the attack

March 24, 2019

The attack (Lk 11:22-11:22)

“But when one

Stronger than he

Attacks him,

And overpowers him,

He takes away

His trusted armor.

He then divides

His plunder.”

 

ἐπὰν δὲ ἰσχυρότερος αὐτοῦ ἐπελθὼν νικήσῃ αὐτόν, τὴν πανοπλίαν αὐτοῦ αἴρει ἐφ’ ᾗ ἐπεποίθει, καὶ τὰ σκῦλα αὐτοῦ διαδίδωσιν.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that someone stronger than the armed strongman protecting his castle attacked him (πὰν δὲ ἰσχυρότερος αὐτοῦ ἐπελθὼν).  This attacker overpowered this strong man (νικήσῃ αὐτόν).  He would take away his trusted armor (τὴν πανοπλίαν αὐτοῦ αἴρει ἐφ’ ᾗ ἐπεποίθει).  The new stronger one would then divide (διαδίδωσιν) and plunder (καὶ τὰ σκῦλα αὐτοῦ) this so-called original strong man.  There is something similar to this in Mark, chapter 3:27, and Matthew, chapter 12:29.  Mark had a reference to a strong man, probably Satan, who was overcome by another strong man, probably Jesus.  The strong man must be tied up before anyone could plunder his house.  Jesus, appeared to be giving advice on how to rob a house.  No one would go into the house of a strong man to plunder, seize, snatch, or rob his property or goods without first tying up the strong man.  Then one would indeed be able to plunder or totally rob his whole house.   Matthew has a vague reference to Satan, the strong man, who was overcome by another strong man.  Matthew seems to indicate that the strong man or Satan must be tied up, like in Mark, before anyone can plunder his house.  How could you get into a strong man’s house?  How could you rob his property?  First, you had to tie up the strong man, before you could plunder or rob his house.  Thus, Satan would have to be bound up before you could enter his house to rob him.  Luke was a little vague on how this plunder was all going to come about, but it would happen.  Has anybody ever tried to rob your house?

October 20, 2016

Tracing the coming enemy (Jer 4:15-4:17)

“A voice declares

From Dan.

It proclaims disaster

From Mount Ephraim.

Tell the nations!

‘Here they are!’

Announce to Jerusalem.

‘Besiegers come from a distant land!

They shout against the cities of Judah!

They have closed in around her

Like watchers of a field.”

Jeremiah has a little play by play of how the invading destroyers were coming to Jerusalem. First, they were in the far northern territory of Dan near the Syrian border. Then the second disaster warning comes from Mount Ephraim, just north of Benjamin, in the central area. Finally, they are besieging and surrounding the cities of Judah, the heartland, where Jerusalem is on the border with Benjamin. They were in fields watching as the attack was imminent.

 

July 15, 2016

Oracle about the Shiloh River and the Euphrates River (Isa 8:5-8:8)

“Yahweh spoke to me again.

‘Because this people have refused                 

The waters of Shiloh

That flow gently,

They melt in fear

Before King Rezin

With the son of Remaliah.

Therefore Yahweh is

Bringing up against them

The mighty flood waters of the river,

The king of Assyria

With all his glory.

It will rise above all its channels.

It will overflow all its banks.

It will sweep on into Judah,

As a flood pouring over it.

It will reach up to the neck.

Its outspread wings

Will fill the breadth of your land.’”

Again Yahweh spoke directly to Isaiah. The Israelites had refused the gentle waters of the Shiloh River that flowed into Jerusalem from Shiloh in the Ephraim territory. They were afraid of the attack from King Rezin of Syria and the son of Remaliah, King Pekah of Samaria. Thus Yahweh, the Lord, had to bring in a substitute to fight from the mighty flood waters of the great river, the Euphrates River. The king of Assyria with all his glory represented this mighty Euphrates River. King Ahaz had made a treaty with him. Thus this powerful river would rise above its channels and banks. It would even sweep into Judah with its flooding waters that would reach up to the neck. This river will spread its wings until it filled up the whole land. Here was the double edged sword. King Ahaz invited the King of Assyria for protection against the northern invaders, but he wanted something in return for that protection that might be Judah itself.

May 10, 2015

Jonathan attacks the Jambri wedding party (1 Macc 9:37-9:42)

“After these things were reported to Jonathan and his brother Simon, they said.

‘The family of Jambri was celebrating a great wedding.

They were conducting the bride,

A daughter of one of the great nobles of Canaan,

From Nadabath with a large escort.’

They remembered how their brother John had been killed. They went up and hid under the cover of the mountains. They looked out and saw a tumultuous procession with a great amount of baggage. The bridegroom came out with his friends and his brothers to meet them with tambourines, musicians, and many weapons. Then they rushed upon them from the ambush. They began killing them. Many were wounded and fell. The rest fled to the mountains. The Jews took all their goods. Thus the wedding was turned into mourning. The voice of their musicians was turned into a funeral dirge. After they had fully avenged the blood of their brother, they returned to the marshes of the Jordan River.”

            Jonathan and his brother Simon were upset about the attack and death of their brother John at the hands of the Jambri family. They saw that the Jambri family was celebrating a big wedding. One of daughters of a Canaanite was marrying a man from Jambri. They were having a great procession with tambourines and musicians. Jonathan, Simon, and his group attacked the wedding party. They wounded and killed some, while others fled. Their joyous wedding music turned into a mourning funeral dirge. After they avenged the blood of their brother, they returned to the marshes along the Jordan River.