many transgressions

February 18, 2017

The captivity of Jerusalem (Lam 1:5-1:5)

He

“Her foes have become

The masters.

Her enemies prosper.

Because Yahweh has

Made her suffer

For the multitude

Of her transgressions.

Her children

Have gone away,

Captives,

Before the foe.”

The foes of Zion have now become the masters of Jerusalem. Her enemies prosper. Zion was suffering because of her many transgressions. Her children have been taken away as captives by their former enemies. This verse starts with the Hebrew consonant letter He. Each verse after this will use the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet in this acrostic poem

September 28, 2016

The confession of sins (Isa 59:12-59:15)

“Our transgressions before you are many.

Our sins testify against us.

Our transgressions indeed are with us.

We know our iniquities.

We have transgressed Yahweh.

We have denied Yahweh.

We have turned away

From following our God.

We talk oppression.

We talk revolt.

We conceive lying words.

We utter them from our hearts.

Justice is turned back.

Righteousness stands at a distance.

Truth stumbles in the public square.

Uprightness cannot enter.

Truth is lacking.

Whoever turns from evil is despoiled.”

Third Isaiah seems to have a community confession or acknowledgement of sins. They have committed many transgressions, since their sins will testify against them. They know that they have denied God. They have tried to turn away from him, as they wanted to revolt. They lied from their hearts. They have turned back justice since righteousness is now far away. There is no truth in the public squares, no uprightness. Anyone who turns from evil is attacked.

August 5, 2016

The broken earth (Isa 24:18-24:20)

“The windows of heaven are opened.

The foundations of the earth tremble.

The earth is utterly broken.

The earth is torn asunder.

The earth is violently shaken.

The earth staggers

Like a drunkard.

It sways

Like a hut.

Its transgression lies heavy upon it.

It falls.

It will not rise again.”

The phrase ‘windows of the heaven’ was a reference to a big rainfall since we still use this term that the heavens or clouds open up during a heavy rainstorm. The foundations of the earth were trembling since the earth was broken, torn asunder, and violently shaken. Isaiah refers to it as a drunken earth, staggering around as he also compared it to a swaying hut. The earth has committed many transgressions, so that it will fall and not rise again. The end is near.