Holy One of Israel

September 2, 2016

God of trees (Isa 41:19-41:20)

“I will put in the wilderness

The cedar tree,

The acacia tree,

The myrtle tree,

The olive tree.

I will set in the desert

The cypress tree,

The plane tree,

Together with the pine tree.

Thus all may see,

All may know,

All may consider,

All may understand together,

That the hand of Yahweh

Has done this.

The Holy One of Israel

Has created it.”

Once again, assuming the first person singular in Second Isaiah, Yahweh says that he is the one who planted a bunch of trees in the desert wilderness. These trees include the cedar trees, the acacia trees, the myrtle trees, the olive trees, the cypress trees, the plane trees, and the pine trees. Once you realize this, you will see, know, consider, and understand that the hand of Yahweh has done all this. The Holy One of Israel has created all these trees.

September 2, 2016

Yahweh the Redeemer (Isa 41:14-41:16)

“‘Do not fear!

You worm Jacob!

You insects of Israel!

I will help you!’

Says Yahweh.

Your Redeemer!

The Holy One of Israel!

‘Now I will make of you

A threshing sledge,

Sharp,

New,

Having teeth.

You shall thresh the mountains.

You shall crush them.

You shall make the hills

Like chaff.

You shall winnow them.

The wind shall carry them away.

The tempest shall scatter them.

You shall rejoice in Yahweh!

You shall glory in the Holy One of Israel!’”

Once again, Yahweh assumes the first person singular in Second Isaiah. He seems a little derogatory at first calling the Israelites the worm Jacob and the insect Israel. However, it is clear that he is here to help. He was going to be the Redeemer and the Holy One of Israel, no questions asked. He was going to make the Israelites strong, new, and sharp. They would be a teeth threshing sledge to beat up the crop. Instead of crops, they would go out and crush the mountains and the hills until they become like useless chaff. In other words they were to winnow or separate the grain from the chaff. Then they were to let the wind and the storms carry this chaff away and scatter it. They were to rejoice and glory in Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel.

August 14, 2016

An oracle against the rebellious people (Isa 30:9-30:11)

“They are a rebellious people!

They are faithless children!

They are children who do not hear

The instruction of Yahweh.

They say to the seers.

‘Do not see!’

They say to the prophets.

‘Do not prophesy to us what is right!

Speak to us about smooth things!

Prophesy illusions!

Leave the way!

Turn aside from the path!

Let us hear no more

About the Holy One of Israel.’”

As in chapter 1 of this book, Isaiah says that the Israelites were a rebellious people. This theme comes from the Exodus situation with Moses in the desert as found in Exodus and Numbers. These faithless children did not want to hear the instructions of Yahweh as presented by Isaiah. They told their wise men not to see. They wanted their prophets not to prophesize about truth, but rather easy smooth things. They wanted to hear about illusions. They were tired of all this talk about the Holy One of Israel. They wanted to get off the idea of the straight and narrow path.

July 11, 2016

A reproach against bribery (Isa 5:23-5:24)

“Woe to you

Who acquit the guilty

For a bribe!

Woe to you

Who deprive the innocent

Of their rights!

Therefore,

As the tongue of fire

Devours the stubble,

So their roots will become rotten.

As dry grass sinks down

In the flame,

So their blossoms will go up

Like dust.

They have rejected

The instruction of Yahweh of hosts.

They have despised

The word of the Holy One of Israel.”

However, the real scolding comes when judges acquit a guilty person because of a bribe. They thus deprive the innocent ones of their rights. They are going to end up like stubble and dry grass devoured by a fire. Their roots will become rotten. Their blossoms will be blown off like dust. They have rejected Yahweh. They have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Injustice is a real big deal.