cedar

April 24, 2017

The allegory of the eagle (Ezek 17:1-17:3)

“The word of Yahweh

Came to me.

‘Son of man!

Propound a riddle!

Speak an allegory

To the house of Israel!

Say!

Thus says Yahweh God!

‘A great eagle

With great wings,

With long pinions,

Rich in plumage

Of many colors,

Came to Lebanon.

He took the top

Of the cedar.’”

Yahweh once again came to Ezekiel, the son of man. This time Yahweh proposed a riddle or an allegory for the house of Israel about an eagle. A great eagle with colorful rich wonderful wings and feathers came to sit on the top of a cedar in Lebanon. Is this an allegory or riddle about King Nebuchadnezzar who became king of Babylon in 597 BCE? It sure seems like it, since he was the great eagle who came to sit on his throne.

September 2, 2016

God of trees (Isa 41:19-41:20)

“I will put in the wilderness

The cedar tree,

The acacia tree,

The myrtle tree,

The olive tree.

I will set in the desert

The cypress tree,

The plane tree,

Together with the pine tree.

Thus all may see,

All may know,

All may consider,

All may understand together,

That the hand of Yahweh

Has done this.

The Holy One of Israel

Has created it.”

Once again, assuming the first person singular in Second Isaiah, Yahweh says that he is the one who planted a bunch of trees in the desert wilderness. These trees include the cedar trees, the acacia trees, the myrtle trees, the olive trees, the cypress trees, the plane trees, and the pine trees. Once you realize this, you will see, know, consider, and understand that the hand of Yahweh has done all this. The Holy One of Israel has created all these trees.

March 7, 2016

Nice house (Song 1:16-1:17)

Male lover

“O!

You are beautiful!

My beloved!

You are truly lovely.

Our couch is green.

The beams of our house are cedar.

Our rafters are pine.”

The male lover also responded that she was beautiful and lovely also. However, then he began to describe his house. They had a green couch. Maybe that was special. The beams were made of cedar that normally came from Lebanon, but not mentioned her. The rafters were made of pine so it was the best wood available.

December 22, 2014

The power of King Solomon (2 Chr 9:25-9:28)

“King Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, that he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. The king made silver as common as stone in Jerusalem. Cedar was as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. Horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all lands”.

This section is loosely based on 1 Kings, chapter 10. In case there was trouble King Solomon had 4,000 horse and chariot stalls with 12,000 horses ready to go, either in Jerusalem or in the chariot towns. He ruled from the Euphrates River to Egypt. Only the Philistines still held unto the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, while the Phoenicians worked with him. Jerusalem was a wealthy town. Silver was as common as stones. Cedar wood was as available as sycamore wood. Horses were imported from Egypt and elsewhere.