i8 77 ] PROPHECY AS A FACTOR IN HISTORY 345 



of prophecy as a whole. It would, of course, be premature 

 to take up at this stage the historical exposition of these 

 chapters of Isaiah. But it may be advantageous to 

 say a few words in general on the way in which we shall 

 be able to rise from an historical view of prophecy to con 

 siderations confirming the Divine authority of the Old 

 Testament revelation, and enabling us to apprehend in 

 a living manner the abiding significance of the prophetic 

 word for the New Testament dispensation. 



There are two aspects of prophecy which we must 

 bring together, trying if possible to understand the one 

 through the other. On the one hand the history of 

 prophecy is part of the history of Israel, of a history, 

 that is, which is limited to a single nation and which 

 is in great measure concerned with matters of local 

 and temporary interest. These limitations have left 

 their mark on the whole history and work of the prophets. 

 Like all men who have left their names in the record of 

 human events, they were formed by circumstances. They 

 were the children of their country and of their age. All 

 that they did and said was conditioned by their historical 

 surroundings. Their inspiration itself was limited by 

 the law that supernatural revelation never breaks the 

 historical continuity of man s free agency and man s 

 responsibility. They were not so raised above their fellow- 

 countrymen that they ceased to be Israelites, thinking 

 and feeling like those around them, and having their 

 own share of concern, and that not merely as men, but 

 as prophets, in all the questions of their own time, how 

 ever local, temporary, and insignificant these may seem 

 to us. On the other hand, these same prophets form 

 part of the chain of the history of Revelation, and 

 their words are part of that progressive series of Divine 

 Self-manifestations which culminated in the manifestation 

 of Christ and in the bringing in of a salvation which is 

 free from all national limitations, from all local and 

 temporary colouring. 



