Prophetic Reflections
A Living Apocrypha in Verse
- Arts & Literature
- Publisher: Resource Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2026
FritzSearch.com earns a commission on purchases made through Bookshop.org links.
Publisher's Description
What would the Hebrew prophets say if they were alive today? They lived during a monumental change in the world system from city-states like Samaria and Judea to the imperial systems of Assyria and Babylon. What might they write in verse to the people of today’s nations who encounter the global invasions of communications, refugees and migrants, world trade, and climate change? Will pride in the nations and the military avert the catastrophes to come? Even though they were acutely aware of the politics of that time, the prophets condemned the idolatry and greed of their own people for the weakness of the nation. Will the longing for prosperity and the shaming of the poor and migrants shown by people today lead to destruction? Like the prophets many now weep over the current global tragedies that surround and include them. Yet, as people reflect on the prophet’s promises for food, water, peace, and healing, boldly they dream of new answers to old problems. Might the renewal of today’s nations be mountains of hope for the poor and needy throughout the world? These verses in Hebrew poetry underscore the message of the author’s previous book, The Last Kingdom Standing.
Endorsements (3)
“What does it mean to ‘live prophetically’? Like Walter Bruggeman and Richard Rohr, Schmidt digs deeply into the heart of prophetic wisdom and ‘the idolatry of a people who have lost their way.’ Addressing critical moral, political, and theological issues of our time with piercing analysis, he offers twenty-five reflections described as ‘God speaking now to the people God loves.’ This ‘living apocrypha’ will inspire readers to live differently, lovingly, faithfully, and prophetically—entertained and enlightened by the insightful reflections of a gifted servant of the Gospel.”
“A small volume with big ideas, this book could change your life. Prophetic Reflections understands the significance of biblical prophecy and creates its own poetic visions that analyze the source of contemporary societal problems and propose solutions. This book, buttressed by a broad understanding of our own fractured systems, espouses biblical values and contemporary Humanism. A theologian and a political scientist, Robert Schmidt evades narrow parochialism, embracing political globalism and theological ecumenism.”
“The times we inhabit evoke biblical descriptors: ‘apocalyptic,’ ‘cataclysmic,’ ‘doomsday.’ With Prophetic Reflections, Robert Schmidt’s poetic voice outmatches the age, decrying the nation’s social, economic, environmental, and political bankruptcies with the moral outrage of the Hebrew prophets. More than imitations, Schmidt’s poems rise from the viscera of disgust over wars, intolerance, cruelty—the list goes on. Read these poems from a pulpit—better yet, with a bullhorn—and witness a people’s conscience awakened to bring about a more just world.”
See something wrong on this page? Report a problem