Hebrew prophecy is one of the most interesting and important aspects of the religious experience of the children of Israel, and in considering it, one may well recall that the work and influence of the prophets began at a very early period in the nation's development. Indeed, the Apostle Peter reminds us that God "hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21). To Abraham belongs the distinction of being the first person in the Old Testament to be explicitly described as a prophet (Gen. 20:7), while the words "do my prophets no harm" (Ps. 105:15) are supposed to refer to the patriarchs as a group, because of the references to them in the preceding verses. It is in the blessings and promises given by Deity to such men as these, and by them to others, that we find the beginnings of prophecy in its more developed sense. Thus Jacob's penetrating statements with regard to the future of his twelve sons are prophetic in character (Gen. 49); while in Genesis 3:15 we note the prediction that the descendants of Adam and Eve were to crush the serpent underfoot—a prophecy which was to find its fulfillment when Christian Jesus gave his followers "power to tread on serpents" (Luke 10:19).
When we turn to the period of which Moses is the central character, it is plain that he too was considered as a prophet, and a very important one, for the editors of the book of Deuteronomy record that "there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses" (Deut. 34:10), and he was doubtless thus described because of the intimacy of his converse with Deity. He was one, we read, "whom the Lord knew face to face" (ibid.). To him is attributed a famous prophecy recorded in Deuteronomy 18:15, to the effect that "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken." Various passages in the New Testament combine to show that these words were considered as foretelling the advent of Christ Jesus, who himself said to the Jews on one occasion: "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me" (John 5:46). Thus we find Peter clearly connecting Moses' prophecy with the coming of the Messiah (Acts 3:22ff.), while a similar thought was brought out by Philip, Stephen, and others (see John 1:45, Acts 7:37, etc.).
One of the most interesting of the seers of this early period is Balaam, who, though not a Hebrew himself, yet recognized the mighty destiny of the Hebrew people, and despite his former dealings with "enchantments" (Num. 24:1), came to this great realization: "Must I not take heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in my mouth?" (Num. 23:12.) Balaam then proceeded to announce that "There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel. ... Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion" (Num. 24:17, 19). And while the success of the people of Israel was no doubt in the foreground of his thought, his words are usually understood as providing a foreshadowing of the coming of the Messiah, whose "star" was seen by the wise men (Matt. 2:2), and who proved his "dominion" over sin, disease, and even death itself.
