Notes on the Israelite Prophets

Definition: The English word prophet is derived from the Greek prophétés, which means primarily “a person who speaks for or on hehalfof God: a spokesman or a representative of God;” and secondarily “a person who can foretell or predict future events.” In the Hebrew Bible several words are used for a prophet. The most common of these is nãbi (p1. nebi ‘Fm) whose etymology is not clear. The words hôzeh (“visionary”) and ro ‘eh (“seer”) are also used. The main idea conveyed by all these words is that of a medium, an intermediary, a “go-between” God and his people. Moses, who was the Lord’s spokesman to Pharaoh and his fellow Israelites, is the “model prophet” in the Old Testament. Sometimes, a prophet is given other titles like “man of God.”
The Prophetic Task: The main task of the prophet is to communicate God’s message (word) to his people. That’s why the prophet almost always introduces his oracles with the messenger formula: “Thus says the Lord The task of prediction comes about when the prophet warns the people about the inevitable consequences of their action: e.g., “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken” (Is 1:19-20). “If you will indeed obey this word, then there shall enter the gates of this house kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their servants, and their people. But if you will not heed these words, I swear by myself, says the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation” (icr 22:4-5).
The Call of the Prophet: A prophet does not decide to become a prophet on his own or at his own initiative. Rather, it is God who chooses him to be a prophet. In fact, a prophet often feels unworthy of God’s call: e.g., Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent...I am slow of speech and of tongue” (Ex 4:10). Isaiah said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and 1 dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips” (Is 6:5). Jeremiah also complains: “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speaic, for I am only a youth” (Jer 1:6). But God reassures the prophet of his presence and sUpport.
Non-Writing Prophets (e.g., Samuel, Nathan, Gad, Elijah, Elisha, etc.) are those who have left us a collection of their written oracles, but their prophetic activities are narrated in the books of Samuel and Kings.
Writing prophets are those who have left us a collection of their oracles. These are further classified into two kinds, depending on the length of their books: [I) Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel; and [2] MInor Prophets: Amos, Hosea, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and MaLachi.
Court Prophets: These are prophets who gave advices to the kings: e.g., the prophets Gad and Nathan acted as advisors or admonitors of king David; Shemaiah also counseled king Rehoboam. Isaiah’s easy access to king Ahaz gives the impression that he too was a court prophet.
Prophetic Group: Some prophets had disciples: e.g., Elisha was Elijah’s disciple. Their enemies, the prophets of Baal, also worked as a group. Some disciples may have been responsible for collecting, editing, reinterpreting, and even supplementing the oracles of their master. Biblical scholars have identified Is 40-5 5 to be the work—not of Isaiah—but of an anonymous disciple (so-called “Second- or Deutero-Isaiah”), and Is 56-66 to be the product of yet another disciple (so-called “Third- or Trito-Isaiah). Jeremiah had a secretary, Baruch, who may have been responsible to some of the later oracles in his book.
Professional Prophets: The OT mentions some prophets who earn their living (“eat bread” according to Amos 7:12; cf. Mic 3:5) by prophesying. Deut 18:10-Il contains a list of religious specialists (“diviner, soothsayer, augur, sorcerer, charmer, medium, wizard, necromancer”) who were paid for their services. They are reputed to have some psychic powers, but are generally condemned as pagan by the biblical author.
Nathan’s Oracle (2 Sam 7): Nathan prophesied to king David that his dynasty would be secure for ever: “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever” (2 Sam 7:16).
Emmanuel Prophecy (Is 7:14-16): Isaiah prophesied to king Ahaz that his enemies (Rezin of Damascus & Pekah of Saniana) would not succeed in deposing him, for “Behold, a young woman (‘ãlmô) shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.” The Septuagint, which Mt 1:23 quotes, has “virgin” (parihenos) instead of “young woman.”
Messianic Prophecies: After the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC, there arose a high expectation among the Jewish people that God, because of his eternal promise to David (cf. Nathan’s Oracle), would raise up a descendant from the Davidic family who would someday restore the kingdom of David. This they called the Messiah (“the anointed”). When the exiles were allowed to return to their homeland in 537 BC, there was great hope that Zerubbabel, who belonged to the family of David, would be the one to reestablish the Davidic kingdom, but for some reason that never materialized. The Jewish people, however, never lost their hope. When they realized it would perhaps take a very long time to reestablish the kingdom of David, they kept on postponing the coming of the Messiah. When the Romans colonized Palestine and installed the Herodian kings as puppet rulers, there were all sorts of Jewish rebel groups that regarded their leaders as (political) “messiahs” who would take up arms to liberate their country from the colonizers. But there were also some Jewish groups who believed that the Messiah—whose mission was more spiritual than political—would come only at the very end of time, and that he would establish not so much the kingdom of David, but the reign of God. John the Baptist prophe,ied that “the reign of God is at hand” (Mt 3:1); and then pointed to Jesus as the Messiah (Jn 1:19-33). Chrisos, the Greek translation of Messiah, has become almost a surname of Jesus.