Daily Divinity Questions and Answers with Witness Dingani

QN "Elijah and Amos were influenced by their backgrounds " Examine this view? (25)-pt 80

Divinity Revision Questionsn| 23 July 2016

COMMENT OVERVIEW
 - The above question might be known by so many students but it has challenged most of the students. We hope that the author will be able to shed more light .Elijah is believed to have originated from Tishbe and he prophesied during the reign of King Ahab whereas Amos came from Southern Kingdom and he prophesied in Israel during the reign of Jeroboam 2.
 - The background of Elijah it's clear whereas of Amos it's moot .So many scholars submitted that Amos was poor however some have declined the view due to many reasons .The argument supporting the view will be fully shown on the ongoing article .

ANSWERS ELIJAH'S PART
 - Elijah came from Tishbe in Gilead, Dr Thomas Constable submitted that it was between Bethel and Jordan .Scholar Boshoff submitted that people of Tishbe were to conservative to the Mosaic covenant. They also believe that this was the last sect to abandon the Mosaic covenant. In other words this mean that Elijah was overcrowded by the principles of the Mosaic covenant [we all know the principles of revolution] .This might be the reason why Elijah when he went  to Israel where they greatly violated the Mosaic covenant he reacted ,this is evidenced by fighting for worshipping of one God [The Mt Carmel Contest  1st Kings 18:28-40] As such, one will be forced to conclude that Elijah might have been influenced by the background.
 - Elijah confronted Ahab who was violating the Mosaic covenant ,some scholars believe that the prophetic guilds were poor in Ancient East .Elijah associating with them mean that he was also poor this can be supported by his lifestyle [eating locust, wild honey]was common to the poor (Dr Constable ).This might mean that Elijah was against the idea of oppressing the disadvantaged ,this  can be supported by the following story [The story of Naboth and his vineyard which is recorded in 1st Kings 21:1 is well known ].As such this justify the view that Elijah might have been influenced by his background.

 - There are so many points which can be added

AMOS'S PART
 - Amos is believed to be poor by so many authors and authoress, however Dr Thomas Constable has argued that Amos wasn't poor because he was a subsistence farmer ,also considering the view that he might be involved in trade [Note this is not the crust of the essay] He knew the injustice which was prevailing among the Israelites .He was aware of unfair prizes in markets ,thus leading him to condemn the Israelites. This is evidenced in Amos 2:6. Therefore, this will lead one to conclude that Amos might have been influenced by the background.

 - Amos as a farmer  knew the conditions needed by the crops ,he might have been also  aware about the weather patterns .The dangers of receiving less rainfall whilst the plants will be needing enough rainfall ,as such this led him to deliver the message  using the smiles and metaphors in line with the rainfall season .For instance Amos 5:8 "He …. who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name" As such this will lead one to suggest that Amos might have been influenced by the background.

N.B More points can be added .

HOWEVER PART
 - In as much as it can be said that Amos and Elijah were influenced by their backgrounds, one will be short sighted if the writer ignore the other side of the coin .It can be argued that Elijah and Amos were not influenced by their backgrounds considering the definition of a prophet :J Thompson define a prophet as a messenger of God ,therefore, it is beyond no doubt that Elijah and Amos acted as the messengers of God .What they performed does not necessarily mean they were influenced by their backgrounds but accomplishing their mission. Therefore, this disqualify the above notion

QUESTION DEMANDS
 - Justify the above statement

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