Here's a look at how the prophets bring Israel and empire into the "same horizon" - from "Out of Babylon" by Walter Brueggemann.
They give us a theological read of the real world, making the empire part of the story of YHWH's covenant with Israel. The move from the normative covenantal tradition to prophetic imagination is a huge one, one that bears decisively on our theme of empire and "local tradition." There is no doubt that the prophets are fully preoccupied with the "local tradition" of covenant. but they do the hard work of situating "local tradition" in the world of empire by asking, "What is the meaning and role of empire, seen in the light of God's covenant with Israel?" They do not ask from the perspective of of world history or from the perspective of the empire itself. Rather, they ask from the standpoint of the covenant. That is, they do not read "top down" from empire to "local tradition," but "bottom up" from "local tradition" to empire. This particular reading assigns to the empire a place it would never have assigned (or even imagined for) itself: a participant in the larger story of YHWH's rule, a rule that Klaus Koch calls "meta-history."
The empire never wants to be second. In fact, the empire is always #1. Quite like every football team that runs around pointing their finger in the air trying to convince the world that they are #1. But in the world of the prophets - who were making sure that God's people knew their place - a holy people with purpose and worth and power, there was that task of reshaping all that is. The empire had no voice in this transformation. The "local tradition" was painting a mural of sorts, that would be handed down to all who claimed that story. In that mural, the empire did not last and could not last. In fact, the empire was a pawn within the storytelling let loose by the prophets. It must be noted that the prophetic imagination was not used to give power to a people who would be just like any other power - any other empire. Rather, the voice of the prophet was one that called the people into a new way that was a part of the life-giving covenant that was to become a light to all nations. Israel was not empire. Israel was a chosen people - with a chosen course to life. No power would be able to overcome the beloved of God. But...in the meantime, it sure feels and looks like the empire is whipping everyone.
Connection: there is much to be said about remaining faithful. Remaining faithful means that we do not switch alliances to fit the power of the day. We remain as the people of God even when the empire in which we live exists with a contrary ethic for life.
O God, make us you own each day and encourage us to follow - again. Amen.
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