t Prophets of the Assyrian ^ql Jonah (referred to 2 Iv 14^). Amos, c. 700-7.50. Hosea, c. 760-737. Isaiah, 740-700. Mical), c. 724 and later. Zephaniah, c. 627. Nahum, c. eiCMiOS.
U. Propuets op the Cbaldj&as Pi&iOik Jeremiah, c. 626-586. Habaklsuk, c. 605-600. Ezekiel, c. 69S-573.
Ui Prophf,t8 of the Persian Period. Is 13-14 211-10 34-35?. Deutero-Isaiah, c. 540. Haiigai and Zt-chariah, 1-8, c. 620. Malachi, c. 460-450.
ProlMibly later, at all events after the Restoration, Joel, Jonah, Obadiah (in present form), Is 24-27, Zee 9-14.
B. The PitOPllETIC Mind. — Many questions arise regarding the mind of the prophet which can hardly be answered, but allusion may be made to some of them.
i. The Idea of the Prophet. — A number of things are said of the projihet which might .serve as partial delinitions. Such definitions are ditl'crent at dill'erent times, the prophet being regarded from various sides. In inquiring; into the prophetic mind, it is the prophet's own idea of himself that is of interest ; but his idea of himself did rot differ frow
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PEOPHECY AND PROPHETS 113
tlie people's idea of liim, though in his own case the idea was based on his coriseiousness, in the case of t lie people on their observation. Both believed that the prophet was one who spoke the word of J". When threatened with death Jer. said to the people, ' For of a truth J" has sent me unto you to speak all these words in j'our ears ' (Jer 26'°) ; and the people's idea of their prophets, if not of Jer., was the same : ' the word shall not perish from the prophet ' (Jer 18'8).
Certain names applied to the prophet axe sug- gestive of ideas entertained of him. (1) One of the oldest and most common of these designations was man of God. The name is used of Samuel (1 S 9'), of Elijah and Elisha, and of others (1 K 12^ 13, Jer 3o*), and often of Moses. The name implies close relation to God ; the prophet is near to God (Am 3', Jer 23*»- =»). The Shunammite made a little chamber for Elisha, because he was ' a holy man of God ' (2 K 4). Holiness is nearness to God ; whether in this age it already connoted moral purity (Is 6') may be uncertain ; the ' man of God' at any rate sujifjested this, for the widow of Sarepta said to Elijah, ' What have I to do vdth thee, thou man of God? art thou come to call my sin to remembrance?' (1 K 17'*). The name 'man of God ' suggests both the ethical basis of prophecy and the religiousness of the prophet. All the pro- phets pass moral judgmentson their contemporarie.«i, e.g. Nathan on David (2S 12) and Elijah on Ahab, and the pages of the literary prophets contain little else than such judgments. And Jeremiah at last goes so far as to say that the mark of a true pro- phet is just that he pas-ses such a moral condenma- tion on his time ; this of itself authenticates him (Jer 28'- '). How deeply the moral entered into the prophet's own idea of prophecy is seen in Is 6^-, cf. Mic 3*. But the notion of religiousness or godliness suggested by the name ' man of God ' is even more important. Tlie prophet's ' call ' was less appointment to an office as we call it, than to a religious life-task. His prophesying was lifted up into his own per.sonal religious life. The foun- tain of prophecy was communion with God. This is seen in Jer., in whom prophecy and piety melt into one another. (2) Another common designa- tion of the prophet is servant of God or of J". The name is given to prophets in general (2 K 9'), to Elijah (1 k IS**), Isaiah (2i)^), and others (1 K 14", 2 K 14^*), iiarticularly to Moses. The service is usually public, in the iuterests of God's king- dom. The name 'servant of J"' is given also to Israel. Israel is the great servant of J" — his ministry is to mankind, that of the individual prophets is to the narrower world of Israel itself. And in like manner both Israel and tlie prophet are called vir.survr/rr of J" — the one to the nations (Is 42'»- '»), and tlie other to Israel (44'^''). The term •messenger' is used mostly in late writings (Hag 1", Mai 3'), but the consciou-sness of being ' sent' is common to all the proi)liets — ' Go and tell this people' ( Is 0-', Jer 26'°). "The prophet feels he has a commission to the people as much as Moses felt he had a commission to Pharaoh. (3) Another name given to the projihet is interpreter. The name, though rare (18 43-''), is descriptive of the position of the prophet in regard to historj' and God's providence. (Jod speaks in events, and the prophet interprets Him to men. Prophecy arises •mt of history, keeps pace with it, and interprets it. (iod is the author of Israel's history, and His meaning in it. His disposition towards the people as expressed in it, rellccts itself in the projihet's mind. And as it rellects itself it awakens in him the sense of the i)e<>i)le'8 evil ; and being one with them he becomes the conscience, particularly the evil conscience, of the people. Events are never mere occurrences; God animates them; each great VOL. IV. — 8