Prophetic Ministry in Jeremiah and Ezekiel

Abstract

Description: This study makes a contribution to the understanding of Old Testament prophetic ministry by comparing selected texts from Jeremiah and Ezekiel relating to the call of each prophet, the images of assayer, potter and watchman, their relationships with the temple and their assessments of deviant prophets. The styles of communication of the two prophets are strikingly different. Interpretive clues regarding the reasons for these differences are found in the settings of each book. While Jeremiah and his people are still in the land with the temple present, Yahweh is perceived as close, and the communication between Yahweh, prophet and people is characterised by intimate dialogue. In Ezekiel’s context, far from the temple and their land, Yahweh is presumed to be distant, and communication between Yahweh, Ezekiel and the people employs more visual content. Comparing two such significantly different prophets gives a range of fruitful insights into the relationship between prophetic ministry and local context. Contents: ch. 1 Introduction -- Stylistic differences -- Relevant literature -- Composition -- Authorial intention -- The texts -- The prophetic persons -- Modes of communication -- Settings -- Theological approach -- Method -- ch. 2 The Call Narratives -- 2.1.Jeremiah's Call: Jeremiah 1:1-19 -- The superscription: Jer 1:1-3 -- The call: Jer 1:4-10 -- Yahweh's prior initiative: Jer 1:5 -- A prophet to the nations: Jer 1:5 -- Jeremiah's response: Jer 1:6 -- Touch on the mouth: Jer 1:9 -- Key tasks: Jer 1:10 -- The two visions: Jer 1:11-16 -- Visionary subjects: Jer 1:11,13 -- Interpretation: Jer 1:12-16 -- The final statement: Jer 1:17-19 -- Yahweh's responses to Jeremiah's concerns -- The function of Jeremiah's call -- 2.2.Ezekiel's Call: Ezekiel 1-3 -- Introduction: Ezek 1:1-3 -- Dates: Ezek 1:1-2 -- Visions of God: Ezek 1:1 -- The hand of Yahweh: Ezek 1:3 -- The approaching glory: Ezek 1:4-28 -- Visionary imagery -- The stormcloud: Ezek 1:4 -- The four living creatures: Ezek 1:5-14 -- The wheels: Ezek 1:15-21 -- The divine throne: Ezek 1:22-28 -- Ezekiel's response: Ezek 1:28 -- Ezekiel's Call: Ezek 2:1-3:15 -- Son of man: Ezek 2:1 -- Power to stand: Ezek 2:2 -- Sent to rebellious people: Ezek 2:3-5 -- Don't be afraid: Ezek 2:6-8a -- Eat this scroll: Ezek 2:8b-3:3 -- As hard as Israel: Ezek 3:4-9 -- Back to Chebar: Ezek 3:10-15 -- Ezekiel's call to be a watchman: Ezek 3:16-21 -- After seven days: Ezek 3:16 -- A watchman for the house of Israel: Ezek 3:17 -- The watchman's accountability: Ezek 3:18-21 -- The stumbling block: Ezek 3:20 -- Watchman and judge: Ezek 3:18 -- Ezekiel's call to be speechless: Ezekiel 3:22-27 -- The divine gloiy in the valley: Ezek 3:22-24a -- The call to withdrawal: Ezek 3:24b-27 -- Shut in, bound up and tongue-tied: Ezek 3:24b-26 -- Binding by others: Ezek 3:25 -- Speechlessness: Ezek 3:26 -- 2.3.Comparison of Call Material in Jeremiah and Ezekiel -- Introductions -- Settings -- Priestly backgrounds -- Portrayal of Yahweh -- Response of the prophet -- The prophetic role -- Conclusion -- ch. 3 Worker Images Of Prophetic Ministry: Assayer, Potter And Watchman -- 3.1a.Jeremiah as assayer: Jeremiah 6:27-30 -- Textual notes -- The work of the assayer -- The assayer and Yahweh -- The assayer and the community -- The fire of the assayer -- Jer 5:12-14 -- Jer 20:9 -- Jer 23:29 -- The wind of the bellows -- 3.1b.Yahweh as Potter: Jeremiah 18:1-12 -- Yahweh's work as a model for Jeremiah's work -- Potter and clay: Jer 18:3-4 -- A key question: Jer 18:6 -- Responsive changes: Jer 18:7-11 -- Rhetorical Shifts: Jer 18:7,11 -- Working with the nations: Jer 18:7-10 -- Destruction and building: Jer 18:7-10 -- The people's choice: Jer 18:12 -- 3.2 Ezekiel as Watchman: Ezekiel 33:1-20 -- An end or a beginning? -- Recurring motifs: Ezek 3 and 33 -- Made a watchman: Ezek 33:1-9 -- Heed the warning: Ezek 33:7-9 -- Answering the people: Ezek 33:10-20 -- Warning for the nation, not just for individuals -- Duration of the watchman call -- Beyond self-centredness -- 3.3.Comparison of Jeremiah as Assayer and Potter with Ezekiel as Watchman -- The prophet in relation to Yahweh -- The prophet in relation to the people -- Working for response -- Tools of trade -- Destruction and hope -- Working with perseverance -- Conclusion -- ch. 4 The Prophet In Relation To The Temple -- 4.1.Jeremiah's Temple Sermon: Jeremiah 7:1-15 -- Context -- Amend your ways: Jer 7:3 -- Temple and land -- A deceptive word: Jer 7:4 -- Lifestyle responsibilities: Jer 7:5-9 -- Standing before Yahweh: Jer 7:10 -- A precedent of destruction: Jer 7:12 -- An end of patience: Jer 7:13-15 -- 4.2.Ezekiel's First Temple Vision: Ezekiel 8-11 -- Abominable practices: Ezek 8 -- Scene 1 Ezek 8:3b-6 -- Scene 2 Ezek 8:7-13 -- Scene 3 Ezek 8:14-15 -- Scene 4 Ezek 8:16-18 -- Executing judgment: Ezek 9 -- Contents note continued: The executioners: Ezek 9:1,2 -- Unsettled glory: Ezek 9:3 -- The mark: Ezek 9:4 -- No pity: Ezek 9:5 -- Pleading with Yahweh: Ezek 9:8 -- The glory departs: Ezek 10 -- Repetition with variation -- Burning coals: Ezek 10:2,6 -- Departure of the glory -- The leaders are judged: Ezek 11:1-13 -- Relationship to the preceding account -- Leaders -- False hopes -- Judgment -- Ezekiel's distress: Ezek 11:13 -- Surprising hope: Ezek 11:14-25 -- Ezekiel's kindred: Ezek 11:14 -- A little sanctuary: Ezek 11:16 -- Future hope: Ezek 11:17-21 -- Final departure: Ezek 11:22-25 -- 4.3.Comparison of Temple Material in Jer 7:1-15 with Ezek 8-11 -- The place of the temple -- Divine presence in temple and land -- Temple terminology -- Yahweh, not the temple -- Metaphors of seeing and hearing -- Temple worship -- Divine anger, jealousy and judgment -- Messages of hope -- Conclusion -- ch. 5 Deviant Prophets -- 5.1.Jeremiah against the Prophets: Jeremiah 23:9-32 -- Such ungodliness: Jer 23:9-12 -- Worse than Samaria: Jer 23:13-15 -- Not in the council of Yahweh: Jer 23:16-22 -- Yahweh sees: Jer 23:23-24 -- The word has priority: Jer 23:25-32 -- 5.2.Ezekiel against the Prophets: Ezekiel 13 -- The frame: Ezek 12:21-28 and 14:1-11 -- The structure of Ezekiel 13 -- Male Prophets: Ezek 13:1-16 -- Introduction: Ezek 13:1-3a -- Excursus: Can words `out of one's own heart' originate from Yahweh's deception? -- Senseless prophets: Ezek 13:3b-8 -- Jackals among ruins: Ezek 13:4 -- They fail to repair the wall: Ezek 13:5 -- Readiness for the day of Yahweh: Ezek 13:5 -- False visions: Ezek 13:7 -- Lying divinations: Ezek 13:7 -- Judgment against the male prophets: Ezek 13:8-9 -- Whitewashing the wall: Ezek 13:10-16 -- Prophetic Women: Ezek 13:17-23 -- A unique address to women -- Are these women `prophetesses'? -- Set your face against the daughters of your people: Ezek 13:17 -- Strange practices: Ezek 13:18-21 -- Issues of power: Ezek 13:18-21 -- Life and death matters: Ezek 13:19,22 -- Judgment against the women: Ezek 13:23 -- 5.3.Comparison of Deviant Prophet Material in Jer 3 and Ezek 13 -- The gender of the prophet -- The heart -- The divine council -- Prophetic visions and dreams -- Divination -- Objects associated with prophecy -- The lifestyle of the prophet -- The role of the prophet -- The prophet as wall-builder -- Standing against opposition -- Deception of a prophet -- Language of emotion and metaphor -- Conclusion -- ch. 6 Conclusions.