Foreknowledge by Joel Hayes - Library of Theology

Scriptures. but the signification of the future in Greek and Hebrew is fully as extended. In the Hebrew the
scope of meaning of the future is very wide indeed. "The doctrine of the Hebrew tenses," says Green, "rests
upon a conception of time radically different from that which prevails in our own and in other Indo-European
languages. Time is conceived of, not as distributed into three portions, viz.: past, present, and future, but
as consisting of the past and future only...Within these two grand divisions of time no account is made of
those minuter distinctions, in the expression of which we are accustomed to employ such a variety of tenses,
not of those modal differences which are with us indicated by the indicative, subjunctive, and potential,
except to that limited extent to which these may be regarded as covered by the paragogic and apocopated
futures, &264. Whatever is, or is conceived of as past, must be put in the preterite; the future is used for all
that is, or is conceived of as future, while all subordinate modifications or shades of meaning are either
suggested by accompanying particles, or, without being precisely indicated, are left to be inferred from the
connection." 280
The Greek is unlike the Hebrew in this respect. It has a variety of moods and tenses to express the
minuter distinctions and shades of meaning. Yet the Greek future indicative, as well as the English, is used
to express a high degree of probability as well as a perfect certainty; nor is the distinction between probability
and certainty more frequently indicated by the use of particles. The English, indeed, is the more expressive
of the two in this respect. We can predict in English that an event will most probably take place or that it will
take place to a moral certainty; but how could such a prediction be made in Greek without the use of a
tedious circumlocution which would spoil the harmony of the expression?
280
Hebrew Grammar, p. 289.
281
CHAPTER VII:
PREDICTIONS BASED ON MORAL CERTAINTIES
In the comment on the prophecies contained in the 49th, 50th, and 53rd chapters of Isaiah, it was
said that the probability of there being some wicked persons of whom the Lord could make use in causing
the fulfillment of these prophecies, amounted to a moral certainty. In the last chapter the source of this moral
certainty and its exceedingly high degree were shown. Although the prophecies could have been fulfilled
without wickedness on the part of any man, yet at least two-fifths of the people were morally certain to be
wicked. We have no doubt, therefore, that God expected them to be fulfilled by wicked men.
We now proceed to the examination of other texts of Scripture. We continue to quote from President
Edwards.
The return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity is often very particularly foretold with
many circumstances, and the promises of it are very peremptory, Jer. 31:35-40, and 32:6-15, 41-44,
and 33:24-26. And the very time of their return was prefixed, Jer. 25:11-12, and 29:10-12, 2 Chron.
36:21, Ezek. 4:6, and Dan. 9:2. And yet the prophecies represent their return as consequent on their
repentance. And their repentance itself is very expressly and particularly foretold, Jer. 39:12-14,
31:8-9, 18-31, 50:45-5, Ezek. 6:8-10, 7:16, 14:22-23, and 20:43-44. 281
Prophecies concerning the return of the Israelites are also found in Isaiah. Isaiah tells us how many
shall return. He says, "But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return," (Isaiah 4:13). We may take this to
mean an exact tenth, or an indefinite but comparatively small number. He also tells us in the same verse
and elsewhere that the righteous, "the holy seed," are the ones who shall return, and on whose account a
Will, Part II., Section XI, p. 64.
131