Biblical Prophecy and History

Biblical Prophecy is History Foretold;

Biblical History is Prophecy Fulfilled

Concepts expressed in the Scriptures are sometimes just the opposite of our western perspective. This simply, but importantly, is another example of the difference between the Hebraic mind and logic, and that of the Greco-Roman, or western thinking. An interesting illustration of this is found in how the Sages viewed the past and the future.

From the perspective of the ancient Hebrews, history was viewed as looking forward. The Hebrew word for future, transliterated into the English is mahair, which means behind. Written in the Hebrew it is: מחר , which, reading from right to left in Hebrew, it is: resh, het, mem. Thus, the future is not known, but is hidden behind you. In other words, history allows us to look forward because it repeats itself, or is cyclical, in conformity with the Hebrew logic, which is also cyclical.

In contrast, the Hebrew word for past is tamul, which means in front. Written in the Hebrew it is:

תמול which, reading from right to left in Hebrew, it is: lamed, vav, mem, tav. Thus, the past is known; it is laid out in front of you. In other words, the past is in front of you by virtue of looking back to see the future.

From the above we see that the future is looking back, and the past (or history) is looking forward. This was the perspective of the Sages of old who were of a culture and mind set far removed from that of our own in this day. Moreover, it was from the ancient Hebrew culture and perspective that the writers of the Scriptures penned the words we find in our Bibles today (notwithstanding the inherent translation and interpretation errors which do exist).

Knowing from the ancient writings that no prophecy or writings of the Scriptures originated directly from mankind, but were inspired of God through the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can conclude that the above viewpoint on the past and the future is ultimately of God, and is thus embedded in His Written Word. This is found in 2 Peter 1:19-20, which reads:

“ And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star [Yeshua] rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private origin, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (emphasis added).