How The Prophetic Gift Was Received – Hyssop

How The Prophetic Gift Was Received

--We learn from Holy Scripture that it was by the agency of the Spirit of God that the prophets received the divine communication; but the means by which the divine Spirit communicated with the human spirit, and the conditions of the latter under which the divine communications were received, have not been clearly declared to us. They are however, indicated. In (Numbers 12:6-8) we have an exhaustive division of the different ways in which the revelations of God are made to man.

1. Direct declaration and manifestation: "I will speak mouth to mouth, apparently, and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold."

2. Vision.

3. Dream. not though it must be allowed that Scripture language seems to point out the state of dream and of trance or ecstasy, as a condition in which the human instrument received the divine communications, it does not follow that all the prophetic revelations were thus made. Had the prophets a full knowledge of that which they predicted? It follows from what we have already said that they had not, and could not have. They were the "spokesmen" of God, (Exodus 7:1) the "mouth" by which his words were uttered, or they were enabled to view and empowered to describe pictures. Presented to their spiritual intuition; but there are no grounds for believing that, contemporaneously with this miracle, there was wrought another miracle, enlarging the understanding of the prophet so as to grasp the whole of the divine counsels which he was gazing into, or which he was the instrument of enunciating. Names. --Of the sixteen prophets, four are usually called the great prophets, namely, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, and twelve the Minor prophets, namely, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakuk,Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. They may be divided into four groups: the prophets of the northern kingdom --Hosea, Amos, Joel, Jonah; the prophets of the southern kingdom --Isaiah, Jeremiah, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah; the prophets of the captivity --Ezekiel and Daniel; the prophets of the return --Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. They may be arranged in the following chronological order, namely, Joel, Jonah, Hoses, Amos, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Obadiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Use of prophecy. --Predictive prophecy is at once a part and an evidence of revelation; at the time that it is delivered and until its fulfillment, a part; after it has been fulfilled, an evidence. As an evidence, fulfilled prophecy is as satisfactory as anything can be; for who can know the future except the Ruler who disposes future events? and from whom can come prediction except from him who knows the future? Development of Messianic prophecy. --Prediction, in the shape of promise and threatening, begins with the book of Genesis. Immediately upon the Fall, hopes of recovery and salvation are held out, but the manner in which this salvation is to be effected is left altogether indefinite. All that is at first declared is that it shall come through a child of woman. (Genesis 3:15) By degrees the area is limited: it is to come through the family of Shem, (Genesis 9:26) through the family of Abraham, (Genesis 12:3) of Isaac, (Genesis 25:18) of Jacob, (Genesis 28:14) of Judah, (Genesis 49:10) Balaam seems to say that it will be wrought by a warlike Israelitish King, (Numbers 24:17) Jacob, by a peaceful Ruler of the earth, (Genesis 49:10) Moses, by a Prophet like himself, i.e. a revealer of a new religious dispensation. (15:15) Nathan’s announcement, (2 Samuel 7:16) determines further that the salvation is to come through the house of David, and through a descendant of David who shall be himself a king. This promise is developed by David himself in the Messianic psalms. Between Solomon and Hezekiah intervened some two hundred years, during which the voice of prophecy was silent. The Messianic conception entertained at this time by the Jews might have been that of a King of the royal house of David who would arise and gather under his peaceful sceptre his own people and strangers. Sufficient allusion to his prophetical and priestly offices had been made to create thoughtful consideration, but as yet there was, no clear delineation of him in these characters. It was reserved for the prophets to bring out these features more distinctly. In this great period of prophetism there is no longer any chronological development of Messianic prophecy, as in the earlier period previous to Solomon. Each prophet adds a feature, one more, another less clearly combine the feature, and we have the portrait; but it does not grow gradually and perceptibly under the hands of the several artists. Its culminating point is found in the prophecy contained in (Isaiah 52:13-15) and Isai 52:53 Prophets of the New Testament . --So far as their predictive powers are concerned, the Old Testament prophets find their New Testament counterpart in the writer of the Apocalypse; but in their general character, as specially illumined revealers of God’s will, their counterpart will rather be found, first in the great Prophet of the Church and his forerunner, John the Baptist, and next in all those persons who were endowed with the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit in the apostolic age, the speakers with tongues and the interpreters of tongues, the prophets and the discerners of spirits, the teachers and workers of miracles. (1 Corinthians 12:10,28) That Predictive powers did occasionally exist in the New Testament prophets is proved by the case of Agabus, (Acts 11:23) but this was not their characteristic. The prophets of the New Testament were supernaturally illuminated expounders and preachers.

Hukkok

(incised), a place on the boundary of Naphtali. (Joshua 19:34) It has been recovered in Yakuk , a village in the mountains of Naphtali west of the upper end of the Sea of Galilee.

Hukok

a name which in (1 Chronicles 6:75) is erroneously used for HELKATH, which see.

Hul

(circle), the second son of Aram, and grandson of Shem. (Genesis 10:23) The strongest evidence is in favor of the district about the roots of Lebanon.

Huldah

(weasel), a prophetess, whose husband, Shallum, was keeper of the wardrobe in the time of King Josiah. It was to her that Josiah had recourse, when Hilkiah found a book of the law, to procure an authoritative opinion on it. (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:22) (B.C. 623.)

Humtah

(place of lizards), a city of Judah one of those in the mountain districts the next to Hebron. (Joshua 15:54)

Hunting

Hunting, as a matter of necessity, whether for the exterminatiOn of dangerous beasts or for procuring sustenance betokens a rude and semi-civilized state; as an amusement, it betokens an advanced state. The Hebrews as a pastoral and agricultural people, were not given to the sports of the field; the density of the population, the earnestness of their character, and the tendency of their ritual regulations, particularly those affecting food, all combined to discourage the practice of hunting. The smaller of catching animals was, first, either by digging a pitfall; or, secondly, by a trap which was set under ground, (Job 18:10) in the run of the animal, (Proverbs 22:5) and caught it by the leg, (Job 18:9) or lastly by the use of the net, of which there were various kinds, as or the gazelle, (Isaiah 51:20) Authorized Version, "wild bull," and other animals of that class.

Hupham

(coast-man), a son of Benjamin, founder of the family of the Huphamites. (Numbers 26:39) (B.C. 1688.)

Huphamites, The

descendants of Hupham, of the tribe of Benjamin. (Numbers 26:39)

Huppah

(protected), a priest in the time of David. (1 Chronicles 24:13)

Huppim

(protected), head of a Benjamite family (Genesis 46:21; 1 Chronicles 7:12) Hur (hole).

1. A man who is mentioned with Moses and Aaron on the occasion of the battle with Amalek at Raphidim, (Exodus 17:10) when with Aaron he stayed up the hands of Moses. ver. (Exodus 17:12) (B.C. 1491.) He is mentioned again in ch. (Exodus 24:14) as being, with Aaron, left in charge of the people by Moses during his ascent of Sinai. The Jewish tradition is that he was the husband of Miriam, and that he was identical with

2. The grandfather of Bezaleel, the chief artificer of the tabernacle. (Exodus 31:2; 35:30; 38:22)

3. The fourth of the five kings of Midian who were slain with Balaam after the "matter of Peor." (Numbers 31:8) (B.C. 1451.) In a later mention of them, (Joshua 13:21) they are called princes of Midian and dukes.

4. Father of Rephaiah, who was ruler of half of the environs of Jerusalem, and assisted Nehemiah in the repair of the wall. (Nehemiah 3:9) (B.C. before 446.)

5. The "son of Hur" --Ben-Hur --was commissariat officer for Solomon in Mount Ephraim. (1 Kings 4:8) (B.C. 995.)

Hurai, Or Hurai

(linon-weaver), one of David’s guard --Hurai of the torrents of Gaash, according to the list of (1 Chronicles 11:32) [HIDDAI]

Huram

(noble born).

1. A Benjamite; son of Bela, the first-born of the patriarch. (1 Chronicles 8:5)

2. The form in which the name of the king of Tyre in alliance with David and Solomon --and elsewhere given as HIRAM, OR HURAM-- appears in Chronicles. (1 Chronicles 14:1; 2 Chronicles 2:3,11,12; 8:2,18; 9:10,21)

3. The same Change occurs in Chronicles in the name of Hiram the artificer, which is given as HIRAM, OR HURAM in (2 Chronicles 2:13; 4:11,16) [HIRAM, OR HURAM]

Hurhai

(very poor), an ancestor of Shallum the husband of Huldah. (2 Kings 22:14) (B.C. before 623.)

Huri

(linen-weaver), a Gadite; father of Abihail- (1 Chronicles 5:14)

Husband

[MARRIAGE]

Hushah

(haste), a name which occurs in the genealogies of the tribe of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:4)

Hushai, Or Hushai

(hasting) an Archite i.e. possibly an inhabitant of a place called Erec. (2 Samuel 15:32) ff.; (2 Samuel 16:16) ff. He is called the "friend" of David. (2 Samuel 15:37) comp. 1Chr 27:33 To him David confided the delicate and dangerous part of a pretended adherence to the cause of Absalom. (B.C. about 1023.) He was probably the father of Baana. (1 Kings 4:16)

Hushathite

(inhabitant of Hushah), The, the designation of two of the heroes of David’s guard.

1. SIBBECHAI. (2 Samuel 21:18; 1 Chronicles 11:29; 20:4; 27:11) Josephus, however, called him a Hittite.

2. MEBUNNAI, (2 Samuel 23:27) a mere corruption of SIBBECHAI.

Hushim

(who makes haste).

1. In (Genesis 46:23) "the children of Dan" are said to have been Hushim. The name is plural, as if of a tribe rather than an individual. In (Numbers 26:42) the name is changed to Shuham.

2. A Benjamite, (1 Chronicles 7:12) and here again apparently the plural nature of the name is recognized, and Hushim are stated to be "the sons of Aher."

3. One of the two wives of Shaharaim. (1 Chronicles 8:8) (B.C. 1450.)

Husks

This word in (Luke 16:16) describes really the fruit of a particular kind of tree, viz. the carob or Ceratonia siliqua of botanists. It belongs to the locust family. This tree is very commonly met with in Syria and Egypt, it produces pods, shaped like a horn, varying in length from six to ten inches, and about a finger’s breadth, or rather more; it is dark-brown, glossy, filled with seeds and has a sweetish taste. It is used much for food by the poor, and for the feeding of swine.

Huz

(light, sandy soil), the eldest son of Nahor and Milcah. (Genesis 22:21) (B.C. about 1900).

Huzzab

(fixed), according to the general opinion of the Jews, was the queen of Nineveh at the time when Nahum delivered his prophecy. (Nahum 2:7) (B.C. about 700.) The moderns follow the rendering in the margin of our English Bible --"that which was established." Still it is not improbable that after all Huzzab may really be a proper name. It may mean "the Zab country," or the fertile tract east of the Tigris, watered by the upper and lower Zab rivers.

Hyacinth

used in the Revised Version for jacinth in (Revelation 9:17) It is simply another English spelling of the same Greek word.

Hyaena

Authorities differ as to whether the term tzabu’a in (Jeremiah 12:9) means a "hyaena" or a "speckled bird." The only other instance in which it occurs is as a proper name, Zeboim, (1 Samuel 13:18) "the valley of hyaenas, "Aquila; (Nehemiah 11:34) The striped hyaena (Hyaena striata) is found in Africa, Asia Minor, Arabia and Persia, and is more common in Palestine than any other carnivorous animals except perhaps the jackal. The hyaena is among the mammals what the vulture is among birds, --the scavenger of the wilderness, the woods and the shore. --It often attacks animals, and Sometimes digs up the dead bodies of men and beasts. From this last habit the hyaena has been regarded as a horrible and mysterious creature. Its teeth are so powerful that they can crack the bones of an ox with ease. --Appelton’s Encyc. The hyaena was common in ancient as in modern Egypt, and is constantly depicted upon monuments; it must therefore have been well known to the Jews.

Hymenaeus

(belonging to marriage), the name of a person occurring twice in the correspondence between St. Paul and Timothy; the first time classed with Alexander, (1 Timothy 1:20) and the second time classed with Philetus. (2 Timothy 2:17,18) (A.D. 66-7.) He denied the true doctrine of the resurrection.

Hymn

a religious song or psalm. (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16) Our Lord and his apostles sung a hymn after the last supper. In the jail at Philippi, Paul and Silas "sang hymns" (Authorized Version "praises") unto God, and so loud was their song that their fellow prisoners heard them.

Hyssop

(Heb. ezob.) The ezob was used for sprinkling in some of the sacrifices and purifications of the Jews. In consequence of its detergent qualities, or from its being associated with the purificatory Services, the psalmist makes use of the expression, "Purge me with ezob ." (Psalms 51:7) It is described in (1 Kings 4:33) as growing on or near walls. (Besides being thus fit for sprinkling, having cleansing properties and growing on walls, the true hyssop should be a plant common to Egypt, Sinai and Palestine, and capable of producing a stick three or four feet long since on a stalk of hyssop the sponge of vinegar was held up to Christ on the cross. (John 19:29) it is impossible to precisely identify the plant because the name was given not to a particular plant but to a family of plants associated together by Hyssop, qualities easily noticed rather than by close botanical affinities. Different species of the family may have been used at different times. The hyssop of the Bible is probably one (or all) of three plants:--

1. The common hyssop is "a shrub with low, bushy stalks 1 1/2 feet high, small pear shaped, close-setting opposite leaves all the stalks and branches terminated by erect whorled spikes of flowers of different colors in the varieties. It is a hardy plant, with an aromatic smell and a warm, pungent taste; a native of the south of Europe and the East."--ED.)

2. Bochart decides in favor of marjoram, or some plant like it, and to this conclusion, it must be admitted, all ancient tradition points. (This is the Origanum maru , the z’atar of the Arabs. The French consul at Sidon exhibited to Dr. Thomson ("The Land and the Book," i. 161) a specimen of this "having the fragrance of thyme, with a hot, pungent taste, and long slender stems." Dr. Post of Beirut, in the American edition of Smith’s large Dictionary, favors this view.--ED.)

3. But Dr.Royle, after a careful investigation of the subject, arrives at the conclusion that the hyssop is no other than the caperplant, or Capparis spinosa of Linnaeus. The Arabic name of this plant, asuf , by which it is sometimes though not commonly, described, bears considerable resemblance to the Hebrew. "It is a bright-green creeper, which climbs from the fissures of the rocks, is supposed to possess cleansing properties, and is capable of yielding a stick to which a sponge might be attached." --Stanky, "Sinai and Palestine," 23. --It produces a fruit the size of a walnut, called the mountain pepper.