Autor: Voegelin, Eric

Buch: Israel and Revelation

Titel: Israel and Revelation

Stichwort: Spannung: Prophet - König -> 3 Phasen: Jesaia (Berufung): Bruch mit d. institutionellen Ordnung; Immanuel

Kurzinhalt: The first of the distinctive Isaianic symbols is the Lord, who sits on his throne "high and exalted, Ahaz; The historical metastasis of the world ... requires the responsive change of heart

Textausschnitt: 93/13 The first of the distinctive Isaianic symbols is the Lord, who sits on his throne "high and exalted," while the skirt of his robe fills the Temple. Yahweh is the thrice-holy King above the earth, while at the same time "the fullness of the whole earth is his kabhod," his glory or divine substance (6:1-5). The symbolism of the Trisagion passage is of cultic origin, but Isaiah employs it to express the presence of the divine kabhod over all the earth throughout the time of history. And from this ever-present kabhod derives the Isaianic dynamics of history. For the kabhod can become the substance of order in society and history only when men let themselves be penetrated by it through faith; order depends on the human response to the kabbod. The historical metastasis of the world, as distinguished from the cultic restoration, into the realm of God the King requires the responsive change of heart. Moreover, this knowledge of historical dynamics comes to Isaiah (and through him), because in the vision of the call he responds to the revelation of the kabhod by volunteering as the messenger of Yahweh to his people (6:8). The metastasis has actually begun in his person and is to expand through the prophecies that Isaiah will address to Israel, though the message will be effectively heard only after the terrible disasters caused by the stubbornness of the people (6:9-13). (476; Fs)

94/13 How Isaiah's understanding of his call developed through the next five to ten years, we do not know. As the text stands, the account of the call is the preface to his great political intervention, to his appeal to King Ahaz in the hour of danger to place his trust in Yahweh rather than in military preparations for the clash with the Northern Kingdom and Syria. The Davidic institution of the Anointed of Yahweh still has so much weight with Isaiah, at least at this time, that he re-enacts the encounter Prophet-King even now, when the King is to be drawn beyond the institution into transfiguration. The metastasis that has begun in the prophet can gain its social dimension of order in Israel only through co-operation of the "Man who rules over man," of the King of Judah. The trust of the King will transfigure the order of history, so that not only will the imminent disaster be averted, but the kabbod will actually fill the order of Israel forever (7:1-9). But the King responds to the appeal with eloquent silence, and the prophet is forced to offer him a "sign" of his choice to confirm the truth of the oracle (7:10-11). This time the King politely declines, for the acceptance of a "sign" would commit him and perhaps interfere with his more earthy plans for the defense of Jerusalem (7:12). With the King's refusal to have anything to do with Isaiah's appeal, the attempt to operate the metastasis through the present ruler has come to its end. At this juncture, Isaiah turns from the present to the future, without abandoning the conception of order through kingship. At the command of Yahweh he gives the King the "sign," though he does not want it, but it is a "sign" concerning Ahaz' successor in the kingship. "The young woman," says the oracle, presumably the queen, is about to bear a son. She will call him immanu-el, With-us-God - a symbolic name that spins out the theme of Isaiah's call, of the "Fullness of the whole earth -his kabhod." This child, in whom the kabhod of God will be "with us," is the future King, who knows to refuse evil and to choose good. But by the time he will be able to make the choice, the country will have been devastated by wars so thoroughly that it has reverted from an agricultural to a pastoral economy, thanks to the present King, who refuses good and chooses evil (7:13-17). The scene between the Prophet and the King closes with this threat and this promise. (476f; Fs) (notabene)

95/13 About the sequel to the encounter between Prophet and King again we know nothing. Nevertheless, since the following text 7:18-8:10 brings a series of oracles which elaborate the Immanuel prophecy, we can surmise that Isaiah's situation must have become difficult: When a prophet, perhaps accompanied by a group of disciples, proclaims in public that he is waiting for an Immanuel to replace the reigning King, his activity can be construed as incitement to rebellion. Some friction of this kind must have developed indeed, for in 8:11 Yahweh has to grasp his prophet's hand strongly so that he will not give in to the ways of the people. () Difficulties of this kind must be assumed as the background for Isaiah's immediately following resolve to withhold his prophecies of a metastatic ruler from the public and to entrust them as a secret to his disciples (limmudim) (8:16). In the meanwhile, waiting for the coming of the kabhod, Isaiah and his children would "remain as signs and wonders in Israel from Yahweh of the hosts" (8:17-18). The remnant of Israel, as the bearer of the sealed message, thus has become historically present in Isaiah, his children, and his disciples. (477f; Fs) (notabene)
96/13 The message itself, "the testimony bound up, and the instruction sealed," is contained in the prophecy of the Prince of Peace (9 :1-6), beginning with the lines: (478; Fs)