i8 77 ] WAS PROPHECY SUPERNATURAL ? 359 



ance, and if, as Kuerten, like other scholars, admits, the 

 prophets themselves are fully alive to the fact that there 

 is a conditional element, at least in many predictions, it is 

 certainly curious logic to take these predictions first, and 

 to settle the question natural or supernatural off-hand 

 with reference to them alone, and without first ascending 

 to the really central facts of prophecy. Kuenen seems to 

 feel this, for in chapter ix. he makes some remarks by 

 way of showing (i) that conditional prediction is a thing 

 inconsistent with inspiration, and (2) that the prophetic 

 conception of Jahveh is itself not free from error, and 

 therefore cannot be viewed as of other than human origin. 

 But what he says on these two vastly important questions 

 falls far short of a full discussion, and need not long detain 

 us. The notion of conditional prediction is one which 

 must be separately discussed, but for our present purpose 

 it may be briefly stated thus. God s purpose of grace 

 towards man is absolute and must move on to sure 

 accomplishment. But it is to be accomplished not 

 mechanically upon man, but ethically in the hearts of 

 men, by a spiritual process. Two important means used 

 in this spiritual process are promises to the obedient, 

 threats to the rebellious. God gives His prophets these 

 promises and threats to address to the people, and, of 

 course, gives them in a form applicable to the times then 

 present. The promises to Israel take the form of blessings 

 which the nation at the time needed and could appreciate, 

 of such blessings as belonged to the Old Testament 

 dispensation. But the people s sins often deferred the 

 fulfilment of these promises deferred them, not cancelled 

 them for God will assuredly conduct His people to final 

 felicity. But, of course, as time moves on, as the church 

 emerges from the childhood of the Old Testament to the 

 full-grown manhood of Christianity, it would be no longer 

 fitting to give an Old Testament fulfilment to the deferred 

 promises. The promise will be fulfilled, but in a better, a 

 spiritual form. Of course, I do not now ask how much of 



