fruit of the land

July 7, 2016

The survivors at Jerusalem (Isa 4:2-4:3)

“In that day,

The branch of Yahweh

Shall be beautiful.

The branch of Yahweh

Shall be glorious.

The fruit of the land

Shall be the pride

Of the survivors of Israel.

The fruit of the land

Shall be the glory

Of the survivors of Israel.

Whoever is left in Zion,

Whoever remains in Jerusalem,

Will be called holy.

They will be recorded

For life in Jerusalem.”

Despite all, Isaiah says that some branches of Yahweh will continue as beautiful and as glorious as ever. The fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel. There are good things to come for the remnant or those remaining in Israel. These faithful few who remain in Zion and Jerusalem will be called the holy ones, the righteous remnant of Israel.

July 12, 2015

The fate of the wicked (Job 20:12-20:19)

“Though wickedness is sweet in their mouth,

Though they hide it under their tongues,

Though they are loath to let it go,

Though they hold it in their mouth,

Yet their food is turned in their stomachs.

It is the venom of asps within them.

They swallow down riches.

They vomit them up again.

God casts them out of their bellies.

They will suck the poison of asps.

The tongue of a viper will kill them.

They will not look on the rivers,

The streams flowing with honey and curds.

They will give back the fruit of their toil.

They will not swallow it down.

From the profit of their trading

They will get no enjoyment.

They have crushed and abandoned the poor.

They have seized a house

That they did not build.”

There is a further explanation of the wicked ones. They try to hide their wickedness. However it turns in their stomachs. Poisonous snakes or asps are within them. They swallow wealth and then vomit it out. What a metaphor! They will die from the poison of the snakes that they suck on. They will not see the rivers with honey and curds. They will give back the fruit of the land and not eat it. They will not enjoy their trading profits. They have crushed the poor and seized houses that they did not build. This is a vivid description of greedy people who do not care about others, the wicked ones.