HEBREW PROPHETS

HEBREW PROPHETS

Prophecy Defined

A. Some definitions from scholars

1. “To boil up like a fountain (Heb.). In both the Old and the New Testaments, (a prophet) is
one who, under the influence of the Holy Spirit speaks the words and the thoughts of God,
whether they relate to the past, to the present, or to the future.”
2. “To bring forward or announce.”
3. “One who spoke in God’s stead.”
4. “According to the uniform teaching of the Bible the prophet is a speaker of or for God. His
words are not the production of his own spirit but come from a higher source.”

B.​ Biblical definitions. According to Scripture, a prophet is:

1. Primarily a ​spokesman for another person.
a. Aaron was to be Moses’ prophet. (Ex 7:1)
b. Of Aaron it was said, “So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself
shall be as a mouth for you...” (Ex 4:16)
2. A spokesman for God.
a. God would raise up a prophet and put His words into his mouth. The prophet would
then speak them in the name of God. (Deut 18:9-22)
b. God revealed His will through the prophet in the Old Testament period. (He 1:1)
3. An ambassador sent to make known the will and purpose of God:
a. To His chosen people under the Old Law, Israel. (Am 3:7-8)
b. To other nations. (Jonah 1:1-2)
C. Other Terms Used in Scripture to Describe the Prophet
1. ​Seer.​ (1 Sa 9:9) Navi.
a. It appears to have been the earliest term by which he was designated.
b. A seer is ​one who sees​. God gives a vision which the prophet sees and then speaks.
2. ​Man of God​. (1 Sa 9:6; 1 Kgs 17:18)
3. ​Man of the spirit​. (Ho 9:7)
4. ​Servant of God​ (or of Jehovah). (1 Chr 6:49; 1 Kgs 18:36; Is 20:3)
5. ​Messenger of Jehovah​. (Is 42:19)
6. ​Watchman​. (Ez 3:17; 33:7)
A summary: “All these terms expressed the same fundamental idea—that of ​a mediator by
speech between man and God.​” (Preferably, “between God and man”)
Two Kinds of Language Used in the Bible
Within the Bible, as within literature in general, there exist two main kinds of language:
"referential language" and "commissive language."
When we use ​REFERENTIAL LANGUAGE​, the main goal is to pass on information. This form
of language seeks to describe. It seeks to be non-emotional in nature. It seeks to pass on facts.
In our society such language is becoming more and more important, for it is the language of
science. Physicists, chemists, biologists, engineers, computer technicians, and medical doctors
use this form of language when seeking to communicate with one another. It is also the
language of philosophers, automobile mechanics, dentists, and tire salesmen. It is the advice
we receive in hardware stores, lumber yards, cooking recipes, and word processing seminars.

COMMISSIVE LANGUAGE​, on the other hand, has as its main goal evoking decisions,
conveying emotions, eliciting feelings, and arousing the emotions. The dictionary definition for
commissive is speech act by which a commitment is made, such as a promise or threat.” It is
the language of poets, people in love, coaches, and lieutenants leading men in battle,
motivational speakers, and speakers at high school graduations. Whereas referential language
appeals to the "mind," commissive language appeals to the "heart." The former is more
cognitive in its aim; the latter, more emotive. Hebrew poetry, by its very nature, was addressed
to the mind through the heart (i.e., much of the language is intentionally emotive).

The difference can be seen most easily when we compare different

kinds of literature. We read a recipe in a different way than we read a love letter. The description
of missing a sweetheart so much that our heart aches, that we cannot sleep, that our heart
stops beating, is interpreted quite differently. Recipe manuals are meant to be taken literally,
and are referential in nature. Love letters are not. They are to be interpreted figuratively,
metaphorically, for they are commissive in nature. If we interpret repair manuals figuratively and
love letters literally, disaster, or at least a lack of communication, will result. It should not be
concluded from what has been said that referential language cannot convey emotions or that
commissive language cannot convey information. A physician may use referential language to
convey a diagnosis. The description "inoperable melanoma of the pancreas" is primarily
referential in nature, but the meaning it conveys, "incurable cancer," is nevertheless extremely
emotive.
Complex Types of Parallelism
1. ​Staircase or Climactic Parallelism​ (ABCD) - A couplet in which the succeeding lines
develop in steps. They add things not found in the opening couplet with the of ellipsis. Ex.
Matthew 10:40 - He who receives you receives me and he who receives pme receives the one
who sent me.
2. ​Chiasm​ (ABBA) - the word order of a parallel line is the reverse of its predecessor (a - b /0/ b
- a). Lines drawn between the parallel elements would form an X- the Greek word chi from
which the device draws its name. Ex. - Genesis 1:1-2:1-2
>Creation (1:1)
>Heaven and Earth (1:1)
>Heaven and Earth (2:2)
>Creation (2:3)

Created
God < Important one is the center
Heaven and Earth

As therefore you accepted Christ Jesus the Lord,

X
So in Him continue to live
Colossians 2:6-7

The Sandwich method

+++++++
————-
=======
————-
+++++++
Example

Dear Juan, (A)

You’re fired (B) - Important Part

Sincerely, Elmer (A)

Or

Dear Juan, (A)

Things are tough, we can’t afford you anymore (B)
You’re fired (C) - Important Part
I’m sorry I have to do this, its not your fault - its the economy (B’)
Sincerely, Elmer (A)
GANON PADIN DIBA

3. ​Merismus or Merism​ - A writer mentions the extremes of some category in order to portray it
as totality, that is, those opposites and everything in between them. Ex. Jeremiah 31:34 - No
longer will a mean teach his neighbour... saying “Know the Lord”, because they will all know me,
from the least to the greatest.
4. Palistrophe (ABCBA) - Closely resembles chiasm except that the center is pivotal. The center
changes the flow of the story. Ex. Noah’s Ark: Pivotal Point: God remembered Noah (8:1a)
5. ​Inclusio​ (ABCDA) - The beginning is repeated at the end. Ex. Amos’ Roaring Lion:
A - The Lion’s Roar
B - Against the pagan peoples
C - Against the chosen people
A - The Lion’s Roar

Parallelism and Meaning: Parallelism isn’t the most important, the meaning is more important.

10/3/19

The Language Used in Poetry

Figurative Language - Every book has figurative language. So, all books need the ability to
interpret poetry. There is meaning behind the meaning. Poets think in images. They are
essentially artists who paint images with words. From their poetry they draw images that evoke
a sensory experience in our imagination. The Bible largely speaks in images. It does not often
arise out of abstract technical language.

Imagery can be effective if:

1. An Image should be concrete and sense related, not based on abstract concepts. Micah
3:2-3
2. It must contain an element of surprise. Jeremiah 22:19
3. It is more effective if new or at least relatively unknown, or at least if an old image is given a
new twist. Joel 1:6-7

“The Lord takes good care of me” = “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

Devices of Poetic Language

1. ​Simile​ - Comparison between two things using “like” and “as”. A is like B.
Simple Simile​: one simile in one verse.
Paired​ Similes: Two similes in one verse.
Triple​ Similes: 3 similes in one verse.
Cumulative​ Similes: Progressive, builds one one another. Psalm 103:15
Similes in a series​: Develops, Each line has a simile. Deut. 32:2-3, Hosea 13:7-8
2. ​Metaphor/Anthropomorphism​ - A comparison but more blunt. A is B.
Is Israel a slave?: Jeremiah 2:14 It has overlapping concepts.

Functions of metaphors:
1. ​Representation​: Transfer the known to what is less known, though of more importance.
2. ​Presentational​: Describes made present and then mentions the main subject. What is not
mentioned is the sensation both produce.
3. ​Personification​ - An object or idea is made like human. Psalm 43:3 (Let light and truth guide
me).
4. ​Apostrophe​ - A direct address to some or something absent as if it is present. Psalm 2:10
(Be warned, you rulers of the Earth).
5. ​Hyperbole/Overstatement​ - Exaggeration for the sake of effect. It was part of everyday
language in the ANE. 2 Samuel 1:23 (Swifter than eagles, stronger than lions).

It is hyperbole if:
1. It is literally impossible. Genesis 22:17 (Numerous as the stars and the sand)
2. It conflicts with what the speaker said elsewhere. Matthew 6:6 (Jesus doesn’t always go to
the room)
3. It conflicts with the actions of the speaker elsewhere. Matthew 10:24 (Come with a sword, not
peace).
4. Conflicts with OT teaching. Luke 14:26 (Hate parents?).
5. Conflicts with NT teaching.
6. Interpreted by another Biblical writer non-literally.
7. It has not been literally fulfilled.
8. It would not achieve its desired goal.
9. It uses a literary form prone to exaggeration.
10. It uses universal language.

6. ​Metonymy​ - ​Substitution of a word or idea for one closely associated with it.​ (Colgate =
Toothpaste, President = Malacañang) You prepare a table (food) before me in the presence of
my enemies. Psalm 23:5
7. ​Synecdoche​ - A part of​ something that represents the whole idea or item​.
Wheels = Car
Bottle = Drunkenness
Plastic = Credit card
Iron = Clothes Iron
Lead = Bullets

Amos 8:10 (Singing into weeping, religious feasts into weeping).

8. ​Irony - Saying the opposite of what is meant.

10/17/19
Principles of Understanding Prophecy

1. ​The Principle of Approach​: How do we approach prophecy?

Foretelling (predict the future)
Forthtelling (Proclamation)

Subtracting the prediction in prophets makes them preachers - Bullock

The misconception about OT prophecy is that it is only about predictions.

Prophecy​ is simply forthtelling​. ​2% is Messianic, 5% relates to the New Covenant, and -1%
concerns events future to us.

2. ​Principle of Overlay
Prophets talk about the ​same event​ in ​different ways,

It all depends on the perspective on the same thing.

3. ​Principle of Caricature
A caricature is an ​exaggerated description of something that has characteristics similar to
that which is being illustrated​. It has been used in Daniel and Revelation.

How does the Bible describe Heaven? Revelations 21

The symbolism in caricature is​ suggestive, not descriptive​.

4. ​Principle of Context
Three questions:
- Who speaks?
- Who is being spoken to?
- What is he speaking about?

5. ​Principle of Recurrence
Number of places that it appears in the New Testament as well. The view here is telescopic, like
seeing mountain peaks but not the distance in between them.

11/7/19

Types of Prophetic Fulfilment

- The Bible is serious about prophecy. Several warnings and commands were given to the
Israelites help them realise this importance.
- ​Ex Post Facto​: After the fact. ​A prophet that speaks of something that never happened is
a false prophet​. Jeremiah 28:9, Ezekiel 33:3

Types of Prophetic Fulfilment

1. ​Unconditional Fulfilment​: It will come to pass​ regardless of human response​. These are
the most important prophecies.
2. ​Conditional Fulfilment: Some conditions would be met​ for the prophecy to occur. “God
said it, I believe it, and that settles it.
It is vital to understand that ​most prophecy is conditional in nature​. (Jonah 3-4, Jonah’s
sermon makes all Ninevites repent)
Judgement prophecies are conditional​. Jonah knew this and fled since he did not want to see
the Ninevites repent.
Announced Prophecies do not bind God to fulfil it, and He retains sovereignty to fulfil or not.

How are conditional and unconditional prophecies distinguished?​ Treat it as conditional to be

safe​. What we have to see is whether they are a prediction or a warning. They usually had a
turn or burn message. The key is that in light of what the Lord is going to do in the future, we
should be living godly lives today.

3. ​Sequential Fulfilment or ​Sensus Plenior:​ It it is​ fulfilled in steps. It is also fulfilled in the
New Testament
A. ​Historical Literal ​(Israel defeats its enemies in Isaiah 7:14)
B. ​Frustrated or Suspended Fulfilment​ (points to a Fulfilment ​beyond the book’s original
historical perspective​, Isaiah and Amos)
C. ​Historical Figurative​ (​Happens symbolically​. Zechariah 13:7:9 = Matthew 26:31 - Strike
the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter. The shepherd here was evil, so it is figurative)
D. ​Historical Spiritual​ (Amos 9:11-12 = Acts 15:16-17)
E. ​Historical ​Unexpected​ (No one expected a suffering servant from the Messiah.
Interpretation should be tentative and not dogmatically)
F.​ Unfulfilled

Basic Types of Prophecy

1. ​Disaster/Judgement
- Most common genre of prophecy among the prophets. A prophet announces disaster to a
people or a person.
Format:
* Indication of the Situation
* Messenger formula (thus saith the Lord)
* Prediction of the disaster
2. ​Prophecy of Salvation
The content is positive

* Messenger Formula
* Prediction
* Basic Statement
* Amplification
* Emphatic Statement
3. ​Woe Speech (Woe unto you)
* Declaration of Woe
* Explanation offences
* Basic statement
* Amplification
* Messenger formula
* Prediction
4. ​Prophetic Dirge
A song or funeral lament​. They address the nation as if it was a corpse ready for burial; her
future was a ​fai accompli or an accomplished fact.
* Call to hear
* The Dirge
* Messenger formula
* Prediction
5. ​Prophetic Hymn
Usually positive in nature.

6. ​Prophetic Liturgy
Two or more speakers participate in response to each other.

* Introduction
* Description
* Complaint
* Messenger formula
* Message

7. ​Prophetic disputation
Here, the speaker tries to persuade the audience to accept the validity of some truth.
* Series of questions
* Conclusion
* Lesson
8. ​Prophetic Lawsuits
* Calls to hear summons to trial
* Reason
* Testimony
* Yahweh’s question
* Testimony paper

9. ​Prophecy againstforeign Nations/war oracles

* They ​saw visions​ that conveyed God’s message.
* Oracle vision
* Dramatic word vision
* Revelatory mystery vision
11. ​Prophetic narratives
The lives of the prophets. Composed of vocation reports and divine instruction about symbolic
actions.

From Isaiah through Malachi there are 17 books books written by 16 prophets. These Old
Testament prophets range in date from the middle of the ninth century (850 BC0 until near the
end of the fifth century (425 BC). The ministry of the great prophets Elijah and Elisha which took
place in The ninth century, is recorded in first and second kings. They did not write books. The
only written work they have is a letter to the king Jehoram by Elijah.

Categories of the prophets

Pre exilic Exilic Post Exilic

8th Century prophets 7th century

Amos Nahum Ezekiel Haggai

Hosea Jeremiah Daniel Zechariah

Isaiah Zephaniah Malachi

Micah Habakkuk

Difficult to date

Obadiah Joel Jonah

Pre literary or oral prophets (walang sinulat na Prophetic)
A. Patriarchal Period
- Abraham
- Moses
- Miriam
B. ​Period of the Judges
- Deborah
- Prophetic Bands
- Samuel (sa kanya nagsmilula ang Prophetic era)
C. ​Period of the Kings: David to Division
1. Nathan
2. Gad
3. Ahijah
4. Semaiah
5. Unnamed prophet (warned Jeroboam for his heresy)
D. ​Period of the kings (Division to Amos)
1. Jehu (rebuked Jehoshaphat for allying with Ahab)
2. Eliezer
3. Micaiah (ito yung mayaman na prophet)
4. Jonah (advisor to Jeroboam II)
5. Elijah
6. Elisha

Literary or writing prophets

A. United Kingdom
- Samuel, David, and Solomon
B. Divided Kingdom (Israel)
- Amos (755 BC)
- Hosea (750-725 BC)
>Assyrian Captivity

C. Divided Kingdom (Judah)

- Isaiah (740-690 BC)
- Micah (735-700 BC)
- Zephaniah (630-625 BC)
- Jeremiah (625-586 BC)
- Habakkuk (612-606 BC)
D. Babylonian Captivity
- Lamentstions (586)
- Daniel (606-536)
- Ezekiel (593-573)

E. Return of the Remnant

- Haggai (520)
- Zechariah (520-518)
- Malachi (432)

12/6/19
Apocalyptic Prophecy

It is the most unusual if not the most misunderstood genre of prophecy. Daniel and Ezekiel are
different from the others in this regard.

They are, however, comforting when properly understood. It appeals to emotion and is
something to be experienced.

Key Thing: ​What happens in the prophecy affects us.

What makes it unique: It is a specialised kind,​ it is prophecy but with a special focus and in a
striking format. ​The lines that divide prophecy and apocalyptic are blurred.

What makes them unique:

1. They use jaw dropping scenes of animals, divers, mountains, and stars that jump off the page
with 3D special effects.
2. Natural catastrophes producing cosmic chaos in the universe.
3. Harmful and disruptive evil that cause hopeless pessimism.
4. An Underlying Determinism that God maintains control.
5. Ecstatic Expectation that God will soon intervene and suppress all evil.
6. Ethical Teaching aimed at giving comfort to the faithful.
7. Visions of celestial scenes and beings.
8. Heavenly interpreters that explain celestial scenes.
9. Dualistic perspective that contrasts good and evil.
10. A very stylised structure of how the visions are presented with events and organised around
numerical patterns and repetition of similar sets.
11. God’s promise to act in the last days to restore His people and establish a new and glorious
order.

Origin and development of apocalyptic literature

Written either in persecution or great oppression. They look only to the future where God will
bring an end to evil.
Formal features of apocalyptic literature

1. Revelatory communication
2. Angelic mediation
3. Discourse cycles
4. Ethical discourses
5. Esoteric symbolism
6. Recital of history
7. Written under pseudonyms

Characteristics:

1. Pessimism of the present

2. A promise of salvation
3. A view of transcendent reality
4. Determinism
5. Modified dualism
6. Recreation of the cosmos
7. Major eschatological perspective

Function of Apocalypse:​

It addresses a serious crisis of faith. “​If God is in control, why does this happen?”

Symbolism:
Underlined the contrast of good and evil and allowed the authors to prevent outsiders from
understanding the message.

Numerical symbolism

3, 4, 7, 10, 12, And 70​ are ​dominant in all the apocalyptic literatures. ​It is used to order the
experience of time. ​The reader is to be comforted by the presence of a hidden time in the
end.​ It is also used to order the experience of space. ​Seven stars are the Big Dipper
constellation and God holding them means that He is the master of the universe.

How to interpret apocalyptic literature:

1. Set a modest goal.
2. Take symbolism and numeralism seriously but not literally.
3. Read OT and NT apocalyptic together.
4. Observe the prophet’s pastoral concern for his audience.
5. Read apocalyptic in the context of a crisis.
6. Move beyond the detail to determine the main points.
7. Do not look for something in apocalyptic that it does not intend to disclose.
8. Applications should derive form the main point.
9. Stress the theological and not the predictive with humility.
10. Appreciate the full and rich symbolism of the apocalyptic.