The Prophetic Critique of the Priority of the Cult

A Study of Amos 5:21–24 and Isaiah 1:10–17

Lafferty

• Publisher: Pickwick Publications
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN: 9781498269872
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

When Jesus overturned the carts of the merchants in the temple, he was just the latest in a long line of people who decried the activities that took place there. To understand his actions better, one must go back in history to the eighth century BCE, to the first two prophets to criticize the temple cult: Amos and Isaiah. Their criticism of all worship activities came as a result of the people setting wrong priorities in their lives. What happens in the temple should extend into regular everyday activities in the home, in the market, in business dealings, at work, and at the city gate. Amos and Isaiah present similar oracles that address the prioritization of worship over real life. This book looks closely at their oracles, comparing and contrasting them, and analyzes what they were trying to teach the people.

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The Israelite Cult and Prophetic Critique

This chapter begins with a survey of the ancient Israelite cult, its significance, and its critique by the eighth-century BC prophets. Relevant biblical texts that contain a critique of the cult will be assembled and examined in terms of where they occur, what they specifically criticize about the cult, and on what basis the criticism is made. Following this, I will provide a review of previous scholarship on the topic of cult criticism in the OT, with special attention to the prophetic material, especially that of Amos and Isaiah. I will conclude with a summarizing statement concerning the cult-critical texts of the OT on which this book will focus, the reason why they have been selected, and how they will be studied.

Introductory Remarks

The purpose of this book is to clarify prophetic criticism of the cult within the cultural and religious context of the eighth century BC.1 Ancient Israelites expressed their relationship with Yhwh—among other things—by their participation in the cult and festivals. Sacrifices and offerings were the primary activities at the temples. The preexilic prophets criticized this cultic activity, although they did not suggest that all elements of the cult should be eliminated or abandoned forever.2 The critique of the cult that the prophets offered was meant to prompt the Israelites to change their focus from external events to internal impulses that would lead them to act rightly towards their neighbors. This study aims to highlight the issues the prophets addressed in relation to the cult. Their criticism of the people’s lack of charity, kindness, and care for each other, even as they looked to continue to receive blessings from God, is evident from the statements of these prophets.

Place and Significance of the Cult in Ancient Israel

George Buchanan Gray writes: “Cultic activity is the stuff of which ancient religions were made. The praxis, the administration of the cultic establishments, the vested interests of the clergy, and the celebrations of the festivals were not mere functions of a systematic religious outlook, devoid of intrinsic importance. They are the index of religion as it was practiced in the life of a society.”3

A glance through the OT confirms Gray’s statement concerning the Israelite cult. The Temple in Jerusalem was built for worship of Yhwh (1 Kgs 5:19) on a grand scale (1 Kgs 5:27–32). The Temple’s location on the top of a hill (2 Chr 3:1), its structure (1 Kings 6) and furnishings (1 Kgs 7:13–51) proclaimed to all the central position the cult held in the life of Israel. Leviticus 1–7 and Numbers 28–29 describe the numerous kinds of sacrifices and offerings, as well as the times of and reasons for the feast days on the Israelite calendar. The lengthy descriptions of the vestments worn by the priests (Exodus 28), and their consecration (Exodus 29; Leviticus 8) demonstrate the importance attached to these persons. There are likewise biblical texts that report the large number of sacrifices offered to Yhwh (1 Kgs 8:5, 62–63; 1 Chr 29:21–22; 2 Chr 29:32–35; 30:24–25; 35:7–9). The existence of cultic practices is not in dispute in the life of ancient Israel. Rather, that such an institution should be portrayed in a negative light by the eighth-century prophets, is what attracts attention.

Biblical Texts that Contain a Critique of the Cult

The following is an inventory of all the texts that contain criticism of the cult, or some aspect of it, in the OT:

a. Amos 4:4–5; 5:21–27

b. Hos 2:13–15; 6:4–6; 8:13; 13:2

c. Isa 1:10–17; 29:13; 43:24; 58:6; 66:3

d. Mic 3:4; 6:6–8

e. Jer 6:19–20; 7:8–10, 17–18, 21–23; 14:12

f. Mal 1:10; 2:13

g. Pss 40:7–8; 50:7–15; 51:18–19

h. 1 Sam 15:22

i. Prov 15:8, 29; 21:3, 27; 28:9

j. Ezek 20:39

k. Zech 7:13

l. Eccl 4:17

The criticism of the cult in these texts may be categorized in five different ways. Excluding the two texts that are the topic of this book, there are thirty passages in the above list that can be categorized as follows: six mention idol worship (Hos 2:13–15; 13:2; Isa 66:3; Jer 7:8–10, 17–18; Ezek 20:39); three passages cite unsolicited offerings (Amos 4:4–5; Jer 6:19–20; 14:12); one accuses the people of performing their sacrifices only out of obedience to the laws (Isa 29:13); six contain a rejection of Israel’s cult because of the evil deeds, i.e., the sins, of the people (Isa 43:24; Hos 8:13; Mic 3:4; Zech 7:13; Mal 1:10; 2:3); and fourteen passages state exactly what Yhwh prefers to the worship that is being offered (1 Sam 15:22; Pss 40:7; 50:7–15; 51:18–19; Prov 15:8, 29; 21:3, 27; 28:9; Eccl 4:17; Isa 58:6; Jer 7:21–23; Hos 6:4–6; Mic 6:6–8).

The feature shared by each of the first four categories of texts cited above is the lack of proper attitude and respect for the relationship between the Israelite people and their God. For a people whose God is Yhwh, worship of i...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations and Critical Texts Used
• Chapter 1: The Israelite Cult and Prophetic Critique
• Chapter 2: The Social, Economic, and Religious Situation of the Eighth Century
• Chapter 3: Amos 5:21–24
• Chapter 4: Isaiah 1:10–17
• Chapter 5: Comparing and Contrasting Amos and Isaiah
• Bibliography