IN OUR CULTURE we generally relegate prophecy to one of two extremes: either the calling of a select few historical (biblical) odd men (a group whose time has come and gone) or the province of shady fortune-tellers and diviners. In this excellent commentary on three prophetic books, Professor Gary Smith shows us that prophecy has an important role to play today. It prepares us to face an unjust world.
How so? By telling us beforehand what God will do if we persist in our evil ways. Our standard way of dealing with evil and injustice is to attempt explanations after the fact. We try to explain how a good God, all-powerful in every way, can possibly allow the existence of evil. This problem is called theodicy. It is one of the most difficult points in all of Christian theology. Biblical prophecy, by contrast, explains what God will do before he does it. When a prophetic explanation is used, God’s action is seen as a response to our actions. Responsibility for evil and injustice is focused on our less-than-adequate actions rather than God’s. Evil, at least in historical time, is seen as a problem of human nature, not God’s nature.
Of course, this explanation does not solve all the problems. Theodicy persists when we ask the metaphysical question: Where did evil come from in the first place? But to the extent that we see Christianity as a life to be lived in response to God’s gracious activity toward us, the prophetic approach to injustice is indispensable. Good, balanced Christian theology demands both theodicy and prophecy.
Unfortunately, prophecy, for reasons mentioned above, has fallen on hard times. Too often seen as the work of radicals and kooks, the scientific approach has chipped away at the prophets’ pedestal, suggesting that if it cannot be measured after the fact, we have no right to pronounce its truth. Although science does not eschew prediction, prediction must be based on observable facts—God’s nature cannot be broken down in a test tube.
Furthermore, prophecy sounds so preachy. The prophet, then and now, sounds exactly like our moralizing parents, warning us of the dire consequences of our too-hasty, instinct-motivated actions. Make no mistake, prophecy does have an indispensable moral element to it. If we do evil, if we support injustice, God will punish us. That is a message our feel-good culture seems to think we can best do without.
So what are we to do? Professor Smith tells us, in effect, to learn from these great prophets. Listen to and repeat God’s prophetic word—but do it in the most persuasive way we can. Hosea, Amos, and Micah all used powerful rhetorical techniques, self-disclosure, and hope to make sure their listeners had the best chance of comprehending the messages God sent in a way that changed behavior.
The rhetorical techniques ranged from puns to poetry, from repetition to parallel structures, from quips to quotes. Who among us can forget the memorable Micah 6:8: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” The rhythm and common sense of this wisdom make it unforgettable.
Perhaps we can reclaim the prophetic voice by not shouting louder and more belligerently but by recognizing the cacophony of voices expressed in today’s world. We will then see that in order to make the prophetic word of the Lord comprehensible, it must be expressed in the language of the day. It must be both challenging and winsome. It must be couched in language that does not minimize the importance of the words, but connects it to the needs of the day.
We live in a day that requires the prophetic voice. We must not shirk our duty to deliver it. We can begin by reading these three great prophetic models. Then, one would hope, we can hear and repeat the word of the Lord clearly given.
Terry C. Muck