旧约研究6——他赐给我们先知 HGP——第七课   预言的目的

• 目录

• 一、引言

• 二、上帝的主权

• 上帝的不变性

• 上帝的属性

• 约的应许

• 永远的律令

• 上帝的护理看顾

• 三、预言性和偶发性

• 一般模式

• 观察

• 解释

• 策划

• 具体的例子

• 示玛雅的预言

• 约拿的预言

• 四、预言的确定性

• 有条件的预言

• 无条件限制的预言

• 确定的预言

• 话语

• 记号

• 发誓的预言

• 五、预言的目的

• 流行的观点

• 正确的观点

• 「谁知道？」反应

• 双重的反应

• 六、总结

一、引言

任何人读旧约先知书的时候，都会很容易看到先知们说了许多预言。如果你问为什么在先知书中有这么多预言，大部份人会告诉你预言的作用是要向我们宣告有关未来的事。我们在这一课中要学到先知说预言的主要目的，并不是为了要宣告未来的事，相反地，是鼓励神的子民去塑造未来。

我们称这一个课为『预言的目的』，因为我们要探索先知为什么谈论有关未来的事。为了发掘预言的目的，我们要去看四个不同的题目：第一，先知怎样了解神在历史中的主权；第二，先知如何理解预言和人的回应；第三，先知怎样了解预言的确切性；第四，旧约先知书中预言的目的是什么？首先让我们看看神在历史中的主权，是怎样形成先知对预言的理解。

二、上帝的主权

你有没有留意到所有人都倾向于走极端，就连基督徒也不例外。我们不是吃得太多，就是吃得太少，不是运动得太多，就是一动也不动。同样情况也出现在神学上。当我们思考神学概念的时候，我们往往也走了极端，尤其是谈到神的主权这个主题的时候，就更容易走极端了。有些基督徒强调神在历史中的主权，强调的程度到了完全排除了人的责任。可是，另外有一些人强调人的选择能力和人的责任，否定了神的主权。教会对这个主题的看法十分混淆不清，所以我们要暂时停下来，研究一下《圣经》对神的主权和人的责任的看法。《圣经》中神主权的教义为理解先知怎样预言未来，提供了根本的背景资料。

我们可以从多个角度去研究神主权这个主题，首先我们要看两个传统的神学主题：第一个主题是神的不变性；第二个主题是神的看顾。我们先看《圣经》怎样谈论神的不变性。

上帝的不变性

简单地说，神的不变性所指的是神是不变的。我们要小心地解释这句话，因为我们可能误以为神是变不了的，是不能改变的。然而，神并非那样。多个世纪以来，传统的系统神学仔细地以具体的方面去辨别神的不变性。实际上，当谈论到神的不变性的时候，神学上只有三种主要的方面。

上帝的属性

神的属性是不变的。神永远是爱、是公义的、是全知的、是全能的、是无所不在的。神的属性永远不会随著时间的变迁而改变。希伯来书的作者在写希伯来书13章8节的时候所指的就是这个意思：

耶稣基督，昨日、今日、一直到永远都是一样。（希伯来书第13章8节）

神不可能成为他本身以外的其他东西。我们能够信得过神是不会改变的，因为他的属性是不变的。

约的应许

神的不变性存有另一层意义，这是超乎他的属性的，这种不变性是与他的恩约应许有关的。神的恩约誓言是永远有效的，他永远持守所立的约。希伯来书的作者再一次简洁地总结了这教义。在希伯来书第6章16和17节里，我们看到这些话：

人都指著比自己大的起誓，并且以起誓为实据，了结各样的争论。照样，神愿意为那承受应许的人，格外显明他的旨意是不更改的，就起誓为证。（希伯来书第6章16-17节）

这段经文清楚地讲明了当神在恩约中起誓的时候，我们能够肯定他是不会更改他说过的话。

永远的律令

《圣经》中教导神的不变性的第三方面，是有关他为宇宙设定的永恒管理和永恒计划。虽然有些基督徒群体不同意《圣经》中这项教导，我们在这一课里面所说的一切，都是建立在神有一个永恒不变的计划这信念之上，这个计划管理著所有发生在历史中的事件。让我们以传统的方式总结这教义，我们引用《威斯敏斯特信条》来申明这一点。在《威斯敏斯特信条》第3章第1段中，对于神永恒的计划有这样的说法：

神自永恒本他自己至智至聖的旨意，自由地、不變地決定一切將要成就的事。

这信条非常清楚地表达了神的主权。简单地说，神对宇宙有一个计划，这计划是精密的、一点欠缺的地方也没有。使徒保罗在他的书信中谈到神的计划：在以弗所书第1章11节里，他这样说：

[神] 随己意行做万事。（以弗所书第1章11节）

按照使徒保罗的意思，神有一个计划，这个计划包含了万事，神要按照这个计划行事。

先知以赛亚也谈论到神包含万有的计划。在以赛亚书46章第9到11节中，先知这样说：

「因为我是神，并无别神；我是神，再没有能比我的！我从起初指明末后的事，从古时言明未成的事，说：『我的筹算必立定，凡我所喜悦的，我必成就。』我已说出，也必成就；我已谋定，也必作成。」（以赛亚书第46章9-11节）

先知们相信《圣经》中神的不变性这教义，明白这一点是十分重要的。神的属性是不变的、他的恩约应许是不变的、神为宇宙设定的永恒计划也是不变的。所以，不管在以色列的历史中发生怎样的事，先知们明白到神的属性是不会改变的。先知们明白到神必定坚守他的恩约应许，他们也知道神不会失去照管万事的能力。我们读先知书的时候见到可怕的事情经常发生，但是先知们对神的不变性满有信心，这份信心在困难的时期中承载了他们的信仰。

神的不变性为所有预言设定了背景，我们要记住一枚硬币是有两面的。我们要以神的看顾去平衡神的不变性这项教义。

上帝的护理看顾

神的看顾可以被定义为神为宇宙制定永恒计划的时候，他在历史中积极的活动。根据《圣经》看来，神并没有离开他所创造的万物，他并不是只坐在天上观看他设定的不变计划的开展。相反地，他在自己制订的永恒计划中有一个角色。因此，《圣经》中经常以『永生神』去称呼他，这是因为他是历史舞台上的一个演员，他经常与他的创造物互相沟通，照顾他们。《威斯敏斯特信条》能够再一次帮助我们直接地明白这个概念。在第5章第2段里有这一段有关神的看顾的话：

万事万物虽然在神(第一因)的预知与圣定之下，毫无变更地和必然地发生﹔可是，在神同样的照管之下，根据第二因的本质，神也规定万事万物必然地、自由地、或偶尔地发生。

我们从内在的角度去看，神的计划必定会成功地、不变地和无误地完成。但是我们也从历史的角度、从神照顾的角度去看神完成计划的方法，这方法就是神透过不同方式与他的创造物沟通。神至少以三种不同的方式与第二因，就是被造物沟通。神实行他计划的方法，是指定事件按著必然的次序、自由的次序、或者偶然的次序发生。这几种次序的分别是十分重要的，让我们在这里稍作解释。

有时候神的看顾是叫事情必然地发生。可是，我们这里所说的事件是根据自然规律发生的事情，如地心引力这一类的自然定律。自然规律提供可预测性和照管性的必然定律。可是同时间，信条中也阐明了有些事件是偶发的。换句话说，从人的角度去看，这些事情是随意发生的，就像掷骰子、气象，和生活中其它的事情那样，这一切最终都是在神的统管之下的。可是，从人的角度去看，这些事情是随机的、是自由地联系起来的。最后，《威斯敏斯特信条》告诉我们，历史上有些事情是偶发的。神当然是在掌管一切，但是，他掌管历史取向的方法，是与人随意的决定有互相影响的作用的。

先知不仅相信神永恒的计划要绝对无误地成就，他们同时也相信神的计划是包含人的选择和回应的。这事实在先知的事奉中占有重要的位置，我们要仔细地研究这个题目。

预言性和偶发性

看过了神的不变性和照管性之后，我们现在要看第二个题目：就是预定性和偶发性。我们看见了神有时候透过人的偶发选择去成就他的永恒计划。现在我们要看看人的偶发选择在旧约先知书的预言中的重要影响。有时候人的选择影响到预言本身和预言的应验，对历史有重大的影响。要探索预定性和偶发性之间的关系，我们需要触及到两个主题：第一个主题是《圣经》所教导的一般模式；第二个主题是一般模式的具体例子。

一般模式

让我们先去看预言和历史偶发性的一般基本模式。也许在先知书中最能够帮助我们看见基本模式的经文，是耶利米书第18章第1到10节。由于这段经文十分重要，我们需要仔细地去研究这段经文的三个方面：第一方面，耶利米在18章1到4节中的观察；第二方面是神在第5和第6节中的解释；第三方面是神在第7到10节中的详细说明。

观察

首先让我们听听耶利米在第1到4节中的观察：

耶和华的话临到耶利米说：「你起来，下到窑匠的家里去，我在那里要使你听我的话。」我就下到窑匠的家里去，正遇他转轮做器皿。窑匠用泥做的器皿，在他手中做坏了，他又用这泥另做别的器皿。窑匠看怎样好，就怎样做。（耶利米书第18章1到4节）

神叫耶利米去窑匠的家，耶利米就进入了窑匠的家，他看见窑匠正在用泥土做器皿，器皿后来做坏了，窑匠于是改变了原来的设计。窑匠按照他认为最好的方式去捏造泥土。耶利米在窑匠家中的观察有重要的象征意义，这是神要耶利米看到的。在第5到6节中，神告诉耶利米这经历的意义：

耶和华的话就临到我说：「耶和华说：以色列家啊，我待你们，岂不能照这窑匠弄泥吗？以色列家啊，泥在窑匠的手中怎样，你们在我的手中也怎样。」 （耶利米书第18章5到6节）

解释

就如《圣经》中很多其他的经文那样，这段经文以窑匠代表神，以泥土代表以色列。经文中清楚讲明神有主权以他认为最好的方式去对待他的子民，就象窑匠捏造泥土那样。神永远不会违反他的不变性，也不会违反他的恩约和永恒计划。然而，在这个范围之内，神有自由以各种方式去对待他的子民。

策划

我们看过了窑匠的观察和神的解释之后，现在就要去看神怎样详尽地阐述这件事。简单地说，神以窑匠和泥土的比喻作为先知的预言。首先，神在第7节和8节中宣告了审判的预言：

「我何时论到一邦或一国说：要拔出、拆毁、毁坏；我所说的那一邦，若是转意离开他们的恶，我就后悔，不将我想要施行的灾祸与他们。」 （耶利米书第18章7到8节）

注意神描述这情况的方式。神随时都会宣告对哪一个国家降下审判。然而，如果有干预性历史偶发悔改出现，神有可能会动怜悯的心，预言有可能因此不会按照所宣告的方式发生。总的来说，在历史中人的偶发性选择有可能影响神应验审判预言的方式。

为了表示这项原则同时应用在其它的预言上，神在第9到10节中谈到赐福的预言的时候这样说：

「我何时论到一邦或一国说：要建立、栽植；他们若行我眼中看为恶的事，不听从我的话，我就必后悔，不将我所说的福气赐给他们。」 （耶利米书第18章9到10节）

注意这里的平衡情况。神宣告有可能随时赐下繁荣和祝福给任何一个国家。可是，如果在历史中有干预性的偶发叛逆和背叛情况出现，神最后有可能改变他原来赐福的计划。

耶利米书第18章教导我们一项原则，我们必须预备好随时把这项原则应用在每一个《圣经》的预言中。神告诉耶利米他可以自由地以人的正常反应去回应审判的威胁和祝福。当我们看《圣经》先知书的时候，我们会发现神经常观察人们对先知预言的回应，然后决定他们的未来。

具体的例子

看过了预定性和偶发性的基本原则之后，现在让我们看看一些具体的例子，这些例子能够帮助我们明白如何应用这项基本原则。《圣经》中有无数例子说明人的偶发选择如何大大的影响到先知预言的应验。让我们来看两个有力的例子：第一个例子是先知示玛雅的预言，第二个例子是约拿的预言。

示玛雅的预言

我们先来看示玛雅的预言。在历代志下12章5节中是示玛雅宣告的审判：

那时，犹大的首领因为示撒就聚集在耶路撒冷。有先知示玛雅去见罗波安和众首领，对他们说，「你们离弃了我，所以我使你们落在示撒的手里...」（历代志下第12章5节）

注意示玛雅在这里没有为这项预言提供任何明确的条件。在不熟悉先知事工的人看来，示玛雅好像是在揭示神永恒不变的旨意。但是罗波安和犹大领袖完全明白当时的情况。他们期望这些话只是神的警告，警告他们如果不悔改的话，神就要采取这样的行动。所以我们在第12章6节中看到这些话：

王和以色列众首领都自卑说：「耶和华是公义的。」（历代志下第12章6节）

当罗波安和犹大的领袖听见先知的审判，他们知道应该怎样做。他们一同向神发出呼求，凭信心悔改，寻求神的恩慈。

当我们继续看下去的时候，我们看到了干预性历史偶发事件，这事件就是谦卑的祷告如何戏剧性地影响了示玛雅预言的应验。实际上，示玛雅本身知道这影响要临到。听听在犹大领袖悔改了之后，示玛雅在第7节和8节中怎么说：

耶和华见他们自卑，耶和华的话就临到示玛雅说：「他们既自卑，我必不灭他们；必使他们略得拯救。我不藉著示撒的手，将我的怒气倒在耶路撒冷。然而他们必作示撒的仆人，好叫他们知道，服侍我和服侍外邦人有何分别。」（历代志下第7-8节）

这段经文清楚地说明了示玛雅的事工与今天传道者的事工很相似。他警告审判的来临，目的并不是要谴责神的子民到永远灭亡的地步，示玛雅的目的是要他们听见警告，希望他们悔改，领受神的恩典。我们看见人透过祷告所作的回应，对示玛雅预言的应验产生了重大影响。在这个例子中，示玛雅的预言并没完全地被扭转过来，却是软化了、柔和了，所以耶路撒冷遭受的攻击不像原来所说的那么严重。

约拿的预言

第二个显示人的回应如何影响预言的例子是约拿书。我们都很熟悉约拿的故事。我们知道神差派约拿到尼尼微城市宣告审判的来临。在约拿书第3章第4节中，约拿这样说：

「再等四十日，尼尼微必倾覆了！」（约拿书第3章4节）

再没有预言比这预言更简单的了。约拿宣告四十日之后尼尼微城必被毁坏。宣告中没有『如果』、没有『并且』、没有『但是』。可是后来发生了什么事呢？接下来我们看到尼尼微王和他的子民、牲畜都披上麻布，坐在灰中，悔改他们的罪。尼尼微王在第3章7节中宣布说：

「人不可尝什么，牲畜、牛羊不可吃草，也不可喝水。人与牲畜都当披上麻布，人要切切求告神。各人回头离开所行的恶道、丢弃手中的强暴。或者神轮意后悔，不发烈怒，使我们不至灭亡，也未可知。」（约拿书第3章7节）

简单地说，一次干预性历史偶发悔改在预言应验之前发生了。尼尼微城的人在神面前谦卑悔改，结果出现了怎样的历史性偶发情况呢？在3章10节中我们看到这些话：

于是神察看他们的行为，见他们离开恶道，他就后悔，不把所说的灾祸降与他们了。（约拿书第3章10节）

约拿预言的应验被尼尼微城的悔改大大地影响了。他后来在第4章第2节中对神这样抱怨：

「我知道你是有恩典、有怜悯的神，不轻易发怒，有丰盛的慈爱，并且后悔不降所说的灾。」（约拿书第4章2节）

虽然他宣告了预言，但是约拿知道神也许不会毁坏这个城市。过了一百年之后，尼尼微终于被巴比伦毁了。

在耶利米书第18章和这两个具体例子的一般原则中，我们看到人的偶发选择很多时候影响了预言应验的方式。神有时候会改变主意，不降下审判或者不降下祝福；他有时候减少祝福，或者减弱审判的程度；有时候他会加强审判的程度，又或者增加所赐的祝福，这些情况的出现取决于人对预言的回应。

我们看见了干预性历史偶发事件是有可能影响预言的应验，现在我们要去看另一个主题：那就是当旧约信徒听到预言的时候，他们有什么把握呢？他们有信心神要应验先知所说的预言吗？

四、预言的确定性

要回答这个问题，我们要复习一下旧约预言的种类。在前面的课文中，我们看到了旧约预言的一个主轴，那就是恩约祝福和审判之间的变化。先知的预言可以被分为两类，那就是神对大自然和战争的祝福，和神对大自然和战争的审判。我们在前面的课文中看到了另外的结构性主轴。所有的先知预言是在或轻或重的审判与祝福的范围之内。你会记得先知宣告各类型的轻度祝福和审判，最严重的审判是被掳的威胁，而最大的祝福是被掳之后的复兴。处理先知预言的基本取向，能够帮助我们看见先知传达给原来听众的基本讯息。

到了这里，我们要在结构中加入先知预言的第三个层面。旧约先知不仅仅向他们的听众宣告或轻或重的祝福和审判，他们也表明了神要执行审判的决心有多大。在一方面看来，先知告诉听众神执行某一个预言的决心是有限的，另一方面，他们也表明了神是极度坚决的叫预言应验。我们必定要记住当先知谈到神实现预言的决心程度的高低的时候，他们是以人的角度去谈论神。如果我们从神永恒不变的计划的角度去看，神决定要实现的事情都必然实现。但是当神与人沟通，制定出他照管的计划的时候，他有时候会表明他的极大的决心，有时候又会表明他的决心不是那么坚决的。

有条件的预言

旧约预言中有关神的决心这个层面是广阔的，我们将会在这个范畴中指出显示神决心的四个方面。第一方面，先知作了一定数量的预言，其中表示神没有承诺历史要朝那一个方向走。他们作表示的方法是，以明确的条件去叫他们的预言附合资格。明确的条件是采用『如果…就会』这类声明，这类声明在旧约先知书中出现了好多次。例如在以赛亚书第1章19到20节中，我们看到这个条件性预言：

「你若甘心听从，必吃地上的美物；若不听从，反倒悖逆，必被刀剑吞灭，这是耶和华亲口说的。」（以赛亚书第1章19-20节）

在这段经文中，先知以赛亚非常清楚地表示了神的子民是有选择的。如果他们听从神，他们就会得到祝福，但是如果他们拒绝服从，他们就会被审判。一次又一次地，先知向神的子民表明这种情况，让他们知道神对于历史的取向是抱开放的态度的，神的子民的选择是历史取向的决定性元素。

无条件限制的预言

有关神的决心这个范畴的第二方面，是以不附合资格的预言的方式出现。这类经文简洁地谈到将来的事，其中没有指出明确的条件。在这些情况之下，先知表达在这个时刻中，神决心要叫历史朝一个特定的方向走。但是我们从这些预言的结果中知道，人如果作出比较高水平的回应，事件的方向是会改变的。我们已经在约拿书第3章第4节中看到这种预言的例子，先知约拿这样说：

「再等四十日，尼尼微必倾覆了！」（约拿书第3章4节）

在这预言中并没有明确的条件，先知约拿同时也清楚地说明了神坚决地要毁灭这个城市。可是，尼尼微城中明显的和普遍性的悔改，引致神延迟了对那个城市的审判。

恩约祝福同时以不附合资格预言的形式出现。听听哈该在哈该书第2章21到23节中对所罗巴伯所说的话：

「你要告诉犹大省长所罗巴伯说：我必震动天地；我必倾覆列国的座，除灭列邦的势力，并倾覆战车和坐在其上的。万军之耶和华说：『我仆人撒拉铁的儿子所罗巴伯啊，到那日，我必以你为印，因我拣选了你。』」（哈该书第2章21-23节）

这段经文讲明了神要毁灭以色列四周的国家，并且要叫所罗巴伯作王，统管他的子民。

在这里没有列出明确的条件，我们也知道所罗巴伯并没有作以色列的王，以色列四周的国家也没有被毁灭，预言中所说的事都没有发生。这是怎么一回事呢？那是因为被掳后的群体并不顺服神，人的偶发选择影响了预言应验的方向。

确定的预言

虽然有些预言表示了神对未来开放了许多可能性，旧约先知有时候也表明了神较大的决心，要叫历史朝某一个特定的方向走。先知以神应验预言的方式去传达神的决心。旧约先知主要以两种方式去证实他们的预言：第一个方式是神以口头证据去表达他的决心；第二个方式是神以兆头去表达他的旨意。让我们先看神给他子民的口头证据。

话语

口头证据的最佳例子出现在阿摩司书第1章中。听听先知阿摩司在第1章第3节里所说的话：

「大马士革三番四次地犯罪，我必不免去我的刑罚。」（阿摩司书第1章3节）

『我必不免去』是这一课预言中的重覆特点。神为什么一次又一次地重覆这句话呢？神这样讲话是要传达他降下审判的决心。可是，这是不是意味著他们完全没有可能逃过神的审判呢？先知明明地说了诚恳和彻底的悔改仍然能够叫神的愤怒转离他们。神在阿摩司书第5章第4和第6节中这样话：

耶和华对以色列家如此说：「你们要寻求我，就必存活。要寻求耶和华，就必存活，免得他在约瑟家像火发出。」（阿摩司书第5章4-6节）

阿摩司书第1章和第2章显示了神坚决要向以色列发烈怒，但是这段经文中同时表达了诚恳和广泛性的悔改有可能会影响神发烈怒的决心。许多旧约先知书中也有同样的情况出现。先知以神的话去证实神要降下审判的决心。这种做法是为了要激发听众，叫他们认真地寻求神，恳切地悔改 。

记号

先知们不仅仅以口头证据去说明神高度的决心，他们也以兆头去增强预言的可信性。在旧约中，我们到处都看到先知们以实行各种各样的兆头和象征行动，去说明神要叫某些事情实现的高度决心。每当兆头伴随著预言出现的时候，就表示了神极为坚决地要应验先知宣告了的预言。

其中一个非常明显的例子出现在以赛亚书第7章里。你还记得以赛亚怎样警告亚哈斯吗？以赛亚说当亚述和以色列要来攻打他的时候，他要信靠神。但是亚哈斯拒绝了，所以神在以赛亚书第7章第11节中这样对他说：

「你向耶和华你的神求一个兆头，或求显在深处，或求显在高处。」（以赛亚书第7章11节）

以赛亚书向亚哈斯王提供了神要照顾他的明证，但是亚哈斯虚伪地拒绝了。因此，神给他一个兆头，可是这个兆头不是拯救的兆头，而是降罪的兆头。

我们看见了先知们不仅仅宣告有条件的预言和没有修饰的预言，他们也以口头证据和兆头去证实了许多预言，显明了神决意要选择朝一个特定的方向走。

发誓的预言

第四类预言显示了神坚决要应验他透过先知所宣告的讯息。这类型的预言以神起誓的形式出现，其中并没有特定的条件。

先知的话常常简单地宣告神起誓要进行某些行动。例如，在阿摩司书第4章第2节中，神起誓说富有的撒马利亚妇女要被敌人掳走。看看先知是怎么说的：

主耶和华指著自己的圣洁起誓说：「日子快到，人必用钩子将你们钩去。」（阿摩司书第4章2节）

另一个誓言的公式出现在以西结书第5章11节。我们读到以下的话：

「主耶和华说：我指著我的永生起誓，因你用一切可憎的物、可厌的事玷污了我的圣所，故此，我定要使你人数减少。」（以西结书第5章11节）

当神在先知的预言之上加添誓言的时候，这项预言的约章的肯定性就被提高了。神在他的约里起誓，要实行所有他曾宣告要做的事。当先知在预言上加添神的圣洁誓言的时候，就表明了神有绝大的决心要实行他说的话。

神起誓要叫预言应验，表明神坚定的决心。同时间，我们仍然看到当神处理干预性历史偶发事件的时候，神的回应是有弹性的。可是，『什么时候？』这个问题仍然有决定性的影响；时间能够影响听预言的人的回应。第二，究竟谁会经历到预言的应验呢？这个问题依然是有弹性的。第三，预言应验的方式经常没有特别被指明出来。第四，预言要应验到那一个程度还是没有定论的。

让我们研究一下阿摩司书第6章第8节里的誓言审判：

主耶和华万军之神指著自己起誓说：「我憎恶雅各的荣华，厌弃他的宫殿；因此，我必将城和其中所有的都交付敌人。」（阿摩司书第6章8节）

虽然这卷书前面记载了阿摩司为撒马利亚保留了逃过审判的可能性，可是到了这里，阿摩司全面地向撒马利亚发出审判，宣告撒马利亚要被毁灭。可是，很明显地，这誓言并没有回答审判要在什么时候临到这个问题？毁灭是快要来临呢？还是要被延迟呢？究竟是谁或是哪一国的人民要遭审判呢？谁有可能逃得过审判呢？这些问题都还是没有答案的。而且，神并没有指明将要用那一种方式去施行审判。审判是必然要发生的了，可是预言中没有讲到审判的强烈程度。这些问题的答案要看以色列人的回应而决定。他们究竟要祷告悔改呢？还是要背叛对抗神呢？这些回应对预言的应验会产生巨大的影响。

神祝福的誓言的情况与审判的誓言是相类似的。例如，在以赛亚书62章第8节中，我们看到了被掳归回的誓言：

耶和华指著自己的右手和大能的膀臂起誓说：「我必不将你的五谷给你仇敌作为食物。，外邦人也不再喝你劳碌得来的新酒。」（以赛亚书第62章8节）

这段经文明确地谈到神起誓要领他的子民回到应许地去，好叫他的子民认定预言要应验。但是，当中仍然是有问题的。神什么时候要叫这预言实现呢？谁要被领回到应许地去呢？这复兴要透过怎样的方式进行呢？这又是何等程度的复兴呢？这种问题在誓言式的预言中都是有待解答的。

我们看到了旧约先知表明神有不同程度的决心，要叫未来朝他所指定的方向走。有些预言明确地表示将来是有待决定的，别的预言在这个问题上是绝对的，还有些预言是以口头证据和兆头作证明的，最后，有些预言是以神的誓言作为确据的。

当我们学习旧约先知预言的时候，我们总要记住把预言和干预性历史偶发事件连结起来。神有不同程度的决心去施行先知所宣告的讯息，如果我们不记住这不同程度的决心，我们研读预言的时候就有损失了。

五、预言的目的

看过了先知怎样理解预言的肯定性之后，我们现在就要辩明先知预言的目的。先知为什么说预言呢？他们的目的是什么？要回答这些问题，我们要触及到两方面，第一是普遍的看法，第二是预言目的的正确看法。

流行的观点

我们先去看一般人对旧约预言目的存有的广泛误解。如果要说旧约预言有一个主要目的的话，我们可以用『预测未来』一词来总结。我们知道当医生作诊断的时候，他会告诉我们他对病症结果的看法，或者是病症到后来有可能出现的情况。很多时候这是基督徒了解先知书的方式。他们认为先知只是在预测未来；预告将要发生的事。这个看法在一定程度上是对的。先知表明了无论在任何时候，神决意要朝这个方向走或者朝哪个方向走。然而，我们必须总记得，干预性历史偶发事件有可能对预言应验的方式起重大的影响。

《圣经》中有一段经文支持『预测未来』这普遍的看法，那就是申命记第18章20到22节。在这段经文里，摩西宣告以色列辨别真假先知的标准。在21节中摩西代表以色列问一个问题：

你们心里若说：「耶和华所未曾吩咐的话，我们怎能知道呢？。」（申命记第18章21节）

第22节是对这个问题的回应：

先知托耶和华的名说话，所说的若不成就，也无效验，这就是耶和华所未曾吩咐的，是那先知擅自说的，你不要怕他。（申命记第18章22节）

对这段经文最普遍的误解大概是这样的：从神而来的真先知无论说什么都必定如实应验。可是要正确地应用摩西的真假先知测试，我们要记住在这一课中我们所看过的事实。我们不能僵硬地应用先知的话，我们必须考虑先知预言背后的意思。当先知说话的时候，他们不一定在说预言必定要应验，这不是他们要听众所得的印象。他们的话明明地指出，或者暗含地表示人的回应是能够影响预言的应验的。所以，当我们应用摩西的先知测试的时候，我们不单必定要问先知明确地说了什么，我们更要问在他们的预言中有什么暗含的情况。

摩西和以色列都知道这是预言的真实情况。他们知道只有神的誓言能够巩固未来事件状态，他们也明白到当先知宣告审判的时候，他们通常没有以审判作为最终的判决，只是发出审判的警告。他们也了解到除非先知表示神起了誓，不然的话。先知不会应许祝福的降临，只会提出祝福降临的可能性。从这些例子看来，预言要通过摩西的测试的话，就必须要有重大的干预性历史偶发事件发生。换句话说，只要人的主要回应不影响这个过程的话，要应用摩西的测试就很容易了。否则，神作出回应的可能性就必须计算在其中。看者必须问这个问题，重大的干预性历史偶发事件有没有发生呢？如果这些事件发生了的话，我们就必须要适当地调整摩西的测试。

正确的观点

如果『预知的主要目的是预测未来』这个观念是不正确的话，那么，先知预言的主要目的是什么呢？简单来说，先知谈到未来的主要目的，是要去激发听众，去激活他们。先知不一定在告诉听众有关未来的事，他们其实是想激发听众去塑造未来。

让我们去看看旧约信徒对先知预言的回应的方式，这可以帮助我们了解他们对先知预言的看法。首先，我们会看见称为『谁知道？』的回应，然后我们要看『两重相连』的回应。神子民的回应将会帮助我们更清楚地看到先知预言的目的。

「谁知道?」 反应

首先，我们要看『谁知道？』这个回应。我们看到在旧约中有三处地方，记载了当人们听到先知预言之后，表现出在甚为奇怪的回应。他们不是说：「好了，我们现在知道将来是怎么样的了。」反过来说，他们说：「谁知道？」又或者象他们用希伯来语说：「me o dayah?」

「谁知道？」这个回应在三个情况之下是值得我们去注意的。第一，当拿单面对面斥责大卫与拔示巴行淫的时候，他在撒母耳记下12章14节里宣告了这个预言：

「只是你行这事，叫耶和华的仇敌大得亵渎的机会，故此，你所得的孩子必定要死。」（撒母耳记下第12章14节）

拿单预言大卫的儿子必定要死，我们看到后来大卫的儿子的确死了。但是，大卫后来在宫中向他的子民解释在拿单宣告预言之后，在他儿子死之前他的想法如何。他在撒母耳记下12章22节中这样说：

「孩子还活著，我禁食哭泣，因为我想，或者耶和华怜恤我，使孩子不死也未可知，孩子死了，我何必禁食？」（撒母耳记下第12章22节）

与其接受预言是不可避免的，大卫仍然希望知道是否能够以祷告和悔改去避过这次审判。他的努力没有结果，因为他的儿子还是死了。但是大卫的态度是十分明确的。在孩子死亡之前，大卫仍然是怀有希望，就是「谁知道」的希望。

同样地，先知约拿宣告将要临到尼尼微城的审判。在第3章第4节里，我们看到这个预言：

「再等四十日，尼尼微必倾覆了！」（约拿书第3章4节）

同样地，我们有可能预期尼尼微城的人接受先知的预言，看这预言为无可避免的，但是，他们没有接受这宣告，相反地，他们就象大卫那样作出回应。在约拿书第3章第9节里，尼尼微王说：

「或者神转意后悔，不发烈怒，使我们不至灭亡，也未可知。」（约拿书第3章9节）

在第三个例子中，我们看见对先知预言的同样回应。在约珥书第2章第1到11节里，先知宣告可怕的审判将要临到耶路撒冷。可是，约珥依然鼓励听者悔改和禁食。他鼓励人们悔改和禁食的原因清楚地记载在第2章14节中。在那里我们听到这些话：

「或者转意后悔….也未可知。」（约珥书第2章14节）

约珥确切地知道只要他的预言没有完全地应验，神的子民寻求神的赦免总是好的，因为没有人知道神对干预性历史偶发事件会作出怎样的回应。

这些「谁知道？」的回应教导我们怎样了解旧约信徒。旧约信徒不认为先知的预言注定了他们的命运。相反地，他们总相信干预性历史偶发事件，特别是偶发的祷告，能够对预言应验的方式作出重大的影响。

双重的反应

「谁知道？」这个回应引导我们对旧约先知书的目的有更宽广的理解。先知预期和盼望人们对他们的预言作出两重相连的回应。一方面，先知们知道只有在子民不顾预言的警告，继续背叛神的情况下，审判就必然会发生，更不用说情况有可能会变本加厉。同时间，当先知宣告神决意要叫约章审判临到背叛他的子民身上的时候，先知希望神的子民在盼望中回转到神那里，这样审判也许会被除去。悔改和信靠耶和华是避免神审判的唯一盼望。另一方面，当先知赐下祝福的预言的时候，他们同时也要希望能够从听众身上激发回应。他们肯定公开地背叛神的态度，有可能叫他们得不著预言的祝福，反而会以审判作为代替。但是，对神持久不变忠心的生活，必定会带来应许的祝福。

简单地说，先知宣告审判和祝福的预言去鼓励听者寻求免去审判，并且以他们的行动加速神祝福的临到。这样，先知预言的主要目的不是作预测，而是去激发神的子民去服侍神。

六、总结

我们在这一课中看过了四个有关预言的目的题目。第一，我们谈到神在历史中的主权；然后是预言和偶发情况；第三是预言的确切性；最后我们看了预言的目的。我们在这一课中所谈到的概念是理解旧约先知书的基本概念。旧约先知不是在预先讲论历史，更不是为了叫人知道将来要发生什么事。他们是要激发人们寻求神的恩慈，好叫他们能够避免神的审判，并且得著神的祝福。当我们读旧约先知书的时候，我们必须也被激发，去寻求神的祝福，避免他的审判。

He Gave Us Prophets: The Purpose of Predictions

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INTRODUCTION

Anyone who reads Old Testament prophecy soon discovers that the prophets made many predictions, and if you ask most people why there are so many predictions in the prophets, they will tell you very simply — it was to tell us about the future. We're going to learn in this lesson that the prophets did not make their predictions primarily to inform us of the future, but rather, they gave predictions to encourage the people of God to form the future. We've entitled this lesson "The Purpose of Predictions" because we're going to explore why the prophets spoke about the future. To discover the purpose of predictions we're going to explore four different topics: first, how did the prophets understand divine sovereignty over history; second, what did the prophets believe about their predictions and human contingencies; third, how did the prophets understand the certainties of their predictions; and, fourth, what were the goals of predictions in Old Testament prophecy. Let's look first at how the sovereignty of God over history shaped the prophets' understanding of their predictions.

DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY

Have you ever noticed that Christians, like all people, tend to go to extremes — either we eat too much or we eat too little, or we exercise too much or we exercise too little. Well, something like that happens also in theology. Many times when we think about theological concepts we go to extremes, and this is especially true with the subject of the sovereignty of God. We find some Christians who emphasize God's sovereignty over history to the point that they exclude the reality of human responsibility, and then we find other people who emphasize the significance of human choice and human responsibility to the point that they deny the sovereignty of God. There's so much confusion in the church at this point over these kinds of concepts that we must pause for a moment to see the Bible's view of the sovereignty of God and human responsibility. The Bible's doctrine of the sovereignty of God provides an essential background for understanding the way prophets predicted the future. There are many ways we can approach the subject of God's sovereignty, but we're going to take a look at two traditional theological themes: first, God's immutability; and second, God's providence. Let's look first at what the Bible says about divine immutability.

God's Immutability

Put simply, the doctrine of immutability teaches that God is unchanging. Now, we have to be careful when we speak this way because God is not immutable, or unchanging, in every way we might imagine. For many centuries, traditional systematic theology has been careful to identify specific ways in which God is unchanging. In fact, there are only three major ways in which God may be spoken of as immutable.

God's Character

In the first place, God's character does not change. God is always loving, always just, always knowing all things, always all powerful, always present everywhere. God's attributes never vary with time. This is what the writer of Hebrews meant when he wrote in Hebrews 13:8:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

God cannot become something other than he is. We can count on his character to remain the same because his attributes are immutable.

Covenant Promises

There's another sense in which God is immutable beyond his character or attributes. That immutability has to do with his covenant promises. When God makes a covenant oath, it remains valid forever and it will never be broken. Once again, the writer of Hebrews succinctly summarized the teaching of the Scriptures in this matter. In Hebrews 6:16-17 we read these words:

Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath (Hebrews 6:16-17).

As this passage makes clear, when God takes an oath in covenant, we can be sure that he will not vary from what he has said.

Eternal Counsel

A third way in which the Scriptures teach that God is immutable is with regard to his eternal counsel or his eternal plan for the universe. Although some Christian groups fail to see this teaching in Scripture, everything we say in this lesson is built on the belief that God has an unchangeable plan and that this plan governs all of history. It helps to summarize this doctrine in a traditional way by referring to the Westminster Confession of Faith. In the Westminster Confession of Faith chapter 3, paragraph 1 we read these words about the eternal plan of God:

God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.

This confessional statement expresses the sovereignty of God in a very clear way. Put simply, God has a plan for the universe. It is all-comprehensive and it cannot fail. The apostle Paul spoke of this plan of God in his epistles. For instance, in Ephesians 1:11 he wrote these words:

[God] works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will (Ephesians 1:11).

According to the apostle, God has a plan that includes everything, and God will work all things according to that plan. The prophet Isaiah spoke of this all-encompassing plan of God. In Isaiah 46:9-11 we read these words from the prophet:

"I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, 'My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all my good pleasure'… Truly, I have spoken; truly, I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it" (Isaiah 46:9-11).

It is very important to understand that the prophets believed in the biblical doctrine of the immutability of God. God is unchangeable in his character, in his covenant promises, and in his eternal plan for the universe, and so no matter what happened in the history of Israel, the prophets understood that God would always be true to his character. They understood he would always keep his firm covenant promises, and they also knew that God's counsel and his control over all things would never fail. As we read the prophets, we'll discover many times terrible things happened, but this confidence in God's immutability always sustained them.

Having seen that the immutability of God formed a background for all prophetic predictions, we must also remember the other side of the coin. The doctrine of God's immutability must be balanced with the doctrine of God's providence.

God's Providence

The providence of God may be defined as God's active involvement in history as he works out his eternal plan for the universe. According to the Scriptures, God does not distance himself from his creation, simply watching his immutable plan unfold. Instead, he has a role for himself in his eternal plan. This is why the Bible often speaks of God as the living God. It is because he is an actor on the stage of history and constantly interacts with his creation in providence. Once again, the Westminster Confession of Faith can help us understand these matters plainly. In chapter 5, paragraph 2 we read these words about the providence of God:

Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly; yet, by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.

Here we see, first, that from an internal perspective the plan of God will be accomplished without fail, immutably and infallibly. But we also see that from a historical, providential perspective, God works out his plan by interacting with his creation in different ways. He interacts with "second causes," or creaturely causes, in at least three different ways. God works out his plan by ordering events so that they follow each other either necessarily, freely, or contingently. These distinctions are important, so let's unpack them just a little bit. Sometimes the providence of God causes things to happen necessarily. The events that are in mind here are things that take place according to the regular laws of nature — laws like the law of gravity. The laws of nature provide predictable and necessary patterns of providence, yet at the same time, the Confession of Faith also states that some events occur freely. In other words, they appear random from a human point of view. Rolling the dice, weather patterns, and other things in life are ultimately under the control of God but they seem, from a human vantage point, to be at random or freely associated. Finally, the Confession of Faith tells us that some things happen in history contingently. Of course, God was always in charge of all these events, but he controlled the direction of history in these cases by interacting with the contingencies of human choice. The prophets not only believed that God's eternal plan would be absolutely accomplished without fail, but they also believed that God's plan involved human choice and human reaction. This fact plays such a central role in the prophetic ministry that we must take a look at it very carefully.

With a background of divine immutability and providence in mind, we may now turn to our second topic: predictions and contingencies.

PREDICTIONS AND CONTINGENCIES

So far, we've seen that sometimes God works out his eternal plan through the contingencies of human choice. At this point, what we're going to see is that these kinds of human contingencies had a significant effect on the predictions of Old Testament prophecy. Sometimes human choice intervening between the prophetic prediction and the fulfillment of that prophecy could have a significant influence on the outcome of history. To explore the relationship between predictions and contingencies, we need to touch on two subjects: first, the general patterns that the Bible teaches us to expect; and, second, some specific examples of this dynamic.

General Patterns

Let's look first at the basic or general pattern involving predictions and historical contingencies. Perhaps the best passage in the prophets for helping us see this general pattern is Jeremiah 18:1-10. This passage is so important that we should look at it carefully. We'll touch on three aspects of this passage: first, Jeremiah's observation in 18:1-4; second, the Lord's explanation in verses 5 and 6; and third, the Lord's elaboration in verses 7-10.

Observation

Listen first to Jeremiah's observation in verses 1-4:

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him (Jeremiah 18:1-4).

God tells Jeremiah to go to a potter's house. Jeremiah entered the potter's house, where he saw the potter working in one way with the clay and then changing his design when he saw the clay become marred. The potter worked with the lump of clay, shaping it as seemed best to him. Jeremiah's observation at the potter's house had an important symbolic value that God wanted Jeremiah to see. So, in verses 5 and 6 the Lord told Jeremiah the significance of this experience:

Then the word of the Lord came to me: "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the Lord. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel" (Jeremiah 18:5-6).

Explanation

This passage reads as many do in the Bible; the potter represented the Lord and the clay represented Israel. As this passage makes clear, God reserved the right to do with his people as seemed best to him, just like the potter would with his clay. Of course, as we have seen, God would never violate his immutable character, nor his covenants, nor his eternal plan. Yet, within these parameters, God is free to vary the ways he handles his people.

Elaboration

With the potter's observation and then God's explanation in mind, we're in a position the see how God elaborated on this event. In a word, God applied this analogy of the potter and the clay to prophetic predictions. In the first place, God mentioned predictions of judgment in verses 7 and 8:

"If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned" (Jeremiah 18:7-8).

Notice the way God described the situation. He says that at any time, with respect to any nation, he may announce judgment to come. Yet, if there is an intervening historical contingency of repentance, then God may relent. The fulfillment may not take place as predicted. In a word, the historical contingency of human choice could make a big difference in the way God fulfilled a prophecy of judgment. Now, to show that this principle applied also to other kinds of predictions, God spoke of predictions of blessing in verses 9 and 10:

"And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it" (Jeremiah 18:9-10).

Notice the parallel situation. God said that at any time, and with respect to any nation, he may announce the blessing of security and prosperity, yet if there is an intervening historical contingency of rebellion and disobedience, then the result may be that God may relent from doing the good he had intended. Jeremiah 18 teaches us a principle that we must be ready to apply to every biblical prophecy. God told Jeremiah that he was free to react to the way human beings responded to threats of judgment and offers of blessing. As we take a look at biblical prophecy, we'll discover that God often watched to see how people would react to the prophetic word and then determined what to do in their future.

Specific Examples

Now that we've seen the general principle of predictions and contingencies, it will be helpful to see some examples of this principle at work. There are countless examples of times in the Bible when the contingency of human choice made a big difference in the fulfillment of prophecies. We're going to look at just two examples of the many times this dynamic appears: first, a predication by the prophet Shemaiah, and then the prediction of Jonah.

Prediction of Shemaiah

Let's look first at the prediction of Shemaiah. In 2 Chronicles 12:5 we read Shemaiah's announcement of judgment:

Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, "This is what the Lord says, 'You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak'" (2 Chronicles 12:5).

Notice that Shemaiah did not offer any explicit conditions for this prophecy. For people unfamiliar with the ministries of the prophets, it sounds as if Shemaiah revealed an eternal, unchangeable decree of God. But Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah knew better. They hoped that these words were just a warning from God, a warning of what God was going to do if they did not repent. So we find in 12:6 these words:

The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The Lord is just" (2 Chronicles 12:6).

When Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah heard the prophecy of judgment, they knew what to do. They were to call out to God in repentance and faith, seeking for his mercy. As we continue to read this passage, the intervening historical contingency of humble prayer had a dramatic effect on the fulfillment of Shemaiah's prediction. In fact, Shemaiah himself acknowledged this effect. Listen to what he said after the leaders of Judah repented. In verses 7 and 8 we read these words:

When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: "Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them, but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands" (2 Chronicles 12:7-8).

This passage makes clear that Shemaiah's ministry was much like that of preachers today. He warned of judgment to come, not so that he could condemn people to everlasting perdition, but so that the people would hear this warning, repent, and then receive the grace of God. So we see that the human reaction of prayer made a significant difference in the way that Shemaiah's prophecy would be fulfilled. In this case, Shemaiah's prophecy was not utterly reversed, but it was mollified, or softened, so that the attack against Jerusalem was not as great as it would have been.

Prediction of Jonah

A second example of the influence of human reactions to predictions appears in the book of Jonah. Now, the story of Jonah is familiar to us. We know that God sent Jonah to the city of Nineveh to announce judgment to come. In Jonah 3:4 this is what Jonah says:

"Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned" (Jonah 3:4).

What could be simpler than this prophecy? Jonah announced that the city of Nineveh had only forty more days before it would be destroyed. There were no "ifs," there were no "ands," and there were no "buts." But what happened? The rest of the chapter tells us. The king of Nineveh and the people, along with their animals, put on sackcloth and ashes in repentance of their sins. The king announced in 3:7-9:

"Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish" (Jonah 3:7-9).

Put simply, an intervening historical contingency of repentance took place before the prophecy could be fulfilled. The people humbled themselves in repentance before the Lord. And what was the result of this historical contingency? In 3:10 we read these words:

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened (Jonah 3:10).

The fulfillment of Jonah's prediction was tremendously influenced by the repentance of Nineveh. He later complained to the Lord in this way in 4:2:

"I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity" (Jonah 4:2).

Even as he gave his prediction, Jonah knew that God might not carry out the destruction of the city. In fact, it was not until over one hundred years later that Nineveh was destroyed by the Babylonians. From the general principle of Jeremiah 18 and these two specific examples, we see that many times the contingency of human choice influenced the ways that prophecies were fulfilled. Sometimes God reversed a judgment or a blessing; sometimes he would soften a blessing or even lessen a judgment; and other times he would increase judgments or increase blessings, depending upon how human beings responded to the prophetic word.

Now that we have seen that intervening historical contingencies can influence the fulfillments of predictions, we should turn to our next subject: what certainty or confidence could Old Testament believers have when they heard a prediction? How confident could they be that God would fulfill the predictions made by the prophets?

CERTAINTY OF PREDICTIONS

To answer this question it will help to review the kinds of predictions we find in Old Testament prophecy. As we have seen in previous lessons, one axis along which we may place Old Testament predictions is their variation between covenant blessings and judgments. Prophetic predictions may be classified as announcing God's blessings in nature and war and his judgments in nature and war. We've seen another organizational axis in previous lessons as well. All prophetic predictions fall somewhere along the range of greater and lesser judgments and blessings. You will recall that many kinds of small blessings and judgments were announced by the prophets, but the greatest judgment was the threat of exile and the greatest blessing was restoration after exile. This basic approach to prophetic predictions helps us see, at a glance, the basic message that the prophets gave to their original audiences. At this point, however, we need to add a third dimension to our organization of prophetic predictions. Old Testament prophets not only told their listeners about greater or lesser blessings and judgments, they also indicated, in one way or another, the level of God's determination to carry through with these judgments. On one end of the spectrum, the prophets told their listeners that God had a very low level of determination to carry through with a particular scenario. On the other end of the spectrum, they indicated that God was very highly determined to carry through with the predictions. It's very important to remember that when the prophets speak of God having high or low levels of determination to carry out a prophecy, they are speaking of him in very human terms. In terms of God's eternal, unchangeable plan, God would always accomplish all that he desired. But when God was interacting with human creatures and working out his plan in providence, he sometimes revealed that his determination was very high, and other times he revealed that his determination was very low.

Conditional Predictions

There are many ways to approach this dimension of Old Testament predictions, but we will point to four different points along the spectrum of God's determination. In the first place, the prophets made a number of predictions which reveal that God had not yet committed history to one direction or another. They did this by qualifying their predictions with explicit conditions. Explicit conditions in the form of "if…then" statements appear many times in the Old Testament prophets. For instance, in Isaiah 1:19-20 we read this conditional prediction:

"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the Lord has spoken (Isaiah 1:19-20).

In this passage, the prophet Isaiah makes it very clear that the people of God had a choice. If they submitted themselves to the Lord, they would be blessed, but if they did not, they would be judged. Many times, the prophets indicate these kinds of conditions to let the people know that God was still open to the direction that history would take, and that direction would be determined by the kinds of choices they made.

Unqualified Predictions

A second point along the axis of determination appears in unqualified predictions. These passages are simple statements about the future. No explicit conditions appear in them. In such cases, the prophets revealed that at the moment God was more determined to take the future in a particular direction. But we know from the outcomes of these predictions that higher levels of human response could turn events in different directions. We've already seen one example of this kind of prediction in Jonah 3:4 when the prophet said these words:

"Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned" (Jonah 3:4).

There are no explicit conditions in this prophecy, and the prophet Jonah is making it clear that God was determined to destroy the city. Even so, the significant and widespread repentance within the city of Nineveh caused God to delay his judgment against that city. Covenant blessings also appear in the form of unqualified predictions. Listen to what Haggai said to Zerubbabel in Haggai 2:21-23:

"Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of foreign kingdoms… 'On that day,' declares the Lord Almighty, 'I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you'" (Haggai 2:21-23).

This passage makes it very clear that God was ready to destroy the nations surrounding Israel and to make Zerubbabel the king over His people. There are no explicit conditions, yet we know that this never happened. Zerubbabel never became the king over God's people and the nations around Israel were not destroyed. Why was this so? It was because the post-exilic community failed to be obedient to the Lord and this human contingency had an effect on the way the prophecy was fulfilled.

Confirmed Predictions

Although some predictions represent God as open to many possibilities, Old Testament prophets also indicated sometimes that God had a higher degree of determination to take events in a particular direction. They communicated God's higher determination by showing that God confirmed certain predictions. There are two primary ways in which Old Testament prophets confirmed their predictions: first, God indicated his higher determination with words; second, he showed his intentions with signs. Let's look first at verbal confirmations God offered to his people.

Words

One of the best examples of verbal confirmation appears in the first chapter of Amos. Listen to what the prophet Amos says in 1:3 of his book:

"For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath" (Amos 1:3).

The words, "I will not turn back," form a repeated feature of the predictions of this chapter. Why did God repeat this sentence again and again? He wanted to communicate that he had a high level of determination to carry through with these judgments. But did this confirmation mean that there was no way to avoid the judgment of God? The prophet made it very clear that sincere and thorough repentance could still avert the wrath of God. Listen to what the Lord said in Amos 5:4, 6:

This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: "Seek me and live… Seek the Lord and live, or He will sweep through the house of Joseph like fire" (Amos 5:4, 6).

Amos 1 and 2 show that God was highly determined to send his wrathful fire even against Israel, but this passage demonstrates that sincere and extensive repentance might still have an effect on the wrath of God. Many passages in Old Testament prophecy are like this. The prophets indicate how highly determined God is by using words to confirm his determination. They did this in order to motivate their listeners to seek God earnestly and to repent sincerely.

Signs

Prophets not only added verbal confirmations of God's heightened determination, they also revealed higher levels of divine intention by coupling their predictions with signs. Throughout the Old Testament, we find that prophets performed various signs and symbolic actions to make it clear that God had very high levels of determination to do certain things. When a sign accompanied a prophecy, it showed that God was very determined to carry out what the prophet had predicted. One very clear example of this practice appears in Isaiah 7. You'll recall that Isaiah warned Ahaz that he should trust God as the Syrians and the Israelites were coming against him. But Ahaz refused, and so God said this to him in Isaiah 7:11:

"Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights" (Isaiah 7:11).

Isaiah offered the king confirmation that God would take care of him, but in hypocrisy Ahaz refused. So God gave a sign, but instead of being a sign of salvation it became a sign of condemnation. So we see that the prophets not only gave conditional predictions and unqualified predictions, they also confirmed many of their prophecies with words and signs to reveal that God had a high level of determination to carry through in a particular direction.

Sworn Predictions

A fourth type of prediction reveals, in no uncertain terms, that God was fully determined to carry out what He said through the prophets. These types of predictions take the form of divine oaths. Often the words of prophets simply announce that God has sworn to do something. For instance, in Amos 4:2 God takes an oath that the rich women of Samaria will be taken away by enemies. Listen to how the prophet says it:

The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his holiness: "The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks" (Amos 4:2).

Another oath formula appears in Ezekiel 5:11. There we read these words:

"Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your vile images… I myself will withdraw my favor" (Ezekiel 5:11).

When God adds an oath to a prophetic prediction, it raises that prediction to the level of a covenantal certainty. God took oaths in his covenants that he would carry out all that he said he would do. When the prophets add a divine oath to a prediction, it indicates that God is absolutely determined to carry through with what he had said. Now, while it is true that God was utterly determined to carry out predictions qualified by oaths, we must still see that there is some latitude for God to react to intervening historical contingencies in some ways. Often the question of "when" remains in the balance; timing can be influenced by the reactions of people who hear a prediction. Second, precisely who will experience the prediction often remains a flexible matter. And third, the means by which a prediction will take place is often left unspecified. And fourth, to what degree a prediction will be fulfilled always remains an open question. Consider the oath of judgment found in Amos 6:8:

The Sovereign Lord has sworn by himself — the Lord Almighty declares: "I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it" (Amos 6:8).

Although earlier in his book Amos left the possibility of escape, it is clear at this point that Amos utterly condemns Samaria to destruction. Yet it's also evident that this oath does not answer questions that still remain open, such as, when? Will this destruction happen soon, or will it be postponed? Who or which people precisely will die, be exiled, or who will escape, is still left open, and by what precise means God will destroy is not specified. And in fact, to what degree this destruction must take place is open as well. These questions remain to be answered in the light of the reactions which the Israelites had. Their prayers and repentance, their rebellion and defiance, could make tremendous differences in the fulfillment of this prediction. A similar situation held true for divine oaths of blessing. For instance, in Isaiah 62:8 we read this oath to those who returned from exile:

The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: "Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled" (Isaiah 62:8).

It is clear from this passage that God swore to bring his people back to the Promised Land, and so that people could be sure that this prediction would take place. Still, there were questions that remained: when would God do this? Who would be brought back to the land? By what means would he accomplish this restoration? And to what degree would this restoration take place? In prophecies with oaths, these kinds of questions always remain open. So we see that Old Testament prophets indicated that God had different degrees of determination to direct the future in one way or another. Some prophecies explicitly indicated that they were wide open. Others are implicit in this regard. Still other prophecies were confirmed by words and signs. And, finally, some predictions were made sure by divine oaths. As we study the predictions of Old Testament prophets it is always important to remember the connection between predictions and intervening historical contingencies. God had various levels of determination to carry through with what the prophets said, and we'll be at a great disadvantage if we don't remember these various levels of determination.

GOALS OF PREDICTION

Now that we've seen how the prophets understood the certainty of their predictions, we're in a position to discern the goals of prophetic predictions. Why did the prophets make predictions? What were their purposes? To answer this question, we need to touch on, first, popular perspectives, and second, correct perspectives on the purpose of predictions.

Popular Perspectives

Let's look first at a widespread misconception of the purpose of Old Testament predictions. If there's one dominant view of the purpose of predictions in the Old Testament, it can be summed up in the word "prognostication." As we know, when medical professionals speak of a prognosis, they're telling us what they think the outcome of an illness or a condition may be in the future. In many ways, this is the way many Christians understand the prophets. They believe that prophets simply foretold the future; they gave foreknowledge of things to come. Now, there is an element of truth in this view. The prophets reveal that at any given time God was determined to go this way or that way. Yet we must always remember that intervening historical contingencies could have significant effects on the ways that prophecies were fulfilled. One passage stands behind this popular preoccupation with prognostication, and that is Deuteronomy 18:20-22. In this passage, Moses declared a criterion by which Israel was to determine if a prophet was a true or false prophet. Verse 21 amounts to a question which Moses asked on the behalf of the Israelites:

You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?" (Deuteronomy 18:21).

Verse 22 gives a response to that question:

If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him (Deuteronomy 18:22).

A widespread misunderstanding of this passage runs something like this: if a true prophet of the Lord says anything, then that thing must happen just as he said it. But to apply Moses' test of a true prophet properly, we must remember what we've already seen in this lesson. We must not approach the words of prophets woodenly. We have to consider the intentions behind prophetic predictions. When prophets spoke, they did not always intend to give the impression that what they were predicting was absolutely certain. Their words revealed, sometimes explicitly and other times implicitly, that human reactions could influence the fulfillment of a prediction. So, when we apply Moses' test of prophets, we always have to ask not just what did the prophet say explicitly, but also what implicit conditions apply to their predictions. Moses and Israel knew that this was true of prophecy. They knew that only divine oaths secured the certainty of a future event. They also knew that when prophets spoke words of judgment, the prophets usually did not utterly condemn to judgment, but simply warned of judgment. They understood that unless prophets indicated a divine oath had taken place, they did not promise blessing, but offered blessing. In these cases, Moses' tests would have to be qualified by the occurrence of significant intervening historical contingencies. In other words, so long as some significant human reaction did not affect the process, then Moses' tests would apply easily. Otherwise, the possibility of God's response would have to be factored in. Onlookers would have to ask the question, did significant intervening historical contingencies occur? If they did, then Moses' tests would have to be adjusted appropriately.

Correct Perspectives

If it is a misconception to think that prognostication was the main goal of prophecy, then what was the main purpose for prophetic predictions? Simply put, the prophets spoke of a future primarily to motivate or to activate their listeners. Another way to put it was that the prophets did not want so much to inform their listeners about the future as much as they wanted to activate their listeners to form the future. To understand this outlook on prophetic predictions, it will help to look at the way Old Testament believers responded to the predictions of prophets. First, we will see what we call the "Who knows?" reaction; and then second, we'll see what we may call the "twofold" reaction. These reactions of the people of God will help us see the goals of prophetic predictions more clearly.

"Who Knows?" Reaction

In the first place, we should look at the "Who knows?" reaction. On three occasions in the Old Testament, when people heard a prophetic prediction, they had a reaction that may seem strange to us. Instead of saying, "Well, now we know what the future holds," they said, "Who knows?" or, as they said in Hebrew, mi yode'a. This "Who knows?" reaction took place in three situations worth noting. First, when Nathan confronted David over his adultery with Bathsheba, he made this prediction to him in 2 Samuel 12:14:

"Because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die" (2 Samuel 12:14).

Nathan predicted that David's son would die, and as we find out, he did. But David later explained to the people in his court what he was thinking after Nathan had given his prediction, but before the child had actually died. He says these words in 2 Samuel 12:22:

"While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast?'" (2 Samuel 12:22).

Instead of accepting the prophetic word as inevitable, David still wondered if the prediction could be averted through prayer and repentance. His efforts did not work because his son died anyway, but David's attitude is clear. Until the child actually died, David held out hope, the hope of "Who knows?" In a similar way, the prophet Jonah told the city of Nineveh that judgment was coming. In 3:4 of his book, we read this prediction:

"Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned" (Jonah 3:4).

Once again, we might have expected the people of Nineveh simply to accept the prophet's prediction as inevitable, but they did not. Instead, they responded as David did. In Jonah 3:9 the king of Nineveh said:

"Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish" (Jonah 3:9).

On a third occasion, the same reaction to prophecy takes place. In Joel 2:1-11 the prophet announced that a terrible judgment was coming against Jerusalem. Yet Joel nevertheless encouraged his listeners to repent and fast. His reason for encouraging repentance and fasting is made clear in 2:14. There, we read these words:

"Who knows? [God] may turn a have pity" (Joel 2:14).

Joel was convinced that, so long as his prediction was not completely fulfilled, it was good for the people to seek God's forgiveness because no one could know just how God might react to that intervening historical contingency. What do these "Who knows?" reactions teach us about Old Testament believers? Old Testament believers did not think that prophetic predictions sealed their fates. Instead, they always believed that it was possible for intervening historical contingencies — especially the contingency of prayer — to have a significant effect on the ways that prophecies were fulfilled.

Twofold Reaction

The "Who knows?" reaction leads us to a broader understanding of the goal of Old Testament prophecy. The prophets expected and hoped for a two-fold reaction to their predictions. On the one hand, the prophets knew that there was one way to ensure that a threatened judgment would take place, if not grow worse. This way was to ignore the warning of a prediction and to remain in rebellion against God. At the same time, when prophets announced that God had decided to send a covenant judgment against his people, they wanted the people to turn to God in hopes that the judgment might be removed. Repentance and trust in Yahweh was the only hope for avoiding the judgment of God. On the other side, when prophets gave oracles of blessing, they also wanted to incite reactions from their readers. They could be sure that flagrant rebellion against God might remove the predicted blessing and replace it with judgment, but continued faithful living would bring the promised blessing for sure. Put simply, the prophets gave their predictions of judgment and blessings to encourage their listeners to seek to avoid judgment and to accelerate the blessings of God by their actions. In this way, the goal of prophetic predictions was not primarily to prognosticate, but to activate the people of God in the service of the Lord.

CONCLUSION

So it is that we have seen four topics in this lesson on the purpose of predictions: first, we touched on divine sovereignty over history; then predictions and contingencies; third, we saw the certainty of predictions; and then finally, the goals of predictions. The concepts we've touched on in this lesson are absolutely essential for understanding Old Testament prophecy. Old Testament prophets were not trying to talk about history in advance so that people could simply learn what was going to happen in the future. They were activating people to seek the mercy of God so they could avoid judgment and find the blessings of God. As we read Old Testament prophecy, we must be activated to seek the blessing of God and to avoid his judgment as well.

Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr. (Host) is Co-Founder and President of Third Millennium Ministries. He served as Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary for more than 20 years and was chair of the Old Testament department. An ordained minister, Dr. Pratt travels extensively to evangelize and teach. He studied at Westminster Theological Seminary, received his M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary, and earned his Th.D. in Old Testament Studies from Harvard University. Dr. Pratt is the general editor of the NIV Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible and a translator for the New Living Translation. He has also authored numerous articles and books, including Pray with Your Eyes Open, Every Thought Captive, Designed for Dignity, He Gave Us Stories, Commentary on 1 & 2 Chronicles and Commentary on 1 & 2 Corinthians.