Faith in Faith

Throughout the Latter Prophets we read oracles and judgments against people near and far. There’s a fascinating blame game going on as Bible contributors and editors attempt to explain the human behavior behind war and exile, peace and stability. The finger pointing goes on and on.

In Isaiah we read about the Oracle concerning Assyria, Oracle concerning Philistia, Oracle concerning Moab, Oracle concerning Damascus, Oracle concerning Ethiopia, Oracle concerning Egypt, Oracles concerning Babylon, Edom, and Arabia, and an Oracle concerning Tyre. Jeremiah issues judgements against Philistines, Moab, Ammonites, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Hazor, Elam, and Babylon. Ezekiel rails against Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, Egypt, the Pharaoh, Mount Seir, and the imaginary Gog. Amos is hot for Israel’s neighbors, Judah and Israel. The list is almost endless.

Ultimately, God must be behind these otherwise inexplicable acts of aggression -- invasion by Egypt, invasion by Assyria, invasion by Babylon, invasion by Persia, etc. He must be punishing the Assyrians for boasting, or punishing the Babylonians for going God’s work against the Jews too well and for too long, or against Israel’s rulers for not properly leading the people, or against the people for not obeying the laws or playing the whore, etc.

Concepts such as human greed or lust for power, or need for arable land or water don’t seem to come up as legitimate explanations for the brutal behavior about which we read. It seems that nothing bad can happen without God having been involved in some way. Yet at no time do we read about an Oracle Against Yahweh. At no time do the people just give up on this apparently cruel and capricious God. Faith holds fast despite evidence to the contrary.

The importance of faith and religion as a binding force for a people, especially in times of stress, cannot be overstated. Just as God is presumed to have brought order from the chaos, so too does religion help provide meaning when events seem chaotic and inexplicable. As Monica McGoldrick said in Ethnicity and Family Therapy: “People use religion as a means of coping with stress or powerlessness, as well as for spiritual fulfillment and emotional support. Institutionalized religion and the church also meet social needs.”