In his book, Walter Brueggemann explores the messages of three prominent prophets who spoke to the Jewish exiles during their time in Babylon around 587 B.C. These prophets, namely Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and 2nd Isaiah, each addressed the exiles in different ways. Jeremiah emphasized God’s love for them despite their exile. Ezekiel focused on God’s holiness and freedom, urging the exiles to recognize their duty to follow Him rather than expecting God to exist solely for their benefit. Finally, 2nd Isaiah spoke to those exiles who had adopted the ways and values of the empire, encouraging them to return to the ways of Yahweh. Brueggemann draws parallels between these prophets and the modern-day North American church, which he believes is also in a state of exile, albeit unknowingly in many cases. By examining the text within its original context, Brueggemann helps readers see the relevance of these prophetic messages to their own lives. The book is divided into three parts, each exploring one of the prophets’ concerns. This summary will provide a brief overview of Part 1: Only Grief Permits Newness.
Jeremiah is depicted as a figure who embodies both pastoral vitality and pastoral conflict. The core of his work is intricately connected to the crisis that occurred in 587. His primary objective is to assist his community in dealing with the loss of the familiar world governed by a king and temple, and embrace a new world that is defined by Yahweh. This new world, which is experienced through exile, is shaped by the domination of Babylon that is willed by Yahweh. Bruggemann argues that Jeremiah’s words reveal an astonishing freedom in his understanding of God. Whenever he speaks to God or about God, he has the remarkable ability to create a new narrative that leaves all involved parties vulnerable and uncertain.
The tradition of Jeremiah presents a God who is actively involved in a specific social crisis, showing an understanding of how these issues connect to pastoral action. Jeremiah demonstrates genuine care for his community and even shows concern for the king who ignored his warnings, speaking the risky truth. He not only recognizes the one who calls him but also understands the responsibility that comes with being called.
Brueggemann uses the term “call” in a different way than a specific experience, but instead as a feeling that one’s life is guided by God’s purpose, allowing for freedom and perspective. Jeremiah is willing to confront matters of truth and falsehood. Although he is a sensitive and intuitive poet, this doesn’t mean he believes in relativism. Jeremiah would have found it strange and scandalous our contemporary belief in personal truth, where everyone is free to define their own perception of truth.
The purpose of porous language is to leave the poem and the reality to which it points open for the experience of the listener. Poets trust others to continue the image and finish the thought using their own metaphorical images. Jeremiah’s rich imagination aims to challenge the settled givens that make policy too self-confident and unquestioned. This social function of poetry is an aspect of the critical study of Jeremiah that still needs to be explored, and cannot be reduced to the usual literary analysis of prose and poetry.
Jeremiah understood the importance of engaging in a battle for the public imagination of the community. He was willing to address matters of truth and falsehood and was a hopeful poet. He reminded people of their true calling and helped them let go of a false world threatened by God. Jeremiah had the ability to speak of newness from emptiness, which is relevant both in his time and in ours. However, our current ideology lacks belief in genuine innovation. It cannot fathom the possibility of a new Jeremiah; instead, it clings to a messiah who never dies. It also lacks faith in a God who can bring about real newness from nothingness. Therefore, it adamantly defends and protects the old, which is presumed to be the sole source of life. Jeremiah’s vitality comes from his firm conviction in God’s ability to create something entirely new at the point of complete loss and exile. Contrary to the belief that the world is hopelessly closed, where life only consists of maneuvering existing elements, Jeremiah believes that God can perform a completely unprecedented action that defies our logic, control, and despair.
Jeremiah testifies to the work of God, the ability to create something new out of nothing. Therefore, loss and emptiness do not have the final say. Jeremiah’s ministry, as it is shared with us, is characterized by a strong coherence. He was shown the undeniable reality that God has planned for the violent end of the world as we know it. His efforts and creativity were solely focused on this task, and then on bringing forth a new world through God’s powerful promise. He truly “willed one thing,” which caused many difficulties but made him a person of strength and bravery.
According to Brueggemann, healing occurs when we are present with God in the midst of pain. It is through God’s attentive pain that newness arises and possibilities are presented. However, this healing is dependent on God’s hint of healing being offered. Like a poet, we wait to see what the next “therefore” will bring. 2. Jeremiah lived in a turbulent time and believed it was a time of decay. He saw his culture, society, and traditions dying, which caused him great pain. What saddened him even more was the indifference, lack of care, acknowledgment, or admission from his contemporaries.
He pondered whether they lacked intelligence to comprehend or if they possessed enough deceitfulness to understand but chose to participate in a massive concealment. He couldn’t determine if it was an extensive manipulation of the public or a pathetic self-delusion. Nevertheless, he observed. His vision was clear, and he believed that such a society would inevitably face death. He possessed a vivid imagination, plagued by nightmares that were uniquely his own but had a prominent role in the collective. Consequently, he mourned the obliviousness of his peers. They failed to notice due to their preoccupied nature, unwavering certainty, strong personal investments, and rigid ideological commitments.
They greatly misunderstood. This divine God, whose patience they test, they rely on the promises of that very God. Jeremiah does not speak in anger, but with firmness born out of frustration. The poet sees the illness so clearly, mourns the death so intensely. Judah appears oblivious to the overwhelming smell of death in the streets of Jerusalem. But in a rhetorical turn, the same God who raged in verses 12-15 now stands as protector. The threatening voice of the deer inexplicably transforms into a comforting sound. The poem becomes the gospel as God has reversed the path of historical judgment.
God has made a new promise at the point of deep hurt, which should not be cried over. According to the poem in Jeremiah 30:12-17, this is the good news that God has come full circle. The structure of the poem reflects the change in God. The God who was willing to abandon in hostility now embraces the passion. Unlike Jeremiah, Ezekiel is a priest and interprets everything in a priestly manner. Some may consider Ezekiel as “bizarre,” but he may be exactly what is needed in our unsettling times. While Jeremiah’s God can be engaged and struggled with, Ezekiel’s God is so holy that he is mostly unapproachable. This view of God asserts that human efforts to be right with God and enter his presence are irrelevant and dwarfed. The key message of Ezekiel’s proclamation is that God will not be mocked.
In ministry, it is crucial to understand that God cannot be taken advantage of, diminished, presumed upon, or approached too closely. This becomes particularly important as the Western Enlightenment era, which shaped our understanding of God in a utilitarian manner, comes to an end. In Ezekiel, we see that God’s priority is not towards us but towards God’s own self. God refuses to stay in places where reverence is lacking (8:6). However, in our society, this kind of faith may seem unnecessary or outdated. We have constructed churches with low ceilings that promote horizontal connections among people but restrict our perspective of the divine.
The concept of expressing and understanding God’s magnificence and His departure serves as a means to contemplate the absence of God and the circumstances that determine whether He remains present or withdraws. God is not bound by any of our constructed worlds. He possesses complete freedom and is uncompromising. God possesses the ability to leave without hesitation or attachment. He rejects being used for utility. Ministers of God may question the temptation of being excessively useful, when their true purpose may be to observe and bear witness to the pure sanctity of God, which poses a threat to all things pertaining to human existence.
Ezekiel 18 provides a comprehensive understanding of God’s expectations for righteousness on earth. It serves as a collection of warnings regarding idolatry, sexual and marital responsibilities, and economic responsibility. For Ezekiel, these aspects of Judah’s life are twisted and will result in their separation from God. Both sexuality and economics are highlighted as issues that cannot be ignored, as they will lead to dire consequences. The prophet skillfully compares the metaphor of Sodom to economic issues in a remarkable manner.
Ezekiel possesses a vitality for his ministry because he can perceive the significant disparity between God’s disinterested holiness and Israel’s utilitarian unrighteousness. Brueggemann argues that Ezekiel’s pastoral care was aimed at helping people recognize this discrepancy so that appropriate decisions could be made for Israel’s current circumstances. Additionally, Brueggemann discusses Ezekiel’s submissive nature, noting that the prophet is not soft or idealistic in his submissiveness. However, he understands that there is a time to speak and a time to keep silent, as stated in Ecclesiastes. Despite wanting to speak more in certain instances (such as in 3:24-27), Ezekiel complies with God’s command to remain silent. There are limits and occasions for waiting silently. The prophet internalizes the pain and loss, including the loss of his wife and now the beloved city. Ministry involves grieving in silence when warnings go unheeded. Nevertheless, through the expressive language used in chapters 34-37 and 40-48, Ezekiel discusses a new future bestowed by God that goes beyond the lost city.
In ministry, the ultimate test of vitality is the ability to express concrete hope in the face of community hopelessness. To truly thrive in ministry, one must understand how political and liturgical aspects of life are interconnected. The book of Ezekiel provides a powerful example of this. Despite his limited role as a watchman and the silence imposed upon him by God, Ezekiel expresses his strongest message in 36:22-32. As we have seen in chapter 18, everything changes due to the importance of serious righteousness and redirected loyalty. Unfortunately, this kind of faith did not emerge in Judah. Ultimately, Ezekiel realizes that the evil present is so pervasive that it seems hopeless.
If there had been a turn, the city might have been saved, but it was not to be. There could be no turn. The city could not be saved. Jeremiah could speak of God’s love for Israel (31:3), but Ezekiel does not. Here there is only holiness and the zeal of God to protect the holy name, but that has unspeakable results for Israel. 4. For the sake of My Holy Name (Ezekiel 36:22-32) Ezekiel, Like Jeremiah, watched while the city was destroyed. He traveled the same road as Jeremiah. He also had to speak the truth. He had to offer pastoral care among exiles. But he saw through a different lens, and so made a different discernment.
Despite both Jeremiah and Ezekiel discussing Jerusalem, they have different perspectives. Jeremiah conveys his thoughts with passion and emotion, while Ezekiel remains objective and symmetrical in his perception. Unlike Jeremiah, who expresses both grief and newness, Ezekiel uses logical reasoning to construct his argument, leading to an inevitable conclusion. Ezekiel’s portrayal of Jerusalem focuses on its significance in God’s holiness. According to his understanding, the holiness of God can be examined in two dimensions and two stages.
The initial step is to consider God’s holiness as synonymous with righteousness, indicating a moral concern. The holiness of God necessitates obedience to His commandments. Ezekiel possesses a deep understanding of the sins committed by Israel. He presents arguments and firmly states this realization throughout twenty-four chapters. There is no basis for hope within Israel. If hope is to exist, it must be derived from God. It is through God’s liberating and immense holiness that hope for Israel emerges as a consequence. Chapters 34-37 and 40-48 center around the reconstruction of Israel from the “null point”. At this critical moment, Israel has exhausted all possibilities.
The despair that powers the guilt within is all-consuming, leaving behind nothing – no impetus, motivation, energy, or possibility. However, as we progress through the later chapters, the concept of possibility is reintroduced. This occurs because God is left with no alternative option but to clear His honorable name. Despite its peculiar theology, this concept serves as a valuable pastoral resource in situations where guilt leads to despair. The overwhelming guilt within our nuclear neighborhood drives us to a state of hopelessness. In light of what we know about ourselves, we are compelled to question whether there is still hope residing within the very nature of God. Contrary to expectations, God’s infinite holiness does not result in indifference.
In contrast, God’s unfettered holiness compels God to act on behalf of someone who does not elicit love from God. This is great news for situations of extreme failure and desecration. Part 3: Only Memory allows possibility 5. “Second Isaiah” refers to Isaiah 40-55, a body of literature set during the Babylonian exile, typically believed to be from 540 B.C.E., when the Babylonian empire was on the verge of collapse due to the burgeoning Persian power. As significant as it is, the literature of 2 Isaiah cannot be fully comprehended or utilized without linking it to Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
In 2 Isaiah, Handel emphasizes the abundance of promises, specifically directed towards those who experienced the devastation of their city and the loss of their religious beliefs while in exile (40:2). The poetry of 2 Isaiah is heavily influenced by intense metaphors. The context for this poetry is the experience of exile, and it is written to a community that feels disconnected and isolated (similar to Psalm 137). The dominating influence in the community of 2 Isaiah was the authority and supremacy of Babylonian perspectives on truth.
Jeremiah (25:9; 27:6) previously believed that the triumph of Babylon was the desire of Yahweh. However, in the new era of 2 Isaiah, it is now Yahweh’s will for Israel to leave the foreign empire (Isa. 52:11-12). The poetry of 2 Isaiah centers around the metaphor of returning home, a metaphor that only resonates with those who understand their context of exile. Throughout this poetry, the dominant message is that of coming home. For example, Isaiah 40:1-11 describes a grand procession led by Yahweh, as exiled Jews return home. Yahweh will gather all those who were scattered in exile and bring them back to the land of Zion (43:5-6).
The use of the metaphors of exile and homecoming in this text shows a remarkable display of evangelical imagination. The metaphor of homecoming can only be understood if one accepts the truth of the metaphor of exile. Second Isaiah’s poetry of homecoming is a form of imaginative writing that brings liberation. While the poet was aware of the political circumstances of their time, this poetry is not based on political analysis. Rather, it is a creative act of speech with the goal of evoking reality and guiding the community beyond their current situation. The theological conviction of God’s sovereignty serves as the foundation for this poetry (40:9-11;52:7).
Isaiah’s poetry revolves around the authoritative word of God, which will ultimately shape history (Isa. 40:6-8; 55:10-11). This concept acknowledges the presence of an unwavering force in the course of human events, one that operates independently from contemporary influences and exercises its decisive power. The God who embodies this word also drives transformative actions within Israel’s collective experience. Isaiah’s poetic craft demonstrates remarkable pastoral sensitivity, aiming to inspire his community to reconsider, make choices autonomously, and take action accordingly.
This poet demonstrates immense bravery in shaping the community’s perception, offering a unique perspective on exile and homecoming, and rejecting imperial interpretations. The result of their poetry, which should not be seen as a political proposal, is the humorous revelation that the gods of Babylon hold no power. The combination of exile, Babylon, and homecoming in this poetry from 2 Isaiah is not solely about geographical possibilities but also about conventional relationships. 6. “Sing, O Barren One” (Isaiah 54:1-17) Second Isaiah exists on the other side of exile, where signs point towards a return home. The mood has clearly shifted, leaving behind the anguish of Jeremiah and the weightiness of Ezekiel as established realities that need no repetition or doubt. This marks a new generation in need of a new message to be delivered within a Babylonian context. Jeremiah was the one who initially declared that the Babylonian reality would become the defining new aspect of Israel.
God has sent Nebuchadnezzar, referred to as “my servant,” to destroy Israel. Jeremiah equates resistance to Babylon with resistance to Yahweh’s purposes. After the first deportation in 598, Jeremiah and Ezekiel develop a second theme. Babylon not only destroys, but also becomes the dwelling place for faithful Israel. This is an extraordinary judgment, stated in Jeremiah 24 and Ezekiel 11. It proclaims that the Jewish exiles in Babylon, who were displaced, are actually God’s chosen people and the future of Judaism. This decision may be partly based on historical and sociological judgments, as this group includes the professionals who must lead Judaism for its future. It is also an act of propaganda for ideological reasons. Over two generations later, in the time of 2 Isaiah, the imperial threat from Babylon turned into a great seduction. Babylon became home. In Isaiah 54, there are three sets of imperatives in the poem.
La, 2, 4, and three corresponding sets of motivations in vv. 1b, 3, 4. The desired result of the poem is a new, fearless Israel that no longer has to settle for a lesser position set by the empire. From this memory, the poet instills energy, freedom, and self-identity into Israel’s life. Individuals who possess this poetry from their own memory are extremely challenging to control or manipulate through conformity and despair. This strong memory preserves the ability to perceive freely even in coercive circumstances.
The issue of how memory functions in the New Testament to create historical possibility is complex. It involves the relationship between the Old Testament (as memory) and the gospel of Jesus (as a new possibility). This dynamic between the two testaments can be seen in various ways – continuity with the Old Testament where the memory of Israel has a positive impact, and discontinuity where the memory of Israel only serves as a contrast. To understand how Isa. 4:1-17 and the theme of memory relate to our own situation, it is important to recognize that our circumstances are not comparable to those who were displaced and yearned for a different home. We are well settled and have a strong attachment to our current location. However, we still face challenges, such as how to cope with devastating loss. This is the question that God’s people had to grapple with after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 587 BCE.
According to Walter Brueggemann, when faced with the reality of exile, Israel’s faith needs to be reimagined in order to project hope for the future despite their profound loss. Brueggemann explores themes from the prophetic voices during this time that enable Israel to endure exile with a hopeful perspective. He views the year 587 as a turning point that signifies the end of the familiar world and the embracing of a new world as revealed by these poets, who are God’s prophets.
Hopeful Imagination explores the prophetic voices found in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and 2 Isaiah. Each voice utilizes poetry as a subversive and emancipating method of communication to depict a distinct vision of the path towards hope and renewal with God. The chapter highlighting Jeremiah is particularly remarkable. Titled “Only Grief Permits Newness,” it profoundly elucidates the challenging endeavor of expressing the reality of loss to a population trapped in self-deceiving catchphrases. Jeremiah’s responsibility is to compel the people to acknowledge and accept their sorrow, laboring to convince them that their affliction is incurable.
Grief is the only way for newness to emerge. When grief is fully expressed and accepted, it allows God to heal and transform, risking the old power structures. Only grief can bring about newness. Jeremiah’s ministry focuses on relinquishment and grief, while Ezekiel’s ministry (“Only Holiness Gives Hope”) centers on holiness. In his ministry, Ezekiel demonstrates the tough yet submissive holy love of God. Judah is called to abandon idolatry, sexual misconduct, and economic irresponsibility towards their neighbors.
The source of future hope is not Judah’s repentance, but rather the holiness of God and his willingness to act on behalf of his holy name. The section about 2Isaiah, titled “Only Memory Allows Possibility”, is thought-provoking, particularly regarding the preaching task. Some may feel uneasy about labeling it as 2 Isaiah. However, one does not need to subscribe to any critical view of Isaiah’s composition for this chapter to be meaningful.
According to Brueggemann, the exposition presented in our context establishes a theological state of exile and newness, disregarding the specific historical circumstances. The poet of 2 Isaiah strives to cultivate a mindset of returning home amidst exile. The connection between these two realms is formed by the remembrance of God’s decisive actions in history. By utilizing old memories and affirmations in a surprising manner, the poet disrupts Israel’s perceptual field and prompts a fresh understanding of reality. Brueggemann’s focus extends beyond exposition; he explores how these works can shape ministry.
According to him, America is in exile and the subversive poetry of the prophets can bring hope to our current situation. We have discussed and written a lot about our movement going through a transitional phase. It appears to me that our churches may be metaphorically compared to exile. We are in a state of uncertainty, torn between giving up and receiving. Our hope will also come from experiencing grief, pursuing holiness, and embracing memories. Lastly, Brueggemann’s book is written in his distinct and imaginative style, offering a creative space for contemplating the prophets’ message and the role of ministry.
