anguish

October 6, 2018

The worm does not die (Mk 9:46-9:46)

“Where their worm

Never dies.

The fire

Is never quenched.”

 

ὅπου ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτᾷ καὶ τὸ πῦρ οὐ σβέννυται.

 

This verse is a further explanation about Gehenna or hell.  It was in verse 9:44 and will be in 9:48.  Thus, in many manuscripts, verses 44 and 46 are omitted as repetitions, so that only verse 48 is listed with just empty space between these other verses.  Mark indicated that Jesus said that hell was where their gnawing or anguishing worm would never die (ὅπου ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτᾷ) because the fire was never extinguished or quenched (καὶ τὸ πῦρ οὐ σβέννυται).  They would have eternal discomfort and anguish with a gnawing worm and a fire that never went out.

October 5, 2018

The worm does not die (Mk 9:44-9:44)

“Where their worm

Never dies.

The fire

Is never quenched.”

 

ὅπου ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτᾷ καὶ τὸ πῦρ οὐ σβέννυται.

 

This verse is a further explanation about Gehenna or hell.  It will be repeated in 9:46 and 9:48. Thus, in many manuscripts, verses 44 and 46 are omitted as repetitions, so that only verse 48 is listed with just empty space between these other verses.  Mark indicated that Jesus said that hell was where their gnawing or anguishing worm would never die (ὅπου ὁ σκώληξ αὐτῶν οὐ τελευτᾷ) because the fire was never extinguished or quenched (καὶ τὸ πῦρ οὐ σβέννυται).  They would have eternal discomfort and anguish with a gnawing worm and a fire that never went out.

December 17, 2017

The bitter wrathful day of Yahweh (Zeph 1:14-1:16)

“The great day of Yahweh

Is near,

Near,

Coming fast.

The sound of

The day of Yahweh

Is bitter.

The warrior

Cries aloud there.

That day will be

A day of wrath,

A day of distress,

A day of anguish,

A day of ruin,

A day of devastation,

A day of darkness,

A day of gloom,

A day of clouds

A day of darkness,

A day of trumpet blast,

A day of battle cry,

Against the fortified cities,

Against the lofty battlements.”

The day of Yahweh was to be a day of wrath and doom, as can be found also in Amos, chapter 5 and Isaiah, chapter 2.  This great day for Yahweh was coming right away, very soon.  This bitter sound was in the air, as the warriors cried out loudly with their battle cry against the fortified cities and their secure fortresses.  This was a day of wrath, distress, anguish, ruin, devastation, darkness, gloom, clouds, and a trumpet blast, certainly not a happy day.  Thus, the natural connection to death formed the inspiration for the medieval funeral hymn, Dies Irae, Latin for the day of wrath.

September 12, 2017

Michael appears (Dan 12:1-12:1)

“At that time,

Michael!

The great prince!

The protector

Of your people!

Shall arise!

There shall be

A time of anguish,

Such as never occurred

Since nations

First came into existence.

But at that time,

Your people

Shall be delivered,

Everyone

Who is found

Written in the book.”

Gabriel continued his explanation to Daniel about the future. Michael, the other great archangel, was a great prince and the protector of the Israelite people. He would come at some future great time of trouble and anguish. This time would be like no one has ever seen, since the beginning of countries. The holocaust might qualify for such an event. The Israelite people whose names were written in the book of life would be delivered and saved.

June 1, 2017

The Ethiopians (Ezek 30:9-30:9)

“On that day,

Messengers,

Shall go out

From me,

In ships,

To terrify

The unsuspecting Ethiopians.

Anguish

Shall come

Upon them

On the day

Of Egypt’s doom.

It is coming!”

Yahweh was going to send out messengers or angels in ships to terrify the unsuspecting Ethiopians, who were south of Egypt. Anguish would come upon these Ethiopians on the same day that Egypt was being enveloped in doom. This was going to happen, so watch out.

June 1, 2017

The other countries (Ezek 30:4-30:5)

“A sword shall come

Upon Egypt.

Anguish shall be

In Ethiopia.

When the slain

Fall

In Egypt,

Its wealth

Will be carried away.

Its foundations

Will be torn down.

Ethiopia,

Put,

Lud,

All Arabia,

Libya,

The people

Of the allied lands

Shall fall

With them

By the sword.”

When the sword or battle would come to Egypt, the anguish would also come to Ethiopia, which is south of Egypt. The wealth of the dead people in Egypt would be carried away. The foundations of Egypt would be shaken and torn down. However, the neighboring countries and those allied with Egypt would also suffer. Besides Ethiopia, there were the people from Put and Lud, who had also served in the army of Tyre, as mentioned earlier in chapter 27. However, those affected by this invasion were also the people from Libya, west of Egypt, as well as all the Arabian tribes and those people allied with Egypt. They would all fall by the sword.

January 27, 2017

The devastating cries from Moab (Jer 48:3-48:5)

“‘Hark!

A cry from Horonaim,

‘Desolation!

Great destruction!’

‘Moab is destroyed.’

Her little ones cry out!

At the ascent of Luhith

They go up weeping bitterly.

At the descent of Horonaim

They have heard

The distressing cry

Of anguish.”

Jeremiah explains that if you listen carefully, you can hear the cries from Horonaim or Horonan that may derive from the god Horon, a word for a cave or valley. These distressing cries of anguish spoke about desolation and destruction. This ascent of Luhith was also mentioned in Isaiah, chapter 15. It is clear that there was a lot of crying and weeping because of the destruction all around Moab.

October 22, 2016

The prayer of Jeremiah (Jer 5:3-5:3)

“O Yahweh!

Do your eyes not look for truth?

You have struck them.

But they felt no anguish.

You have consumed them,

But they refused to take correction.

They have made their faces

Harder than a rock.

They have refused

To turn back,

To repent.”

Jeremiah offers this prayer to Yahweh. He knows that Yahweh seeks the truth. Even after being struck and punished by Yahweh, they still felt no anguish. They refused to take any corrections. Their faces have become harder than a rock. They have refused to turn and repent.

October 20, 2016

The lamentation over this sudden disaster (Jer 4:19-4:22)

“My anguish!

My anguish!

I writhe in pain!

O!

The walls of my heart!

My heart is beating wildly!

I cannot keep silent!

I hear the sound of the trumpet.

I hear the alarm of war.

Disaster overtakes disaster.

The whole land is laid waste.

Suddenly my tents are destroyed.

My curtains are destroyed in a moment.

How long must

I see the standard?

How long must

I hear the sound of the trumpet?

‘My people are foolish.

They do not know me.

They are stupid children.

They have no understanding.

They are skilled in doing evil.

But they do not know

How to do good.’”

Jeremiah laments the actions that are taking place. He is pained and in anguish. His heart is beating wildly as he hears the sound of the war trumpet. There was disaster after disaster in the land, as their tents and curtains were also destroyed quickly. He wondered how long this was going to last. He realized that his people were foolish, acting like stupid children, not listening to him. They had no understanding of what was happening. The only thing that they knew was evil, since they did not know how to do good things.

July 22, 2016

The day of destruction is near (Isa 13:6-13:8)

“Wail!

The day of Yahweh is near!

It will come

Like destruction

From the Almighty Shaddai!

Therefore all hands

Will be feeble.

Every human heart

Will melt.

They will be dismayed.

Pangs will seize them.

Agony will seize them.

They will be in anguish

Like a woman in labor.

They will look aghast

At one another.

Their faces will be aflame.”

It is hard to tell from the text itself if this is a reference to the destruction of Babylon or some general end of the world destruction. The context, however, leans towards the fall of Babylon. This destructive day of Yahweh, the Lord, is near since there is a mention of God as the almighty Shaddai. Everyone’s hands will be weak as their hearts will melt. They will be dismayed with pangs and agony. They will be in anguish like a woman in labor at childbirth. They will get no comfort from each other as they will have fiery faces. This does not sound good.