3. Module 2, Lesson 2_Topic learning outcomes
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
1. examine the different roles of the prophets in guiding the
people of God, and how they embodied God’s presence through
their ministry in observing the reduction of inequality (UN-SDG
10) and promote peace and justice towards the building of strong
institutions (UN-SDG 16);
2. explore the roles of the prophets in God’s plan for His
people; and
3. recognize that you are one of the present-day prophets who
continue to speak and work on behalf of truth and justice.
4. Understanding prophecy in the context of Hebrew
Scriptures (OT) and cross-cultural studies:
• We usually equate the word “prophecy” with prediction of a
future unknowable to “ordinary” people. But in biblical tradition
this is not how prophecy is understood.
• Prophecy is a faith-based human transmission of apparent divine
messages. From the perspective of religious faith, it is a method
of revealing the divine will to humans. It is an officially
sanctioned means of divine communication in antiquity.
5. As a term, “prophecy” together with its derivatives, has
established itself primarily in the language of Jewish, Christian
and Islamic cultures.
In reference to cross-cultural studies, biblical prophets can be
likened to “deeply spiritual persons” or “holy men” across
different cultures.
6. In Judaism and the Hebrew scriptures, prophets are direct
mouthpieces of God whose message they communicate.
The prophets of Israel were seen primarily as God’s messengers.
Indeed, the name of the last of them, Malachi, literally means
“my messenger.”
9. Note:
A significant part or the second division of the Hebrew Scriptures
is called Nevi’im, the prophets.
(Within the Jewish tradition, the Hebrew Scripture has three main
divisions. In English, they are called “the Law,” “the Prophets,”
and “the Writings.” In Hebrew, they are, respectively, Torah,
Neviim, and Kethuvim. The significant letters of each of the
Hebrew terms form the acronym Tanak, a common Jewish term
for the Hebrew Scripture as a whole.)
10. Roles of Israel’s Prophets (A Jewish perspective):
• They all display the same characteristic of being possessed by an
uncompromising need to speak the truth and to uphold justice no
matter the consequences.
11. • They are inspired individuals who offer profound criticism of the
social and political conditions of their time. They are not strictly
representative of any of the major institutions of society, the
court, the cult or the forms of prophecy associated with these
institutions. Their authority is based on the vocation of God, and
their social criticisms are far-ranging and fundamental.
12. • Biblical prophecy remains what it has always been, namely, the
unity of God, social justice, and the mission of Israel. The
Second Isaiah defined this mission as “a light to the nations.”
God is not the exclusive God of Israel, and the purpose of the
mission is not for Jews to look only after their own interest.
13. The prophets of Israel arose during periods of crisis when Israel
was facing destruction from foreign powers…
There is a three-fold pattern that usually marked the message of
the prophets:
- Accusation
- Threat
- Call to change.
14. The prophet Micah summarizes in one sentence the point and
purpose of prophecy: “What does Adonai your God ask of you,
but to do justice, and love mercy, and walk humbly with Adonai
your God?”
15. Prophets in general:
• Called and inspired by God to deliver His message.
• Proclaimed their message using imagery and symbolism.
• Some wrote beautiful poetry and still others acted out their message
• Called the people to personal conversion and national reform. They
function as “social revolutionaries.”
• Suffered severely in fulfilling their mission.
• Not fortune tellers
16. Henceforth, prophecy is message of reform both individually and
socially. Reform (in religious language – conversion) is an
important mark of being a part of God’s people.
17. The challenge of the notion of Prophecy found in
Hebrew scripture:
As people of faith, we can function as “mouthpieces of God” … as
“prophets” within our communities.
How?
By being promoters of truth, peace and justice, of a missionary
lifestyle that observes the reduction of inequality.
18. Prophecy and its relation to the notion of Christian
Mission:
Conventional understanding of Christian Mission that needs to be re-
thought/re-evaluated:
- Propagation of the Christian faith through proselytism and
conversion of the heathen/pagan.
- Mission as concerned with the salvation of souls from eternal
damnation.
19. Since the definition of Prophecy (or being a prophet) in Hebrew
scriptures speaks of being “mouthpieces of God” or relaying the
will of God by being promoters of peace and justice, Christian
Mission today can also be contextualized as:
“the simple presence and witness of the Christian life … the
service of mankind and all forms of activity for social
development and for the struggle against poverty and the
structures that produce it.”
20. Christian Mission should be captured in the term “solidarity” that
contribute to the restoration of an ethical culture. It is
“[cooperating] with others in rebuilding the moral fabric that
sustains life in the community.” Mission as helping in the
restoration of an ethical culture.
21. References:
Greenspahn, Frederick E. “Why Prophecy Ceased.” Journal of Biblical Literature 108, no. 1 (1989): 37-
49.
Nissinen, Marti. Prophets and Prophecy in the Ancient Near East. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature,
2003.
Miller, Fred. “Prophecy in Judaism and Islam.” Islamic Studies 17, no. 1 (1978): 27-44.
Schreiber, Mordecai. “Rethinking Prophecy.” Tikkun Magazine 28, no. 3 (2013): 13-17.
Wostyn, Lode, ed. Believing Unto Discipleship: A workbook for Theology 2. Quezon City: Claretian
Publications, 2004.
