1. THE CALL OF THE PROPHETS pp. 76-83

2.  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.

3.  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.

4. 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.)

5. Structure of a Call Story  Prophets are spokespersons or messengers for God. They 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 Gideon, Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Second Isaiah and Ezekiel all follow a similar pattern of six episodes.

6. 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.

7. 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”

8. 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 to Pharaoh…”

9. 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?”

10. 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”

11. 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.”

12. Group Activity Read the following call stories and identify the 6 parts of each call story.  Isaiah 6.1-13  Jeremiah 1.4-10  Ezekiel 1.1-3.15

13. Prophets of Judgment  The prophetic call stories are poignant and gripping and their missions are devastating.  Why were the prophets called to bring God’s judgment to Israel?  Why has the word of salvation and liberation turned into a word of condemnation and destruction?

14.  The prophets were expressing God’s action to keep the covenant from unravelling.  Disasters that come 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.

15.  During the times of difficulty it seems as if God is 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.

16. Sin and Transgression  The prophets used the word sin – probably borrowed from Babylonians at the time fo the exile.  Sins are transgressions.  The prophets threatened order, accused and warned people.  These indignations and accusations remind Israel that in the covenant they stand before God.

17.  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.

18.  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.