Further Study

Review Questions

These questions are designed to help you review important material covered in the lecture.

1. What do we mean when we say that God immutable?
2. What do we mean when we say that God governs creation through providence?
3. How are God’s immutability and providence compatible expressions of God’s sovereignty?
4. How are predictions affected by historical contingencies?
5. What do the examples of Shemaiah and Jonah imply about the relationship between predictions and historical contingencies?
6. Describe the four strategies prophecies use to communicate God’s level of determination to fulfill predictions.
7. What are the mistaken popular perspectives on the purpose of Old Testament predictions?
8. What is the significance of the “who knows?” reaction?
9. What reactions did Old Testament prophets hope to inspire in their original audiences?

Application Questions

Application questions are appropriate for written assignments or as topics for group discussions. For written assignments, it is recommended that answers not exceed one page in length.

1. How can your understanding of God’s immutability sustain you during difficult times?
2. How does it make you feel that your choices and reactions to God affect the direction of history?
3. Knowing that prayer can affect the way prophecy is fulfilled, what new kinds of prayers might Christians be motivated to pray?
4. How might a “who knows?” attitude affect your prayer life?
5. This study has shown that the prophets wanted to activate their listeners to form the future. How should this affect the way Christians use Old Testament prophetic books?
6. How does the idea that prophecy is fundamentally conditional make you feel? Does it reassure you? Does it frighten you?
7. Does the conditionality of prophecy challenge anything else you believe?
8. What is the most significant insight you have learned from this study? Why?