PROPHECY AS SCRIPTURE

In the preceding chapter there was considered the work of the prophets as related to their own times. But Prophecy had a further and a wider purpose. Its great truths were to form an important part of the body of sacred Scriptures.

It has been insisted upon, especially in more recent times, that we are to find in a prophecy only what we may be sure those who heard it understood; that the prophets did not, either consciously or unconsciously, speak for the future; that the work of each was an independent unit; that Messianic ideas are found in the prophets only when unscientific methods of interpretation are resorted to in order to corroborate unwarranted views to the Bible, but that the prophetic writers themselves intended no such ideas.

In order to reach right conclusions on this point we need to consider both what is probable and what is actual.

1. The redemption that Christ wrought for man when he was on the earth was the central and the most stupendous fact in all the history of the human race. It stands out so prominent, so high, so great, that all else dwarfs into comparative insignificance. This redemption was purposed by God from the beginning. It was not an afterthought. It was not wrought to take the place of something else that failed. Man’s Saviour had been provided before man sinned and needed one. All of history before Christ came was related to his coming; all of history since is related to what he accomplished by his coming.

The people of Israel was chosen to be specially God’s, not for their own sake, but that through them the need of redemption, and the person and work of the Redeemer might be set forth to such an extent that men of all times might understand and accept Christ as Saviour. This preparation was not merely that Christ might come into the world, but that the purpose of his coming might be understood, and he be acknowledged as the Saviour sent from God. Such preparation was needful, not for the Jews only, but for all men so long as there are sinful men who need a Saviour. For this reason the Old Testament Scriptures, the oracles of God, were committed to the Jews. They were not written for the Jews only, but for all men, for all times.

Instead of its being improbable that the prophets would speak of what was to be realized at a time long after their own, since they were specially chosen that through them God might reveal himself and make known his will concerning man, and since the work of redemption was thus central in all history, it is most improbable that the prophets would be silent on this subject, and it would have been altogether unaccountable if they had not given some intimations, if not more or less clear knowledge, of the purpose of God that was to be accomplished in the future, even though that future was remote.

2. We are not only justifiable in seeking to know how Christ and the writers of the New Testament interpreted the contents of Prophecy, but we are under obligation to accept their interpretation as valid. We may not doubt the testimony of the inspired writers of the New Testament on matters that determine our knowledge of Christ, and we cannot assert that Christ was ignorant in matters concerning himself unless he himself confessed such ignorance. When he spoke we must accept his word as final. Of course we must be sure of the real meaning of his words.

It has been said that the writers of the New Testament did not use the methods of scientific exegesis in their interpretations of the Old Testament Scriptures, and that we should not accept their views of the meaning of these. But such a position denies the inspiration of the New Testament writers, and involves the rejection of the Bible as in a true sense God’s word.

It has been said of Christ that his kenosis included all superhuman knowledge; that he knew only what he had been taught by his Jewish teachers, and that his views of the Scriptures were but the views of his people and his time. But his teaching was not on a level with the teaching of his time. It was so much above it that he was acknowledged to be a Teacher sent from God. And we must claim that he could not have been mistaken about the meaning of the Scriptures that concerned himself as the Messiah.

The further assertion that Christ knew that the views of the Jews about their Scriptures were wrong, but instead of correcting them, used them to confound the Jews in his arguments with them, needs no serious refutation. Those who know him know he would not do that.

3. Many passages may be cited from the Gospels and the Epistles to show that the writers of the New Testament understood that the prophets spoke of what was to be true in the Messianic times. Not merely did they quote specific statements of the prophets as having their fulfilment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, but they constantly refer to the Old Testament Scriptures as having the authority of God’s word. They did not concern themselves especially to know which of the prophets uttered a particular prophecy, they rather regarded all of Prophecy as one whole, from which they got their proof that the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through prophets of those facts and truths that they themselves saw becoming actual in their own time.

Thus Matthew says the birth of Jesus was the fulfilment of what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. (Matt. 1:22.)

Luke says, “And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us, in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets” (Luke 1:69, 70).

John quotes Philip as saying, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write” (John 1:45).

Peter said that God had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets that Christ should suffer. (Acts 3:18.)

Peter further said, “Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days” (Acts 3:24).

Paul declared that in his continued witnessing to all about Christ he had said no other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come. (Acts 26:22.) And when Paul was in Rome he testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets. (Acts 28:23.)

4. The testimony of Jesus to the prophets has still greater weight. He said he had not come to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfil them. (Matt. 5:17).

He told the twelve, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished” (Luke 18:31).

He said to the two disciples as they went to Emmaus, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke” (Luke 24:25). “And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27.) Well might these disciples say to each other, “Was not our heart burning within us, while he talked to us in the way, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32.)

5. This purpose of Prophecy as a part of the Old Testament Scriptures which were intended as an aid to understand Christ when he came, gives a unity to the various prophetic messages that they would not otherwise have had. While each prophet had a work for his own time, he also had a part in the work for all time. The hearers of the prophet, even the prophet himself, may not have fully understood the wider significance of any message, but that fact does not prevent us from believing that the Holy Spirit who was speaking through the prophets, thus gave truths that were parts of a larger whole.

When we consider the work of these prophets in its special relation to the needs of their own times in view of this wider purpose of Prophecy, it appears that even what was meant for the special good of the hearers, had also a permanent value for the instruction of the readers.

The people of Israel were chosen that they might receive and transmit truths concerning redemption, and the instruction which they received through the prophets, the rebukes, threats, and exhortations, by which they were shown God’s character and will, formed an important part of these redemptive truths. Not only may we see that the lessons taught the Israelites are applicable to our own times, but that these lessons were meant for our own times.