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Merriman_Reflective Essay #2

Merriman_Reflective Essay #2

by Mary Merriman -
Number of replies: 3

he books that I am referencing to portray God, indicate how human’s know God’s will and describing the purpose of human existence.  From the prophets is the book of Amos and from the Wisdom writings is the book of proverbs.  Summarizing these description, God is much more personal in the prophets as God is interacting directly through an intermediary to immediately call for repentance and renewal.  However, the wisdom writings are more tutorial demonstrating the appropriate behavior for God’s followers and to discover ways in which the people of God keep God’s commands.

In the book of Amos, God is portrayed as roaring as a lion (1:2), aggressive (1:4,5,7), holding reign over punishment (1:3,6,9,13) and withholding the rain (4:7).  Yet God has the capacity to forgive and be gracious (5:15). In comparison, the book of Proverbs is less descriptive in portraying God.  The Proverbs are given by God who by wisdom (2:6,7), created the universe (3:19-20), teaches precepts (4:2) and examines human ways (4:21).

The New Interpreter’s Bible describes one of the roles of the prophet as an intermediary between the earth and heavenly realms.  Amos is self-described to Amaziah as a herdsman called by God to go and prophesy to Israel.  He did not view himself initially as a prophet but apparently he knew when he met God.  He typically describes  his knowledge of God’s will in sensory terms i.e. “I saw the Lord” (7:4, 8.1, 9.1) and this is what God has shown me. (7.4, 8.1).   In contrast, knowing God in the book of Proverbs seems less personal and often appears in the form of lessens from parents to a child (1:8). An often seen verse is “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (1:9a, 29).

In Proverbs, the purpose of human existence is to listen to wisdom to: be secure and live at ease (1:33), understand and  treasure commandments (2:2), be righteous and just (2:9), walk in the way of the good(2:20),be loyal and faithful (3:3), trust in the Lord (3:5), honor the Lord with your substance and first fruits (3:9), accept the Lord’s reproof (3:11), live peaceably (27-31), get wisdom and insight (4:3), keep hold of instruction ( Hate evil (5:13), love God (5:21) 

The purpose of human existence in Amos is demonstrated as he calls out Judah and Israel to live up to its commitments to God and to keep God’s commandments (2:4), to maintain treaties (1:9), care for the needy (2:6-16), desecrate the dead (2:1) and for its transgressions (3:14).  A good summary passage of Amos and the purpose of human existence is to “Hate evil and love good and establish justice at the gate” (5:15).    “Listen to wisdom to be secure and live at ease” (1:33).

In reply to Mary Merriman

Re: Merriman_Reflective Essay #2

by Julia O'Brien -

Mary, you've helpfully described these individual books but I'm left knowing more about how you ultimately process our study of the prophets and wisdom literature. That is, can you draw some more conclusions about what the prophets and wisdom literature *do* and *what value* they add to our understanding of a faithful life? 


In reply to Julia O'Brien

Re: Merriman_Reflective Essay #2

by Mary Merriman -

Not all of the Wisdom books have the same type of personal appeal as seen in Psalms, Job, Ecclesiastes or Song of Songs. This is especially true of Proverbs.  Yet there is a link that I think is the primary bond that distinguishes all of these books as Wisdom.  They are all from a human perspective.  Proverbs is the experience of people in living out their faith. Some of the proverbs are very practical.  Practicality is not, however, less inspired.  It may be somewhat drier and pithier but it is a book of ‘best practices’.  Typically Wisdom books divide human behavior into wisdom or folly. Wisdom is to follow God and folly is to go one’s way without the partnership of faith with God. Hence we might say that wisdom is divinely inspired. Because of this inspiration, Wisdom is appropriately named and carries us into the personal experience of God’s people and their struggle with faith and God.

The prophetic books have a different lens.  In the prophetic books like Amos, there appears to be a unique relationship with God and the prophet. The prophets message and call, however, appears to speak to Israel as a monarchy or Judah in the same and to commend the strong alliance of the nation with God by faith.  The message of the prophet is typically to maintain a holy relationship between the nation and it’s people and God.  The primary voice, through the prophet is God in the book of Prophets whereas the primary voice is the human experience of walking and struggling by faith in the book of Wisdom.  


In reply to Mary Merriman

Re: Merriman_Reflective Essay #2

by Mary Merriman -

The question you raised in your group post was interesting to consider. What if a given prophetic book was removed from the canon?  I was thinking about the problem of Amos. Initially, I thought that his efforts were in vain as Israel did fall to Assyria in 720 BCE.  Isn't the role of the prophet to maintain God's order?  Shouldn't Israel have survived as a monarchy? According to Collins, the effectiveness of the prophets message required an audience that shared the basic legitimacy of prophecy and that shared at least some of their basic convictions.(Collins p. 198)  I am reminded of Samuel's journey to Bethlehem when met by the city elders who were trembling. "Do you come peaceably" they asked (1 Samuel 16:4).  Apparently some prophets and seers were known well and evoked an ephemeral response of fear and uncertainty. Amos was not so known. Perhaps Amos words, though a powerful soliloquy, weren't sufficient to cause Israel to repent as he wasn't known. Collins indicates Israel's fall was not God's punishment but to show God's power. So what's the role of the prophet and how important is he or she to the community of faith?  Throughout the book of Prophets, I read examples of communities of faith who respond to the cal of the prophet and repent - change their ways. In todays community of faith, there is a need for prophets but the challenge to speak out is uncomfortable and unpopular is many church communities who hold a belief that their success is due to their maintenance of religious practices and order.  Perhaps the teaching in Collins, that Israel fell in order that God would be manifest is a story that is timeless and needs to be told again and again.