requested

December 19, 2018

His name is John (Lk 1:63-1:63)

“Zechariah asked

For a writing tablet.

He wrote.

‘His name is John.’

All of them

Were amazed.”

 

καὶ αἰτήσας πινακίδιον ἔγραψεν λέγων Ἰωάνης ἐστὶν ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐθαύμασαν πάντες.

 

Luke said that Zechariah had asked, demanded, or requested a writing tablet (καὶ αἰτήσας πινακίδιον) with his various signs, as there must have been a tablet available.  Then he wrote on this tablet (ἔγραψεν), since he would have been educated enough to write as a Temple priest.  He said on the tablet that the name of this child was to be John (λέγων Ἰωάνης ἐστὶν ὄνομα αὐτοῦ).  All of people there were amazed or marveled at what was happening (καὶ ἐθαύμασαν πάντες).

November 16, 2017

They throw Jonah overboard (Jon 1:15-1:15)They throw Jonah overboard (Jon 1:15-1:15)

“So,

The sailors picked up

Jonah.

They threw him

Into the sea.

The sea

Ceased

From its raging.”

In a proactive move, the sailors of the ship did what Jonah had requested.  They picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea.  Almost immediately after he fell into the sea, the sea itself ceased its stormy raging behavior.  The problem of the storm was solved.

September 4, 2017

The great calamity (Dan 9:12-9:14)

“He has confirmed

His words,

That he spoke

Against us,

Against our rulers.

He brought upon us

A great calamity.

This was so great

That what has been done

Against Jerusalem

Has never before been done,

Under the whole heaven.

Just as it is written

In the law of Moses,

All this calamity

Has come upon us.

We did not entreat

The favor of Yahweh,

Our God.

We did not turn

From our iniquities.

We did not reflect

On his fidelity.

Thus,

Yahweh kept watch

Over this calamity,

Until he brought it

Upon us.

Indeed,

Yahweh,

Our God,

Is right

In all that he has done.

We have disobeyed

His voice.”

Daniel said that Yahweh only confirmed what he had said against them and their rulers. He brought this calamity to Jerusalem that was so great that there never had been anything like it before. This was all based on what was written in the law of Moses. They had not requested the favor of Yahweh, their God. Finally, God brought this calamity upon them, because Yahweh was right in everything that he has done. They had disobeyed his voice, so that they deserved this calamity in Jerusalem.

January 6, 2017

Jeremiah back in prison (Jer 38:27-38:28)

“All the officials did come

To Jeremiah.

They questioned him.

He answered them

In the very words

That the king had commanded.

So they stopped

Questioning him.

The conversation

Had not been overheard.

Jeremiah remained

In the court of the guard

Until the day

That Jerusalem was taken.”

Just as King Zedekiah had expected, these royal officials came to Jeremiah in his prison to question him. However, Jeremiah answered them as the king had requested him to do. He told them the conversation with the king was about what prison he should live in. With that, the officials stopped questioning him. They never asked him how he got out of the cistern well. Thus the conversation between the king and Jeremiah was safe, since no one had heard the conversation. Both sides of this discussion had agreed what to say about their secret chat. Nevertheless, Jeremiah remained in the royal prison until Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians.

April 7, 2015

Queen Esther sends a message to Mordecai (Esth 4:9-4:11)

“Hachratheus went in and told Queen Esther all these things that Mordecai had said. Then Queen Esther said to him.

‘Go to Mordecai and say.

‘All nations of the empire know

That if any man or woman goes to the king

Inside the inner court without being called,

There is no escape for that person.

All alike are to be put to death.

Only the one to whom the king stretches out the golden scepter is safe.

It is now thirty days since I was called to go to the king.’”

Hachratheus, the eunuch, went to Queen Esther and told her everything that Mordecai had said. Then she sent him back with another message. She told him that everyone knew that you just cannot stop in and visit with the king. If anyone shows up without being requested, they would die. Only when the king stretches out his golden scepter was it safe to visit with him. She had not seen the king in 30 days.