THE CALL OF JEREMIAH by DAVID TUDOR ... - David T Williams

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2. THE FEATURES OF JEREMIAH'S CALL
The book of Jeremiah is primarily concerned with his message and his
personal history as it affects that message. Apart from the call
narrative which is in fact very short, there is little direct indication in the
book which deals with the questions of how Jeremiah became a
prophet, and how he continued his ministry, that is, how he received
his revelations (Clements 1975:30). As Bright (1965:lxxxvii) remarks, it
is impossible to write a biography of Jeremiah, so we must rely on
inferences. However, by considering the features of Jeremiah's
ministry as recorded in the book, deduction can be made about these
questions, and thus why he prophesied. It is seen that the primary
nature of prophecy is the relationship of the prophet to God.
2.1 An external act
The prophets record their experience as initiated from outside
themselves, as the very word "calling" or "vocation" implies. This
means their activity is not due to a subjective feeling or to a product of
their imagination (Gehman 1940:109). It is not the result of a
psychological phenomenon (cf Porteous 1938:227).
Prophecy cannot be forced. The prophet does not
assume that abandonment of consciousness brings