Prophecy--

Well done? or Over done?

Prophecy. At the mere mention of the word, some will go screaming down the road, crying out, "False prophet sighting! Beware of Evil Spirits and demonism! Self-deluded fakirs! Delusions of grandeur! Beware all ye "Little Ones"! Run for your lives!"

It's almost as if the word itself, has power or poses a threat. Perhaps there is a threat. Perhaps our complacency is threatened by the mere discussion of the topic. Or perhaps it's our ignorance and misunderstanding, or our lack of understanding, that makes us nervous about this subject. Perhaps it's a fear that a Divine Being will actually choose to, once again, communicate to mankind through a human messenger. Some may fear that exposure to a false messenger may jeopardize their opportunity of receiving the gift of salvation. Considering scriptural examples, a more realistic fear would be one of failing to recognize a valid message from God, whether it be direct, or through a human messenger (Jer.7:23-28).

Prophecy is a broad subject. Let's consider it one aspect at a time.

 

"It's No Big Deal." Or is it?

Is prophecy over-emphasized? Certainly, if a "teacher" of religion (a preacher) or a Bible student (a disciple) concentrates only on "end time" events (eschatology) to the exclusion of studying any other scriptures, to the exclusion of prayer, personal overcoming, and service to others, then prophecy, just as anything else, can be over-emphasized. Certainly, some teachers may use a heavy emphasis on prophecy to get attention and to attract followers or just to get people to listen to their message. Just how much of scripture relates to prophecy?

Let's test our knowledge of scripture. Of all the 66 books of the Bible, how many:

1) were written by prophets?

2) mention prophets?

3) contain prophecies?

4) show fulfilled prophecy at the time of writing (or prophecy which has since been fulfilled) ?

5) concern the teachings of a Prophet?

6) are symbolic of a prophecy?

 

Answers? The numbers following the Book name, refer to the questions above.

Genesis 1, 2, 3, 4

Exodus 1, 2, 3, 4

Leviticus 1, 2, 3, 4

Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4

Deuteronomy 1, 2, 3, 4

Joshua 1, 2, 3, 4

Judges 1, 2, 3, 4

Ruth 1, 4

I Samuel 1, 2, 3, 4

II Samuel 1, 2, 3, 4

I Kings 2, 3, 4

II Kings 2, 3, 4

I Chronicles 2, 3, 4

II Chronicles 2, 3, 4

Ezra 2, 4

Nehemiah 2, 4

Esther 4

Job 3

Psalms 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Proverbs 1, 5

Ecclesiastes 1, 5

Song of Solomon 1, 5, 6

Isaiah 1, 2, 3, 4

Jeremiah 1, 2, 3, 4

Lamentations 1, 2, 3, 4

Ezekiel 1, 2, 3, 4

Daniel 1, 2, 3, 4

Hosea 1, 2, 3, 4

Joel 1, 2, 3, 4

Amos 1, 2, 3, 4

Obadiah 1, 2, 3

Jonah 1, 2, 3, 4

Micah 1, 2, 3, 4

Nahum 1, 2, 3, 4

Habakkuk 1, 2, 3

Zephaniah 1, 2, 3, 4

Haggai 1, 2, 3, 4

Zechariah 1, 2, 3, 4

Malachi 1, 2, 3, 4

Matthew 2, 3, 4, 5

Mark 2, 3, 4, 5

Luke 2, 3, 4, 5

John 2, 3, 4, 5

Acts 2, 3, 4, 5

Romans 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I Corinthians 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

II Corinthians 1, 2, 5

Galatians 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ephesians 1, 2, 5

Phillipians 1, 2, 5

Colossians 1, 2, 5

I Thessalonians 1, 2, 5

I Timothy 1, 2, 5

II Timothy 1, 2, 5

Titus 1, 2, 3, 5

Philemon 1, 2, 5

Hebrews 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

James 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I Peter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

II Peter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

I John 1, 2, 3, 5

II John 1, 3, 5

III John 1, 5

Jude 2, 3, 4, 5

Revelation 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

 

In answer to the questions above, the totals are:

1) 51 books of the Bible were written by prophets.

2) 57 books mention prophets.

3) 49 contain prophecies.

4) 47 show fulfilled prophecy (or prophecy which has since been fulfilled).

5) 30 concern the teachings of a Prophet.

6) 1 is symbolic of a prophecy.

 

All 66 books are related to prophets or prophecy. Most relate in several ways.

 

Let's try a different test of knowledge. Of the following seventy-one highly prominent, Biblical characters, 1) how many are called prophets or prophetesses in scripture or, 2) received divine communication through voices, visions or dreams or, 3) spoke by inspiration of God? (See Definitions.)

Adam

Eve

Satan

Cain

Noah

Abraham

Sarah

Lot

Isaac

Jacob

Joseph (son of Jacob)

Judah

Levi

Moses

Aaron

Miriam

Joshua

Balaam

Deborah

Gideon

Samson

Ruth

Samuel

King Saul

David

Bathsheba

Solomon

Elijah

Elisha

Job

Esther

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Ezekiel

Daniel

Ezra

Nehemiah

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

Mary (the mother of Christ)

Elizabeth (the mother of John)

Zacharius (husband of Elizabeth)

John (the Baptist)

Christ

Simon Peter

Andrew

James, son of Zebedee

John, son of Zebedee

Phillip

Bartholomew

Thomas

Matthew, the publican

James, son of Alphasus

Lebbaeus

Simon, the Canaanite

Judas Iscariot

James, the half-brother of Christ

Answer? All but five, which are Ruth, Judah, Levi, Esther, and Judas. In other words, 92% of all of the most prominent people in scripture were prophets, prophetesses, or received divine messages or spoke by the inspiration of God. These people represent all but two of the Bible's 66 books or 97% of all scripture.

Is prophecy a "big deal"? It involves all of the books of the Bible. It involves the majority of the Bible's most prominent individuals and it most certainly is a prominent part of all the scriptures.

 

When Christ mentioned "the law and the prophets", was He making a distinction between the two, and ignoring what men have labeled, "the writings"? Are there actually three divisions in scripture?

IS THE BIBLE DIVIDED?

You may have heard someone refer to the Bible, or more specifically the Old Testament, as, "the law, the prophets and the writings". Is one-third of the Old Testament, prophecy? Actually, the phrase, "the law, the prophets and the writings" is not even scriptural. It is a perversion of Christ's statement in Luke 24:44, "...These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me." (KJV throughout). The Greek word for "psalms" here is psalmos (Strong's 5568), meaning "a set piece of music, i.e. a sacred ode." More specifically it means a Hebrew song, as opposed to a secular song or even other religious songs (see Strong's Greek 5567, 5603 and 5215). As we saw above, the Psalms were written by "prophets" and contain "prophecies".

Christ used the word, "writings" (Greek, gramma, 1121) only once, in John 5:47, in reference to the books of Moses, which He also called "the law" in Luke 24:44, above. The word gramma, translates as "a writing, i.e. a letter, note, epistle, book, etc; plural (translates as) learning; (or)...scripture." This is the only instance in which the word "writings", is used in the Bible and Christ used it to refer to the books of Moses, which is the "law".

Just as the Bible was not originally written in chapters and verses, but was later subdivided by men, so have men attempted to separate and categorize the books of the Bible into divisions. The term used by Christ and the apostles was, "the law and the prophets" (Mat. 5:17, 11:13, 22:40, Acts 24:14, Rom. 3:21), except for John 5:47, where Christ adds, "the psalms". The book of Psalms does not constitute one-third of the Old Testament. In addition, it was written by "prophets" and contains prophecies. What about the other twelve books also commonly called by men, "the writings"? As we saw illustrated above, all the books of the Bible are related to prophets and prophecies. All of these books also relate to the laws of God. That is so obvious as to not require proof here.

Does Christ imply a separation between "law" and "prophecy"? On the contrary, He said, "all the prophets and the law prophesied until John", (Mat. 11:13). He counts the "law" as prophetic! In Luke 24:44, He says, "..all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets and in the psalms, concerning me." Events written in advance are prophecy. He is saying that the "law", the "prophets", and even the book of Psalms, are prophetic books. In Mat. 5:16, He said that he came "to fulfill" something. Fulfill what? The "law", or the Prophets? He said that His coming fulfilled the law and the prophets. The separation and the conflict existed only in the minds of the people, primarily the Sadducean Priests, the Levitical Priesthood, which had no use for the Prophets. That imagined division and separation still exists today.

If Christ and the Apostles didn't divide and separate the Bible into divisions, why do men? What would be the purpose? Could it be to de-emphasize the law, or to de-emphasize prophecy or both? Who would want to de-emphasize the law? Perhaps those who say it was "fulfilled" (done away) in Christ? Who would want to de-emphasize prophecy? Perhaps those who say it was "fulfilled" in Christ (and has no future fulfillment)? Why separate "the writings" as non-prophetic and non-legal? Could it be to diminish any references they make to the "law" and to "prophecy" so that they are considered merely "inspirational" or historical works, and therefore, non-threatening to mainstream doctrines? It would also make them appear of little or no value to us today. If we say that the law is "done away" or "fulfilled", and that prophecy is already fulfilled, (or way off in the future), and that the balance of the Old Testament is neither legal nor prophetic, but merely "inspirational" prose, poetry or history, then we have "taken away" from the messages contained therein and placed ourselves under a curse according to the One who inspired it to be written and preserved (Deu. 4:2, Rev. 22:18-19) .

Men have divided the Old Testament as follows:

I. The Law:

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy

II. The Prophets

A. The Former Prophets

1. Joshua-Judges
2. Samuel-Kings

B. The Latter Prophets

1. The Major Prophets

Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel

2. The Minor Prophets

Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

III. The Writings

A. The Poetic or Metric Books

Psalms
Proverbs
Job

B. The Megillot or Festival Books

Song of Songs
Ruth
Lamentations
Ecclesiastes
Esther

C. The Restoration Books

Daniel
Ezra-Nehemiah
Chronicles

This all looks so very neat and orderly. But what does it accomplish? Several things. First, it separates. It separates the "law" from the "prophets" and from the "writings" as if there is little or no connection. It's as if the books of the law are not prophetic (although Christ said they are). It's as if the prophecies are separate from the law (although Christ referred to them together and said He fulfilled both). And it's as if the "writings" have nothing to do with the "law" or the prophecies.

Second, it divides. It divides the prophets into "former" and "latter" as if there is no connection and does not allow for "prophets" in the "latter days" as spoken of by Joel and in Revelation. The "latter" prophets are divided into "major" and "minor" based solely upon the size of the books with no regard to whom they are addressed, or whether they are only historical now, or still prophetic (of future events).

The third thing accomplished is that it diminishes. It diminishes the value of the books of the law and of the prophets by suggesting that they do not relate to each other and that so-called "inspirational only" books are of more relevance than the law or the prophets.

How can one separate the books of Moses, called the "law", from Moses, who was called a "prophet"? Which of the other prophets did not write about the breaking of God's laws?

Is prophecy over-emphasized by some? Certainly, that is true for the student who is preoccupied with the events of the "end of this age" to the detriment of his growth as a follower of Christ. It is also true for the teacher who concentrates on aspects of prophecy, to the exclusion of the principles of spiritual growth.

At the same time, we need to understand and keep in mind that 51 of the Bible's 66 books were written by people called prophets, or who made prophetic statements or had visions or dreams inspired by God. Of course all scripture is inspired by God (2 Tim. 3:16). Fifty-seven of the books mention prophets, forty-nine contain prophecies and forty-seven show fulfilled prophecies. Finally, every single book of the Bible bears some relationship with prophets or prophecy.

All of the Old Testament points to Christ (Lk. 24:44) while the New Testament is concerned with His First Coming, His teachings and His future, Second Coming.
Christ is called a Prophet (Deu. 18:15,18). He is a Major Prophet and the only Prophet who was dead and is alive.

To set prophecy aside, as so-called "religious hobbyism", requires that we ignore the entire Bible and results in one's being spiritually "under-done" or "un-done" or "half-baked". Prophecy, when read and taught in the context of all 66 books, can be "well-done", and need not be considered "over-done".

 

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (1 Tim. 3:16).

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. . . . (Gen.2:31).

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