The Prophet The Lordship over Nature in Judaism and Christianity

Genesis  Genesis 1:26-1:27 Genesis 1:26  Describes the creation of life  Man is created in God’s image  “Let us create man in God’s image” (Genesis 1:26)

Michelangelo’s ‘The Creation of Adam’

Psalm 8  Describes Man as the original supreme ruler of nature  “You made him ruler over the works of your hands” (Psalm 8:9)

Is a Prophet a ‘mage’ in the popular sense? How is he similar or different?

The Lord of Nature  In the monotheistic religions, in the beginning, God created man in his own image  as the lord of nature  But this authority was mostly lost when Adam and Eve rebelled against God (to be considered later)  Yet in the Jewish and Christian tradition, a chosen few, out of free will and working in a mysterious union with God, were empowered to command the forces of creation  These were the great Prophets of Judaism and Christianity

Characteristics of a prophetic miracle  The prophet does not work using his own ‘magical power’  Nor does he fulfill his own will  The power that work miracles and command nature is unequivocally the power of God, the word of God  At the same time, it is not only God who works, but the prophet who freely chooses to work together with God, his friend and Lord

The Prophet  In Hebrew, the word traditionally translated as prophet is נְבִיא (nevi), which likely means "proclaimer". ( Wiki )  The meaning of nevi is perhaps described in Deuteronomy 18:18, where God said, "I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them all that I command him." Thus, the nevi was thought to be the "mouth" of God DeuteronomyGod  A standard prophetic proclamation:  Jeremiah 2:4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel. Jeremiah 2:4

The word of God  11 So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:11

Creation and the Word  1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  2 Now the earth was [a] formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.a  3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.  (Genesis 1:1-4)

Creation and the Word  1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.  3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood[a] it. (John 1:1-4)a

Why do you think ancient cultures place such an enormous importance on the word and the name?

Great Prophets and their miracles  Moses Miracles include:  The Ten Plagues of Egypt  Dividing the Red Sea  Releasing water from a rock

A Mosaic miracle  Moses performs many miracles in the Bible, as seen here where he makes hail/rain fall over Egypt  “Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt” (Exodus 9:22)

Great Prophets and their miracles  Elijah (Book of Kings)  Strike Israel with a 3 year drought  Multiplying food and drink for a widow  Raising the widow’s son from the dead  Calling down divine fire from heaven  Dividing the waters of Jordan river with his mantle  Ascending to heaven without dying in a chariot of fire

Great Prophets and their miracles  Elisha (disciple of Elijah)  Cursing certain naughty boys who were then promptly eaten by bears  Multiplying food to feed a hundred men  Raising the dead  Healing the leprous Syrian

Miracle of the Prophet Ezekiel  Was led to a pile of bones in the valley  Asked if the bones could live again  Commanded to tell the bones to “Hear the word of the LORD!”  Through God’s power and will, brought them back to life

Restoration of the Image  The word and power of God worked through the prophets  Thus by divine grace, the great prophets shared in the power of God over creation, and were partially restored to the original Image of man