THE NATURE OF THE PROPHETIC HOPE

In the prophetic writings the note of severe warning and judgement for the nations is not the only note sounded. There is also a note of great hope. This latter note is widespread among the prophetic writings, and at times is sounded at some length. It is not one to be missed.

There are a number of features about this prophetic hope that stand out and need to be kept in mind:

            1. The emphasis is very much on the ultimate and long term hope. It is as though God, seeing the great distress among the nations to whom his prophets were speaking, felt it important to lift the eyes of faithful people to what he ultimately had in store for them and for the world. He wanted to give them more than immediate hope. Consequently we find prophecies which speak, and speak at length, about God’s intention and determination to bring about a complete redemption and restoration of the nations, and, indeed, the restoration of the very world in which they lived. He wanted to underline the “end time” hope. The day would come when the whole world would be re-established in complete conformity with ways. He was communicating through his prophets the final point toward which world history was moving: “The earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea” (Is 11:9) This was the grand hope, the hope which any person living in such a world as ours needs to keep fully in mind. It is a true hope, one standing in great contrast to the negatives of the modern secular world. Our desire for immediate help should never be allowed to obscure the power and meaning of this long term hope.

            2. This does not mean that God brushes off the present and the immediate future as though they were of no concern. The present is very much his concern, and it is certainly always our concern. The immediate hope offered by the prophets comes in the form of a remarkable depiction of God as one who is almighty and in control of all events. Not only is he in control, but he abounds in faithfulness, patience and mercy even in the midst of his wrath. He is constantly seen as a God who is much greater than just judgement. The God of the prophets is a majestic God, profoundly compassionate and loving. The God of the prophets is truly a God to be sought, for in his very nature hope is written large. So Jeremiah, right in the midst of Lamentations for a ruined Jerusalem can say, “Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love” and “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him” (Lam. 3:32 & 3:25). This aspect will be the subject of further pamphlets.

            3. At the centre of the long term hope of redemption stands a great Messianic figure. This person is the key to the fulfillment of the ultimate purposes of God with this world. The redemption of individuals and the restoration of the nations is a work which the “Anointed One” will ultimately perform. The towering form of this Messiah is seen particularly in Isaiah, where his person and work is seen in great clarity. These passages in Isaiah are of immense value. The kingly and anointed servant, full of suffering is the centre of all hope. Fulfilled in the person of Jesus, and in his ministry, death and resurrection this figure is the great hope at all times for humanity.

            4. The restoration of the Jewish nation is spoken about at length by the prophets. This will be the work of the Messiah. The fact that a great deal of conflicting opinion can be found in interpreting this area should never prevent us from looking long and hard at what the prophets have written about this specific matter. It is quite clear that the hope offered to the nation of Israel through the prophets was not an immediate and short term hope, but has very much something of a long term hope about it. Whilst avoiding avid speculations and applications, a humble meditation on the substance of the hope is much to be encouraged.

            5. Hence in dealing with the prophetic hope of the prophets the pamphlets first look at Jesus as he is portrayed in Isaiah, and examine his work portrayed there in the restoration both of the Jews and the nations of the world. To support the picture of Jesus given to us in Isaiah other pamphlets seek to bring out the prophetic import of other parts of the Old Testament which further help our understanding of the Messiah figure.

The pamphlets also look at issues raised by the prophetic passages concerning the restoration of Israel.

The intention is to look also in more detail at prophetic passages on the restoration of the nations.

www.understandingthetimes.org.uk                                              Bob Dunnett