Tuesday, September 06, 2016

So how does a prophet spend his/her time?

The first word in Ezekiel’s intercession [Ezek 9] is the exclamation אהה [‘ahah], which Muffs considers to indicate “prophetic opposition to a divine decree.” The particular combination of אהה [‘ahah] followed by ′′אדני ה [ha‘adonai] also occurs in nine other verses, all of which indicate either distress or protest. In Ezekiel’s intercessory appeals, the word אהה [‘ahah] communicates near-hopeless protest, while the title of respect conveys his subservience. Bound to do YHWH’s bidding, he can only plead that YHWH alter his decree. Thus the three opening words combine address, implicit complaint, and implicit petition.—Forestalling Doom page 185

<idle musing>
As I've been saying for many years now, we get the role of a prophet totally wrong. They spend most of their time interceding with God for the very people they are reprimanding.

How different from self-styled "prophets" today, who spend most of their time "prophesying" wealth and prosperity over people! They are closer to the false prophets in the book of Jeremiah than they are to the true prophets of old!

Lord, forgive us! Raise up true prophets who stand in the gap!
</idle musing>

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