tions have been lost, "and that of a large tree, only a lew blossoms have reached our time." In consequence of the prophets being considered a- organs of God, much care was bestowed on the presi rvation of their publicat- ions. Ewald himself cannot refrain from observing i p. 66), •• We have in Jer. xxvi. l 19 a clear proof of the exact knowledge which tie- better classes of the people hail of all that had. a hundred years before, hap- pened to a prophet— of his words, misfortunes, and acci- dents."
•J. Symbolic A<-ii"it.<. -In the midst of the prophetic declarations symbolic actions are often mentioned which the prophets had to perform. The opinions of inter- preters ,,n these are divided. Most interpreters hold that they always, at [east generally, were really done; others asserl that ties had existence only in the mind
of the prophets, and formed part of their visions. See
I losi \. Another symbolic action of Jeremiah prefigures the people's destruction, lie sa_\s ixiii. l 10) he hail been by the Lord directed to get a linen girdle, to put it on his loins, to undertake a Ion- tour to the Euphra- tes, and to hide the girdle there in a hole of the rock.
; He does so. returns, and after many days the Lord again orders him to take the girdle from the place where it, was hidden, hul "the girdle was marred and good for nothing." In predicting the destruction of Babylon and a general war (xxv, 12 38), he receives from the Lord a wine-cup, to cause a number of kings of various nations, among whom the sword would be si nt, to drink from it till they should be overcome. He then goes with this cup to the kings of Egypt, Arabia, Persia, Media, and many other countries. When the prophet
j Ezekiel receives his commission and instructions to prophesy against the rebellious people of Israel, a mil
of a 1 k is presented to him. which he eats by the di- rection of the Lord (Ezek. ii, 9; iii, 2, 3). He is next
1 ordered to lie before the city of Jerusalem on his left side three hundred and ninety days: and whin he had accomplished them, on his right side forty days. He
j must not turn from one side to the other, and he is or- dered to hake with dunjj; of man the bread which he eats during this time i iv. 1. 8, 12). Isaiah is ordered to walk naked and barefoot, for a sign upon Egypt and Ethiopia (Isa. xx. •_'. 3). But, however we may under- stand these directions, we cannot refer all symbolic ac- tions to internal intuition: at least, of a false prophet, we have a sure example of an externally performed symbolic action tl Kings xxii, 11 I, and the false proph- ets always aped the true ones icomp. .ler. xix. 1 Bq.). These undoubted instances of a literal action warrant. the presumption that in the other Cases likewise there was a substantial fact as the hasis of a spiritual sym- bolism. See \'lMn\.
In the case of visions the scenery passed before their mind, something like a panoramic view of a landscape. gradually unfolding, in symbolical imagery, forms of Ljlory or of gloom; accompanied with actions of a cor- responding character, not unfrequently exhibiting, as in actual occurrence, t he future and distant e\ etils. The prophets occasionally beheld themsehn s as actors in the symbolical scenery. In the visionary pageant many objects would appear to he grouped, or lying near to- gether, which were in fact separated by considerable in- tervals ol time; so that it is not to he expected that
the prophets would describe what they -aw in their connections and relations. See SYMBOL.
:;. Prophetic Styh and Diction. The idea of prophecy ns anticipated history has given rise to many errone- ous \ i,\\s of prophetic language. No prophecy can he lightly interpreted which does not illustrate the name ol' (hul iii the elements of his character, the principles
of his government, his purposes of mercy and judgment
towards men. The human race presents the only prop- er object of moral treatment When judgments or blessings are announced upon states ami kingdoms, to have respect to the territory rather than the inhabi- tants is to merge the spiritual in the natural. The
PROPHET
649
PROPHET
promises -which are associated with Mount Zion, and the threatenings uttered against Edom, belong not to the locality, but to the people, and to all who imbibe their spirit and walk in their steps.
The mission of the prophets was the religious educa- tion of the Jewish people. They were raised up, ac- cording to the exigencies of the times, to preserve them from error, and to prepare their minds for the future development of the kingdom of God. Their object was twofold— to maintain the Church in due allegiance to prescribed rites, institutions, ordinances, and yet to pre- pare the people for a further manifestation of the bless- ings of the new covenant. By their writings they de- signed to impart to future ages an explanation of the vanishing-away of the system under which they lived, and to confirm the divine origin and authority of the new order of things. The prophetic style and diction exactly accords with this view of their design. This will account for the various hues of light and shade which streak the scroll of prophecy.