From ReformedWord
Prophetic Literature is a particular genre of writing wherein sermons, visions, laments, prophecies and narratives given to the prophet by the Lord are recorded for the people of God. While prophets and their messages are recorded in the Historical Literature, 17 books of the Bible are specifically identified by the name of the prophets whom they chronicle. The first five prophetic books are among the largest of the Bible, and are traditional called the Major Prophets, due to their size. The twelve smaller books are called Minor Prophets, though their messages are no less important.
Interpretation
"[The prophets] have a queer way of talking, like people, who, instead of proceeding in an orderly manner, ramble off from one thing to the next, so that you cannot make head or tail of them what they are getting at" (Vangemeren, 72).
The message of the prophets should be interpreted in a normal or literal fashion. The first step must be to take the prophet's words in their simplest meaning, recognizing figures of speech. Yet one must find a balance between over-literalness on one hand, and undue allegory on the other. While undue allegory has historically been practiced, some ignore plain figures of speech. Second, form will yield an all-important bounty of emphasis and boundaries in order to properly focus interpretation. Third, intra-biblical and even extra-biblical historical contextualization will help understand the original conditions and audience(s) being addresses.
Finally, the prophets, more so than almost anywhere else in Scripture, require a proper understanding of eschatology, a realization that everything has shadows and types, leading to an embodiment, but continuing to be fulfilled. Prophetic Foreshortening has 'prophet' in the name for a reason!
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