“As my life
Was ebbing away,
I remembered
Yahweh.
My prayer
Came to you
Into your holy Temple.
Those who worship
Vain idols
Forsake their true loyalty.”
As Jonah was sinking away in the sea, he remembered Yahweh. His prayer came to Yahweh in his holy Temple. Jonah was lucky, since he worshipped a true loyal God. However, those who worshipped vain idols would not have loyalty.
“Thus says Yahweh God!
‘The city that marched out
A thousand
Shall have a hundred left.
That which marched out
A hundred
Shall have ten left.’”
Amos has an oracle of Yahweh that talked about the diminishing numbers of Israelites. If a city had a 1,000 go out to fight, they might have 100 left. If they had 100 go out to fight, they will be lucky to have 10 left.
“‘Seventy weeks
Are decreed
For your people,
For your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To put an end
To sin,
To atone
For iniquity,
To bring in
Everlasting righteousness,
To seal both vision,
As well as prophet,
To anoint
A most holy place.’”
Thus, we have the prophetic statement of Gabriel. The terminology here is weeks and not years. Jeremiah had used 70 years. 7 was generally a complete or perfect number. Therefore, the popular terminology developed about lucky 7. During these 70 weeks or 70 years, they would make up for all the transgressions of the people and the holy city. Does 70 weeks imply 70 years times a week of 7, or 490 years? This time would atone for their sins and their iniquities. This would then bring about an everlasting righteousness, sealing both the vision and the prophet. Thus, they could anoint this holy place at the end of this period.
“Their Redeemer is strong.
Yahweh of hosts
Is his name.
He will surely plead
Their cause.
He may give rest
To the earth.
But he will give unrest
To the inhabitants
Of Babylon.
Says Yahweh.
‘A sword against
The Chaldeans!
The inhabitants of Babylon!
Her officials!
Her sages!
The diviners!
Thus they may
Become fools!
A sword against
Her warriors!
Thus they may be destroyed!
A sword against
Her horses!
Her chariots!
All the foreign troops
In her midst!
Thus they may
Become women!
A sword against
All her treasures!
Thus they may be plundered!’”
Yahweh was the strong redeemer of Israel and Judah. He was going to bring the sword or death to the Babylonians. He was going to give the Israelites and Judeans a rest since he pleaded their case. However, the Babylonians were not going to be as lucky, since he was going to bring them unrest. The destroying sword would come up against the Chaldeans and all the people who lived in Babylon. All their officials and wise men would suffer death by the sword also. The foolish diviners and the warriors would be destroyed. Their horses, their chariots, and the foreign troops there would be wiped out by the sword. These strong fighters would become like women. The Babylonian treasures would be plundered. Watch out for the sword of this redeemer!
“But the hand of Ahikam,
The son of Shaphan,
Was with Jeremiah.
Thus he was not given over
Into the hand of the people
To be put to death.”
Based on the story of Uriah, Jeremiah was lucky to get away. Ahikam, the son of an important official and friend of Jeremiah, named Shaphan, protected Jeremiah. He then made sure that Jeremiah was not turned over to the people to be killed.
“O Yahweh!
You will ordain
Peace for us!
Indeed,
All that we have done,
You have done for us.
O Yahweh!
Our God!
Other lords besides you
Have ruled over us,
But we acknowledge
Your name alone.”
Now Isaiah and his friends were lucky that they had peace. Yahweh has helped them to do all the things that they have done. Although they have had other rulers and lords, they freely acknowledge the name of Yahweh alone.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 