MOSES AND THE PROPHETIC VOCA TION A REFLECTION ON THE CALL OF MOSES IN EX.

3 -4:17

The third chapter of Exodus is, perhaps, best known for its revelation of the divine name, and biblical scholars usually concentrate on the derivation and meaning of the sacred word Yahweh. 1 Valuable as are these speculations and investigations into the metaphysical content of the Tetragranunaton, the real emphasis of the Exodus narrative is on the promise of liberation and God's activity on behalf of His people. 2 Further, the men ofIsrael came to know the nature ofYahweh as He revealed Himself through their history. It is not philosophical reflection or scientific curiosity, but rather the experience of His activity in their lives, the progressive unfolding of their destiny which reveals to the Israelites the true character of Y ahweh. 3 It is this unique trait of the chosen people's knowledge of their God which underscores the vital role of the prophet. For it is a fundamental function of the prophet to interpret the moral and religious significance of the current experiences of the people, thus revealing the nature of God to them and bringing the impact of divine reality directly to bear on human conduct. 4 It is through the divinely inspired prophetic commentary on the people's experiences, and his uncompromising demand for a total commitment of the nation to the absolute will of Yahweh that the majesty and holiness of God is made manifest. 'At all events no age in the history of early Israelite faith can be understood historically, without considering as active therein this species of man with his mission and function, his declaration and mediation.' 5 Since he plays such an essential role in the development of old Testament theology, it is important to understand the prophet's vocation, its origin in the life of the individual, 6 its nature and the 1 For a representative discussion of the meaning of Yahweh one might profitably consult the following: W. F. Albright, From the Stolle Age to Christianity, pp. 257-72 ; Martin Buber, Moses, the R evelation and the Covellant, pp. 46-55 ; Walther Eichrodt, Theology of the Old Testamel1t, I, pp. 187-205 ; Gerhard Von Rad, Moses, pp. 18-28. Albright's interpretation is accepted by most American scholars and differs sharply from the explanation offered by the other authors mentioned. 2 c£ Eichrodt, op. cit., p. 187 3 Albright, op. cit., p . 328 , cf. Eichrodt, op. cit., pp. 320, 328ff., 362 6 Buber, The Prophetic Faith, p. 57 6 We are not concerned here with the origin of the class of prophets and the prophetic movement in general from group ecstaticism. For a discussion of this phenomenon one can consult Albright, op. cit., pp. 301 -5, or Eichrodt, op. cit., pp. 309-12. Our effort here is rather to describe the profound personal experience which the prophet has of God which leads the individual man to embrace the role of prophet.

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MOSES AND THE PROPHETIC VOCATION

~;~~#ction of the man to the task set him by God. \Vhy does the i;p~