oppressors

September 22, 2016

The time of the cup of wrath is over (Isa 51:21-51:23)

“Therefore hear this!

You who are wounded!

You who are drunk!

But not with wine!

Thus says your Lord!

Yahweh!

Your God pleads

The cause of his people.

‘See!

I have taken from your hand

The cup of staggering.

I have taken from your hand

The bowl of my wrath.

You shall drink no more.

I will put it into the hand

Of your tormentors.

They have said to you.

‘Bow down!

Thus we may walk on you.’

You have made your back

Like the ground,

Like the street

For them to walk on.”

Second Isaiah has Yahweh end his wrath towards the Israelites. They had been wounded and drunk, but not from wine. Now Yahweh, the Lord, was going to take their staggering ways away. There would be no more drinking from the cup of wrath. Yahweh was going to take away this bowl so that he could give this bowl of wrath to their tormentors, who now would have to drink from this angry cup. These tormentors had made them bow down so that they could walk over their backs. They were like street coverings so that these oppressors could walk all over them without getting their feet dirty.

September 13, 2016

Yahweh is the all powerful consoler (Isa 51:12-51:14)

“I!

I am he that comforts you!

Why then are you afraid

Of a mere mortal who must die?

Why are you afraid

Of a human being who fades like grass?

You have forgotten Yahweh!

Your Maker!

He stretched out the heavens!

He laid the foundations of the earth!

You fear continually all day long

Because of the fury of the oppressor.

Who is bent on destruction?

Where is the fury of the oppressor?

The oppressed shall speedily be released.

They shall not die.

They shall not go down to the Pit.

They shall not lack bread.”

Second Isaiah uses the first person singular so that there is no doubt that it is Yahweh who is speaking in comforting tones. He wanted to know why they were afraid of a mere mortal human being who was going to die also, like faded grass. They must have forgotten their maker that had, as usual, stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. Why were they afraid of the fury of their oppressors? Don’t worry! They will soon be released. They will not die and go into the Pit of the underground. Instead, they will have enough bread to eat.

August 2, 2016

Yahweh in control of Egypt (Isa 19:19-19:22)

“On that day,

There will be an altar to Yahweh

In the center of the land of Egypt.

There will be a pillar to Yahweh

At its border.

It will be a sign.

It will be a witness

To Yahweh of hosts

In the land of Egypt.

When they cry to Yahweh

Because of oppressors,

He will send them a savior.

He will defend them.

He will deliver them.

Yahweh will make himself known

To the Egyptians.

The Egyptians will know Yahweh.

On that day,

They will worship with sacrifice.

They will worship with burnt offering.

They will make vows to Yahweh.

They will perform them.

Yahweh will strike Egypt,

Striking and healing.

They will return to Yahweh.

He will listen to their supplications.

He will heal them.”

On that special day, the Egyptians will convert to Yahweh. They will build an altar to Yahweh in the center of Egypt, much like another Jerusalem. There will even be a pillar to Yahweh at the borders of Egypt. This would indicate and witness that Egypt was under the protection of Yahweh. If they had any oppressors, all that they had to do was to cry out to Yahweh for help. Then he would send a savior to them in order to defend and deliver them. They were also going to be the people of Yahweh as the Egyptians would worship with sacrifices and burnt offerings to Yahweh. They would make vows and perform them for Yahweh. Yahweh would listen to them and heal them. He even would forgive them like the Israelites. Thus we have a new people of Yahweh in Egypt. How different this is from the idea of a few remnant Israelites in Jerusalem.

April 15, 2016

Difference between Egypt and Israel (Wis 16:1-16:4)

“Therefore those people were deservedly punished

Through such creatures.

They were tormented by a multitude of animals.

Instead of this punishment,

You allowed kindness to your people.

You prepared quails to eat.

This was a delicacy to satisfy

The desire of their appetite.

Thus those people,

When they desired food,

Might lose the least remnant of their appetite.

Thus the odious creatures were sent to them.

Meanwhile your people,

After suffering want a short time,

Might partake of delicacies.

It was necessary

That upon those oppressors

Inescapable want should come.

At the same time

To these others,

It was merely shown

How their enemies were being tormented.”

These last few chapters will continue the parallels between Egypt and Israel, without explicitly mentioning them by name. The Egyptians are referred to as “those people or oppressors (οἱ ἐχθροὶ),” while the Israelites are called “your people (τὸν λαόν σου).” Those people were punished (ἐβασανίζοντο) with a multitude of animals. Odious creatures were sent to them. On the other hand, God showed kindness to his people. He sent quails for them to eat as in Numbers, chapter 11. Thus the Israelites had delicacies, while the Egyptians lost their appetite in their torments.

April 7, 2016

Moses (Wis 10:15-10:16)

“A holy people,

A blameless race,

Wisdom delivered

From a nation of oppressors.

She entered the soul

Of a servant of the Lord.

He withstood dread kings

With wonders and signs.”

Based on the stories in Exodus, chapters 2-12, this abbreviated history of the Israelites turns to Moses, who is called a servant of the Lord, not just a righteous man. Of course, wisdom was the one who delivered this holy, blameless (ἄμεμπτον) race or seed (σπέρμα) from its oppressors. She entered the soul (ψυχὴν) of this brave servant of the Lord (θεράποντος Κυρίου) who opposed the dreaded kings, while producing signs and wonders in Egypt.

February 25, 2016

Oppression (Eccl 4:1-4:3)

“Again I saw all the oppression

That is practiced under the sun.

‘Look!

The tears of the oppressed!

They have no one to comfort them!

On the side of their oppressors

There was power.

There was no one to comfort them.’

I thought that the dead,

Who are already dead,

Are more fortunate

Than the living,

That are still alive.

But better than both

Is the one

Who has not yet been born.

They have not seen

The evil deeds

That are done

Under the sun.”

Qoheleth complained about all the oppression that takes place here on earth under the sun. The oppressed have no one to comfort them. The oppressors have all the power. The dead are more fortunate than those living today. However, even more fortunate are the people not yet born, because they will have a brighter future. The unborn have not seen all the evil that is here under the sun in this world.

July 4, 2015

Job says he has asked for nothing (Job 6:21-6:23)

“Such you have now become to me.

You see my calamity.

You are afraid.

Have I said?

‘Make me a gift?’

‘From your wealth offer a bribe for me?’

‘Save me from an opponent’s hand?’

‘Ransom me from the hand of oppressors?’”

Job complained that they were afraid when they saw his situation. He had not asked them for a gift, a bribe, or a ransom. He had not asked them to help him against any opponent. He had not asked them to free him from oppressors. Job seemed really upset at them. He had asked for nothing from them.