many days

September 29, 2017

The future of Israel (Hos 3:4-3:5)

“The Israelites

Shall remain many days

Without a king

Or a prince.

They shall remain

Without sacrifice

Or pillar,

Without ephod

Or teraphim.

Afterward,

The Israelites

Shall return.

They shall seek

Yahweh,

Their God,

With David

Their king.

They shall come

In awe

To Yahweh,

To his goodness,

In the latter days.”

Hosea that predicted that the Israelites would spend many days without a king, prince, or leader. They also would be without sacrifices, since there would be no temple or pillar to worship at. There would be no high priest who would wear the ephod. There would be no teraphim or household gods, implying that the Israelites had some of these gods as in Genesis, chapter 31. The good news was that these Israelites would eventually seek Yahweh, their God. They would have David or his descendants as their king. In awe, they would return to the good Yahweh in the days to come.

March 18, 2017

The enemies of Jerusalem (Bar 4:30-4:35)

“Take courage!

O Jerusalem!

The one who named you

Will comfort you.

Wretched will be

Those who mistreated you!

They rejoiced at your fall.

Wretched will be

The cities

That your children

Served as slaves!

Wretched will be

The city

That received your offspring!

She rejoiced

At your fall.

She was glad

For your ruin.

Now she will be grieved

At her own desolation.

I will take away her pride

In her great population.

Her insolence

Will be turned to grief.

Fire will come upon her

from the Everlasting One

For many days.

For a long time,

She will be inhabited

By demons.”

Now there is a turn, as this author speaks directly to Jerusalem instead of Jerusalem herself complaining. Jerusalem was encouraged to be courageous. She would be comforted. However, those who mistreated her and rejoiced at her fall will be miserable. The cities where the children of Jerusalem served as slaves would be miserable also. The city of Babylon, that received the children of Jerusalem, rejoiced and was glad at the downfall and ruin of Jerusalem. Now they will be grieved at their own desolation. The pride of those people and their insolence will be turned to grief. The Everlasting One, not Yahweh, will bring fire upon it for many days. For a long time it will be inhabited by demons.

November 8, 2016

The ruined linen loincloth (Jer 13:6-13:7)

“After many days,

Yahweh said to me.

‘Go now to the Euphrates!

Take from there the loincloth

That I commanded you to hide there.’

Then I went to the Euphrates.

I dug it up.

I took the loincloth

From the place where I had hidden it.

But now the loincloth was ruined.

It was good for nothing.”

After many days, Yahweh came to Jeremiah. Once again, he told Jeremiah to go to the Euphrates or Parah to get the loincloth that he had hidden there. So Jeremiah willing went there to dig up the hidden loincloth. He then found it. He noticed that it was ruined and good for nothing. What did he expect? This was probably a symbolic way of talking about the corrupt practices of King Jehoiakim, as well as the people of Judah and Jerusalem, that were good for nothing.

August 6, 2016

The punishment of judgment day (Isa 24:21-24:23)

“On that day,

Yahweh will punish

The host of heaven

In heaven.

Yahweh will punish

The kings of the earth

On earth.

They will be gathered together

As prisoners

In a pit.

They will be shut up

In a prison.

After many days,

They will be punished.

Then the moon will be abashed.

The sun will be ashamed.

Yahweh of hosts

Will reign on Mount Zion

In Jerusalem.

Before his elders,

He will manifest his glory.”

The “host of heaven in heaven” seems to be a reference to a bunch of rebellious false idol gods. Obviously Yahweh will also punish the earthly kings, since they will be imprisoned together in a pit. They will stay there many days before they receive any punishment, but this text does not indicate that they will die or how they would be punished. Then the moon and the sun will also be embarrassed and ashamed. Yahweh will then finally rule in Mount Zion in Jerusalem before the elders there. Thus he can manifest his glory.

January 2, 2016

Listen to your parents (Prov 3:1-3:2)

“My child!

Do not forget my teaching!

Let your heart keep my commandments!

They will give you

Length of days and years of life.

They will give you

Abundant welfare.”

This next chapter of Proverbs also points out that children will acquire wisdom by listening to their parents. They will keep their commandments. If they do so, they will have many days and many years of life. On top of that, they will have a prosperous life.