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A'Level: Daily Divinity Questions and Answers with Witness Dingani
30 Jun 2016 at 01:50hrs | Views
A Level Divinity Paper 1| Revision Questions | 2016 30 June
QN "Prophecy might have originated in Israel" Examine this view? (25)
- The question is bit controversial, this is due to number of theories which have been brought forward by different Old Testament Commentators in trying to trace where exact prophecy might have originated earlier.
The above question has given lot of people problems and I hope the writer will do justice on this ongoing article.
ANSWERS
PROPHECY MIGHT HAVE ORIGINATED IN ISRAEL.
- The first argument is that Abraham the father of all nations is regarded as a prophet in Genesis 20:7 for interceding for Abimelech.
".. for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live.."
-The above text proves that Abraham was a prophet.
-The above view is well supported by Traditional theory. In other words this means that prophecy was part and parcel of Israelites, hence, it originated in Israel.
-B.W Anderson define a prophet as someone who communicate the will of God .This definition qualifies Abraham as a prophet. - Moses is regarded as the father of all prophets in Due 18:18 & Due 18:34.
Due 18:18 "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among your…". Due 34:10 "And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses which I knew face to face"
The above text indicate that prophecy originated among Israelites and Moses being the originator,this has been further supported by Grossman who submitted that when we talk of Old testament we are talking about the prophet Moses, this means that without Moses there would have no Old testament, hence,Moses played significant role, as such one can conclude that prophecy originated among Israelites and with Moses
- Samuel has been further regarded as the first prophet, the evolutionary theory scholars regards Samuel as the first prophet because in 1Samuel 9:7-9 is labelled as seer and it is recorded that seer was an old title of a prophet. In other words Samuel was the first prophet.
-Their argument about Moses and Abraham is that, it might be the works of Deuteronomists historians who exaggerated their prophetic duties, hence, they were not prophets. ~during the exodus event Israel was not yet an historical nation
- Israelites experienced ecstasy, J Lindblom submitted that inspiration "ecstasy" was one of the earliest forms of prophecy. In other words anyone who experienced ecstasy was regarded as a prophet. ~Abraham experienced ecstasy when he encountered deep sleep "tardema" in Genesis 15:12.The deep sleep has been interpreted as "tardema" word tardema has been interpreted as ecstasy by Wood. In other words Abraham regardless that he received a call or experienced visions he can be regarded as a prophet.
~The seventy elders in Numbers 11:22 prophesy ecstatically and once after being possessed by the spirit of God, Scholar Lois submitted that prophesying once its called administrative type of prophecy. In other words this proves to us that prophecy was part and parcel of the lives of the Israelites, hence, it originated in Israelite. The following biblical extract will support the above view.
Number 11:25 "…. and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more"
- Prophecy of the Israelites was unique, this simply means that the Israelites practised their own type of prophecy which is not recorded to have been existed among the surrounding nations. For instance Israel prophets received calls(Exodus 3:1), fought for monotheism and Yahwehism(Exodus 32:20 & 1 Kings 18:32-42) advised Kings, anointed judges and interceding .As such this shows us ,prophecy might have originated in Israel as they practised their own type of prophecy.
- Miriam and Aaron where also regarded as prophets [Exo 15:20 and Exo 7:1]
- Basing on the above arguments one will be tempted to suggest that prophecy originated in Israel.
- As much it can be pointed out that prophecy might have originated in Israel, it will be inaccurate if one ignore the other theories.
PROPHECY BEING BORROWED BY ISRAEL FROM SURROUNDING NATIONS
- Due to number of similarities between Israel prophecy and that of surrounding nations, many scholars have been tempted to conclude that Israel might have copied prophecy.
- These nations include Arabia, Mesapotamia,Asia-minor, Egypt, Canaan and Phoenicia
- In this article I won't write much information on the arguments pertaining the above named nations.
ARABIA
-Scholar Cornil submitted that prophecy might have been borrowed by Israel from Arabia, He went on to state that the name of a prophet "Nabi" is derived from Arabian language. In Israel we understand that Israel prophets were regarded as "Nabi",As such this has led moot among scholars, but some have went on to conclude that Israel copied the name of a prophet and its prophecy as well ,hence,prophecy originated in Arabia.
NB.The other nations which the writer ignored will be available on the next work. But you can still add them.
PROPHECY AROSE SIMULTANEOUSLY
- It can be also argued that prophecy arose simultaneously among all Ancient Near East Countries ,the reason being that since all Ancient countries were sharing same culture it might happen that when prophecy originated in Egypt it also arose in Canaan,Israel, Arabia at the same time through the process of diffusion.
~We all know how does the process of diffusion happen. Generally perfume spray can be an example.
QUESTION DEMANDS
Justify the view ,Using writer's angle it can be argued that prophecy originated among the Israelites since the arguments supporting the theory far outweigh other theories.
CONTACTS
+263777896159 (WhatsApp)
Zimsec A level Divinity Questions and Answers with Witness Dingani (Facebook page)
To subscribe for Daily Divinity Questions and Answers with Witness Dingani use the above contacts.
"Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion." Tony
QN "Prophecy might have originated in Israel" Examine this view? (25)
- The question is bit controversial, this is due to number of theories which have been brought forward by different Old Testament Commentators in trying to trace where exact prophecy might have originated earlier.
The above question has given lot of people problems and I hope the writer will do justice on this ongoing article.
ANSWERS
PROPHECY MIGHT HAVE ORIGINATED IN ISRAEL.
- The first argument is that Abraham the father of all nations is regarded as a prophet in Genesis 20:7 for interceding for Abimelech.
".. for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live.."
-The above text proves that Abraham was a prophet.
-The above view is well supported by Traditional theory. In other words this means that prophecy was part and parcel of Israelites, hence, it originated in Israel.
-B.W Anderson define a prophet as someone who communicate the will of God .This definition qualifies Abraham as a prophet. - Moses is regarded as the father of all prophets in Due 18:18 & Due 18:34.
Due 18:18 "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among your…". Due 34:10 "And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses which I knew face to face"
The above text indicate that prophecy originated among Israelites and Moses being the originator,this has been further supported by Grossman who submitted that when we talk of Old testament we are talking about the prophet Moses, this means that without Moses there would have no Old testament, hence,Moses played significant role, as such one can conclude that prophecy originated among Israelites and with Moses
- Samuel has been further regarded as the first prophet, the evolutionary theory scholars regards Samuel as the first prophet because in 1Samuel 9:7-9 is labelled as seer and it is recorded that seer was an old title of a prophet. In other words Samuel was the first prophet.
-Their argument about Moses and Abraham is that, it might be the works of Deuteronomists historians who exaggerated their prophetic duties, hence, they were not prophets. ~during the exodus event Israel was not yet an historical nation
- Israelites experienced ecstasy, J Lindblom submitted that inspiration "ecstasy" was one of the earliest forms of prophecy. In other words anyone who experienced ecstasy was regarded as a prophet. ~Abraham experienced ecstasy when he encountered deep sleep "tardema" in Genesis 15:12.The deep sleep has been interpreted as "tardema" word tardema has been interpreted as ecstasy by Wood. In other words Abraham regardless that he received a call or experienced visions he can be regarded as a prophet.
~The seventy elders in Numbers 11:22 prophesy ecstatically and once after being possessed by the spirit of God, Scholar Lois submitted that prophesying once its called administrative type of prophecy. In other words this proves to us that prophecy was part and parcel of the lives of the Israelites, hence, it originated in Israelite. The following biblical extract will support the above view.
Number 11:25 "…. and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more"
- Prophecy of the Israelites was unique, this simply means that the Israelites practised their own type of prophecy which is not recorded to have been existed among the surrounding nations. For instance Israel prophets received calls(Exodus 3:1), fought for monotheism and Yahwehism(Exodus 32:20 & 1 Kings 18:32-42) advised Kings, anointed judges and interceding .As such this shows us ,prophecy might have originated in Israel as they practised their own type of prophecy.
- Basing on the above arguments one will be tempted to suggest that prophecy originated in Israel.
- As much it can be pointed out that prophecy might have originated in Israel, it will be inaccurate if one ignore the other theories.
PROPHECY BEING BORROWED BY ISRAEL FROM SURROUNDING NATIONS
- Due to number of similarities between Israel prophecy and that of surrounding nations, many scholars have been tempted to conclude that Israel might have copied prophecy.
- These nations include Arabia, Mesapotamia,Asia-minor, Egypt, Canaan and Phoenicia
- In this article I won't write much information on the arguments pertaining the above named nations.
ARABIA
-Scholar Cornil submitted that prophecy might have been borrowed by Israel from Arabia, He went on to state that the name of a prophet "Nabi" is derived from Arabian language. In Israel we understand that Israel prophets were regarded as "Nabi",As such this has led moot among scholars, but some have went on to conclude that Israel copied the name of a prophet and its prophecy as well ,hence,prophecy originated in Arabia.
NB.The other nations which the writer ignored will be available on the next work. But you can still add them.
PROPHECY AROSE SIMULTANEOUSLY
- It can be also argued that prophecy arose simultaneously among all Ancient Near East Countries ,the reason being that since all Ancient countries were sharing same culture it might happen that when prophecy originated in Egypt it also arose in Canaan,Israel, Arabia at the same time through the process of diffusion.
~We all know how does the process of diffusion happen. Generally perfume spray can be an example.
QUESTION DEMANDS
Justify the view ,Using writer's angle it can be argued that prophecy originated among the Israelites since the arguments supporting the theory far outweigh other theories.
CONTACTS
+263777896159 (WhatsApp)
Zimsec A level Divinity Questions and Answers with Witness Dingani (Facebook page)
To subscribe for Daily Divinity Questions and Answers with Witness Dingani use the above contacts.
"Stop chasing the money and start chasing the passion." Tony
Source - Witness Dingani
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