Prophecy and Justice - Essay Example

Prophecy and justice Prophets played a significant role in sending key messages of God. The main important function of prophets was prophecy or prediction of the future. In the Old Testament time, a prophet was regarded as Gods spokes person. Due to this, prophets served as a communication channel to the people. This is the reason as to why prophetic message begins “The word of God says or thus says the Lord” The word prophet means the one who speaks for another. Thus, prophets were commissioned to deliver Gods messages to the people. For instance, the Israelites had a conviction that divine messages were often communicated to a prophet via visions and dreams. This paper discusses ancient prophets from their different background because each prophet spoke primarily in and their own life situation. In most circumstances, prophets were against a social or king’s policies or religious injustice in the society (Frigge 77). Prophet message was a reality that many people feared to hear. In addition, prophets faced opposing and suffering at the hands of their people and leaders such as Kings. It is vital to note that Israel had both female and male prophets who delivered Gods messages to the people. Prophets believed that they received divine call from Yahweh to proclaim God message to the people. In both the old and new testament the word of God is preached relentlessly with proclamation that those who do not adhere to the teachings of God, will burn in hell while those who listens and practices the word of God will go to heaven and thus have an eternal life. For a long time, Israel had an oracle culture in that the spoken word of God was very significant in a person’s life. This is because it conveyed the information from God and meant the presence of the person speaking (Frigge 77). Examples of the prophet who prophesized are Amos, Hosea, first Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and second Isaiah. Prophets used symbolic language in order to pass their information to the people. For instance, marriage relationship was used to show that God was seen as a faithful husband while the people as unfaithful wife; adultery and prostitution showed Israel praise and worship of false gods. More so, vine and vineyard was used to present Israel as vine planted in good soil and given maximum care by God. Unfortunately, the Vine produced rotten fruits which resemble the behavior of Israelites (St. Mary’s Bible). In addition, God is presented as a caring and loving father who cared for his children. Prophets were called discern Gods message to the people at a crucial point in Israel when there was political and religious intolerance. They were given the role to come and give message of peace and hope to those who were exploited by the government. Prophets came to proclaim justice for the people in that they warned people to worship God alone. In this sense, the people of Israel were offer rituals worship to God in that worship of any other was not right as per the law of Torah. In addition, people were encouraged to practice and exercise social justice since they were Gods people. For them to be free they were to treat one another righteously as God treated them; therefore, they were to care and liberate for each other as children of God. They warned that those people, who resisted the prophets, resisted Gods word and therefore, they were destined to perish. After the exile, God was willing to act again and give life in order to bring people back to covenant faithfulness. Due to God’s mercy to his people, he was ready to give them a second chance to work for him (St. Mary’s Bible). The leaders had failed to direct their subjects to the right path in that they engaged in all sorts of political and religious injustice making their people to follow what they said. For instance, some leaders made their subjects to worship idols and did not care about the weakest and poor people in society. In order to save his people from exploitation, Davidic covenant was instituted to protect and preserve the weakest people in society. The prophet’s oftenly challenged exploitation and all intolerant behaviors, thus speaking their messages from covenant theology perspective. Prophet Elijah warned Ahab of his actions of accepting to erect a pillar for the worship of Baal. Elijah opposed the practices and policies of King Ahab who was evil like Omri. Elijah is presented in the New Testament as Jesus because it is believed that he did not die signaling that he will come back during the day of the Lord and Gods new salvation when the captives will be set free and justice declared to all. Israel faced internal turmoil and a threat from foreign powers in 746 after their leader Jeroboam died. During this time of social, political and religious disintegration, two prophets proclaimed Gods powerful word. Amos, who came from Judah, announced to people that the northern Kingdom that their ways of worship was meaningless and false, despite their numerous offerings and sacrifices, he proclaimed reverence for Yahweh, as the teaching about the Lord continued to be ignored, while Israelites suffered and starved on the streets. Israel way of daily life and national policy was corrupted and damaged, therefore, God was about to correct them via foreign invasion (Frigge 83). For instance, in his prophecy, Amos told a wealthy women of the royal court from Samaria comparing them to well fed cattle destined for slaughter. Hosea in his prophecy told the people of Israel to return to covenant way of life which he described as marriage bond. Israel’s lack of direction was depicted in social injustice, idol worship and false worship of Yahweh. God was mad at them but He expressed hope that perhaps the stray wife will return to her first love. In most of his prophecies, Hosea talks of angry threats of punishment from God and pleading calls to return to covenant way of life. After the fall of Israel, God was willing to forgive the Israelites if they were ready to go back to the covenant way of life. Jerusalem as city did not succumb to the Assyrians because it was believed that God would not allow the city of David to fall and that he was ready to preserve it. Hezekiah during his rule as the King of Judah received Deuteronomic favor as a religious leader since he was opposed to idol worship and adultery with an attempt of returning Judah to worship of God alone. Prophet Jeremiah never gave up in giving hope to the few Israelites that one day Judah will return to Yahweh. In addition, Jeremiah warned his people that a great nation cruel and brutal was preparing for battle against Jerusalem. Despite his message to the people, they were not convinced in that their hearts remained unchanged. For example, they returned to offering sacrifices in the Temple, but their sacrifices were empty since they had retuned wholly to the covenant way of life. When Israelites by Babylon, Jeremiah gave them hope in exile by assuring them that the faithfulness of Yahweh’s love would save them from bandage and bring them to their land. In his message, Jeremiah told them that the Lord had promised them an internal restoration. Israelites in captivity were given hope by Gods prophets including Jeremiah with the promise of future renewal as Gods people (Frigge 89). Ezekiel in his prophecy proclaimed a looming final downfall of Judah but later, he gave people hope by proclaiming future restoration of the captives in Babylon. Second Isaiah also prophesized about God’s mercy for the captives by stating that those in exile would be liberated in the future thus ushering in new exodus. Works Cited Frigge, Marielle. Beginning Biblical Studies. New York: Anslem Academic, 2009. Print. St. Mary’s Bible. Read More