Topical Encyclopedia
Prophecies in the Bible are divine revelations or messages communicated by God through His chosen messengers, known as prophets. These messages often pertain to future events, divine will, or moral teachings. Prophecies serve as a testament to God's sovereignty, His plan for humanity, and His ability to fulfill His promises.
Old Testament PropheciesThe Old Testament is rich with prophetic literature, with books specifically dedicated to the messages of prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, among others. These prophecies often addressed the immediate circumstances of Israel and Judah, calling the people to repentance and warning of impending judgment due to their disobedience. For instance, Isaiah prophesied about the coming judgment on Judah and the eventual restoration: "For the LORD of Hosts has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?" (
Isaiah 14:27).
Many Old Testament prophecies also pointed to the coming of the Messiah, a central theme in Christian theology.
Isaiah 53 is a profound example, describing the suffering servant who would bear the sins of many.
Micah 5:2 foretells the birthplace of the Messiah: "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me one to be ruler over Israel—One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity."
New Testament FulfillmentThe New Testament presents Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. The Gospel of Matthew frequently highlights this connection, as seen in
Matthew 1:22-23: "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel' (which means, 'God with us')."
Jesus Himself prophesied about future events, including His own death and resurrection, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. In
Matthew 24, Jesus speaks of the end times, warning of false prophets and the need for vigilance: "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible" (
Matthew 24:24).
The Role of ProphetsProphets in the Bible were not merely predictors of the future; they were God's spokespeople, tasked with delivering His messages to the people. They often called for repentance and adherence to God's covenant. The role of a prophet was both revered and fraught with challenges, as they frequently faced opposition and persecution. Jeremiah, known as the "weeping prophet," lamented the burden of his calling: "O LORD, You have deceived me, and I was deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me" (
Jeremiah 20:7).
Prophecy in the Early ChurchThe early Christian church recognized the gift of prophecy as one of the spiritual gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul, in his letters, encouraged the exercise of this gift for the edification of the church. In
1 Corinthians 14:1, Paul writes, "Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy."
Prophecy in the New Testament era was intended to build up the church, provide guidance, and affirm the truth of the Gospel. The Book of Revelation, penned by the Apostle John, is a prophetic work that unveils the ultimate victory of Christ and the establishment of God's eternal kingdom.
ConclusionProphecies in the Bible underscore the divine nature of Scripture and God's active involvement in human history. They reveal God's character, His justice, mercy, and faithfulness, and they call believers to live in anticipation of His promises.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) Plural of Prophecy.
Greek
4394. propheteia -- prophecy ... Word Origin from propheteuo Definition prophecy NASB Word Usage
prophecies (1),
prophecy (15), prophesying (1), prophetic utterance (1), prophetic utterances (1
... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4394.htm - 7kLibrary
The Prophecies
... 3. THE PROPHECIES. Let us next inspect the prophecies scattered through
the whole body of the doctrine; some of which belong to the ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/3 the prophecies.htm
The Messianic Prophecies in the Pentateuch.
... THE MESSIANIC PROPHECIES IN THE PENTATEUCH. In the Messianic prophecies
contained in Genesis we cannot fail to perceive a remarkable ...
/.../christology of the old testament/the messianic prophecies in the.htm
Prophecies Fulfilled.
... 22. PROPHECIES FULFILLED. [Illustration: Chapter header.] When the time
passed at which the Lord's coming was first expected,"in ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /22 prophecies fulfilled.htm
Mysterious Prophecies Revealed.
... Mysterious Prophecies Revealed. The bringing in of the evening light by the Holy
Spirit has been the clearing away of much mystery from prophetic texts. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/the gospel day /mysterious prophecies revealed.htm
Of the Two Apocalyptical Prophecies.
... THE FIRST PART Of the two Apocalyptical Prophecies. The first prophecy,
that of the seals, comprehends the fates of the empire: The ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/of the two apocalyptical prophecies.htm
Summary of the Prophecies.
... Chapter LIII."Summary of the prophecies. Though we could bring forward many
other prophecies, we forbear, judging these sufficient ...
/.../justin/the first apology of justin/chapter liii summary of the prophecies.htm
Prophecies Fulfilled
... Chapter 22 Prophecies Fulfilled. When the time passed at which the Lord's
coming was first expected,"in the spring of 1844,"those ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 22 prophecies fulfilled.htm
Of the Prophecies of the Old Testament in their visible ...
... Chapter 27."Of the Prophecies of the Old Testament in Their Visible
Fulfillment in the Church. 53. "For all those things, which ...
/.../on the catechising of the uninstructed/chapter 27 of the prophecies of.htm
The Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible Bespeak the Omniscience of ...
... Chapter Five The Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible Bespeak the Omniscience
of its Author. In Isaiah 41:21-23 we have what is probably ...
/.../the divine inspiration of the bible/chapter five the fulfilled prophecies.htm
Prophecies of the Sibyl.
... Theophilus to Autolycus: Book II. Chapter XXXVI."Prophecies of the Sibyl.
And the Sibyl, who was a prophetess among the Greeks ...
/.../theophilus/theophilus to autolycus/chapter xxxvi prophecies of the sibyl.htm
Thesaurus
Prophecies (4 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Prophecies (4 Occurrences). 1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never
fails. But where there are
prophecies, they will be done away with.
.../p/prophecies.htm - 7kHaggai (14 Occurrences)
... (see DARIUS .) Haggai's prophecies have thus been characterized:, "There is a ponderous
and simple dignity in the emphatic reiteration addressed alike to every ...
/h/haggai.htm - 28k
Gemariah (5 Occurrences)
... Baruch read aloud to the people from Gemariah's chamber, and again in the hearing
of Gemariah and other scribes, the prophecies of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 36:11-20 ...
/g/gemariah.htm - 9k
Malachi (2 Occurrences)
... and the writer of the last book of the Old Testament canon (Malachi 4:4, 5, 6).
Nothing is known of him beyond what is contained in his book of prophecies. ...
/m/malachi.htm - 21k
Baruch (24 Occurrences)
... Judah (51:59). To him Jeremiah dictated his prophecies regarding the invasion
of the Babylonians and the Captivity. These he read ...
/b/baruch.htm - 46k
Zedekiah (63 Occurrences)
... Dates are supplied with the prophecies of both: Jeremiah's numbered from the beginning
of the reign and not consecutive; Ezekiel's numbered from the beginning ...
/z/zedekiah.htm - 49k
Nahum (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Consolation, the seventh of the so-called minor prophets,
an Elkoshite. All we know of him is recorded in the book of his prophecies. ...
/n/nahum.htm - 21k
Messiah (9 Occurrences)
... The first great promise (Genesis 3:15) contains in it the germ of all the prophecies
recorded in the Old Testament regarding the coming of the Messiah and the ...
/m/messiah.htm - 43k
Ezekiel (4 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel, Book of. Consists mainly of three groups of prophecies. ... (2.) Prophecies
against various surrounding nations: against the Ammonites (Ezek. ...
/e/ezekiel.htm - 45k
Micah (54 Occurrences)
... The prediction regarding the place "where Christ should be born," one of the most
remarkable Messianic prophecies (Micah 5:2), is quoted in Matthew 2:6. ...
/m/micah.htm - 38k
Resources
How can I identify messianic prophecies in the Old Testament? | GotQuestions.orgHow many prophecies did Jesus fulfill? | GotQuestions.orgWhat biblical prophecies were fulfilled in AD 70? | GotQuestions.orgProphecies: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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