consolation

December 26, 2018

Simeon (Lk 2:25-2:25)

“Now there was a man

In Jerusalem,

Whose name

Was Simeon.

This man

Was righteous

And devout.

He was looking forward

To the consolation

Of Israel.

The Holy Spirit

Rested upon him.”

 

Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος ἦν ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ ᾧ ὄνομα Συμεών, καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος δίκαιος καὶ εὐλαβής, προσδεχόμενος παράκλησιν τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ Πνεῦμα ἦν Ἅγιον ἐπ’ αὐτόν·

 

Next Luke brought a man named Simeon into this scene in the Jerusalem Temple.  We know nothing else about him, except what is written here in Luke.  Simeon (ᾧ ὄνομα Συμεών,) was a righteous (καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος δίκαιος) and devout God-fearing man (καὶ εὐλαβής) living in Jerusalem (Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος ἦν ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ).  He was looking forward to the consolation of Israel (προσδεχόμενος παράκλησιν τοῦ Ἰσραήλ).  The Holy Spirit rested upon him (καὶ Πνεῦμα ἦν Ἅγιον ἐπ’ αὐτόν).  Once again, Luke emphasized that the Holy Spirit was on Simeon, just he had been on John, Mary, Elizabeth, and Zechariah, 5 people filled with the Holy Spirit.  The consolation that Simeon was expecting was the redemption of Israel or the messianic happening of the end times.

 

April 23, 2017

The restoration of the sisters (Ezek 16:53-16:55)

“I will restore

Their fortunes.

I will restore

Both the fortunes of Sodom

With her daughters.

I will restore

The fortunes of Samaria

With her daughters.

I will restore

Your own fortunes,

Along with theirs.

Thus you may bear

Your disgrace.

You will be ashamed

Of all

That you have done.

You will become

A consolation to them.

As for your sisters,

Sodom,

With her daughters,

Shall return

To their former state.

Samaria,

With her daughters,

Shall return

To their former state.

You,

With your daughters,

Shall return

To your former state.”

Yahweh said that he was going to restore the fortunes of all 3 sisters, Jerusalem, Sodom, and Samaria. All their daughters would have their fortunes also restored. However, Jerusalem would have to bear her disgrace. She should be ashamed of all that she did. Nevertheless, she would be a consolation to her sisters, Sodom and Samaria. All three of them would be returned to their former state.

December 17, 2016

The book of Jeremiah (Jer 30:1-30:2)

“The word that came

To Jeremiah

From Yahweh.

‘Thus says Yahweh!

The God of Israel!

Write in a book

All the words

That I have spoken

To you!”

Yahweh told Jeremiah to write his oracles down in a book. Thus we have the book of Jeremiah, the prophet. These writings are a series of oracles addressed to those in captivity about a future return. Some of the early ones are even addressed to the Northern Israelites who were in Assyrian captivity from 721 BCE. This was to give consolation to the people in exile. Like the preceding chapter, this is a different numbered chapter in the Greek translation of the Septuagint, chapter 37, not chapter 30 as here.

March 24, 2016

The children of adulterers (Wis 3:16-3:19)

“But the children of adulterers

Will not come to maturity.

The offspring of an unlawful union

Will perish.

Even if they live long,

They will be held of no account.

Finally their old age

Will be without honor.

If they die young,

They will have no hope.

They will have no consolation

On the judgment day.

The end of an unrighteous generation

Is grievous.”

The children of adulterers (τέκνα δὲ μοιχῶν) will not have a good ending. They may not even come to maturity, since they may die at a young age. Even if they live long, it will not be a very rewarding life. If they get to old age, there will be no honor. If they die young, there will be no hope or consolation on the judgment day (ἡμέρᾳ διαγνώσεως). This unrighteous or unjust generation (γενεᾶς γὰρ ἀδίκου) will not end well. This was a very strong rebuke of the so-called bastard children of adulterers.

November 23, 2015

Yahweh answers (Ps 99:8-99:9)

“Yahweh!

Our God!

You answered them.

You were a forgiving God to them.

But you were an avenger of their wrongdoings.

Extol Yahweh!

Our God!

Worship at his holy mountain!

Yahweh!

Our God is holy!”

This psalm ends with the consolation that Yahweh answered their ancestors. He was forgiving to them although he was an avenger of their wrongdoings. Therefore they should extol Yahweh. They should then worship him at his holy mountain where Yahweh, their God is holy.

November 18, 2015

Yahweh will help defeat the wicked (Ps 94:16-90:23)

“Who rises up for me against the wicked?

Who stands up for me against evildoers?

If Yahweh had not been my help,

My soul would soon have lived

In the land of silence.

When I thought.

‘My foot slips,’

Your steadfast love held me up.

Yahweh!

When the cares of my heart are many,

Your consolations cheer my soul.

Can wicked rulers be allied with you?

Who are those who contrive mischief by statute?

They band together against the life of the righteous.

They condemn the innocent to death.

But Yahweh has become my stronghold.

Yahweh is my God.

Yahweh is the rock of my refuge.

He will repay them for their iniquity.

He will wipe them out for their wickedness.

Yahweh!

Our God will wipe them out.”

This psalm concludes with the psalmist not worried. Yahweh has already helped him, keeping him from falling. He has risen up against the wicked and the evildoers. He was the consolation of his heart. The evildoers and the wicked joined together to condemn the innocent. However, his God, Yahweh, had repaid them because of their wickedness. They will be wiped out because Yahweh is the rock of his refuge, the stronghold for this psalmist.