“Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet anointed Solomon King.”

These words from an anthem by Handel, based on 1 Kings 1:38-39, form an introduction to our theme: three fundamental institutions of Israelite religion, as portrayed in the Old Testament.

Notwithstanding earlier indications of Hebrew conceptions of God, it is understood that the religion of Israel began with Moses, who led the people out of Egypt, guided them through the wilderness and instituted a legal system. The Mosaic Law was more than a code of morality; by a complex system of rituals covering every aspect of life, it represented a pattern to govern humanity’s relationship to God. The priesthood was the means for facilitating this. There are scattered references to prophets in this early period, but the main impact of the prophetic tradition comes much later.

In the early period of Israel’s history there was no place for kings; God was their King. Following the occupation of Canaan under Joshua the tribes were governed by the Judges, who were principally military leaders intent on subjugating the Canaanites or resisting incursions by surrounding peoples, notably the Philistines. Accomplishments of the judges, among whom Gideon, Jephthah and Samson were prominent, were achieved within their respective tribal areas. There was little co-ordination between the tribes.

Though resisted at first, the clamour for a king (ostensibly to enable them to be like other nations) led to the anointing by Samuel of Saul, who united the tribes. Saul was in many respects an effective ruler but his downfall was caused largely by his jealousy of David, whose growing influence he deeply resented. David, despite some grave moral flaws, was seen as the ideal King; he greatly extended the nation’s boundaries, made Jerusalem its capital and inculcated national pride.

David was succeeded by his son Solomon, who maintained a strong nation, created successful commercial links and fulfilled David’s dream of erecting a magnificent Temple. However, his achievements were made possible by a heavy system of taxation which was strongly opposed.

Following the death of Solomon his son and successor Rehoboam, a weak man, rejected the wise advice of the elders to reduce the burden of taxation, and listened instead to younger voices advocating its continued infliction. This action led to a revolt by ten of the twelve tribes, led by Jeroboam, and the division of the kingdom into Israel (in the north), ruled by Jeroboam, and Judah (in the south) under Rehoboam.

This period of the two kingdoms was marked by frequent attacks of the powerful empires of Assyria and Babylonia and by the influence of the great Prophets, among whom were Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah.

These courageous men of God were steadfast in denouncing wickedness and in reminding the nation of their vocation as the People of God. In this, they were not afraid to confront even kings or priests. What was required is summed up in the words of Micah: “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God”.

The northern kingdom of Israel was brought to an end by the Assyrians when most of the people were taken into captivity and lost to history. Assyria failed to topple Judah which continued for another century and half, until defeat by the Babylonians resulted in destruction of the Temple and Exile in Babylon. During the Exile the people’s morale was upheld by the prophet Ezekiel.

Following the overthrow of Babylon by the Persians the exiles were permitted to return to their own land. Restoration under Nehemiah and Ezra brought new hope to the nation until the Persians were replaced by the Greeks who inflicted great hardship on the Jews.

The post-exilic period saw many changes. There were now no kings, the prophetic voice was muted and the function of the priesthood was transformed. Although the Temple had been rebuilt and sacrifices continued, the emphasis was on the written word; the nation became the People of the Book. For many the centre of worship became the synagogue where reading of the Law (and the Prophets) was practised. The Old Testament began to take shape, though not completed until A.D.90.

A successful rebellion under the Maccabees brought a century of independence which lasted until the nation was absorbed into the Roman Empire, a circumstance which forms the background to the New Testament period. Kings made a reappearance in the persons of the Herods, who were not of Jewish blood and owed their position to subservience to Rome. The prophetic tradition was represented in the life and ministry of John the Baptist, who was popularly regarded as Elijah returned!

It is significant that ‘Prophet’, ‘Priest’ and ‘King’ were among the titles ascribed to Jesus.

Norman Moore