Session 05: The Non-Literary Prophets
Prayer
Blessed are you Lord our God,
for you come to us and seek to make your home in us.
As we study now, let our eyes and our ears be open to you
let our hearts find their rest and their joy in you
that we may grow in grace and live to your glory.
Blessed are you, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Amen.
The Role of the Hebrew Prophets
In this session Hayes starts by examining the Deuteronomistic historian’s efforts to show that idolatry and associated sins lead to God’s wrath and periods of trouble. The remainder of the lecture is an introduction to the phenomenon of Israelite prophecy which included ecstatic prophecy and prophetic guilds. The non-literary prophets of the historical books of the Bible and their various roles (as God’s zealot; as conscience of the king) are examined.
Click here to watch Hayes Lecture 15
Exercise
Think about the prophets of our modern world. Who were the prophets of the 20th Century? Who do you think are propehts today? Make a note in your learning journal of their names and what they did that was prophetic. How did they speak truth to power?
Something Practical To Do
Is there anyone you know who you feel is a prophet today, bringing the call of God and God's values into society and challenging unust structures? Speak to that person and ask them if they realise they are a modern day prophet, and how it feels to speak truth to power.
Pray
Blessed are you, Lord our God, all things come from you:
from you come our life,
this world and all that we have and are.
Teach us to love and respect your creation
and give glory to you.
Blessed are you, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Amen
Reflect
Spend some time prayerfully thinking about what you have discovered in this session. What are the most significant things for you? How might you use what you have learned in your own faith journey? Write this down in your reflective learning journal.