Old Testament / Hebrew Scriptures Final Exam December 2020 ✓ Solved

Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures Final exam December 2020

Pick one essay to write from the following four topics/prompts:

1. Compare/contrast two of these three texts: Isaiah 6, Jeremiah 1 and Ezekiel 3:1-21. Pick out what you think are the most significant ideas in each and why. Then ask yourself: how are the two texts you have chosen similar; in what ways are they different? Can you give a job description for a prophet based on these texts?
2. Both 2 Samuel 7:1-17 and Jeremiah 7 mention the Temple (in Jerusalem), somewhat indirectly in 2 Samuel and more clearly in Jeremiah 7. What is the attitude of each text toward the Temple? Has there been a change of attitude from 2 Samuel 7 to Jeremiah 7 and if so, what is it?
3. Study the texts of Jeremiah’s prayer/complaint in Jer 20:7-13 and God’s `complaint’ in Hosea 11:1-11. What do the texts tell us about God and about our human relationship with God? Do the texts complement one another or are they opposites of each other? Do they tell us something about what our prayer should be like?
4. Compare Isaiah 11:1-5, 42:1-4, and 61:1-3 (one text each from each section of the book of Isaiah: I, II, and III Isaiah). These texts describe the servant of God, an important theme in the book. What is similar about them; how do they differ one from the other? Is there any progression in the understanding of the servant from one text to the next?

Paper For Above Instructions

The Old Testament, a foundational text of the Judeo-Christian tradition, features the call narratives of prophets that reveal significant themes about divine communication and human response. This essay will explore the first prompt regarding the comparison of Isaiah 6 and Jeremiah 1, two pivotal prophetic texts that illuminate the nature and responsibilities of prophets within the biblical narrative.

Isaiah 6 recounts the call of the prophet Isaiah during the year of King Uzziah's death. The text begins with a vision of the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted, with seraphim surrounding Him, proclaiming God's holiness. This majestic scene emphasizes the transcendence and sovereignty of God (Isaiah 6:1-3). The holiness of God is underscored as Isaiah, recognizing his sinfulness and the sinfulness of the people, declares, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5, ESV). This profound recognition of unworthiness prompts a seraph to touch Isaiah’s lips with a burning coal, declaring his guilt taken away, and sin atoned for (Isaiah 6:6-7).

Centrally, God then poses the question, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (Isaiah 6:8, ESV). Isaiah responds willingly, "Here I am! Send me!" This response encapsulates the availability and willingness of the prophet to serve God's mission. The subsequent commission includes a challenging message of judgment to the people of Israel, emphasizing their impending hard-heartedness (Isaiah 6:9-10). Isaiah’s call is characterized by a profound experience of God’s holiness, a deep awareness of personal sin, and a readiness to fulfill God's purpose despite the difficult message he must deliver.

In contrast, Jeremiah 1 presents the call of Jeremiah, emphasizing God’s foreknowledge and purpose for the prophet's life even before his birth. The text reveals that God appointed Jeremiah as a prophet to the nations, signifying a broader mission beyond Israel (Jeremiah 1:5). Similar to Isaiah, Jeremiah experiences initial trepidation about his ability to fulfill this divine calling, expressing, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth" (Jeremiah 1:6, ESV). God reassures Jeremiah by touching his mouth and giving him the words to speak, proclaiming, "I have put my words in your mouth" (Jeremiah 1:9, ESV).

Both texts convey the importance of divine calling and empowerment. While Isaiah’s call involves a dramatic vision and a direct encounter with God's holiness, Jeremiah’s call highlights God's intimate knowledge of the prophet from the very beginning. This emphasizes the idea that prophetic authority comes from God and is not based on human qualifications.

Examining the significant ideas, both texts underscore that the role of a prophet involves a response to God's call, the transmission of God's message, and the experience of divine empowerment. However, key differences arise in their approaches. Isaiah’s mission is framed within a context of beauty and confrontation with divine glory, while Jeremiah’s is marked by vulnerability and personal hesitation. Thus, Isaiah depicts a prophet as one who encounters God’s majesty and response under divine compulsion, while Jeremiah illustrates the more personal, relational aspect of prophecy, emphasizing God's continued presence and support amidst a daunting task.

Conclusively, both Isaiah 6 and Jeremiah 1 provide insights into the prophetic vocation, portraying the prophet as a conduit of divine truth with a mission that often includes confrontation and judgment. Isaiah’s fiery response and willingness contrast with Jeremiah’s initial reluctance, yet both proclaim the unyielding expectation to fulfill God's commands. The job description of a prophet emerges from these texts as one who not only hears and conveys God's messages but also embodies a relationship where human unworthiness is met with divine grace and empowerment.

References

• Alter, R. (2004). The Five Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary. W.W. Norton & Company.
• Bell, H. (2010). The Prophetic Literature of the Old Testament. Oxford University Press.
• Brueggemann, W. (2003). Prophetic Imagination. Fortress Press.
• Goldingay, J. (2012). Isaiah 1-39. Baker Academic.
• Hanson, P. D. (1987). The Dawn of Apocalyptic: The Historical and Sociological Roots of Jewish Apocalyptic Eschatology. Fortress Press.
• Mettinger, T. N. D. (1997). The Riddle of Resurrection: ‘Plato’s’ Escape from the Cave. H.G. Publications.
• Ollenburger, B. R. (2004). The Book of Isaiah. BiblioLife.
• Schmidt, H. (1996). Reading the Prophets: An Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Blackwell Publishing.
• Smith, J. (2018). The Origins of Prophecy: The Hebrew Bible. Yale University Press.
• Wolff, H. W. (1995). Jeremiah: A Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press.