Was prophecy in Israel a unique phenomenon?

Answer 1

Answer 1
If you mean prophecy of a soon coming Messiah, then yes, it was unique to Israel.

Answer 2
This entirely depends on the religion in question, but most believe that prophecy was not unique to Israel.

Judaism: While most prophets came to Israel as a realization of God's special connection to the Jewish people, there were a few like Balaam who were non-Israelite and true prophets.

Mainstream Christianity: Mainstream Christianity only accepts the Israelite prophets since they were the only ones who originally predicted a Messiah.

Islam: Islam recognizes that Israelite prophets messages were better recorded, but that there were numerous prophets sent to each nation on Earth to apprise them of Truth and give them the choice to accept Islam up to the point of Mohammed. Mohammed was also non-Israelite.

Mormonism: Mormons believe that Jesus came to the New World as well. Also Joseph Smith, Jr., the prophet and founder of Mormonism, was not of Israelite descent.

Answer 2

The answer according to biblical text would be No, prophecy is not unique to Israel alone

Before you get tripped up in that answer, remember... Our Father prophesied though others prior to the existence of the house of Israel via Jacob, however all to whom he gave prophecy were of eth-ha-adam (who you call Adam) .... See Strong's numbers 119,120.

Read Genesis 16 and you will discover prophecy given to Abraham who precedes the house of Israel historically, but also is the house of Israel (it came forth from him).

Read of Moses (Start in Genesis 6) warning the people who ignored and mocked him for 100 years while he and his sons buit a huge boat where there was no ocean, and no sea.

Answer 3

No, many ancient cultures used prophecy to explain the natural world or understand the future. The ancient Greeks frequently made recourse to oracles who could predict future events. And Josephus told General Flavius that he would become emperor of Rome, a prophecy that came true in due course.

Of course, Israelites and pagans alike only remembered prophecies that were understood to refer to the distant future or which seemed to have come true.

Answer 4

No, the Jewish Talmud lists a number of non-Jewish Prophets. These include Balaam, Beor, Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu (Talmud, Bava Bathra 15b).

Answer 5

Not at all. Read about Balaam in the Old Testament.

Answer 6

Some non-Jews also had prophecy, such as Bil'am (Balaam) and Job and his three friends.