whole earth

April 23, 2018

Description of the servant of Yahweh (Matt 12:19-12:21)

“He will not quarrel.

He will not cry aloud.

They will not hear his voice

In the streets.

He will not break

A bruised reed.

He will not quench

A smoldering wick,

Until he brings justice to victory.

In his name,

The gentiles will hope.”

 

οὐκ ἐρίσει οὐδὲ κραυγάσει, οὐδὲ ἀκούσει τις ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ.

κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει, ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν.

καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν.

 

Second Isaiah, chapter 42:2-4, described this servant of Yahweh.  He would not cry nor lift up his voice in the streets.  He would not break the bruised reeds nor put out a dimly burning wick on a candle.  In other words, he would be a very quiet person.  However, he would fight for justice.  He would not be faint or crushed, until he has established justice on the whole earth.  Matthew clearly applied this description to Jesus since Jesus would not quarrel or be contentious (οὐκ ἐρίσει).  Jesus would not cry out or shout (οὐδὲ κραυγάσει).  They would not hear Jesus’ voice in the streets (οὐδὲ ἀκούσει τις ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ).  Jesus would not break a bruised reed into pieces (κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξει).  Jesus would not quench a smoldering wick on a candle (καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει).  Jesus would bring justice to victory (ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν).  In the name of Jesus (καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ), the gentile nations would hope (ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν).  There was no doubt in the mind of Matthew that Jesus was the servant of Yahweh from Isaiah.

January 26, 2018

Yahweh the king of the earth (Zech 14:9-14:9)

“Yahweh

Will become king

Over all the earth.

On that day,

Yahweh will be one.

His name will be one.”

On that glorious day, Yahweh, and Yahweh alone, would be king of the whole earth.  His name would be the only one, a true monotheistic statement about the end times.

December 30, 2017

The interpretation of the two olive trees (Zech 4:11-4:14)

“Then I said to him.

‘What are these two olive trees

On the right,

And on the left,

Of the lampstand?’

A second time

I said to him.

‘What are these two branches

Of the olive trees,

That pour out

The oil

Through the two golden pipes?’

He said to me.

‘Do you not know

What these are?’

I said.

‘No!

My lord.’

Then he said.

‘These are the two anointed ones

Who stand by Yahweh

Of the whole earth.’”

Once again, Zechariah asked the angel for an explanation about the 2 olive trees that were on the left and the right side of the lampstand.  In fact, he asked twice.  The second time he wanted to know why the 2 olive tree branches were pouring out oil through 2 golden pipes.  This time, the angel responded that these were the 2 anointed ones who stood by Yahweh for the whole earth to see.  Perhaps this was an indication about the high priest Joshua and Governor Zerubbabel.

August 17, 2017

The king was the great tree (Dan 4:20-4:22)

“‘The tree

That you saw,

That grew great,

That became strong,

That its top reached

To heaven,

That was visible

To the end

Of the whole earth,

It is you!

O king!

Its leaves were beautiful.

It fruit was abundant.

It provided food for all.

Animals of the field

Lived under it.

Birds of the air

Had nests

In its branches.

It is you!

O king!

You have grown great!

You have become strong!

Your greatness has increased!

Your greatness reaches

To heaven.

Your sovereignty reaches

To the ends of the earth.’”

Belteshazzar or Daniel told the king that he was the tree that he saw in his dream, since a strong man was often equated with a big sturdy tree. After all, the king, like the tree in the dream, had grown great and strong. His greatness had reached to heaven and was visible to the ends of the whole earth, because his kingdom was so great. Daniel described the tree with its abundant beautiful leaves and fruit that provided food for everyone. He used the same remarks as in the dream about the tree being a shady place for field animals and birds to build nests on its branches.

August 4, 2017

The destruction of the statue (Dan 2:34-2:35)

“As you looked on,

A stone was cut out,

Not by human hands.

It struck the statue

On its feet

Of iron and clay.

It broke them

Into pieces.

Then the iron,

The clay,

The bronze,

The silver,

The gold,

Were all broken

Into pieces.

They became

Like the chaff

Of the summer threshing floors.

The wind

Carried them away.

Thus,

Not a trace of them

Could be found.

But the stone

That struck the statue

Became a great mountain.

It filled

The whole earth.”

Daniel explained that the statue of the king’s dream was destroyed. Somehow, a stone was cut out of a mountain. Then, this cut rock struck the iron and clay feet of this statue, but with no one with hands directing this rock. Thus, the feet of this statue were broken into pieces. Then the rest of the statue with its iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold also broke into pieces. These small pieces of the statue became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, blowing in the wind. No one would ever be able to find them. However, the cut rock that struck the feet of the statue became like a big mountain covering the whole earth.

September 2, 2016

Description of the servant of Yahweh (Isa 42:2-42:4)

“The servant will not cry.

He will not lift up his voice.

He will not make it heard in the street.

He will not break a bruised reed.

He will not quench a dimly burning wick.

He will faithfully bring forth justice.

He will not grow faint.

He will not be crushed,

Until he has established justice on the earth.

The coastlands wait for his teaching.”

Second Isaiah describes this servant of Yahweh. He will not cry. He will not lift up his voice or cry in the streets. He will not break the bruised reeds nor put out a dimly burning wick on a candle. In other words, he will be a very quiet person. However, he will fight for justice. He will not faint or be crushed until he has established justice on the whole earth. Apparently the Mediterranean cities were waiting for this just teaching.

August 2, 2016

Blessing for Egypt and Assyria (Isa 19:24-19:25)

“On that day,

Israel will be the third

With Egypt and Assyria.

Israel will be

A blessing

In the midst of the earth

That Yahweh of hosts has blessed,

Saying.

‘Blessed be Egypt

My people.

Blessed be Assyria

The work of my hands.

Blessed be Israel

My heritage.’”

This oracle of Yahweh, via Isaiah, is one of the few examples of ecumenical universalism. On that special day to come, Israel with be 3rd behind Egypt and Assyria, as a blessing or mediator for the whole earth. Yahweh would bless all three, not just Israel. He wanted Egypt, his own people, and Assyria, with the work of his hands, also blessed. However, Israel was blessed as his heritage. Thus we have a blessing for everybody, not just the Israelites.

July 21, 2016

Army from a distant land (Isa 13:4-13:5)

“Listen!

A tumult on the mountains

As a great multitude!

Listen!

An uproar of kingdoms,

Of nations gathering together!

Yahweh of hosts is mustering

An army for battle.

They come from a distant land,

From the end of the heavens.

Yahweh comes.

The weapons of his indignation

Comes to destroy

The whole earth.”

Yahweh told Isaiah to listen to the great multitude on the mountains. All the nations were getting together. Yahweh was going to bring a great army from a distant land, even from the ends of heaven. Yahweh was going to bring his weapons of indignation to destroy the whole earth. Although at times it seems like an attempt to destroy the vast Babylonian Empire via the far away Persians, there are apocalyptic end time tones with the idea of the end of the whole earth and the heavens.

October 19, 2015

Universal praise of God (Ps 67:2-67:4)

“May your way be known upon the earth.

May your saving power be known among all nations.

Let the peoples praise you!

O God!

Let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad!

Let them sing for joy!

You judge the peoples with equity.

You guide the nations upon earth.”

Selah

This is a universal call to praise God. His ways should be known upon the whole earth among all nations. His saving power is present. Then there is the refrain twice “Let the peoples praise you.”   The second one has the emphatic universal “all” the peoples. The nations should be glad so that they can sing with joy. God is a fair judge as he guides all the nations on earth. Once again, this section ends with the musical interlude meditative pause, the Selah.