Introduction
Prophets are individuals with contact with a divine being who serves as an intermediary offering predictive information about the future. Much like other religious texts, Christian works were based on the writings of men. However, divine inspiration ended after the completion of the 66 chapters therein. Moreover, millions of followers adhere to the religion, making it crucial to study the Bible’s divine origin.
Upon a further study of its characteristics and nature, the divine origin reveals a greater architect underneath, leading to the ever-true belief that its author was greater than man. Regardless of more than 40 different authors, extending from the Old Testament days of Moses to the Apostle John in the New one, the Bible accounts for present and future acts of humanity, making it a prophetic text.
Evidence of the Divine Origin
Fulfilled Prophecies
It is essential to study the Bible’s authors to identify the predictive information within it and its relevance to human history. One incontrovertible proof lies in the fulfilled prophecies that currently exist. Prophecies in the Old Testament were plain and explicit, resulting in the conversion of some skeptics. How authors in the books define themselves is also essential to the study of prophetic words and divine origin.
Micah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Israel are all biblical authors who made explicit predictions about the Messiah (Aebi, 2022). There is an exact time when Christ was born, the location, and the family under whose care he would be charged. Furthermore, the Messiah’s death and burial circumstances were stated, including Jewish rabbis’ supporting words. These holy men proved that the words in the Book of Israel spoke of a ‘suffering Israel’ or an innocent sufferer to take the blame for the people.
The Bible’s writings are unique and cannot be located elsewhere. Upon studying works written by prominent churchmen in the earlier centuries, it is plain to see a unified message in the prophetic works. For 1500 years, from Moses to the Apostle John, it is evident that these authors and their works offer no conflict but a singular view of humanity (Aebi, 2022). Often, people are quick to claim credit for authored works; however, there is consistent evidence that each author attributed their works to a higher being, lending credence to the divine origin of the Bible. Whereas a man can generally predict how matters will turn out based on current events, only the Bible can uniquely predict specifics about individual lives.
Contradictory Prophecies
Another supporting fact of the divine origin is the existence of contradictory prophecies, which come true regardless of their contentious nature. For instance, in Psalms, David, the book’s author, describes the Messiah as all-conquering and triumphant (Luebbehusen, 2021). However, Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah describe him as suffering and rejected beings, both of which are solved in the two comings of Christ (Luebbehusen, 2021). Both acts occurred and fulfilled disagreeing parts of a prophecy, lending credence to the mind of God behind each book and predictive text. Additionally, whereas surface-level scholars identify some major and minor prophets in the Old Testament, in-depth researchers posit that the Bible’s first section is entirely predictive.
The Bible’s history, personages, and institutions are prophetical after a clear assessment of the Old Testament. A good example is the Tabernacle, whose threefold division of the ark, furniture, and altar indicates facts and truths about the Messiah. Joseph’s, David’s, and Solomon’s lives also offer prophetic indications of what Jesus would undergo (Schiffman, 2020).
Notably, the teachings in the Bible are superior to other texts from famous human thinkers. The ideas within contain truth regarding spiritual and moral matters in a way that is hard to challenge. It is not a large book, but it contains more truths than all other books. Minute foreshadowing, as demonstrated in the Bible, is beyond the purview of man’s wisdom. It offers proof of a divine being beneath it all as a grand architect and divine origin for the prophetic words within the book.
Development of the Prophetic Institution
Canaanite Prophets
Israelite prophecy establishes its origin in Canaanite prophetic forms, which they familiarized themselves with after settling in Canaan. Prophets in ancient Israel were connected to the sanctuary, and temple prophets often led liturgies. Alternatively, prophetic guilds offered predictive data after being offered money or gifts to ascertain their services.
A few key figures are associated with the shift from vulgar to literary prophets; these include Elijah, Gad, Nathan, and Samuel. For some, like Samuel, multiple roles were conferred, such as seer and priest. However, later prophets such as Elijah resulted in religious-based political movements to protest King Ahab’s rule. Ultimately, classical prophecy was established, antagonizing Canaanite beliefs in culture and religion.
Classical Prophets
Classical prophets changed the perception of Yahweh and established him as a jealous God who was greater than the existing ones. These individuals rejected ritualistic sacrifices and insisted on an ethically upright movement that sensitized Israel and Judah to the correct manner to perform liturgies. Ninth-century B.C.E. saw the rise of minor prophets from these two locations who protested idol worship, the amalgamation of religions, and social transgressions present at the time (Schiffman, 2020). They called for a life of ethical principles and morality, spurred on by minor prophets such as Amos and Hosea. Others like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Israel finalized the development of literary prophecy and created profound works that cataloged the Hebrew culture’s achievements.
Apocalyptic Prophets
In addition to classical prophets, there are apocalyptic ones whose verses are primarily prose-form rather than poetic in contrast to the former. These authors wrote under famous pseudonyms, such as Adam, Daniel, or Enoch, and employed fantastic imagery and speculations to communicate their message (Schiffman, 2020). Primarily, these texts dealt with the sovereignty of God and the nature of his rule over the world. It is an engrossing work describing man’s history and his inevitable doom. At this time, the righteous will will be vindicated, and judgment will be accorded to each human being. Prophets such as Obadiah and Joel existed before the fall of Israel and were minor prophets who tried to steer believers to Christianity. However, post-exile, people such as Zechariah and Haggai offered guidance to the people and challenged the way they lived.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Bible’s divine origin is incontrovertible and provable through the prophetic words in the Bible. Authors such as Micah, Daniel, and Jeremiah offered contradictory prophecies, all of which were fulfilled. Additionally, there is a unified message within the book that escapes human wisdom, strengthening the claim that its source is divine. Finally, it is a book of truths on moral and spiritual authority in a way that exceeds all other literary works.
It is important to note that the prophetic institution began with Canaanite practices and guilds. However, these quickly morphed into literary prophecies with authors such as Daniel, Amos, and Hosea, who protested social ills in the Israelite community. A careful assessment of the Bible reveals how the entirety of the Old Testament is predictive and its works pivotal to man’s future acts.
References
Aebi, C. J. (2022). Predictive prophecy as evidence of the Bible’s divine origin. Warren Christian Apologetics Center. Web.
Luebbehusen, E. A. (2021). The divine inspiration of scripture. Journal of the Liberty University, 8(5), 1–22. Web.
Schiffman, L. H. (2020). Prophecy in ancient Israel. My Jewish Learning. Web.