[Biblemat] S) ANCIENT PROPHETS IN A MODERN WORLD (1)

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is the first part of
a study from my ancient files.  Use to the glory of God.

ANCIENT PROPHETS IN A MODERN WORLD  (1)

     One of the most, if not the most neglected portions of the
Bible in our study to day is that of the Prophets.  No doubt
the reason for this is that there has been so much speculat-
ion among modern dispensationalists, in which men of this
error have sought to make the Prophets teach their errors.
This is about all the consideration the Prophets have received
in our time.  Men seek to find in them food for speculative the-
ories of a future reign of Christ on earth, or allusions to spec-
ific individuals and events of our day.  These were not the
themes of the Prophets.  They faced conditions of their day
and met them with principles of God which are eternal.  In
meeting the conditions then existing they taught lessons and
laid down principles that are applicable for all time, and which
need a thorough restudy today.  They knew that the sins and
abuses of the day would result in captivity and the ultimate
destruction of the Hebrew nation.  Therefore, inspired by the
Spirit of God, they looked beyond their own era and told of a
Messiah and His kingdom which should come, and which did
come, in which Jehovah's rule through His King, the Christ, 
should be and is complete.  Their teaching will always encour-
age the advocates of righteousness and truth, and beget con-
fidence in Jehovah's ability and determination to carry out His
purpose to a victorious and triumphant destiny.

     It is true that the Prophets were sent to Israel and Judah,
with only one or two exceptions.  But they included in their
predictions of doom the nations about them.  They were meet-
ing national problems, and in dealing with them they have left
lessons for all nations since that time, and lessons that need
to be heeded by our own and other nations today.

DEFINITION: -- At the time of Jeremiah and Ezekiel there were
three classes of instructors or counsellors in Judah.  Jeremi-
ah said, "Then siad they, Come, and let us devise devices
against Jeremiah; for the LAW shall not perish from the
PRIEST, or COUNSEL from the WISE, or the WORD from the
PROPHET" (Jer. 18:18).  While Ezekiel declares, "Mischief 
shall come upon mischief, and rumor shall be upon rumor; 
and they shall seek a VISION of the PROPHET; but the LAW
shall perish from the PRIEST, and COUNSEL form the ELDERS" (Ezk. 7:26).  From 
these two passages it is learned
that it was the function of the wise men or elders to give coun-
sel; while the special function of the priests was related to the law; and 
the mission of the prophet was to communicate
to Israel the divine Word.  Since the law was civil and ecclesia-
stical, the function of the priest was twofold: First, to declare
and interpret or teach the law; and second, to ten the sacrifi-
cial duties of worship.

     To complete the group of instructors under the Old Coven-
ant a fourth should be mentioned, that is, the Psalmists.  These are often 
spoken of as the "sweet singers of Israel."
To these poets of old, posterity is indebted for the Psalms,
so rich in comfort, hope and spiritual grandeur.

     It is generally agreed that the etymology of the word PROP-
HET presents difficulties.  However, the meaning of the word
is clearly learned from its usage in Scripture.  Scripture is its
own best interpreter and definer of terms.  When Moses had
returned to Egypt at the end of the forty years in Midian, God
said unto him, "See, I have made thee as God to Pharaoh; 
and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet" (Exo. 7:1).  When
God had appeared to Moses in the place of the Burning Bush,
He had said to him of Aaron, "And he shall be thy spokesman
...he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as
God" (Exo. 4:16).  From these two statements it is learned 
that Aaron was to be to Moses a prophet, but he was to be to
him a spokesman, a mouth.  Therefore a prophet is a spokes-
man, a mouth, for another.  Hence, the prophet of God is God's spokesman, His 
mouth.

     This point is further confirmed by the promise God made
to Moses when He spoke of the Prophet to come, saying, "I
will raise them up; a prophet from among their brethren, like
unto thee; and I will put My words in his mouth, and He shall
speak unto them all that I shall command Him" (Deut. 18:18).
God's Words were to be in His mouth, hence, a mouth for
Jehovah.  Centuries later Amos said, "Surely the Lord Jehov-
ah will do nothing, except He reveal His secret unto His ser-
vants the prophets.  The lion hath roared; who will not fear?
the Lord Jehovah hath spoken; who can but prophesy?"
(Amos 3:7,8).  The prophet, therefore, was one who spoke for
God.  We often associate the idea of prophet with foretelling
or declaring future events; but though he did foretell events,
he was more of a "forth-teller" or speaker for another, than
a "fore-teller" or predicter.

     Other terms used in the Old Covenant by which the prop-
het was designated are such as "seer", "man of God," "serva-
nt of God (or of Jehovah)," "messenger of Jehovah," "watch-
man."  All of these terms expressed the same fundamental
ideas, that of a mediator by speech between God and man.  
Someone hs  said, "There are two classes of preachers -- the
good preachers who have something to say, and the poor
preachers who have to say something.  But there is yet anot-
her and higher class.  It consists of those who both have
something to say and who have to say it.  Such are the prop-
hets."  And we might add, such ought to be every gospel prea-
cher today.

     Along with the true there arose also the false prophets.
They fall into two classes: the mercenary and the political;
some prophesying for money, others for political favor.  They
made the people to err by their teachings; and they did not
attack the sins of the day.  This made them false.  Unto such
the Lord declared, "Therefore it shall be night unto you, that
ye shall have no vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye
shall not devine; and the sun shall go down upon the (false)
prophets, and the day shall be black over them.  And the seers shall be put 
to shame, and the diviners confounded; yea, they shall all cover their lips; 
for there is no answer of
God" (Mic. 3:5-7).  But Micah, the true prophet, declared of
himself, "But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of
Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his 
transgression and to Israel his sin" (vs. 8).  (More
will be posted on this subject tomorrow, the Lord willing, 
JWS).   </HTML>
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