The Call of the Prophets pp. 76-83

Prophets are spokespersons or messengers of God. They were responsible for warning Israel of what was to come when they turned away from God; and God’s forgiveness when Israel turned towards God. The prophets are called at crisis points in Israel’s history so they could address religious and social problems that plagued the people of the covenant.

When God calls the prophets, they all receive new identities. E.g. From the moment of his call Moses becomes a prophet and is defined by his new vocation. The experience of God’s call shapes their lives and causes intense turmoil. The times in which the prophets lived were times of crisis.

Examples of Times of Crises Moses – crisis of captivity in Egypt Isaiah – crisis of the threatening destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem Second Isaiah – crisis of faith at the time of the exile Ezekiel – cultural crisis of the exile (loss of land, language, temple, kings, true prophets etc.)

Structure of a Call Story Prophets are often given the task of warning God’s people that they have sinned or are not living according to God’s covenant. Call stories of many prophets like Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel all follow a similar pattern of six episodes.

1) Confrontation with God Each encounter is different but all show a disproportion between God and the prophet who is being called. God sends them on a mission and sends them away from their homes and uproots their lives. E.g. God confronts Moses as a burning bush and sends him to free Israelites form Egypt and lead them to Mount Sinai.

2) Introductory Speech God speaks first and makes a self announcement. At the heart of each call is an assurance from the Lord – a promise of “God with you.” E.g. “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” The prophet usually answers, “Here I Am.”

3) Imparting of a mission Prominent phrase of “I send you …” God gives an order to the prophet to carry out. E.g. “I will send you (Moses) to Pharaoh…”

4) Objection by the Prophet-to-be The prophets are strongly aware that their mission to the people will set them apart from the people. They recognize the burden of the call to be a prophet. E.g. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites our of Egypt?”

5) Reassurance by God God reassures the prophets as they receive their missions The word that the prophets are to speak is God’s word. The prophet’s word is taken over by the Lord’s word. E.g. “ Go, I am with you.” or “I will open your mouth”

6) The Sign The sign is not always clear. E.g. “And this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you; when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

Think/Pair/Share 1) What has God called you to do with your life? Describe your call story. 2) How does your call story compare to Moses’ call story?

Prophets of Judgment The prophets were expressing God’s action to keep the covenant from unravelling. Disasters that came to Israel must be viewed in terms of the covenant. The prophets were teaching Israel that the path to its freedom involved recognizing its fault, its sinfulness and its separation from God.

During the times of difficulty it seemed as if God was not present with Israel. E.g. the Exile Israel later realizes that God’s instruction and guidance had not ended and continued through the message of the prophets.

Sin and Transgression Sin for Israel and us means realizing that when standing before God, our actions do not measure up. The prophets let people know that breaking the commandments affected their relationship with God, one another and who they were. The prophets also helped Israel to live in accordance with God.

Sin also points to another part of the human heart – pride and the refusal to regard the other. Sin shows itself when the moral commandments are broken. Israel began to see how sins were turning them away from God.