As Adam and Eve were intended to respond with obedience to the creative act of God and His word, so Israel was intended to respond with faith and obedience to the redemptive-creation of the nation in the exodus. It is important that we see the word of God at Sinai in the context of the covenant promise and the redemptive deeds of God in saving His people from Egypt. The giving of the Sinai law begins with "I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exod. 20:2). Most people are familiar with the statement that puts the whole of the law into the context of a people who have been saved by grace and are now commanded to live consistently with that fact. Yet, how easily we transgress that principle by preaching law without the word of the gospel to support it as a word of grace.

3. "Thus Says the Lord": the Beginning of Preaching

For the moment let us concentrate on the biblical emphasis on God speaking or commanding His prophets to speak, and His prophets speaking what they affirm to be the words of God.13 The pattern of prophetic word that is established in the ministry of Moses becomes the definitive pattern of God speaking to His people. The prophets are also the preachers of the Old Testament. Over four hundred times the phrase "Thus says the Lord" is used in the Old Testament prophets or narratives about the prophetic activity of proclamation in Israel.

A variety of words are used to convey the idea of proclaiming the word of the Lord. When it comes to the question of Israel's obedience and faithfulness, it is the prophetic voice that brings the word of judgment because of a broken covenant. At different phases of Israel's history the prophetic ministry fulfills different roles: law giving, king making, indictment of sin, promise of salvation. In each situation it is the word of God that is proclaimed.

The biblical-theological epoch in which Abraham and Moses received the word of God came to a grinding halt after reaching its high point with David and Solomon. As the nation goes into decline, it no longer reflects the saved status of the people of God. During the first stages of the decline the prophetic voice calls the people back to faithfulness to the Sinai covenant. This is predominantly what the ministry of Elijah and Elisha is about. However, as Israel continues down the slippery slope to disaster because of unrepentant rebellion against the word of the Lord, a new breed of prophets emerges. These prophets have three basic things to say within the specific context of Israel's sins. They have a word of indictment, a word of judgment and a word of restoration. Frequently the latter is given in the stereotyped form of what is referred to by form critics as an oracle of salvation.14 Characteristically it begins with the formula "fear not" or "do not be afraid." It is a word spoken in a situation of impending disaster or judgment and expresses the faithfulness of God to save His people.