"From Judgment to Hope" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: From Judgment to Hope: A Study on the Prophets
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2019, (140 pages).

What comes to mind when we think about the biblical prophets? Perhaps, a cursory reading might make the reader think that they were mere judgment prophets, always giving bad news to kings and leaders of corrupt nations. While they do pronounce judgments from God on evil kings, they are also prophets of hope, and in the words of the author, they are "emancipated imaginers of alternative." This vision of hope per se needs something else: Their realization from loss to restoration. Thus, the main thrusts of the prophetical books are two-fold: 1) "from judgment to hope"; 2) "from loss to restoration." Not only is this the prophetic thrust, it is also the gospel emphasis as stated in the Eucharist: "Christ has died. Christ is risen, Christ will come again." The prophets are more than mere judgment or statements of hope. It is the whole revelation of God from judgment to redemption; and from loss to restoration. What a holistic view of the prophets. Filled with gems for interpretation and many insights to the major and minor prophets, readers are in for a treat in this book.


According to author Walter Brueggemann, there are three contexts to be aware of when reading the prophets. First, we need to understand the "historical contexts." This is especially important as many of us are reading off the lens of the modern world and would find the ancient world foreign and unfamiliar. This requires some knowledge of geography, cultural differences, vocabulary, and where needed archaeology and historical backgrounds. Second, there is the "canonical contexts," something many people have unwittingly left out. This is linking together the books to form a bigger picture of God's revelation. There is a pattern of how the major prophets are connected to the minor prophets. Themes can also be drawn from such contexts leading to multiple insights about God's message. Third, there is the "contemporary context" in which we find some relevance of ancient biblical texts to our modern world. This is an area that demands "prophetic imagination," an idea made popular by the author himself. The book is framed as follows.

1. Introduction to the Prophets
2. The Three Major Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel
3. First Isaiah (chapters 1-39)
4. Second Isaiah (chapters 40-66)
5. The Twelve Minor Prophets
6. Three Important Minor Prophets (Hosea, Amos, and Micah)
7. Three Persian Era Prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi)
8. Miscellaneous

Written like a handbook for preachers and teachers of the Bible, this book is a fine resource for background check and introductory material presentation. Readers will unlikely to feel overwhelmed. Instead, the simplicity of presentation encourages readers not to be afraid to tackle the teaching of the prophetical books, something many people have shunned thinking they are too hard to understand, let alone be preached on. Some have also avoided the prophets altogether, choosing to let the "experts" do all the talking and speaking. That should not be the case. If the Bible is God's Word, then all of the Bible should be preached.

The careful reader might be asking: What about Daniel? The co-author to the Introduction, Patricia Tull comments that "Daniel was not considered a prophetic book, and it differs substantially in form, content, and message). With one simple sentence, it was left out. Honestly, if we are looking at the prophetical books from a "canonical context" perspective, it would be hard to ignore Daniel altogether. So, this is something disputable.

My Thoughts
There are three things I like about the book. First, it is written by one of the most respected teachers of the Old Testament. In order to produce something simple to understand, one needs to be bold to know what to include and what to exclude. Moreover, as a seasoned preacher himself, Brueggemann is able to connect rhetoric with theological insights in a way that communicates clearly to readers. Clarity and structure are two of the most important handles needed to encourage the study of the prophets. The author has done that very well here.

Second, Brueggemann focuses on key prophets to describe. This is a wise move because of the overwhelming number of prophets in the Bible. While the central themes are similar, their personalities are different. This is something useful for small groups wanting to study the prophets. While the verse-by-verse methodology has been advocated by evangelicals, it is important not to become trapped in the methodology per se. Many ancient prophetical literature tend to be repetitive, and this may bore, or put off modern readers. If Bible study leaders fail to focus sufficiently on key themes, they may cause members of the study group to lose interest.

Finally, I appreciate the resources toward the end of the book. The "Brief Summary" of each prophetic book enables us to give a birds-eye view for our students and congregations. The table of approximate timelines helps us visualize the coming and going of each prophet in history. Some well known quotations from each prophet are included to whet our appetite. Then, there is the glossary of terms to help us make sense of some of the more technical terms used in the book. This shows us that the author is a seasoned teacher who understands the pedagogical challenges of students.

If you are afraid of digging deeper into the prophets, let this book be your guide to banish such fears.

Walter Brueggemann is currently the William Marcellus McPheeters professor emeritus of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary. Some of his famous works include "The Prophetic Imagination," "Message of the Psalms," and his magnus opus "Theology of the Old Testament." Patricia Tull is A.B. Rhodes Professor Emerita of Old Testament at Louisville Seminary, and currently serves as Program Director for Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light in Indiana.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Westminster John Knox Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.