The Message of the Exilic Prophets for Our Day

Abstract

A NY DISCUSSION of the exilic prophets entails at the outset a critical problem, for who were they? Obviously this is no place to revive the arguments that have been hotly debated for more than a dozen years. Instead a certain amount of dogmatism is dictated by the nature of our task. One must assume the position that commends itself to his best judgment and then proceed. For our purposes the exilic prophets are primarily Ezekiel and Second Isaiah. Even so, the end of difficulties is not yet, for it is now freely admitted that the Book of Ezekiel is composite; but no one has secured any general agreement as to its analysis. Equally the limits of Second Isaiah are a contentious issue. We shall attempt, then, to confine our attention to such passages as seem generally accepted. In case this self-imposed limitation is exceeded, then it is hoped that at least the selection will not transgress the recognized content of thought of either prophet. It is now rather generally recognized that, contrary to common tradition, Ezekiel began his work in Jerusalem. The date of this beginning is not certain, but at least he worked there through much of the reign of Zedekiah; and a large portion of his more familiar oracles were delivered there. It will thus be apparent not alone that his work overlapped in time that of Jeremiah, but also that he was with him in the narrow confines of Jerusalem through those tragic years. The two must have known each other well. Indeed the Book of Ezekiel bears many marks of the younger prophet's indebtedness to his famous contemporary. But these were not the sole religious leadership of Jerusalem and Judah. The books of both prophets bear testimony to the numbers of prophets and other self-appointed guides who made their bid for the allegiance of the people. The ideas they advocated seem to have covered much of the