delivers

August 27, 2017

The decree about the living God of Daniel (Dan 6:26-6:27)

“I make a decree.

In all my royal dominion,

People should tremble,

People should fear,

Before the God of Daniel!

He is the living God!

He endures forever!

His kingdom

Shall never be destroyed!

His dominion

Has no end!

He delivers!

He rescues!

He works signs

In heaven!

He works wonders

On earth!

He has saved Daniel

From the power

Of the lions.”

King Darius made a decree for his royal kingdom. People were to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel, because he was a living God. He would endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, since it has no end. He delivers people. He rescues people. He works signs and does wonders, both in heaven and on earth. Most of all, he has saved Daniel from the power of the lions. This is a universal declaration that all people in the whole world should realize what the God of Daniel has done for him. What a wonderful description of the role of God in human lives. Interesting enough, this great proclamation comes from this questionable Darius the Mede, and not an Israelite leader or prophet.

August 14, 2016

The judgments of the Holy One of Israel (Isa 30:12-30:14)

“Therefore thus says

The Holy One of Israel.

‘Because you reject this word,

You put your trust in oppression.

You put your trust in deceit.

You rely on oppression.

You rely on perverseness.

Therefore this iniquity

Shall become for you

Like a break in a high wall.

It will bulge out,

About to collapse.

The crash comes suddenly,

In an instant.

Its breaking is

Like that of a potter’s vessel.

It is smashed so ruthlessly

That among its fragments

Not a shred is found

For taking fire from the hearth,

Or dipping water out of the cistern.’”

The Holy One of Israel, not Yahweh, delivers this oracle, via Isaiah, in the second person plural. The Israelites have rejected the word of God. Instead they have relied on deceit, oppression, and perversion to get things done. Thus they will be punished. They are like a high wall with bulges in it about to collapse. Suddenly, in an instant, the whole wall will come crashing down like a potter’s vessel. This wall will be smashed so badly, that not a shred will be found. They will be like a broken vase that will not be able to be brought back to the fire to be reformed. This broken container will not be able to hold any water at all from the cistern well.

October 27, 2015

Care for the poor (Ps 72:12-72:14)

“He delivers

The needy when they call.

He delivers

The poor.

He delivers

Those who have no helper.

He has pity on the weak.

He has pity on the needy.

He saves the lives of the needy.

From oppression and violence

He redeems their life.

Precious is their blood in his sight.”

This ideal king helps the needy when they ask for help. He delivers the poor and those who have no one to help them. He has pity on the weak and the needy. He saves them from oppression and violence as he redeems their lives. Their blood is precious in his sight.

August 24, 2015

Yahweh gives power to David (Ps 18:25-18:30)

“With the loyal people,

You show yourself loyal.

With the blameless,

You show yourself blameless.

With the pure,

You show yourself pure.

With the crooked,

You show yourself perverse.

You deliver a humble people.

However, the haughty eyes,

You bring down.

You light my lamp.

Yahweh!

My God!

Lights up my darkness.

By you I can crush a troop.

By my God,

I can leap over a wall.

This God,

His way is perfect.

The promise of Yahweh proves true.

He is a shield for all those,

Who take refuge in him.”

Once again like 2 Samuel, chapter 22, Yahweh is loyal and blameless to those who are loyal and blameless. However with the crooked he shows perversion. He delivers the humble and brings down the haughty. Yahweh is the light that lightens the darkness. With Yahweh, David was able to crush a troop or jump over a wall. God was his shield and refuge since his way was perfect.

July 28, 2015

The godless ones (Job 36:13-36:16)

“The godless in heart cherish anger.

They do not cry for help when he binds them.

They die in their youth.                                                          

Their life ends in shame.

He delivers the afflicted by their affliction.

He opens their ear by adversity.

You also he allured out of distress.

Into a broad place,

Where there was no constraint.

What was set on your table was full of fatness.”

The godless ones love anger. They never cry for help. However, they die in their youth as their lives end in shame. God delivers their affliction by adding more afflictions. God opens their ears to more adversity. Job too was allured into a place with no constraints. It seemed like everything was on the table with all the fat food that Job could want. Elihu seems to imply that the godless ones suffer here on earth with an early death.

July 3, 2015

Eliphaz explains who the happy man is (Job 5:17-5:27)

“How happy is the one whom God reproves.

Therefore, do not despise the discipline of the Almighty Shaddai!

He wounds,

But he binds up.

He strikes,

But his hands heal.

He will deliver you from six troubles.

In seven no harm shall touch you.

In famine he will redeem you from death,

In war he will redeem you from the power of the sword.

You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue.

You shall not fear destruction when it comes.

At destruction and famine you shall laugh.

You shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.

You shall be in league with the stones of the field.

The wild animals shall be at peace with you.

You shall know that your tent is safe,

You shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.

You shall know that your descendants will be many.

Your offspring will be like the grass of the earth.

You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,

As a shock of grain comes up to the threshing floor in its season.

See!

We have searched this out.

It is true.

Hear!

Know it for yourself.”

Eliphaz explained that Job should be happy that he is being disciplined by God, the almighty Shaddai, the name of the God of Abraham in Genesis, chapter 17. God wounds and strikes, but he also heals. He also delivers people from troubles 6 or 7 times. Once again we have the lucky unlucky number of 7. He will protect people during a famine or war so that they will laugh at them. He will protect the disciplined ones from wild animals. He will make sure that their tents and flocks are in good shape. Their offspring will be like the grass on the earth. They will live to a ripe old age. Eliphaz has searched this out. He knows that it is true and he wants Job to know this himself.