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Prophets are God’s spokesmen. They speak for God and speak forth God; sometimes they also predict. According to the Bible, the main function of a prophet is not to predict the things to come but to speak for God. For example, in Exodus 3 and 4 when Moses was called by God, he told God that he was slow of speech and of a slow tongue (4:10). So God gave Aaron to Moses to be his prophet (4:14-16; 7:1). Aaron did not predict for Moses; rather, he spoke for him. In the whole Bible, to prophesy is mainly to speak for God and to speak forth God; sometimes it is also to predict. To predict, however, is secondary. This is the proper meaning of prophesying in the Bible.
A prophet is also called a seer. First Samuel 9:9 says, “Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.”
The prophets before the age of the prophets were Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, and the Gentile prophet Balaam.
Abraham was a prophet of God. According to the record in Genesis 20, when Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah, God intervened and said to him, “Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine” (v. 7). And Abimelech restored Sarah to Abraham. So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they bore children (vv. 14, 17). Here God used Abraham as His spokesman.
Moses was also a prophet of God. Deuteronomy 18:15 says, “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.” As a prophet, Moses typified Christ (Acts 3:22-23). He was used by God to lead the children of Israel out of Pharaoh’s usurpation and Egypt’s tyranny; he further led them to Mount Sinai to serve and to offer sacrifices to God, to build the tabernacle, and to go through the trials in the wilderness. During those forty years, Moses served as God’s spokesman, speaking for God, speaking forth God, and predicting. He predicted that the children of Israel would forsake God and be cast by God into all the nations, but that when they would repent and turn to God, He would gather them from the nations (Deut. 29:25-28; 30:1, 3). He also typified Christ as the Apostle sent by God for His people (Heb. 3:1-2).
Samuel was also a prophet of God. First Samuel 3:19-21 says, “And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” God established Samuel as a prophet to speak for Him. God prophesied through him that the house of Eli would deteriorate (1 Sam. 3:12-14) and that a man after God’s heart would succeed Saul to the throne (1 Sam. 13:13-14).
Formerly, the priests occupied an important position, because the people needed to go through the priests when they served and drew near to God. But from the time that God established Samuel as the prophet, and after the death of the priest Eli, the priests no longer occupied the position of importance. At that time, when the people or the kings wanted to know God’s desire, they had to go through the prophets.
David was a king and a prophet as well (Acts 2:29-30). The Spirit of Jehovah spoke by him, and His word was in his tongue (2 Sam. 23:2). In his psalms he prophesied that from the beginning Christ was God (Psa. 110:1; Matt. 22:43-44) who became a man (Psa. 8:4-5; Heb. 2:6-9). He came into the world that He might do the will of God (referring especially to the replacement of all the sacrifices) (Psa. 40:6-8; Heb. 10:5-9). He trusted in God (Psa. 18:2; Heb. 2:13). He loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore, God anointed Him with the oil of exultant joy above His partners (Psa. 45:7; Heb. 1:9). He was hurt by one of His disciples (Psa. 41:9; John 13:18). On the cross He was rejected by God for our sins, His hands and feet were pierced, and He suffered the pain of death (Psa. 22:1, 14-17; Matt. 27:46); yet not one of His bones was broken (Psa. 34:20; John 19:36). The soldiers divided His garments among themselves, and for His clothing they cast lots (Psa. 22:18; John 19:23-24). While He was dying on the cross He thirsted (Psa. 69:21; John 19:28). God would not leave His soul in Hades, nor would He permit His flesh to see corruption; rather, God raised Him up, made Him ascend before God, and seated Him at God’s right hand (Psa. 16:8-11; 110:1; Acts 2:25-35). In resurrection He (with His human nature) was born of God (to become God’s Firstborn) (Psa. 2:7; Acts 13:32-35). After resurrection, He declares the Father’s name to His brothers (disciples); in the midst of the church He sings praise to the Father (Psa. 22:22; Heb. 2:12). Having ascended to the height, He led captive those taken captive and gave gifts to men (Psa. 68:18; Eph. 4:8). In ascension He was made a Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedec (Psa. 110:4; Heb. 5:5-6, 10). Now He is sitting in the heavens, waiting for God to make His enemies His footstool (Psa. 110:1; Heb. 10:12-13; 1 Cor. 15:25). At His coming back, all the angels of God shall worship Him (Psa. 97:7; Heb. 1:6). His throne is forever, and the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of His kingdom (Psa. 45:6; Heb. 1:8). In the beginning He was the Lord who created the heavens and the earth; the heavens and the earth shall perish and be changed, but He shall remain forever and not be changed, and His years shall not fail (Psa. 102:25-27; Heb. 1:10-12).
Balaam was a prophet from Pethor, which was by the river, who was hired by Balak, the king of the Moabites, to curse the children of Israel (Num. 22:4-6). Inspired by the Spirit of God, however, he blessed Israel instead, saying, “He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel” (Num. 23:18-21). Again, he said, “How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!” (Num. 24:2-7). He also predicted that Christ would come as a Star out of Jacob and as a Scepter rising out of Israel, and that He would have dominion (Num. 24:17, 19; Matt. 2:2). Because he loved the wages of unrighteousness, he forsook the straight way and fell into error (2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11).
In the Old Testament there was first the priesthood. After the desolation and failure of the priesthood, God raised up the kingship, and after the failure of the kingship, God raised up the prophethood. The prophets were a support to the kings. God’s original intention was to make the whole nation of Israel a kingdom of priests (Exo. 19:6). Because of the failure of the children of Israel in that they worshipped the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai (Exo. 32:1-24), God chose the tribe of Levi to replace the children of Israel as His priests (Exo. 32:25-26; Deut. 33:8-10). However, it was not the whole tribe of Levi but only the house of Aaron that was chosen to be the priests. When the tabernacle was set up at Mount Sinai, Aaron and his two sons were anointed and consecrated for the priestly service (Lev. 8). However, at the time of the two sons of Eli, the ordained priesthood of Aaron’s house became completely degraded (1 Sam. 2:12-17). God therefore raised up the prophet Samuel to anoint Saul and David (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:13), thus bringing in the kingship.
When the kingship failed, there was the need of the prophethood for correction, adjustment, and restoration. When David killed Uriah, took his wife, and thus sinned against God, God sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke him for his evil deed (2 Sam. 12:1-25). During the degradation of the people of Israel, there was no proper king or priest. Therefore, God called Elijah and Elisha to function as prophets. When the priests failed and the kings were ruined, the prophets were then raised up as a support to the priests and kings.
When David was fleeing and wandering, the prophet Gad advised him not to abide in the stronghold but to go into the land of Judah (1 Sam. 22:5). When David sinned against God by numbering the people, the word of God came to Gad who then told David that God offered him three calamities, and that he must choose one that God might do it to him. After the three days’ pestilence had passed, Gad came to see David and told him to go up and build an altar unto Jehovah in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. And David built there an altar unto God and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings; thus the plague was stayed from Israel (2 Sam. 24).
The word of God came to Nathan the prophet when David the king set his heart to build a house for God. Nathan told King David that God would make a house for him and would set up his seed after him; his seed would build a house for God’s name, and God would establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Sam. 7:1-17). This prophecy was first fulfilled for a time in Solomon and then completely fulfilled in Christ (Luke 1:32-33). When David sinned, God sent Nathan to rebuke him of his sin, telling him that God would raise up evil against him out of his own house and that the sword would never depart from his house (2 Sam. 12:1-15). When David begot Solomon through Bathsheba, God sent word through Nathan and named Solomon “Jedidiah” (meaning “beloved of Jehovah”), because God loved him (2 Sam. 12:24-25). When David was old and stricken in years, Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself and plotted to usurp the throne. Nathan and Bathsheba devised a plan which caused David to swear that Solomon would be the king and thus foiled the scheme of Adonijah (1 Kings 1).
First Kings 13 records the story of an old prophet. The agedness of the old prophet does not mean that he was spiritually experienced, but that he was already old, aged, and useless in the hands of God. When God wanted to speak to Jeroboam, He could only use the man of God, not the old prophet.
Furthermore, the old prophet also used his title to deceive people. He had already lost fellowship with God, yet he made false claims saying that an angel had spoken to him by the word of Jehovah. It was when they were sitting at the table that the word of Jehovah came to the old prophet. This does not mean that the old prophet had become spiritual, but rather that God was going to deal with the man of God who had disobeyed His commandment. God had put no demand upon the old prophet and had put him aside. The old prophet was just waiting to die (1 Kings 13:31).
Solomon followed his foreign wives to worship idols and did evil in the eyes of God. Hence, God was angry with Solomon and decided to rend the kingdom from him and give it to his servant Jeroboam. One day when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way. Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him and rent it in twelve pieces, and he told Jeroboam to take ten pieces because God would rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and would give ten tribes to him. Thus, God predicted through Ahijah that the kingdom would become divided (1 Kings 11:29-39).
When Jeroboam became king, because of his ambition, he built the high places and set up another center of worship, thus creating division and provoking God to anger. God prophesied again through Ahijah, saying, “I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every man-child, him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel, and will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweepeth away dung, till it be all gone” (1 Kings 14:1-18, ASV).
Elijah means “my God Jehovah.” During the time when King Ahab and the people were worshipping Baal, Elijah was a strong witness of God and a man of prayer as well (James 5:17). He prayed for heaven not to send the rain, for the widow’s son to be made alive, for fire to fall from heaven to consume the burnt offering, for heaven to send the rain (1 Kings 17—18), and for fire to come down from heaven to consume the captains with their soldiers sent by King Ahaziah (2 Kings 1). All these prayers were answered by God.
Nevertheless, Elijah also had his failure. On Mount Carmel, he proved that Jehovah was God and Baal was a false god; he also destroyed the prophets of Baal. Yet, because of Jezebel’s threatening words, he fled to the land of Judah and sat down under a juniper tree, requesting for himself that he might die. God was going to use him greatly, yet he went into hiding because he feared for his life. In Romans 11:2-4 Paul says that Elijah pleaded with God against Israel, saying, “Lord, they have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life.” But God answered, “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” Thus, Elijah’s weakness also manifested the grace of God’s selection. He was still an overcoming prophet who was eventually taken up by God (2 Kings 2:11).
Elisha means “Jehovah is the Savior.” Elisha was the continuation of Elijah to be a prophet in the kingdom of Israel. In Luke 4:27 the Lord Jesus testified that Elisha healed a Gentile with his gift of healing. He even healed the bad water and made it living water (2 Kings 2:19-22).
Jehoshaphat the king of Judah and Ahab the king of Israel were planning to battle with the king of Syria, that they might take Ramoth-gilead out of his hand (1 Kings 22:1-4). When they inquired of God about this matter, all the prophets spoke lies with one mouth. The prophet Micaiah alone prophesied for God and was thus put into the prison. King Ahab, however, died in the battle as prophesied by Micaiah (1 Kings 22:19-22, 29-35).
Isaiah means “Jehovah saves.” Isaiah the son of Amoz (Isa. 1:1) was a contemporary of Amos and Hosea, the prophets in the kingdom of Israel, and of Micah, the prophet in the kingdom of Judah. His prophetic ministry lasted the longest; he prophesied under the reigns of four kings: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1). His wife was a prophetess (8:3), and he had at least two sons: Shear-jashub (meaning, “a remnant shall return”) and Maher-shalal-hash-baz (meaning “quickly the spoil, hasting the prey”) (7:3; 8:3). He was a historian (2 Chron. 26:22; 32:32). According to a credible tradition among the Jews and some rabbinic writings of the second century, he suffered martyrdom during the reign of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:16; 24:4; cf. Acts 7:52) by being sawn asunder. Hebrews 2:13b shows that he (Isaiah) and the children whom God gave to him (Isa. 8:18) typify Christ and the believers whom God gave to Him.
The book of Isaiah speaks concerning salvation in such great detail that some have even called it the Gospel of Isaiah. In it are found prophecies concerning Christ: (a) His birth— God becoming a man (7:14; 9:6); (b) His genealogy—a descendant of Jesse (11:1); (c) His name—Emmanuel, Wonderful, Counselor, (a child being called) the mighty God, (a son being called) the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace, Jehovah’s Servant (7:14; 9:6; 42:19); (d) His living—as a root out of a dry ground, having no form nor comeliness, His image being marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men, being despised and rejected of men, being a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (52:14; 53:2-3); (e) His being anointed—being filled with the Spirit of God (61:1; 11:2); (f) His work—preaching good tidings and proclaiming God’s jubilee (61:1-3); (g) His dealings with man—not crying nor lifting up His voice, not breaking a bruised reed, and not quenching the smoking flax (42:1-4); (h) His death—having borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, being wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities (53:4a-10); (i) His burial—making His grave with the rich (53:9a); (j) His resurrection—swallowing up death, prolonging His days, justifying many (25:8a; 53:10b-11); (k) His coming back—rending the heavens and coming down, judging the people (64:1; 63:1-6); (l) His reign—in the millennium (Rev. 20:4, 6) reigning in righteousness, all peoples enjoying peace, and all creation living in harmony (9:7; 11:3-16; 32:1; 33:17-24); (m) His kingdom—being exalted above all the nations and all peoples flowing to it (2:2-4; 35:1-10; Micah 4:1-3), bringing in the new heaven and new earth (65:17; 66:22). Isaiah also prophesied that Christ, who became a man, was a sure foundation stone and a precious cornerstone laid by God for His building and trusted in by His believers (28:16), and that He would “be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land” (32:2).
Jeremiah means “Jehovah exalts” or “Jehovah throws down.” Jeremiah’s whole life was a testimony of the meaning implied in his name. People despised and rejected Jeremiah, regarding him not as a priest, much less a prophet; they treated him like a criminal and like a traitor. God, however, lifted him up (Jer. 1:5, 10). On the other hand, the kings and people of Israel committed sins and wickednesses, worshipped idols and rejected God’s word, and were extremely unrestrained. So God threw them down. Jeremiah prophesied that Christ was a righteous sprout which God would raise up for David, and that (at His coming again) He would reign and would execute judgment and justice in the earth, that the whole race of Israel would be saved, and that His name would be called Jehovah our righteousness (Jer. 23:5-7; 33:15-16). He also prophesied that God would make a new covenant with His people, according to which He would put His law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts; He would be their God, and they would be His people. They would know Him, from the least to the greatest of them. He would forgive their iniquities and would remember their sins no more (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-12). For the rest concerning Jeremiah and his prophecies, see Lesson Twelve in volume one.
Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, was a priest (Ezek. 1:3). His name means “God strengthens” or “God is the strength.” He sternly rebuked the leaders and people of Israel for turning away from God, worshipping idols, committing fornications, and doing all kinds of evil. He transmitted the word of God to the children of Israel who were in captivity (Ezek. 3:10-11); he continued and confirmed that which was spoken by Jeremiah (Jer. 29:1-14), earnestly telling them that before they could return to Jerusalem they needed to turn back to Jehovah their God. Although it was very difficult in the beginning and although he encountered great opposition (Ezek. 3:7-9), the people in captivity eventually detested the idols, turned their hearts to God, and were returned to their homeland after seventy years. This was mostly the result of the work of the prophet Ezekiel. For the rest concerning Ezekiel and his prophecies, see Lesson Twelve in volume one.
Daniel was of the children of Judah (Dan. 1:6). His name means “God is the Judge” or “my God is the Judge.” The testimony of the prophet Daniel is that his God is the Judge. The reason the kingdom of Judah fell and Daniel was taken captive to Babylon is that God is the Judge. He exercised self-control to keep himself undefiled and was not willing to go with the tide; he stood for God, even not caring for his own life, because God is the Judge. The dream and the writing which he interpreted before the king and the prophecies in his book also testify that God is the supreme Judge. He predicted that Christ would be cut off four hundred eighty-three years (that is, sixty-nine weeks) after the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Dan. 9:25-26); that He would receive the kingdom and come back (7:13-14); and that at His coming back He would be as a stone cut out without hands, which would become a great mountain (the kingdom) and would fill the whole earth (2:34-35). He also prophesied that in the future resurrection, some will receive eternal life and others will receive eternal punishment (Dan. 12:2; John 5:28-29); they who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever (Dan. 12:2-3; Matt. 13:43). For the rest concerning Daniel, see Lesson Twelve in volume one.
The books of the so-called Minor Prophets are not called such to infer that the prophets were of a lower rank, or that the contents were of lesser importance, but because they were shorter books.
Hosea was the son of Beeri (Hosea 1:1). His name means “salvation” or “Jehovah is salvation.” The prophecies in the book of Hosea were filled with salvation, especially Jehovah’s salvation for the backsliding Israel. Hosea spoke for God as a prophet in the years of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the years of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. His contemporaries included the prophets Isaiah, Micah, and Amos. He predicted the escape of Christ to Egypt after His birth (Hosea 11:1; Matt. 2:15).
Joel was the son of Pethuel (Joel 1:1). His name means “Jehovah is God.” Based upon the contents of the book of Joel, we can conclude that among the prophets who wrote books, Joel was one of the earliest. His ministry preceded that of Amos. He prophesied that the Holy Spirit would be poured out at Pentecost and that those who would call upon the Lord’s name would be saved (2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21). He also prophesied that when Christ comes again, He will judge all the nations living on the earth (3:1-2; Matt. 25:31-46; Acts 17:31; 10:42).
The prophet Amos was a native of Tekoa in the kingdom of Judah (Amos 1:1). Nevertheless, the place and main object of his ministry was the northern kingdom of Israel. He was a herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit (7:14), lowly in the eyes of men. But God has chosen the weak of the world that He might shame the strong (1 Cor. 1:27). He chose a herdsman to be His prophet to warn Jeroboam, the son of Joash and the king of Israel, in the days of his great prosperity. Amos prophesied that when Christ comes again, the kingdom of Israel will be restored (Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16; 1:6).
Obadiah means “the servant of Jehovah.” The book of Obadiah is the shortest book of the Old Testament, yet its content is very important. It pronounces the future and end of Edom, Israel’s enemy for generations. In name the Edomites were Israel’s brothers, but in reality they were Israel’s archenemies, who were constantly trying to destroy God’s chosen people. According to verses 11, 16, and 17-20, Obadiah ministered in Judah and addressed his prophecies to Judah.
The prophet Jonah, the son of Amittai, was of Gath-hepher (Jonah 1:1; 2 Kings 14:25). Jonah means “a dove,” signifying that God’s commission to Jonah was to fly out like a dove to preach the gospel of peace.
Jonah typifies Christ in two aspects:
First, the death of Christ, as seen in Matthew 12:40: “For as Jonah was in the belly of the sea monster three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.”
Second, the ministry of Christ, as shown in Matthew 12:41: “Behold, a greater than Jonah is here.” Jonah was sent to Nineveh to preach the word of God; Christ was sent to the world as the Word of God (John 1:1). The Ninevites repented because they heard the preaching of the word of God; yet those during the time of the Lord Jesus would not repent, even though they had the very Word of God among them. Hence, the Ninevites will stand up in the judgment with that generation and will condemn it (Matt. 12:41).
Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (Micah 1:1). He was a contemporary of Isaiah, Hosea (Isa. 1:1; Hosea 1:1), and possibly Amos. His name means “Who is like Jehovah?” In his book he pointed out repeatedly the transcendence and incomparableness of God’s holiness, righteousness, love, and mercy. At the end of his book, he said, “Who is a God like unto thee...?” (Micah 7:18). He prophesied concerning the birthplace of Christ when He became a man in time and the goings forth of His Godhead being from eternity (5:2), that He as the victorious Ruler would be the deliverance and peace of God’s people (5:2-9), that His kingdom would be above all nations, and that the people would flow unto it (4:1-5), as also prophesied by Isaiah (Isa. 2:2-4).
Nahum was an Elkoshite (Nahum 1:1). God gave him the vision specifically concerning the Assyrian Empire and the destruction of its capital Nineveh. Although he was an Israelite, he prophesied in the kingdom of Judah. His name means “consolation” or “revenge.” His prophetic speakings were full of both consolation and revenge. Toward the oppressed people, God comforted them through the prophets; toward the cruel and violent Assyria, God made revenge.
Nahum prophesied in the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah. At that time Assyria was the strongest nation and the most cruel aggressor, and all the Near Eastern nations were afraid of her. Judah was especially afraid of her, and having seen the fall of the kingdom of Israel into the hands of Assyria (720 B.C.) and Egypt’s defeat by Assyria (714 B.C., see Isa. 20), was constantly wary of this terrible enemy. Under this circumstance, Nahum rose up as a prophet to comfort God’s people, telling them not to fear and predicting the soon coming of God’s judgment upon Assyria.
Habakkuk means “embraced” or “attached.” When he had problems or when he sought for the interest of his fellow people, he embraced God and attached himself to God, asking questions repeatedly and not relaxing at all. The book of Habakkuk is very similar to the book of Nahum, both being concerned with God’s judgment upon the enemies of God’s people. The latter prophesied the end of Assyria, while the former predicted the end of Chaldea. Habakkuk also prophesied that the just shall live by his faith (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17).
Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah (Zeph. 1:1), was a prince in the royal house of Judah. His name means “Jehovah hides.” A contemporary of Habakkuk and Jeremiah, Zephaniah prophesied in the days of Josiah, king of Judah. During his reign Josiah began to remove the idols but did not do it thoroughly; thus, some idols still remained. Therefore, Zephaniah spoke the word of God, saying, “I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, and the name of the Chemarim with the priests; and them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops” (1:4-5). He was in the imperial court assisting and guiding the young king Josiah to seek God. He prophesied that God would punish the nations, cause the people to call upon Him and serve Him, and bring restoration to the nation of Israel (3:8-20).
Haggai, who lived at the same time as Zechariah (Ezra 5:1), spoke for God in the second year of Darius the king. His name means “my feasts” or “Jehovah’s feasts.” This shows how much he longed for an early return to his homeland to restore God’s feasts. For the rest concerning Haggai, see Lesson Thirteen in this volume.
Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo (Zech. 1:1), was born in the land of captivity; he returned to the homeland with Zerubbabel. Iddo was one among the first group of priests to return (Neh. 12:4, 16); hence, Zechariah was both a prophet and a priest (Zech. 7:3-4), like Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
Iddo means “an appointed time”; Berechiah means “blessed of Jehovah”; Zechariah means “remembered of Jehovah.” These three names taken together mean “at the appointed time Jehovah blesses and remembers.” Surely, at an appointed day, God will bless and remember His people. For the rest concerning Zechariah, see Lesson Thirteen in this volume.
Malachi, whose name means “my messenger,” was the last of the prophets. His message terminated the age of law of the Old Testament and introduced the greatest messenger, the messenger of the covenant (Mal. 3:1), the Lord Jesus who gives grace. However, he could only introduce the Lord Jesus and could not bring Him in. Therefore, his concluding word was still on the curse (4:6), which was the terrible result of the age of law. For the rest concerning Malachi, see Lesson Thirteen in this volume.
Between the book of Malachi and the Gospel of Matthew there was a space and silence of about four centuries. Bible readers can see, however, that a wonderful connection and correspondence definitely exist between the two books. The things that were mentioned at the end of Malachi are also at the beginning of Matthew—the Messenger of the covenant and His forerunner (3:1; 4:2, 5; Matt. 1—3).
The function of the prophets is to speak for God. God’s original intention was to have the whole house of Israel be a kingdom of priests, to have every one of them serving God as a priest. But because of the failure of Israel, God chose out of the tribe of Levi the house of Aaron to be His priests. Thus the priesthood commenced. When the priestly office of the house of Aaron deteriorated, God raised up the kingship, and thus the age of the kings began. When the kingship also deteriorated, God raised up the prophets to assist the kings and the priests. Thus the age of the prophets also started. The prophets supported the kings and priests, rebuked and guided the people of Israel, and spoke concerning the Gentile nations who ruled over the nation of Israel. In addition, in their speaking for God, they prophesied extensively concerning the coming Christ. The themes of their prophecies include His being the eternal God, His being both the Son and the Father, His being both the Angel of Jehovah and Jehovah who sent the Angel, and His being the Lord who created the heaven and the earth. Furthermore, they include: His becoming a man; His human living on earth; His being anointed by God; His being filled with the Spirit; His preaching the good news; His proclaiming the jubilee; and eventually His being betrayed; His being wounded on the cross; His bearing man’s sin; His being buried with the rich; His resurrection to be the foundation stone and cornerstone set up by God that His disciples might become His brothers to be His church, in whose midst He sings praise to God; His being ascended to the height; His sitting at the right hand of God; His being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchisedec; and His waiting for God to make His enemies His footstool. Finally, they include His receiving the kingdom and His coming back with His saints, His defeating the nations, His saving the whole house of Israel, the setting up of His kingdom which will fill the earth, His reigning as King over the nations, and His bringing about the restoration and harmony of all things, thus ushering in the new heaven and new earth.
The Lord Jesus said, “All the things must be fulfilled which have been written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44; cf. John 1:45). The purpose of this lesson is to point out in detail all the prophecies concerning Christ spoken by the prophets in the Old Testament, that based upon them, we may have a deeper knowledge of Christ. Both the teachers and the readers should try to mark out every prophecy concerning Christ that is contained in this lesson and study it in detail, that they may be deeply impressed.
