The Wonder of Old Testament Prophecy and Divine Inspiration
The Bible’s attribute of inspiration is proof positive of its divine origin. As documented in historical theology, the Old Testament foreshadowed the earth-shaking events that eventually surrounded the earthly life and death of Jesus Christ. For instance, a thousand years in advance, the psalmist predicted that Jesus’ back would be “plowed.”
The Nature of Hebrew Prophecy
The nature of Hebrew prophecy was such that the prophets were superintended by the Holy Spirit in their utterances. To be sure, their own minds were engaged as they reported the truths God wanted conveyed, but the Scripture they wrote did not arise from their own thinking or opinions. They did not necessarily grasp the full significance of their messages—particularly as those utterances pertained to the Messianic age far distant from their own day.
Since the Holy Spirit superintended the writing, being eternal and omniscient, He would be aware of future fulfillments and anticipations of which the human writer would not be aware. As recorded in the New Testament regarding the wonder of Old Testament prophecy:
- "Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you..." (1 Peter 1:10-12).
- "[K]nowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20-21).
Classification of Messianic Allusions
There are some Old Testament prophecies that are very nearly, if not wholly, describing the Messianic era, with no immediate historical context in view. There are other prophecies that have an immediate historical context, but which also anticipate future events associated with the Messianic era. The following table summarizes these distinctions based on the provided material:
| Type of Prophecy | Description | Scriptural Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Wholly Messianic | Describing the Messianic era with no immediate historical context in view. | Psalm 2:2; 110:1; Isaiah 9:6; 53 |
| Dual Context | Has an immediate historical context but also anticipates future Messianic events. | 2 Samuel 7:12-14; Isaiah 7 |
| Divinely Deposited | Primarily refers to the prophet's own circumstances but includes a specific Messianic anticipation. | Isaiah 6; John 12:38-40 |
The Prophets and the Messianic Age
God could inspire and superintend a prophet—like Isaiah in 750 B.C.—to produce a prophecy that pertained largely to events contemporaneous with the prophet’s own day and yet, simultaneously, have the prophet embed in his prophecy an allusion or allusions that are worded in such a way that they also anticipate an incident or event in the life of the Messiah while He was on Earth. These allusions often also fit into the context of the contemporaneous situation and convey immediate relevance and application. Yet their meaning also anticipates moments in the life of Christ.
Take, as an example, Isaiah chapter six which consists of the call and commission of Isaiah by God to his prophetic role. While Isaiah received a message from God that was intended for the immediate 8th century B.C. audience of Isaiah, he also received bits of insights that pertained specifically and ultimately to the circumstances surrounding the Messiah’s incarnation. Consequently, John declared: “These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him” (John 12:41). It is nothing for God to deliver a message to an audience in 1000 B.C. and have every part of the message to have immediate and pertinent meaning to the original audience, while simultaneously wording the message to have a meaning for a subsequent audience hundreds of years into the future.