Study Religious Studies notes on Prophet and Seer in Israel for A-Level. Useful for revision, homework, and exam preparation in Zimbabwe.
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This is the ZIMSEC A-Level Religious Studies notes. It is a free notes for revision.
A Level Family \& Religious Studies with Witness Dingani QUESTION Distinguish between a prophet and a seer in Israel. COMMENT OVERVIEW -The above question requires one to distinguish between a prophet and a seer. The synonym of distinguish is "differentiate". In Israel they were both prophets and seers. According to U.S.A English dictionary the term "prophet" refers to someone who speaks by divine inspiration. J .Thompson defined a prophet as a messenger of God. Albert C .Knudson in his book entitled "Beacon Lights of prophecy" page 30 defined a prophet as "one who spoke in God's stead". The uniform teaching of the bible (I.S.B.E, Vol IV, p 2459), defined a prophet as "a speaker of or for God, his words are not the production of his own spirit but come from a higher source". A "seer" is someone with second sight, this has been supported by B . Vawter, who submitted that seers were visionary rather than ecstatic. The name seer is derived from the Hebrew word "Roeh", which refers to one who sees. In analysing the origins of prophecy in Israel the supporters of Evolutionary theory believe that prophecy evolved from the office of seer ship. They support this view by citing 1 Samuel 9:9 ( Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said "Come, let us go to the seer";for he who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer). However, the critics argued that it is not true that the office of a prophet evolved from that of a seer because there is a difference between a prophet and a seer. This view is supported by the story of Gad who is given two titles in 2nd Samuel 24:11, ".... The word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad , David's seer....." How can one person be given two titles if they meant one office? In the Old Testament there are at least eight seers -Samuel in 1 Samuel 9:19 -Gad in 2 Sam 24;11 -Zadok the priest in 2 Sam 15:29 -Iddo in 2 Chro 9:29 -Hanani 2 Chr 16:7 -Asaph 2 Chro 29:30 -Amos in Amos 7:12 THE DIFFERENCES -Seers were paid for their services, this can be supported by the discussion of Saul and his servant in 1 Samuel 9:7-10. Samuel had four offices and seership was one of the office. The way Amaziah attacked Amos the prophet will lead one to conclude that seers were paid for their services "O Seer, go flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there..." Scholars have concluded that the term "bread" it's a clear indication that seers prophesied for a living. This is different with prophets, prophets received a token …