the grapes

October 5, 2016

No foreigners would eat or drink in Jerusalem (Isa 62:8-62:9)

“Yahweh has sworn

By his right hand,

By his mighty arm.

‘I will not again give your grain

To be food for your enemies.

Foreigners shall not drink the wine

For which you have labored.

But those who garner it

Shall eat it.

They shall praise Yahweh.

Those who garner it

Shall drink it

In my holy courts.’”

Yahweh now contends that no foreigners will eat or drink from the labor of those in Jerusalem. Yahweh has sworn by his mighty right hand that the grain harvested there will stay there, not be given to enemies. These foreign enemies will not drink the wine that was developed in Jerusalem. Instead the locals will gather the grapes and drink the wine in the holy courts at Jerusalem.

July 24, 2016

The arrogance of Moab (Isa 16:6-16:7)

“We have heard

Of the pride of Moab.

How proud he is!

We have heard

Of his arrogance.

We have heard

Of his pride.

We have heard

Of his insolence.

His boasts are false.

Therefore let Moab wail!

Let everyone wail for Moab!

Mourn!

It is utterly stricken.

They cry for

The raisin-cakes of Kir-hareseth.”

Isaiah here assumes the first person plural “we,” instead of the first person singular, “I.” Now the tone is not as forgiving. They have heard of the pride, the arrogance, and insolence of Moab. Those Moabites make false boasts. Therefore, let them cry. Let everyone wail away, because they have been decimated. They cry out for their raisin cakes from Kir-hareseth. The raisin cakes were made from the grapes that dried up. These must have been some good bakery cakes from the town of Kir or Kerak in Moab, the probable names for Kir-hareseth.

July 11, 2015

The punishment of the wicked ones (Job 15:28-15:35)

“They will live in desolate cities.

They will live in houses that no one should inhabit.

They will live in houses destined to become heaps of ruins.

They will not be rich.

Their wealth will not endure.

They will not strike root in the earth.

They will not escape from darkness.

The flame will dry up their shoots.

Their blossoms will be swept away by the wind.

Let them not trust in emptiness by deceiving themselves.

Emptiness will be their recompense.

It will be paid in full before their time.

Their branch will not be green.

They will shake off their unripe grape on the vine.

They will cast off their blossoms,

Like the olive tree.

The company of the godless is barren.

Fire consumes the tents of bribery.

They conceive mischief.

They bring forth evil.

Their heart prepares deceit.”

The wicked ones are punished, just like Job has been punished. They will live in desolate cities, where the houses are not fit to be lived in. They will not be rich. What wealth they have will not endure. They will not be able to plant anything. They will not escape darkness. Their shoots will go up in flames. Their blossoms will be blown away. Emptiness is their reward. Their branches will not turn green. They will pick the grapes before they are ripe. Everyone will be barren in their family. Fire will consume their living tents. They conceive and bring forth evil and iniquity because they have deceitful hearts.