Prophetic Imagination is a major plank of the Judeo Christian religion. Prophets are the visionaries of their time. When all others are blind, prophets are the ones granted to see the handwriting on the wall, to interpret the signs of the times, and to see the light beyond the tunnel. Equipped as they are with superior knowledge and perception, prophets analyse the situation on the ground in the light of the common good and in the light of God's wisdom and commandments. Prophets refuse to be defiled by the corruption of the moment; they refuse to be engulfed by the darkness of the surrounding environment. They possess the vision of life as it ought to be, and it is this vision that propels them in their difficult assignment. Prophets speak for God under different circumstances. They are endowed with rare courage not only to denounce evil in general, but also to name the specific human agents of evil in society. They remind society that our God is a God of truth, and that peace is the fruit of justice. They warn evil doers of the inevitability of nemesis, while giving the much needed hope to a suffering people. They tell the poor and oppressed or the victims of injustice not to despair, because God is capable of intervening and turning things around. Prophets give reason for the poor to hope. They assure "the remnant of Yahweh" that all is not lost.
Prophets arose at critical times in the history of Israel. They came up when they were most needed. During the period of the Kings, they came up to check the excesses of the monarchs. While false prophets played the sycophant, the true prophets of God were endowed with rare courage to speak the truth before kings and rulers. They warned the people of God of the socio-economic and political consequences of their sins, and assured them of God's mercy and forgiveness if they repented. During periods of tribulation, such as the Babylonian captivity, when there was the great temptation towards despair, prophets arose to encourage and to offer hope of redemption. Thus, at a time of great depression and distress Prophet Isaiah tells his listeners: “Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you."1
The poor see prophets as those who formulate their desperate cry into a divine discourse, which will soon win for them freedom and liberation. The prophets are for them the harbingers of hope and the heralds of freedom. Whereas the rich, the powerful, and the oppressive ruler are often threatened by the presence and the message of the prophets, the poor find consolation and encouragement in their ministry. This is because the prophets speak the language of the poor. They appreciate fully well the misery and agony of the distressed, since they themselves operate from a lowly disposition. They operate from a position of weakness. They possess no material or political power. Their only source of strength is the oracle of God they bear. 3
Jesus Christ is the prophet per excellence. He has come so that human beings may have life and have it to the full (Matthew 10:10). He says he has been anointed to proclaim release to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed (Luke 4:18). He says he is the light of the world, and anyone who follows him will never walk in darkness (John 8:12). He says he is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that no one comes to the Father except through him (John 14:6). He tells all those who labour and are over-burdened to come and he will give them rest (Matthew 11:28). He assures his followers that when the Son sets them free, they shall be free indeed (John 8:36). He teaches the way of the Kingdom of God. He cures the sick, he opens the eyes of the blind, he gives freedom to captives, liberates the demonised, he feeds the hungry, he forgives sinners, he teaches the ignorant, he challenges the sinful structures in society that push people into sub-human existence, and he promises eternal life to those who follow him faithfully. So Jesus is the way to integral human development. The salvation which he offers is all-embracing.
Martin Luther King Jr., the African American Civil Rights leader and Nobel Prize winner, was a prophet, a visionary, and a dreamer for the American society. He was sustained by the Christian virtues of faith, hope and love, and he applied the Christian principles of justice, fairness and equality to the American society of his day. He denounced the injustice of racism, and spear-headed the massive peaceful demonstrations that led to the collapse of the evil policy of racial segregation. He died in the struggle, yet his life was consistent with his faith. Many in our day see the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, as part of the realization of the fertile dream of Martin Luther King Jr.
The Christian Church must assume this prophetic role for and on behalf of the suffering people of our country. Our people are traditionally a very religious people. They often turn to God at times of crisis, disaster or epidemic, and seek His intervention. They often look up to the ministers of God - the priests, the mediums, and the chief custodians of their religious beliefs for explanation or interpretation of what is happening to them, and through the agents of God, they seek liberation from the spiritual and material forces that oppress them. The distressed and traumatised people of country today are looking up to the Christian religion for answers to the many pressing questions of their hearts.
Our world is in urgent need of a prophetic Church. Our land perishes for lack of knowledge, so we need a Church of prophets, visionaries and seers. Our people are often groaning under the weight of what could be described as corporate amnesia and collective myopia. There is often an acute shortage of vision, intellectual rigor, critical thinking, and a discerning conscience, even among the elite. What appears to be in place instead is a cult of mediocrity. Many of those who are looked upon for a sense of direction, often do not deliver. They are often conspirators with the oppressors of the people. In those kind of circumstances our society in dire need of a prophetic Church and of visionary Christian leaders who will liberate our people from bondage, and open the way for justice, peace and the abundant life which the Lord promises his people.
We need a prophetic Church, endowed with the wisdom that comes from God the Father, equipped with the vision that comes from Jesus Christ the Son and moved by the passion that comes from the Holy Spirit, to make a powerful intervention in God's name on behalf of the distressed people of our land. We need a prophetic Church that will discern the current situation in our country and give it a theological interpretation. We need a dose of prophetic imagination in the Church and among Christians in such a way that the country will be liberated from the present valley of tears and led to the promised land of peace and prosperity.
