Biblical Leadership

1. Biblical Leadership Kings, Prophets, and Today

2. 3 Ways to Engage Culture • Isolation • Culture War • Engagement

3. Israel: A People Set Apart Throughout Israel’s existence, it has struggled to maintain its identity in dialogue with shifting culture. How Israel chose to engage culture set the blueprint for all of Western Culture. We will look at how kings assimilated and prophets critiqued, and examine the lasting impact on the prophetic principle today.

4. Background to Monarchy and Prophets • After entering the Promised Land under Joshua, the Israelite people seem to conquer and assimilate the people’s living there already. It is not a swift and decisive project. • Even though Joshua presents this as a swift military conquest, Judges relates this process occurring over generations of assimilating previously unrelated peoples into Israel, which is likely what actually happened. • Judges relates the people desiring a monarchy rather than the loose conglomeration of tribes they currently had. Other nations had kingdoms, and Israel fears it needs one too in order to stay independent. • Samuel is the last of the judges and ushers in the era of the monarchy by anointing Saul king.

5. Conquest or Assimilation? • Evidence suggests that the formation of Israel was not a conquest as depicted in Joshua, but rather an assimilation of many different groups with those slaves who migrated out of Egypt under Moses (yes, historical). The later stories of the 12 sons of Jacob were a narrative “creation” account tying these groups of people into one symbolically. • Regardless, these people settled in the hill country of Palestine which became the homeland.

6. Need for a Monarchy? • During the time period of the judges, Israel was a loose conglomeration of tribes that functioned independently. Only during times of strife would they unite to defeat a common enemy, under the leadership of a judge. • Israel’s location geographically has always been hotly contested land. Connecting the Middle East to Africa, all trade routes ran through it, and it was generally in the middle of large empires. • The people want a king because they believe that a monarchy will protect them from outside threats. For the biblical authors, this reveals a lack of trust in God. • God, the authors argue, is Israel’s only king. We see the negative consequences of Israel’s decision to have a kingdom related in 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, and 1-2 Chronicles

7. The historical books tell how the Hebrews lived out the covenant received by Moses in the Promised Land. • Begin with Israel’s desire for a monarchy during the time of the Judges and end with the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BCE.

8. Historical Books Joshua→ describes the entrance of the Hebrews into the Promised Land and their gradual conquering of the land. Set in the 12th century BC, during a time of upheaval throughout the region. During times of upheaval, power vacuums open and small nations can establish themselves. Our first mention of Israel outside of the bible comes during this time on the Merneptah Stele, in which Pharaoh claims to have laid waste to Israel. By 1208, then, a group called Israel had established itself in Canaan.

9. Historical Books Judges→ Judges were temporary military leaders who also settled political disputes in their tribes and between tribes, and reminded people to turn to God. The judges filled the gap in leadership between the time of Joshua (1200 BCE) and the beginning of the monarchy (1010 BCE). God selected these individuals during times of unrest, but all understood that God God’s self was the leader.

10. Historical Books 1-2 Samuel→ The end of the period of the judges and the beginnings of the monarchy. The people desire a king, like their neighbors, though Samuel sees this as a break in the covenant with their one true king, God. “He will tithe your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves. When this takes place, you will complain against the king whom you have chosen, but on that day the Lord will not answer you” (1 SAM 8:17-18) • Probably written after the fall of the monarchy as a commentary on what happened. • True point: Israel prospers when it trusts the Lord and honors the covenant

11. The Rise of the Monarchy Saul • From the tribe of Benjamin (youngest son) • Deeply troubled; may have made mental health issues • Israel not yet an organized kingdom under him; rather a loose-knit organization of tribes • A military leader with limited success against the militarily advantaged Philistines (had iron tools and weapons already)

12. Saul • Falls out of favor by offering an unlawful sacrifice and when God orders a “Cherem” (utter destruction, no one spared, Saul disobeys and spares the king and best of the battle. God rejects him as king. • Over time tries several times to kill David but ultimately fails. • Falls on his own sword in battle

13. David (1009-969) • Not a son of Saul = rise to power must be justified by biblical authors • He is the 8th son (odd choice) • From Bethlehem; son of Jesse • Contradicting accounts of how he meets Saul • He is the armour bearer who is gifted musician and is enlisted to play the lyre for Saul when he is tormented • He defeats Goliath and is introduced to Saul • Married to Saul’s daughter Michal and bbf’s with his son Jonathan. Saul tries to kill him several times but these two protect him • Saul and all three sons die in battle against the Philistines. Saul falls on his own sword.

14. David • Military leader; conquers the Transjordanian states = can control major trade routes and tax them = wealthy • Mixed figure • Good military leader • Golden Age of Israel • Bathsheba • Nathan, prophet, condemns David’s actions • Under David, Israel has it’s Golden Age = Israel is fairly wealthy, organized, and has a strong military presence. This is short lived.

15. Solomon • Son of David and Bathsheba • Great builder--built up Jerusalem and built the Temple • Very mixed portrait • Good = he asks for wisdom • Bad = 700 wives and 300 concubines. Nothing wrong with multiple wives and concubines, but many of these were foreigners who Sol allowed to practice their own religions, thereby bringing idolatry into Israel • How did he pay for these building projects? Enslaved his own people • His son Rehoboam states he will make the yoke even heavier, resulting in the final split of the Kingdom into 2 kingdoms

16. Divided Monarchy Israel in the North, falls to Assyria in 722 BCE. “10 Lost Tribes of Israel Disappear forever. Many migrate south to Judah, bringing their own religious traditions. Ruled by a series of more or less bad kings. Prophets continually criticize them. Judah in the South, falls to Babylon in 587 BCE. Ruled by a series of more or less bad kings. Prophets continually criticize them. 2 tribes, Benjamin and Judah. When Babylon destroys them, they exile all the important to Jews to Babylon. This is known as the Babylonian Exile.

17. Israel as Client State Persia conquers Babylon under Cyrus the Great. Cyrus allows the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, completed in 515 BCE.

18. The Kings of Israel • Centralize power making Israel a contender on the international scale • Build a holy city and Temple • Kings heavily criticized for an economic system that favored the rich while hurting the poor. • Only 2 of Israel’s 42 kings, Hezekiah and Josiah, receive unmitigated praise.

19. Themes of the historical books • God remains with the Israelites when they most need his help. • Israel’s leaders, including King David, reflect Israel’s pattern of infidelity in their own lives • God’s mercypreserves Israel from its enemies.

20. The Prophets

21. What is a prophet in ANE? In the ANE, everyone was deeply religious. It is taken for granted that divine forces were continually at work in the lives of these people. It was urgent then how to deal with them. Inductive divination→ use of object to read the will of the deity (sacrifice an animal and read its entrails--think Harry Potter tea leaf reading). Very common practice; an official job. Intuitive divination→ God takes the initiative and speaks through messengers. Ecstatics or speakers. Spoke in the first person. Relatively rare. Except in Israel.

22. What is a prophet? Hebrew Nabi’ → “one who is called” or “one who calls”. This is first used in connection with Moses, who heard God’s call and responded. In Israel, intuitive prophecy was far more common than inductive. Their messages came to them not by deciphering objects but as inspired thoughts.

23. Where? Only 2 prophets worked in the north (Hosea and Jeremiah) but only Hosea was originally from the northern kingdom.

24. When? With 1-2 exceptions, all lived in a three hundred year period between 750-450 BCE, and the majority lived between 750-550. Prophets do not speak in a vacuum. They respond to national and international events. They arise when super-powers (Assyria and Babylon) begin to emerge.

25. Marks of A Prophet • Received a call from God and felt compelled to leave their former way of life to follow it. This call came in the form of hearing voices, dreams, visions, or inspiration. • Often spoke messages that were unpopular with the ruling establishment. Jesus is aware of this tension when he states, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country.”

26. Call Narrative • The setting is one of mystery or holiness • God initiates the call • The person resists • God reassures the person • God sends the person on a mission

27. Prophets = Spiritual Warriors Moses is regarded as a prophet early on in the tradition. Whereas Moses was a law-giver, the later prophets are law-protectors, upholding Mosaic law when Israel’s ethical standards begin to slip. The judges too were considered prophets. Just like an angel of the Lord appears to Moses, an angel appears to the judges, delivering a message. The difference is that judges combined the vocation of prophet (a person summoned by God to guide the people) and king (someone chosen to be a warrior and to lead the people to military victory).

28. When Israel chose to establish a monarchy, the king-prophet dynamic of the judges splits. Kings are warriors. God must call others to be prophets. Thus, during the monarchy the prophetic movement became influential. God does not choose Saul or David directly, but speaks to Samuel and has Samuel do it. Prophets, then, become spiritually selected messengers of God. Therefore, prophesy was rooted in the early military leaders of Israel.

29. Prophets = Social Revolutionaries • Showed passionate concern for the poor and oppressed • They “afflicted the comfortable and comforted the afflicted” • The strongest prophets, Amos, Micah, and Isaiah, appeared when there was bad oppression and mistreatment of the poor. • The mark of a proper society, for them, was how the weakest and most vulnerable were treated (the poor, widows, orphaned, foreigners). The Law demands that these people be cared for so that they can thrive, not be taken advantage of by the rich. • Justice was crucial for the prophets--Jesus stands firmly within this tradition

30. Amos 2:6-8 Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— 7 they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and push the afflicted out of the way; father and son go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; 8 they lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink wine bought with fines they imposed.

31. Isaiah 10:1-3 Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees, who write oppressive statutes, 2 to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be your spoil, and that you may make the orphans your prey! 3 What will you do on the day of punishment, in the calamity that will come from far away? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth,

32. Jeremiah 22:3 Thus says the Lord: Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place.

33. Prophets = Messengers of God Messenger formula = “Thus says the Lord” followed by 1st person message. This was a familiar formula used by political messengers as well to notify that they were speaking on behalf of their king. God sends these people to level criticism against society and ruling class when needed.

35. Time Periods for the Prophets 750-700: Assyrian • Amos • Hosea • Isaiah 1-39 • Micah 650-600: In-between Assyrian & Babylonian • Zephaniah • Habakkuk • Jeremiah • Ezekiel • Nahum 550-500: Babylonian- Persian • Isaiah 40-66 • Haggai • Zechariah • Obadiah After 500 • Malachi • Joel • Jonah

36. Major Prophets

38. Why Major? Not because they were more important but because their books are much longer. Isaiah = 66 chapters (actually 3 different prophets 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Isaiah) Jeremiah= 52 Chapters Ezekiel = 48 chapters Each of these needed their own scroll, whereas all 12 of the Minor (must shorter) could fit together on 1 scroll.

39. Isaiah • Most quoted book in the NT • 1st Isaiah (1-39) about the actual Isaiah • 2nd Isaiah (49-55), anonymous prophet living near the end of the Babylonian Period and beginning of the Persian Period. Contains the Servant Songs. • 3rd Isaiah (56-66) collected by disciples of the prophet; likely written from Jerusalem after the Exile. Emphasizes the Temple and invites all nations to join Israel

40. Ezekiel • Living in Babylon before the Fall of Jerusalem in 587. Some elite Jews were exiled first. Contemporary of Jeremiah, but in different cities. • Before Fall Message: Jerusalem will be destroyed because they have disobeyed the demands of God in the Law. After this, hope that God will restore Israel once it turns back. (Doom) • After Fall Message: God is still with the people, even in exile, and will bring them back to Jerusalem if they remain loyal and hopeful (Hope)

41. Jeremiah Prophet with a God problem or the weeping prophet Message: You are all horrible people and need to be better or God is going to destroy you all.

42. Minor Prophets

44. Zephaniah Between the early and late period of prophecy • Very short, don’t know much about him • His books reflects the reign of Manasseh when apostasy was high • Believes that Assyria is in decline but that another purging will occur • Message: “Day of the Lord” will sweep over Jerusalem, destroying them all, only after this would a remnant of Judah be able to rebuild if they returned to the Law and God

45. Malachi An anonymous author: Name means “my messenger.” Right before 455 BC Message: Leveled sharp criticism against the priests and rulers of the people. This is after the Jewish people have returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. For Christians: Made this the last book of the OT because it ends with “Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, Before the day of the Lord comes.” This is directly quoted by the gospels in regard to John the Baptist who is presented as Elijah returning to make straight the way of the Lord.

46. Basic Themes of the Prophets • Destruction is imminent. REPENT. • Imminent destruction is part of God’s Plan • Destruction is because of intolerable religious and social corruption The patience of the God of Israel is not endless. At some point, God will act. God desires basic human decency and goodness over sacrifice, religiosity, or ritual.

47. Prophetic Principle • God desires justice. God’s patience can only be stretched so far. People are required to identify and correct situations of injustice. • This is why Judaism has traditionally been part of every justice movement. Their God holds them to a high standard.