Hungarian Church Press, 1968 (20. évfolyam, 2. szám)
1968-06-01 / 2. szám
HOP Vol XX. Special Number — 68 -1968 No 2 Law and entering the war 3d of the Gentiles, It was at this juncture of history that the prcphetio message, with full authority, was delivered by Peter (Acts 10j9-16) and Paul (inhesions 6:1-13)* The entire future of the Church was in the balance and depended on this momentous decision. Prophecy reveals the way cf faith* But the way of faith is not the same in every age. At the time of Moses it meant refusal to have fellowship with the heathens and the exclusion of the peoples from the community of Israel In Paul's days it meant the reception cf the Goitiles into the fellowship of Israel. In the days cf Isaiah it meant resistance’to the .influence cf the Assyrian king, yet in the age of Jeremiah, it meant humble submission to the....- -vr yoke cf the king of Babylon. if rr. :--r : r: When the prophet speaks of- the way of Hf-e then ho means something that can be lost or apprehended. One might say that God puts the future into our hands for this future will be shaped according to the reply given to the prophetic message, the latter, with its sovereign power, forming cur futures The prcphetio, ministry cf. the Church may become a blessing among the peoples of the world because it octivizes the peoples to shape and apprehend their future. in v b) There Can Be No Prophecy But/Penitence ' * ,,r. ’ Prcphetio witness shows us the burden and tension cf the prophetic ministry. Scxne cf the prephets speak cf the "burden11 of God's Word (llr.cckfcuk lil). What do the prophets mean by this? They mean the burden which the historical situation places on-the Church, cf God ás an accusation, making the Church see her share in and responsibility far the; emergence af the situation concerned, even recounting in detail the Church's deeds which caused the gravity of her existing situation. It ds not lay her choice and predilection that the Church accepts the burden cf the prophetic ministry, neither does ehe carry i^lightheartedly, for it is an arduous and painful task, yet there is no way out for her but to accept it as a compelling farce, as "fire in the bor.es"0 The burden cf the prophetic service is that the prophet must stand at the points cf tension and conflict between the Church and the world, and still mare, between the old and the new, the past and the present. The prophet is not an uncommitted spectator; he cannot evade the difficult and painful situations; he must grapple spiritually with the problems cf the Church's sins and cf the misery cf the world, thus seeking, amidst torments, the desired solutions. The prophet himself, in his person, becomes a sign, his very struggles and torments being the authenticating seal on his message* The basic attitude of the prophet is repentance. Yet the burden cf repentance can only be carried in the int irate fellowship cf prayer with Gcd0 The prcphetio message calls for humility, for perfect trust in God's mercy,rfö
