Prophets (preachers) were those people who God raised up for Israel in times of rebellion and apostasy (falling away from the faith), to speak on God's behalf to the hearts and minds of the people. The messages of the prophets had two characteristics, the first being that they were for the prophet's own time, and second, that they predicted God's divine purpose for the future of Israel and the nations. The predictions for the future often came directly from the immediate circumstance of the time. The future blessing of Israel as a nation rests on the Messianic Character, who is the Christ of the New Testament. When Christ returns in the second advent, the national promises to Israel will be completely fulfilled.