A overview on the prophetic books in the Bible as they engage with issues of stratification, poverty, wealth and injustice. A related video may be found at https://vimeo.com/236668836

1. A Biblical Theology of Urban Mission
THE PROPHETS: STRATIFICATION AND JUSTICE
K. YOUNG, REVISED VIV GRIGG, 2017

2. Economic Geography of
Urbanization
This is a subfield of a field of knowledge.
Urbanization by definition is the increased densification of a land area.
◦ The number of people and buildings in a space increases as the urban
center(s) grow(s).
◦ This pushes growth of buildings upwards at the center, increasing the desity
per square m and the number of people.
◦ Thus each square meter increases in value.
Fractal geometry can map these dynamics in a city. Chaos theory can
predict the behavior of many participants ending up in definable sets of
variables and multivariate equations that can be plotted. Both create
very pretty and unique shapes. You can generate your own pretty
shaped cities at https://bell345.github.io/proto/ or others.

3. Creative commons licence

4. The Ethics of Urban
Stratification
Ownership of land at various places on the urban map
costs more as one moves towards a dense center.
This leads to stratification of the rich and poor.
◦ What are your thoughts on stratification?
◦ How much inequality is necessary?
◦ What is the smallest difference that can separate those at the top from
those at the bottom?
◦ Must inequality mean an unequal quality?
◦ What role does inheritance play in the allocation of social
place?
◦ Is generation after generation of poverty and privilege an inevitable
aspect of inequality?

5. The Prophets
Subsequent to the reigns of David and Solomon, Israel suffered
unprecedented upheaval:
Political
Military
Economic
Social
Religious

6. The Prophets
Subsequent to the riegns of David and Solomon, Israel suffered
unprecedented upheaval:
Political
Military
Economic
Social
Religious
These issues necessitated
God's Word being
presented anew.

7. The Prophets
God sent the Prophets
God himself was acting: he took the initiative to work through the
prophets.
They were promised (Deut. 18:15-20).
They had a specific task: To enforce the covenent.
Only 16 wrote their oracles as “The Prophets”.
(But they existed prior and after these. Moses was a prophet. As
was John the Baptist, and Agabus and his daughters in Acts).

8. The Prophets
Their message was generally immediate
Less than 2% is Messianic
Less than 5% describes new covenant age
Less than 1% contain events yet to come
They were God’s spokespersons to their own contemporaries.
Addressed current events and events of their immediate future.

9. The Prophets
Biblical prophet’s approach: "see-judge-speak" as opposed to a
"see-judge-act” approach.
Their role was to strike an awareness of the relationship between
the Law and life.
Critical conciousness was aimed primarily at the ruling class, than
the oppressed.
They were God’s instruments to break a culture of silence and
liberate God’s people.

10. The Context
The prophetic books appear in a narrow band of the whole
panorama of israelite history:

11. The Context
The prophetic books appear in a narrow band of the whole
panorama of israelite history:
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Old Testament History

12. The Context
The prophetic books appear in a narrow band of the whole
panorama of israelite history:
760 460
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13. The Context
The prophetic books appear in a narrow band of the whole
panorama of israelite history:
Judgment Blessing
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14. The Settings of the Prophets
800BC 700BC 600BC 500BC 400C
Divided Kingdom Exile in Babylon Return & Restoration
Historical Books
Nehemiah
Chronicles
Esther
2 Kings
Ezra
ISRAEL Menahem 752-742
Kings Pekah 752-732 The Lost Tribes
Jeroboam II 793-753 Hoshea 732-723
Shallum 752 Zechariah II 753-752
Prophets
Amos
JUDAH Israel in Exile
587
Prophets Malachi
Zechariah
Micah Jedekiah557-587 Haggai
Hezekiah 729-687
Kings Jotham 740-732 Ahaz 735-716 Josiah 645
Azariah (Uzziah 791-740 Mannasseh 696-642
Amon 642-641
Jonah?
Hosea
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Daniel
Ezekiel
Obadiah

15. Amos
A sheep farmer and dresser of figs.
Beside Jonah, the only prophet to sent to another country.
Spoke out plainly against a stratified society that oppressed
the weak under the cover of religiosity.
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Israel
Judah

16. Amos
Amos begins by passing judgment on foreign nations:
◦ Damascus (1:3-5)
◦ Gaza (1:6-8)
◦ Tyre (1:9-10)
◦ Edom (1:11-12)
◦ Ammon (1:13-15)
◦ Moab (2:1-3)…
Amos then condemns the entire social structure of
Israel:
“They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the
dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed”
(2:7)

17. Amos
He attacked their justice system (5:12).
He condemned their luxurious lifestyle (6:3-6).
And preached of the impending fall (8:2).
7-9 contain a collection of five visions:
◦ Locusts (7:1-3).
◦ Fire (7:4-6).
◦ Plumb Line (7:7-8).
◦ Basket of Fruit (8:1-3).
◦ The Lord Standing by the Altar (9:1-4).
Amos intercedes for Israel twice (7:2, 5), but is later
convinced of Israel’s guilt (8:2).

18. Hosea
Like Amos, Hosea is also sent to Israel (750-722).
Hosea married a woman (Gomer), who was unfaithful.
He had three children with unusual names.
Hosea attacked Israel’s unfaithfulness to the Lord.
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Israel
Judah

19. Hosea
The first chapters (1-3) stress the theme of Israel as an
unfaithful wife.
◦ Hosea lived out the content of his message by marrying a
woman who bore three children.
◦ The children’s names represent God’s threats against
Israel.
◦ After bearing children, Gomer falls into prostitution.
◦ Hosea eventually buys her back and shut her into the
house to show Israel what God will do the unfaithful.

20. Hosea
Hosea announces the total destruction of the North,
“Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue
him” (8:3).
“They will not remain in the Lord’s land; Ephraim will
return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria” (9:3).
“Will they not return to Egypt and will will not Assyria rule
over them because they refuse to repent?” (11:5).
Hosea’s prophetic drama reveals the love of God toward
Israel and the possibility of redemption.

21. Isaiah
Isaiah is the first of the classical prophets to Judah
(740-700).
Jotham (740-733), Ahaz (733-714), Hezekaiah (714-
696).
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Israel
Judah

22. Isaiah
Prophesies against Jerusalem for her treatment of the poor “they
do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s cause does
not come up before them” (1:23).
He reprimands the leaders and women who live in luxury (ch. 3).
He reveals the Lord as the righteous judge who defends the poor
(11:4).

23. Isaiah
Isaiah revels God as a judge who demands justice from rulers
(3:14) and people (1:17).
Isaiah contains the servant songs (42, 49, 50, 53).
Isaiah’s message addresses our call to to work for justice and to
contribute to international reconciliation.

24. Micah
Micah is called to Judah in 737 BC.
He attacks Judah’s injustice, avarice and oppression,
“Woe to those who plan iniquity…They covet fields and
seize them, houses and take them” (2:1-2).
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Israel
Judah

25. Micah
Micah may have been an elder in Jerusalem (Jer.
26:17-18) concerned with the general well being of
society.
His oracles remind us that the primary role of the
church is to side with victims of injustice and
oppression.

26. Nahum, Habakkuk &
Zephaniah
Nahum (633-612), had one theme, “Nineveh was laid
waste; who will console her?” (3:7).
The payment of tribute ended; God proved to be
sovereign in a world dominated by might (1:12-13).
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh

27. Nahum, Habakkuk &
Zephaniah
Habakkuk (630) consists of two parts: the struggle for a
just society (1-2); A psalm of praise to God (3).
He questions God about the suffering of the oppressed
(1:2ff).
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh

28. Nahum, Habakkuk &
Zephaniah
God announces that he will use a “savage and
impetuous nation” as his instrument of justice (1:5).
His second question: “Why is God silent while the
wicked swallow up those more righteous than
themselves?” (1:13).
There is a twofold answer:
A call for patience (2:4).
The assurance that God will judge the nations that
enrich themselves at the expense of others; build cities
on injustice; the abuse nature; and the worship of their
own works (2:6-19).

29. Nahum, Habakkuk &
Zephaniah
Zephaniah (630) also prophesied in Jerusalem, about
100 years after the fall of Samaria.
Josiah was still under aged and the ruling class was
under Assyrian influence.
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh

30. Nahum, Habakkuk &
Zephaniah
Zephaniah predicted the fall of Judah without remedy
(1:4, 14-15)
“shame on the tyrant city, filthy and foul” (3:1-2).
“I will rid you of of your proud and arrogant
citizens….But I will leave in you a people afflicted and
poor (3:11-12).
These are words of both judgment and hope: This
single act will have different consequences on various
groups.

31. Jeremiah
Jeremiah (627-580), was emotionally and physically
enmeshed in his calling to Judah.
He preached doom, yet was always ready to defend
those he condemned.
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh

32. Jeremiah
Josiah (627-609), Jehoiakim (608-598), Zedekiah (597-
586).
He reacted to the injustices of rulers (Jer. 22:17).
He foresaw the reversal of creation, “I looked at the
earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the
heavens, and their light was gone” (4:23).
He makes intercession for the people (15:11; 18:20),
yet suffers immensely (11:19).
His prophecies came to pass and Jerusalem fell.

33. Ezekiel
Ezekiel went into exile with the upper-class in 597.
Many of his oracles were illustrated in symbolic acts.
Some considered him to be mad, while others saw his
actions clearly illustrating God’s message.
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh

34. Ezekiel
Ezekiel preached against false worship (Ch. 6, 8, 16).
He called attention to the unfaithfulness of all classes of
people, “See how each of the princes of Israel who are
in you uses his power to shed blood. In you they have
treated father and mother with contempt; in you they
have oppressed the foreigner and mistreated the the
fatherless and the widow” (22:6-7).
He also prophesied hopeful restoration (37).

35. Haggai, Zechariah, Joel, Obadiah, Malachi
Haggai (520);
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh
Captivity

36. Haggai, Zechariah, Joel, Obadiah, Malachi
Haggai (520); Zechariah (520);
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh
Captivity

37. Haggai, Zechariah, Joel, Obadiah, Malachi
Haggai (520); Zechariah (520); Joel (500);
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh
Captivity

38. Haggai, Zechariah, Joel, Obadiah, Malachi
Haggai (520); Zechariah (520); Joel (500); Obadiah
(500);
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh
Captivity
Edom

39. Haggai, Zechariah, Joel, Obadiah, Malachi
Haggai (520); Zechariah (520); Joel (500); Obadiah
(500); Malachi (433), served during the Persian age.
Aside from Obadiah, they prophesied hope and the
restoration of Jerusalem.
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Israel
Judah
Nineveh
Captivity
Edom

40. The Prophets
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has
anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to
heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the
opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the
acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to
give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of
righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified”
(Isa. 61:1-3).
The existence of prophets assumes the existence of a transcendent
God who, from a heart of love, calls and sends men and women “to
uproot” and “to plant”.

41. Readings
Urban Geography
◦ Dear, M. J. (2000). The Postmodern Urban Condition. Oxford: Blackwell
Publishers.
◦ Soja, E. (2000). Postmetropolis: Critical Studies of Cities and Regions. Oxford:
Basil Blackwell.
The Prophets and Urban Justice
◦ Graham, B. The prophet Elijah confronts corrupt kingship in Israel
◦ Heschel, A. 2001. What manner of man is the prophet? The Prophets. New
York, HarperCollins.
◦ Bellingham, G. R. Chapter 10 The prophetic model: Transformation: The
justice question: Biblical perspectives and current issues
◦ Grigg, Viv. 2004. With Justice for All. In Companion to the Poor. Authentic.