EARLIEST FORMS OF PROPHECY IN ISRAEL

This refers to the earliest features of prophecy.

1. VISIONS
They are a gift of second sight from God. God gives pictures to the inner – eye of an
individual e.g. God spoke to Moses in a vision at mount Sinai (Exodus 3). Amos saw a
vision of plumbline, locust, fire and a basket of summer fruits. Jeremiah saw a vision of
the boiling pot coming from the North. A picture of an event or a scene is screened to the
individual. He hears a voice of God speaking to him. The individual answers.

DREAMS
A dream is an event that is seen by a person when he is asleep. God can visit a person in a
dream and speak with him e.g. Samuel was called into prophetic office in a dream (1 Sam
3). Dreams were respected from ancient times. Kings also relied on dreams e.g Joseph
interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams (Gen 4125-33); Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s
dreams Daniel 2:24-45). In other words, dreams received by non-Israelites needed a
Hebrew interpreters.

INSPIRATION
It is when a person is moved or aroused by the Spirit to act or write in a certain way.
Inspiration could influence one`s behavior. Earliest forms of inspiration influenced
people to behave ecstatically, hence we hear of ecstatic prophecy in connection with Saul
who behaved ecstatically in (1 Sam 10: 5-9). Elijah ran before the Kings chariot,
Jeremiah broke the iron and wooden bars to reflect Babylonian captivity. Ecstasy is a
state whereby the spirit of a god overshadows the recipient such that his or her power of
reasoning could be suspended. One could be inspired by God to prophesy at a particular
time. In this type of prophesy the power to prophesy would be temporary. It could be
induced by music, vigorous dancing and cheering.

LOTS (URIM AND THUMMIN)

These were cast to detect a guilty person. In Joshua 7:14-19 Joshua discovered by lots the
person who had offended God by taking spoils from the doomed city of Jericho. Achan
was caught and was stoned to death in the valley of Achor. Lots were probably put in a
basin and rapidly rotated. The answer was given by a lot which leapt first. this method
was sometimes divinatory, e.g. the usage of sacred stones (urim and thumin) in the Old
Testament. Urim and thummin were found inside an ephod. It seems according to 1
Samuel 2:18 and 2 Samuel 6:14, the ephod was some kind of a dress like an apron (as the
word ‘girded’ may suggest).
DIVINATION
According to Hawkins (1991) divination is an act of discovering or learning about the
future events through the use of natural objects, inspiration or guessing. Divination was
common whenever the people wanted to know about their fate in battles, family offenses,
prosperity, misfortunes, and other socio, eco religious issues. It was a technical way of
deducing information-using objects. Bones and dice were commonly used by experts who
claimed to be using God`s powers to interpret behavior of objects e.g Joshua used lots to
allocate land to Israelites at settlement in Canaan. Diviners would claim that what they
did had the authority of God; that their oracles were sanctioned by God. They could be
consulted on various matters at a price. Necromancers also fell into the category of
diviners. Saul approached a woman necromancer in disguise to request a divine over the
dead Samuel. (1 Sam 28:3-17).

NECROMANCY
It is the process of seeking guidance from the spirit of the dead. A clear example of this
practice is the case of Saul. Saul was used to get political advice from Samuel. When
Samuel died saw went in to deep psychological stress. The Philistines continuously
bullied his citizens, and this left Saul with one choice, to consult the spirit of Samuel
about how to Solve the crisis (1 Sam 28). However, this method is strongly condemned
both in Levitical laws and in deuteronomistic writings.

AUGURY OR HEPATOSCOPY
An Augur was a religious official in Ancient Rome who foretold the future events by
interpreting omens. Those who practiced it would inspect the entrails of slaughtered
animals like intestines, liver, lungs etc. The person who needs assistance took an animal
to the diviner’s shrine and it was slaughtered instantly for sacrificial purposes. The
diviners then inspected the animal with spiritual eyes. The color, shape and general
outlook were taken to have revelatory powers. For example, if the entrails turned black
all of a sudden it signaled the gods displeasure on the part of the person consulting the
diviner.

ASTROLOGY

It is the study of heavenly phenomenon, for example stars, moon, sun etc. In Israel the
practice was condemned in Deuteronomy 4:19 as it divided the society in to two between
the worship of God and natural phenomena which God created. The method was common
amongst the Babylonians as they were skilled in foretelling the future from the movement
of stars and planets. During the time of Jeremiah he attacked bitterly the worship of the
Queen of heaven (the mother goddess (Jeremiah 7:18).

HYDROMANCY
This refers to the use of water or it is divination by water. It is alluded to in Joseph
narratives in genesis 44:5. ‘it is not from this that my Lord drinks, and by this that he
divines…’

RHABDOMANCY
This refers to the use of divining sticks or casting of arrows as in Ezekiel 21:21. The
same method is indirectly alluded to in Hosea 4:12 ‘My people inquire of a thing of wood
and their staff gives them oracles…’ a thing of wood could have been play with words
which might be a reference to divining rods or sticks.

RERAPHIM
The use of teraphim or household images was quite common among people of
Mesopotamia and Palestine. They were a sign of authority and land ownership but were
also used for the purpose of divining. This method is alluded in Zechariah 10:2 ‘For the
teraphim utters nonsense…’

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