vanish

September 13, 2016

Yahweh will judge the world (Isa 51:4-51:6)

“Listen to me!

My people!

Give heed to me!

My nation!

A teaching will go out from me!

My justice will be for a light to the people.

I will bring near my deliverance swiftly.

My salvation has gone out.

My arms will rule the people.

The coastlands wait for me.

They hope for my arm.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens!

Look at the earth beneath!

The heavens will vanish

Like smoke!

The earth will wear out

Like a garment!

Those who live on it

Will die like gnats!

But my salvation will be forever!

My deliverance will never be ended!”

Once again, Second Isaiah wanted the people to listen to Yahweh and his teaching. Yahweh wanted to bring justice and light to the world and its people. He would bring salvation and deliverance swiftly. Once again, the coastlands of the Mediterranean Sea were mentioned explicitly as waiting for Yahweh. He told them to look at heaven and earth. Heaven would vanish like smoke, while the earth would wear out. The people on earth would die like gnats. However, the eternal salvation and deliverance of Yahweh would be forever without end.

October 11, 2015

The curse wish (Ps 58:6-58:9)

“O God!

Break the teeth in their mouths!

Tear out the fangs of the young lions!

Yahweh!

Let them vanish

Like water that runs away!

Let them be

Like grass trodden down and wither!

Let them be

Like the snail that dissolves into slime!

Let them be

Like the untimely birth that never sees the sun.

Sooner than your pots

Can feel the heat of thorns,

Whether green or ablaze,

May he sweep them away!”

If the description was harsh, so much more so is this brutal curse to the wicked. He wanted God, Yahweh, to do his dirty work. David wanted their teeth broken. He wanted their fangs taken out. He wanted the wicked to vanish like water than just flows away. He wanted them to be like grass that was trodden down and then withered away. He wanted them to be like a snail that turned to slime. He wanted them to be aborted or still born so that they would never see the sun. He wanted them swept away. This was no simple curse, but a demand for Yahweh to get rid of the wicked ones altogether.

September 18, 2015

The wicked perish (Ps 37:20-37:20)

“The wicked perish.

The enemies of Yahweh

Are like the glory of the pastures.

They vanish.

Like smoke

They vanish away.”

The wicked are here today, but gone tomorrow. The enemies of Yahweh will perish. They are like the glory in a pasture. Suddenly they are gone like smoke. One day it is here and the next day the smoke has made them vanish. So too the wicked will vanish away.

July 14, 2015

Job cannot find God (Job 23:8-23:17)

“If I go forward,

He is not there.

If I go backward,

I cannot perceive him.

On the left, he hides.

I cannot behold him.

I turn to the right.

But I cannot see him.

But he knows the way that I take.

When he has tested me,

I shall come out like gold.

My foot has held fast to his steps.

I have kept his way.

I have not turned aside.

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips.

I have treasured in my bosom the words of his mouth.

But he stands alone.

Who can dissuade him?

What he desires,

That he does.

He will complete what he appoints for me.

Many such things are in his mind.

Therefore I am terrified at his presence.

When I consider,

I am in dread of him.

God has made my heart faint.

The Almighty Shaddai has terrified me.

If only I could vanish in darkness,

Thick darkness would cover my face.”

Whether Job went forwards, backwards, left, or right, he could not find God. No matter what direction, east, west, north, or south, he could not see God. Yet he would be like gold when tested. His steps were in line since he followed God’s way and commandments. Here is the problem. He was not a Jew following the Torah. Who could change God? He does what he desires. Whatever he has appointed for him, it will come to pass. Thus Job was terrified in his presence and feared the almighty Shaddai. If he could vanish into darkness that would cover his face, he would be fine.

July 12, 2015

Zophar responded about the wicked ones (Job 20:1-20:11)

“Then Zophar the Naamathite answered.

‘Pay attention!

My thoughts urge me to answer,

Because of the agitation within me.

I hear censure that insults me.

A spirit beyond my understanding answers me.

Do you not know this from of old?

Ever since man was placed on earth,

The exulting of the wicked is short.

The joy of the godless is but for a moment.

Even though they mount up high as the heavens,

Even if their head reaches to the clouds,

They will perish forever like their own dung.

Those who have seen them will say.

‘Where are they?’

They will fly away like a dream.

They will not be found.

They will be chased away like a vision of the night.

The eye that saw them will see them no more.

Their place will not behold them anymore.

Their children will seek the favor of the poor.

Their hands will give back their wealth.

Their bodies,

Once full of youthful vigor,

Will lie down in the dust with them.’”

Zophar said that he could not restrain himself anymore since he was so agitated about this matter. He maintained that since the beginning of man on earth, the wicked have tried to succeed. However, they have been unsuccessful. Their joy is fleeting, even though they have tried to reach the heavens. The wicked would perish like their own dung. They will seem to vanish as if they were never here. Eyes will not seem them anymore. Their children will be like the poor as their wealth will be dissipated. Their bodies would return to dust.

February 25, 2015

Tobit predicts the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Tob 14:5-14:7)

“But God will again have mercy on the Israelites.

He will bring them back into their land.

They will rebuild the temple of God,

Although it will not be like the first one

Until the times of the fulfillment shall come.

After this, they will return from their exile.

They will rebuild Jerusalem in splendor.

They will rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem,

Just as the prophets of Israel have said concerning it.

Then the nations of the whole world will all be converted

They will worship God in truth.

They will all abandon their idols,

The idols that deceitfully have led them into their error.

In righteousness,

They will praise the eternal God.

All the Israelites who are saved in those days

All who are truly mindful of God will be gathered together.

They will go to Jerusalem.

They will live safely forever in the land of Abraham,

As it will be given over to them.

Those who sincerely love God will rejoice.

However, those who commit sin and injustice,

They will vanish from the earth.”

God will have mercy on the Israelites. He will bring them back to their land. They will rebuild the Temple, but not as nice as the first Temple, just as the prophets have predicted. The Israelites will return from their captivity and rebuild a splendid Jerusalem. All the nations of the world will convert to the true God. They will abandon their idols and praise the eternal God. All the Israelites will gather in Jerusalem, where they will live safely in the land of Abraham. However, sinners and unjust people will vanish from the earth.