The amazing scope of biblical prophecy can be properly appreciated only if we first understand the essential nature of its content. When the apostle Peter said, "For prophecy never came by the will of man" (2 Peter 1:21) he was not restricting the word prophecy to mean only predictions.

His use of prophecy in this context included everything these "holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (same verse). Predictions were only a part of their messages. They also wrote about the state of nations and peoples, reviewed history and urged repentance.

In other words, the Bible represents its prophets as spokesmen for or agents of God. The author of the book of Hebrews aptly expressed this when he wrote, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son . . ." (Hebrews 1:1-2).

The job of God's prophets was to diligently represent God's point of view in everything they said. Advancing the cultural or political point of view of their people was simply not their calling. In fact, their messages were often highly critical of the behavioral and cultural trends of the people to whom they were sent.

Why is it essential that we understand the perspective of the prophets? It's mainly because of the way many modern scholars misrepresent them.

Far too often modern writers and teachers portray the prophets as nationalistic statesmen who merely reflected a gradually developing national consciousness in ancient Israel and Judah.

Nothing could be further from the truth. God send these prophets to ancient Israel and Judah to critique the prevailing national point of view, not reflect it.

God sent them to explain His perspective of the state of His people and the world in the past, present and future. They address the great dilemmas of humanity and explain how God will solve them. The culture they represent is the way of life God has taught from the beginning of mankind's existence.GN