would be in order that " the desire of 
 all nations," i. e., the Messiah should come. There are many 
 things attractive in this interpretation, and it coincides Avell 
 with the result. Still an inspection of the prophet's language 
 in the original will do away with this interpretation. The verb 
 
98 PEOPHETS AND PROPHECY. 
 
 " come " agreeing with " desire of all nations," is in the plural, 
 though the noun " desire " is in the singular, feminine. The 
 agreement, therefore, is in sense and not in letter. " The de- 
 sire of all nations " is, in the Septuagint, " the most desirable of 
 all nations ; " that is, the result Avill be the conversion of the 
 choicest nations. This is closely allied to the real meaning. 
 " The desire of all nations " — those things that the nations de- 
 sire — their valuables. It is applied to jewels and other pre- 
 cious objects. The present structure seems mean and poor in 
 comparison with the temple of Solomon, but the prophet tells 
 them that God would shake down all nations till they should 
 lose their hostility to Him. And they would delight to help 
 Israel to fill the house of God with glory. They should bring 
 their treasures to it, or more probably the glory — the treasures 
 themselves. In order to assure them of His ability to accom- 
 plish this, He adds further promises. Consequently at any 
 time He pleases. He can give peace to His people. LTpon this 
 interpretation we are not clear to the very letter of the passage. 
 The real temple signifies the spiritual. 
 
 Third discourse, 2 : 10-19. This relates to the first dis- 
 course. Everything is vitiated by their former neglect, but 
 God's blessing will attend their reviving zeal. 
 
 Fourth discourse, 2 : 20-23. It is related to the second. The 
 shaking of the heavens and the earth, the overthrow of hos- 
 tile kingdoms, while Zerubbabel, as the representative of the 
 royal house of David, is chosen and protected. 
 
 ZECHARIAH. 
 
 Name, parentage, priestly descent, age, beginning of minis- 
 try, its duration, Matt. 23: 35. Three parts: 1. Chs. 1-6, 
 series of visions. 2. Chs. 7, 8, answer to a question proposed 
 by the people. 3. Chs. 9-14. prophecies in literal terms relat- 
 ing to future fortunes of God's people. Difiiculty in the cita- 
 tion, Matt. 27 : 9 ; various solutions, Zechariah not the author, 
 error in transcription, a peculiar order of the prophets, com- 
 bined reference to two passages. Genuineness of chs. 9-14 ; 
 objections: (a) style and character; {h) incidental allusions, 
 Judah and Israelii: 14, or Ephraim, 9 : 13; 10: 6, 7; but 
 see 1 : 19 ; 8 : 13, Ezek. 87 : IG ; king of Gaza, 9 : 5, Assyria 
 
PROPHETS AND PBOPHEGY. 99 
 
 and Egypt, 10 : 10, 11 ; idolatry, 10 : 2 ; 13 : 2. No allusion to 
 any king in Judah. Position in this book not explicable other- 
 wise. I. Chs. 1-6, eight visions. First, 1 : 7-17, man on red 
 horse ; second, 1 : 8-21, four horns and carpenters ; third, ch. 
 2, measuring line ; fourth, ch. 3, high-priest in filthy garments ; 
 fifth, ch. 4, candlestick and two olive trees ; sixth, 5 : 1-4, flying 
 roll ; seventh, 5 : 5-11, woman in an ephah ; eighth, 6 : 1-8, 
 chariots issuing from between two mountains. Symbolical sec- 
 tion, 6: 9-15, the crowned priest. 11. Chs. 7, 8, continued ob- 
 servance of fasts ; 7 : 4-14, rebuke of spirit in which they had 
 been kept ; ch. 8, happy future. III. Chs. 9-14, scenes from 
 future fortunes of God's people, from their protection in the 
 time of Alexander to final overthrow of all enemies. Ch. 9 : 
 burden of Hadrach, pledge of protection, vs. 9, 10 in Zion's 
 King, Maccabean deliverance, v. 13. Ch. 11 : Desolation of 
 land, vs. 1-3, its predicted cause, vs. 4-14, the treatment of the 
 good shepherd, Beauty and Bands, three shepherds cut off, his 
 price ; vs. 15-17, abandoned to foolish shepherd. Chs. 12, 13 : 
 Jerusalem assailed, delivered, outpouring of spirit, mourning by 
 families, fountain opened, sin abandoned ; judgment to follow 
 the smiting of the shepherd. Ch. 14 : Jerusalem besieged by 
 all nations, taken, miraculous rescue, living waters, judgment 
 on gathered foes, universal consecration. 
 
 MALACHI. 
 
 Name, date, self-righteousness of people (a) claiming that 
 they had fulfilled their duty ; (6) demanding a better recom- 
 pense. Two parts : I. 1:2; 2:16, their obligations and 
 sins; (a) 1 : 2-5, their obligations to God; {h) 1 : 6; 2 : 9, sins 
 directly against God ; (c) 2 : 10-16, against their brethren. II. 
 2 : 17; 4 : 6, the judgment and recompense : (a) 2 : 17 ; 3 : 6, 
 severity of the test which the Lord shall apply at his coming ; 
 messenger to prepare the way, Angel of the covenant, Christ 
 contemplated not as a redeemer but a judge ; (6) 3 : 7-12, their 
 desert of the curse with which they had been visited; (c) 3 : 13; 
 4 : 6, distinction to be made between the righteous and the 
 wicked. Elijah ; the last of the prophets ends with the an- 
 nouncement of the herald of the new dispensation.