The Prophets and Our Resources

Review of the previous post.

The previous post, post number 7 of 13, began the discussion of what the prophets said.

 

Preview of this post.

This post, post number 8 of 13, continues the discussion of what the prophets said and provides examples of what they said.

1. What the prophets said^[1]

 

1. Examples

Further to the above discussion, while the prophets appeared to be rebuking the people for irreligious and immoral practices, and counseling men and rulers on such matters, many of the prophetic teachings could be applied to the way we use our resources today. For example:

 

I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void;

To the heavens, and they had no light.

I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking,

All the hills moved to and fro.

I looked, and lo, there was no man;

All the birds of the air had fled.

I looked, and lo the fruitful land was a desert;

All the cities were laid in ruins.

Jeremiah 4:23-26

 

Furthermore, there seems to be precedent prior to the prophets for respecting the land. For example, Adam and Eve were required to till the land after they left the Garden of Eden, and trees were considered to be non-combatants in Duet 20:19-20, Leviticus gives the land a sabbatical year in Lev 26:34-35. Given the dependence of the agricultural people on the land, it seems quite plausible that the prophets would also be concerned with how the people treated the land^[2].

As discussed in the series “Social Justice,” the prophets spent much time and effort defining and preaching the concept of social justice. Some have linked the concept of social justice with the well-being and flourishing of the earth^[3]. For example, when the king rules wisely so that justice and righteousness prevail, the land is fruitful and peace reigns (see, Ps. 72:1-4, Isaiah 11 and Isaiah 32); conversely, when social justice is not practiced, the land punishes mankind (Amos 5:6-8).

 

Preview of the next post.

The next post, post number 9 of 13, continues the discussion of what the prophets said and discusses a basis in the Bible for a method of practicing ecotheology which is based in the Bible but differs from the current method of practicing ecotheology.

 

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[1] Environmental awareness is an aspect of the mitzvah known as Bal Tashchit–Do Not Destroy.

 

[2] While this essay focuses on natural resources, it should be noted that man is given the responsibility to protect and care for all of the entities created in Genesis, including the animals. In Gen 1:28, it is reported that God charged man: “Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it; and rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on earth.” See also The Christian Science Monitor Weekly, for 10/13/2014, Volume 106, Issue 47, pages 27-33.

 

[3] See Hilary Marlow, “Justice for Whom? Social and Environmental Ethics and the Hebrew Prophets”, http://www.academia.edu/8196491/Justice_for_Whom_Social_and_Environmental_Ethics_and_the_Hebrew_Prophets.

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