Wikipedia All Religions Are One Plate One "The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness" |
The
figure of the prophet is rooted in Old Testament literature. The
priests were in charge of the religious activities of the Jews. They
developed a religion based on law. The Ten Commandments of Moses
multiplied until there
were laws and rules for every facet of Jewish life. Following the law
was supposed to please Jehovah and induce him to protect the Israelites.
But the law was broken in letter and in spirit, and the nation of
Israel endured many calamities which were often interpreted as punishment
from Jehovah for sinfulness. Prophets arose outside of the established
religious organization to lay before the people their failures and the
predicted consequences. The prophets spoke as instruments of God,
attempting to lead the people into more a just, merciful, and equitable
society. The Old Testament prophets usually used threats as well as
promises in trying to induce the Israelites to be obedient to God as
they understood him.
With his sensitivity to injustice
and his vision of the elevated role man should play in God's world, Blake felt
affinity for the role of prophet. He knew how the world could be,
should be, and would be if man would recognize and accept the role that
God offers him.
God had endowed William with outstanding gifts.
He had an unusual ability to see beyond the superficial appearances
around him. He had an intellect that could absorb vast amounts of
information and analyze and organize it. He had communication skills as a
verbal and visual artist. Recognizing these talents as gifts from God,
he wanted to use them in His service.
So it seems predictable
that Blake should assume the role of prophet and attempt to lead the
people into a better understanding of what had gone wrong with the plans
God had for mankind, and how man might get back on the right track. The
right track to him was not obedience to the law as it was for the
prophets of old; the right track was the New Testament innovation of
being led by the Holy Spirit.
Blake created the character Los as
the Eternal Prophet and allowed him to enact many of the prophetic
roles Blake played himself. Like the prophet Ezekiel, Blake and Los used
demonstrations, not words alone, to project their message.
Jerusalem, Plate 5, (E 147)
"I rest not from my great task!
To open the Eternal Worlds, to open the immortal Eyes
Of Man inwards into the Worlds of Thought: into Eternity
Ever expanding in the Bosom of God. the Human Imagination"
Jerusalem Plate 12, (E 155)
"Giving a body to Falshood that it may be cast off for ever."
Jerusalem, Plate 88, (E 247)
"The blow of his Hammer is Justice. the swing of his Hammer:
Mercy.
The force of Los's Hammer is eternal Forgiveness"
Jerusalem, Plate 95, (E 255)
"Because he kept the Divine Vision in time of trouble"
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