Old Testament Calllings
It struck me whilst meditating on Isaiah 6:1-11 that (at least?) three of the famous callings in the OT are wonderful stories of call, but that what they have to say afterwards is less palatable.
The three I was thinking of were Samuel (tell Eli that his sons are evil and he's going to be punished for not controlling them), Isaiah (`Go and tell this people:
"Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving."
Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.) and Jeremiah (Doom and Destruction are coming!). The Isaiah quote in particularly bugs me especially as it is quoted in (one of) the gospels as a reason for Jesus teaching in parables. Why should a loving God (whose nature is always to have mercy, and whose love endures for ever) want people not to repent? I remember a discussion of this at MethSoc in my first term (both at small group and then at a mid-term Coffeeeeeeee in Chris' room (with Chuckie Egg and Peter Graves) set aside for talking about things which had come up at Small Groups. I'm still not sure we came up with a satisfactory answer.
I did think of a slight counter-example in that Moses doesn't have quite such a bad message (Set my people free) but you do get the plagues.
The three I was thinking of were Samuel (tell Eli that his sons are evil and he's going to be punished for not controlling them), Isaiah (`Go and tell this people:
"Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving."
Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.) and Jeremiah (Doom and Destruction are coming!). The Isaiah quote in particularly bugs me especially as it is quoted in (one of) the gospels as a reason for Jesus teaching in parables. Why should a loving God (whose nature is always to have mercy, and whose love endures for ever) want people not to repent? I remember a discussion of this at MethSoc in my first term (both at small group and then at a mid-term Coffeeeeeeee in Chris' room (with Chuckie Egg and Peter Graves) set aside for talking about things which had come up at Small Groups. I'm still not sure we came up with a satisfactory answer.
I did think of a slight counter-example in that Moses doesn't have quite such a bad message (Set my people free) but you do get the plagues.