Reverend Robert W. Marshall St. Francis of Assisi Church Lent 2016
A History of Prophecy in Israel
Nicene Creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
The Prophetic Books are often divided between Major and Minor Prophets. The distinction is one of length, not importance. Major prophets are longer texts; they each had a scroll of their own. Minor prophets are shorter texts; they are often combined in one scroll. This distinction does not include those prophets who either did not write or whose writings are not preserved in Scripture.
Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Baruch Ezekiel Daniel
Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi
Prophets can also be studied thematically. Some are more concerned with social justice. Others are more concerned with fidelity to the covenant with the Lord God.
Our approach will be historical more or less. We will look at how prophecy developed as a force in Israelite history. We will trace prophets active in the united kingdom of Saul, David and Solomon, in the divided kingdoms, within Judaism in exile and in the post-exilic period.
The word prophet is an English translation of the Greek word prophetes, which was used in the Septuagint (LXX) the ancient Greek edition of the Hebrew Scriptures. The Greek word itself is an equivalent term which directs the reader to a somewhat similar position in Greek society. It is not an attempted translation of the Hebrew word nabi which is the word used in the Hebrew Scriptures.
The Greek word is literally translated as one who speaks for another or one who interprets for another.
The word prophet nabi in Hebrew is used in different contexts in different books of the Bible. In the Deuteronomic histories, the word seems to mean one who is called, often one called by God to perform extraordinary works. In prophetic texts, the word is often used with derision of those who claimed to be prophets but who were, in fact, false prophets.
For our purposes, a prophet is one who receives a word (dabar) from the Lord and is moved to share that word with others.
This definition does not specify how the Lord speaks to the prophet. Often the word came through: Dreams Visions Ecstatic or mystical experiences
This definition does not confine a prophet to a specific office or class of society. Indeed, it is possible that a prophet by this definition might share this classification with another office/role. EXAMPLE: We think of Priest/Prophet/King as exclusive categories, but some prophets came from the priestly class.
A prophet, by this definition, does not include one who receives a private word from the Lord, something meant to direct his/her life, but not meant to be shared with others. This is what the Church now calls private revelation.
A prophet, by this definition, must speak the word he has received but his communication need not be in writing. The actual word of the prophet may not be preserved in Scripture. A person can be a prophet even if he/she does not have a book of the Bible named for him/her.
The most difficult part of the definition to assess is the source of the dabar or the word. One can claim to be a prophet without having received an authentic dabar from the Lord. One can believe that the source of the word is divine when, in fact, it comes from another source. Many passages of Scripture focus on separating true prophets from false prophets.
Prophecy in Israel is divided into three periods: Early From Moses through Elisha (until 745 B.C.) Classical From 745 B.C. to 538 B.C. Coincides with the rise of the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires. Includes the fall of both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. Post-Exilic After 538 B.C.
The phenomenon of prophecy was found elsewhere in the ancient Near East, including Egypt, Mesopotamia and Canaan. Pagan prophets used divination, trances, clairvoyance, and other ritual actions to determine some decision, to interpret future events and to discover the moods or whims of their gods. The prophets of Israel received a word from the Lord and proclaimed it to a people in a covenant relationship with the Lord.
The first persons identified as prophets in the Old Testament are: Abraham (Genesis 20:7) usually classified as a patriarch. Aaron (Exodus 7:1) Brother of Moses and Miriam Miriam (Exodus 15:20) Sister of Moses and Aaron Moses (Deuteronomy 34:10) honored as the greatest of all of the prophets, but more frequently identified with the Law.
Moses is often regarded as the first great prophet though he was clearly more than a prophet. While the Lord communicates with prophets in dreams or visions, He spoke to Moses face-to-face.
After the return from Egypt, Israel was led by judges in the twelfth century B.C. Judges were primarily military leaders generals not those who presided over courts of law. Deborah, the only female judge, is also identified as a prophetess. Led the forces of Israel in the defeat of the powerful Canaanite rule, Sisera.
In the eleventh century B.C., Samuel is the first of the prophets who were full time or exclusive prophets. His arrival marks the beginning of the prophetic age.
The Call of the Prophet Samuel: I Samuel 3
Samuel is remembered as the king-maker he anointed Saul and David.
From this beginning, there is often a tension in the relationship between kings and prophets. Prophets claim authority from the Lord to critique the king. It also gave kings a vested interest in having court prophets often, false prophets who would be yes men.
In the tenth century B.C., during the reign of David, the prophet Nathan arose. Nathan advised David not to build a Temple God would build a House (a dynasty, the House of David that would last 400 years). Rebuked David when he had Uriah killed and married Bathsheba. Nonetheless, strong supporter of David and lived to support his son, Solomon.
David was able to unite all twelve tribes of Israel in one kingdom.
That unity lasted through the reign of Solomon, but collapsed during the reign of Solomon s successor - Rehoboam.
Solomon had undertaken a massive building program throughout his reign. The entire kingdom saw progress, but much of the work centered on Jerusalem in the south. Traditional Israelite society had only one class everyone was equal. To build, you need skilled labors who are paid more. Eventually, Solomon used forced laborers through his official, Jeroboam.
When Rehoboam succeeded to the throne, the ten northern tribes demanded that he reduce the burden of labor (and taxes) that had been laid upon them. Foolishly, Rehoboam declined and he was overthrown by the ten northern tribes, ironically in favor of Jeroboam.
A lesser known prophet, Ahijah of Shiloh, was active during this period. He famously took his cloak and tore it into twelve pieces as a warning that Rehoboam was risking the unity of the kingdom.
Ahijah criticized Rehoboam on two points: Justice the use of forced labor and the unequal treatment of Israelites. Fidelity to the Lord God Rehoboam had many wives, including foreign wives. He permitted his foreign wives to retain the worship of their particular gods, including Baal, the god of the Canaanites. These two points would form the basis for the tension in the royal/prophetic relationships for generations.
The divided kingdoms became known as Israel and Judah. They would never again be united. The focus of prophecy in the Early Period shifts exclusively to the Northern Kingdom.
In the ninth century B.C., the next major prophet is Elijah (the Tishbite) who would become the embodiment of the Prophets (as Moses is the embodiment of the Law).
Elijah was active during the reign of Ahab (885-850 B.C.) Ahab was the seventh king of Israel after Jeroboam I. Ahab was married to Jezebel of Sidon, daughter of the King of Tyre. Ahab wanted a vineyard that belonged to Naboth. He offered to buy it, but the vineyard was inherited and could not be alienated. Seeing Ahab unhappy, Jezebel obtained the vineyard for him by having Naboth killed.
Elijah confronted Ahab (and Jezebel) in Naboth s vineyard and challenged his commitment to justice.
Elijah also challenged Ahab s commitment to fidelity to the covenant with the Lord God because Jezebel worshipped Baal (and was encouraging the widespread worship of Baal).
In a dramatic confrontation, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to competing sacrifices. (1 Kings 18: 21-46)
Elijah s critiques of Ahab and Jezebel were consistent with the pattern established by Ahijah of Shiloh: Justice (with regard to their taking of the vineyard of Naboth). Fidelity to the Lord God (with regard to permitting the worship of Baal).
The Lord commanded Elijah to anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-menolah, as prophet to succeed him. (1 Kings 19: 15-21) When he saw Elisha in the field, Elijah threw his cloak over his shoulders. Elisha left his family and accompanied Elijah as his servant (for about 7 or 8 years).
Elijah had a more dramatic assumption than that of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot as Elisha watched.
Like Elijah, Elisha was a prophet who performed many great signs (miracles): Multiplication of the Widow s Oil (2 Kings 4: 1-7) The Shunammite s Son (2 Kings 4: 8-41) Conceived in old age Restored to life Multiplication of Barley Loaves (2 Kings 4: 42-44) Naaman cured of leprosy (2 Kings 5: 1-27) Aramean army blinded, peace achieved (2 Kings 6:8-23)
Elisha died during the reign of Joash, King of Israel, son of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13: 14-25). Joash (sometimes spelled Jehoash) was a sinful king. He predicted that Joash would only defeat Aram three times because he struck the ground only three times. While the Lord was pleased with the kings of Judah, the kings of Israel were increasingly displeasing. Elisha s death marks the end of the Early Period of Prophecy.
After the death of Elisha, both the Northern and the Southern Kingdoms had good kings with long and peaceful reigns. Jeroboam II reigned in Israel and Uzziah II in Judah. The spirit of cooperation between Israel and Judah (and between Jeroboam and Uzziah) brought about a period of prosperity and comfort. In the 740s B.C., both Jeroboam and Uzziah died, just as a powerful king had taken the throne of Assyria.
After the death of Jeroboam II in approximately 746 B.C., Israel had five kings in a 20+ year period. In the midst of this instability, Israel s neighboring kingdoms were seeking to expand especially the Kingdom of Assyria. Judah had more stability, and the threatening kingdoms would come through Israel first.
The Classical Period of Prophecy corresponds to the rise and fall of two great empires. Assyria 745-612 B.C. Babylon 612-538 B.C. Israel, the Northern Kingdom, would fall to Assyria in 720 B.C. Judah, the Southern Kingdom, would fall to Babylon in 586 B.C.
Assyria rose to power when Tiglath Pileser III, who was set on empire building, usurped the throne of Assyria in 745 B.C.
Read the introductions to the Books of Amos, Hosea and Micah in your Bible. Read a portion of each book, especially Chapters 10 and 11 in Hosea and Chapter 6 in Micah. No test don t worry if you can t do the homework.