The Messianic message of the Old Testament

Front matter

Class _l£H

Book >LJl

Copyright N° ___

Preface

The man who attempts to describe, or even to photograph, jewels, nmst confess that his best representations cannot convey their lustre and brilliance. It is a better service to exhibit the gems themselves, and with them to contribute a statement of their history and value. Even then many a casual observer will fail to understand their worth and to appreciate their beauty. The messages of the Hebrew prophets are more precious than jewels, and deserve a much more careful consideration. In the present work their utterances are quoted, translated and arranged in such a form as to bear as nearly as possible their original freshness and vigor; historical and literary settings, which are not less, but rather more, vital in prophecy than iu other portions of the Bible, are studiously set forth; and, with becoming reserve, and still with hearty, appreciative faith, the Messianic import is frankly estimated. The writer, however, dares uot presume that all the divine excellence of each great prophecy is reflected in these pages; but he is content to hope that, on the one hand, the scholar may here find some acceptable suggestions, and that, on the other hand, the common reader may have reason to rejoice in a clearer perception of that wonderful wisdom that spoke through the prophets of old.

Rarely does an author of a work of this nature write under favorable circumstances. In the midst of many cares and toils, often encumbered with matters remote in character from the greal theme of his study, delayed by many an unforeseen disturbance, and brought to pause by many a difficult and tedious problem, the author of such a work prosecutes his dearest and most sacred task; and when it is done, and has passed the press, his last wish is that he had the privilege and the leisure to rewrite many a page. To this rule the presenl writer cannot arrogantly claim to be an exception; but disregarding numerous interruptions, he rejoices over many years of communion with the prophets and the pleasure of teaching and discussing in classroom over and over the material presented in this work. No man can study these priceless prophecies without great personal gain. Even the garments of a jeweler become filled with the dust of precious metals ; and much more are the hearts and lives of those enriched who are permitted freely and long to gather out of the very mines of prophetic wealth. In this the writer finds for his labor abundant compensation.

In writing the author has been often sadly reminded that the limitations of space forbade an adequate treatment of dates, authorship and text, although in the nature of his study he has been forced to investigate those questions and to assume positions: but since such discussions are appreciated chiefly by scholars, and their presence here would burden, if not annoy, the general reader, it has seemed wise to reserve this material for another work, which, if Providence permit, will appear in a few years. The author regrets that it is not ready to go out with this publication.

In respect to form, the writer has been influenced to some extent by the need he has felt of a convenient manual on Messianic Prophecy for use in college ; for he is fully convinced that the time has come when no biblical seminary can afford to omit from its course of instruction this fundamental branch of Old Testament study. The thought of the prophets is the very soul of the Hebrew Scriptures. Neither a teacher nor a student can feel thai a study of the Old Testament is complete without it. With a desire to adapt the book to the growing demand for a text on the subject, certain features of arrangement have been planned, and the treatment has been made as concise as comprehensiveness and perspicuity would permit. It is believed that the sideheads will be valued both by the student in college and by the usual reader in the library. They will in many cases enable the man of haste to grasp the content of a page at a single glance. In like manner the headings of the several prophecies are designed to express their chief thoughts, and hence possess a certain analytical value.

As to acknowledgements, the writer is grateful to a thousand sources of information and suggestion: but he is especially indebted to a few leading writers whose devout spirits and reverent scholarship have made them worthy to be daily companions ; more still is he indebted to the great prophets themselves, whose lives, loyal amidst disloyalty, and whose words, faithful among the faithless, have been an unfailing attraction to the mind, an unceasing and increasing joy to the heart; but most of all he feels indebted to Him, after whom the prophets yearned, on whom the hope of Israel was set, and to whom now and evermore the world looks for justification and redemption — to Him for a task to love, for inspiration to study, for His glorious kingdom as a theme, and for His people's blessing as a motive. to write this book. If any reader finds in these pages any vision of truth, any ideal of life, any soul-rest in hope, let the acknowledgement ever be to Him.

Clinton Lockhart.

Drake University.

" These three things, the highest boons of God to men— a moral Hero, a kingdom of the good, and the moral Hero making Himself the king of that kingdom by spiritual insight and self-sacrifice, as the sufferiiig ser-- vant of God — are the chief fruitage of that remarkable group of prophecies usually called Messianic, which embody the optimistic ideals of Hebrew seers."

A. B. Bruce.

Contents

Character of Hebrew Prophecy.

Chapter I. The Meaning Of Terms

Prophet and prophecy defined ' 17

Use of Seer for prophet 18

Other terms for prophet 3 9

The title Prophetess 19

Chapter II. The Manner Of Divine Communication

1 . By dreams 20

2. By visions of the eyes — sense visions 22

3. By visions of the mind — mental visions 24

4 . By simple inspiration 27

5 . By urim and thummim 32

6 . By casting lots 33

Chapter III. The False Prophets

1 . Source of their prophecy 35

2. Test of their prophecies 36

Chapter IV. Periods Of Prophetic Activity

1 . The early Old Testament period 39

2 . The medieval Old Testament period 39

3. The later Old Testament period 40

4 . The New Testament period 40

Chapter V. The Nature Of Prophetic Instruction

1 . Religious instruction . . . . 42

2 . Legal and political direction 46

12 CONTENTS.

3. Prediction.

(1) The themes of prediction 4S-

i The relation to the times 4S

(3) Limitations to prediction 53

Chapter VI. The Object Of Hebrew Prophecy

1 . To unfold Gcd 's design 56

2. To reveal the elements of moral law 56

3. To establish a true religion 57

4. To guide Israel to her high destiny 57

5 . To usher in the new kingdom 58

Utterances of Hebrew Prophets.

Chapter I. Patriarchal Prophecies

1 . Preliminary note 59

2. The image of God 61

3 . The victory of the race , ■ • 63

4 . The stability of the earth 65

5 . The blessing of Shem 67

6. The Abrahamic promises and covenants 68

7. The promises to Isaac and Jacob 74

8 . The blessing of Judah 76

9 . The blessing of Joseph 79

Chapter II. Mosaic Prophecies

1 . Israel 's adoption 84

2. Israel's national character 86

4. Covenant of everlasting priesthood 92

5. Prophet like Moses 94

Chapter III. Davidic Prophecies

1. The faithful priesthood 98

2 . The covenant with David 99

3 . The Messianic king and priest 102

4. The Son of Jehovah enthroned 106

5 . The Messianic reign 110

6. The marriage of the Messianic king 113

CONTENTS. 13

7. Deliverance by Jehovah lij

8. Triumphal entry of the king 118

9 . The glory of man 120

10 . Deliverance from death 122

11 . The suffering one 125

Chapter IV. The Prophecies Of Amos And Hosea

1 . The ruined house of David rebuilt 133

2 . Compassion to rejected Israel 137

Chapter V. Prophecies Of Isaiah's Time

1 . The coming king of peace 146

2 . The restoration of Israel 148

3. The rejected shepherd 149

4. Isaiah 's commission 152

5 . Jehovah 's exalted house 155

6 . The purification of Zion 157

7 . Immanuel 160

8 . The wonderful counselor 165

9 . The shoot of the stock of Jesse 167

10 . The turning of the nations 171

11 . The corner-stone 174

12. Zion and her king 177

13. God in His city 181

14. The ruler from Bethlehem 183

Chapter VI. Prophecies Of Jeremiah's Time

1 . Judgment and restoration 190

2. Gentiles reborn in Zion 193

3. The advent of Jehovah 195'

4 . Jehovah 's throne in Jerusalem 198

5. The righteous branch 200

6. The restoration and the new covenant 203

7 . Permanence of David 's covenant 208

Chapter VII. Prophecies Of The Exile

1. The stone cut out of the mountain 212

,2 . The reign of the son of man 213

14 CONTENTS.

4. The great retribution 224

5. The one heart and new spirit Z29

6. The majestic cedar 232

7. The reserved mitre and crown .' 233

S . The Davidic shepherd 236

9 . Israel 's purification . 238

10 . The resurrection of dry bones 240

1 1 . The unity of Judah and Israel 243

12. The fall of the enemy 245

13 . Israel 's ideal future 247

Section I. Prophecies of Doom

Against Assyria, 258. Against Philistia, 259. Against Moab. 261. Against Damascus and Ephraim, 262. Against the Assyrians, 264. Against an Ethiopian alliance, 265. Against Egypt, 266. Against Egypt again, 268. Against Babylon again, 269. Against Edom, 272. Against Arabia, 272. Against Jerusalem, 273. Against Shebna, 275. Against Tyre. 277.

4. The doom of Edom 289

Sec/ion II. Prophecies of the Sufferer.

1 . The acceptable offering 294

2 . The cry for help 296

3 . Jehovah the sufferer 's refuge 297

Chapter IX. Prophecies Of The Restoration

1 . The rebuilding of the temple 383

2 . Jehovah 's dwelling in Jerusalem 389

3 . The man named Branch 394

4 . The smitten shepherd • 399

5 . That remarkable day 402

6 . The coming messenger 406

7 . The ideal man 409

8. The ideal God 412

9 . The ideal praise 414

, ..T^^^ROPHECY under paganism never grew into a practical and di- I J recting power; and even the great Roman poet, captivated as he X w as by its ancient utterance, and the beauty of its promise, yet

could do no more with it than convert it into a court compliment, and connect its romantic associations with the prospect of the new-born heir of the Pollios. But as soon as prophecy found a receptacle in the chosen race, it grew strong, it became an architect and builder, it raised institutions, it enacted ordinances. In Abraham it founded a family, in Moses it framed a law, in David it erected a kingdom. The Hebrew people from the first gave prophecy a fixed home, and the nation became the regular and guarded depository of the sacred gift. The Jewish community was the fort of prophecy, maintaining and keeping up the inspired expectation, protecting it from outside blasts, and surrounding it with institutions and schools; so that, preserved as a directing influence among them, it prepared a practical reception for the Messiah; and founded that body of thought in the nation which welcomed Him who fulfilled the promise when He came, and in that welcome founded the Christian Church. Prophecy had thus the most striking practical result, and proved itself an instrument of real efficiency and power."

— Mozley : Riding Ideas in Early Ages.

Character of Hebrew Prophecy.

Prophet.

Chapter I. The Meaning Of Terms

The word prophet does not mean primarily, as many scholars have supposed, one who shows forth; nor does it mean one who speaks beforehand ; but it means strictly one who speaks for another. The prophet among the Hebrews was one who spoke for God. He was the medium through whom God gave a direct message to men. Among the Greeks the same idea prevailed; and hence Aeschylus, writing of Apollo, who was the spokesman for his god, says, "Apollo is the- prophet of ,Zeus."

Prophecy ^ ie wor( ^ prophecy, as derived from the Greek

prophet eia, means the gift of revealing the di«

vine will. The Greek terms for prophet and prophecy were

first used in senses suited to the. ancient Greek religion; and

*The literature on Messianic Prophecy is extensive, but much of it has a very limited value, partly because of unscientific methods of interpretation, and partly for lack of a knowledge of Hebrew antiquities. Among many books the following- may be profitably consulted: Gloag's Messianic Prophecies; Briggs' Mes. Proph.; Edersheim's Prophecy and History in relation to the Messiah; W. F. Adeney's Hebrew Utopia, a study of Mes. Proph.; Eiehm's Mes. Proph.; Wood's Hope of Israel; Orelli's Old Test. Proph. of the Consummation of the Kingdom of God;.

usually signified the communication of divine thought to one in an unconscious ecstacy, who afterward revealed it to others. These words were then transferred into Christian literature as equivalents of Hebrew words used in the Old Testament, and made to bear Jewish ideas of prophecy. As the Jewish ideas were in many respects different from those of the Greeks, the words were forced into new meanings, the exact nature of which must be determined by a careful study of prophecy as exhibited in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament use of the word prophet ment Use." ^ s most readily seen by comparing Ex. 7:1,

"Aaron shall be thy prophet," with Ex. 4:16, '"He shall be thy spokesman unto the people, and it shall come to pass that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God." While Aaron is called Moses' prophet, it is explained that he is simply a spokesman for Moses unto the people, that he is a mouth for Moses, who in giving the revelation occupied the place of God. From this it is clear that the prophet was not primarily a predicter of events to come, but rather a herald of a divine message.

The word seer was sometimes used for prophet.

In 1 Sam. 9:9, an explanatory statement is made for the use of the word seer in Samuel's day. that "he thai is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer." This means that at the time of the writer of this verse (probably later than Hie original writing of I Samuel i the word prophet was used, and meant the same as the word seer meant in Samuel's day.* It is notable, however, that the word prophet

Delitzsch's Mes. Prophecies in Historical Succession; Goodspeed's Israel's .Mis. Hope; and many others which in whole or in part treat the subject with interest. Valuable articles may be found in the leading Encyclopaedias and the later Bible Dictionaries, also in all the leading - reviews. Commentaries on various Messianic portions of the old Testament are valuable, but the older works of this Hass are badly antiquated by modern research, for full lists of works, see Riehm's Mes. Proph., new edition, or Goodspeed's Israel's Mes. Hope.

*On the possibility that the seer and the prophet were not exactly the same, A. I:. Davidson thus writes: "The seer was an isolated per- Bonage like the greal prophets. But, further, the characteristic of the true 'prophet' was that he pursued national religious ends. Samuel

THE MEANING OF TERMS. 19

occurs also in Ex. 7:1; Gen. 20:7; Num. 11:29; 12:6, as if it had been in use long before Samuel's time; and it may be true that for a brief period in the time of the Judges the word ' ' seer ' ' was usually substituted for prophet, while prophet was the customary term both before and after that time. A prophet was called a seer, because in receiving his message he often saw visions, and always saw, in mind, the truth to be revealed or the forthcoming event to be announced.

Some other terms for prophet, generally deerms. ser iptive and sometimes figurative, were used by Old Testament writers. For example, "man of God" (I Sam. 2:27), "man of the Spirit" (Hos. 9:7), "Lord's messenger" (Hag. 1:13), "watchman" (Jer. 6:17; Ezek. 3:17), and other terms of like character jire found. In some measure these titles are expressive of the official relations of a prophet to God and to his people.

The title prophetess is given to Miriam (Ex. 15:20), who, so far as we know, was merely a religious poetess; to Deborah (Jud. 4:4), who may have possessed prophetic gifts; to Huldah (II Chr. 34:22, ff.), who was certainly a true prophetess: also to Isaiah's wife (Isa. 8:3), but this was probably only because her husband was a prophet.

did this with more splendid initiative than the greatest of his successors. He created the nation by giving it a king; they only sought to preserve it. But the seers of his day, if there was such a class, may have ministered rather to personal and private interests, as Samuel himself seems to have done on some occasions (1 Sam. ix). In 1 Sam. 3:1 it is said thai 'vision' when Samuel was young 'was not widely diffused;' but 'vision' is here used of true prophecy such as the author was familiar with in his own time. History leaves us in complete ignorance in reyard to the seers. In fact, the only seer we know of is Samuel, and his history is told us in a very fragmentary way." Hastings Bible Dictionary, Vol. iv. p. 108.

Chapter II. The Manner Of Divine Communication

•1. By Dreams.

Dreams were sometimes given to the prophet,

Given Through j whom they were communicated with their Prophets. . J • *

interpretation to those for whom they were sent.

An example of this is seen in Joseph's dream (Gen. 37:5-11). which he told to his parents and brothers. Likewise a dream was given to Solomon (1 Ki. 3:5), in which he was permitted to choose a divine .blessing. That this was a familiar method of receiving revelations among the Hebrews, is assured in Num. 12 :6, in which Jehovah says, ' ' If there be a prophet among you, I, Jehovah, will make myself known unto him in a vision. I will speak with him as in a dream." The words of Elihu (Job. 33: 14-16), bear a similar import when he says, "For God speaketh once, yea twice, though man regardeth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in sluniberings upon the bed; then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction." The dream was very suitable to the divine purpose in giving a prophecy, since not only was the prophet removed from the distractions of the more active moments of life, but also he was in position to receive a very deep impression.

Many prophetic dreams were given directly

Directly *° the persons for whom the messages were in-

tended, and were interpreted by a prophet.

Such were the <liv;iins of I'haraoh's servants (Gen. 40:5, ff.) 7

which were interpreted by Joseph; that to Pharaoh (Gen. xli),.

PROPHETIC DREAMS. 21

in the interpretation of which. Joseph foretold the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine; also that to Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. ii), in which the king forgot the dream, and the prophet Daniel made known both the dream and the interpretation.

An advantage in presenting the dream to the van ages. p erson f r whom the message was designed, appears in the fact that a much deeper impression is thus made upon the mind than if the prophet had merely told a dream of his own. There was also a good reason for having a human interpreter. The power of interpretation would distinguish the prophet as an appointed medium of divine communication ; and this would mark him as able to deliver other messages from God, and make him a more valued counselor in matters- of religion or state.

The fact that prophecies were sometimes given CoSmo°n Dreams. in dreams is not intended to imply that all 'dreams have prophetic or other very important significance.* The worthlessness of many dreams was as apparent to the Hebrews as to us; and this is clearly indicated in Ps. 73 :20 ; Isa. 29 :8 ; and Jer. 27 :9.

The dream that had prophetic value was phetic Dreams. Probably much more impressive than other dreams, and doubtless the interpretation was often impressed clearly and unmistakably upon the prophet's mind. Otherwise he would be unable to distinguish the dream containing the message from those that were void of. import.

*The ethical A'alue of common dreams is well spoken by Marcus Dods, Com. on Gen. xxxvii. "Dreams become significant when they are the concentrated essence of the main stream of the waking thoughts, and picturesquely exhibit the tendency of the character. * * * Our vanity, our pride, our malice, our impurity, our deceit, our every evil passion, has free play, and shows us its finished result, and in so vivid and true though caricatured a form that we are startled and withdrawn from our purpose. The evil thought that we have suffered to creep about our heart seems in our dreams to become a deed, and we wake in horror and thaui God we can yet refrain. Thus the poor woman, who in utter destitution was beginning to find her child a burden, dreamt she had drowned it, and woke in horror at the fancied sound of the plunge — woke to clasp her little one to her breast with the thrill of a grateful affection that ae\ er again gave way. ' '

The true prophet seems never to have been in doubt when he received from God a revelation in this way. For example, Joseph had no hesitation about the dream when the Lord toid him to take the infant Jesus and his mother into Egypt; nor was he in doubt when lie in like manner was told to return. In some way thai we may not now fully describe, the dream carried its own attestation.*

2. By Visions of the Eye* — Sense Visions.

Objecl lessens were sometimes presented and Lessons interpreted. Abraham saw a smoking furnace

and a flaming torch pass between the pieces of his sacrifice at night and heard at the same time the terms of his covenant with God in which the land of Canaan was promised to him and his posterity (Gen. 15:17, 18). In like manner Peter on the house-top in Joppa had the vision of a sheet let down from heaven containing many species of animals of which he was to eat without making the usual .Jewish distinctions Ads 10:9-16). Such were also the visions of Zechariah (1:8, 18: 2:1, etc.). Such visions, like dreams, were usually accompanied by definite interpretations, although rarely they were left unexplained I Rev. 15 :5-8 ).

Sometimes God made special, manifestations Theophanies. ()f h imseU by visions to the prophets. Thus, three men appeared at the door of Abraham's tent (Gen. 18:2), whom he afterwards learned represented Jehovah and his angels (Gen. 18:22; 1!':1 I. Iii this case God appears in human form. partakes of Abraham's hospitality, reveals His promises and converses as a man with a man. In a similar manner lie appeared 1" Moses in the burning bush (Ex. 3:6), in which He called Moses to the office of deliverer and law-giver of the liebrew people, other like manifestations were thai to Moses I Ex. 33:17-23), in which the glory of Jehovah passed before the

Briggs holds thai while "t! ream plays an important part in the

prophecy of the Bible, in guiding the- patriarchs of Israel and the human guardians of the Messiah," yel the dream is "simply a phase of prophecy-, a tesl is needed to determine whether there be prophecy in it or not. ' ' M'-s. Pr. p. 7.

PROPHETIC VISIONS. 23

prophet who was protected in a cleft of a rock; that to Isaiah (Isa. 6), in which Jehovah appeared sitting upon an exalted throne surrounded by seraphim while his glory filled the temple, and Isaiah was called to his prophetic labors ;■ that to Paul on his way to Damascus (Acts 26:16-18), when he was called to be an especial apostle to the Gentiles; also that to John (Rev. 1:13- 18), in which Jesus manifested himself as the author of the messages about to be written to the seven churches in Asia. Such manifestations of God are called theophanies.*

The value of theophanies may not be fully Theophanies. k u °wn ; but it is evident that they assisted greatly in assuring men of olden times, not only that God exists apart from men and from all the objects of nature, but that he is clothetf with glory and invested with power surpassing even human comprehension. While this was an aid to faith, it was a powerful motive to obedience and loyalty. Through the testimony of those to whom theophanies. were given, all later generations have enjoyed a greater assurance of God's presence in the world and his_ personal interest in humanity.

The Hebrews did not understand that in Understood. these theophanies they beheld the real person and full glory of Jehovah ; for God is represented as saying to Moses that "man shall not see me and live" (Ex. 33:20); and the apostle John (I John 4:12) expressed the conviction of the apostolic age when he said that "no man hath beheld God at any time." From such statements it is Clear that theophanies were understood to be only manifestations of a divine presence and power suited to human vision and understanding. It is in a sense somewhat distinct from this that Jesus represents himself as being a manifestation of

"'We do nni find these theophanies in connection with every prophet, but only witli the greatesl prophets, the reformers of their age. It is

possible that other prophets were also called by 11 phanies which they

have nni described to us. Bu1 this is improbable. It was indeed unnecessary. Theophanies were to initiate religious movements and mark the st ayes of their development, but are not the constant feature of prophecy." Briggs, Mrs. Pr. p. 21.

God when he says to Philip, ''He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how gayest thou, Shew us the Father?. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me .' the words lli.it I Bay unto you I speak not for myself; but the Father abiding in me doeth His works. Believe me that I am in [he Father, and the Father in me." In these words the Savior announces, not only his divinity, but his complete representation of the Father's character and disposition toward men. He further indicates to Philip that the most important feature in a vision of the Father is not to see Him in person, but to have a view of the divine character and will.

3. By Visions of the Mind — Mental Visions.

The prophets frequently enjoyed v^ioi.s of Truth^ ° ^ ie truth which they -were to convey instead of

visions of objects as hitherto describe! The prophecy of Isaiah is introduced by the words, "The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem-." and this is followed by Isaiah's messages to the people without a description of any vision by the eyes within the first five chapters. Likewise the prophecy of Obadiah begins with the words, "The vision of Obadiah;" and yet the prophecy does not mention a vision by the eyes, but simply announces the truth which the prophet had seen by divine help.

If we inquire by which person of the Trinity theTsmrit such visions were given, the answer is furnished

by the apostle Peter (2 Pet. 1:21) : "But men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit." That mental visions were given by the Holy Spirit seems to be amply eonfirmed in both the Old and the New Testaments. Samuel told Saul that the Spirit of Jehovah would come mightily upon him, and In- should prophesy; and later the historian informs us that the Spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied '1 Sam. 10:6,10). Still later the record says that the "Spiiii of God came upon the messengers .of Saul, and they also prophesied " (1 Sam. 19 -."10).

PROPHETIC VISIONS. 25

Jesus foretold the prophetic work of the apos- "Examples tles in hu 12:12 . << The Ho i v Spirit shall

teach yon in that very hour what ye ought to say." From this it is clear that the apostolic messages came by the Holy Spirit, just as those of the older prophets. This accords "with the preparation of the apostle John for his prophetic 'work on the Island of Patmos, concerning which he says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice." It was one of the especial functions of the Spirit to make known divine, messages to the prophets and the apostles.

Since some of the prophets are described to state* 10 us as ^ e ^ n §' i n an ecstatic state when they re-

ceived their visions, it might be thought- that •such a state was essential to their reception of revealed truth.* It is certainly true that the prophets were usually in such a con- ■dition when they received sense visions ; as in the case of Balaam, who speaks of himself as, "the man whose eye was closed . . , who seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down, and having his eyes opened." Here the falling and the .closing and opening of the eyes in connection with his vision of Israel, seem to indicate an unnatural state of mind. On one occasion (2 Kings 3 : 15), Elisha called for a minstrel, and when the minstrel played the hand of Jehovah came upon the prophet, which seems also to point to the need of a peculiar state to prepare the prophet for his message. In this instance, however, the minstrel may have been employed to allay the mind of the prophet which had been deeply disturbed by the presence of the idolatrous Icing of Israel, and thus put him in a better mood for his prophetic Work. In Acts 10:9-11, Peter is said to have been entranced when lie saw the vision of the sheet let down from heaven. We thus have evidence that the prophets were often in an unnatural slate <»f mind when object lessons or sense visions were presented. Proofs are abundant that such a state of mind Avas