XXXVll
l. The words prophet and prophecy are used in the Bible in a larger sense than they are commonly with us. We have attachec, in common usage, to the word prophet, the idea simply of one who foretells future events, 7TQo(pritfiq from Trgocpti/Lit to speak before^ to foretell. To a correct understanding of the prophetic functions, and of the writings of the prophets, however, it is necessary to bear in remembrance that the office of foretelling future events comprised but a small portion of their public duties. They were the messengers of God to his people and to the world 5 they were appointed to make known his will; to denounce his judgments; to rebuke the crimes of rulers and people; to instruct in the doctrines of religion; and generally to do whatever was needful in order effectually to promulgate the will of God. The prophet was, therefore, a man who was commissioned to teach and rebuke kings and nations, as well as to predict future events. With the idea of a prophet there is necessarily connected the idea that ho spoke not his own thoughts, but that what he uttered was received directly from God in one of the modes in which that will was made known. He was God's embassador to men; and of course was a man who was raised up or designated by God himself. He was not trained for this office, since a man could not be trained for inspiration; though it was a matter of fact that several of the prophets were taken from the " school of the prophets," or from among the " sons of the prophets." 1 Kings xx. 35. 2 Kings ii. 3, 5, 7, 15. iv. 1. 38. v. 22. vi. 1. Yet the choice from among them of any one to perform the functions of the prophet under divine inspiration, seems to have been incidental, and not in a uniform mode. A large part of the prophets had no connexion with those schools. Those schools were doubtless usually under the direction of some inspired man, and were probably designed to train those educated there for the functions of public teachers, or for the stations of learning under the theocracy; but they could not have been regarded as intended to train for that office which depended wholly on the direct inspiration of God.
The word rendered prophet, &^''?5 N(ih% is derived from &<55 Ndhd.^ not used in Kal, which is probably, according to Gesenius, the same as 5?53 Ndbang — the 2> Ayin being softened into Aleph ^ — and which means to bo up, to boil forth, as a fountain; hence to pour forth words as they do who speak with fervour of mind, or under divine inspiration. The word, therefore, properly means, to speak under a peculiar fervour, animation, inspiration of mind produced by a divine influence; to speak, either in foretelling future events, or denouncing the judgments of God when the mind was full, and when the excited and agitated spirit of the prophet poured forth words as water is driven from the fountain.
But the word also denotes all the forms or modes in which the prophet communicated the will of God, or discharged the functions of the prophetic office. Hence it is used to denote, (1) the predicting »f future events Tsee Taylor's Heb. Con. or Cruden) ^ (2) to speak in the n&me of God, or as his messenger, and bj his authority, Ex. tx 1. iv. 16; (3) to chant or sing sacred praises to God while under q divine influence— 1 Sam. x. 11. xix. 20, I. Ciirce. xxv. 2, 3— because this was often done by the inspired prophets; (4) to rave, as e. g. to utter the frantic ravings of the prophets, of Baal, 1 Kings xviii. 29. "I Sam. xviii. 10. This latter meaning is in accordance with the cus- -ferns among the heathen, where thfe prophet or the prophetess professed to be full of the divme influence, and where that influence waa manifested by writhings and contortions of the body, cr by a pretended suspension of the powers o^ conscious agency, and the manifestatioa of conduct not a little resembling the ravings of delirium. Hence the Greeks applied the word ^arr*?, mantis (from fiaCrof-iai. to be mad, to rave, to be dehrious) to the frenzied manner of the soothsayers, prophetic oracles, &c. It is possible that the true prophets, occasionally, under the power of inspiration, exhibited similar agitations and spasmodic aflections of the body (comp. Num. xxiv. 4. Ezek. i. 28. Dan, X.8— 10. ISam. xix. 24. Jer. xx. 7), and that this was imitated by the false prophets. The two main ideas in the word prophecy relate, (a) to the prediction of future events, and (6) to declaring the will of God, denouncing vengeance, threatening punishment, reproving the wicked, &c., under the influence of inspiration, or by a divine impulse.
11. In order to obtain a clear idea of the nature of prophecy, it is important to have a correct apprehension of the modes in which God communicated his will to the prophets, or of the manner in which they were influenced, and affected by the prophetic afflatus or inspiration. Of course, all the light which can be obtained on this subject is to be derived from the Scriptures; but the subject is involved still in much obscurity. Perhaps the following will include all the modes in which the will of God was made known to the prophets, or in which they received a knowledge of what they were to communicate to others.
(1.) A direct commission by an audible voice from heaven, spoken in a solemn manner, and in circumstances in which there could be no doubt of the cull. Thus Moses was called by God at the Bush, Ex. iii. 2 — 6; Isaiah in the temple, Isa. vi. 8, seq.; Samuel by God, 1 Sam. iii. 4, 6, S, 10; Jeremiah, Jer. i. 4; Ezek. i. 3; and perhaps Joel, i. 1, Amos, i. 1, Jonah, Jon. i. 1, Micah, Mie. i. 1, &c. In these cases, there was no doubt on the mind of the prophet of his call, as it was usually in such circumstances, and probably in such a manner, as to leave the fullest demonstration that it was from God. There is no evidence, however, that the whole message was usually communicated to the mind of the prophet in this manner. Perhaps the first call to the prophetic office was made in this mode, and the nature of the message imparted in the manner that will be specified soon. All that is essential to the correct understanding of this is, that there was a clear designation to the prophetic office. ':
(2.) The will of God was made known by dreams. Instances ol this kind are common in the sacred Scriptures, as one of the earliest modes of communication between God and the soul. The idea seems to be, that the senses were locked up, and that the soul was left free to hold communication with the invisible world, and to receive the ex pressions of the will of God. The belief that God made known his will in Ihis manner was by no means confined to the Jewish nation. God informed Abimelech in a dream that Sarah was the wife of Abraham, Gen. XX. 3, 6. Joseph was early favoured with prophetic dreams, which were so clear in their signification as to be easily interpreted by his father and brethren, Gen. xxxvii. 4, 5, 6. The butler and baker in Egypt both had dreams predicting their future destiny, Gen. xl. 5; and Pharaoh had a dream of the future condition of Egypt which was interpreted by Joseph, Gen. xli. 7, 25. God spake to Jacob in a dream, Gen. xxxi. 11; and it was in a dream that he made his promise Ic impart wisdom to Solomon, 1 Kings iii. 5. Nebuchadnezzar hai creams respecting his future destiny, and the kingdoms that sho^jlJ arise after him, Dan. ii. 1, 6; and the will of God was made known to Daniel in a dream, Dan. i. 17, vii. 1. God expressly declared that he would make known his will by dreams. Num. xii. 6: " If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known to him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream." Thus also in Joel ii. 28: " Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." The false prophets pretended also to have dreams which conveyed to them the will of God. The ancient belief on this subject is expressed in a most subhme manner in the language of Elihu as addressed to Job: —
For God speaketh once. Yea, twice, when man regardeth it not; In a dream, in a vision of the night. When deep sleep falleth upon men. In slumberings upon the bed- Then he openeth the ears of men. And sealeth up for them admonition. That he may turn man from his purpose. And remove pride from man.
It is now impossible to determine in what way God thus communicated his will; or how it was known that the thoughts in sieep were communicated by God; or what criterion the prophet or other person had, by which to distinguish these from common dreams. The cer^ tainty that they were from God is demonstrated by the fact that the event was accurately fulfilled, as in the case of Joseph, of Pharaoh, o\ Nebuchadnezzar, of Daniel. There is no instance in which the will of God seems to have been communicated to Isaiah in this manner; and it is not needful to my purpose to pursue this part of the inquiry any further. The mode in which the will of God was made known td Isaiah was mainly if not entirely by visions, ch. i. 1; and that mode will demand a more full and distinct examination. It may just be remarked here, that no man can demonstrate that God could not convey his will to man in the visions of the night or in dreams; or tha^ he could not then have access to the soul, and give to the mind itself Bome certain indications by which it might be known that the commu nication was from him. It is possible that the mode of communicating the will of God by the dream ^i^^^—hhalom — aid not differ essentiaU% from the mode o^the vision — "ptn — hhdzon — ^by causing a vision of the subject as in a landscape to pass before the mind.
(3.) The prophets were brought under such an influence by the divine Spirit as to overpower them, and while in this state the wilJ o{ God was made known to them. In what way his will was then communicated we may not be able to determine. I speak only of an overpowering influence which gave them such views of God and truth as to weaken their animal frame, and as, in some instances, to produce a state of ecstasy, or a trance, in which the truth was made to pass before them by some direct communication which God had with their minds. In these cases, in some instances at least, the communication with the external world was closed, and God communicated his will immediately and directly. Reference to this is not unfrequently made in the Scriptures, where there was such a powerful divine influence as to prostrate the frame, and take away the strength of the body. Thus in Ezek. i. 3, " The hand of Jehovah was then upon me.'' Cornelius k Lapide remarks on this passage, that " the prophets took their station by the side of a river, that in the stillness and delightful scenery around them, they might, through the soft pleasing murmur of the waters, be refreshed, enlivened, and prepared for the divine ecstasies." Bib. Repository, vol. ii. p. 141. It is more natural, however, to suppose that they did not court or solicit these influences, but that they came upon them by surprise. Jer. xx. 7, " Lord, thou hast persuaded me, and I have suffered myself to be persuaded; thou hast been too strong for me, and hast prevailed." This influence is referred to in 1 Sam. xix. 20, " The Spirit of God v/as upon the messengers [of Saul] and they also prophesied." In 1 Sam. zix. 24, the power of the prophetic impulse is indicated by the fact that it led Saul to strip off his clothes, probably his robes, and to prophesy in the same manner as Samuel; and in the statement that " he lay dowr naked all that day, and all that night," under the prophetic impulse.
The effect of this strong prophetic impulse on the body and the mind is indicated in the following passages. It is said of Abraham in Gen. XV. 12, when he had a vision, " Behold terror and great darkness came upon him." It was evinced in a remarkable manner in the case of Balaam, Num. xxiv. 4, 16. It is said of him, that he " saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance (LXX. " who saw the vision of God h vTtpo), in sleep,'') but having his eyes open." He was probably overcome, and fell to the ground, and yet his eyes were open, and in that state he uttered the predictions respecting Israel. The same effect is indicated in regard to John, Rev. i. 17, " And when I saw him, I fell at his ^Qei as dead." So of Ezekiel (ch. i. 28), "And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke." And in a more remarkable manner in the case of Daniel (ch. x. 8), " Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there re mained no strength in me; for my comeliness was turned Jn me into corruption, and I retained no strength." And again (ch. viii. 27\ " And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days." That ther<j wa* a remarkable a|ritation of the body, or susper sion of its regular functions so as to resemble in some degree the ravings of delirium, is a,p* parent from 2 Kings ix. 11. Jer. xxix. 26. The nature of the strong prophetic impulse is perhaps indicated also in the expression in 2 Pe:, i. 21, " Holy men of God spake as they were moved — ((ffgofitvot — borne along-, urged, impelled), by the Holy Ghost."
That it was supposed that the prophetic impulse produced such an effect on the body as is here represented, is well known to have been the opinion of the heathens. The opinion which was held by them on the subject is stated in a beautiful manner by Plato: " While the mind sheds its light around us, pouring into our souls a meridian splendour, we being in possession of ourselves, are not under a supernatural influence. But after the sun has gone down, as might be expected, an ecstasy, a divine influence, and a frenzy falls upon us. For when the divine light shines, the human goes down; but when the former goes down, the latter rises and comes forth. This is what ordinarily happens in prophecy. Our own mind retires on the advent of the divine Spirit; but after the latter has departed, the former again returns." Quoted in Bib. Repos. vol. ii. p. 163. In the common idea of the Pythia, however, there was the conception of derangement, or raving madness. Thus Lucan: —
Bacchatur demens aliena per antrum
Coila ferens, vittasque Dei, Phosbaeaque serta
Erectis discussa comis, per inania templi
Ancipiti cervice rotat, spargitque vaganti
Obstantes tripodas, magnoque exaestuat igne
" She madly raves through the cavern, impelled by another's mind with the fillet of the god, and the garland of Phoebus, shaken from her erected hair: she whirls around through the void space of the temple, turning her face in every direction; she scatters the tripods which come in her way, and is agitated with violent commotion, because she is under thy angry influence, O Apollo."
Virgil has given a similar description of a demoniacal poseessian ol this kind: —
Ait: DeuSj ecce, Deus! cui talia fanti
Ante fores, subito non vultus, non color unus, Nee comptae mansere comae; sed pectus anhelum, E X rabie fera corda tument: majorque videri N'X mortale sonans; afflata est numine quando la Ai propriore Dei. JEneid. vi. 46, seq.
I feel the god, the rushing god! she cries — While thus she spoke enlarged her features grew; i Her colour changed, her locks dishevelled flew.
I The heavenly tumult reigns in every part,
I Pants in her.breast and swells her rising heart*
\ Still spreading to the sight the priestess glowed,
Alid heaved impatient of the incumbent gou. Then to her inmost soul, by Phcebus fired, In more than human sounds she spoke inspired. Piit
Sea also MneicU vi. 77, seq.
Frcm all such mad and unintelligible ravings the fruc prophetJ were distinguished. The effect of inspiration on the physical condition of their bodies and minds may be expressed in the following particulars, (a.) It prostrated their strength; it threw them on the ground, as we have seen in the case of Saul, and of John, and was attended occasionally with sickness as in the case of Daniel. There seems to have been such a view of God, and of the events whi«h were to come to pass, as to take away for a time their physical strength. Nor is there any thing improbable or absurd in this. In the language ol Prof Stuart (Bib. Repos. ii. p. 221), we may ask, " Why should not this be so? How could it be otherwise than that the amazing disclosures sometimes made to them should affect the whole corporeal system? Often does this happen when one and another scene opens upon as in a natural way, and which has respect merely to things of the present world. But when the future glories of the Messiah's kingdom were disclosed to the mental eye of a prophet or a seer; when the desolation of kingdoms, and the slaughter of many thousands, the subjugation and massacre of God's chosen people, famine, pestilence, and other tremendous evils were disclosed to his view, what could be more natural than that agitation, yea swooning, should follow in some cases?" It maybe added, that in the experience of Christians in modern times the elevated views which have been taken of God, ol heaven, of the hopes of glory, and of the plan of salvation, have produced similar effects on the bodily frame, ^ti^/ deep, absorbing, elevated emotion may produce this state. " The flesh is weak," and that there may be such a view of glory or of calamity; such hope or fear; such joy or sorrow as to prostrate the frame and produce sickness, or faintness, is nothing more than what occurs every a ay. (6.) There is no evidence that the true prophets were divested of intelligent consciousness so that they were ignorant of what they uttered; or that the Spirit made use of them merely as organs, or as unconscious agents to utter his truth. They every where speak and act as men who understood what they said, and do not rave as madmen. Indeed, the very fact to which I have adverted, that the view of future events had such an effect as to take away their strength, shows that they were conscious and had an inteUigent understanding of what they saw, or spoke. That the prophet had control of his own mind; that he could speak or not aa he pleased; tha^ he acted as a conscious, voluntary, intelligent agent, is more than once intimated, or expressly affirmed. Thus in one of the strongest cases of the overpowering nature of the inspiration which can be adduced — the case of Jeremiah — it is intimated that the prophet even then was a voluntary agent, and could speak or not, as he pleased. The strength of this overpowering agency is intimated in Jer. xx. 7.
Thou didst allure me, O Jehovah, and I was allured; Thou didst encourage me, and didst prevail; I am become a laughing stock every day, Ridicule hath PDent its whole force upon me.
Ana yet, in immediate connection with this the prophet resolved tha» he would cease to prophesy, and that he would no more speak w th6 name of Jehovah.
Then I said, I v/ill not make mention of him,
Nor speak any more in his name;
But his word was in nij' heart as a burning fire sliut up in my bonea,
And I waB weary with forbearing,,
This proves, that Jeremiah was, even under the full power of the prophetic impulse, a free and conscious agent. If he was a mere passive instrument in the hands of the Spirit, how could he determine no more to prophesy? And how could he carry this purpose into execution, as he actually did for a while 7 Bat this inquiry has been settled by the express authority of the apostle Paul. He affirms, in a manner which leaves no room to doubt, that the prophets were conscious agents and that they had control over their own minds, when he says, (1 Cof. xiv. 32), 'Vthe spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets;" and on the ground of this he requires those who were under the prophetic inspiration to utter their sentiments in such a manner as not to produce contusion and irregularity in the churches, 1 Cor. xiv. 29—31, 33, 40. How could he reprove!heir disorder and confusion, if they had no control over the operations of their own minds; and if they were not conscious of what they were uttering? The truth seems to have been that they had the same control over their minds that any man has; that they v/ere urged, or impelled by the Spirit to utter the truth, but that they had power to refuse; and that the exercise of this power was subjected to substantially ehe same laws as the ordinary operations of their minds. The true idea has been expressed, probably, by Bishop Lowth. " Inspiration may be regarded not as suppressing or extinguishing for a time the faculties of the human mind, but of purifying, and strengthening, and elevating them above what they would otherwise reach." Nothing can be more rational than this view; and according to this, there was an essential difference between the effect of Ptrue inspiration on the mind, and the wild and frantic ravings of the pagan priests, and the oracles of divination. Every thing in the Scriptures is consistent, rational, sober, and in accordance with the laws of the animal economy; every thing in the heathen idea of inspiration was wild, frantic, fevered, and absurd, (c.) It may be added, that this is the common view of prophecy which prevailed among the fathers of the church. Thus Epiphanius says, "In whatever the prophets have said, they have been accompanied with an intelligent state of mind." Ad. Haeres. Mont. c. 4. Jerome in his preface to Isaiah says, " Nor indeed, as Montanus and insane women dream, did the prophets speak in an ecstasy, so* that they did not know what they uttered, and, while they instructed others, did not themselves understand what they said." Chrysostom says,^ '' For this is characteristic of the diviners' to be in a state of frenzy, to. be impelled by necessity, to be driven by force, to be drawn, like a madman. A ])rophet on the contrary is not so; but utters his communication with sobe/
(4.) The representation of future scenes was made known to th« prophets by visions. This idea may not differ from the two former, except that it intimates that in a dream, and in the state of prophetic ecstasy, events w^ere made known to them not by words, but by causing the scene to pass before their mind or their mental visions, as ij they saw it. Thus the entire series of the prophecies of Isaiah is de* scribed as a vision in ch. i. 1, and in 2 Chron. xxxii. 32. It 3s of im portance to have a clear understanding of what is implied by thia. The name vision is often elsewhere given to the prophecies: Num. xxiv. 4, 16. 1 Sam. iii. 1. 2 Sam. vii. 17. Prov. xxix. 18. Obad. i. 1. Isa. xxi. 2. xxii. 1, 5. Jer. xiv. 14. Lam. ii. 9. Ezek. vii. 13. Dan. ii. 19. vii. 2. viii. 1, 13, 16, 17, 26. ix. 21, 23, 24. x. 1, 7, 8, 14, 16. 2 Chron. ix. 29. Ezek. i. 1. The prophets are called Seers D'^iin roylm; and C'J'rn Hhozim, and their prophecies are designated by words which denote that which is seen, as *)'i''jn ^VV^ '*^^.*^^ T''^^> &c. — all of which aie words derived from the verbs rendered to see, J^J^ and ^^"^^ It would be unnecessary to quote the numerous passages where the idea of seeing, is expressed. A few will show their general characters. They may be classified according to the following arrangement.
(a.) Those which relate to an open vision; a distinct and clear seeing, 1 Sam. iii. 1: " And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision " — ^*3^? V'^ — no vision spread abroad, common, open, public, usual. It was a rare occurrence, and hence the divine communications were regarded as peculiarly precious and valuable.
(6.) Those which pertain to the prophetic ecstasy, or trance — probably the more usual, and proper meaning of the word. Num. xxiv. 3, 4, " The man whose eyes are open hath said; he hath said which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling, but having his eyes open." Num. xxiv. 17, " I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; there shall come a Star out oi Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel." That is, I see, or have a vision of that Star, and of that Sceptre in the distance, as if looking on a landscape, and contemplating an indistinct object in the remote part of the picture. Thus Ezek. i. 1, " The heavens were opened, and I saw the visions of God;" viii. 3. xl. 2, " In visions he brought me to the land of Israel." Comp. Luke i. 22.
((/.) Instances where the prophets represent themselves as standing on a watch-tower, and looking off on a distant landscape to descry future and distant events.
" I will stand upon my watch, And will set me upon the tower, And will watch to see what he will say unto me, And what I shall answer when I am reproved." H/zbcik u. L
" For thus lath the Lord said unto me. Go, set a watchman, let him ueclare what he seeth." Notes, Isa. xxi. 6. Comp. vs. 8, 11. Micah ni. 4. Comp. Jer. vi. 17. Ezek. iii. 17. xxxiii. 7. In these passages, the idea is that of one who is stationed on an elevated post of observation, who can look over a large region of country, and give tnnely warning of* the approach of an enemy.
The general idea of prophecy which is presented in these paesages, ^s that of a scene which is made to pass before the mind like a picture or a landscape; where the mind contemplates a panoramic view ol objects around it, or in the distance; where, as in a landscape, objects may appear to be grouped together, or lying near together, which may be in fact separated a considerable distance. The prophets ie- Bcribed those objects which were presented to their minds as they ap-> peared to them, or as they seemed to be drawn on the picture which was before them. They had, undoubtedly, an intelligent consciousness of what they were describing; they were not mad, like the priestesses of Apollo; they had a clear view of the vision^ and described it as it appeared to them. Let this idea be kept in mind, that the prophets saw in vision; that probably the mode in which they contemplated objects was somewhat in the manner of a landscape as it passes before the mind, and much light and beauty will be cast ou many of the prophecies which now seem to be obscure.
IIL From the view which has now been taken of the nature of prophecy, some important remarks may be made, throwing additional light on the subject.:iJs5.>.ii^<iv
(1.) It is not to be expected that the prophets would describe what they saw in all their connexions and relations. See Hengstenberg, in Bib. Repos. ii. p. 148. They would present what they saw as we describe what we witness in a landscape. Objects which appear to be near, may be in fact separated by a considerable interval. Objects on the mountain side may seem to lie close to each other, between which there may bea deep ravine, or a flowery vale. In describing or painting it, we describe or paint the points that appear; but the ravine and the vale cannot be painted. They are not seen. So in a prophecy, distant events may appear to lie near to each other, and may be so described, while between them there may be events happy or adverse, of long continuance and of great importance.
(2.) Some single view of a future event may attract the attention, and engross the mind of the prophet. A multitude of comparatively unimportant objects may pass unnoticed, while there may be one single absorbing view that shall seize upon, and occupy all the attention. Thus in the prophecies which relate to the Messiah. Scarcely any one of the prophets gives any connected or complete view of his entire life and character. It is some single view of him, or some single event m his life, that occupies the mind. Thus at one time his birth is described; at another his kingdom; at another his divine nature; at another his sufferings; at another his resurrection; at another hia glory. The prophetic view is made up, not of one of these predictions, hut of all combined; as the life of Jesus is not that which is contained in one of the Evanp-elists, but in all combined. Illustrations of lliii remark might be drawn in abundance from the prophecies oj Isaiah. Thus in oh. ii. 4, he sees the Messiah as the Prmce of Peace, as diffusing universal concord among all the nations, and puttmg an end to war. In en. vi. 1—5, comp. John xii. 41, he sees him as the Lord of glory, sitting on a throne, and filling the temple. In ch. vii. 14, he sees him as a child, the son of a virgin. In ch. ix, 1, 2, he sees him as having reached manhood, and hetving entered on his ministry, in the land of Galilee where he began to preach. In ch. ix. 6, 7, he sees him as the exalted Prince, the Ruler, the mighty God, the Father of eternity. In ch. xi. he sees him as the descendant of Jesse — a tender sprout springing up from the stump of an ancient decayed tree. In ch. xx V. 8, he sees him as destroying death, and introducing immor-; taiity. Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 54. In ch. xxxv. the happy effects of his reign are seen; in ch. liii. he views him as a suffering Messiah, and eoiitemplates the deep sorrows which he would endure when he should die to make atonement for the sins of the world. Thus in all the prc-phets we have one view presented at one time, and another at an«!>ther; and the entire prediction is made up of all these when they are combined into one. It maybe observed also of Isaiah, that in th<s first part of his prophecy the idea of an exalted or triumphant M'&'sJsiah is chiefly dwelt upon; in the latter part, he presents more prominently the idea of the suffering Messiah. The reason may have been, that the object in the first part was to console the hearts of the nation under their deep and accumulated calamities, with the assurance that their great Deliverer would come. In the latter part, which may not have been published in his life, the idea of a suffering Messiah is more prominently introduced. This might have been rather designed for posterity than for the generation when Isaiah lived; or it may have been designed for the more pious individuals in the nation rather than for the nation at large, and hence, in order to give a full view of the Messiah, he dwelt then on his sufferings and death. See H'*,ngstenberg's Christol. vol. i. pp. 153, 154.
(3.) Another peculiarity which may arise from the nature of p ophecy as here presented, may have been that the mind of the prophet glanced rapidly from one thing to another. By very slight associations or connexions, as they may now appear to us, the mind is carried from one object or event to another; and almost before we are aware of it, the prophet seems to be describing some point that has, as appears to us, scarcely ani/ connexion with the one which he had but just before been describing. We are astonished at the transition, and perhaps can by no means ascertain the connexion which has subsisted in view of the mind of the prophet, and which has led him to pass from the one to the other. The mental association to us is lost or unseen, and we deem him abrupt, and speak of his rapid transitions, and of the difficulties involved in the doctrine of a double sense. The views which I am here describing may be presented under the idea of what may be called THE LAWS op prophetic suggestion; and perhaps a study of those laws might lead to a removal of most of the difheulties which have been supposed to be connected with the subject lyf a spiritual meaning, and of the double sense of the prophecies. la lOokmg over a landscape; in attempting to describe the objects at? tliey lie in view of the eye — i^ that landscape were not seen by others fof whom the description is made — the transitions would seem to be rapid, and the objects might seem to be described in great disorder. It would oe difficult to tell why this object was mentioned in connexion with that; or by what laws of association the one was suggested by the other. A house or tree; a brook, a man, an animal, a valley, a mountain, might all- be described, and between them there might be no apparent laws of close connexion, and all the real union may be that they lie in the same range, in view of him who contemplates them. The laws of prophetic suggestion may appear to be equally slight; and we may not be able to trace them, because we have not the entire view or grouping which was presented to the mind of the prophet. We do not see the associations which in his view connected the one with the other. To him, there may have been no double sense. He may have described objects singly as they appeared to him. But they may have lain near each other. They may have been so closely grouped that ne could not separate them even in the description. The words aj)- propriate to the one may have naturally and easily fallen into the form of appropriate description of the other. And the objects may have been so contiguous, and the transition in the mind of the prophet so rapid, that he may himself have been scarcely conscious of the change, and his narrative may seem to flow on as one continued description. Thus the objeet with which he commenced, may have sunk out of view, and the mind be occupied entirely in the contemplation of that which was at first secondary. Such seems to have been, in a remarkable manner, the peculiarity of the mind of Isaiah. Whatever is the object or event with which he commences^ the description usually closes with the Messiah. His mind glances rapidly from the object immediately before him, and fixes on that which is more remote, and the first object gradually sinks away; the language rises in dignity and beauty; the mind is full, and the description proceeds with a statement respecting the Prince of Peace. This is not double sense: it is RAPID TRANSITION Under the laws of prophetic suggestion; and though at first some object immediately before the prophet was the subject of his contemplation, yet before he closes, his mind is tc tally absorbed in some distant event that has been presented, and his language is designedly such as is adapted to that. It would be easy to adduce numerous instances of the operation of this law in Isaiah. For illustration we may refer to the remarkable prophecy in ch. vii. 14. Comp. ch. viii. 8. ix. 1 — 7. See Notes on those passages. Indeed^ it may be presented, I think, as one of the prominent characteristics of the mind of Isaiah, that in the prophetic visions which he contem plated, the Messiah always occupied some place; that whatever prophetic landscape, so to speak, passed before him, the Messiah was always in some part of it; and that consequently wherever he began his prophetic annunciations, he usually closed with a description ot some portion of the doctrines, or the work of the Messiah. It is thia law of the mental associations of Isaiah which gives such value to hii writings in the minds of all who love the Saviour.
(4.) It follows from this view of prophecy, that the prophets would Bpeak of occurrences and events as they appeared to them. They would speak of them as actually present, or as passing before theif eyes. They would describe them as being what they had seen, and would thus throw them mto the past tense, as we describe what we nave seen in a landscape, and speak of whet we saw. Yt would be comparatively infrequent, therefore, that the event would be described as future. Accordingly we find that this is the mode actually adopted in the prophets. Thus m I*sa. ix. 6, " Unto us a child is born, unto ua a son is given." Isa. xlii. 1, " Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect ia whom my soul delighteth.^^ 8o in the description of the sufferings of the Messiah: " He is despised." " He hath no form or comeliness," ch. liii. 2, 3. Thus in ch. xiv. 1 — 8, Cyrus is addressed as if he were personally present. Frequently events are thus de-. bribed as past, or as events which the prophet had seen in vision. •• The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined," ch. ix. 2. So especially in the description of the sufferings of the Messian: " As many were astonished at thee." " Hia visage was so marred." " He hath borne our griefs." '* He was oppressed, and he was afflicted." " He was taken from prison." *^ He was cut off out of the land of the living." *' He made his grave," &c. &c. Isa. lii. 14, 15. iiii. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. In some cases also the prophet seems to have placed himself in vision in the midst of the scenes which he describes, or to have taken, so to speak, a station where he might contemplate a part as past, and a part as yet to come. Thus in Isa. liii. the prophet seems to have his station between the humiliation of the Saviour and his glorification, in which he speaks of his sufferings as past J and his glorification, and the success of the gospel, a.syet to come, Comp. particularly vs. 9, 10, 11, 12. This view of the nature of prophecy would have saved from many erroneous interpretations; and especially would have prevented many of the cavils of skeptics. It is a view which a man would be allowed to take in describing a landscape; and why should it be deemed irrational or absurd in prophecy?
(5.) From this view it also follows, that the prophecies are usually to be regarded as seen in space and not in time; or in other words, the time would not be actually and definitely marked. They would describe the order, or the succession of events; but between them there might be a considerable, and an unmeasured interval of time In illustration of this we may refer to the idea which has b^en so often presented already — the idea of a landscape. When one is placed iti an advantageous position to view a landscape, he can mark distinctly, the order of the objects, the succession, the grouping. He can teli v/hat objects appear to him to lie near each other; or what are apparently m juxtaposition. But all who look at such a landscape know veiy well that there are objects which the eye cannot take m, and which will not be exhibited by any descripticn. For example, hills in,he distant view may seem to lie near io each other; one may seem;c> rse just 'sack of the other, and they may appear to constitute part* of the same mountain range, and yet between them there may be wida and fertile vales, the extent of which the eye cannot measure, and which the mind may be wholly unable to conjecture. It has no meana of measuring the distance, and a description of the whole scene as it appeared to the observer would convey no idea of the distance of the mtervals. So in the prophecies. Between the events seen in vision there may be long inter;^als, and the length of those intervals the prophet may have left us no means of determining. He describes the scene as it appeared to him in vision. In a landscape^ the distance, the length, the nature of these intervals might be determined in one of three ways: (1) by the report of one who had gone over the ground and acXudMy measured the distances; (2) by going ourseh'^es and measuring the distances; or (3) by a revelation from heaven. So the distance of time occurring between the events seen in vision by the prophets, may be determined either by the actual admeasurement as the events occur; or by direct revelation either made to the prophet himself, or to some other prophet. Accordingly we find in the prophecies these facts, (a) In many of them, there are no marks of time, but only of succession. It is predicted only that one event should succeed another in a certain order. (6) Occasionally the time of some one event is marked in the succession, as e. g. the time of the death ol the Messiah, in Dan. ix. 26, 27. (c) Events are apparently connected together, which in fact were to be separated by long intervals. Thus Isaiah ch. xi. makes the deliverance which was to be effected by the Messiah, to follow immediately the deliverance from the yoke of the Assyrians, without noticing the long train of intermediate occurrences. And in the same manner Isaiah, Rosea, Amos, and Micah very often connect the deliverance under the Messiah with that which was to be effected from the captivity at Babylon, without noticing the long train of intermediate events. There was such a resemblance between the two events that, by the laws of prophetic suggestion^ the mind of the prophet glanced rapidly from one to the other, and the description which commenced with the account of the deliverance from the Babylonish captivity, closed with the description of the triumphs of the Messiah. And yet not one of the prophets ever intimate that the Messiah would be the leader from the exile at Babylon, (d) The time is sometimes revealed to the prophets themselves, and they mark it distinctly. Thus to Jeremiah it was revealed that the exile at Babylon would continue eeventy years (ch. xxv. 11, 12), and although this event had been the subject of revelation to other prophets, yet to no one of them was there before an intimation of the time during which it was to con tinue. So also of the place. That the Jews would be carried away to a distant land if they were disobedient, had been predicted by Moses, and threatened by many of the prophets; and yet there was no intimation of the place of their bondage until the embassy of the king of Babylon to Hezekiah, and the sin of Hezekiah in showing them his treasure, led Isaiah to declare that Babylon was the place to whioii tha nation was to be carried. See Notes on Isa. xxxix. 6. Marks of ame are thus scattered, though not very profusely, through the prophecies They were, on the whole, so de^nite as to lead to the general expecta