his descendents

December 17, 2016

The punishment of Shemaiah (Jer 29:30-29:32)

“Then the word of Yahweh

Came to Jeremiah.

‘Send to all the exiles!

Saying!

Thus says Yahweh

Concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam!

Shemaiah has prophesied to you,

Even though I did not send him.

He has led you

To trust in a lie.

Therefore thus says Yahweh!

I am going to punish

Shemaiah of Nehelam

With his descendants.

He shall not have any one living

Among his people

To see the good

That I am going to do

To my people.

Says Yahweh!

He has talked rebellion

Against Yahweh.’”

Yahweh then told Jeremiah to utter an oracle against Shemaiah. Jeremiah was to send this message to all the exiles. Shemaiah had prophesied to them without being sent by Yahweh. He led them to trust in his own lies. Therefore Shemaiah was going to be punished, including his descendents. None of them would see the good things that Yahweh had planned for his people. Shemaiah should not have talked rebelliously against Yahweh. He and his family would not see the return to Israel. Shemaiah had said that Jeremiah was a crazy man. Thus Jeremiah was now calling Shemaiah a false prophet.

April 6, 2016

The flood (Wis 10:4-10:4)

“When the earth was flooded

Because of him,

Wisdom again saved it.

She steered the righteous man

By a paltry piece of wood.”

The flood seems to occur as in Genesis, chapters 6-8, because of Cain and his descendents. There is jump from Cain directly to the flood. It was wisdom (σοφία) and not God that saved the righteous men (τὸν δίκαιον) with a puny piece of wood (εὐτελοῦς ξύλου), what we call the ark.

August 25, 2015

Final praise of Yahweh (Ps 18:49-18:50)

“For this I will extol you!

Yahweh!

Among the nations,

I will sing praises to your name.

Great triumphs he gives to his king.

He shows steadfast love to his anointed.

To David

And his descendants forever.”

Once again like 2 Samuel, chapter 22, David sings Yahweh’s praises among the nations at the end of this psalm. Yahweh was the tower of salvation to his anointed King David. May his descendents be loved forever. So ends this hymn of praise from a conquering king in thanksgiving for his various victories. The enemies are all gone. The Davidic dynasty begins. Notice that the last few phrases speak explicitly of David in the third person, rather than the first person of the previous verses.

June 11, 2015

The mutilation of the fifth son (2 Macc 7:15-7:17)

“Next they brought forward the fifth son. They maltreated him. But he looked at the king, and said.

‘Because you have authority among mortals.

Even though you are mortal,

You do what you please.

But do not think that God has forsaken our people.

Keep on.

See how his mighty power will torture you and your descendants!’”

This 5th son turned the tables on the king. He warned the king and his descendents on what was to come of them. They would suffer. King Antiochus IV and his young son King Antiochus V would die suffering and young. He reminded them that God had not forsaken this people. Do what you want now, but the time is coming when they will suffer, which they did.

May 26, 2015

Simon takes command (1 Macc 14:41-14:43)

“The Jews and their priests decided

That Simon should be their leader

And high priest forever,

Until a trustworthy prophet should arise.

He should be governor over them.

He should take charge of the sanctuary.

He should appoint officials over its tasks.

He should appoint officials over the country.

He should appoint officials over the weapons and the strongholds.

He should take charge of the sanctuary.

He should be obeyed by all.

All contracts in the country should be written in his name.

He should be clothed in purple and wear gold.”

This decree said that the Jews and the priests had decided that Simon and his family would be in charge forever. However, there was one caveat that a trustworthy prophet might rise up and challenge one of his descendents. He was the governor and the high priest combining the political and religious authority. He was in charge of the sanctuary as well as all the tasks of the government and the army. Every contract with another country had to be written in his name. He was to wear purple and gold. He was like a modern day appointed dictator benevolent ruler.