THE INTERPRETATION OF PROPHECY

The principles by which Prophecy is to be interpreted are for the most part the same as those to be followed in other parts of the Bible, but because of the nature of the subject there are in addition some special facts to be observed.

1. The interest of the prophet in what was to be in the future as well as in what concerned his own time has already been noted. Not only specific instances of prediction, but the general outlook of the prophets toward the Messianic times, involves the obligation of interpreting the messages of the prophets with reference to the culmination of, not only Prophecy, but the entire Old Testament period. The claim that a prophet could see only what was within his own horizon might be admitted if we make his horizon wide enough. A prophet could see what the Holy Spirit showed to him, however far off it might be.

The claim that a prophet could get only those thoughts that were associated with, or the outgrowth of, thoughts that he already had, that we must limit the meaning of his message to what we can understand was genetically connected with truths that were already held, practically denies the fact, or possibility, of revelation, and the prophets persistently claimed that revelations were given to them.

In interpreting Prophecy we may well begin by seeing what our Lord and the New Testament writers stated was contained in it. There may be much of which they did not speak, and the meaning of which we must seek without such special guidance, but what they assert to be the meaning of a prophet’s words gives us a helpful clue to understand the rest.

2. In close connection with the preceding it is to be noted that any prophet, or any part of a prophet’s message, is to be interpreted in view of a wider whole. The words of the prophets are not to be regarded as isolated, and independent assertions, or teachings, but as parts of the whole of Prophecy, and this itself as a part of the entire word of God.

In any case of interpretation we need to study the context of a passage to determine its meaning, and here we must take into consideration, not only all that the prophet which we study said, but all that the other prophets may have said that bears upon the truth of the special part to be interpreted. The later prophets based much of their teaching upon that which the former prophets had already taught; and the earlier prophets at times presented but a sketch of what was to be filled in by those who should come after them. It is most essential that the general theme and scope of Prophecy be got well in mind in order fairly to interpret its various parts.

3. What the prophets foretold of the future people of God was given in general terms, not in minute detail, except in a comparatively few instances. It is held by some interpreters that Prophecy was a fore-writing of history; that all that the prophets spoke of the future was to be literally fulfilled; that we may search the prophets to find out what is yet to take place, or to find a prediction of what is taking place. But we would neither expect this, nor do we find it to be the case.

The prophets told of a true people of God who should be faithful to him in the end of the days; they portrayed the character of that people; they gave assurance of the preeminence of God’s people over all opposing powers; they told of a Sufferer who should accomplish the purpose of God who would send him; they predicted a King, and described his glorious reign; they declared his rule would be without limit, and unbounded peace would result from, it. But these great truths were given by the prophets in general terms. They did not picture in minute detail all that would take place in the Messianic times, nor give a particular account of all that would be realized.

The claim that the prophets were writing the details of future history has led to the view that since much they predicted has not been literally fulfilled, they were merely guessing about the future, expressing their uninspired hopes, which were to prove false ones, or else that their predictions are yet to be so fulfilled, however impossible such fulfilment may seem to be. Thus not only are the Jews to be restored to Palestine, and their city to be rebuilt, but the temple and its entire system of sacrifices will be seen again in Jerusalem. Since Babylon was not destroyed in strict accordance with the prediction of the prophets, it shall be rebuilt so that it may thus be destroyed.

It has well been pointed out that we should look to the New Testament for the latest and fullest word about the destiny of the Jews.

4. Some prophecies were conditional. The words of the prophets that are of the nature of predictions may be divided into two classes: threats and promises. Threats were made against both the Israelites and the outside nations. Almost all of those against the heathen were because of their hostility toward God’s people; were never meant for the ears of the heathen, with some exceptions, and were merely intended for teaching the Israelites themselves: showing them God’s hatred of sin, that it would be punished, and assuring them that their God would protect them from the oppression of the enemies.

Threats against the Israelites were intended to turn them from sin and to lead to their repentance. If such repentance followed the prophet’s message, the punishment threatened would of course be averted, and the prediction in form would be unfulfilled. The condition upon which the predicted calamity might be averted was not always stated. But if the threat was to secure repentance, the conditional character of it was necessarily implied.

It seems that in some cases the people had persisted in sin for so long a time that no degree of repentance would be able to secure their escape from punishment. Most, if not all, of the special calamities sent upon the Israelites as judgments from God for sin were intended for didactic purposes. They were to teach great lessons meant for all ages, and at times the repentance of Israel would have come too late to stop the teaching of such lessons.

Promises were made to God’s people only, or to those besides who were willing to identify themselves with his people. These promises were likewise often conditional, though the mercy of God was so great, and his redemptive purposes were so eternal, that even the faithlessness of the chosen people could not prevent the fulfilment of his promises. Thus the promise of a Saviour from sin could not be conditioned upon the goodness of the Israelites. Sin itself was the condition of his coming.

In the absence of any expressed condition accompanying either threat or promise, there is need of special care in the interpretation to decide whether the prophecy is conditional or not. Each instance must be decided by itself.

5. Prophecy abounds in figurative language. Almost all of the writings of the prophets are in the form of poetry. This must be taken into account in determining its meaning. Besides the specially elevated style of composition common to all poetry, we find very abundant figures of speech used by the prophets. Especially is this to be noted in what they say of the future.

They were speaking in Old Testament times under conditions that then obtained, and they used terms suggested by such conditions, and which alone could have been understood by their hearers. Thus they spoke of Israel, meaning God’s people of whatever blood; of Zion, meaning the place where God dwelt among his people; Egypt, Edom, Babylon, and the rest, meaning the enemies of God’s people wherever they might be found, or to whatever nation they might belong. They spoke of returning from exile at times when their words involved much more than a literal return of the Jews from Babylon. The splendor of Solomon’s reign is used by the prophet to furnish terms to portray the splendor and preeminence of the people of God, though this was never to be realized literally, but shall be most fully in a spiritual sense.

Here too, whether the language is to be understood literally or figuratively must be determined by the com text, and by a full study of the whole theme and scope of Prophecy.

6. It has been seen that a large part of the work of a prophet grew out of the needs and conditions of his own times. In order to understand the meaning of this part of a prophet’s words we must put ourselves so far as possible in the times of the prophet. It is necessary to consider the historical setting of the prophecy in order to discover its exact meaning. This is true of almost all the prophets. Sometimes, however, the theme of the prophet is so general in character that its truth remains of equal value whatever its time of delivery.

Much help is got for understanding the prophets from the historical books. The weakness of a king; the idolatry prevalent among the people; the faithlessness and crimes of the leaders; the approach of an enemy; the attempts to form alliances with the heathen nations, and the amount of success achieved in attempted reforms, are to be taken into consideration in order to interpret correctly the messages of the prophets.