remembering

December 17, 2018

Abraham and the ancestors (Lk 1:55-1:55)

“God had made

Promises

To our ancestors,

To Abraham,

And to his descendants,

Forever.”

 

καθὼς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

 

This canticle of Mary concluded by remembering the promises that God had made to their ancestors, especially to Abraham in Genesis, chapters 12:3, 15:5, 17:7, 18:18, and 22:17. and his eternal descendants.  Notice that there is no mention of Jacob, Moses, or David, but the wider Abraham covenant.  Luke indicated that Mary said that God had spoken (καθὼς ἐλάλησεν) to their ancestors (πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν), to Abraham (τῷ Ἀβραὰμ), and to his descendants (καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ) for all time or forever (εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα).

January 2, 2018

No more fasting (Zech 8:18-8:19)

“The word of Yahweh of hosts

Came to me,

Saying.

‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts.

The fast of the fourth month,

The fast of the fifth month,

The fast of the seventh month,

The fast of the tenth month,

Shall be seasons of joy,

Shall be seasons of gladness,

Shall be cheerful feasts

For the house of Judah.

Therefore,

Love truth!

Love peace!’”

Yahweh told Zechariah that the former fasts on the 4th month, the 5th month, the 7th month, and the 10th month remembering the Babylonian siege and attack of Jerusalem would no longer be necessary.  Now there would be times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the people of Judah.  However, they had to live in truth and peace, if this was to be fulfilled.

May 8, 2017

Open guilt (Ezek 21:24-21:24)

“Therefore

Thus says Yahweh God.

‘Because you have brought

Your guilt

To remembrance,

Your transgressions

Are uncovered.

Thus in all your deeds,

Your sins appear.

Because you have come

To remembrance,

You shall be taken

In hand.’”

Thus Yahweh said that their guilt was remembered. Their transgressions were uncovered. Their sins appeared in their deeds. They were openly guilty in remembering these things. Thus they were to be taken captive.

October 6, 2016

Prayer to God for his presence (Isa 64:1-64:5)

“O that you would tear open the heavens!

O that you would come down!

Thus the mountains would quake

At your presence!

Fire kindles brushwood.

Fire causes water to boil.

I want to make your name

Known to your adversaries.

Thus the nations might tremble

At your presence!

When you did awesome deeds

That we did not expect

You came down.

The mountains quaked

At your presence!

From ages past,

No one has heard,

No ear has perceived,

No eye has seen any God

Besides you.

You work for those

Who wait for you.

You meet those

Who gladly do right.

You meet those

Who remember you in your ways.”

This prophet wants Yahweh to be present among his people by tearing open the heavens to come down to earth. He wanted to see the mountains quake at his presence. He wanted Yahweh to be kindling wood in a brush that would start a fire or have that same fire make water boil. He wanted Yahweh’s name known to his adversaries. He wanted the nations to tremble at the sight of Yahweh. He wanted something unexpected to happen, like the mountains shake in his presence. He wanted something that no one had ever heard of or seen before. Only God could do this awesome deed. No one besides him. God would appear to those who waited for him. He would meet those who gladly did the right thing by remembering God’s ways.

August 11, 2015

Save my life (Ps 6:4-6:5)

“Turn!

Yahweh!

Save my life!

Deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.

In death,

There is no remembrance of you.

In Sheol,

Who can give you praise?”

David wanted Yahweh to save his life. He wanted to be delivered from death because of the steadfast love of Yahweh. He pointed out that in death there is no remembering Yahweh. In Sheol, the dark place of after death no one could praise Yahweh because they were separated from God. There was not a concept of eternal life with God, just the banishment to Sheol, the underworld.