Eco-spirituality in Prophets - Xavier James L.S.

ECO-SPIRITUALITY IN PROPHETS

XAVIER JAMES L.S. 

Introduction

Prophets were called by a personal God for a particular mission at a particular time.  These prophets had an aesthetic sense towards nature.  They often taught the people through the examples from nature.  Nature played a significant role in the prophetic teaching.  In the Bible the creation or nature is given very important place. 

God is the creator

Yahweh is the creator of everything and everyone including nature and human beings.  Prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah confirm this truth through their prophecies.  They praise God for the wonder of his creation (Jer.32:17-20, Is.37:16, 42:5).  Yahweh is the universal king and judge and his jurisdiction extends the ends of the universe and to all the peoples.  Yahweh’s love extends to all creation and nature.  Yahweh is actively present in the cosmos i.e. in the nature and history (Is.6:3). 

Human and nature have the same origin and the same destiny.  Further nature is the cradle, which takes care of the humans.  God relates with nature in a similar way as he relates with the humans.  He makes covenant with human as well as with nature.  Prophet Hosea notes, “I will make for you a covenant on that day with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground and I will abolish the bow the sword and war from the land; and I will make you lie down in safety” (2:18). 

In the covenantal relationship between Yahweh and Israel, nature also plays a major role.  Sin of human disturbs the human relationship with God as well as with nature.  Prophet Jeremiah says, “I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruits and its good things.  But when you entered you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination” (2:7, 9:10, 12:4,11).  Prophet Hosea also notes in 4:3.  The land is God’s and it is to be protected and safeguarded.  When true religion is practiced, when the land is full of knowledge of the Lord, then there is cosmic harmony (Is.11:6-9).  This cosmic harmony brings the creation into its fullness.   

Judgement because of sin 

The earth is defiled due to the disobedience of the inhabitants.  The human sin, transgressions, breaking of the covenant has also affected the nature and the cosmos as a whole.  Prophet Isaiah says, “The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers; the heavens languish together with the earth.  The earth is polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.  Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled, and few people are left” (24: 4-6).  The whole chapter gives the account of how through the human sin the land suffers.  In our very days we experience that due to our human sin such as greed and selfishness the nature and whole of creation suffer.  We alienate ourselves little by little from the creation through our misdeeds.    

Prophet Jeremiah says, “For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up” (23:10).  Due to today’s industrialization and its sending out the wastes we pollute the air and water.  The result is that our future generation will have to face the consequences.  Moreover our earth will slowly become desolate.  Prophet Ezekiel comments, “ I will make the land desolate because they have acted faithlessly, says the Lord God” (15:8).  We are supposed to be the caretakers of the land but we in turn afflict and manipulate the earth by becoming like butchers.  These sins of ours will slowly but surely destroy our planet.  Prophet Haggai also notes such an account (1:11). 

The Land cries out to God

Jeremiah notes, “How long will the land mourn, and the grass of every field wither? For the wickedness of those who live in it the animals and the birds are swept away” (12:4).  Prophet Joel also remarks on this fact (1:18).  When the creation cries out to God, the Lord will surely listen and come to its aid.  We believe that in creation God is present.  God suffers with creation, since he is a compassionate God.  

The Land is blessed when people are righteous 

Prophet Isaiah says, “ If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land” (1:19, 32:15).  Prosperity is always believed to be a blessing from the Lord.  When a person is good to creation then the creation reciprocates the same.  It is by our goodness we become God’s own.  Prophet Ezekiel says, “The trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase.  They shall be secure on their land” (34:25,27-28).

Prophets are guardians of Nature

The prophets were very much aware of the fact that the earth will also punish those who by their extravagant consumption oppress the poor and destroy the earth (Joel:1:4).  Some people live in lavish manner not caring for the earth and creation as a whole, which becomes a sin.  Today such a manner of living has become a normal observable fact.  Prophets often challenged the political and religious leadership of their times.  For this reason they were often not welcomed by the people, who were caught up with institution like kings and priests in this view.  Prophet Amos was seen as a trouble maker (7: 10-14).  In fact the prophets were called to be sensitive to the ‘signs of the times’, and they were so.  Prophet Isaiah says, “I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert”(43:19).  Through this God will make everything new.  Yahweh’s power to heal, to redeem and to restore the well being and harmony, balance and faithfulness of creation was present at the dawn of creation before humans ever existed (Is. 11:6-9).

 Conclusion

The prophets also explicate the solidarity between the humans and nature.  When God judges the humans, the cosmic elements are called to be the witnesses (Is.1: 2, Jer.4:28, Mic.6:1-2).  The land mourns and suffers with the human in their experiences of tragedies (Jer.4:28, 14:2-6).  Similarly the nature is called to rejoice when the humans live in justice and peace (Amos.9:13, Is.44:23).  Human sin is something to do with today’s ecological crisis.  Global warming is a result of misuse of nature by human beings.  As it is said, ‘As you sow, so you reap’.  We reap the results in too much of rain, floods, earth quakes, land sliding, sea water covering and taking the land and houses, Tsunami, cyclones, faloons etc.  Tragically the growth of science, technology and industrialization is destroying nature as the object of human greed.  This situation needs to be altered by human efforts by going for a sustainable development of the earth’s resources.  Hence it is high time to be aware of what we do to the whole of creation, and how we use the abundance of nature.