The Bible and Prophecy

Isaiah 48:5

"I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, lest you should say, ‘My idol did them, my carved image and my metal image commanded them."

Matthew 1:22

"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet."
(In reference to Jesus’ genealogy and the virgin birth.)

Imagine the challenges the Old Testament prophets faced. Being a mouthpiece of God was no easy task, but God’s word poured out from these prophets, like Jonah and the whale, and Daniel in the lions den, as they proclaimed blessings, warnings, and condemnation to God’s people and their enemies. Most prophets were "Peripheral Prophets" meaning they were on the periphery or outside of society, and they would speak out against the status quo and what most people were doing or wanted. Prophets would receive visions, dreams, or signs from God to relay a message to God's people, and what made them so amazing and important is that what they said came true! They were a crucial bridge for communication between God and his people.

Reflection

1. Who are some of the prophets and what did they do? (If you can't name any grab your bible!)
2. If you didn't already grab your bible, go get it! Dive in and find some prophets you never heard of or don't know anything about. What is their story?
3. What is the purpose of the prophet you're looking at? What is the purpose of prophets in general?

Take the Next Step

The fact that Old Testament prophecy has come true illustrates the fact that it came from God. Prophecy in the Old Testament may be boring and obscure at first glance, but the prophets foretold the good news of Christ’s return! I challenge you to dive in to some of the Prophetic books and really try to understand their time, task and importance. Take the time to really learn about a possibly overlooked but important part of the history of our faith.