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The Preacher as Scribe Let me begin by considering four scriptural confrontations that might construe preaching as truth speaking to power. In these classic texts, the "hero," the one with whom we side in the narrative, is the preacher, the one who has been authorized by call to utter truth that lies outside the horizon of those addressed. His preaching aims to assure by an alternative and tojar by expose. It compels and impels action in a new direction. It is hard work—and no wonder. I The primal case of speaking-truth-to-power in the Old Testament is Moses addressing Pharaoh. As a truth-teller, Moses had as long a preparation for his call as any of us. He was birthed in danger because Pharaoh, the quintessence of power, had already generically decreed his death as a baby. He was schooled as a freedom fighter (read terrorist ) and, like his fellow Hebrews, resented the Egyptian administrators —so resented, in fact, that he killed an Egyptian. For his moment of rage, Moses became a fugitive and was forced to flee the empire. And it was in his status as a fugitive that he was addressed by this voice from the burning bush who summons, authorizes, and dispatches him to Pharaoh. Moses can think of at least four reasons not to undertake such a risky venture as speaking-truth-to-power: (1) he is inadequate; (2) they will want to know who the God is who sends; (3) they will not believe; (4) he can't talk right. When his reasoning makes no difference , he resorts to begging: Send someone else! But the one who calls and voices truth will not be put off. Truth must be uttered, and finally, in chapter 5, it is: Thus says the LORD, the God ofIsrael: let my people go, so that they may celebrate afestival to me in the wilderness. The truth Moses utters is the truth of YHWH: Pharaoh is penultimate and accountable to YHWH, and YHWH, not Pharaoh, must be 5 glorified and obeyed. The familiar "Let my people go" is in fact an imperative—Send my people!—which YHWH issues through Moses. The king of Egypt is hardly accustomed to hearing imperatives spoken to him, but the trudi is that he is out of business. YHWH is sovereign and the power of Pharaoh is dissolved. As a consequence and byproduct , Israel is emancipated. That is the truth, the truth ofYHWH; it is, moreover, the disastrous truth of Pharaoh. It took Moses—frightened , mumbling Moses—to engage in proclamation that changed history and founded the missional people of God in the world. A second familiar case study of speaking-truth-to-power is Nathan addressing David (2 Samuel 12). We know all about David, the giantkilling boy, the man's man; his rise to power is an amazing saga. Born to privilege, he quickly surpasses his seven older siblings in favor and is anointed king and Messiah while still a youth. David is soldier, chief, intimidator; everything happens well for him. Women adore him. Men trust and admire him. Very few people are able to say No to him, and the ones who do, die like flies. Indeed, David is the beneficiary of many convenient deaths—so many, in fact, that he is endlessly under suspicion. So David arrives in power after a long winning streak. He is king in Hebron for seven years, then promoted toJerusalem, where he is settled , safe, prosperous ... bored. He is so bored that he seeks diversion and spots it in Bathsheba. She, like everyone before her, does not resist him; the rest, as they say, is history—but what a history. Coverup . Murder. Everything is done in the interest of protecting this king who is above the Torah, who has no restraints, who will have what he wants, who bends the whole world to his whim. Enter Nathan, the prophet on the payroll of the king; enter truth! Back in chapter 7, Nathan had given divine oracle to David in the form of a blank check from God: But I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be establishedforever (2 Sam 7:15-16). That word of truth had been a fairly easy one for the prophet to utter, but in the wake of the scandal...

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