Discuss the call of the prophet (in particular Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) and its contemporary ministry significance.

Posted on December 2nd, 2009 in Synthetic Q Section 2 by bradreedy

The call of the prophet

Isaiah 6, Jeremiah 1 & 20, Ezekiel 1-3 all recount the call of the particular prophet in the book.  There are several major parallels within the call of each 1) the experience God 2) God directly speaks to them 3) God sends them on a mission 4) God in some way engages each one of their mouths to ready them and put His words on them.

The prophetic office of the Hebrew Scripture was not a desired office.  The prophets where called to proclaim the invasion of Jersusalem, the exile (597 – first deportation), the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple (587), along with the general destruction for disobedience they proclaimed.

Contemporary Significance

Thomas Overholt speaks of the prophetic office the form of a triangle.  God at the top speaks to the prophet, the prophet also speaks back (usually reluctantly) and the prophet speaks to the people (which we understand is God’s message to the people)

Although the contemporary minister is not a prophet, there are some strong parallels.  The minister SHOULD have had (and continue to have) an experience with God, in which God directs them on how they should lead.  The minister speaks on behalf of God to the people (mainly from the biblical accounts, but not diminishing the direction in which God lays on the heart of the minister for the congregation).  Often times the message of the minister is not received well because it doesnt ‘tickle the ears’ of the congregation.

The call of the minister may be like Isaish when God says – they will hear, but not understand, their minds will be dull, so in other words you are going to be speaking to a brick wall.

Or Jeremiah who says the word of the LORD has become a reproach to him

Or Ezekiel who also was sent to a people who would not listen

But we remember our job is to stay faithful to God, not to persuade people and God will give us glimpses of the future glory, like Ezekiel’s vision of the Temple in Ezekiel 40-47.  The days may be long and like a prophet we may be beat down, but God is with us, it is His word we speak, to Him we stay faithful, and His future for us is ready with the hope and reward of the toil of this life.

Discuss the Trito-Isaiah

Posted on December 2nd, 2009 in Synthetic Q Section 2 by bradreedy

Why Trito-Isaiah

- Bernhard Duhm proposed that certain parts of Isaiah do not fit with other writings from the Persian Period, therefore according to Duhm, Isaiah must have multiple authors and span a fairly large period of time in the writing process.  

- Duhm also states that because 2nd & 3rd Isaiah contain prophetic material they must be later writings because prophetic material is not introduced till duting the exile.

- There are other theories such as, a complete unified book writing by Isaiah (probably not likely from scholarship), also 1st and 2nd Isaiah (1-39 & 40-66), and also a theory of an Isaiah school which composed the book over several hundred years.

Breakdown of book and its dates

- Isaish 1-39, writing somewhere between 742-701 BCE, probably writing in Jerusalem

- Isaiah 40-55, possibly writing somewhere between 545-539 BCE, while in the Exile

- Isaiah 56-66, possibly writing as late as 520-515 BCE, while in Jerusalem

Other issues

- Certain texted seemed to be ‘dropped’ into sections of Isaiah, such as Isaiah 24-27 which contains references to resurrection which would seem to make it a later writing even though it is within 1st Isaiah.

There seems to be no clear understanding about the composition of Isaiah, either authorship or dating.  Outside of this Isaiah still speaks powerful to us today and no matter the dating or authorship still is a vital part of the canon.

What are the two chapters in Ezekiel when God promises a new heart for the nation of Israel?

Posted on November 9th, 2009 in Uncategorized by bradreedy

Ezekiel 11 & 36

Ezekiel 11 & 36

Posted on November 9th, 2009 in Uncategorized by bradreedy

Often times we get caught up in the issue (within the Bible) of where is God, or what is His role.  I think this is a question that as humans we are going to ask, BUT I think we also must see in the scripture that God is doing & using the experiences of our life to bring us to a better place.  Often times we cannot help the situations in our life, but we can trust is that God wants to use them.

God tells the captives (in two places) that His desire is to remove that heart of stone that is so evident in them and give them a heart of flesh that will beat for His purposes and His ways and for their betterment.  We need to trust God, even with things stink in our lives that if we follow, His promise will ring true for us - A NEW HEART AND WE WILL BE HIS PEOPLE AND HE WILL BE OUR GOD!

Jeremiah’s Anguish

Posted on October 24th, 2009 in Uncategorized by bradreedy

The end of Jeremiah chapter 8 depicts the anguish of Jeremiah.  As I think about the contemporary church, with all the health wealth & fundamentalism (and everything in between), I can’t help but think about the mourning that the people of God need to be doing over the church.  There are many churches doing good things, right things, biblical things, BUT there are many more that seem more concerned with peripheral issues.  The glory of God, obedience to His will and ways, loving Him and people is the back burner compared to the ‘pressing issues’ of the church today.  Hopefully we as ministers of the gospel will mourn the state of the church and preach boldly the Word of God, that is still relevant and applicable today!!

Reading

Posted on October 18th, 2009 in Reflections by bradreedy

I have read Isaiah.

Isaiah 6

Posted on October 15th, 2009 in Uncategorized by bradreedy

What were the 6 wings of the seraphim doing in Isaiah 6?

2 covered thier face, 2 covered their feet, with 2 they were flying

Names in the Bible

Posted on October 5th, 2009 in Reflections by bradreedy

It is interesting being in Hebrew and reading through the book of Ruth and realizing the interesting nature of the names in the book. 

1. Naomi meaning pleasant & the contrast of Mara meaning bitter

2. Mahlon – sickness

3. Chilion – weakness

Naomi I get, but what parent in their right mind would name their child sickness or weakness.  Mahlon is destined to die and at best Chilion is going to get bullied all his life.

I tend to agree with scholars that say the biblical text is not concerned with the original names of the these individials, but is more concerned with getting its point across – these guys are not lasting very long in the story!!

I also like Cory Peacock’s interpretation of the two “sicky” and “weaky”!

Through the muck!

Posted on October 5th, 2009 in Reflections by bradreedy

Ecclesiastes demostrates (as do the lament Psalms) that if you can get through all the stuff that happens in life you find deeper meaning and purpose.  The truth is the stuff of life is vain and empty, but to trust in the LORD and have that relationship with an almighty God not only helps us wade through the stuff, it gives us hope of a better day!

The number of kids God gave to Job after his restoration.

Posted on September 27th, 2009 in Scripture 2 FAQ Entries by bradreedy

What is 10 (7 boys, 3 girls)

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