Plowshares & Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic

by Brent Sandy

What are we to make of Isaiah's image of Mount Zion as the highest of the mountains, or Zechariah's picture of the Mount of Olives split in two, or Daniel's "beast rising out of the sea" or Revelation's "great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns"? How can Peter claim that on the day of Pentecost the prophecy of Joel was being fulfilled, with signs in heaven and wonders on earth, the sun turned to darkness and the moon to blood? The language and imagery of biblical prophecy has been the source of puzzlement for many Christians and a point of dispute for some. How ironic that is! For the prophets and seers were the wordsmiths of their time. They took pains to speak God's word clearly and effectively to their contemporaries. How should we, as citizens of the twenty-first century, understand the imagery of this ancient biblical literature? Are there any clues in the texts themselves, any principles we can apply as we read these important but puzzling biblical texts? D. Brent Sandy carefully considers the language and imagery of prophecy and apocalyptic, how it is used, how it is fulfilled within Scripture, and how we should read it against the horizon of our future. Clearly and engagingly written, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks is the kind of book that gives its readers a new vantage point from which to view the landscape of prophetic and apocalyptic language and imagery.

Genres: Theology, Old Testament, Biblical Studies, Christian, Religion

263 pages, Paperback

First published October 4, 2002

Reviews

[G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fully aware that this book is considered groundbreaking, I call it self-important. Sold as a much-needed review of the study of biblical prophecy, it promotes a sort of prophetic agnosticism. While there may be some who need the correction to calm down with wild interpretations, this book unintentionally (I'm sure) leaves the door open for some sketchy conclusions. The author's main point is to stop focusing on the details of prophecy because the broad themes are all we can conclusively understand. Relying on premises that ought not to be taken for granted, such as language theory and certain literary critical ideas, the author makes an irenic plea that, while touching, ignores the entire premise of prophecy in the first place. New research is not always good research.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent survey of how language is used in Prophecy and Apocalyptic, though like many other books of sorts, it applies some of its principles too harshly and may go too far in some of its conclusions.

[sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such an uninteresting and upsetting book. The content is at best mediocre, at its worst misleading and contradictory. There are lots of subtle issues that this author has. For example, he needs to know that language is a gift of God designed to communicate his will proficiently and perfectly. There is no need to emphasize that human language is inadequate or limited because language achieves what God set out to do perfectly in his provision of holy word. Much of his presuppositions are reigning paradigms of the day, rather than christian. This book reminds me of Enns so much in its tone and oscillating stance and content.
Anyone with some grasp of literature and how to read different genres need not bother with this book: it will Not add to your understanding of the scriptures.

[Jonathan Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful introductory textbook on Biblical prophecy. The author begins with a white water rafting analogy that works well at the beginning but he moves away from it quickly. This book is helpful because it deal with the idea and theory of prophecy but then digs in with specific examples. Lots of charts that I have to figure how to get onto my computer for future classes. His best work is in explaining how predictive prophecy is not done in order to provide a road map, but to provide a general lay of the land. This is very helpful for those who have faced questions about failed predictions/prophecy.

[Kelle Craft · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great manual and helpful resource for those struggling with the daunting task of seeking to understand the prophets. The author’s discussions of apocalyptic imagery, poetry, metaphor, and many of the other various features found within the prophets will undoubtedly be helpful for everyone: from those with less experience to those who’ve spent much time reading the prophets.

[Josh Valdix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good material, but could have been more concise.

[Robert Fonseca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone wanting a better understanding of how to interpret the prophetic writings in the Old and New Testaments.

[Jacob Schwander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely want to revisit in the future…

[Brad Stolz-Grobusch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great start on the journey to considering the imagery and metaphor behind prophetic language.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

A books detailing the common elements in OT prophecy. There is some NT application but not much. The book has decent scholarship but is more of a foundation for a beginning academic

[Brian Reagan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall this is a decent book to help preachers and church members in general understand the nature of prophetic and apocalyptic language. He does a decent job of providing a balanced approach on how to understand the language of prophecy as far as identifying the different types of speech used and the effect the prophets may have been working to achieve.

That being said he maintains a pro-Zionist line when giving the interpretation of words like "forever" which when it applies to the land promise to Abraham it must be literal and perpetual. This is one of the few areas he does this and it is disappointing.

The book is a refreshing counter-balance to all of the pre-tribulation fear-mongering garbage that is passing itself off as true Christian faith.

I would not recommend this book to someone who is just beginning a study on prophecy and apocalyptic literature, this is more for someone who has been studying the Bible for a while already.

No person should ever start with prophecy and the apocalyptic sections of the Bible, but before you do this book would be a decent help.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great encouraging insights about how to understand Biblical prophecy, with an emphasis on the translucence (as opposed to transparency) of most prophecy, until such time as it is fulfilled. Even then, we don't always understand every detail - partly because the nature of prophecy is to urgently stir emotion and conviction, through the use of metaphor, hyperbole and other figures of speech. This was a well-done book: very thorough, readable for a layperson, and replete with biblical examples of what the author describes. Cuts through a lot of the prophecy hype that is so popular in some Christian circles.

[Keeyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was extremely insightful on how to understand prophetic and apocalyptic literature. We often focus on how we can predict the future when reading prophecy. However, Sandy argues that predicting the future was not main point of prophetic literature. It was primarily to prosecute the people for their actions and persuade the listeners toward faith in God. It helps shed new light on how I should look at books such as Daniel and Revelation with unfulfilled prophecies. I would suggest reading this book if you would like to learn more about this genre of the Bible and, especially, if you will be teaching others from books of this genre.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exploring the language and rhetoric of the prophetic genre, Sandy offers a careful analysis of the prophets’ use of metaphor, hyperbole, imagery, and other figurative devices. Sandy carefully walks the reader through the already fulfilled prophesies of the Old Testament, illustrating both the transparency and translucency of prophesy. Beyond understanding the prophetic role (prosecution, persuasion, and prediction), Plowshares & Pruning Hooks provides a solid hermeneutic for interpreting prophetic literature – very helpful. A

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread this for a class I'm teaching. Every time I go through it I'm reminded how much I appreciate the approach and the insights. Sandy presents Prophetic and Apocalyptic literature in a fresh light. Makes sense of difficult concerns. Frees people to consider new options for interpretation. He avoids wild speculative approaches and makes it possible to feel comfortable with translucence and mystery.

I'd highly recommend this for anyone interested in reading the Biblical literature effectively.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The books of the Prophets are probably among the least understood and most abused texts of the Bible. In this book, Sandy provides a solid and educated argument for a hermeneutic of prophecy and apocalyptic that focuses more on the macro message and less on the micro details. Some readers may struggle with this, as it suggests that certain details of prophecies were not intended by the Biblical author/speaker to be "accurate" in our modern literal sense. But Sandy's argument is persuasive and in many ways liberating.

[Jeremiah Pate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deeper read to get out of the kids pool of biblical texts concerning prophecy. The basic view is look “I know how things will end because I interpret prophetic texts concerning prophecy with 100% accuracy.”

This book basically says yeah right kiddo try again. Here is an uppercut and left hook to the body regarding your shallow thoughts. Don’t be so arrogant we don’t know as much as we think we thought we knew.

[T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outlines a very helpful and commonsensical approach to biblical interpretation—in brief, a humble hermeneutic.

[Tokoro]

Old Testament Prophets elective textbook

[Brian Chilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book offering tools to interpret Isaiah. Of particular interest is the argument for a translucent understanding of prophecy over that of transparency and/or opacity.

[Kevin Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful guide to interpreting Old Testament prophecy.

[Leandro Dutra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biblical prophecy for recovering dispensationalists. Only better.