their king

May 26, 2018

The other slaves were angry (Mt 18:31-18:31)

“When his fellow slaves

Saw what had happened,

They were deeply distressed.

They went to their lord.

They reported to their king

All that had taken place.”

 

ἰδόντες οὖν οἱ σύνδουλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ γενόμενα ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα, καὶ ἐλθόντες διεσάφησαν τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῶν πάντα τὰ γενόμενα.

 

This parable about the unforgiving servant slave is unique to Matthew.  As this king was rich and had many slaves, their fellow servant slaves saw what had happened (ἰδόντες οὖν οἱ σύνδουλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ γενόμενα).  They were deeply upset, pained, and distressed (ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα).  They went and reported to their lord, the king (καὶ ἐλθόντες διεσάφησαν τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῶν), everything that had taken place (πάντα τὰ γενόμενα).  Let’s see what happens now.

October 9, 2017

The destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel (Hos 13:9-13:11)

“I will destroy you!

O Israel!

Who can help you?

Where now is your king?

Can he save you?

Where in all your cities,

Are your rulers?

You said.

‘Give me a king!

Give me rulers!’

I have given you

A king.

In my anger,

I took him away

In my wrath.”

Yahweh was going to destroy the northern kingdom of Israel. Who was going to help them? Who could save them? What happened to their rulers? Yahweh gave them a king because they wanted one. Now in his anger and wrath, Yahweh was going to take their king away. This might be a reference to King Hoshea who ruled from 732-724 BCE, when the northern dynasty fell.

September 29, 2017

The future of Israel (Hos 3:4-3:5)

“The Israelites

Shall remain many days

Without a king

Or a prince.

They shall remain

Without sacrifice

Or pillar,

Without ephod

Or teraphim.

Afterward,

The Israelites

Shall return.

They shall seek

Yahweh,

Their God,

With David

Their king.

They shall come

In awe

To Yahweh,

To his goodness,

In the latter days.”

Hosea that predicted that the Israelites would spend many days without a king, prince, or leader. They also would be without sacrifices, since there would be no temple or pillar to worship at. There would be no high priest who would wear the ephod. There would be no teraphim or household gods, implying that the Israelites had some of these gods as in Genesis, chapter 31. The good news was that these Israelites would eventually seek Yahweh, their God. They would have David or his descendants as their king. In awe, they would return to the good Yahweh in the days to come.

February 2, 2017

Scatter Elam (Jer 49:36-49:38)

“‘I will bring upon Elam

The four winds,

From the four quarters

Of heaven.

I will scatter them

To all those winds.

There shall be

No nation to which

The exiles from Elam

Shall not come.

I will terrify Elam

Before their enemies,

Before those

Who seek their life.

I will bring disaster

Upon them.

With my fierce anger.’

Says Yahweh.

‘I will send the sword

After them,

Until I have consumed them.

I will set my throne

In Elam.

I will destroy their king

With their officials.’

Says Yahweh.”

Yahweh was going to cast the Elamites to the 4 winds from 4 different directions. They were going to be scattered to practically every country on the earth. They would be terrified before their enemies who wanted to kill them. There is no mention of a specific enemy, even though disaster would fall upon them. The sword would come upon them until all of them, with their king and his officials, were destroyed. Yahweh would then take their throne. This looks like a complete wipeout.

July 15, 2016

The darkness (Isa 8:21-8:22)

“They will pass through the land.

They will be greatly distressed.

They will be hungry.

When they are hungry,

They will be enraged.

They will curse their king.

They will curse their gods.

They will turn their faces upward.

Or they will look to the earth.

But they will see only distress.

They will see only darkness.

They will see only the gloom of anguish.

They will be thrust into thick darkness.”

Isaiah has some kind of dark night march. These soldiers were greatly distressed, as they passed through some unnamed land. They were hungry. Thus they were mad at their king and their gods. Whether they looked up or just around them on earth, they could only see distress, darkness, gloom, and anguish. They seemed to be in some kind of thick darkness.

December 31, 2015

Israelite festival (Ps 149:1-149:5)

“Praise Yahweh!

Sing to Yahweh a new song!

His praise is due

In the assembly of the faithful!

Let Israel be glad in its maker!

Let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!

Let them praise his name with dancing!

Let them make melody to him

With the tambourine!

Let them make melody to him

With the lyre!

Yahweh takes pleasure in his people.

He adorns the humble with victory.

Let the faithful exult in glory!

Let them sing for joy on their couches!”

Psalm 149 begins with the phrase “praise Yahweh,” another way of saying alleluia, the Hebrew “Hallelujah.” There is no introductory title. The Israelites were to sing a new song in the assembly of the faithful. They should be glad because Yahweh is their creator. They should rejoice with their king. They were to dance and play the tambourine and the lyre. Yahweh was pleased with his people. He would give them glory and victory. Thus they can sing with glory from their couches after their victory.