NOTE 1.-Both the Hebrew N and the English "prophet" signify originally "speaker" (comp. Exod. vii. 1).

NOTE 2.-Not all inspired men were prophets. Some of them had no message for their fellow-men. But the Spirit of the Lord that filled them impelled them to extraordinary deeds, or guided them in the production of useful and instructive books, or in their judgment upon good and evil, truth and falsehood.

Prophets were e.g., Moses, Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, &c. Inspired men : e.g., the Patriarchs, Joshua, the Judges, David, Solomon, Daniel, and the men that fixed the Canon of the Holy Writings, i.e., decided which were the books that were written by Divine authority and contain the message of God to man.

The prophets were not all alike; they had different degrees of prophetic inspiration. As we, who are not prophets, cannot fully understand the real nature and method of prophecy, so we are unable to obtain a clear notion of the differences between one prophet and the other. We only know that Moses was the greatest prophet, and whilst other prophets received Divine messages with regard to occasional events, the word of God revealed to Moses contained permanent laws, "statutes for ever throughout all generations." The Divine messages of the prophets are contained in the Holy Writings,1

However different the degrees of prophetic inspiration were with which the prophets were favoured, one thing was common to all of them; their words were true, and this is expressed in the sixth principle, as follows:

Sixth Principle.

'I firmly believe that all the words of the prophets are true."

Seventh Principle.

"I firmly believe that the prophecy of our Teacher Moses was a prophecy in the truest sense of the word,

1 See Appendix II.

and that he was the chief of all prophets, both of those before him and those after him.”

The distinction between Moses and other prophets is expressed in the following words addressed by the Almighty to Aaron and Miriam: "If there be among you a prophet of the Lord, I make myself known unto him in a vision, in a dream I speak with him. Not so my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. Mouth to mouth I speak with him, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches, and he beholds the similitude of the Lord" (Num. xii. 6-8). It is further stated in the Pentateuch: "There did not rise again a prophet like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face" (Deut. xxxiv. IO).

Eighth Principle.

"I firmly believe that the Torah, at present in our hand, is the same that was given to our Teacher Moses, peace be with him!"

The Torah has not undergone any change. It was anxiously guarded by the nation as a holy treasure. It was not the property of a class or caste, but belonged to all. Even in periods of corruption and idolatry there were men who remained faithful to the Law, knew it thoroughly, and would have easily detected any alteration, if any person had dared to tamper with the Holy Treasure.

Ninth Principle.

"I firmly believe that this Law will not be changed, and that no other Law will be revealed by the Creator, blessed be His name."

God, the Immutable, gave
All the prophets exhorted

This principle is the expression of our belief in the immutability of the Torah. us also an immutable Law. the Israelites to remain faithful to the Law, and the last of the prophets says in the name of God: "Remember the Law of Moses, my servant" (Mal. iii. 22).

NOTE. The belief in the immutability of the divine Law led our forefathers to reject Christianity and Islamism, both of which are based on a pretended revelation contrary to the Law of Moses. The immutability of the divine Law is also a test of the truthfulness of a prophet: if he teaches anything contrary to the teaching of the Law he is a false prophet, in spite of whatever wonderful things he might be able to accomplish. "And thou shalt stone him, that he die, because he hath sought to draw thee away from the Lord thy God" (Deut. xiii. 11).

THE THIRD GROUP OF PRINCIPLES.

Providence and Justice.

The first five Principles having expressed our belief in God, His Unity, Incorporeality, Eternity, and Omnipotence, and the next four our belief in the fact that the Almighty has made His Will known to mankind through the prophets, the remaining Principles refer to the consequences of man's obedience or disobedience to the Will of his Creator.

Tenth Principle.

"I firmly believe, that God knows all the deeds of the sons of men, and all their thoughts; as it is said, 'He who hath formed their hearts altogether, He knoweth all their deeds'" (Ps. xxxiii. 15).

Some believe that it is beneath the dignity of God to take notice of man's doings. The verse from the Psalms has therefore been added here as an argument, viz., if it was not beneath the dignity of God to create man and to form his heart, it cannot be beneath His dignity to watch him, and to take notice of his actions, his words, and his thoughts. The great, the mighty God, the Lord of hosts is His name; great in counsel, and mighty in work: whose eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men" (Jer. xxxii. 18, 19).

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Eleventh Principle.

I firmly believe that God rewards those who keep His commandments, and punishes those who transgress His commandments."

Although the mere consciousness that whatsoever we do is seen and noticed by our All-kind, All-wise, and Almighty Father is our best reward and encouragement when we do something good, and our severest punishment when we do anything wrong, we are taught by the Word of God that other kinds of reward and punishment await us. The Bible contains many events illustrating this principle, and in fact it is the principal object of the writers of the history in the Bible to inculcate the lesson that God rewards and punishes man according as he deserves. "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured Iwith the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it" (Isa. i. 19, 20).

"I firmly believe that the Anointed () will come; and although He tarries, I wait nevertheless every day for His coming."

The Israelites were chosen by God to be "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exod. xix. 6). As a kingdom of priests they had to spread the knowledge and the worship of God; as a holy nation they were expected to become an example of goodness and righteousness to all people. Palestine was given to them as inheritance, and Zion or Jerusalem was their religious centre: "For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isa. ii. 3).

The sins of Israel have brought about the loss of their independence as a nation, of their land and Temple, that is, their national as well as their religious centre. But the Divine decree that ordered the exile of our nation has also promised the restoration of Israel, when by love of God, by an earnest desire to fulfil His commandments, and by leading a virtuous and holy life, the Israelites will make themselves worthy of this Divine blessing. A descendant of the house of David, a human being, and not any more of Divine descent than any other man, will then be anointed

1

1 It was in ancient times the custom to anoint persons when appointed to important offices, such as kings, priests, and prophets. "Anointed" became, therefore, in Hebrew identical with "appointed." Cyrus, e.g., was "anointed" to conquer Babylon and liberate the captive Jews. The Israelites are the "anointed of the Lord" to teach all mankind by their own good example the true faith and the true worship of God.