the hands

January 23, 2018

Yahweh will not have pity (Zech 11:6-11:6)

“Says Yahweh.

‘I will no longer have pity

On the inhabitants

Of the earth.

I will cause

Every one of them

To fall,

Each into the hand

Of a neighbor,

Each into the hand

Of his king.

They shall devastate

The earth.

I will deliver no one

From their hand.’”

Yahweh was clear here.  There would be no pity on any of the inhabitants of the earth.  All of them would fall into the hands of his or her neighbor or king.  If you were the good neighbor, you won, since the others fell into your hand.  The earth would be devastated.  No one would be saved.  Either they died in civil wars or the kings killed them.

May 15, 2017

The end of Jerusalem’s lewdness in Egypt (Ezek 23:27-23:28)

“‘So I will put an end

To your lewdness.

I will put an end

To your prostitution activities

That you brought

From the land of Egypt.

You shall not long for them.

You shall not remember

Egypt anymore.’

Thus says Yahweh God!

‘I will deliver you

Into the hands

Of those whom you hate.

I will deliver you

Into the hands

Of those from whom

You turned in disgust.’”

Yahweh was going to put an end to the prostitution activities and lewdness of Jerusalem that she had brought from Egypt. Jerusalem had longed for and remembered her youth in Egypt. Yahweh was now going to deliver Jerusalem into the hands of those who had hated her. He was going to give her over to those former lovers from whom she had turned away from in disgust.

March 29, 2017

The righteous ones (Ezek 3:20-3:21)

“‘Again,

If the righteous ones

Turn

From their righteousness,

If they commit iniquity,

I will lay

A stumbling block

Before them.

They shall die.

Because you have not

Warned them,

They shall die

For their sin.

Their righteous deeds

That they have done

Shall not be remembered.

But I will require

Their blood

At your hand.

If however,

You warn

The righteous ones

Not to sin,

Then they do not sin,

They shall surely live.

Because they took

The warning,

You will have saved

Your life.’”

What was true about the wicked was also true about the righteous. If these righteous ones would turn away from their righteousness, it they committed iniquity, Yahweh was going to lay a stumbling block before them. They would die. If Ezekiel had not warned them, they would die for their sins anyway. Any righteous deeds that they had done would be forgotten. However, the blood of these fallen away righteous one would be on the hands of Ezekiel. On the other hand, if Ezekiel had warned the righteous ones not to sin, and then they did not sin, they would live. They had taken the warning words from Ezekiel seriously. On top of that, Ezekiel’s life would be saved.

December 25, 2016

The attack of the Chaldeans (Jer 32:24-32:25)

“See!

The siege ramps

Have been cast up

Against the city

To take it.

The city is faced

With sword,

With famine,

With pestilence.

The city has been

Given into the hands

Of the Chaldeans

Who are fighting against it.

What you spoke

Has happened.

As you yourself can see.

Yet you!

O Lord God!

You have said to me.

‘Buy the field

For money!

Get witnesses!’

Even though the city has been

Given into the hands

Of the Chaldeans.’”

The prayer of Jeremiah continued as he came to the present day situation of the attack by the Chaldeans, a Semitic people from the southeastern section of Babylon on the Euphrates River. The siege ramps were already in place against Jerusalem. The Chaldeans had come to take this city by sword, famine, or pestilence. What Yahweh had predicted, has happened. The Chaldeans have already taken over this city, as anyone can see with their own eyes. Yahweh had told Jeremiah to buy a field with money and witnesses, even though the city was in the hands of the Chaldeans. This purchase was a sign of hope for the future.

December 10, 2016

The power of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (Jer 27:6-27:7)

“Now I have given

All these lands

Into the hand of

King Nebuchadnezzar,

Of Babylon,

My servant.

I have given him

Even the wild animals

Of the field

To serve him.

All the nations

Shall serve him.

They shall serve his son.

They shall serve his grandson,

Until the time

Of his own land comes.

Then many nations

With great kings

Shall make him their slave.”

The all powerful God of Israel says that he has given all these lands into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (605-562 BCE). In fact, Yahweh calls him his servant, as if he was similar to a prophet of Yahweh. He even gave him the wild animals to serve him. All the countries would serve him, his son, and his grandson, until the time comes when many countries will make the Babylonians slaves in the third generation.

November 29, 2016

Comparisons to other evil people (Jer 23:13-23:14)

“In the prophets of Samaria,

I saw a disgusting thing.

They prophesied by Baal.

They led my people Israel astray.

But in the prophets of Jerusalem,

I have seen a more shocking thing.

They commit adultery.

They walk in lies.

They strengthen

The hands of evildoers.

Thus no one turns from wickedness.

All of them have become

Like Sodom to me.

Its inhabitants are

Like Gomorrah.”

Yahweh makes a comparison between the evil prophets of Jerusalem with the false prophets of Samaria as well as the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. There is no doubt that the false prophets of Samaria worshipped and prophesized by Baal. Thus they led the Israelites astray by these disgusting practices. However, the prophets of Jerusalem have done a more shocking thing. They committed adultery and walked in lies. Thus they strengthened the hands of the evil doers. Thus, no one turned away from wickedness. They became like the famous sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, in Genesis, chapter 19.

November 24, 2016

The destruction of Jerusalem (Jer 21:10-21:10)

“Says Yahweh.

‘I have set my face

Against this city.

For evil!

Not for good!

It shall be given

Into the hands

Of the king

Of Babylon.

He shall burn it with fire.’”

There is no choice for the city of Jerusalem. Yahweh has set his face against this city. It is evil, not good. Therefore it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon. He would then burn it down.

November 24, 2016

After the pestilence (Jer 21:7-21:7)

“Says Yahweh.

‘Afterward,

I will give King Zedekiah

Of Judah,

With his servants,

As well as the people in this city,

Those who survived

The pestilence,

The sword,

The famine,

Into the hands

Of King Nebuchadnezzar

Of Babylon.

They will be given

Into the hands

Of their enemies,

Into the hands

Of those who seek their lives.

He shall strike them down

With the edge of the sword.

He shall not pity them.

He shall not spare them.

He shall not have compassion.’”

Jeremiah has Yahweh speak to them with this oracle. If the king and his servants, as well as the people of Jerusalem survived the pestilence, the famine, and the sword, then they would be given into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar and their enemies. They would be stricken down with the edge of a sword. There would be no pity, no sparing them, and no compassion.

November 14, 2016

The positive response of Yahweh (Jer 15:19-15:21)

“Therefore thus says Yahweh.

‘If you turn back,

I will take you back.

You shall stand before me.

If you utter what is precious,

Not what is worthless,

You shall serve as my mouth.

They will turn to you,

But you will not turn to them.

I will make you to this people

A fortified wall of bronze.

They will fight against you.

But they shall not prevail over you.

I am with you

To save you.

I am with you

To deliver you.’

Says Yahweh!

‘I will deliver you

Out of the hand of the wicked.

I will redeem you

From the grasp of the ruthless.’”

Yahweh was very receptive to the Jeremiah’s plea. If he turned back, Yahweh would accept him. In fact, he was going to stand in front of him. If Jeremiah uttered what was precious and worthwhile, he would then serve as the mouth of Yahweh, a true prophet. The people were to turn to him, but he was not to turn to them. Jeremiah was going to become a fortified bronze wall. Many people would fight against him, but they would not prevail, because Yahweh was with him. Yahweh would save him. He would deliver him from the hands of the wicked and the grasp of the ruthless ones.