Prophecy, as a divine communication, holds a significant place within the biblical narrative, serving as a conduit through which God reveals His will, purposes, and future events to humanity. The written form of prophecy, as preserved in the Holy Scriptures, provides a lasting testament to God's sovereign plan and His interaction with His creation. This entry explores the nature and purpose of prophecy as recorded in the biblical canon, emphasizing its role in guiding, warning, and encouraging God's people.

Nature and Purpose of Prophecy

Prophecy in the Bible is not merely a prediction of future events; it is a declaration of God's will and a call to righteousness. It often includes elements of foretelling and forth-telling, addressing both future occurrences and present circumstances. The primary purpose of prophecy is to reveal God's character, His covenantal promises, and His redemptive plan for humanity. As such, prophecy serves to edify, exhort, and comfort believers, while also warning of judgment for disobedience and unbelief.

Prophecy in the Old Testament

The Old Testament contains numerous prophetic books, each attributed to a specific prophet who served as God's spokesperson. These books include major prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, as well as the twelve minor prophets, such as Hosea, Joel, and Amos. Each prophetic book addresses the historical context of its time, delivering messages that often combine immediate relevance with future implications.

For example, the book of Isaiah contains prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah, as seen in passages like Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel." This prophecy, while addressing the immediate context of Isaiah's day, also points forward to the birth of Jesus Christ, fulfilling God's promise of salvation.

Prophecy in the New Testament

The New Testament continues the prophetic tradition, with the book of Revelation standing as the primary prophetic text. Written by the Apostle John, Revelation unveils the culmination of God's redemptive plan, offering visions of the end times, the final judgment, and the establishment of a new heaven and earth. Revelation 1:3 underscores the blessing associated with engaging with prophecy: "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near."

Additionally, the New Testament contains prophetic elements within the Gospels and Epistles, where Jesus Christ Himself fulfills Old Testament prophecies and delivers new revelations concerning the Kingdom of God. For instance, in Matthew 24, Jesus prophesies about the destruction of the temple and the signs of His second coming, providing guidance and hope for His followers.

The Authority and Reliability of Written Prophecy

The written prophecies of the Bible are regarded as divinely inspired and authoritative, forming an integral part of the scriptural canon. As stated in 2 Peter 1:20-21, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever brought about through human initiative, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." This underscores the belief that prophecy is not a product of human imagination but a revelation from God, ensuring its reliability and truthfulness.

Conclusion

Prophecy, as recorded in the books of the Bible, remains a vital aspect of Christian faith and theology. It provides insight into God's eternal purposes, offers hope through the promise of redemption, and calls believers to live in accordance with God's will. By studying the prophetic writings, Christians are encouraged to remain steadfast in their faith, looking forward to the fulfillment of God's promises in Christ.Jeremiah 45:1
The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 51:60
So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come on Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.
Nave's Topical Index

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
... The doubts of individuals, it is true, were still expressed respecting certain books
of ... without the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy connected with it ...
/.../davidson/the canon of the bible/chapter ii the old testament.htm

Introductory Notice Respecting Tauler's Life and Times
... All that we can discover respecting the commencement of ... of God" we find the names
of individuals widely differing ... though it was the wildest prophecy current at ...
/.../introductory notice respecting taulers life.htm

The Book of Enoch
... his day, or citing merely a prophecy preserved by ... consisting of a writing of Enoch
respecting the reward ... Here we find individuals and the nation oppressed by ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the book of enoch.htm

The Hebrew Prophecies.
... delivered orally to the individuals concerned, or to ... and simultaneous continuation
of Isaian prophecy. ... interesting critical inquiries respecting the component ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter v the hebrew prophecies.htm

The Canon from Semler to the Present Time, with Reflections on Its ...
... to correct the prevailing ideas respecting the canon. ... ceased; when history and prophecy
had degenerated ... accordingly, without preventing individuals from putting ...
/.../davidson/the canon of the bible/chapter xi the canon from.htm

Excerpts of Theodotus;
... as life is maintained in individuals by sustenance ... And the prophecy rightly says,
"I will send to ... which the Holy Spirit, propounding respecting things, teaches ...
/.../theodotus/excerpts of theodotus/excerpts of theodotus.htm

The Pentateuch.
... truth of this narrative, but respecting the interpretation ... by the analogy of the
prophetic days of prophecy. ... In the fourth chapter no individuals are mentioned ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xix the pentateuch.htm

That the Scriptures are Divinely Inspired.
... contrary to the faith of prophecy, they crucified ... And yet there are simple individuals,
who think ... again, makes a similar revelation respecting Jerusalem, saying ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/chapter i that the scriptures are.htm

In the Last Chapter we Confined Ourself to the Old Testament, in ...
... of the same period and be silent respecting such an ... There cannot be two sovereign
individuals, nor two sovereign ... are other features in this prophecy which do ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/in the last chapter we.htm

The Mystery
... we must not understand this of individuals, (many of ... observed, in order to connect
the prophecy of the ... passage from the same prophet, respecting the cherubim ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

How can we trust that biblical prophecy can indeed predict the future? | GotQuestions.org

What is prophecy? What does it mean to prophesy? | GotQuestions.org

Is the concept of personal prophecy biblical? | GotQuestions.org

Prophecy: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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