Clive Lawton tells the story of two of the most famous of the Old Testament Prophets. In the first of two parts he starts with Isaiah and the story of Jonah and the whale. Or should it be a fish? At one level Jonah is a knockabout tale of strange events, but at its core it is a story of universal assertions and values, surprising in its inclusivity and judgements. Jonah is a cantankerous character who doesn't seem to fit in with God's plans. And yet he is still called upon to be a prophet.

What, then, does the function involve? It certainly seems that being a prophet is no guarantee of insight or moral depth. How would we relate to such mythical figures if they were still around today and how relevant are their thoughts and ideas in a modern context?

Clive then profiles Isaiah, the supreme literary prophet or, possibly, prophets. There is a dispute about whether Isaiah is one, two or even three distinct personalities as his story covers several different epochs. His words reverberate around the world, not least as having been taken up so solidly by Christians as prophecies of the coming of Jesus as the Messiah.

Clive asks how would we relate to such mythical figures if they were still around today and how relevant are their thoughts and ideas in a modern context?

Picture shows a still of a prophet speaking to the people in the animated Old Testament stories. Show less