Semper Ubi Sub Ubi

The True Profit of a True Prophet

When I am reading the Old Testament prophets, I find myself reveling in the Messianic - thoroughly transfixed at the way that God spoke forth the truth of the coming Christ. God's prophets to Judah and to Israel present such an extraordinary picture of His righteous reign, and his utter sovereignty - a joy to read. Yet I hear sometimes complaints about reading the prophets, and, from more 'scholarly' circles, rejection of the prophetic message as having nothing to do with today. The desire seems to be to read the prophets only as commissioned to Israel and as if they have no relevance today - just as these same 'scholars' read Christ as having little or no relevance today. Here's what Calvin has to say on the same point, from his sermon on Micah 1:1-2:

Nor must we hide behind the claim that the prophets' era is over. Or that our only recourse is the Gospel. That is an inexplicable blasphemy! For as we have already shown, it was precisely for us that these words were written. Indeed, Saint Paul himself applies them to our time, when he writes: "All scripture is ... profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training" [2 Timothy 3:16]. He does not say that it was profitable (emph. in original). And, without a doubt, he is including the "Law and the Prophets." He is claiming that they are useful today. In still another passage, he writes: "Now these things which were previously written are addressed to us, that we might be instructed in patience." [see 1 Corinthians 10:11]. And again: "In order that the man of God might be perfected in every good work" [2 Timothy 3:17]. Hence there should be no question about our accepting these teachings, which are offered to us in the name of God.