NATURE OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY (2 PETER 1.20-21)

Abstract

The study of prophecy is one of the truly challenging, yet rewarding areas of biblical investigation. It is believed that understanding the nature of prophecy is important to our relationship with the God of prophecy. The purpose of this study is to bring to our understanding the nature of Old Testament prophecy. The methodology for this study is descriptive. The study affirmed that the passage of 2 Peter 1.20-21 highlights three aspects of Old Testament prophecy, namely reliability, divine origin and inspiration. It also affirmed that the Old Testament prophecy is theocentric, religious and ethical, absolute and conditional, and messianic. It has been equally affirmed that there are guidelines for interpreting prophecy. These are: a passage of prophecy must be seen in its own historical and cultural context, look for different kinds of language and that the New Testament should be the guide to the interpretation of the Old Testament prophecy. It is recommended that in order to ascertain the genuineness of a prophecy, certain criteria must be followed such as, the utterance must be beyond the realm of reasonable calculation so as to preclude the possibility of an “educated guess, the utterance must be free from ambiguity and the prophecy must be characterized by exact fulfilment, not merely a high degree of probability.