the Mediterranean Sea

January 26, 2018

Living waters (Zech 14:8-14:8)

“On that day,

Living waters

Shall flow out

From Jerusalem.

Half of these waters

Would go to the eastern sea.

The other half of these waters

Would go to the western sea.

It shall continue

In summer

As in winter.”

On this glorious day, half the living waters would flow from Jerusalem to the eastern sea or the Dead Sea, while the other half would flow to the western sea or the Mediterranean Sea.  These living waters would flow both during summer and winter.  The idea of flowing living waters were one of the major themes of the early Christians.

November 14, 2017

The sea storm (Jon 1:4-1:4)

“But Yahweh

Hurled a great wind

Upon the sea.

Such a mighty storm

Came upon the sea,

That the ship

Threatened

To break up.”

After the ship had set out to sea, Yahweh hurled a great wind on the Mediterranean Sea, since Yahweh controlled the weather.  The ship seemed to feel like it was threatening to break up into pieces.

October 13, 2017

Yahweh will remove the plague of locusts (Joel 2:20-2:20)

“I will remove

The northern army

Far from you.

I will drive it

Into a parched land.

I will drive it

Into a desolate land.

Its front will be

In the eastern sea.

Its rear will be

In the western sea.

Its stench

Will rise up.

Its foul smell

Will rise up.”

Joel said that Yahweh was going to remove this northern army of locusts. He was going to drive them into a parched and desolate land. The grasshopper front would be in the eastern sea, the Dead Sea, while its rear would be in the western sea, the Mediterranean Sea. There would be a terrible smell coming from these dead locusts.

August 27, 2017

The vision of the four winds (Dan 7:2-7:2)

“I!

Daniel!

Saw in my vision,

By night,

The four winds

Of heaven

Stirring up

The great sea.”

Clearly, the first-person singular indicates that this is no longer a description about Daniel, but Daniel himself writing about his dream or vision. He had this vision at night, as he saw the 4 winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, the Mediterranean Sea.

July 26, 2017

The Brook of Egypt border (Ezek 48:28-48:28)

“Adjoining the territory

Of Gad,

To the south,

The boundary shall run

From Tamar

To the waters

Of Meribath-kadesh.

From there

It shall run

Along the Brook of Egypt

To the Great Sea.”

Somehow the territory of Gad was in the south. Now we have the southern borders of Israel just as it was described in the preceding chapter. This southern border in Numbers, chapter 34 was also vague. Here the border goes almost to Egypt, to the great sea, or the Mediterranean Sea. Tamar was the start of this southeast border. Meribath-kadesh was in the wilderness of Zin, south of the Dead Sea.

July 23, 2017

The tribe of Asher (Ezek 48:2-48:2)

“Adjoining the territory of Dan,

From the east side

To the west side,

Asher,

Was one portion.”

Although it is not mentioned, the Mediterranean Sea might have been Asher’s western border. Here it seems to be on both sides of Dan. Asher in Joshua, chapter 19, was west of Naphtali and Zebulun, but here it is mentioned before them. The Israelites never had control of the seacoast towns anyway.

July 22, 2017

The western border (Ezek 47:20-47:20)

“On the west side,

The Great Sea

Shall be the boundary

To a point

Opposite Lebo-hamath.

This shall be the west side.”

The western border was the simplest, the Mediterranean Sea, or the Great Sea. The northwestern border was Lebo-hamath, just mentioned as the northern border.

July 22, 2017

The southern border (Ezek 47:19-47:19)

“On the south side,

It shall run

From Tamar

As far as

The waters

Of Meribath-kadesh.

From there

It shall run

Along the Brook of Egypt

To the Great Sea.

This shall be the south side.”

The southern border in Numbers, chapter 34 was also vague. However, there was a mention of the Dead Sea and the Wilderness of Zin. Here the border goes almost to Egypt, to the great sea, or the Mediterranean Sea. Tamar, just mentioned on the eastern border, is the start of this southeast border. Meribath-kadesh was in the wilderness of Zin, south of the Dead Sea.

July 21, 2017

The northern border (Ezek 47:15-47:17)

“This shall be the boundary

Of the land.

On the north side,

From the Great Sea

By way of Hethlon

To Lebo-hamath

of Hamath,

On to Zedad,

Berothah,

Sibraim.

Sibraim lies between

The border of Damascus

With Hamath.

It shall go as far

As Hazer-hatticon,

That is on the border

Of Hauran.

So,

The boundary shall run

From the sea

To Hazar-enon,

That is north of the border

Of Damascus,

With the border of Hamath

To the north.

This shall be the north side.”

Ezekiel started with a longer description of the northern border than what was found in Numbers, chapter 34. Obviously, this northern border started with the sea, the Mediterranean Sea on the northwest side. However, it extends further north into Syria on the north side of Damascus. There was no indication where the Sea and the land met in the north, just the listing of a series of towns like Hethlon, Lebo-hamath, Zedad, Berothah, and Sibraim that are difficult to determine exactly where they are. The northeastern border was Hazar-enon, as in Numbers. Hamath was the capital of upper Syria, while Damascus as the capital of lower Syria. Thus, this northern Israelite boundary was between these 2 Syrian cities.

May 27, 2017

The coastland towns are upset (Ezek 27:33-27:36)

“When your wares

Came from the seas,

You satisfied

Many people.

You enriched

The kings of the earth

With your abundant wealth,

With your merchandise.

Now you are wrecked

By the seas,

In the depths

Of the waters.

Your merchandise,

With all your crew,

Have sunk with you.

All the inhabitants

Of the coastlands

Are appalled at you.

Their kings

Are horribly afraid.

Their faces

Are convulsed.

The merchants

Among the people

Hiss at you.

You have come

To a dreadful end.

You shall be no more

Forever.”

Many people benefited from the various goods that Tyre brought from the different towns on the Mediterranean Sea. Their wealth and merchandise enriched many kings. Now they have been wrecked by the deep sea. Both the merchandise and the crew are gone. Now all the inhabitants of the coastland towns were appalled at Tyre. In fact, their kings were horribly afraid as their faces convulsed. The merchants from these towns now hissed at the name of Tyre because they had come to a dreadful end. Tyre would not exist anymore.