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 During
World War II, Gov. Stephenson, of Texas, had something to say
about the prophets of old foretelling automobile tire rationing.
He, or his ghost writer, should have checked the reference (Isa.
3: 18) with greater care; and two or three verses of context
would have helped a lot too. The “round tires like the moon”
of K.J., become “crescents” in the A. S., with “headtires”
in verse 20. The context would have shown Isaiah spake of the
women of Jerusalem, and the pending captivity which would “take
away” the golden ornaments of the people.
Some
current “radio prophet” has offered Nahum 2:4 as “prophecy”
concerning our traffic problems with today's automobile. “The
chariots rage in the streets... “ etc. That’s it, surely.
Unless you read the context and find that Nahum speaks of the
destruction of Nineveh throughout all three chapters. One would
have to be a dolt to miss it.
This
Ouija Board treatment of the prophets shows a gross
misunderstanding of the prophet and his work. His primary
function was NOT to tell the future, but to preach the word of
God which was given him by inspiration. As someone has put it,
he was more of a “forth-teller” than a “foreteller.”
Aaron was Moses ”prophet” (Ex. 7 :1), his “spokesman” -—
to set forth what Moses told him to speak. (Ex. 4 :14-f) What
the priest was to the Law (ministering at the alter, etc. ), and
the “wise” were to counsel (as Solomon, and the counsel of
Proverbs, etc.), the prophet was to the word. (Jer. 18:18)
(Verses 5-11 give an excellent “case” of the function of a
prophet.)
As
God’s spokesman, the prophet set
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forth His will. Basically, he differed from a
preacher only in that his message was inspired — “holy men
of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Pet.
1:21) Abraham was a prophet; Moses was a prophet; and the name
was applied to many who were “moved by the Spirit.” (Gen.
20:7; Deut. 34:10) But as the nations of Israel and Judah
rebelled more and more against God, the messengers (prophets) of
God were moved to devote more time to warning the sinners of
their punishment. Great sections of their message called for
repentance, and foretold (often in detail) the “burden” or
“woe” that would come upon them.
And
as the horizons darkened with regard to physical Israel, the
hope of the Redeemer was set before them. Thus Isaiah promised
salvation to the “remnant” in the “shoot out of the stock
of Jesse,” and “It is too light a thing” that the
preserved of Israel should be restored; “I will also give thee
for a light to the Gentiles.” So the prophets paved the way
for the coming of Christ — the golden apex of their great
work. Yet the greatest of prophets (Lu. 7:28) and forerunner of
Christ was still a preacher of righteousness, who called for
repentance.
How
shallow then, how puerile, how utterly absurd for so-called “radio-
prophets” to play games with bits of the divine message of
prophets of old and propose to find there a sort of crystal ball
for today’s headlines. ‘Automobiles” “moon-walks”
indeed!! Such preaching appeals to the sensation seeker, but has
not the value of a nickels worth of dog food.
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