The Meaning of Prophecy The primary difficulty for most modern readers of the prophets stems from an inaccurate

e understanding of the words prophet and prophecy. The word prophet refers to one who tells forth (or proclaims), as well as one who foretells.

One of the keys to understanding the Prophets, therefore, is to recognize that for us to see their prophecies fulfilled, we must often look back on times that were still future to them, but for us are past. Historical Distance Another matter that complicates our understanding the prophets is the problem of historical distance. By the very nature of things, we will have a harder time understanding the words of the prophets than the Israelites who heard those same words in person. We are far removed from the religious, historical, and cultural life of ancient Israel, and we simply have trouble putting the words of the prophets in their proper context.

The Spoken Nature of the Prophets Generally, in the narrative books of the Old Testament, we hear about prophets and very little from prophets. In the prophetic books, however, we hear from the prophets and very little about the prophets themselves. That single difference accounts for most of the problem people have making sense of the prophetic books Now, if these are the reasons we have difficulty with the prophets, then in order to really understand the prophets, we have to get a better handle on: (1) the function of a prophet; (2) the historical context of their writings; and (3) the form of their writings.

Function of the Prophets 1. Covenant Enforcement Mediators To understand what God would say to us through these inspired books, we must first have a clear understanding as to the role and function of the prophet in Israel. The prophets spoke for God to His people. They functioned to call Israel back to God, which meant a call back to faithfulness to their Covenant relationship with God; i.e., back to the Law of Moses. In accomplishing this primary purpose, they confronted Israels sin and demanded repentance. Simply stated, the prophets were covenant enforcement mediators.

2. Moses as a Model Moses was the mediator of Gods Law when he first announced it, and thus is a paradigm (or model) for the prophets. They are Gods mediators, or spokesmen, for the covenant. Through them, God reminds people in the generations after Moses that if the covenant is kept, blessing will result, but if not, judgment will come. 3. Blessing and Cursing The kinds of blessings that come for faithfulness are found in Leviticus 26:1-13, Deuteronomy 4:32-40, and Deuteronomy 28:1-14. Generally, these may be categorized as life, health, prosperity, agricultural abundance, respect, and safety. But these blessings are announced with a warning of curses (punishments) if Israel is not obedient and faithful to the covenant. The curses are found in Leviticus 26:14-39, Deuteronomy 4:15-28, and Deuteronomy 28:15-32:42. Generally, these may be categorized under ten Ds: death, disease, drought, dearth, danger, destruction, defeat, deportation, destitution, and disgrace. These same categories apply in what God communicates through the prophets. One must always bear in mind that the prophets did not invent the blessings and curses they announced. They reproduced Gods Word, not their own. Through them, God announced His intention to enforce the covenant and always in accordance with the categories of blessing and curse already contained in the Law.

As you read the prophets, look for these simple patterns: either
(1)an identification of Israels sin followed by a prediction of cursing, or (2) an announcement of Gods faithfulness and love for her followed by a prediction of blessing, depending on the circumstance. Most of the time, that is what the prophets are conveying.

The Context of Their Writings Historical Context

Those years were characterized by three things: (1) unprecedented political, military, economic, and social upheaval;

(2) an enormous level of religious unfaithfulness and disregard for the original Mosaic covenant; and
(3) dramatic shifts in populations and national boundaries. In these circumstances, Gods Word was needed anew. God raised up prophets and announced His Word accordingly.