the glory of Yahweh

November 24, 2017

The breaking of the peace (Mic 2:8-2:10)

“But you rise

Against my people

As an enemy.

You strip the robe

From the peaceful,

From those who pass by

Trustingly,

With no thought of war.

You drive out

The women

Of my people

From their pleasant houses.

You take away

From their young children

My glory forever.

Arise!

Go!

This is no place

To rest.

Because uncleanness

Destroys

With a grievous destruction.”

Micah pointed out that this was no longer a time of peace.  The people of Israel had treated their own people, the people of Yahweh in Israel, like they were an enemy.  They had taken their clothes, including the robes of the peaceful and trusting ones, as if there was a war.  They had driven out the young women from their pleasant homes.  They had taken away the glory of Yahweh from the young children.  Israel was no longer a restful place anymore, because uncleanliness had brought great destruction to this place.

March 29, 2017

The hand of Yahweh (Ezek 3:22-3:23)

“The hand of Yahweh

Was upon me there.

He said to me.

‘Rise up!

Go out

Into the valley!

There I will speak

With you.’

So I rose up.

I went out

Into the valley.

The glory of Yahweh

Stood there,

Like the glory

That I had seen

By the river Chebar.

I fell on my face.”

Ezekiel felt the hand of Yahweh on him. Then Yahweh told him to get up and go into the valley, which would have been the southern Tigris and Euphrates River valley. Yahweh was going to tell him something there. Ezekiel then got up and went into the valley as Yahweh had asked him to do. There the glory of Yahweh appeared to him, just like it had done by the Chebar River earlier in this chapter and in chapter one. Ezekiel then fell on his face out of reverence for the glory of Yahweh. Thus both the hand of Yahweh and the glory of Yahweh represent how God appeared to Ezekiel.

March 28, 2017

The rumbling sound (Ezek 3:12-3:13)

“Then the Spirit

Lifted me up.

The glory of Yahweh

Rose from its place.

I heard behind me

The sound

Of loud rumbling.

It was the sound

Of the wings

Of the living creatures

Brushing

Against one another.

It was the sound

Of the wheels beside them.

They sounded

Like a loud rumbling.”

The Spirit of Yahweh or the Holy Spirit lifted up Ezekiel. He saw the glory of Yahweh rise up from its place. This glory of Yahweh was the presence of Yahweh outside of the Jerusalem Temple. Then Ezekiel heard a loud rumbling sound, the sound of the living creatures brushing their wings against each other. Then there was the also the loud rumbling sound of the wheels beside them.  This vision of Ezekiel had not only a visual element, but an auditory element also.

March 27, 2017

The splendor of Yahweh (Ezek 1:28-1:28)

“Like the bow

In a cloud

On a rainy day,

Such was the appearance

Of all the splendor

All around.

There was the appearance

Of the likeness

Of the glory

Of Yahweh.

When I saw it,

I fell upon my face.

I heard the voice

Of someone speaking.”

Ezekiel seemed to think that this vision was like a rainbow in the sky on a rainy day. With such great splendor all around him, there appeared to be the glory of Yahweh. This glory of Yahweh referred to his presence, but outside the Temple of Jerusalem. When Ezekiel saw all this, he fell upon his face to the ground. Then, finally, after all this description of the vision, he heard the voice of someone speaking. Now this colorful vision of Ezekiel will have the traditional oral communication, as opposed to this visual delight.

October 14, 2016

The accusations (Jer 2:9-2:12)

“‘Therefore once more

I accuse you.’

Says Yahweh.

‘I accuse

Your children’s children.

Cross to the coasts of Cyprus!

See!

Send to Kedar!

Examine with care!

See if there has ever been

Such a thing!

Has a nation changed its gods?

Even though

They are no gods.

But my people have changed their glory.

They prefer something that does not profit.

Be appalled!

O heavens!

At this!

Be shocked!

Be utterly desolate!’

Says Yahweh.”

Jeremiah has Yahweh accuse his people and their children of changing from Yahweh God to go after false gods. Yahweh wanted them to go to the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea or the desert tribe of Kedar on the eastern side of the Jordan. Did those people change their deities? Why did his own people change from the glory of Yahweh to these false useless gods. The heavens are appalled, shocked, and desolate at this turn of events. Yahweh was upset.

February 8, 2014

Moses and the glory of Yahweh (Ex 33:18-33:23)

“Moses said, ‘Show me your glory, I pray.’  Yahweh said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you.  I will proclaim before you my name `Yahweh.’  I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.  I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.’  But, he said, ‘You cannot see my face.  No one shall see me and live.’  Yahweh continued, ‘See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock.  While my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock.  I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.  Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back.  But my face shall not be seen.’”

Moses asked to see the glory of Yahweh.  Yahweh responded that he is gracious and merciful to whom he pleases.  God tells Moses that his name Yahweh.  But Moses cannot see his face, otherwise he would die.  So Moses stood on a cleft in the rock and saw his back.  Yahweh will remain a hidden mysterious God who yet is involved in the lives of the Israelites.