[.uk] The Prophets (ISBN 1598561812)

Amazon.com Review:
According to the popular definition, a prophet is one who accurately predicts the future. But in the Jewish tradition, as Abraham Joshua Heschel explains in The Prophets, these figures earn their title by witnessing the world around them with outstanding passion. Prophets are those whose "life and soul are at stake" in what they say about "the mystery of (God's) relation to man." They are "some of the most disturbing people who have ever lived," and yet they are also "the men whose image is our refuge in distress, and whose voice and vision sustain our faith." Heschel's book, one of the classic texts on the subject, contains sophisticated, straightforward discussions of each of the Hebrew prophets, the primary themes of their preaching, and comparisons of Israel's prophets to those of other religions'. Throughout, Heschel avoids the two great temptations in any discussion of prophesy: overstating the supernatural quality of a prophet's epiphany ("A prophet is a person, not a microphone"), and reducing prophesy to a merely human phenomenon. Instead, Heschel describes the prophet's peculiar status as God's spokesman in a way that does justice to its complexity: "He speaks from the perspective of God as perceived from the perspective of his own situation." --Michael Joseph Gross

Interesting Literary Implications from Theology:
This is one of the most interesting books I've read in my life. I am particularly interested in the relationship between the sacred and the secular and using one to illuminate the other. Most writers tend to lean too heavily on one and too heavily against the other. While Abraham Heschel is clear in his beliefs, his faith does not prevent him from thinking about the secular world in ways that enhance my understanding of both the sacred and the secular. While these books (actually a two volume set in one cover) specifically address the Prophets of the Old Testament, Heschel constantly explores the prophet construct through virtually every useful idea in human intellectual history. This is more than a biography of the Prophets, but rather a deep examination of what the concept "prophet" means and how it compares and contrasts with other religious, ethical, spiritual, and humanistic perspectives. If you view theology and faith through the lens of someone like Christopher Hitchens (whose current 2007 atheist manifesto and sacred attack is a bestseller now), then "The Prophets" is probably a book you wouldn't like because its foundation is folly, fatuous, and infamous. If, however, you can think about the sacred and the secular - like Fitzgerald's genius who can hold opposing ideas in his head simultaneously - you might find this one of the most interesting books you've ever read. In the same vein of the sacred-secular contrast, the latest books by the late Philip Rieff might also be interesting to you. Check out "Charisma" and "My Life Among the Deathworks."

The prophets:
The Prophets is a classic & has been of great benefit to a class I'm taking on the subject.

The Prophets:
This book is very intense and detailed. It takes complete concentration to stay with the author. I have not finished it as yet but need to take my time to understand all that is written. Word by word. Sentence by sentence. It is a wonderful awe inspiring book. That is why I bought it even though I am not Jewish. All Christians and non-christians should read and understand what is being taught.

A master work:
Heschel is undoubtedly one of the greatest interpreters of Judaism in the 20th century. Philosophically deep and yet profoundly meditative, his poetic prose makes for a genuine spirirtual masterpiece. The book appeals to a Christian as well as the Jewish audience.

Illuminating and comforting:
Heschel aimed at illuminating the consciousness of the Israelite prophets, explaining their uniqueness in history and establishing the fundamental attitudes of prophetic religion. He identifies their major trait as a profound sensitivity to evil. This means complete intolerance to injustice and indifference, often expressed in harsh language. The soul of the prophet resonated to a frequency that heard the cry of the afflicted. He protested vehemently, driven by compassion. In addition, the prophets fiercely repudiated mankind's subservience to might. They held up the moral law in the place of force. This was rare for their time - a view of violence as obscene and an insistence on sympathy and care for the weak. The theme that might is not right is inherent in their message. Unlike the lofty metaphysicians they focused on the everyday, the way people treat one another. Heschel looks at individual prophets like Amos, who in his concern for Israel's neighbors showed that God cared for all people. Hosea proclaimed that Israel is God's consort, the first Isaiah warned against foreign alliances while denouncing obstinacy and pride, while Micah distilled the essence of true worship: do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with the Divine. Gentle by nature, Jeremiah's anguish becomes clear as he had to convey messages of anger and suffering. The first Isaiah and Habbakuk spoke of ultimate redemption through an outpouring of the Spirit whilst the second Isaiah emphasized God's eternal love for Israel, His concern for all mankind and the concept of Israel as a light to the nations. The author shows that the prophets were torn in anguish between compassion for mankind and sympathy for God, acting as advocate for the one to the other. They constantly intervened, imploring mercy for the people whilst warning the powerful in explosive language against their abuse of power, and admonishing the whole nation for its lack of empathy. To quote Heschel: `The opposite of freedom is not determinism, but hardness of heart.' It emerges that judgment is never final, that the gate of repentance remains open and that there is sorrow in the anger of the Lord. History is where justice suffers defeat but the prophets predicted future peace and salvation. Over and over they emphasized that kindness took precedence over wisdom, wealth or might. More than strict justice only, righteousness encompasses loving concern. The prophets proclaimed the divine pathos, revealing that the great judge is our Father too. This captivating and completely unique work succeeds in making many things clear, on both a mental and emotional level. Written in graceful prose, the concepts are easy to understand while Heschel's words speak to the heart. The Prophets is one of the most moving and comforting books I have ever read.