The Prophets of Israel

Wood, Leon J.

• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Year: 1998
• ISBN:
  9781441206336
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

Wood focuses on the prophets' daily circumstances to illuminate their message. Covers both the writing and non-writing prophets, including Miriam and Elijah.

1

Identity

The prophets of Israel hold a unique place in the history of Israel. In fact, it was a unique place in respect to all the Middle East of Old Testament day, and, because of their writing, their influence has been of prime importance in world history. They were great men, courageous men; they were guides for proper religious belief and correct conduct to a people that continually strayed from the Law of their God. Israel Mattuck speaks of “the towering place which these prophets held in the religious history of the Jews,”[1] and R. B. Y. Scott says that “Hebrew prophecy . . . remains incomparable in its spiritual quality and permanent significance for religion.”[2]

A. SPECIAL CALL

One reason for the greatness of the prophets was that they were a specially called people. They did not come to office by inheritance, having been born into a prophetic tribe or family; nor was a son of a former prophet automatically made a prophet because he was the son of such a person. Each prophet was selected by God and called to a work God had for him to do.

In this, prophets differed markedly from priests in Israel. Priests did receive their office by inheritance. If a person was a descendant of Jacob’s son Levi, he was constituted a Levite; and if in addition he descended from Aaron he was a priest. He did not have to choose to be a Levite or a priest, nor did he have to be called to either office; he became one or both by birth. Prophets, however, were chosen men, picked from among others. This made it a distinct honor to be a prophet. One had to be specially called by God. The call properly designated a prophet as such and gave him an authority for his work. False prophets were false simply because they were not called. God said to Jeremiah concerning false prophets, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them” (14:14). And to the false prophet Hananiah, Jeremiah declared, “The LORD hath not sent thee but thou makest this people to trust in a lie” (28:15).

Concerning Jeremiah’s own call, Jeremiah quoted God as saying to him: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (1:5). The prophet Amos referred to his call in these words: “I was no prophet neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit: and the LORD picked me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel” (7:14, 15). The great man Moses was called through the miraculous incident of the burning bush (Exod. 3:4); Isaiah was called through a vision he saw of Almighty God in His holiness, high and lifted up in the temple (Isa. 6); Ezekiel was called as he dwelt by the river Chebar in Babylonia (Ezek. 1:1; 2:2, 3).

It is noteworthy that the prophetic call was often given in connection with an outstanding experience that helped the prophet realize its authenticity. Moses was called as he saw a bush miraculously burning. He would long remember the vivid picture; it reinforced the reality of the call. Isaiah had a vision of God high and lifted up in the temple when he received his call. Again he would long remember the dramatic scene and be reminded of the call. Ezekiel was commanded to eat a scroll at the time he was summoned; we are told that he did eat it and that it was in his mouth “as honey for sweetness” (Ezek. 3:3). Such occasions gave body and substance to the reality of the call and increased its effectiveness as a foundation for the prophet’s work.

The prophetic call frequently involved some aspect of preparation for the work in view. Moses was equipped with miraculous credentials (Exod. 4:1-9), and was assigned his brother Aaron to be a spokesman for him. Isaiah’s lips were purified by a burning coal placed upon them, fresh from the temple altar. And Ezekiel, having eaten the scroll, was symbolically filled with God’s word for effective proclamation.

B. RECOGNITION (BUT NOT PRESCRIPTION) IN THE LAW

God gave His Law to Israel at Mount Sinai. It constituted the foundation for all religious activity and social relationships of the people. It was in fact a sort of constitution for the nation of Israel. In the Law were lengthy prescriptions concerning Israel’s priests. Their identity was set forth, as well as their customs, their duties, their clothing, and considerable information regarding the ceremonial activity they were to supervise. The same was not true, however, regarding the prophets. Neither their role nor their duties were described and even their existence was not really established, though it was recognized.

This recognition of the prophets is found in Deuteronomy 18:9–22, which should be noticed. The first eight verses of the chapter give further indication as to the Levitic office, but with verse 9 comes a change which tells of the prophetic recognition. Moses says that the people upon entering Canaan should not try to communicate with God by any form of divination[3] after the pattern of other nations—for such was an abomination to the Lord—but instead God would give a divine communication through a prophet. The word prophet is used in the singular and carries a first reference to Christ, but it is commonly agreed that it has a secondary reference to prophets generally. In this passage, then, God was saying that His people should look to prophets for their divine revelations and not to forms of divination as did the peoples of the world around them. This gave a definite place for prophets, though the passage does not set forth a legal prescription as to who they should be or the nature of their functions.[4]

C. COURAGEOUS INDIVIDUALS

One reason why an inheritance relationship was not suitable for the prophets was that each had to be a special kind of person. Not just anyone would do. The priestly office did not find this nearly so true. A weak son could still carry on rather well, for the work was quite routine. And one may expect that there were some mediocre priests, who functioned simply because they had become priests by inheritance.

The prophet, however, did not act by pattern. He had often to chart a new course that might be different from any before. Even when God gave him instructions as to his work and the course he was to take, that course often carried with it a great challenge. The prophet might anoint a king to office; later he might bring this very king a severe reprimand. He might bring cheer, or he might impart cause for sorrow. His assignment might lead to great danger or to high honor. He had to be prepared for suffering and injustice as well as ease and plaudits. He had always to be an individualist in courage and ingenuity. There was no room for mediocrity.[5]

The first act of Samuel as God’s newly called prophet was to tell no one less than the high priest, Eli, that his house had been rejected by the Lord (I Sam. 3:4–18). This was certainly a challenging task for Samuel, when he probably was not more than ten years old. Later Samuel was to anoint Israel’s first king Saul (I Sam. 9:15–21; 10:1–8) and after this to inform him that he, too, had been rejected (I Sam. 13:11–14). And later still he was to anoint Israel’s second king, the great David (I Sam. 16:1–13). Nathan was instructed in due time to rebuke David for his sin with Bathsheba (II Sam. 12:1–12). It was certainly a challenge to give this form of a message to the greatest king of the day, but Nathan did so. Then a few years later the prophet Gad was sent to give David a choice of three punishments for his sin in taking a census (II Sam. 24:10–17). The prophet Ahijah had first to promise the new nation of Israel to Jeroboam (I Kings 11:29–39) and then to tell him that it would be taken away (I Kings 14:6–16). “A man of God” was sent to reprimand Jeroboam for his false altar at Bethel (I Kings 13:1–10). Elijah warned of a famine and effected a remarkable contest on Mount Carmel (I Kings 17:1; 18:25–38). Elisha announced to Hazael that he would be king over Syria and wept while doing so because of the havoc he knew this man would bring on Israel (II Kings 8:7–13). Jonah was sent even to the foreign and feared city of Nineveh to preach repentance (Jonah 1:2; 3:1, 2).

All this means that a person had to be an outstanding individual to qualify as a prophet. Prophets had to be people of outstanding character, great minds, and courageous souls. They had to be this by nature and then, being dedicated to God, they became still greater because of the tasks and special provisions assigned them. Thus they became the towering giants of Israel, the formers of public opinion, the leaders through days of darkness, people distinguished from all those about them either in Israel or other nations of the day.

D. TERMS OF DESIGNATION AND TASK

There are three terms which are especially important for designating prophets. The most important is nabhi’, regularly translated “prophet.” It is used nearly three hundred times in the Old Testament in its noun form alone. The other two are used much less. They are both translated “seer.” The one is ro’eh, from the verb ra’ah, “to see,” and the other hozeh, from the root hazah, “to see.” The meaning of the term nabhi’ will be discussed at a later time. Its etymology and meaning are not established as easily as the other two terms. Mention should be made also of still a fourth term, though it is used the least of any. It is the phrase “man of God” (’ish elohim). Its significance is quite obvious; it simply refers to the prophet as one who had been chosen and sent by God.[6]

The task of the people designated by these terms is presented in the Old Testament as basically of two parts. The one is that of receiving a message from God through revelation and the other of speaking forth that message to people. Not all of the prophets are depicted as occupied with the first but all are with the second. Very likely some, if not many of the prophets, conveyed a message which they learned from other prophets or composed from the need of the day as they were inspired by God. A number of the prophets, however, did hear directly from God by supernatural revelation.

It is of interest to note that priests also had a twofold task, though of a slightly different nature. Their first responsibility was to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people, and their second was also to give God’s message to the people. Their approach to giving this message, however, differed from that of the prophets. The priests taught the people, and their subject matter was the Law that God had given on Mount Sinai; they taught this by a precept-upon-precept, line-upon-line method (Isa. 28:13). The prophets, on the other hand, exhorted the people to obey the Law. The priests addressed basically the minds of the people, informing them what they should know, while the prophets addressed the emotions and wills, urging the people to do what they had already learned.[7]

There was also a parallel in respect to revelation. It was noted that prophets had as their first responsibility the reception of a message from God. The priests also had a way of receiving information from God. This did not apply to all priests, but to the one priest, the high priest. He was given the device called Urim and Thummim. Very little is known as to how the Urim and Thummim worked, but it was related somehow to the ephod which the high priest wore as a part of his apparel; and by this means he was able to initiate and receive a revelation from God. The prophet, on the other hand, did not have a way of initiating revelation. It was for him only to wait for God’s moment of imparting information. But when the information came it was in propositional form and more extensive than that which the high priest received through the Urim and Thummim.

It is worthy to note, further, that high respect was accorded to prophets even from very early days. Evidence of this may be taken from the time of Saul after he had just visited Samuel (I Sam. 9:1—10:16). Saul and a servant had gone to Samuel to enquire of him regarding lost animals from his father’s herd. He learned from Samuel not only that the animals had been located but, far more important, that he, Saul, was to be Israel’s first king. On returning home, Saul spoke to his uncle who apparently was waiting for him. He did not tell the uncle concerning the announcement of kingship, but he did indicate that he had just spoken to Samuel. As soon as the uncle learned this he quickly urged, “Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said unto you” (I Sam. 10:15). Since Saul had not indicated anything regarding the kingship announcement, the interest of the uncle could not have been prompted for that reason; his interest could have been only because of whom Saul had just seen, namely, Samuel. The form of expression which the uncle used showed urgency on his part, too, as he made the request. He employed the emphatic imperative verb, “Tell me,” and he used the enclitic particle for stress, “I pray thee” (na’). If the uncle of Saul was this interested in what Samuel said, it is likely that other people were also, and, if Samuel was this important in the minds of people, it is probable that other prophets carried a place of distinction as well.

E. QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THE PROPHETS WERE PROFESSIONALS

1. Two respects in which they were

The term professional needs definition when it is used, for it can be employed in a number of ways. For instance, the pastor of a church may be called a professional in the sense that the pastorate is his occupation or profession. Again the term may be used in the sense that a man is capable in his work. He is not an amateur in the way he does it, but he is professional, doing it in a proper and commendable manner. Both of these meanings have a good connotation. On the other hand, the term may be used in the sense that the pastor is not truly interested in his work. He does it as a routine function. His heart is not in it. He is merely professional in his manner, going through the actions that he was hired to do. When used in this sense the word does not have a good connotation.

Most of the true prophets were professionals in the first two senses just noted. The majority were professionals in the sense of their occupation. It is true that there were a few who were only part-time prophets and had other work for their occupation. Amos, for instance, says that he was a farmer, a keeper of sheep, and one who tended sycamore trees, and from this work God called him to be a prophet for a time. Also, most prophets were professionals in the sense of ability. It has been noted that they were courageous, capable, ingenious people. They were not amateurs in their tasks. They were truly professionals. The true prophets, on the other hand, were not professionals in the sense of being merely functionaries, routinely doing their jobs. They were called men, they were assigned important tasks, and they did them with a full heart and true interest. They did not merely go through the motions.

2. Another respect in which they were not

There is still another sense in which true prophets were not professionals. This sense is related to the one just mentioned, but it concerns factors of a wider scope that call for some elaboration.

These factors involve an erroneous view of the early prophets (those from Samuel to the writing prophets) set forth by various scholars. This view holds that early prophets lived in bands or guilds and moved about in groups. It is observed that Samuel had such groups under him (I Sam. 10:5, 10) and later Elijah and Elisha had similar groups under them (II Kings 2:3, 5, 7, 15). And Ahab is depicted as having had four hundred prophets on whom he could call (I Kings 22:6).

Since Elijah wore a sheepskin or goatskin garment and a leather loincloth (II Kings 1:8), it is suggested that these bands of prophets had a distinctive dress. It is further believed that they probably wore a mark of identification on their foreheads. One day a prophet covered his forehead to disguise himself from King Ahab, and it is thought that, in doing this, he covered this mark of identification (I Kings 20:35f.). Because jeering boys one day told Elisha, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead” (II Kings 2:23), it is held further that these prophets likely shaved their heads wholly or in part. The bands are thought to have lived together in a common dwelling house, from which they traveled through the land, playing music and raving in ecstasy. In so doing they delivered oracles in response to people’s questions.[8]

It is believed that these groups of prophets w...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Foreword
• Contents
• Preface
• PART ONE: PROPHETISM
• PART TWO: THE PROPHETS
• Bibliography
• Index of Scripture
• Index of Subjects
• About the Author
• Other Books by Author
• Notes
• Back Cover