covering

August 4, 2017

The destruction of the statue (Dan 2:34-2:35)

“As you looked on,

A stone was cut out,

Not by human hands.

It struck the statue

On its feet

Of iron and clay.

It broke them

Into pieces.

Then the iron,

The clay,

The bronze,

The silver,

The gold,

Were all broken

Into pieces.

They became

Like the chaff

Of the summer threshing floors.

The wind

Carried them away.

Thus,

Not a trace of them

Could be found.

But the stone

That struck the statue

Became a great mountain.

It filled

The whole earth.”

Daniel explained that the statue of the king’s dream was destroyed. Somehow, a stone was cut out of a mountain. Then, this cut rock struck the iron and clay feet of this statue, but with no one with hands directing this rock. Thus, the feet of this statue were broken into pieces. Then the rest of the statue with its iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold also broke into pieces. These small pieces of the statue became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, blowing in the wind. No one would ever be able to find them. However, the cut rock that struck the feet of the statue became like a big mountain covering the whole earth.

May 17, 2017

The open bloodshed (Ezek 24:7-24:8)

“The blood

That she shed

Is inside it.

She placed it

On a bare rock.

She did not pour it out

On the ground

To cover it

With earth.

To rouse my wrath!

To take vengeance!

I have placed

The blood

That she shed

On a bare rock.

Thus this blood

May not be covered.”

Yahweh was upset about the blood being shed in Jerusalem since it was being placed on a bare rock. No one was pouring the blood out on the ground or covering it up. Was this an attempt to get Yahweh’s wrath aroused? Did someone need to take vengeance? Thus Yahweh also agreed to leave the blood in the city on the bare rocks instead of covering it up.

March 26, 2017

The dome overhead (Ezek 1:22-1:23)

“Over the heads

Of the living creatures

There was something

Like a dome,

Shining

Like crystal,

Spread out

Above their heads.

Under the dome,

Their wings

Were stretched out straight,

One toward another.

Each of the creatures

Had two wings

Covering its body.”

There was a shining dome like a crystal chandelier over the heads of these creatures. This dome was reminiscent of the dome or firmament in the creation story of Genesis, chapter 1. Under this dome, the wings of these creatures were stretched out straight, facing each other. Each of these 4 creatures had 2 wings covering their bodies. Now, in some places there is a mention of each creature having 4 wings, as if 2 wings reached out to others.

November 10, 2016

The great drought (Jer 14:2-14:6)

“Judah mourns.

Her gates languish.

Her people lie in gloom

On the ground.

The cry of Jerusalem goes up.

Her nobles send their servants

For water.

They come to the cisterns.

They find no water.

They return

With their vessels empty.

They are ashamed.

They are dismayed.

They cover their heads.

Because the ground is cracked.

Because there has been no rain

On the land.

The farmers are dismayed.

They cover their heads.

Even the doe in the field

Forsakes her newborn fawn.

Because there is no grass.

The wild asses stand

On the bare heights.

They pant for air

Like jackals.

Their eyes fail.

Because there is no herbage.”

This drought had Judah in mourning. Gloom was all around. The nobles sent their servants for water, but the well cisterns had no water. Thus they returned empty handed, being ashamed and dismayed. They too went into mourning by covering their heads. The dry ground was cracking because there had been no rain in the land. The farmers were dismayed and went into mourning by covering their heads. Even the deer were giving up their young fawns since they could not find any grass. The wild asses on the bare heights had breathing difficulties. Their eyes were failing because they could not find any wild green plants to eat. Everyone was having difficulty in this drought.

August 17, 2016

The justice of the rulers (Isa 32:1-32:4)

“See!

A king will reign in righteousness.

Princes will rule with justice.

Each will be

Like a hiding place from the wind,

Like a covert from the tempest,

Like streams of water

In a dry place,

Like the shade of a great rock

In a weary land.

Then the eyes of those who have sight

Will not be closed.

The ears of those who have hearing

Will listen.

The minds of the rash

Will have good judgment.

The tongues of the stammerers

Will speak readily.

They will speak distinctly.”

Isaiah maintains that there will be new age when justice will prevail. The righteous kings and the good princes will rule with justice. Thus they will be helpful to others because they will be like a hiding place from the wind, like a covering in a storm, like streams of water in a dry place, and like shade in a hot weary land. The seeing will see and the hearing will hear. Minds will make good judgments. People who stammer will speak readily and distinctly. This would be some kind of utopian time when justice and fairness for all existed in an enlightened society.

November 30, 2015

Moses in the desert (Ps 105:37-105:41)

“Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold.

There was no one among their tribes who stumbled.

Egypt was glad when they departed.

The dread of them had fallen upon Egypt.

He spread a cloud for a covering.

He spread a fire to give light by night.

They asked.

Then he brought quails.

He gave them food from heaven in abundance.

He opened the rock.

Then water gushed out.

It flowed through the desert like a river.”

This is quick summary of Exodus, chapters 12-17. The Israelites left Egypt with silver and gold. No one of their tribes stumbled or fell. Thus Egypt was glad that they were gone since they were afraid of what would happen next. In the desert, they had a cloud for covering during the day and a fire as light at night. They wanted food and water, so God provided quails that flew in and manna from heaven in abundance as food. Moses struck a rock so that there was water in abundance like a river in the desert.

February 2, 2014

Curtains covering the tabernacle (Ex 26:1-26:14)

“Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and crimson yarns.  You shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.  The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits.  All the curtains shall be of the same size.  Five curtains shall be joined to one another.  The other five curtains shall be joined to one another.  You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set.  Likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set.  You shall make fifty loops on the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set.  The loops shall be opposite one another. You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be one whole.”

This is a combination of what to do with the ark in the desert and when the temple is constructed.  The tabernacle should have 10 curtains of twisted blue, purple, and crimson yarns and fine linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into them.  The length and width of each curtain should be the same, 28 cubits long and 4 cubits wide.  These colorful 50’ long curtains would be joined together in two groups of 5.  There will be 50 loops on the edge of both sets of the curtains oppose each other with 50 clasps of gold to join the 2 curtains.

“You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle.  You shall make eleven curtains. The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits.  The eleven curtains shall be of the same size.  You shall join five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent.  You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.  You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and join the tent together, so that it may be one whole. The part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle.   The cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of what remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it.  You shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and an outer covering of fine leather.”

The tent for the tabernacle should have 11 curtains made of goat’s hair.  These are a little longer, 2 cubits more than the linen curtains, or about a little over a yard longer.  These will be divided into 5 and 6.  Once again, you have 50 loops and 50 bronze, not gold, clasps to join them together. Part of the curtains should hang over on the sides of the tabernacle.  Then on top of this you take tanned rams’ skins and an outer covering of fine leather. This then was the covering for the tabernacle.