deep

February 18, 2019

The seeds on the rock have no roots (Lk 8:13-8:13)

“The seeds

On the rock

Are those who,

When they hear

The word,

Receive it with joy.

But they have no roots.

They believe

Only for a while.

In a time of temptation,

They fall away.”

 

οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας οἳ ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν μετὰ χαρᾶς δέχονται τὸν λόγον, καὶ οὗτοι ῥίζαν οὐκ ἔχουσιν, οἳ πρὸς καιρὸν πιστεύουσιν καὶ ἐν καιρῷ πειρασμοῦ ἀφίστανται.

 

Luke said that that the seeds on the rock (οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας) are like those who, when they heard (οἳ ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν) the word (τὸν λόγον), received it with joy (μετὰ χαρᾶς δέχονται).  However, they did not have any roots (καὶ οὗτοι ῥίζαν οὐκ ἔχουσιν).  They believed, but only for a while (οἳ πρὸς καιρὸν πιστεύουσιν).  In a time of temptation or testing (καὶ ἐν καιρῷ πειρασμοῦ), they would fall away (ἀφίστανται).  This explanation of the seeds sown on the rocky ground can be found in all 3 synoptic gospels, Matthew, chapter 13:20-21, Mark, chapter 4:16-17, and here, almost word for word.  Mark and Matthew said that Jesus explained that the seeds sown on the rocky ground were like the people who heard the word and immediately received it with joy.  Yet these seedlings did not have their own roots, but only temporary roots.  When trouble, tribulation, or persecution arose, because of the word, they immediately stumbled and fell away.  Once again, the seeds were the word.  Listening to the word was not enough, if it did not resonate or take root.  Due to this rocky ground, the early excitement of receiving the word was not good enough to sustain a continual adherence to the word.  There had to be good circumstances or pre-depositions to hearing and understanding for the word or the seed to be effective.  How deep are your believing roots?

August 2, 2017

The beautiful prayer of Daniel (Dan 2:20-2:23)

“Daniel said.

‘Blessed be the name

Of God

From age to age!

Wisdom

With power

Is his.

He changes times.

He changes seasons.

He deposes kings.

He sets up kings.

He gives wisdom

To the wise.

He gives knowledge

To those who have understanding.

He reveals deep things.

He reveals hidden things.

He knows

What is in the darkness.

The light dwells

With him.

To you!

O God of my ancestors!

I give thanks!

I give praise!

You have given me

Wisdom.

You have given me

Power.

You have revealed

To me

What we asked of you.

You have revealed

To us

What the king ordered.’”

Daniel has this beautiful prayer to the name of the eternal God, who has wisdom and power. God changes times and seasons. He sets up and deposes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise. He gives knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and hidden things. He is the light in the darkness. Daniel then gave thanks and praise to the God of his ancestors, who has given him wisdom and power, when he revealed what the king had asked for.

July 20, 2017

The flowing water leads to a river (Ezek 47:3-47:5)

“Going on eastward,

With a cord in his hand,

The man measured

One thousand cubits.

Then he led me

Through the water.

It was ankle-deep.

Again,

He measured

One thousand cubits.

He led me

Through the water.

It was knee-deep.

Again,

He measured

One thousand cubits.

He led me

Through the water.

It was up to the waist.

Again,

He measured

One thousand cubits.

It was a river

That I could not cross.

The water had risen.

It was deep enough

To swim in,

A river

That could not be crossed.”

The bronze man took a cord and started to measure the flowing water from the Temple. For the first 1,000 cubits or 1,500 feet, or a little over a quarter mile, the water was only ankle-deep. He then led Ezekiel across this small stream. However, the next measured 1,000 cubits or quarter mile, the water was knee high. Once again, he led Ezekiel across this knee-high water. After the 3rd measurement of 1,000 cubits or over a quarter mile, the water was waist high. Ezekiel then waded through this waist-high water. Finally, after another 1,000 cubits or another quarter mile, it was a mighty river that Ezekiel could not cross, except by swimming, because it was so deep. Thus, there was a river, a little over a mile from the eastern gate of the Temple.

July 6, 2017

The passage way of the chambers (Ezek 42:4-42:6)

“In front of the chambers

Was a passage way.

On the inside,

It was

Ten cubits wide,

One hundred cubits deep.

Its entrance was

On the north.

Now the upper chambers

Were narrower.

The galleries

Took more away                              

From them

Than from the lower

Or the middle chambers

In the building.

They were

In three stories.

They had no pillars

Like the pillars

Of the outer court.

The upper chambers

Were set back

From the ground

More than the lower

Or the middle ones.”

This is another description of the passage way around the small chamber rooms that followed up on explanations of the preceding chapter. This passage way was on the inside with an odd rectangular shape, 10 cubits wide by 100 cubits deep, 17 feet by 170 feet, with a north side entrance. The upper chambers were narrower than the lower or middle story rooms. There were more galleries on this higher 3rd story than on the middle and lower 1st and 2nd stories. These 3 story chambers had no pillars, like those in the outer court. Thus, the upper chambers were set back more from the ground than the lower or middle story chambers.

July 2, 2017

The southern inner court dimensions (Ezek 40:29-40:31)

“Its recesses,

Its pilasters,

Its vestibule

Were of the same size

As the others.

There were windows

All around within it,

As well as in its vestibule.

Its length was

Fifty cubits.

Its breadth was

Twenty-five cubits.

There were vestibules

All around.

They were

Twenty-five cubits deep,

Five cubits wide.

Its vestibule

Faced the outer court.

Palm trees were

On its pilasters.

Its stairway

Had eight steps.”

The inner court is somewhat similar to the outer court, since they were the same size as the others, with windows all around it. The vestibule was 50 cubits or 80 feet long and 25 cubits wide or 40 feet wide. There also was a vestibule that was 25 cubits or 40 feet deep and only 5 cubits or 8 feet wide. These vestibules faced the outer court with palm trees on its pilasters. This stairway had 8 steps, and not 7 like the others that came from the gates. Apparently, this Temple was built on different level terraces.

July 2, 2017

The southern gate and the vestibule (Ezek 40:24-40:27)

“Then he led me

Toward the south.

There was a gate

On the south.

He measured

Its pilasters,

With its vestibule.

They had the same dimensions

As the others.

There were windows

All around in it

In its vestibule.

They were

Like the windows

Of the others.

Its depth was

fifty cubits.

Its width was

Twenty-five cubits.

There were seven steps

Leading up to it.

Its vestibule

Was on the inside.

It had palm trees

On its pilasters,

One on either side.

There was a gate

On the south

Of the inner court.

He measured

From gate to gate

Toward the south,

A hundred cubits.”

The southern gate and its vestibule was similar to the northern and eastern gates and vestibules mentioned above. The bronze man measured and found out that these southern pilasters and vestibules had the same dimensions as the northern and eastern vestibules. The southern windows were also the same as on the north and east side. This southern vestibule was 50 cubits deep and 25 cubits wide, the same as the northern gate, about 80 feet by 40 feet. The 7 steps were the same as on the other sides, as well as the palm trees on the pilasters. This south side also had the double gate system, so that is was about 100 cubits, 160 feet, from this southern gate to the inner court, just like the other 2 situations.

July 1, 2017

The northern gate and the vestibule (Ezek 40:20-40:23

“Then he measured

The gate of the outer court

That faced north,

Its depth,

Its width.

It had three recesses

On either side.

Its pilasters,

As well as its vestibule

Were of the same size

As those of the first gate.

It depth was

Fifty cubits.

Its width was

Twenty-five cubits.

Its windows,

Its vestibule,

As well as its palm trees,

Were of the same size

As those of the gate

That faced

Toward the east.

Seven steps

Led up to it.

Its vestibule was

On the inside.

Opposite the gate

On the north,

As on the east,

Was a gate

To the inner court.

He measured

From gate to gate,

One hundred cubits.”

The bronze man moved to the northern outer court. The depth and width of the gate, its recesses or open-air rooms, its pilasters, and its vestibule were the same size as the first eastern gate, 50 cubits deep, about 80 feet, and 25 cubits wide, about 40 feet. Its windows, its vestibule, and its palm trees were the same size as on the eastern vestibule. This northern gate was the same size as the gate that faced east. There were also 7 steps that led up to it. This vestibule was on the inside, opposite the gate to the inner court. The bronze man measured 100 cubits from gate to gate, about 160 feet.

July 1, 2017

The measurements of the eastern vestibule area (Ezek 40:6-40:7)

“Then he went

Into the gateway

Facing east.

He went up its steps.

He measured

The threshold

Of the gate,

One reed deep.

There were recesses.

Each recess was

One reed wide

With one reed deep.

The space

Between the recesses

Was five cubits.

The threshold

Of the gate

By the vestibule

Of the gate

At the inner end

Was one reed deep.”

As usual, Ezekiel was very detailed in his descriptions. The bronze man continued to measure various things on the eastern vestibule of the Temple. All the measurements were exactly the same, one reed or 10 feet. The only exception was the space between the recesses or alcoves that was only 5 cubits or about 8 feet. Otherwise, the threshold of the gate was also 10 feet. The recesses or alcoves were symmetrical, 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep.

May 15, 2017

Your sister’s cup (Ezek 23:31-23:34)

“‘You have gone

The way

Of your sister.

Therefore,

I will give her cup

Into your hand.’

Thus says Yahweh God!

‘You shall drink

Your sister’s cup!

It is deep!

It is wide!

You shall be scorned!

You shall be derided!

It holds so much!

You will be filled

With drunkenness!

You will be filled

With sorrow!

It is a cup of horror!

It is a cup of desolation!

It is the cup

Of your sister

Samaria!

You shall drink it!

You shall drain it out!

You shall gnaw its sherds!

You shall

Tear out your breasts!

I have spoken.’

Says Yahweh God.”

This seems to be a poem or oracle about a cup of wrath. Jerusalem has gone the way of her sister Samaria. Thus she will be given her sister’s cup, the Samarian cup. Yahweh, via Ezekiel, said that Jerusalem would drink her sister’s deep and wide cup. Thus she was going to be scorned and derided. Jerusalem would drink from this large cup. She would be filled with drunkenness and sorrow because this was a cup of horror and desolation. Jerusalem was to drain this big cup by drinking from it. She would then gnaw and eat the glass pottery sherd pieces of this cup. Finally, she would tear out her breasts. This is what Yahweh, God, had spoken. This did not sound like a good experience.

July 13, 2016

Yahweh and King Ahaz (Isa 7:10-7:12)

“Again Yahweh spoke

To King Ahaz.

‘Ask a sign of Yahweh!

Ask a sign of your God!

Let it be as deep

As Sheol

Let it be as high

As heaven.’

But King Ahaz said.

‘I will not ask.

I will not put Yahweh

To the test.’”

Now it seems like Yahweh is speaking directly to King Ahaz rather than through Isaiah. Yahweh wanted King Ahaz to ask for a sign from God. It could be as deep as Sheol, the vague underworld, or as high as the heavens. However, King Ahaz responded that he would not put Yahweh to a test. He was not going to ask for anything.