Abstract This paper takes a look at the use of prophets in the Islamic religion. Islamic tradition numbers over two dozen figures sent to particular peoples, including David, Solomon, Noah, and Jonah,as well as the Arabian figures Hud, Salih, and Shuayb. The paper shows that all of them are ?prophets? commissioned to warn their people: some are in addition "messengers" to whom scriptures are revealed. All prophets and messengers experienced initial rejection at the hands of their people, and some were killed .In every instance, God dealt harshly with the people. The paper also looks at the rights the Prophets were given, such as adherence and submission. The essay frequently quotes the Islamic holy textures.
From the Paper "According to Islam when God appoints His prophet, in order to establish his identity and prophethood, the prophet is endowed with power to manifest a miracle and through it convince the people. We see that the miracle of each Prophet has been in accordance with the art and sciences of his time."
Abstract The role of a prophet in society has often been questioned and misunderstood. Prophets are often seen as peculiar people who receive divine inspiration. The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether a prophet is always inspired. It defines prophetic inspiration and the function of a prophet and focuses on how to distinguish between prophecy that is inspired and prophecy that is uninspired.
Outline
Introduction
Prophetic Inspiration
Are All Prophets Inspired?
Conclusion
From the Paper "It is important to keep in mind that prophets are people and that they can misinterpret God's words or operate out of their own desires. Although there were many prophets that were inspired by God throughout the Bible, there were also false prophets and prophets that were not always inspired by God. A book entitled, The Prophets: Their Personalities and Teachings explains that the false prophets were actually nothing more than soothsayers, traveling the country in groups and were paid to make predictions. The bible refers to these soothsayers as the prophets of Baal. Throughout the bible, there are some distinguishing characteristics of false prophets and real prophets. For instance, the book reports that the false prophets traveled in groups or gangs. (Cohon) On the other hand, the true prophets "Stood alone". "
Abstract In understanding the importance of the prophet in shaping the relationship between God and his chosen people, the idea of covenant is central. The words and acts of the prophets spoke to individuals as well as national governments using harsh criticism, wonderfully complex illusions and metaphors and always concluding their message with reconciliation and covenant love. Several prophets are also examined to identify the continuity of God's message and the prophetic style.
From the Paper "An inner compulsion to speak that is unique to all other experiences was seen to be a direct result of God's intervention. He goes on to describe visions he saw and how they represented the conflict of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. The Lord promises to deliver Jerusalem from the attack by the Northern Kingdom of Judea. Later in chapter 20, Jeremiah describes how painful it is to speak out against his own people. He is a laughingstock and many people denounce him. He says to himself that he will speak no more and then, ?it becomes like a fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it.?(v.9). Jeremiah knows that God is with him through all of this like a best friend. A very powerful best friend who he asks to take vengeance on his persecutors as the Jews perceived God to have done in Egypt.
Within the Deuteronomic theology of retribution, the final word is of compassion. As Jeremiah felt the prophetic call in his heart as an uncontrollable fire, so God is presented as one who is in love with Israel as we would be in love with another. "
Abstract This paper explains that Micah, Isaiah, Amos and Hosea, usually referred to as the minor prophets, were biblical realists, trapped in a faithless and dangerous world in which they lived and worked. The author points out that these four prophets, whose words of wisdom can be found in their various books in the Old Testament, lived their entire lives in a tightly-knit social culture in which the behaviors of their fellow men and women often bordered upon debauchery and much sinning. The paper stresses that, in the world of these four prophets, constantly disrupted by economic, political and social conflicts, a new vitality was created, which gave rise to a great sense of unity within their social settings. The author discuses the life and contribution of each prophet.
From the Paper "To Amos, Israel, which he often referred to as Ephraim, was a nation made up of God's chosen people whom He loved and admired for their courage and internal strength. Hosea's devotion to Israel was, of course, a very natural thing since he was a native of that country. Exactly where he lived or what his occupation was is unknown, but he most probably lived in one of the many northern towns, for his book in the Old Testament does not suggest village life nor that of a farmer. But like Amos, Hosea saw the luxury of the rich and the oppression of the poor and in his speech he denounces both but not in the way of Amos with defiant bitterness."
Abstract This paper answers the question: what does it mean to be a prophet in the Old Testament? It discusses the prophetic roles of animals, dreams, and the weather, as well as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, the most influential prophets of the Old Testament.
Abstract This paper discusses the role of Jesus Christ as a prophet in both the Christian and Moslem religions. Examined are Christ's role as a lawgiver, his prophecies, his relationship with God, and his historical role as the greatest prophet in a long line of Hebrew prophets.
Abstract This paper looks at the role of the prophets Isaiah and Amos in establishing political and religious order in the Israelite kingdom. It discusses that since the prophets believed that the course of history is shaped by the will of God, a violation of Israel's commitment to God would inevitably harm the Israelites. The paper explains how the prophets' role was to insist that the Israelites mend their course of action and maintain their part of the covenant with God; otherwise, as the writings of Amos and Isaiah avow, the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah will be destroyed.
From the Paper "Louisbourg (Nova Scotia, Canada) was constructed as a result of a crisis in French colonial development. France possessed one of the largest colonial empires the world had ever seen. The French colonies stretched from India, the West Indies, into the heart of what is now Canada. France and England had been at war with minor interruptions from 1689-1713. Europe formed a coalition to resist France during the war of the Spanish Succession, which left France both militarily and financially exhausted. "
Abstract The paper discusses the widespread controversies regarding the authorship of Deutoronomy. It is the belief of some that Deutoronomy was once part of the Former Prophets, comprising Joshua through Kings. It shows that according to these scholars Deuteronomy 1:1-4:40 and chapters 29-34 were added by the writer who compiled the history in the Former Prophets, and so the book is used as the preface to what became known as the Deuteronomistic History. The paper explores the themes, history and accuracy of Deuteronomy as well as touches on another controversy, the question of who wrote the Bible.
From the Paper "It is clear from the above that, while the Hebrew Bible in general and the Deuteronomistic History specifically do use historical sources in their compilation, they are ideological rather than historical. In fact, it has been mentioned that the DH was written in the first place to inspire and entice towards worship. The DH is a collection of books concerning the reasons and the manner of worship, as well as the nature of the one God, the one People and the one Faith. Thus, the events of history are also colored by the spirit pervading the particular time of its creation. For this reason many view the DH as literature rather than an accurate depiction of history. This is a strong if controversial tendency in modern studies."
Abstract Both Prophet Amos and Jesus Christ represent a radical demarcation from the Jewish traditional prophecy. This paper discusses how both the prophets criticized the prevailing religious practices and the social order. Jesus and Amos did not belong to a high rank, by profession a carpenter and a sheep herdsman, and never prophesied for money. It explains how, in these two figures, we see a radical stand against rigidity in religion and against traditional beliefs and practices.
From the Paper "Prophets Amos was one of the first Israelite prophets whose words were recorded on a scroll. Amos is also one of the unorthodox figures in the Jewish history and the lineup of the prophets. Amos was a blue collar prophet and unlike many other prophets did not belong to the aristocratic; he earned his living as a "herdsman and dresser of sycamore figs." [Amos 7:14]. In his scriptures he explicitly tells us that he was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, that is, in the professional sense of that term. In Israel many prophets use to prophesize for money and being a prophet was also a profession. Amos was born and grew up in small town Tekoa which was about twelve miles southeast of Jerusalem and five miles south of Bethlehem. We can thus imagine that to the cultured elite of his day Amos was an outcast" who probably spoke with an accent. Amos had no intension of becoming a prophet but he was called by God to do so and this was a difficult job for a herdsman of a small town. Being from the southern kingdom of Judah, Amos had the unenviable task of speaking God's prophetic word to the northern kingdom of Israel. Amos was an unwelcome outsider and therefore was forced out of town, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.? (Amos 7:13?15)."
Abstract This research paper looks at the role of prophets in the 10th-8th centuries in ancient Israel, primarily during the period of the divided monarchy after King Solomon. The paper looks at the role of prophets as those who were allowed and expected to make sure the covenant with Yahweh was being upheld by the monarchy, and to remove him from power if necessary.
From the Paper "The quote above is the words of Samuel to Saul just before the establishment of the monarchy in Israel in the ninth century BC. Similar words were no doubt said to David who succeeded Saul, and Solomon after him, and to the long series of kings of Israel and Judah that followed, many appointed and sworn to uphold the covenant with Yahweh. The role of the prophets in the choosing of leaders of the ancient Israelites is extremely significant. While the covenant was between the ruler and Yahweh, it was the prophets who anointed and removed the ruler's right to be the protector of the covenant. Because of this power, we can see that the prophets in the ancient Israeli culture had a great deal of control over the kingdoms, perhaps more than the rulers themselves."
Abstract This paper discusses many of the prophecies of the minor prophets in the Bible. It discusses prophecies of Obadiah, Jonah and Nahum and compares their styles and messages. The paper discusses each prophet's circumstances to attempt to understand why they prophesied the way that they did and analyzes some of the language that they use in order to portray their messages.
From the Paper "The book of Nahum addresses in detail the fall of Ninevah, which evokes similar themes that Obadiah addressed such as the sin of pride. More than Edom, though, Ninevah displayed the sin of abject cruelty and godlessness. Nahum declares God's will with authority, asserting that the wrath and vengeance of the Lord will obliterate Ninevah. The prophet relays the word of God: "I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more," (Nahum 2: 13). Nahum's relationship with God seems intimate; he speaks as a translator for God's word and unlike Jonah he is not self-referential. However, Nahum weaves his own commentary between his direct quotes from the Lord."
Abstract This paper explains that even taking an exegetical approach that considers the Hebrew prophets outside of biographical and historical information, it is clear that they had certain standards of justice and righteousness, which targeted an oppressive social hierarchy, particularly those in power in Israel. The books of the prophets Isaiah, Micah, and Zephaniah, the author points out, denounce this leadership as being materialistic and promote the idea that righteousness and just action are prerequisites to material wealth. The paper illustrates these conclusions by using the biblical verses themselves thus relying only secondarily on historical and biographical information.
From the Paper "Note in the above passage that the prophet provides an alternative to materialistic corruption. This provides a clue to what Isaiah considered to be the positive characteristics of justice and righteousness and stands in direct contrast to the negative denunciations that comprise much of the book. Victor H. Matthews offers a list of considerations for which Isaiah deems Israel and Judah to be ruined in chapter five: "These injustices include depriving the poor of their lands by creating huge estates (5:8), drunkenness and self-indulgent living (5:11-12), public deception by the leaders (5:18-21) and bribery (5:23).""
Tags: righteousness, social hierarchy, materialistic corruption, disobedience
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to briefly introduce, discuss and analyze the prophet Isaiah as he appears in the Old Testament of the Bible.
From the Paper "Isaiah lived about 700 years before Jesus in Israel, during the reign of four different kings, and during a time of great unrest in the country. God sends him to help mend the Israelites ways, because they are facing a war with Assyria, and they have stopped worshipping God, they have become self-centered and preoccupied with their own lives, and they are sinners"
This paper reviews ?The Prophet?, by Gibran Kahlil Gibran, whose influence as a poet, social commentator, and philosopher makes him one of the most famous writers in modern history.
Abstract This paper explains that Gibran's early books, written in Arabic, are full of anger and rebellion and express the sadness of a lonely soul; but, later in his life, Gibran's changed view expresses a tender and benevolent view of life as he demonstrates in his masterpiece, ?The Prophet?. The author argues that Gibran is teaching the reader that, without suffering, a person can never truly love and live life; without this pain, man would only live halfway. This paper relates that the book is not only a lesson that pain and happiness exist together, but also a guidebook for living life.
From the Paper "In the last chapter of the book, Gibran writes about Almustafa's farewell to the people of Orphalese and passage into the next world, or death. In this chapter, Almustafa tells the people that he is moving on past death into the next level of existence and he thanks them for teaching him. At this point in the story, his teachings address the idea of man being one with God and death as being a "stepping-stone" to living in the next life.
Gibran writes, ?There are no graves here. These mountains and plains are a cradle and a stepping-stone.? (The Prophet, p.87). Gibran adds, ?You are not enclosed within your bodies, nor confined to houses or fields. That which is you dwells above the mountain and roves with the wind. It is not a thing that crawls into the sun for warmth or digs holes into darkness for safety, but a thing free, a spirit that envelopes the earth and moves in the ether.? "
Abstract This paper discusses the lives of Prophet Muhammad and Jesus Christ and focuses on their teachings. The paper also compares the personalities and teachings of the two religious leaders and discusses important aspects of these in the light of important research sources.
From the Paper "Islam and Christianity are two of the most popular and readily growing religions of the world with the former gaining wider acceptance in some parts of the globe in recent years. Despite the differences in the religious tenets, historians and religious experts maintain there are several similarities between the teachings of Jesus Christ and Prophet Muhammad. However our inability to see those similarities has led to the development of a very hostile relationship between the two religions where followers of each seek to criticize the other for their lack of knowledge and their alleged misinterpretation of divine scriptures. While Muslims have a more tolerant view of Jesus Christ, considering him a prophet of God and showing deep respect for the person himself, Christians have more or less failed to show similar reverence to Prophet Muhammad, often misunderstanding his teachings and calling him prophet of war."
