The Jews divided the Old Testament into three parts.
1. The Law: (Torah)
a. Genesis – (beginnings), Israel a family.
b. Exodus – Israel becoming a Nation.
c. Leviticus – Worship of Johovah.
d. Numbers – (Wanderings) Israel numbered.
e. Deuteronomy – Israel instructed and regarded as in the land.
2. The Prophets: (Nebiim)
a. Joshua – Israel under Priests.
b. Judges – Israel under Judges.
c. Samuel – Israel under Kings.
d. Kings – Decline and fall of Kings.
e. Isaiah – Predictions and Sermons to Israel in view of captivities.
f. Jeremiah – Messages during captivity in view of Israel’s restoration.
g. Ezekial – Israel forsaken and restored again under their Messiah.
h. Minor Prophets – Israel’s sins, defeats, and final triumph.
3. Psalms: (Kethubim, writings).
a. Psalms – Israel’s song book.
b. Proverbs – Israel’s wisdom.
c. Job – Israel’s comfort book.
d. Canticles – Israel’s song of Love. (Song of Solomon).
e. Ruth – Israel’s redemption story.
f. Lamentations – Israel’s woes.
g. Ecclesiastes – Israel’s varieties.
h. Esther – Israel’s deliverance.
i. Daniel – Israel’s future.
j. Ezra – Nehemiah – Israel resettled.
k. Chronicles – Israel’s history.
NOTE:
The Prophets were divided into two groups, the former and the latter. (1 & 2) The Hebrew word “naba” not only signifies to foretell events, but also to pray and make supplication. The “nabi”, the prophet, was not by office a declarer of future events, but primarily a preacher of righteousness for his day. (Neh 6:7)(Hos 12:10)(Acts 3:21) (1 Pet 1:10-12).
He foresaw future events in the light of the righteousness or wickedness of the people to whom God made everlasting covenants. His main work was to urge men to live righteously and Godly according to the Law of Moses. His other work was to warn of events to come, in view of the attitude of the people concerning the will of God, and to pray and make supplication for the people and for God to be merciful.
The prophets predictions of things to come were chiefly conditional and many of their prophecies were stated in conditional terms. The unconditional prophecies were fixed plans of God concerning necessary events to bring the Earth into complete submission to Himself again and do away with sin, rebellion, and enemies so His eternal program could finally be realized. (1 Cor 15:24-28) (Eph 1:10) (Rev 21:22)
Other events were flexible and based upon obedience or disobedience to God in the ordinary fulfillment of he general plan.
In ancient times, Prophets were called seers. (1 Sam 9:9-11) The Hebrew, “ra-ah” means a seeing person; one who perceives mentally the purpose of God. He was also called “chozeh”, a beholder; one who has visions or supernatural revelations. (1 Sam 23:11 ; 29:10 ; 30:10) (2 Kings 17:12) (1 Chr 21:9 ; 25:5)(29:29) (2 Chr 9:29 ; 12:15)(Mic 3:7) The Hebrew, “Charah” also translated seer, means to “glow warm; blaze up in anger or zeal; burn; wax hot be incensed; be wrath. (2 Chr 19:2 ; 19:25,30 ; 35:15) (Amos 7:12). This word suggests that the prophets saw mentally and in visions things that would make them angry; and in the heat of the Spirit that was upon them, they were born along and moved to declare to Israel her sins, (Mic 3:8) and make the people obey God, if at all possible. The same idea is given of Christ when He said: “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” (Psa 69:9)(John 2:17)
A Prophet was sometimes called the “Man of God”. It was understood that such men always had an extraordinary commission, receiving their messages by direct inspiration and being moved upon and carried along with a strong wind. (Acts 3:21) (Heb 1:1-2) (2 Tim 3:16) (1 Pet 1:10-12) (2 Pet 3:21).
10 Rules to follow to Interpret Prophecy:
1. Forget the Idea that God seeks to bewilder man or hide from him the very revelation He wished to give him; or that He desires to make it mysterious.
2. Give the same meaning to prophecy that you give to the words of History. Take face, fact value.
3. Do not change the literal meaning of prophecy or scripture, to a symbolic or spiritual meaning.
4. Do not seek to find hidden meanings in the words of the scripture.
5. Believe that the prophecy can be understood as it is without changes or additions, and recognize it simply as a record beforehand of what is to happen sometime after its utterance. It is History in advance.
6. Forget the idea that prophecy must be fulfilled before it can be understood. All true prophecy is as clear before its predictions take place, as often their fulfillment.
7. Do not interpret Gods own interpretation of any symbol or prophecy, the word interprets the word.
8. Give only one meaning to a passage unless it states that there is a twofold meaning. The Law of Double reference.
9. Recognize a prophet primarily as a preacher of righteousness, for this is the key to the interpretation of many prophecies.
10.Take note of the circumstances, the environment, the period etc. when the prophecy was given, and to whom he addressed it.