“An Oracle.
The word of Yahweh
Concerning Israel.
Thus says Yahweh.
He stretched out the heavens.
He founded the earth.
He formed the human spirit
Within.”
Yahweh had an oracle about Israel. Yahweh was the great creator. He had stretched out the heavens and founded the earth. He even placed the human spirit within people.
“Thus says Yahweh of hosts.
‘Once again,
In a little while,
I will shake the heavens.
I will shake the earth.
I will shake the sea.
I will shake the dry land.
I will shake all the nations.”
Yahweh said that he was going to shake things up in a little while. He was going to shake up the heavens, the earth, the sea, the dry land, and all the countries in the world.
“The sun stood still
In its exalted place.
The moon stood still
In its exalted place.
There was the light
Of your arrows
Speeding by.
There was the gleam
Of your flashing spear.”
As the sun and the moon stood still in the heavens, the speeding arrows and the flashing spears provided gleams of light.
“His glory
Covered the heavens.
The earth was
Full of his praise.
His brightness was
Like the sun.
Rays came forth
From his hand.
His power
Lay hidden.”
The glory of God covered the heavens, while the earth was full of his praise. His brightness was like the sun. Rays of light came from his hands, although his power was hidden. This was a glorious description of God’s glory.
“The sun
Is darkened.
The moon
Is darkened.
The stars withdraw
Their shining.”
The heavens will darken during the day of Yahweh. The sun and the moon will go dark, while the stars will no longer shine.
“Says Yahweh.
‘On that day,
I will answer
The heavens.
They shall answer
The earth.
The earth shall answer
The grain,
The wine,
The oil.
They shall answer
Jezreel.
I will sow him
For myself
In the land.
I will have pity
On Lo-ruhamah.
I will say to
Lo-ammi.
‘You are my people.’
He shall say.
‘You are my God.’”
Yahweh was very clear. On that day, he was going to respond to the heavens, just as the heavens would respond to earth. The earth would respond to the grain, wine, and oil. They would answer to Jezreel, that had been the residence of the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel. Yahweh was going to sow in the land itself. Finally, he would have pity and love for Lo-ruhamah, the not pitied one. He too would rename Lo-ammi, from not my people to you are my people. He was going to be their God. Thus, all would end well.
“Out of one of them
Came another horn,
A little one.
It grew exceedingly great,
Toward the south,
Toward the east,
Toward the beautiful land.
It grew as high,
As the host
Of heaven.
It threw down
To earth
Some of the host,
Some of the stars.
It cast them down
To the ground.
It trampled on them.”
Once again, the little horn is the big problem, as in the last vision. This little horn is a reference to a member of the Seleucids branch, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This little horn grew great towards the south, the east, and into the beautiful land, the land of Israel. This little horn also grew tall to the heavens. It threw down some of the hosts of heaven and the stars of the sky. It cast them down to the ground and trampled on them.
“‘When I blot you out,
I will cover
The heavens.
I will make
Their stars dark.
I will cover
The sun
With a cloud.
The moon shall
Not give its light.
I will darken
Above you
All the bright lights
Of the heavens.
I will put darkness
On your land.’
Says Yahweh God.”
Yahweh God, via Ezekiel, said that he was going to blot out the Pharaoh. He was going to close off the heavens also. He was going to make the stars dark and cover the sun with a cloud. Meanwhile, the moon would not give any light. All the bright lights of the heavens would go dark over the land of Egypt.
“These weak idols
Can neither curse
Nor bless kings.
They cannot show signs
In the heavens
For the nations.
They cannot shine
Like the sun.
They cannot give light
Like the moon.”
Once again, this shows the weakness of these false idols, since they can neither curse nor bless kings. They cannot show signs in the heavens for the various nations. They cannot shine like the sun. They cannot give light like the moon. Instead of berating the nature gods of the sun or the moon, this author praises them. His emphasis was on those weak wooden man made false idols. Notice that this author believes that the moon gives light. In fact, we often still speak of moonlight. When in fact, the light from the moon is really a reflection of the sun.
“He made
The earth
By his power.
He established
The world
By his wisdom.
By his understanding,
He stretched out the heavens.
When he utters
His voice
There is a tumult of waters
In the heavens.
He makes the mist rise
From the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning
For the rain.
He brings forth
The wind
From his storehouses.”
This is exactly the same, word for word from chapter 10 about the power of Yahweh. Jeremiah proclaimed that Yahweh was all powerful. He made the earth by his power. Thus he established the world by his wisdom. He stretched out the heavens by his understanding, so that when he uttered his voice, the waters in the heaven could create a mist from the ends of the earth. He made lightning in the rain. He also brought wind from his various wind storehouses. Thus you can see this author’s cosmology about the powerful God, Yahweh, who has control of the world and its climate.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 