dogs

November 12, 2016

The four destroyers (Jer 15:3-15:4)

“‘I will appoint over them

Four kinds of destroyers.’

Says Yahweh.

‘The sword is to kill.

The dogs are to drag away.

The birds of the air are to devour.

The animals of the earth are to destroy.

I will make them a horror

To all the kingdoms of the earth,

Because of what King Manasseh,

Son of King Hezekiah of Judah,

Did in Jerusalem.’”

Yahweh once again spoke about 4 different ways that he would destroy the people. While the sword was the only common one from the preceding verses, famine, pestilence, and captivity have given way to dogs, birds, and animals. The sword would kill. The dogs would drag them away. The birds of the air would devour them, while the other earth animals would destroy them. They would become a horror to the all countries on earth. This was all done because of what King Manasseh (687-642 BCE), the son of King Hezekiah (716-687 BCE) had done in Judah and Jerusalem. However, this captivity was nearly a century later in 587 BCE. Why did Yahweh wait so long? The son of King Manasseh was the good king Josiah (640-609 BCE) who led a religious reform. All this is based on 2 Kings, chapters 21-23.

October 9, 2016

Opposition to worship cults (Isa 66:3-66:4)

“Whoever slaughters an ox is

Like one who kills a human being.

Whoever sacrifices a lamb is

Like one who breaks a dog’s neck.

Whoever presents a cereal offering is

Like one who offers swine’s blood.

Whoever makes a memorial offering

Of frankincense is

Like one who blesses an idol.

These have chosen their own ways.

They take delight in their abominations.

I also will choose to mock them.

I will bring upon them

What they fear.

Because,

When I called,

No one answered.

When I spoke

They did not listen.

But they did

What was evil in my sight.

They chose

What did not please me.”

Yahweh seems to rebuke those who sacrifice animals, saying that killing oxen is like killing humans. If they sacrificed lambs, they are sacrificing dogs. A grain offering was compared to unclean pig’s blood. The use of the frankincense was compared to worshiping idols. They have chosen their own ways that are an abomination to Yahweh. He would continue to mock and punish them because no one answered when he called. No one listened when he spoke. They continued to do evil and not please God.

May 6, 2016

Stay with your own kind (Sir 13:15-13:20)

“Every creature loves its like.

Every person loves his neighbor.

All living beings associate

With their own kind.

People stick close to those

Like themselves.

What does a wolf have in common

With a lamb?

No more has a sinner anything in common

With the devout.

What peace is there

Between a hyena and a dog?

What peace is there

Between the rich and the poor?

Wild asses in the wilderness

Are the prey of lions.

Likewise the poor

Are feeding grounds for the rich.

Humility is an abomination

To the proud.

Likewise the poor are an abomination

To the rich.”

Sirach tells us that people and creatures like to stick with their own kind. There is a natural born prejudice to stay with your own kind of people. Everybody usually loves their neighbors. Why else would they live there? A wolf and a lamb have nothing in common, just like the sinner and the devout do not have anything in common. There can never be peace between hyenas and dogs, so too the animosity between rich and poor cannot be bridged. Wild donkeys are the prey of lions, so too are the poor the feeding grounds of the rich. The rich take advantage of the poor. The proud hate the humble, just like the rich hate the poor.

August 29, 2015

The evil doers are like a pack of dogs (Ps 22:16-22:18)

“Dogs are round about me.

A company of evildoers encircle me.

My hands and feet have shriveled.

I can count all my bones.

They stare and gloat over me.

They divide my clothes among themselves.

For my clothing they cast lots.”

The evil doers are like a pack of dogs looking for prey. The condition of David or the psalmist has deteriorated. His hands and feet have shriveled up. He is so thin that he can count all the bones in his body because they are showing. People were staring and gloating over him. They already were dividing up his clothes with lots as he came close to death. Once again, it is clear why the evangelist used this psalm to talk about the dying Jesus on the cross.

March 24, 2015

Judith reveals her plan to General Holofernes (Jdt 11:16-11:19)

“When I, your slave, learned all this,

I fled from them.

God has sent me to accomplish with you

Things that will astonish the whole world,

Whenever people shall hear about them.

Your servant is indeed God-fearing.

I serve the God of heaven day and night.

Therefore, my lord, I will remain with you.

Every night your servant will go out into the valley.

I will pray to God.

He will tell me when they have committed their sins.

Then I will come and tell you.

Then you may go out with your whole army.

Not one of them will be able to withstand you.

Then I will lead you through Judea,

Until you come to Jerusalem.

There I will set your throne.

You will drive them like sheep that have no shepherd.

No dog will as much as growl at you.

This was told me to give me foreknowledge.

It was announced to me.

I was sent to tell you.”

The plan is simple. God sent me to you so that you might astonish the whole world. Judith had fled from the Israelites because the God of heaven and earth had sent her. Every night, she would go out into the valley to pray. God would then tell her when they have sinned. Then she would come and tell the general. Next his army would destroy them because they would not be able to withstand him. She would lead him through Judea to Jerusalem, where she would put General Holofernes on a throne in Jerusalem. He would drive the Israelites out like sheep without a shepherd. Even the dogs would not growl at him. All this was revealed to Judith so that she could help him. Judith continued with her plans of grandeur for General Holofernes. Now it is not simply this little town but the city of Jerusalem as the ultimate goal of this expedition. Judith indicated that she was a prophet to whom God spoke. She was willing to share her knowledge with him.