In the earlier, the prophet is called a seer, rhoch; in the later, he is a prophet, nablii. The transi tion is noted in I Sam. ix:9. and indicates a pas sage in the mode of revelation from the vision or dream to the subconscious or intuitive process.
(b) The prophets always assume the being, unity, and spirituality of God, declaring all idols "not—gods." At first the relation of Jehovah to other peoples than Israel is not prominently in their minds, but it is defined gradually as one of dominion and absolute authority. The prophets also emphasize the eternity of Jehovah, and ascribe to him unlimited power and knowledge, but the attribute of God which above all others impresses them is his holiness. This is conceived of as his uniqueness, and made sometimes synony mous with his real divinity, his purity of essence. It issues in his relations with creatures, in the subordinate attributes 'of justice, truth, or faith fulness. The last pf these is revealed especially in his fulfillment of all promises and persistence to Covenants. The goodness or mercy of Jehovah is also emphasized in the prayers and psalms of the period. As related to the world. God is the creator; he directs, controls, and overrules all the affairs of nature, the peoples of the earth; and the actions of individual men and even the trivial and incidental matters of life, such as the casting of a lot, arc determined by him.
Jehovah has revealed himself to his people (a) in symbols, which, without representing him, sug gest his attributes and indicate his presence. Suck arc the cherubim, described by Ezekiel, and the seraphim of Isaiah's inaugural vision. (b) Through his messengers or angels, who announce his pres ence, declare his will, and do his bidding. (c) In theophanies. Ile has conic among men in the form of the creature, without thereby permitting them to think that his true form has been seen. And (d) his spirit or power is manifested in won ders or works of special providence.
(c) Man, in the thought of prophets, is a being capable of knowing, loving, and obeying Jehovah, a being with whom God enters into Covenant. The place of the individual in the scheme of the prophets is that of a member of the Cov enant people of God; his mere membership secures for him the blessings of the covenant. Inc is not by nature in the normal relation with Jehovah, because he sins, incurs guilt, and is thus liable to punishment. Sin consists in alienation
from Jehovah, it is a rupture of relations, and places man in the position of an enemy. All men are guilty of sin. Out of the human race Jehovah has chosen Israel to be a holy people: yet even Israel is prone to sin, has turned away from God. and mast be purged by punishment. From the punishment due to the whole race and to Israel, God will exempt a portion of the chosen people, which the prophets call the Remnant. I le will preserve this Remnant and use it as a nucleus of a new people.
(d) The Remnant is to be organized and ruled by the royal line of David. One special, individ ual king, the Messiah. shall lead it to the accom plishment of its glorious work. This is the ser vant of Jehovah, the head and representative of the true Israel Pe is to arise out of a lowly vironment, to be born at as a peaceful and unostentatious prince. and to share ith his people in their (listless. yet bring them out of it by his vicarious sufferings (e) After the accomplishment of the work of the Messiah should come the great day of Jeho vah, in which the enemies of God and of his peo ple should be judged and punished according their merits.
(3) A Third Type of thought is sometimes dis tinguished in the Old Testament and designated the Wisdom Theology. This type is characterized by breadth and intellectuality. It has the appear ance of being addressed to all people and times. The prevalence in it of the intellectual element, culminating, as it does, in the personification of the reason under the name of Wisdom (the Hokhrnah) has fixed the latter word as its proper designation.
3. New Testament Theology. The theology of the New Testament is based on that of the Old. The Messianic hope of the old prophets is the connecting link between these two great portions of the Bible. The New Testament opens with the realization of this hope in the person of Jesus, and continues and closes with the transformation of the whole religious thought of the Old Testa ment by the assumption of Jesus Christ into it as its central principle and molding force. Thus arises a complete Christian system. The first stage in the evolution is the preaching of the kingdom of God by Jesus; the second, the uni versalization of the Messianic idea by the apostle Paul ; and the third, the spiritualization of it by John.