Prophets Research Paper FinalProphets Research Paper Final, Exams of Religious Studies

Download Prophets Research Paper FinalProphets Research Paper Final and more Exams Religious Studies in PDF only on Docsity! Prophets Research Paper Final JUDGEMENT AND SALVATION PROPHECIES Today, Tomorrow, and Forever Prophets Research Paper Final BIBL 313: Study of the Prophets Instructor: Richard Alan Fuhr Jr. Melodie Deloach Deloach 3 explains “Through general revelation, God makes his kingly majesty known in such a manner that we are without excuse when we refuse to acknowledge his glory and respond to him. But through special revelation, God takes a further step to fully establish his kingdom. He calls out a people to himself to be a witness to all nations” 3. Looking at another great theologian, Thomas Oden, he states, “In the history of revelation, God does not merely speak to himself but to ordinary human beings, particular human beings, persons with names like Abraham, Isaac, Miriam, Amos, Naomi, Jeremiah, Paul, John, and Mary. In prayer, humans speak and God listens. In revelation God speaks to human hearers.” 4 The first biblical prophecy is written in Genesis 3:14-19, and was straight from the mouth of God. Funny how you don’t usually hear these verses called prophecy often, as they are most times talked about in the past tense, but if one digs deeper into the meaning, the prophecy is revealed. These six scriptures give us insight on relationship. Verses fourteen and fifteen tell us of the relationship between Jesus and Satan, and the culmination of that relationship, verse sixteen is about man and woman, verse seventeen and eighteen is about man’s relationship to and with nature, and verse nineteen is about the suffering to befall man. God took us from Genesis to Revelations in six verses. Though we still today, question many of the biblical prophecies about their accuracy, timing, and authenticity, the first prophecy, the true believer knows to be true without reservation. This prophecy came from God himself. So why does that solidify the truth aspect? Numbers 23:19 states “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not 3 Larry Hart, Truth aflame: theology for the church in renewal (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 46. 4Thomas C. Oden and Thomas C. Oden, Classic Christianity: a systematic theology (New York: HarperOne, 2009), 18. Deloach 4 make it good?” Yes, some would say that this verse is in question form so it’s not an answer, it’s a question. True, a question of belief, but let’s look at Titus 1:2 (KJV), “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”. There, we have a statement. Why We won’t spend too much time on the “why” about the need for prophecy. Hobart Freeman states: “… the origin of the prophetic institution in Israel is not to be found in Canaan nor in other Near Eastern cultures as negative criticism contends, but was itself established for the specific purpose of guarding Israel against Canaan’s superstitious practices, as well as those of her neighbors.” 5. How would they know if the prophet was legitimate or false? The word was given through Moses in Deuteronomy 18: 15-22. These scriptures give us what a prophet should be and what he should not be. A summary of why God gave and still gives prophetic messages may go something like this. Besides relationship, prophecies were given to show the character of God. Earlier, we touched on this point. Let’s look at three of those characteristics. If we look at the prophecies in Nahum, we would see the justice factor. The people of Assyria conspired against God, oppressed their enemies, were violent and lied quite often, and worst of all, they were worshipping the false Gods of Nineveh. God, who detest evil and is just and holy, gave a prophecy of justice. In Nahum 1:3 he showed that he is patient and slow to anger, but it is also made known that he is powerful, will not tolerate sin and injustice, and his will would be done. So, this prophecy also proclaimed his power. Prophecies did not always end in doom, destruction and/or exile. There are times that they produced a positive result, ending peacefully. Take for instance, Jonah. Jonah ran from God (can you believe that!), because he didn’t want to 5Hobart Freeman, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets (Chicago: Moody Press, 1968), p. 26. Deloach 5 proclaim the prophecy. Why would anyone not want to be able to speak the word of the Lord, knowing it to be true and that whatever was said, would happen. Well, Jonah, when he received the prophecy became angry. Jonah told God that he knew him. He knew that if he gave the prophecy, the people would repent, and God would forgive them. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? Why would Jonah be angry? Because the Ninevites were a great enemy of his people. Funny how some put their own emotions and feelings in front of a command from God. Jonah wanted these people destroyed. This prophecy highlighted the love of God for his people. Isaiah 55:8-11(KJV) tells us “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it”. Judgement and Salvation Prophecies There are judgement prophecies and there are salvation prophecies. It seems though, that the two types of prophecies go hand in hand. In each judgement prophecy, there is always a call for salvation, a way of redemption. That being said, Isaiah is considered a judgement prophecy. McConville says “Isaiah’s entire message is based on a single foundation: the belief that Yahweh, God of Israel, is the only one who is ‘high and lifted up’. No other earthly power can challenge him, nor any other God. This explains why the strong condemnation of everything that is proud Deloach 8 Jeremiah 16:19-21 (KJV) – “O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?” Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The Lord. Zechariah 2:11 (KJV) – “And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee.” Isaiah 42:1 (KJV) – “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” Seeing and understanding these prophecies, puts a stamp of authenticity to the New Testament. The New Testament refers to the Old Testament prophecies for future references (for us), as well as for the time and day they were in. Today We can spend hours speaking and numerous pages writing on whether the Old Testament prophecies are relevant today. To the non-believer, absolutely not. To the “New Testament Only” Christian, it has meaning and is cherished only from a historical point of view. One will hear many today say that the Old Testament and its contents are not relevant today because when Jesus came, he took care of all that for us. Usually after that type of statement, they follow it up with Matthew 5:17. The problem with that is when you continue to read the rest of the passage, the message is different. Matthew 5:17-20 gives a bigger picture. Unfortunately, many people who claim to be Christians, pick and choose specific scriptures that will prove a point they are Deloach 9 trying to make. They read what benefits them and they hear only what makes them feel good. A.W. Tozer, in “The Pursuit of God” says “The tragedy is that our eternal welfare depends upon our hearing, and we have trained our ears not to hear” 9. Todays Christian focuses more on the grace, favor, and mercy of God. Yes, God is all of that and more but he also still speaks to us and through us. Are the prophecies of the Old Testament relevant to us today? Absolutely. Some feel that we have progressed past the messages of the prophets, but with mans’ desire to be able to explain all, he has just stopped listening. Tozer says “When God spoke out of heaven to our Lord, self-centered men who heard it explained it by natural causes, saying, “It thundered”. This habit of explaining the voice by appeals to natural law is at the very root of modern science.” 10 His explanation give insight into the attitude and reception of today’s prophets. Yes, there are prophets today. God has not changed, and it is a puzzlement why some would believe that he had so much to say in the Old Testament and the New Testament, (Yes, he spoke in the New Testament but to delve into that aspect, we would have to discuss and analyze the Trinity) but he has nothing to say today. God is a God of action and words. Todays’ Christian has just pushed the mute button and they are not listening. Tony Lane says “Since about the time of the thirteenth century, humanity has moved steadily towards independence from God. God has been progressively excluded from science, art, and even ethics” 11. Another reason Old Testament prophecy is relevant today, they have not all been fulfilled. There is the argument that Jesus fulfilled all Old Testament prophecy but there is at least one that has not yet been fulfilled. The twelfth chapter of Daniel is a prophecy that has yet to bel fulfilled because it is a prophecy of the 9 A. W. Tozer and Samuel Marinus Zwemer, The pursuit of God (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1948), 77. 10 A. W. Tozer and Samuel Marinus Zwemer, The pursuit of God (Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1948), 77. 11 A. N. S. Lane and A. N. S. Lane, A concise history of Christian thought (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006), 283 Deloach 10 end times. To give a summary of the text, Daniels vision finishes, giving revelation of the seven last plagues, the second coming of Jesus and the kingdom of God being established. This section of Daniel is usually compared with Revelation 19-21. Daniels’ prophecy also speaks of the resurrection. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. How does one really know this is an end time prophecy spoken during the time of the Old Testament? Daniel asked “What shall be the end of these things” (v.8), and he was told, “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (v.9). The state of our world today cries out for a prophet. Many believe that God does not use prophets anymore but that would make the scriptures untrue. The gift of prophecy is one of the nine gifts of the holy spirit. 1 Corinthians 12 gives in-depth knowledge and understanding of the fruits of the spirit, the make-up of the body of Christ and how these elements work together. 1 Corinthians 14:3-5 speak directly to prophecy. “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interprets, that the church may receive edifying.” The gift of prophecy is still active and working in God’s favor. Kenneth Boa, in his book on spiritual formation says that today, many “affirm that prophecy can also involve a revelation from God, whether through a dream, vision, or message. This should not be confused with the normative Word of God to all believers, or canonical prophecy. Congregational prophecy, unlike the canonical prophecy of