had on the people and from these effects one is able to draw conclusions and implications. “A greater understanding of the contexts behind prophetic complaints against injustice might not only lead to a greater understanding of the world of those that wrote these texts, it could also reveal connections between ancient and modern cases of economic oppression.”48
The insistence on prophetic justice carries with it a passion that is predicated on the partiality of God with regard to the care of the oppressed. It is not a dispassionate approach or as some would argue, sticking to objectivity and the established legal procedures. This kind of prophetic justice does force us to step away from the more secure space of doing what is narrowly construed as objective, knowing that objectivity in this regard is practically impossible, and not indeed a virtue for which to strive.
Justice represented as a blindfolded virgin, while conveying the essential thought of the rightful caution of the mind against illusions and partiality of the heart, conceives of the process of justice as mechanical process, as if the life of man was devoid of individuality and uniqueness and could be adequately understood in terms of inexorable generalizations. There is a point at which strict justice is unjust.49
“Strict justice” as Heschel observes invariably upholds the status quo and a pronounced sense of order, and in a sense is an official conduit for injustice. What we have in the Hebrew prophet as spokesperson for YHWH is that injustice cannot be taken as a normal part of the human landscape, and cannot be accepted as simply the way things are. “Progressive justice activists frame their understanding inclusively, while conservatives frame it exclusively . . . Progressive prophetic activism is characterized by its concern for the other, for those who are marginalized. In the midst of the chaos and pain of the present, prophetic politics envisions an altered future in which human relationship to one another and their natural order are repaired.”50 One of the issues in the exploration of socio-political and economic injustices and exploitation in Hebrew prophets is the fact that it is not always clear as to who the perpetrators and the victims are. In particular a number of texts in the Eighth-Century prophets that have become standards for speaking to the injustices in ancient Israel are without identities of subjects and objects. While this may be true in general, it is the case in some instances that one is able to extrapolate from the text the identity of the perpetrators. Both Isaiah (5:22–23) and Amos (4:4–6) indict those whose heroics and bravery are in drinking wine and mixing drinks. This kind of courage and heroics stand in sharp contrast to the taking of bribes, acquitting the guilty, and depriving the innocent of their rights. In this instance the focus is on the Judges who have the responsibility and power to ensure that the innocent are not deprived of their rights. This is where the courage and the heroics should be, but the bribes taken by the judges crush the poor and innocent and provide the necessary lifestyle of the powerful. So who are the people responsible—the nobility, the haughty, those entrusted with the execution of justice, those who are deceitful, those who have replaced divine wisdom with their own, indeed all the people, the throngs. Not only will those in power, but everyone will be held responsible.51
The prophet knows that he must deliver the message, but he also wants to know the degree and the length of the devastation; and there is no taking joy in the suffering of the people and the devastation of the land, despite the ruinous behavior of the people, is not part of the prophet’s constitution. To place an exclamation to the level of devastation, even a hint of life that might be left will be destroyed. It is noteworthy that the punishment is not only focused on the people and the lack of healing that will not be afforded to them, but the ravishing of the land, and every sign of hope. For the land itself, it will be a long time before healing will come; the devastation will be complete. The land, and the houses and the cities will be no waiting for the people to inhabit them again. Instead, everything will be crushed and there will not be joy and enjoyment of the wealth and power that had been gained at the expense of those members whose very lives have been crushed for their personal gain. It is tempting to take this text as something of an anomaly, and thus view it more as an exception, but in fact it is no exception. Indeed seven centuries after the prophet spoke these words that hearken to a punishment of unprecedented proportions, such words would again be voiced, in connection with Jesus. When society arrives at a point where the very elements of our ancient counterparts that invariably defined life then for many, and life today for others are cast aside or made irrelevant and understand self-determination in the narrowest way regardless of God, while simultaneously immersing in the liturgy of self indulgence, then the devastation meted out will be equally severe. It was difficult to comprehend then, in the time of Jesus, and equally today, but the truth of the prophetic words has, and will continue to stand the test of time.
Some who see the role of the prophet as a matter of moral superiority, and who believe that they are there to proclaim an ideological message to uphold certain personal agenda, or a particular project, do so at their own peril: they do so at the expense of the text and the core of the prophetic inheritance. The task of the prophet today is not to re-create contemporary society to fit the biblical world, and so erroneously conclude that if it does not fit, then the word is not relevant. The manner in which the message of the Hebrew prophets are appropriated and applied today does not necessarily depend on the manner in which the message was applied in the days of ancient Israel. Indeed the meaning of the message is not inextricably tethered to the circumstances of ancient Israel. Of course, having said this, it is incumbent upon modern interpreters to be acutely cognizant of the history of the prophetic words and as much as possible the broad landscape of the issues of the prophets’ time. Rather, the contemporary prophetic voice is called upon to do something even more challenging, namely re-imagine the world. The relevancy of the prophetic message does not depend on the world of the Hebrew Bible. Moreover, as were the prophets of ancient times, those who speak the prophetic word today cannot, and indeed must not be beholden to any group or person, ideology or institution. Does this perhaps make for a difficult life? Invariably so. Yet, such an enticing temptation must be resisted.
It is not possible to have a prophetic voice without causing a measure of offense. Even those who may benefit from the pronouncements of the prophet might be suspect and fearful about what change may come, and what pain they may experience as a consequence. It is more than likely that the prophet will bear a great burden precisely because she/he will be the only one upon whom scorn and ridicule might be cast. Ultimately, this might not be much of a comfort to the one who speaks with a prophetic voice.
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