a reference

August 29, 2017

The little horn (Dan 7:8-7:8)

“I was considering

The horns.

Then another horn

Appeared.

A little one

Came up

Among them.

To make room for it,

Three of the earlier horns

 

 

A little one

Came up

Were plucked up

By the roots.

There were eyes

Like human eyes.

There was a mouth

Speaking arrogantly.”

While Daniel was looking at these strange horns, a little horn appeared to take the place of 3 other horns, plucking them up by their roots. This little horn had human like eyes and an arrogant mouth. This appears to be a reference to King Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-163 BCE), an arrogant Greek king who got his throne by destroying 3 other kings. 1 Maccabees, chapter 1, goes into great detail about this king.

December 3, 2016

The end of happiness (Jer 25:10-25:13)

“‘I will banish from them

The voice of mirth,

The sound of gladness,

The voice of the bridegroom,

The voice of the bride,

The sound of the millstones,

The light of the lamp.

This whole land shall become

A ruin,

A waste.

These nations

Shall serve the king of Babylon

Seventy years.

Then after seventy years are completed,

I will punish the king of Babylon

With that nation,

The land of the Chaldeans,

For their iniquity.’

Says Yahweh.

‘Make the land

An everlasting waste!

I will bring upon that land

All the words

That I have uttered against it,

Everything written in this book.’”

This section begins with a reference to what Jeremiah had said in chapters 7 and 16. In the cities of Judah and on the streets of Jerusalem, there would be no longer the voice of mirth or gladness. In fact, the voice of the bride and bridegroom would be banished, also hinting at no more weddings. There would be no more millstones or light. The land would become a ruined wasteland. The Babylonian king would rule them for 70 years. However, after 70 years, Yahweh would punish Babylon and the Chaldeans, by making them an everlasting wasteland because of their iniquity. Everything that was written in this book of Jeremiah would come to pass upon them.

 

November 2, 2016

Listen to God (Jer 10:1-10:2)

“Hear the word

That Yahweh speaks to you!

O house of Israel!

Thus says Yahweh.

‘Do not learn

The ways of the nations!

Do not be dismayed

At the signs of the heavens!

The nations

Are dismayed at them.’”

Jeremiah and the house of Israel were told to listen to the word of Yahweh, God. They were not to learn the ways of other nations that followed the heavenly signs, a reference to the worship of stars, the moon, the sun, and comets. Many nations are dismayed by them, and thus worship them.

July 6, 2016

The sinfulness at Jerusalem (Isa 3:9-3:11)

“The look on their faces

Bears witnesses against them.

They proclaim their sin

Like Sodom.

They do not hide it.

Woe to them!

They have brought evil

Upon themselves.

Tell the innocent

How fortunate they are.

They shall eat

The fruit of their labors.

Woe to the guilty!

How unfortunate they are.

What their hands have done

Shall be done to them.”

Now Isaiah makes a reference to Jerusalem as being a sinning town like Sodom, the famous sinning place in Genesis, chapters 18-19, which seems to be ingrained in Israelite life. They were bluntly proclaiming their sinfulness, not hiding it, since the look on their faces gave them away. They will experience woe because they have brought this evil upon themselves. On the other hand, the innocent are fortunate because they will enjoy the results of their labors. The guilty are unfortunate because what they did with their hands will be done to them. Clearly, there was a sense of retributive justice.

April 19, 2016

The upside down side of nature (Wis 19:18-19:21)

“The elements changed places with one another.

As on a harp

The notes vary the nature of the rhythm,

While each note remains the same.

This may be clearly inferred

From the sight of what took place.

The land animals were transformed into water creatures.

The creatures that swim moved over to the land.

Fire even in water retained its normal power.

Water forgot its fire-quenching nature.

On the contrary,

Flames failed to consume

The flesh of perishable creatures

That walked among them.

Nor did they melt the crystalline,

Quick melting kind of heavenly food.”

Now we see what happened in the desert on the way to the Promised Land. Nature was turned upside down. Somehow the rhythm of life had changed. Just like notes on a harp, there was a new sound. The land animals became water creatures, while the water creatures moved to the land. What is this author talking about? Probably this is a reference to some cattle that might have crossed the Red Sea. The water frogs, however, were on land. Water did not quench fire as the fire blazed even in water. The use of water and fire at various times on this journey points to their unique powers. Finally the manna from heaven did not melt. Most of this can be found in chapter 16 of this book.