Tag: bible

Posted in Exposition

Ezekiel 16:44-52: The Allegory of Jerusalem and Her Sinful Sisters

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

In 16:1-43 Ezekiel has YHWH speak a lengthy allegory in which Jerusalem is personified as a woman. YHWH describes how he found her as an abandoned infant. He rescued her and, once she reached ‘the age for love,’ he married her. Abusing the gifts that he had given her, Jerusalem subsequently turned to idolatry and immorality; for which YHWH sentences her to harsh punishment. At this point one would expect a conclusion to the allegory but that does not come until v.60.

The History of a Harlot: Jerusalem’s Early Years – Ezekiel 16:1-14
The History of a Harlot: Jerusalem’s Prostitution – Ezekiel 16:15-34
The History of a Harlot: Jerusalem’s Judgement – Ezekiel 16:35-43

Commentators disagree as to whether the section (16:44-59) is an extension of the allegory of 16:1-43 or a further allegory which, although closely linked with the preceding one, is not a continuation of it. I would contend that it is indeed a new allegory but one which shares the ending with the previous one.

The allegory in vv.1-43, while addressed to Jerusalem, clearly covers the history of Israel as a whole, not just Judah. In this new allegory, however, Judah and Israel are distinct. Jerusalem stands for the southern kingdom of Judah and Samaria represents the northern kingdom of Israel. In this second allegory YHWH compares Jerusalem with her ‘sisters’ Samaria and Sodom and concludes that Jerusalem has turned out much worse than either of them.

THE ALLEGORY OF THE SINFUL SISTERS

(44) Verse 44 begins with the word ‘behold’ which directs the reader’s attention to the new allegory and to the comparison of Jerusalem with Sodom and Samaria (the theme of Samaria and Jerusalem as sisters is developed more fully in chapter 23). YHWH says that everyone who quotes a proverb (cf. Num 21:27) will say of Jerusalem: ‘like mother, like daughter.’ With this short (two words in Hebrew) saying YHWH refers back to v.3 and sarcastically reminds Jerusalem that she has foreign ancestry.

(45-46) In v.3 the Amorite father is mentioned first but here the order is inverted. The Hittite mother is placed first now because this allegory focuses on female family members. Ezekiel is again referring to the Canaanite origins of the city of Jerusalem (Jebusites, Josh 15:63; Judge 1:21). This is by no means a compliment since Hittites and Amorites were two of the seven nations which the Israelites were commanded to drive out of the Promised Land ( Deut 7:1-2; Josh 3:10; 24:11) and with whom they were forbidden to intermarry (Deut 7:3).

Ezekiel paints a picture of a truly dysfunctional family. Jerusalem resembles her Hittite mother because just as her mother had shown contempt for her Amorite husband and their children (3 daughters) so Jerusalem had shown contempt for her husband and children (16:20-21, 31, 32). Her sisters, Samaria and Sodom, had likewise shown contempt for their husbands and daughters.

The husbands are not mentioned again, they don’t really feature in this allegory nor does the mother appear again after v.45. In this section Ezekiel concentrates on two important relationships; sister and daughter.

Daughter – vv. 44, 45, 46(x2), 48 (x2), 49, 53(x2), 55(x3), 57(x2), 61.
Sister – vv. 45(x2), 46(x2), 48, 49, 51, 52(x2), 55, 56, 61.

(46) YHWH begins a quite convoluted negative comparison between Jerusalem and her two sisters in which Samaria is described as the ‘elder’ sister and Sodom as the ‘younger.’ In fact, Jerusalem and Sodom had long histories whereas Samaria was much younger than either of them, having only been established (1 Kgs 16:23-24) by King Omri of Israel (884-873 BCE) almost 300 years before Ezekiel’s time. ‘Elder’ and ‘younger’ only make sense if interpreted in terms of greatness of geographical/territorial size, military power or historical importance. ‘Daughters’ probably refers to dependent satellite towns and villages, or perhaps to the inhabitants of the three cities.

Geographically Jerusalem is situated between the sites of the two cities. As one faces East the city of Samaria is to the left (North) and Sodom to the right (South). Samaria was the former capital of the northern kingdom of Israel and in patriarchal times Sodom had been the most important city of the Jordan valley (Gen 18-19).

(47) Jerusalem was not content with equalling the ways and abominations of Samaria and Sodom but became much more corrupt than they. As if despising their sinful deeds as small scale (‘a very little thing’ or ‘a thing of disgust’) Jerusalem outdid them by sinning on a much grander scale. Ezekiel’s hearers would have been greatly shocked to hear YHWH linking Jerusalem with Sodom and Samaria; cities that were notorious for sin and idolatry.

THE INIQUITY OF SODOM

(48-50) In v.48 YHWH stresses that Judah’s sins outstripped those of Sodom. In the next two verses he elaborates on the greatness of Judah’s guilt compared to that of Sodom. In v.49 YHWH specifies the ‘iniquity’ (guilt from conscious wrongdoing) of Sodom. The sins of Sodom and her daughters (the towns Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim – Gen 10:19) are enumerated as follows:

Pride – an example of success inflating the ego.

Satiety – because of an over-abundance of food – they were gluttonous.

‘Abundance of idleness’ KJV. – This means careless rest or security. The people of Sodom were so prosperous that they became complacent.

They were indifferent to the poor and needy.

They were ‘haughty’ (arrogant).

They committed abomination (cf. Lev 18:22) in the presence of YHWH (Gen 18:21).

YHWH says that when he saw the iniquity of Sodom and her daughters he removed them. The word ‘good’ is in italics, it is not in the original and has been supplied by translators. Without the word ‘good’ the phrase means ‘when I saw it’.

Ancient writers viewed Sodom as notorious for sexual sin, social injustice, arrogance and hostility towards strangers, for example: Isa 1:9-17; Jeremiah 23:14; 2 Pet 2:6-10; Jude 7; 2 Esdras 2:8-9; 3 Maccabees 2:5; Sirach 16:8; Wisdom of Solomon 19:13-17.

(51-52) YHWH states that Samaria did not sin half as much as Jerusalem. He does not spell out Samaria’s iniquity but Ezekiel’s audience are well aware that it was idolatry. Jerusalem has multiplied the sins of Sodom and Samaria to such an extent that she has ‘justified’ those cities. In other words, Jerusalem’s sins are so evil that she makes Sodom and Samaria look righteous. These two sinful cities had so angered YHWH that he had punished them severely.

Jerusalem, having privileges like the the Law, the Temple and YHWH’s presence, had behaved worse than Sodom and Samaria. She (v.52 ‘thou also’), who had ‘given judgement’ on her sisters (i.e. agreed that their punishment was well-deserved) but had behaved more abominably than they, could therefore expect to suffer a similar fate. It is appropriate that Jerusalem be punished because her sins make the other sisters look righteous.

Many centuries later a similar thought was expressed by Jesus Christ: But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Luke 10:10-12

The next section of Ezekiel chapter 16 will deal with the sisters’ future.

Posted in Exposition

The History of a Harlot: Jerusalem’s Judgement – Ezekiel 16:35-43

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

My two previous posts (The History of a Harlot: Jerusalem’s Early Years – Ezekiel 16:1-14 and The History of a Harlot: Jerusalem’s Prostitution – Ezekiel 16:15-34) covered the first 34 verses of Ezekiel 16. This chapter consists of a monologue by YHWH which takes the form of an allegory in which he compares Jerusalem to a woman whom he found in a desperate state as an abandoned infant. He rescued, nurtured and cared for her and when he saw that she had matured, married her (entered into a covenant) and made her prosperous and beautiful.

However, she became spiritually unfaithful by prostituting herself with foreign powers and their false deities. She squandered her God-given resources on idolatry and prostituted herself (made alliances) with foreign nations rather than trusting her husband YHWH. She was actually worse than a prostitute because she paid others to corrupt her (i.e. paid tribute to states like Egypt, Assyria and Babylonia) rather than receive payment from them for her services. In the next section of the allegory (vv.35-43) YHWH declares judgement upon Jerusalem for her misdeeds.

JERUSALEM’S JUDGEMENT (35-43)

(35) This section begins with ‘wherefore’ (therefore, on account of, thus, so) which looks back to the accusations of prostitution set out in vv.15-34 and draws attention to what will now be said. YHWH addressing Jerusalem directly as ‘O harlot,’ tells her to ‘hear the word of the Lord.’ He is thus directing the nation to pay attention to his message of judgement.

The word here translated ‘wherefore’ appears many times in the book of Ezekiel to indicate the direct result of what has just been said (causes and consequences): Ezek 5:7; 11:11; 13:8; 15:6; 16:35, 37; 20:27; 21:24; 22:19; 23:35; 24:9; 25:4, 7, 9,13,16; 26:3; 28:6; 29:8; 31:10; 34:7, 9, 20; 35:6.11; 36:3,4, 5, 6,7, 14.

(36) Again the messenger formula ‘thus saith the Lord God’ appears, followed by two announcements of judgement (36-42; 43), each prefaced by ‘because you’ (v.36, 43). Then comes a summary of the reasons for judgement followed by a statement of the consequences.

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT OF JUDGEMENT

THE REASONS for YHWH’s punishment are listed as;

  • Because thy filthiness was poured out, – The word translated filthiness (KJV, NKJV) means ‘bronze.’ Based on an assumption that neither the ancient Israelites nor the Babylonians used copper as money and that the verb ‘to pour out’ is used in v.15 and in Ezek 23:8 in connection with prostitution many translations (e,g. CSB; ESV; NIV; NLT; NRSV) follow the KJV thought of filthiness and translate ‘bronze’ as ‘lust.’ This idea may have been inspired by the green patina or crust caused by oxidation that forms on brass, bronze and copper. Darby, however, sensibly views ‘bronze’ as a general term for wealth and translates the word as ‘money.’ Payment of tribute in bronze was made to both Assyrians (2 Kgs 16:17-18) and Babylonians (2 Kgs 25:13-14).
  • and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, – the theme of the naked female body has appeared throughout this allegory and remains the focus of Jerusalem’s punishment (vv.36, 37, 39). ‘Lovers,’ referring to Egypt (v.26), Assyria (v.28) and Babylonia (v.29), occurs in vv. 33, 36 and 37.
  • and with all the idols of thy abominations, – this is the only appearance of the word ‘idols’ in Ezek 16. Here idols are linked with ‘abominations’ (offensive things), this word occurs in vv. 2, 22, 36, 43, 47, 50, 51, 58.
  • and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; – a reference to child sacrifice (v.20).

(37-42) THE CONSEQUENCES

Exposure

Having listed Jerusalem’s crimes YHWH now pronounces the penalties. He declares that he will bring together all her former ‘lovers’ i.e. the nations with which Jerusalem had entered into alliances and idolatry. These will turn against her; therefore the ‘gathering’ against Jerusalem symbolises besieging armies. ‘Loved and hated’ reflects Judah’s shifting political relationships with other nations.

Stretching the allegory to its limits, the punishment for Jerusalem is compared to that for adultery.

‘Uncover thy nakedness’ – refers to public disgrace by exposure which formed part of the ancient punishment for being caught in the act of adultery (Isa 47:3; Jer 13:22, 26; Hos 2:3; Nah 3:5). YHWH will expose Jerusalem to the former lovers with whom she had prostituted herself. This public disgrace represents Jerusalem’s downfall that will be witnessed by the surrounding nations.

The ‘lovers’ represent the assembly (‘the men of the city’ Deut 21:21) who carry out the punishment for adultery. This, of course, is not true to real life as, according to the Law, both parties involved in adultery were due the death penalty: If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. Deut 22:22

Death Penalty

(38) YHWH makes it clear that the death penalty pronounced upon Jerusalem is not only for adultery (‘break wedlock’) but also murder (‘shed blood’). The ‘shed blood’ may refer to the child sacrifice mentioned in v.36 or to the violence that was rife in Jerusalem (Jer 2:34; Ezek 7:23). The Law demanded execution for adultery (Lev 20:10), murder (Ex 21:12) and child sacrifice (Lev 20:1-4).

YHWH will enact this severe penalty against Jerusalem ‘in fury and jealousy.’ Fury relates to murder and the jealousy to adultery. This verse contains the final mention of blood in the chapter (see also vv. 6, 9, 22, 36).

Humiliation

(39) YHWH will cause Jerusalem’s former lovers, with whom she had previously sought security, to return her to her original state of vulnerability. Jerusalem’s former enemies will demolish the sites of false worship (mounds and high places) and strip her of YHWH’s gifts (clothes and vessels of glory, see vv.10-13); blessings which she has used unfaithfully (see vv. 16-19). In other words, Judah will lose wealth and status.

Stoning, Cutting to pieces and Burning.

(40-41) The crowd or mob that that will come up against Jerusalem represents the Babylonian army that will attack Jerusalem with stones (flung by war engines) and slay the inhabitants with swords. They will set fire to all the buildings in the city, including the Temple.

Stoning was the usual mode of execution in ancient Israel and was the penalty for a variety of crimes whereas execution by the sword was prescribed for communal idolatry (Deut 13:15). Execution by burning was unusual but did apply for two crimes (Lev 20:14; 21:9).

The term ‘many wives’ (or ‘women’, see vv. 30, 32, 34) probably represents other nations that will look on as YHWH’s public punishment on Jerusalem takes place and to which it will serve as an example. The goal of the punishment is to end Jerusalem’s prostitution, i.e. to bring an end to her idolatry and reliance upon heathen nations. Jerusalem will ‘give payment’ (ESV) no more because Judah will lose its national independence and cease to be a regional power. These verses predict the siege and invasion of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587/586 BCE.

(42) After the judgement is carried out YHWH’s fury will be appeased and his jealousy will subside. His wrath will be calmed because the matter will have been dealt with. In this verse we have an example of anthropopathism – ascribing human feelings and emotions to something that is not human; in this case deity.

SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT OF JUDGEMENT

As with the first announcement of judgement in vv. 36-42 this second announcement in v.43 restates the motivation for and then the consequences of YHWH’s punishment of Jerusalem.

(43) THE REASONS

Like v.36 this verse begins with ‘because you.’

  • Jerusalem did not remember the days of her youth (cf. v.22), i.e. the nation forgot the Lord’s deliverance and provision during its early history e.g. the Exodus and the making of the Sinai Covenant.
  • Jerusalem enraged YHWH ‘in all these [things].’ This must refer to the examples of prostitution listed from v.15 onwards.

THE CONSEQUENCES

As in v.37 the consequences here in v.43 begin with the words ‘behold, therefore.’

  • YHWH brought her way (deeds) on her head. The idea seems to be that because of her forgetting and her bad behaviour YHWH has held her to account for her ways (perfect tense). This verse views YHWH’s judgement from a future perspective, as having happened in the past. The phrase ‘I will give your [their} way upon your [their] head’ is also found in Ezek 9:10; 11:21; 17:19; 22:31; 33:4.
  • Jerusalem will no longer do licentiousness (engage in prostitution) in addition to all her other detestable practices (abominations). ‘Licentiousness’ (KJV ‘lewdness) and ‘abominations’ together sum up Jerusalem’s sin and are again paired in v.58.

SUMMATION

Using unsettling and violent imagery YHWH, in vv. 35-43, pronounces judgement upon Jerusalem for her infidelity (breach of covenant – Lev 26:16-17, 25, 38; Deut 28:25, 41, 47-58). She will be exposed and shamed before all her former ‘lovers’ and stripped of all the blessings that YHWH has bestowed upon her. YHWH will hand her over to these ‘lovers’ who will carry out divine justice in the form of invasion, destruction and exile.

The metaphor of an adulterous wife is used to show the seriousness of Judah’s spiritual betrayal and the harshness of the punishments in the allegory emphasise that the Lord will not tolerate sin. Idolatry and unfaithfulness are especially serious. As modern readers we might well ask ourselves how often do we turn away from God and chase after things that may be morally or spiritually corrupt. Do we take his kindness and provision for granted and forget that we have a covenant relationship with him?

Posted in General

Felix and Paul: The Danger of Procrastination

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

In Acts chapter 24 Luke records details of the trial of the apostle Paul before the Roman Procurator Felix. This is the first of four trial scenes in Acts chapters 23-26 that involve Paul; before the Sanhedrin, before the Roman Procurator Felix, then Felix’s successor Festus and finally before King Herod Agrippa II.

In chapter 21, Paul, against the advice of his fellow Christians, returned to Jerusalem after his third missionary journey. He visited the temple and there was accused of bringing Gentiles in with him, thus defiling it. A riot started and Paul was seized by the crowd. Roman soldiers intervened and arrested him in order to stop the violence and restore public order. This was a policing matter and normally the garrison commander would hand out rough justice on the spot. However, he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen and as such had the right to a formal legal hearing.

In Acts 23 Paul appeared before the Jewish Sanhedrin and as part of his defence appealed to his belief in resurrection. This caused division between the Sadducees and Pharisees and led to further unrest. Claudius Lysias, the commander of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem, therefore removed Paul into secure custody for his own safety. Following the discovery of a Jewish plot to kill Paul the Romans transferred Paul to Caesarea to the procurator Felix who agreed to hear Paul’s case once the accusers arrived from Jerusalem.

Not much is known about Antonius Felix but what is recorded about him by ancient writers is generally unfavourable. He was cruel, ambitious and corrupt. His exact dates are not known. He was born a slave, sometime between the years 5 and 10 CE. His brother Pallas, a powerful freedman, was a favourite of the Emperor Claudius and through that connection to the imperial family Felix gained freedom and influence.

Like Pilate’s, his rule (thought to extend from 52-58 or 60 CE) was marked by brutality. Felix was married three times, each time to a woman of noble birth. Two of them were called Drusilla. This Drusilla in Acts 24 was a daughter of Herod Agrippa I and a sister of King Agrippa II and Berenice, whom we read about in Acts chapters 25 and 26. See:

KING HEROD AGRIPPA II (Part 1)

KING HEROD AGRIPPA II (Part 2)

KING HEROD AGRIPPA II (Part 3)

KING HEROD AGRIPPA II (Bibliography)

Famous for her beauty, Drusilla was previously married at age fifteen to Azizus, a Syrian priest-king, whom she left for Felix. She and Felix had a son together (Marcus Antonius Agrippa) who perished at Pompeii when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. As a Jewish princess Drusilla would have been familiar with affairs in Judaea and so she accompanied her husband (according to v.24 they were married by this time, she was then in her early twenties) to listen to the apostle Paul.

We read in v.24 that Felix and Drusilla came to hear Paul ‘concerning the faith in Christ.’ This was not a casual conversation. Paul did not discuss politics or philosophy, he proclaimed the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

FELIX’S PRIVILEGE

What must it have been like to sit in the presence of the apostle Paul and hear him speak? God was speaking to Felix through Paul; probably the greatest Christian preacher of all time. What a unique opportunity – to hear the gospel directly from the man who had encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus road!

Felix already knew something about Christianity, perhaps through his wife. During the trial, when the resurrection was mentioned, we read in v.22 ‘when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them.’

It is not enough to know the facts about Jesus Christ. You must by faith repent of your sins and trust him! The Lord Jesus said in John 5:24, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.’

Throughout life God gives us opportunities to hear his word; through gospel messages, sermons, Bible studies, the internet, or even conversations with believers. The question is: ‘Are you listening?’ Are you open to the truth of the gospel, or do pride and other distractions keep you from receiving it?

FELIX’S CONVICTION

The Holy Spirit had sparked some interest in the heart of Felix or else this meeting would not have taken place. We are not told why Felix and Drusilla wished to listen to Paul. They seem a most unlikely couple to want to hear the gospel message. He was the cruel and murderous Roman procurator and she was from the infamous Herodian family. Her great-grandfather had tried to kill the baby Jesus in Bethlehem (Mat. 2:1-16); her great-uncle had murdered John the Baptist (Mat 1:12; Mk 6:27) and mocked Jesus (Lk 23:6-12); and her father had executed the apostle James (Acts 12:1-2). Anyhow, that day they certainly heard the truth from the apostle Paul.

Paul did not shy away from addressing the hard facts of the gospel; this took great courage because of the kind of person Felix was; he later (58 CE) arranged for the High Priest Jonathan to be assassinated for criticising his behaviour. Paul in his message gave Felix and Drusilla three compelling reasons for repenting and believing on Jesus Christ: he reasoned with them about ‘righteousness, temperance and judgement to come.’

Righteousness (justice): this would have confronted Felix’s corrupt style of government.

None of us is righteous, we are all sinners (‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;’ Romans 3:23). There is nothing that we can do in order to merit salvation (‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us’, Tit 3:5). All who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have his righteousness imputed to them (‘For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.’ 2 Cor 5:21. NLT ).

Temperance (self-control): this would have confronted Felix’s immoral lifestyle.

Felix and Drusilla were prime examples of a lack of self-control. Drusilla had left her husband to live with Felix and become his wife, and though a Jewess, she lived as though she had never known the Ten Commandments. Felix was an unscrupulous man who did not hesitate to lie, and even murder, in order to promote himself. Self-control was something neither of them knew anything about, they were wicked people. Jer 17:9 in NLT says: ‘The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?’

Judgement to come. This would have reminded Felix of his accountability to God.

Paul would have told him that Jesus Christ is either your saviour or your judge. If he is your saviour the promise is, ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit’ (Rom 8:1). If he is your judge, you will hear him say: ‘…I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity (Lk 13:27).

Paul’s third argument is the strongest of all. You cannot escape God’s judgement (‘… it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement: Heb 9:27).

Luke records that as he considered these things ‘Felix trembled’ (v.25). Conviction gripped his heart and he could not hide it, he was terrified. He realised that what Paul said was true. He felt the weight of his sin and feared the prospect of God’s judgement. So what did he do?

FELIX’S PROCRASTINATION

‘That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.’ (v.25 NIV).

Conviction alone is not enough. There must be a response. By the Holy Spirit Felix felt the weight of conviction of sin but he pushed the matter aside, saying: ‘I’ll deal with that later.’ The problem is: later may never come. What might he have been thinking?

I can take or leave God’s word!

I know that I am a sinner but surely my sins are not that big a problem!

God’s grace will last until I’m ready to receive Christ.

Felix’s delay was not just a fleeting hesitation; it became a pattern. For the next two years he kept Paul in prison. Now and again he sent for him and talked to him but not in order to hear the gospel; instead, corrupt as he was, he hoped to receive a bribe. Felix was more interested in personal gain than spiritual riches and he chose to ignore the message of salvation. In the end he missed his opportunity for he was replaced as governor and recalled to Rome, leaving Paul in prison. By that time Felix’s heart had hardened and he had little concern for his soul.

That is the danger of procrastination. The longer you put off receiving Christ the harder your heart becomes. Heb 3:15 warns ‘today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts…’ Procrastination thrives where there is an attitude that thinks, ‘I have plenty of time’ but God says in Prov 27:1: ‘Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.’ Procrastination can be fatal.

This story of Felix is a cautionary tale. He was a man who heard the gospel directly from the apostle Paul and, despite being moved by the message, decided to delay his response. Do not make the same mistake. Don’t let pride, fear or other distractions keep you back. Examine your own response to the truth. The gospel is not just a message to hear, it is a call to act.

1. Why do you wait, dear sinner,
O why do you tarry so long?
The Saviour is waiting to give you
A place in His sanctified throng.

2. What do you hope, dear sinner,
To gain by a further delay?
There’s no one to save you but Jesus,
There’s no other way but His way.

3. Do you not feel, dear sinner,
The Spirit now striving within?
O why not accept His salvation
And throw off thy burden of sin?

4. Why do you wait, dear sinner?
The harvest is passing away;
The Saviour is longing to bless you,
There’s danger and death in delay.

Chorus: Why not? Why not?
Why not come to Him now?

George F. Root (1820-1895) – Gospel Hymn Book

Posted in General

Overcoming Fear: Lessons from David in Psalm 27

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

In this modern world things can change very quickly. Take, for example, the international political scene which has seen big changes recently. Suddenly nothing is as it has been for the past seventy years. Allies who could once be trusted are now at best unpredictable and at worst treacherous. New power blocs are forming. During the past week I have even heard some (non-Christian) people say that a new world order has arrived.

In world economics tit-for-tat tariffs, we are told, are likely to result in global shortages, price increases, job losses and higher inflation. Such possibilities can make us fearful. We may begin to worry about things like the threat of nuclear war or the possibility of environmental disaster. Closer to home, and at a more personal level, Christians are not exempt from anxiety and fear. Some worry about the stability of their marriage, the well-being of their children and grandchildren or about their own state of health. Some, perhaps, wonder just how they are going to face the future without a loved one who has passed away. In addition to the cares of everyday life, of course, the Christian also has to contend with ongoing opposition from the world, the flesh and the Devil.

At times our faith is strong. We are full of confidence, secure in our beliefs and living a contented Christian life. Then trouble comes along and in comes fear and doubt. We see that in this psalm. Notice an abrupt change at v.7. The one who at the beginning of the psalm has made a strong declaration of confidence then starts to waver.

PSALM 27

Let me briefly introduce Psalm 27. According to its Hebrew title it is a psalm of David. The title in the Septuagint (LXX) Greek translation of 3rd century BCE adds the words ‘before he was anointed.’ Assuming that David was the author, then he may have drawn upon his experience of being hunted by King Saul.

Psalm 27 is one of a group of sanctuary Psalms (22-29, excluding 25), so called because they are linked by the theme of the ‘house of the Lord.’ At that time this would still have been the tabernacle, later it was the temple.

I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Psalms 22:22

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. Psalms 22:25

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalms 23:6

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? Psalms 24:3

LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Psalms 26:8

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. Psalms 27:4

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. Psalms 28:2

The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. Psalms 29:9

I am sure that much could be gained from a study of just those references but let us now focus on Psalm 27 – a psalm of confidence in the face of adversity.

It falls into 2 main sections: In vv.1-6 David talks about the Lord – in the third person – ‘he’, ‘him,’ ‘his.’ In vv.7-14 David talks to the Lord – second person – addressing him directly as ‘you.’ The psalm lends itself to further subdivision; I’ll use the following 4 headings:

1-3 David’s confidence in the Lord’s protection.

4-6 David’s desire for the Lord’s presence.

7-12 David’s prayer for the Lord’s deliverance.

13-14 David’s trust in the Lord’s goodness.

DAVID’S CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD’S PROTECTION (1-3)

In these three verses David makes a bold declaration of trust in the Lord amid trying circumstances. Verse 1 is introspective – he looks inward. Verse 2 is retrospective – he looks back. Verse 3 is prospective – he looks forward. In v.1 he speaks about the present, in v.2 he speaks about the past and in v.3 he talks about the future.

The Present

(1) David starts his psalm with ‘the Lord’ before mentioning men. That is the best place to begin when encountering difficulties – focus your attention on the Lord and keep it focused. The divine name YHWH (the Lord) occurs 12 times in these 14 verses. ‘The Lord is’ – he is sovereign. ‘The Lord is my’ – he is personal.

In this verse David uses various metaphors for God.

The Lord is my light – He guides me. In the New Testament this metaphor is taken up in the writings of the apostle John: Jn 1:4-9; 8:12; 1 Jn 1:5-7; Rev 21:23.

The Lord is my salvation – He saves me – whatever my circumstances, victory is certain.

The LORD is the strength of my life – He keeps me safe – a stronghold – a safe haven -a place of refuge such as a fortified city. There I am shielded from the enemy.

The Past

(2) David looks back to times when violent enemies attacked him suddenly like wild beasts, wanting to eat him up (this can refer to slander, or perhaps false testimony in a court of law). Thanks to intervention by the Lord these ‘cannibals’ ‘stumbled and fell’ (i.e. were vanquished). Like David, we too have no idea what tactics the enemy will employ in order to bring about our downfall.

The Future

(3) In the previous verse the attacks by his foes were swift and sudden. Now David foresees the possibility of a sustained assault. An army of enemies may besiege him (all around) or declare a long war but he will still be confident. He trusts God to handle his enemies.

What ‘enemies’ are you facing today? You may not be facing literal physical violence but fear, anxiety, sickness, financial problems or relationship problems could be your enemy. Draw comfort from David’s response to adversity. He considers the present, reviews the past and anticipates the future. In them he sees God’s power and greatness and this realisation gives him confidence and courage. The Lord is his light, his salvation and his stronghold, therefore he has no reason to be afraid.

DAVID’S DESIRE FOR THE LORD’S PRESENCE. (4-6)

This declaration of confidence in the Lord (vv.1-3) leads David to say that his priority in life, his greatest wish, in fact the only thing he craves, is intimacy with the Lord. He wants to have fellowship with the Lord and experience his presence. He expresses this in terms that are poetic and not meant to be taken literally, e.g. David could never see the splendour of the Lord in the Holy of Holies – unauthorised entry of that sacred space meant instant death.

He envisages himself living, serving and praying to the Lord in the Tabernacle (also called a temple in 1 Sam 1:9; 3:3) for an extended period (‘all the days of my life’). While there he could hide from all his cares and troubles, sheltered in the Lord’s pavilion. In these verses he uses several words to refer to the sanctuary: House of the Lord – the place where God lives; Temple – a palace or royal building; Pavilion – a cover, hiding place; Tabernacle – tent.

Verses 4-5 convey the thought that David yearns to experience the glorious and protective presence of God, not just as a one-off, but throughout his life. His primary aim is to live a life characterised by worship and prayer. As a result he will not only be hidden and protected but later exalted (‘set up upon a rock’ and lifted up above his enemies). When that happens he will publicly sacrifice (possibly a thank offering, Lev 22:28) at the Tabernacle and sing praises to the Lord.

What a great attitude to have in ‘the time of trouble!’ How do we compare? In adversity do I seek God above all else, longing for his presence more than approval, success or personal comfort? Do I pray that I might, by faith, get a sight of his person and his power? Is worship a feature of my daily life, or is it restricted to Sunday morning only?

This Old Testament ‘one thing’ that David desires in Psalm 27 reminds me of the apostle Paul’s ‘one thing’ in the New Testament: But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:13-14 (ESV)

DAVID’S PRAYER FOR THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE. (7-12)

What is happening here? As already mentioned, there is a striking and an abrupt change of tone at v.7. Notice the many references to ‘me’ and ‘my’ in these verses. It seems that David has taken his eye off the Lord and now focuses on himself. The one who has declared that he has nothing to fear is now extremely worried. The person whose only priority is the Lord’s presence now fears his absence. The one who announced his confidence in God is now in distress.

In this David is being honest and realistic. Isn’t it true that amid trials fear and doubt can torment us. We feel abandoned. God can at times seem silent; even believers who are strong in the faith can think this. In v.7 David articulates this struggle: Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! (ESV). David has spoken about God in the third person, now he talks to him in the second person.

In David’s heart he recalls a command from the Lord for people (‘ye’ in v.8 is plural) to seek his face and so he responds with prayer; bringing his problems and requests to the Lord – hoping, since the Lord has always been his helper (v.9), that even should those nearest and dearest to him let him down the Lord will take him up (v.10).

Expressing his feelings of isolation David in vv.7-12 implores the Lord using a series of imperatives, 5 positive and 5 negative.

  • v.7 hear, have mercy, answer.
  • v.9 hide not, put not, leave me not, forsake me not
  • v.11 teach, lead,
  • v.12 deliver me not

Notice that in v. 11 he commits himself to going God’s way and asks the Lord for guidance (‘teach me’) and asks that he might be led along a level path; one without bumps and obstacles that might cause him to trip and fall, because his enemies are out to get him.

David has already mentioned his enemies in vv.2, 6, and 11. Now in v.12 he provides more details about them. They are cruel and corrupt; they bear false witness against him. This may recall verse 2 where he said that his enemies and his foes came upon him to eat his flesh (slander him). This idea may also be present in the first phrase of v.12 (‘deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies’). The word ‘will’ may also be translated ‘appetite’ – i.e. Don’t feed me to my enemies.

This prayer in vv.7-12 reminds us that when fear or doubt arises we can bring all our anxieties to God, crying out to him honestly while holding on to his promises.

I’ll just mention in passing that some words which occur in the first part of the psalm appear again in the second, giving a kind of symmetry:

salvation – v.1 and v.9

enemies – v.2, v.6 and v.11 and v.12

heart – v.3, v.8 and v.14

rise – v.3 and v.12

seek – v.4 and v.8

life – v.1, v.4 and v.13

DAVID’S TRUST IN THE LORD’S GOODNESS (13-14)

David is overcome with emotion when, with renewed faith, he expects that he will see the Lord’s goodness deliver him from his problems while he is still alive. In v.13 that emotion is conveyed by means of a figure of speech known as aposiopesis. This is a literary device where a sentence is deliberately left unfinished, leaving the rest implied and thus creating an effect of suspense or strong emotion. David writes: ‘unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living…’ That is an unfinished sentence so, for it to make sense, the KJV translators have supplied the words ‘I had fainted’ in italics. In other words when he says: ‘If it were not for the fact that I had faith that I would see the Lord’s goodness while still alive….,’ we must supply the missing thought – something like: ‘I would have utterly despaired’ This is an expression of confidence, but David is so emotional that he can’t quite get it out.

He ends the psalm by encouraging himself, and others, to believe in the goodness of God despite adverse circumstances and to wait on God with patience, trusting him to act at the right time. In v.14 there is repetition for emphasis: ‘wait on the Lord….wait, I say, on the Lord.’

SUMMATION

Psalm 27 takes us on a journey from faith, through fear and doubt, to hope. It encourages us to trust God to be our protector, guide, and refuge. It reminds us that where faith thrives fear has no place. The psalm ends with good advice: ‘Rise above your fears, be strong, take heart and wait with expectancy for the Lord to act on your behalf.’

As you meditate further on this psalm, may it inspire you to enter God’s presence and seek his face daily, to cry out to him in times of need, and wait patiently for his perfect timing.


Posted in Exposition

The History of a Harlot: Jerusalem’s Prostitution – Ezekiel 16:15-34

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

My previous post The History of a Harlot: Jerusalem’s Early Years – Ezekiel 16:1-14 introduced an extended metaphor which was communicated by YHWH to the prophet Ezekiel with a command to deliver it to the exiles. This was in order to convince them that Jerusalem’s punishment was certain because of her abominations. In the section 1-14 Jerusalem is personified as a woman whom YHWH came across as an abandoned baby, then rescued and provided for. Once she reached maturity he married her (made a covenant with her), and dressed and adorned her to the extent that she became a beautiful queen; famous for her good looks. This all symbolises the early history of YHWH’s relationship with Israel.

JERUSALEM’S PROSTITUTION (15-34)

(15) Unfortunately v.15 begins with ‘but,’ which gives a hint that the relationship might have soured. Despite having been blessed by YHWH with beauty, prosperity and influence Jerusalem trusted in her good looks and prostituted herself with foreign nations. Unlike the previous section (1-14) where the focus is on YHWH (referring to himself as ‘I’) the next major section (15-43) focuses on Jerusalem (addressed as ‘you’). The two sections are linked by the words ‘beauty and ‘renown,’ both of which occur in v.14 and then again in v.15.

The beauty which gave her renown among the nations had been bestowed upon her by YHWH but, full of pride and self-confidence, Jerusalem abused YHWH’s trust and relied on her own beauty. It is a fact that success can change some people for the worse; this was recognised by Moses, writing in the book of Deuteronomy:

Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgements, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, Deut 8:11-14

A similar observation to that about Jerusalem in v.15 is made about the king of Tyre in Ezek 28:17: ‘Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty.’

With new-found self confidence Jerusalem asserted her independence and ‘poured out’ (see also v.36) her harlotry (i.e. acted like a prostitute) on every passer-by. Since v.15 links her activity with her renown and in v.14 her renown was among the nations then those who received her sexual favours are the nations. This is a metaphorical way of describing alliances with foreign powers.

The allegory very much emphasises a verb meaning ‘engaging in prostitution’ and related words like ‘prostitute’ which occur some twenty times in vv.15-36. This perhaps becomes more obvious when these verses are read in a modern translation; such as the Christian Standard Bible.

16-21 ‘YOU TOOK’

Verses 16-21 specify four actions by Jerusalem in which she took gifts given to her by YHWH and used them for prostitution.

(16) And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

Jerusalem took the expensive embroidered ‘garments’ (clothes or coverings, also v.18) which had been presented to her by YHWH (vv.10, 13) and made shrines (bāmôt, high places) with the material. The image is of her making up a bed with these materials given by her husband and prostituting herself on them with her lovers (interestingly, the word ‘garment’ is elsewhere translated ‘bed’ – 1 Sam 19:13). This activity by Jerusalem may be a reference to the presence of cult prostitution in Israel (cf. Isa 57:7). The clause at the end of v.16 is unclear (‘such are not to come and it will not be’) but probably means something like: ‘things like this should not take place.’

(17) Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

YHWH says that Jerusalem also took ‘thy fair jewels.’ This may also be translated ”your vessels of glory’, a term that appears again in v.39. ‘Glory’ directs the reader back to ‘crown of glory’ (beautiful crown) in v.12. Gold and silver are mentioned in v.13 where it is implied but not stated that they were supplied by YHWH. Now v.17 makes it clear that they were indeed a gift from YHWH. Jerusalem took these precious metals and made ‘for herself’ (also v.24) ‘images of men’ (male statues), idols with which she engaged in prostitution. Israel turned to idolatry.

(18-19) And tookest thine embroidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them. My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.

Verse 18 begins with the third ‘you took’ specifying that the woman also used the embroidered garments (10, 13, 16) to dress the masculine images that she had made from YHWH’s precious metals. In addition she offered YHWH’s oil, incense and food (my oil, my incense, my food) to these idols. The specific food items are fine flour, oil and honey.

This is the only mention of incense in the allegory. In chapter 8:11-12 Ezekiel saw 70 elders of Israel burning incense to pagan deities. There it says that a fragrant (or thick) cloud of incense arose. The next verse in this passage (v.19), using a different word for fragrant, says that Jerusalem offered food – fine flour, oil and honey – to her idols for a ‘sweet savour’ (fragrant aroma). It was believed that as such products burned a fragrant or soothing aroma arose to the nostrils of the deity being worshipped.

This idea is first mentioned in connection with sacrifices offered by Noah after the Flood (Gen 8:20-21). Note that three of the five major Levitical fire offerings (‘ōlāh, minḥāh and šelem) in the tabernacle system of worship (Lev 1-7) are said to be ‘sweet savour’ offerings (‘ōlāh, transl. Burnt or Ascending offering – Lev 1:9, 13, 17; minḥāh, transl. Grain, Meal, Meat i.e. Food or Cereal offering – Lev 2:2, 9; šelem, transl. Peace or Fellowship offering – Lev 3:5, 16). The offering of honey by fire to YHWH was prohibited (Lev 2:11).

(20-21) Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?

Now YHWH accuses Jerusalem of taking her own children and giving them up to be sacrificed. ‘To them’ refers to the masculine statues of v.17 and it was to these that the woman offered up her sons and daughters (children that she had borne to YHWH) for consumption.

At the end of v.20 YHWH asks ‘Is this less than your harlotry?’ i.e. he is asking if her acts of prostitution were not enough, surely this is even worse!

She slaughtered her children whom she presented when offering them up ‘to them’ (the idols). The same verb ‘slaughtered’ (šāḥaṭ, KJV slain) is used again in Ezek 23:39 in connection with the sacrifice of children to idols. The practice of child sacrifice was associated with Canaanite religion, especially the worship of Molech. King Ahaz of Judah is said to have ‘made his son to pass through the fire,’ presumably as part of a pagan ritual (2 Kgs 16:3). That some Israelites practised this is mentioned in 2 Kgs 17:17 and Jer 32:35 cf. 2 Kgs 23:10. The Law specifically prohibited the Israelites from engaging in child sacrifice to Molech (Lev 18:21; 20:2-5).

22- 34 INGRATITUDE AND GREATER SPIRITUAL ADULTERY

(22) Jerusalem’s sin is not just idolatry but ingratitude. YHWH reminds her of her humble beginnings and of how he had rescued and provided for her (16:4-13). She has not remembered ‘the days of her youth’ (vv.22, 43) when she was ‘naked and bare’ (cf. v.70 and polluted in her own blood (cf. v.6).

(23) Upon reading the opening words of v.23 (‘then after all your evil’) one might expect a conclusion to follow but instead YHWH exclaims ‘Woe, woe, to you’ in horror at further acts of prostitution and adultery that he proceeds to list in vv.24-34.

(24-25) The accusations levelled by YHWH against Jerusalem flow from the assertion in v.15 that she trusted in her own beauty and engaged in prostitution. From vv. 16-23 that prostitution takes the form of idolatrous activity which includes the construction of shrines and the offering of sacrifices. These verses seem to concentrate on the idolatry and not so much on the sexual theme. The allegory, however, picks up the latter again in vv. 24-34 where the main idea is that Jerusalem is sexually insatiable. In vv. 24-25 the prostitution is still linked with idolatry, from v.26 the figure extends to political alliances with foreign powers.

V.24 has two accusations:

  • ‘Thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place’ – This word is not bāmôt which is translated ‘high places’ in v.16. Here the word for ‘mound’ (KJV ’eminent place’) is gaḇ; it refers to something curved, to any convex surface, e.g eyebrows in Lev 14:9, the rim (KJV nave) of a wheel, 1 Kgs 7:33; Ezek 1:18). It occurs also in v.31 and v.39.
  • ‘and hast made thee a high place in every street’ – Here the word translated ‘high place’ is rāmāh. It means a hill or high ground.

Jerusalem had constructed mounds upon which were shrines for the worship of pagan idols. The word ‘built’ in vv. 24 and 25 occurs also at v.31. These mounds were at the head of every path or square. Reḥôb means path, street, plaza or square, open area. There she ‘spread her feet to’ (had relations with) everyone that passed by. Perhaps this is a play on vv.5-6. There Jerusalem was a baby abandoned in an ‘open field’ and it was YHWH who ‘passed by’.

Jerusalem ‘multiplied her harlotry;’ this is repeated in vv. 26 and 29. Her once desirable beauty became detestable to YHWH and to others as a result of her promiscuity.

(26-29) Verse 26 again takes up the theme of prostitution with the expression ‘engaged in prostitution.’ It also occurs in vv. 15, 16 and 17 and will appear again twice in v.28. Now the prostitution is not so much cultic as political. Four nations (Egyptians, Philistines, Assyrians, Chaldeans) are mentioned in the historical order in which Jerusalem had political dealings with them. It is specifically stated that she engaged in prostitution with three of them.

1) The sons of Egypt – the Egyptians are described as neighbours and also as ‘great of flesh.’ The latter phrase is a double entendre that could either be taken to mean well-endowed or fat and flabby. As well as the repetition of ‘engaged in prostitution’ there is also repetition of the ‘multiplied your harlotry’ phrase from v.25. Several kings of Israel and Judah made it part of their diplomatic strategy to form an alliance (for political, military or economic reasons) with Egypt, one of the most powerful nations in the Ancient Near East. For example:

SOLOMON (United Monarchy)

Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house… 1 Kings 3:1ESV (see also 1 Kgs 9:16)

HOSHEA (Northern Kingdom – Israel) rebelled against Assyria and sought alliance with Egypt

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria. And Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. 2 Kings 17:3-4 ESV

HEZEKIAH (Southern Kingdom – Judah)

And the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours? 20 Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me? Behold, you are trusting now in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. 2 Kings 18:19-21 ESV

JEHOIAKIM (Southern Kingdom – Judah)

And Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there. And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco. 2 Kings 23:34-35 ESV

ZEDEKIAH (Southern Kingdom – Judah)

But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he thrive? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape? “As I live, declares the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant with him he broke, in Babylon he shall die. Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in war, when mounds are cast up and siege walls built to cut off many lives. Ezekiel 17:15-17 ESV

Verses 22 and 23 suggested that the reasons for Jerusalem’s behaviour were her forgetfulness and wickedness. Now v.26 says that the motive was a deliberate intention to provoke her husband (YHWH). Her idolatry and foreign alliances so angered YHWH that in v.27 he draws attention to the fact (‘behold!) that he therefore ‘stretched out his hand over her’ i.e. acted against her in judgement. He reduced her lot and gave her over to the greed of her enemies the Philistines. At one stage Philistia must have annexed some of Judah’s territory.

Even the Philistines were appalled by Jerusalem’s lewd conduct, i.e. her moral and spiritual corruption. She is not said to have engaged in prostitution with the Philistines but v.28 states twice that she did so with the sons of Assyria (Assyrians), and was insatiable. That she was insatiable is repeated at the end of v.29. The kings who allied with Assyria include:

MENAHEM (Northern Kingdom – Israel)

Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that he might help him to confirm his hold on the royal power. Menahem exacted the money from Israel, that is, from all the wealthy men, fifty shekels of silver from every man, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land. 2 Kings 15:19-20 ESV

HOSHEA (Northern Kingdom – Israel)

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria. And Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. 2 Kings 17:3 ESV

AHAZ (Southern Kingdom – Judah)

So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” Ahaz also took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasures of the king’s house and sent a present to the king of Assyria. 9 And the king of Assyria listened to him. 2 Kings 16:7-9 ESV – see also Isa 7:1-17

Addicted to idolatry and political entanglements Jerusalem could not be satisfied so kept moving on to other relationships. The next relationship, mentioned in vv. 28-29, is that with the sons of Chaldea, i.e. the Babylonians, the ascendant power when Ezekiel was writing. Babylonia is described as a ‘land of Canaan’ i.e. a nation of merchants.

The Canaanites, e.g. the Phoenicians (main towns Tyre and Sidon), were so famous for trading in the ancient world that the name was used as a term for trader, trafficker or merchant. For a description of their trading activities that is of great historical interest see the Lament for Tyre in Ezekiel chapter 27, especially vv.12-25. For examples of the use of Canaanite or land of Canaan for merchant see Ezek 17:5; Prov 31:24; Hos 12:7; Zeph 1:11; Zech 14:21.

(30-34) In these last few verses of this section of the allegory accusing Jerusalem of engaging in prostitution YHWH moves on from the nations to claim that Jerusalem is not like other women and, as a matter of fact, she isn’t even like other prostitutes. The word ’iššāh, meaning woman or wife occurs 3 times in these verses, 30, 32, 34.

YHWH disgustedly asks Jerusalem what is wrong with her heart that she acted like a brazen prostitute. She had a great relationship with YHWH who loved, cared and provided her so why did she have so many relationships, moving from one to another, when none of them left her satisfied? He then refers in v.31 to some of her activities that have already been described in vv. 15-29:

  • In that thou buildest thine eminent place (gab) in the head of every way –
  • and makest thine high place (rāmāh) in every street;
  • and hast not been as a harlot, in that thou scornest hire;

The verb ‘to build’ is the same as that used in vv.24 and 25. ‘At the head of every way’ is also repeated from v.25a, there it is said of the rāmāh but here in v.31 of the gab.

Unlike other prostitutes who accept payment for their services Jerusalem was so depraved and desperate that she scoffed at payment. The word ’eṯnan, meaning a prostitute’s pay (KJV, hire or reward), occurs in v.31, v.34 twice and in v.41.

In v.32 , quite far on in the allegory the verb ‘commit adultery’ occurs (also in v.38. ‘break wedlock’ KJV). Like a woman (wife) who commits adultery Jerusalem takes strangers instead of her husband. She has therefore broken the covenant obligations of v.8.

Verse 33 quickly returns to the notion of prostitution and says that ‘they’ (i.e. the strangers) always give gifts to prostitutes (i.e. pay their fee) but Jerusalem gives presents to (i.e. bribes) her lovers ‘on every side’ that they may come ‘into’ her. This is another double entendre in the allegory; the preposition ’el can indicate motion toward (hence KJV ‘unto’) but can also mean ‘into.’ It is used of sexual intercourse in Gen 16:2 and Num 25:1. This is a metaphorical reference to Israel and Judah paying tribute as vassal states to the dominant powers of the time – the nations ‘on every side’ (i.e. all around).

V.34 makes the point that Jerusalem is not a typical female prostitute:

  • none followeth thee to commit whoredoms – none of the neighbouring states were interested in forming an alliance with Jerusalem.
  • and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee – In her quest for political security Jerusalem had to pay tribute to other states.

SUMMATION

In the Ezekiel 16:15-34 section of the allegory YHWH, through Ezekiel, accuses Jerusalem of pride leading to prostitution with foreign nations. Despite having experienced YHWH’s provision and protection the nation of Israel/ Judah was unfaithful. This reflects the history of Israel during the period of the judges and especially under the monarchy. The turning to idolatry and alliances with pagan states constituting spiritual adultery began in earnest with Solomon during the united monarchy. This state of affairs continued under the kings of both Israel and Judah when the monarchy divided after his death. Their dependence upon foreign nations rather than YHWH did not work out well for Israel and Judah. The Northern Kingdom (Israel) fell to Assyria in 722 BCE and the Southern Kingdom (Judah) to Babylon in 586/7 BCE. The next section of the allegory (vv. 35-43) is about Jerusalem’s judgement.

Posted in Exposition

Ezekiel’s Vine Allegory: a Prophecy about Jerusalem – 15:1-8

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

In chapters 15, 16 and 17 Ezekiel delivers further messages from YHWH about impending judgement upon Jerusalem. These chapters contain striking allegories which convey YHWH’s perspective on Israel/Judah. In chapter 15 the nation is likened to a vine and in chapter 16 to an adulterous wife. Chapter 17 contains an allegory of two eagles and a vine.

Ezekiel chapter 15 falls into two parts:

vv. 1-5 The allegory of a vine – five rhetorical questions.

vv. 6-8 The allegory applied to the people of Jerusalem – six conclusions.

THE ALLEGORY OF A VINE (1-5)

(1) That this is a new oracle is indicated by the now familiar prophetic word formula ‘the word of the Lord came unto me saying.’ As we learn from previous chapters false prophets among the exiles in Babylon have been predicting that all will be well with Jerusalem. YHWH’s temple is there and he dwells in it, therefore the city is safe. One prophet, however, is predicting that Jerusalem will be punished and destroyed because of the people’s sinfulness and idolatry. That prophet is Ezekiel.

With this prophetic word formula Ezekiel claims that the content of his oracles does not consist of his own ideas; the messages come to him directly from YHWH and Ezekiel then passes them on to the people.

(2) Again addressing Ezekiel as ‘son of Adam’ YHWH employs a clever allegory to illustrate Israel/Judah’s guilt and punishment: he likens the nation to a grapevine. This image of Israel as a vine was familiar to Ezekiel’s fellow exiles.

Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: Gen 49:22

Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Psa 80:8

For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant… Isa 5:7 (The parable of the vineyard Isa 5:1-7)

In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. Isa 27:2-3

Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? Jer 2:21

Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. Hos 10:1

The conventional interpretation of this familiar image focused on the vine’s purpose and ability to bear fruit. Indeed, that is the interpretation which Jesus applied in John chapter 15. Here in Ezekiel chapter 15, however, the fruit is not mentioned. The allegory is about the wood. It is not about Jerusalem being fruitless, rather it is about it being useless. YHWH addresses five rhetorical questions to Ezekiel which show how useless the wood of the vine is in comparison with the wood of the other trees of the forest. Its wood is portrayed as worthless and good for nothing.

QUESTION 1 – What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest? 15:2

The implied answer to this question whether the wood of a vine is superior to the wood of other trees is: ‘No. its wood is inferior.’ The vine’s only value lies in its ability to bear fruit. If it does not bear fruit then it is useless.

QUESTION 2 – Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? 15:3a

Again the implied answer is negative. Unlike other strong trees whose wood is suitable for construction or furniture the wood of a vine is useless for any kind of work.

QUESTION 3 – Will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? 15:3b

The wood of a vine cannot even be used to make a peg to hang things on.

QUESTION 4 – Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work? 15:4

Vine wood has no practical use; all one can do with it is burn it. Even then, it burns quickly.

QUESTION 5 – Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned? 15:5

If a healthy vine is already useless in its natural state then a burnt and damaged one is even more useless.

THE ALLEGORY OF A VINE APPLIED (6-8)

(6) This is an important verse since it serves as a bridge between the allegory in the first section and the explanation of the allegory in the second section. This verse contains the last mention of the vine in the chapter and also the first (and only) mention of Jerusalem. Beginning with the word ‘therefore’ (which tells us that what follows are conclusions drawn from that which has already been said) this verse moves the message on from allegory to reality. Jerusalem is no better than the other towns and cities in Israel/Judah so it too is destined to suffer destruction and burning. YHWH’s conclusions are set out in six statements:

STATEMENT No.1 – As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15:6

Just as a useless vine is consigned to the fire so will YHWH hand over the people of Jerusalem to be consumed by the ‘fire’ of invasion and destruction by the Babylonian forces.

STATEMENT No. 2 – And I will set my face against them; 15:7a, 7d

This expression, which is repeated for emphasis at the end of the verse, indicates that YHWH is opposed to the people of Judah. He is determined to bring judgement upon them.

STATEMENT No. 3 – They shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; 15:7b

This may mean that in previous invasions Jerusalem suffered some damage but will be totally destroyed as a result of the coming siege and pillage by the Babylonians. It may also suggest that some citizens might manage to escape the destruction but will then face further calamity (e.g. Jer 42:22; 44:12-14). Judgement is inevitable.

STATEMENT No. 4 – And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them. 15:7c

This recognition formula is common in Ezekiel. Here it is addressed (‘ye’ – you plural) to the exiles with Ezekiel in Babylon to whom he is delivering this oracle. When they will see what has happened to Jerusalem they will acknowledge that it is YHWH’s doing.

STATEMENT No. 5 – And I will make the land desolate, 15:8a

This reiterates that Jerusalem will be utterly destroyed.

STATEMENT No. 6 – Because they have committed a trespass,15:8b

This will happen because the Jerusalemites have committed a trespass – an unfaithful act. The destruction is a direct result of their actions. By worshipping idols the people of Jerusalem have acted unfaithfully towards YHWH so he will not protect the city. This idea of punishment for unfaithfulness is a common theme in the books of Chronicles – which use words like ‘trespassing’ and ‘transgressing’ to identify unfaithful acts (1 Chron 5:25; 10:13;2 Chron 12:2; 28:19; 29:6; 30:7; 36:14).

SUMMATION

In this short chapter YHWH gives a message about Jerusalem to Ezekiel who then relays the oracle to his fellow-exiles in Babylon. The first section of the chapter (vv. 1-5) contains a clever allegory which is communicated by the technique of asking rhetorical questions. The allegory inverts the usual picture of Israel as a valuable fruit-bearing vine by focusing on the wood rather than the fruit. The vine is revealed as useless and only fit for destruction. The second section (vv.6-8) applies the allegory to the people of Jerusalem (standing for the nation of Israel/Judah) and emphasizes their unfaithful acts and impending doom. The theme of unfaithfulness is taken up and presented in graphic detail in the next chapter which contains an extended allegory about an unfaithful wife.

Posted in Exposition

Understanding Ezekiel 14:12-23: Judgment and Righteousness

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

Ezekiel 14:12-23 records a new oracle from YHWH to Ezekiel about impending judgment upon Jerusalem. These verses highlight the severity and certainty of the punishment and show that it is inevitable because of Jerusalem’s sin and unfaithfulness.

The passage addresses a significant theoretical question that that must have been raised at the time: ‘Would YHWH really destroy Jerusalem when there are still some righteous people living in the city?’ In the oracle YHWH rejects the notion that the righteousness of a few can atone for the sins of the many and instead insists on individual personal responsibility. Even if the righteous should intercede the disaster cannot be averted. YHWH’s retributive justice cannot overlook sin just because of a connection with a righteous individual.

FAMINE

(13-14) This new oracle is introduced by the prophetic word formula ‘the word of the Lord came…to me, saying.’ As usual, YHWH addresses Ezekiel as ‘son of Adam’ and refers to a hypothetical country (‘a land’) that sins against him by trespassing grievously. Note the use of the two closely related terms ‘sin’ and ‘trespass.’ Sin is a general term encompassing all forms of disobedience against God’s will, whether intentional or unintentional. Trespass is more specific and involves deliberately violating a known law. All trespasses are sins but not all sins are trespasses. In this connection Greenberg (1983, p. 257) observes : ‘Inasmuch as the hypothetical land of vss.13-20 is not specifically that of Israel, this will be the only passage in Hebrew Scripture in which “trespass (against Yahweh)” is predicated of a non-Israelite subject.’

When a nation sins against YHWH he will ‘stretch out his hand upon it.’ This biblical image signifies divine intervention in judgment. The specific punishment mentioned here is famine. Cutting off the food supply of both human beings and animals would be a reminder of humanity’s dependence upon YHWH. Would he, however, act against a sinful nation if righteous individuals live there and (presumably) intercede on behalf of the sinful population? The remainder of the oracle deals with the limitations of personal righteousness and intercession in a situation where sin is widespread.

Although the background to this oracle is idolatry in Judah YHWH indicates that what he says has a much wider application by referring to a hypothetical country and also by holding up two non-Israelite men along with the Israelite Daniel as iconic examples of righteousness. Even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in such a country they could not avert disaster. They would only be able to save themselves because of their righteous characters, no-one else.

At that time these three men were legendary throughout the Ancient Near East for their righteousness. Through it they had also been able to save the lives of others.

Noah – because of his righteousness (Gen 6:9) the primaeval hero Noah was able to save himself, his family and the animals from the Flood (Gen 6:9-8:22).

Daniel – This likely refers to Ezekiel’s older contemporary the Daniel of the Babylonian exile who, though still a young man (possibly late twenties) at this time, had already gained a reputation for righteousness. Has he saved lives through intercession?  Some would point to Daniel 2:17-18.

Modern scholars tend to argue that this is not the Daniel of the book of Daniel but the righteous Ugaritic Daniel (Dn’il) of The Tale of Aqhat. Their arguments centre on the fact that the spelling of ‘Daniel’ in the book of Ezekiel differs from that in the book of Daniel, that Dn’il was a figure of antiquity as were Noah and Job but not the contemporary Daniel and the chronological argument that the Daniel of the book of Daniel was too young to have achieved fame at the time this oracle was given.

Arguments for Dn’il in the article by ‘Day, J. (1980). The Daniel of Ugarit and Ezekiel and the Hero of the Book of Daniel. Vetus Testamentum, 30(2), pp. 174–184′ may be read online free of charge by logging into JSTOR. ‘The Tale of Aqhat’ may be read in J. B. Pritchard’s ‘Ancient Near Eastern Texts’ at archive.org.

Job – Through intercession the righteous sufferer Job was able to save the lives of his three friends who had been wrong about the reasons for his affliction (Job 42:7-10).

That the presence of its most righteous inhabitants could not save a sinful nation underscores the seriousness of sin. Salvation is an individual affair, righteousness is non-transferable. That Noah, Job and Daniel are recognised by the Lord as examples of personal righteousness encourages us to maintain personal righteousness during times of trial and in circumstances where all around is marked by corruption.

(15-16) RAVENING ANIMALS

Here the imagery of wild beasts roaming the land attacking and killing the populace is used to describe another form of punishment. Travel throughout the country would be impossible. Society would break down and the land be uninhabitable. The repetition of the three righteous men again emphasises the fact that righteousness is non-transferable. Even their children would not be spared.

(17-18) WAR

The third scenario of judgment is war and conflict as symbolised by the sword. YHWH would subject a sinful nation to punishment by violence and invasion. Again it is stated that even if these three men were in it they could not save even their closest family members.

(19-20) BLEEDING PESTILENCE

The fourth scenario in this escalating progression of judgment is that of plague which will affect humans and animals (famine – ravening animals – war -bleeding pestilence). YHWH will pour out his fury upon the land ‘in blood.’ Pestilence and bloodshed are not two separate judgments but a hendiadys which specifies the type of plague – bleeding pestilence – i.e. the plague results in an outpouring of blood. (For a short technical discussion of this see: Tooman, W. A. (2010). On the Meaning of דבר ודם in Ezekiel (5:17, 14:19, 28:23, 38:22). Vetus Testamentum, 60(4), pp. 666–668.)

Once again swearing by his own life (‘as I live saith the Lord God’) in v.20 as in vv.16 and 18 YHWH repeats the point about the three righteous men. They could only deliver themselves by their righteousness, not their family members. The repetition reinforces YHWH’s point that no human being, however righteous, can turn back the Lord’s punishment of a sinful and unrepentant people.

(21) In this passage YHWH has so far been speaking in general terms about a hypothetical sinful country. This verse now makes it clear that that he had Judah, represented by Jerusalem, in view. The phrase ”how much more’ suggests that the punishment of Judah will be particularly severe because of its privileges. All four judgments (the sword, famine, wild beasts, plague) will be visited upon the city and the cumulative effect will be total devastation. Although directed at Judah this oracle was given in Babylon and served to remind the exiles there that their notion that things would work out well in the end for Jerusalem was false.

(22-23) These verses introduce a note of hope that despite overwhelming punishment YHWH would preserve a remnant ‘who will come forth unto you’ i.e. to Ezekiel and the exiles in Babylon. It does not seem that these few people will survive because of their personal righteousness but rather that they are examples of sinful people who experience YHWH’s mercy in the midst of judgment. When this group of exiles comes to Babylon the exiles will see how wicked they really are and be consoled that the Lord has been just in executing well-deserved judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah. God’s justice will be vindicated.

An alternative interpretation is that Ezekiel and the exiles will see the changed behaviour of the remnant. The judgment will have had a purifying effect upon them, they will have repented and been transformed, Ezekiel and the exiles will then be comforted that God’s purposes have been accomplished.

SUMMATION

Ezekiel 14:12-23 is a solemn and sobering reminder of the seriousness of sin and the certainty of God’s judgment. Even the presence of righteous men in a country cannot avert this. Everyone is responsible for his own sin. The passage emphasises the severity of God’s punishment upon Judah which will be fourfold: famine, wild animals, the sword and plague. Despite this some individuals will survive the catastrophe and eventually reach the exiles in Babylon. Their bad (or good???) behaviour will cause the exiles to acknowledge God’s justice. That there will be a remnant is a faint glimmer of hope in an otherwise gloomy forecast for Judah’s future.

Posted in General

Don’t Trade Your Future: Lessons from Esau

Posted on by writtenexposition

Have you ever noticed how comforting a bowl of hot soup can be on a cold day? There’s something about that warmth and flavour that just hits the spot, especially when the weather is chilly. But imagine paying a steep price for a simple bowl of soup – something far beyond what you’d ever intend or expect. That’s exactly what happened in Genesis 25:29-34, where Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup.

Understanding the Birthright

In ancient Israelite society, the birthright was a significant privilege, typically granted to the eldest son. It wasn’t just about material inheritance – it was about leadership, authority, and spiritual responsibility. The eldest son would succeed his father as the head of the family and receive a double portion of his estate. Additionally, he would take charge of family worship, assuming the role of priest in maintaining the family’s covenant relationship with the Lord. Esau, driven by immediate gratification, undervalued this immense blessing and traded it for temporary satisfaction. Let us explore what we can learn from Esau’s mistake.

1) A Selfish Desire

Esau the hunter came back from the field one day, exhausted and famished. The aroma of the soup his brother Jacob was cooking was too tempting for him to resist. In that moment, all Esau could think about was his hunger. He begged Jacob for some of the soup, and Jacob, ever the opportunist, saw a chance to gain Esau’s birthright. He opened negotiations: ‘Sell me this day thy birthright.’ What was Esau’s response? He said: “I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?” (Gen 25:31-32).
Was Esau truly on the brink of death? Probably not. His selfish desire for immediate satisfaction blinded him to the value of his birthright. In his view God’s promises were not worth waiting for. That birthright meant nothing to him for he couldn’t see beyond his immediate need. How often do we, like Esau, focus on the desires of the present moment and disregard the long-term consequences? The pleasures of sin and the world can be tempting, but they are fleeting – Heb 11:25 refers to ‘the pleasures of sin for a season.’ Like Esau, we might be tempted to satisfy our immediate desires without considering the eternal consequences.

2) A Single Decision

Esau’s decision to trade his birthright for soup had far-reaching consequences. From that moment on, he was defined by that impulsive choice. The Bible notes that Esau’s nickname, ‘Edom,’ meaning ‘red,’ was derived from this event (Gen 25:30). One hasty decision can have lasting effects. Esau’s descendants were called ‘Edomites;’ a nation noted for conflicts with the people of God throughout history, all stemming from his poor choice. This reminds us that no one sins in isolation. Our choices affect not only ourselves but those around us, sometimes for generations. The world may offer immediate gratification, but it’s often at the cost of long-term blessings.

3) A Spiritual Disregard

Verse 34 tells us that ‘he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.’ Notice that Esau went HIS way. After satisfying his hunger, Esau got up and left, unconcerned about the birthright he had just despised. He got on with life as usual, doing his own thing his own way, oblivious to the consequences of a single choice. The consequences weren’t immediately obvious, but they came later. When Esau realised the significance of what he had lost, it was too late. Esau begged and pleaded for the blessings of God but was unable to obtain them. He cried bitterly but couldn’t change the outcome (Gen 27:34; Heb 12:17). Esau’s disregard for his birthright is a warning. It’s easy to become so consumed with worldly pleasures that we neglect what is truly important. Don’t be like Esau, who valued temporary satisfaction over eternal blessings.

Summation

Esau’s story teaches us three crucial lessons:

A Selfish Desire: Don’t let immediate desires cloud your judgement and cause you to miss out on God’s future blessings.

A Single Decision: Remember that one decision can have lasting consequences, affecting not just you but others as well.

A Spiritual Disregard: Don’t disregard the spiritual inheritance God offers for the fleeting pleasures of this world.

Instead of living for the here and now, live with eternity in mind. Trust in Jesus Christ, who offers salvation and an inheritance that can never be taken away. 1 Peter 1:3-4 says:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Don’t trade your eternal blessings for a bowl of soup. Choose wisely today, and you’ll secure a future that’s infinitely greater than anything the world can offer.

Posted in Exposition

IDOLS IN THEIR HEARTS: Ezekiel 14:1-11

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

Ezekiel 14:1-11 contains the last oracle in a series relating to prophecy in the section 12:21-14:11. In this passage Ezekiel addresses the moral state of those who would seek guidance from YHWH. His particular concern is with hypocrites who worship idols in their heart but come to inquire of a prophet of YHWH. He issues a warning that both idolaters and the prophets who answer their queries will face certain judgment.

(1) The occasion of this oracle is a visit Ezekiel received from some of the ‘elders of Israel’ to inquire (v.3b) of YHWH. Presumably he was still at his house in Chebar (3:24; 4:4). Since it is unlikely that these men travelled from Jerusalem to see him the term ‘elders of Israel’ here and in 20:1 probably equates to ‘elders of Judah’ in 8:1. They are therefore leaders of the Israelite/Judahite community in Babylon. They respectfully ‘sat before’ Ezekiel, thus recognising him as a teacher. We are not told exactly when they visited (‘then came’) or what it was they wished to know. Whatever it was, the tenor of the passage would suggest that they did not receive a direct answer to their query.

(2) As the elders sat before him Ezekiel received a communication from YHWH in response to their presence.

(3)The revelation to Ezekiel is that the elders (‘these men) have ‘taken the idols into their heart’. The idea is that they have set up or enthroned idols in their heart; thus displacing YHWH. Even if these men do not literally bow down before idols the fact is that they are heavily influenced by pagan ideas and practices.

‘The stumbling block of their iniquity’ is a phrase used only by Ezekiel (7:19; 14:3, 4, 7; 18:30; 44:12) and refers metaphorically to spiritual obstacles or sins that cause the people to fail in their relationship with YHWH. If meant literally it refers to idols or sinful practices which they cherish. That the elders put these ‘before their face’ might suggest that they are using cult objects as intermediaries.

YHWH, addressing Ezekiel, raises a rhetorical question; to which the expected answer is ‘No!’ Referring to Israelites/Judahites who are preoccupied with idolatry and yet hypocritically consult a prophet, YHWH asks Ezekiel if it is appropriate that he should hear and respond to their inquiries since their divided loyalty means that they are in no fit moral state to hear his word.

(4-5) Ezekiel is instructed to speak to the elders of Israel about their sin and tell them that everyone of the house of Israel who consults a prophet while cherishing idolatry will, indeed, receive an answer. It will not be the kind of answer they expect; but will be judgement that involves giving them over to the many idols in their hearts. Their idolatry will not be ignored.

The statements in vv.4-5 and vv.7-8 regulating the approach of Israelites to YHWH through a prophet are set out in the form of casuistic law similar to Lev 17:3, 8, 10, 13.

Verse 5 states that the punishment is so that YHWH ‘may take the house of Israel in their own heart’ because they are estranged from him because of idolatry. The verb ‘take’ means to lay hold of, seize, take hold violently, capture. One view is that ‘take’ has the idea of catching in a snare, another is that YHWH will grasp their heart so tight that they will feel it, be terrified and thus forced to acknowledge his lordship. Or it could mean that YHWH will touch their conscience with the result that they turn to him. Most likely YHWH’s purpose is redemptive, he wishes to recapture their hearts and restore the relationship with his people.

(6) If a right relationship with YHWH is to be reinstated then the Israelites must renounce idolatry and return wholeheartedly to YHWH. The call to repentance features the verb ‘return’ (šûḇ) which occurs three times in this verse:

Repent (šûḇ) ,
and turn (šûḇ) yourselves from your idols;
and turn (šûḇ) away your faces from all your abominations.

(7) This verse is basically a restatement of v.4 but expands the warning to include ‘the stranger that sojourneth in Israel.’ The term ‘stranger’ (alien, foreigner) was used to describe someone who temporarily lived and worked in Israel, had no property rights (cf. Deut 26:10-13) and was expected to worship only YHWH (Lev 17:8-9; 20:1-2). Here it must mean proselytes, possibly Babylonians, who have converted to the religion of YHWH. Should a proselyte consult a prophet of YHWH with idolatry in his heart he too will suffer the same fate as an Israelite who does likewise.

Whereas v.4 says that ‘the Lord will answer him according to the multitude of his idols’ v.7 says ‘I the Lord will answer him by myself.’ He will receive a personal response from the Lord. The nature of that response is set out in v.8.

(8) YHWH will do three things:

  1. ‘I will set my face against that man.’ – be opposed to him.
  2. ‘[I] will make him a sign and a proverb’ – make his punishment an example that will become proverbial and act as a deterrent to others.
  3. ‘I will cut him off from the midst of my people’ – remove him from among his people.

The verse ends with the recognition formula: ”ye shall know that I am the Lord.’

(9) This verse is aimed at prophets. A true prophet of YHWH will not give an answer to an inquiry by someone who worships idols in his heart but a false prophet certainly will because this is what his reputation depends upon. A false prophet will ‘speak a word’ telling the people what they wish to hear. It will be given in the name of YHWH but it will not come from the Lord.

In such a situation, i.e. when a false prophet utters a false oracle, YHWH will ‘deceive’ (entice) the false prophet. YHWH will behind the false answer and use a false prophet to tell the people what they want to hear. YHWH will let the false prophet be deceived and in turn deceive the inquirer. For a similar idea see 1 Kgs 22:18-23; 2 Thess 2:11-12.

The ancient Israelites would not have considered deception of a prophet by YHWH to be morally questionable or contradictory. They thought in terms of a primary cause – God. He is sovereign and just; evil as well as good is under his control. This verse emphasises YHWH’s sovereignty. He does not actively cause sin but permits people to follow their own inclinations and suffer the consequences. The paradox of God’s sovereignty versus man’s responsibility is a theological theme that has been debated for centuries.

(10) Since both the false prophets and those who seek their advice perpetuate idolatry and deception they are held jointly accountable for their actions and will share the same consequences. Therefore the prophets will also be subject to the punishment by YHWH set out in v.8.

(11) The purpose (or perhaps the result) of the punishment is that Israel will forsake idolatry and once again be a holy people, as was the original intention (Lev 26:12; 30:22).

SUMMATION

This chapter addresses the sin of the elders of Israel who, despite seeking a word from YHWH, harbour idolatry in their hearts. Through Ezekiel YHWH exposes their hypocrisy and declares that he will not ignore it but will respond with judgement. He demands repentance and warns the entire Israelite community that false prophets and those who consult them will suffer the same consequences. The punishment, however, is redemptive and is designed to rehabilitate the nation.

Thus far in the book of Ezekiel the predicted outlook for the people of Israel/Judah has been bleak but in chapter 14 the call to repentance (v.6) and YHWH’s desire for a restoration of the covenant relationship (v.11) offer a glimmer of hope that he has not given up on them completely.

Posted in Exposition

Prophecy and Divination Practices of Women in Ezekiel 13:17-23

Posted on by writtenexposition

Reading Ezekiel 13: 17-23

INTRODUCTION

Having addressed in 13:1-16 the danger posed by male false prophets who declare ‘peace’ when there is no peace, Ezekiel now turns his attention to the negative impact of prophesying women upon the community. They mislead with lies and deceptive practices and, like the male prophets, misrepresent YHWH.

Not much is known about female prophecy in ancient Israel, especially at this more personal (as opposed to national) level, so this passage in Ezekiel is of great interest. Unfortunately, as we shall see, the words for two items associated with divination practice occur only in this Bible passage, so exactly what these objects and their purpose were is unclear.

Women prophesying in Israel was not a new phenomenon. Several in the Old Testament are referred to as prophetesses (e.g. Miriam in Exod 15:20; Deborah in Judg 4:4; Huldah in 2 Chron 34:22; Noadiah in Neh 6:14) and appear to have been prominent women who operated at a national level; prophesying about matters that affected the people as a whole. Ezekiel does not seem to have a problem with the idea of women prophesying per se but he condemns these local prophetic women for their practices, for their profanation of YHWH and for their deceit, manipulation, false assurances and lies.

This oracle In Ezek 13:17-23 is also significant because it is one of only four that the Old Testament prophets addressed to women as a specific group. The other three are:

Isa 3:16-4:1 – Isaiah’s oracle against the women of Jerusalem
Isa 32:9-12 – Isaiah’s oracle against complacent women
Amos 4:1-3 – Amos’ oracle against the ‘cows of Bashan’

(17) Ezekiel is again addressed as ‘Son of Adam’ and is told to prophesy against the women who, like the men in v.2, are said to prophesy out of their own heart (imagination). YHWH, and therefore Ezekiel, is opposed to these women. The term ‘prophetess’ is not applied to them but they are referred to as ‘the daughters of thy people who prophesy.’ Since ‘sons of thy people’ in 3:11 refers to the Jehoiachin exiles it therefore seems likely that the description ‘daughters of thy people’ refers to women who are in exile with Ezekiel in Babylonia. However, perhaps it also refers to women who prophesy in Jerusalem.

As in v.2 concerning the male prophets, Ezekiel is commanded to ‘prophesy against’ the female prophets but in their case an additional phrase is added: ‘set thy face against.’ That expression is associated with judgement and occurs 9 times in Ezekiel. The other 8 occasions are: 6:2 the mountains of Israel; 20:46 the south; 21:2 Jerusalem; 25:2 the Ammonites; 28:21 Sidon; 29:2 Pharaoh; 35:2; Mt. Seir; 38:2 Gog.

(18-19) Verse 18, like v.3, begins with the messenger formula ‘thus saith the Lord God,’ followed by the pronouncement of a woe. We now learn why YHWH is against the women: it is because they use illegitimate divination practices. Two of the practices are:

  1. sewing cloth bindings on their wrists.
  2. making head-bands on heads of every height.

Unfortunately, as I have already mentioned, it is impossible to ascertain exactly what these practices involved.

Ezekiel uses two words for the distinctive articles of clothing worn by the women who prophesy:

kesatot – This plural word also occurs in v.20. Here in v.18 it is in a sentence which the KJV renders ‘that sew pillows to all armholes.’ Because kesatot were sewn upon the wrists or hands of the female prophets (not their clients) the word has been translated: bindings, covering-nets, amulets, cushions, pillows, or phylacteries. These accessories may have been magic charms made of cloth and fastened to ‘all the joints of the hands.’ The phrase ‘joints of the hands’ is usually translated ‘wrists’ but could also mean ‘elbows’

mispahot – This plural word, occurring only here and in v. 21, is thought to designate long veils. It has been translated variously as: kerchiefs, bird-nets, headbands, veils, mantles, shawls, scarves, and amulets.

Many commentators favour the idea of covering-nets and bird-nets, which links these objects with the ‘hunting for souls.’ V.18 ends with a question: ‘Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?’ The image is of hunting for birds or game using nets. The women. therefore, are viewed as predators; hunting people and trapping them. ‘Souls’ (persons, lives) will feature again in vv.19 and 20.

V.19 poses another question: ‘And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread?’ Notice that here YHWH says ‘profane me.’ The women profess to prophesy in the name of YHWH but do not. Their motive for this seems to be personal gain.

Some suggest that barley and bread may be items used in the divination rituals but most commentators are of the view that clients paid the women for their divination and fortune-telling services with these commodities. 1 Sam 9:7, for example, refers to the use of food as payment for prophetic services: ‘Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” ESV

The last part of the quesion in v.19 follows on from at the end of v.18. Are these women profaning YHWH for mere handfuls of barley and bread in order ‘to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live by their lying to the people?’

What is meant by putting to death souls who should not die and keeping alive souls who should not live? If the Jerusalem situation is in view it may mean that accepting food as payment in a time of shortage puts the lives of the women’s clients at risk while extending their own lives and those of their family members. It could also mean that their prophecies declare who is to live and who is to die (e.g. Jer 26:8), or that they deal death through black magic. They wield considerable influence in the community since their [false] prophecies lead to the death of innocent people and the preservation of the wicked. According to vv. 20-21, however, their magical power will be broken by YHWH.

(20-21) YHWH’s sentence upon the women is pronounced in a double ABC pattern setting out his action, aim and purpose:

A – action – I will tear them (the bands) from your arms.
B – aim – I will let the souls go [free].
C – purpose – to make them fly (i.e. that they may fly away)

A – action – Your kerchiefs also will I tear.
B – aim – I will deliver my people out of your hand.
C – purpose – they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted (i.e. cease to be prey in your hands).

The women bind pieces of cloth upon themselves but YHWH will tear these off. They prey upon and trap people with their covering-nets and bird-nets but YHWH will set their victims free to fly like a bird (cf. Psa 124:7).

(22) Further condemnation is pronounced upon the women because their lies and activities dishearten the righteous, causing unnecessary stress. The wicked are encouraged by false assurances, with the result that they do not repent (cf. Jer23:14). Instead of bringing the people closer to YHWH the women lead them further away.

(23) The chapter closes with YHWH vowing that that the false prophetesses will no longer see vain visions or practise divination and that he will deliver his people from them. YHWH mentions ‘my people’ in vv. 9, 10, 18, 19a, 19b, 21 and 23.

SUMMATION

In Ezek 13:17-23 YHWH strongly denounces the women who prophesy for their harmful effect on the Israelite community of the Jehoiachin exile in Babylon. Both the male prophets and the prophesying women practise divination but only the women are said to use certain accoutrements as part of the process. For reasons that are not given, YHWH particularly condemns their use of such items. The problem is not just the means used for divination but also the parasitic motives behind their prophecies; they make up lies for self-seeking and personal profit. In addition, their methods are sinister and occultic. They hunt souls, using their accoutrements to manipulate people, abusing the control they have over those who listen to them. These women exercise power that does not have its source in YHWH and from which people need to be delivered.

The women are not described as witches but they do seem to tread a fine line between religion and magic. Scripture forbids occultic practitioners; this includes soothsayers, sorcerers, witches, wizards, charmers, mediums, necromancers, fortune-tellers and interpreters of dreams (Deut 13:1-5; 18:9-11; Lev 19:26, 31; 20:6).

There are still male and female false prophets active in today’s world; preaching from their own imagination and leading people astray with lies and false assurances. The clear lesson from Ezekiel 13 is that we ought to beware of religious leaders, especially those who call themselves prophets, and therefore:

Evaluate what they teach – Compare what they say with the Bible. Do they distort and contradict biblical doctrine or claim to have some new revelation from the Lord? Do they preach miracles, prosperity and God’s blessings rather than warn about sin, death and judgement to come (Heb 9:27)?

Examine their character – Does their ministry provoke division and strife among believers? Do they display humility, accountability and integrity or are they immoral, dishonest, boastful and corrupt?

Assess their motives – While claiming to speak for God do they seek power, fame and personal gain. Do they want your money?

God is still sovereign and just! In Ezekiel 13 he promises to deliver his people from deception and to punish false prophets who bring God’s word into disrepute as well as exploiting others spiritually and financially.

Posted in Exposition

Ezekiel 13:1-16 The Danger of False Prophets

Posted on by writtenexposition

Reading Ezekiel 13: 1-23

INTRODUCTION

Ezekiel 13 is a significant passage in Ezekiel because it addresses the danger posed by false prophets whose messages originate in their own ‘hearts.’ In this chapter Ezekiel denounces counterfeit prophets who mislead the people by falsely claiming to speak for YHWH.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Ezekiel prophesied during a time of great turmoil for Israel. In 597 BCE the Chaldean king Nebuchadnezzar II subdued Jerusalem and placed a puppet king (Zedekiah) on the throne of Judah. He also deported the deposed king Jehoiachin to Babylonia (2 Kgs 24:15-17) along with many of the elite citizens of Judah, including Ezekiel. There YHWH called and commissioned Ezekiel as his prophet.

Although living in Babylonia at a place called Tel-Abib near the River Chebar Ezekiel directed many of his prophecies towards the people of Jerusalem. The situation there was deteriorating after King Zedekiah’s abortive attempt to revolt against Babylonian rule (2 Kgs 25:1-2). Interestingly, that revolt was supported and encouraged by false prophets in Judah (Jer 27:9-10,14-16). Soon the city was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar’s forces and eventually devastated by them in 586/7 BCE.

Meanwhile over in Babylonia Ezekiel condemned Israel and Judah because of their sin and idolatry; prophesying impending judgement upon them. At the same time other Israelite men and women in Babylonia were delivering prophecies which contradicted Ezekiel’s message of doom.

Instead of prophesying punishment, they offered false comfort to the people; assuring them that the situation at Jerusalem would soon be resolved peacefully and thus building up their hopes of a soon return from exile. Ezekiel as a true prophet of YHWH found it necessary to denounce these false prophets and confront their lies.

Chapter 13 of Ezekiel is situated within a section (12:21-14:11) that deals with various issues relating to prophecy. The chapter contains two parallel woe oracles which are similar in structure, content and style. One is against male prophets and the other against women who prophesy, The context (13:9) would indicate that these people, like Ezekiel, were Israelite exiles in Babylonia. Back in the homeland Jeremiah too was denouncing false prophets and prophecy. It is worth comparing his oracle in Jer 23:9-40 with those of Ezekiel in Ezek 13.

CHAPTER DIVISION

13:1-16 – An oracle addressed to male prophets.


13:17-23 – An oracle addressed to women who prophesy.

AN ORACLE ADDRESSED TO MALE PROPHETS (1-16)

(1) ‘And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying’ – This phrase is often used in Ezekiel to introduce a new oracle (e.g. 11:14; 12:1; 15:1; 17:1; 18:1). In 13:1 it covers both oracles in chapter 13 (2-16; 17-23) and is particularly relevant since it emphasizes the fact that Ezekiel speaks the word of YHWH, unlike the false prophets whom he condemns. This oracle against male prophets is mirrored by that against the female prophets in vv.17-23. The structure and language are similar.

STRUCTURE

  • A preamble – vv.1-3a and vv.17-18a.
  • Ezekiel addressed as ‘Son of Man’ – v.2 and v.17.
  • An accusation – vv.3b-7 and vv.18b-19.
  • A forecast of judgment that ends with a divine recognition formula – ‘ye shall know that I am the Lord’ – vv.8-9 and vv.20-21.
  • A second forecast of judgment that ends with a divine recognition formula – vv.10-14 and vv.22-23.

LANGUAGE

Although the content is different the language used in each of the two oracles is similar:

  • v.2 – ‘Son of Man, prophesy against’ and v.17 – ‘Son of man, set thy face against.’
  • v.2 – ‘that prophesy’ and v.16 – ‘which prophesy.’
  • v.2 – ‘say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts’ and v.17 – ‘which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them.’
  • v.3 – ‘thus saith the Lord God’ and v.18 – ‘thus saith the Lord God.’
  • v.3 – ‘woe unto’ and v.18 – ‘woe to.’
  • v.8 – ‘therefore saith the Lord God’ and v.20 – ‘wherefore saith the Lord God.’
  • v.8 – ‘behold I am against’ and v.20 – ‘behold I am against.’
  • v.9 – ‘ye shall know that I am the Lord God’ and v.21 – ‘and ye shall know that I am the Lord.’
  • v.10 – ‘because…’ and v.22 – ‘because…’
  • v.13 – ‘therefore…’ and v.23 – ‘therefore.’
  • v.14 – ‘and ye shall know that I am the Lord’ and v.23 – ‘and ye shall know that I am the Lord.’

(2) Addressing Ezekiel as ‘son of Adam’ (stressing human weakness in light of God’s greatness) YHWH instructs him to deliver this message ‘against’ (’el; 2, 8, 9, 17, 20) the false prophets. They are called ‘the prophets of Israel,’ a description unique to Ezekiel (13:2,16; 38:17, cf. 13:4). These men are in exile with Ezekiel but the term ‘prophets of Israel’ may suggest that he views them as part of a larger group that would include false prophets back in Israel/Judah. The latter are described by Jeremiah as ‘the prophets of Samaria’ (Jer 23:13) and ‘the prophets of Jerusalem’ (Jer 23:14). Ezekiel’s opponents are not prophets of other gods but men working within the Israelite religious system.

(3) The pronouncement of a ‘woe’ on these ‘foolish (nāḇāl) prophets’ hints at the severe consequences of prophesying lies while claiming to speak for YHWH; these will be set out in vv.8-9. The men are fools; what they say is empty and futile. In the Old Testament a fool (nāḇāl) is someone who denies or disrespects God (Job 2:10; Psa 14:1; 74:18, 22; Isa 32:5-6). These prophets do not follow the Spirit of God but their own spirits, they perceive nothing.

There are several changes in person within these verses which some people might find confusing:

  • In vv. 2-3, YHWH directly addresses Ezekiel in the second person ‘thou’.
  • In v. 4-5, YHWH directly addresses Israel in the second person ‘ye’.
  • In verse 6, YHWH speaks about the false prophets in the third person ‘they’.
  • In vv. 7-8, YHWH directly addresses the false prophets in the second person ‘ye’.
  • In v. 9, YHWH speaks about the false prophets in the third person ‘they’.

(4) YHWH addresses Israel and compares their false prophets to foxes or jackals among the ruins. Such animals survive in desolate places (Lam 5:18) by scavenging and are known to be opportunistic and destructive (Song 2:15). The simile implies that Judah is a society in ruins. It is morally desolate but these prophets thrive and capitalise on the chaos, exploiting the people’s vulnerability. They further undermine the ruins rather than try to build them up.

(5) Directly addressing the false prophets YHWH accuses them of failure to repair breaches in the wall (KJV ‘hedge’). The word gāḏēr refers to a protective wall, e.g. around a vineyard (Psa 80:12; Isa 5:5), or a city wall (Ezra 9:9; Mic &:11). Rather than rising to their responsibility for the defence of the people (e.g. by warnings, intercession, teaching) the false prophets contribute to their decline. Therefore the people will be defenceless in the Day of YHWH (Ezek 30:3, cf. 7:19) when his anger will come upon them (Ezek 5:13; 7:8; 9:8; 13:13; 16:42; 20:21, 34; 21:31; 20:20, 22, 31; 36:6; 38:19; 43:8).

(6-7) Vain visions and lying divination.

Verses 6 and 7 say much the same thing. Both highlight the deceitful arrogance of the false prophets who fabricate visions and use means of divination that YHWH has not authorised.

As well as seeing vain (empty, deceitful, false) visions they make lying divinations (predictions made by reading omens or by various rituals), practices forbidden in Deut 18:9-14. In Israelite religion the only sacred objects authorised for discerning God’s will in specific circumstances were the Urim and Thummim (Ex 28:30; Lev 8:8; Num 27:21; Deut 33:8; 1 Sam 28:6; Ezra 2:63; Neh 7:65).

Even worse is the false prophets’ habit of ascribing their lies to YHWH, hoping that this public declaration of authority would somehow obligate YHWH to fulfil their prophecies. V.6 ‘the Lord hath not sent them’ and v.7 ‘albeit I have not spoken’ emphasise that what they said did not have divine authorisation. Thus their predictions were not only false and deceitful but also blasphemous.

(8-9) Forecast of judgment upon the false prophets.

The word ‘therefore’ introduces details of the punishment due to the false prophets and a summary of the reasons why they deserve it – which is because they ‘have spoken vanity and seen lies.’ The prophets are informed that YHWH has had enough of their lies. He is already ‘against’ them and his hand will be raised up against (KJV ‘upon’) them. (’el – against – see 2, 8, 9, 17, 20). In Ezekiel YHWH’s outstretched hand is an indicator of punishment and judgment (6:14; 14:9,13; 16:27; 20:33,34; 25:7,13,16; 35:3). Their punishment will be three-fold:

1. They will lose membership of the assembly of YHWH’s people.

‘Assembly’ or ‘council’ (sôḏ) is an association of people who are closely connected, who have something in common (Gen 49:6; Job 19:19; Psa 64:3; 111:1; Jer 6:11; 15:17). This punishment has been interpreted as signifying a loss of leadership, honour or status in the community.

It has also been suggested that it may refer to exclusion from the select group who are confidants of YHWH (Psa 89:8; Jer 23:18,22); which would include true prophets (Amos 3:7). The meaning is probably even stronger: they would no longer be regarded as members of God’s earthly people – the community of faith.

2. They will not be listed in the register of the house of Israel.

These false prophets would not be listed in the genealogical register (keṯāb, writing) of Israelites. The existence and importance of this list for those returning from exile is clear from Ezra chapter 2 and Nehemiah chapter 7. For the false prophets exclusion would mean a loss of citizen rights. Notice that Jeremiah pronounced a similar punishment upon Shemaiah the Nehelamite (Jer 29:31-32).

Some commentators contend that this register is YHWH’s book (Ex 32:33; Psa 69:28; 87:6; 139:16; Dan 12:1). The Old Testament, however, is fairly vague about what is recorded in that book, whereas this document mentioned in Ezekiel 13:9 is specifically said to be the ‘register of the house of Israel.’ It seems more sensible to interpret it literally as a secular civil census list.

3. They will not be able to enter the land of Israel.

This flows logically from the previous two. Excision from the register would lead to serious consequences for the false prophets and their descendants; probably with respect to claims to ancestral land or the purchase of property.

The same word keṯāb meaning ‘register’ occurs in Ezra 2:62 and Neh 7:64. These twin passages illustrate the problems that exclusion from the register, in this case the record of priestly genealogies, could bring:

Another group returned at this time from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel. This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda— a total of 652 people. Three families of priests — Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai — also returned. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.) They searched for their names in the genealogical records, but they were not found, so they were disqualified from serving as priests. Ezra 2:59-62 NLT

This first forecast of judgment upon the male false prophets ends with the divine recognition formula ‘ye shall know that I am the Lord God.’

(10-14) A second forecast of judgment.

Verse 10 begins with a doubling of ya‘an (‘on account of’ or because’) which the KJV translates here as ‘because, even because’; meaning ‘for the very good reason.’ This phrase ya’an ub’ ya’an also occurs in Lev 26:43 and Ezek 36:3.

Punishment is due because they have misled (caused to go astray) the people saying ‘peace’ when there is no peace. Rather than warning them about the consequences of their sinful behaviour, the false prophets give an assurance of safety that is not rooted in reality. They intentionally lull the people into a false sense of security.

The image of a wall, used earlier in v.5 to represent the spiritual and moral state of the people of Judah, is taken up again in v.10. The word for ‘wall’ (ḥayiṣ) in v.10 is a hapax legomenon (a word that only occurs once) in the Old Testament and means a dry wall or party wall; an unimproved flimsy or crumbling wall built of mud-brick or loose stones and liable to collapse under stress. A different word (qiyrāh) is used for ‘wall’ in vv.12-15. The ‘wall’ in v.10 is not literal but metaphorical.

It is said to have been daubed or smeared with untempered mortar. The word tāp̱ēl translated ‘untempered’ (KJV) is an adjective meaning ‘unseasoned’ or ‘tasteless.’ The thought is that of lacking an essential ingredient; here the mortar is just mud to which a binding agent such as straw has not been added. It covers the wall but does not strengthen it. To emphasise that the product is insubstantial modern translations tend to replace the KJV translation’s ‘untempered [mortar]’ with ”whitewash.’ This conveys the thought of deceit and hypocrisy on the part of the false prophets.

(11-14) These verses continue with the figure of a whitewashed wall and the effect bad weather has on it. Flooding rain, great hailstones and stormy winds will cause it to fall. The futility of the false prophets’ assurances will be exposed and they will be held accountable. When judgement comes and the wall collapses people will ask (v.12) ‘Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?’

Greenberg (1983, p.238) comments: ‘As said expressly in 22:8, “they” who daubed the wall were the prophets: the people built the dry wall – a figure of their unfounded optimism, while the prophets daubed it with worthless stuff – their self-inspired predictions of well-being.’

V.13 clarifies that the destructive forces represent YHWH’s anger against sin as well as the lies of the false prophets. His fury will be so intense that the prophets will not survive (vv.15b-16).

Scholars suggest that in v.14 the image of the wall changes. The wall which YHWH will break down is said to refer now to Jerusalem and the fall of the city. To quote Greenberg (1983, p.238) again, he says of the phrase leveling it to the ground in v.14:

‘The language of this clause is more appropriate to massive demolition than to the fall of a mere wall; it facilitates the intrusion, in the next clause, of the reference to Jerusalem. When it (fem.) falls and you perish within it (fem.).’

In other words proof for the assertion that in v.14 Ezekiel is thinking of the impending fall of Jerusalem is that the word ‘wall’ is masculine whereas ‘it shall fall’ and ‘in the midst thereof’ are feminine; therefore the reference cannot be to the metaphorical wall but to the city of Jerusalem.

This second forecast of judgment upon the male false prophets also ends with the divine recognition formula ‘and ye shall know that I am the Lord God’ (vv. 9, 14, 21, 23)

(15) YHWH asserts that he will accomplish his wrath upon the wall (the false assurances) and upon those that have smeared it with ‘whitewash’ (the false prophets).

(16) This verse summarises vv.10-15: the main lie of the false prophets is that they promise peace when there is no peace.

SUMMATION

This woe oracle denounces Israelite false prophets for failing to address the nation’s sin and instead spreading lies and details of false visions, claiming divine authority which they do not possess. They offer the people false hope by declaring ‘peace’ when there is no peace. The passage highlights God’s anger against deceit and spiritual negligence.

Posted in General

Understanding Jesus Through John’s Question: A Christmas Reflection

Posted on by writtenexposition

Reading Matthew 11:1-6; Luke 7:24-35

INTRODUCTION

As the coming of Jesus Christ into the world is celebrated this Christmas season let us briefly reflect upon a profound question asked by John the Baptist: ‘Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?’ This question, recorded in Matthew chapter 11 and Luke chapter 7, provides a powerful lens through which we can examine our own expectations of Jesus Christ.

JOHN’S DILEMMA

John the Baptist was perplexed. In prison because of his bold stand for biblical truth, news had filtered through to him about the ministry of Jesus. However, what he heard about Jesus’ activities did not quite align with his expectations of the Messiah. Like most Jews at the time John may have expected that the Messiah would come as a conquering king; a great military and political leader who would oust the occupying forces of the Roman Empire. Instead, Jesus was busy teaching, associating with and showing compassion to the marginalised in society and healing the sick. Although John was familiar with the many Old Testament messianic prophecies, and had previously identified Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29), he was confused by the reports about Jesus.

Some think that John’s faith was weak; that he was doubting and needed reassurance. Others suggest that John was prompting Jesus to hurry up and reveal himself as the conquering Messiah. Whatever his motivation, John sent two of his own disciples to Jesus to ask the question: ‘Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?’

CONTEMPORARY EXPECTATIONS

It is easy to become confused and distracted by the commercialisation, materialism and the festivities of this Christmas season but let us take the time to ask: ‘What are my expectations of the One who came?’ What does the coming of Christ mean to me today? The question ‘art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?’ is still relevant. ‘Am I trusting the Saviour, or looking for something else?’

JESUS’ RESPONSE

Jesus did not condemn John the Baptist for his question but gave a compassionate answer: “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen — the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” Matthew 11:4-5 (NLT)

Notice:

Indirect Confirmation: Rather than directly claiming to be the Messiah, Jesus allowed his works to speak for themselves. He demonstrated his identity by doing things that only God can do. He performed miraculous deeds: healing the blind, lame, lepers and deaf and raising the dead. This approach encouraged John and others to draw their own conclusions based on the evidence of Jesus’ ministry.

Fulfilment of Scripture: Jesus’ response alluded to Old Testament prophecies, particularly Isaiah 35:5-6 and 61:1-2, showing how his life and ministry fulfilled these predictions. (It has been estimated that there are more than 300 messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. Josh McDowell in chapter 9 of his book ‘Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Vol 1’ lists 61 of them. This book can be read online at The Internet Archive’s Open Library).

Emphasis on mercy: Christ’s coming has brought healing, restoration, and hope to a broken world.

Invitation to faith: Jesus concluded his response with ‘and blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me’ (Mt 11:6); thus encouraging John and others to trust in him despite doubts or unmet expectations. True faith requires the setting aside of preconceptions.

This Christmas let us not be distracted by the ‘noise’ of the season but focus on Christ and the true meaning of his coming:

  • He came to heal the broken.
  • He came to bring help to the hopeless.
  • He came to give salvation to all who believe.

Like John the Baptist, have we rechecked and been reassured? Has Christ’s coming transformed our lives, or are we still ‘looking for another’?

Posted in Exposition

Contending for the Faith: Lessons from Jude 17-25

Posted on by writtenexposition

EXHORTATION (17-23)

In this section vv. 17-23 Jude issues a series of exhortations to his readers. They are, in fact, positive commands. The three main ones are: remember, keep and show mercy.

REMEMBER

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

(17) Jude switches his focus from the false teachers who have wormed their way into the church to his readers who are genuine Christians. He says: ‘But [you] beloved.’ Both the ‘but’ and the ‘you’ are highly significant. With these words Jude draws a contrast between the earlier ‘these’ (referring to the intruders) and the ‘you’ (referring to the recipients of Jude’s’ letter). The latter are not just casual acquaintances – they are the ‘beloved’ – dear to Jude because they too have received the Lord Jesus Christ. He does not want them to be confused, dismayed or influenced by the teaching and behaviour of the intruders but instead recall the predictions by the apostles that such people would infiltrate the church.

The apostolic predictions are called ‘utterances,’ i.e. words spoken with a voice, therefore meaning: statement, teaching or message.

‘Before’ – to declare before, foretell, speak beforehand. This could mean either words spoken previously or words spoken openly and plainly. The Christians are to recall not only the words themselves but they are also to remember who spoke them. They are to look to the apostles, not to the apostates. They are to look to the men who delivered the faith, not to ones who have ditched it.

‘the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ’ – ‘apostles’ is probably used here in the narrower sense of the eleven disciples of Jesus (Acts 1:2) plus the apostle Paul (Rom 11:13) but could also mean ‘apostle’ in the more general sense of messenger/missionary (Rom 16:17; 2 Cor 8:23; Phil 2:25). ‘Of the Lord Jesus Christ’ emphasises the authority of their message.

‘How that they told you’ – Jude does not claim to be an apostle (in the more general sense) but since he says ‘they told you’ rather than ‘they told us’ that leaves open the possibility that Christians he addresses regard him as such.

‘the last time’ – an indefinite period that probably refers to the whole Christian era.

Someone has said that an apostate is a person who first of all receives the faith, then rejects the faith, ridicules the faith and tries to replace the faith. What did the apostles say about the presence of apostates in the church?

PAUL

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Acts 20:29-30

For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 1 Corinthians 11:19

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. 2 Timothy 3:1-9

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

JOHN

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 1 John 2:18-19

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 2 John 1:7

PETER

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 2 Peter 3:3

(18-19) Jude then refers to the mockery, the morals and marks of apostates who will arise during the ‘last time. ‘

The mockery of the apostates.

These men are characterised by mocking. The word ‘mockers’ occurs also in 2 Pet 3:3 where the KJV translates it as ‘scoffers.’ People like this jeer and sneer at the deity of Christ. They have no respect for Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary. They belittle the Bible and those who believe what it says. They rebel against and reject the truth.

The morals of the apostates.

They ‘walk after (follow) their ungodly lusts (desires).’ Lit. ‘walking after their own desires of ungodlinesses (plural).’ People like this have no interest in holiness or upright living. They are only interested in satisfying their own wicked cravings. They happily promote and flaunt sinful activities with no regard for the consequences. Thus the lifestyle of the false teachers was one of immorality. Jude has already alluded to this in v.4 ‘turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,’ v.8 ‘likewise these dreamers defile the flesh,’ v.10 ‘they corrupt themselves,’ v.13 ‘foaming out their own shame’ and v.16 ‘walking after their own lusts.’

The marks of the apostates.

Jude identifies three marks of the apostates:

  • They separate themselves. The idea here is that as separatists they cause division among the Christians. They create splits in the church. The apostle Paul warned the elders in Ephesus that apostates would ‘draw away disciples’ after themselves (Acts 20:30). It could be said also that by departing from the faith ‘once delivered unto the saints’ (Jude 3) apostates separate themselves from biblical Christianity. There is, of course, biblical separation in a good sense (2 Cor 6:17), but that is not what is in view here.
  • They are sensual i.e. soulish or natural. They live life subject to appetites and passions.
  • They do not have the Spirit. They are not saved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:9-11; 1 Jn 4:13).

KEEP

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

(20-21) ‘But you’ – like v.17 these are the recipients of Jude’s letter in contrast to the apostates he has just described. Now, for the third and last time, Jude addresses the recipients as ‘beloved.’ This he does in vv. 3, 17, and 20; in every case following it with an exhortation (contend, remember, build up). So that they might avoid apostasy themselves Jude exhorts them regarding their living (v.20), their loving (v21a) and their looking (v.21b).

These verses contain a main command ‘keep yourselves’ but there are four key ideas worth noticing: Building, Praying, Keeping, Looking.

BUILDING – ‘building up yourselves’ – epoikodoméō – to build up, build upon, viz. to complete the structure of which the foundation has already been laid. This word for ‘build’ is used in the passage about building in view of the day of judgement in 1 Cor 3:10-15 (cf. Mt 7:24; Col 2:7). The believers are to assume personal responsibility to keep building themselves up on their most holy faith. ‘Faith’ here is objective not subjective; it is not personal but the apostolic teaching (see also v.3) – the body of Christian doctrine contained in the Bible.

PRAYING – ‘praying in the Holy Ghost’ In contrast to the apostates who are ‘devoid of the Spirit’ the believers have the indwelling Holy Spirit . They can build themselves up in the faith by praying and are privileged to have the help of the Holy Spirit in performing this duty.

The preposition en can mean ‘by’ as well as ‘in;’ the following are two interesting passages where en signifies ‘by’ (bold letters mine):

But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. Matthew 5:34-36

By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God…. 2 Corinthians 6:6-7

Jude urges the believers to cultivate the ongoing habit of praying with the assistance and guidance of the Holy Ghost (Rom 8:26; Eph 6:18).

KEEPING – ‘keep yourselves in the love of God’ – Some view ‘the love of God’ as objective (i.e. ‘keep yourselves in your love for God’) others as subjective (i.e. ‘keep yourselves in God’s love for you’). JND Kelly (1969, p. 287) suspects that “the genitive may be… a ‘comprehensive’ one, including both.”

‘Keep’ (tēréō) means to attend to carefully, preserve, take care of, guard. Jude is exhorting these Christians to keep themselves safe in the love of God. In Jude’s epistle the word tēréō occurs in v.1, twice in v.6, in v.13 and here in v. 21.

LOOKING – The fourth duty that Jude urges upon the believers is that of ‘looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.’

‘looking for’ (prosdéchomai) has the meanings: – to receive to one’s self, to admit, welcome, to accept (not reject) a thing offered, to expect, look for, wait for. The apostle Paul, writing to Titus, used the same word ‘looking for’ (prosdéchomai) about the Second Coming: ‘Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.’ Titus 2:13

‘mercy’ is compassion, clemency, active pity and in the Bible often refers to God’s gracious disposition to help us in our distresses. Here it most likely refers to the Second Coming of Christ/Day of Judgement; a time to look forward to with vigilance and patience; a time when all sin, sorrow and temptations will be removed.

The mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ leads to, or results in, eternal life, which is the blessed state of the saved in heaven (Jn 3:15). It is eternal because it will be enjoyed forever without interruption or intermission. It is the mercy ‘of our Lord Jesus Christ’ because he will be the judge on that day: ‘Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.’ 2 Timothy 4:8

SHOW MERCY


22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

(22-23) Jude quite abruptly turns from exhorting the recipients of his letter regarding their attitude towards false teachers to advising how they ought to respond to believers who have fallen under their sway.

There are some uncertainties and complications involving textual variations in the manuscripts (for an explanation see JND Kelly (1969. p. 288). The result is two rival texts; one with two clauses and one with three clauses. The New International Version, for example, supports the three-clause reading. This view that the passage speaks of three types of individual fits well with Jude’s fondness for groups of three.

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Jude 1:22-23 NIV

Vinson, Wilson and Mills (2010, pp. 395-396) give the following explanation: ‘If we are to understand three groups, Jude’s advice becomes progressively more drastic: (1) those who have not made up their minds—they must be convinced by argument; (2) those who are already involved with the false teachers—spare no effort in trying to rescue these (save others by snatching them out of the fire, v. 23); (3) those who have strayed so far they are only to be pitied—these must be feared by the faithful so as to avoid contamination.’

The two-clause reading sees two groups of delinquents in these verses: ‘some’ and ‘others’.

SOME

People in this first category are to be dealt with compassionately (shown mercy). This involves gently showing them the error of their ways and convincing them of their sin. This is similar to restoring a brother overtaken in a fault ‘in the spirit of meekness’ (Gal 6:1). The apostle Paul gave Timothy similar advice: ‘In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;’ 2 Timothy 2:25

‘Making a difference’ – diakrínō can mean to separate, make a distinction, discriminate, to be at variance with one’s self, take issue with one’s self, hesitate, doubt, waver. In v.22 therefore the NIV (‘those who doubt’) takes takes the meaning as contending with oneself, therefore hesitating or wavering.

Such people are hesitant about straying from the truth and might possibly be convinced by argument. There is also a suggestion in the word, however, that Jude’s recipients are to be discriminating with regard to offenders. They must be able to discern between them; realising which ones need to be treated gently and which more severely.

OTHERS

‘And (or ‘but’) others’ – ‘Others’ refers to a second group of people who are not like the ‘some’ in v.22 who have not made up their minds. The ‘others’ are already involved with the false teachers and are more obstinate. They have knowingly fallen into sin and therefore require a tougher approach. However, they to are to be shown mercy, but ‘with fear’.

These others are to be saved ‘with fear, pulling them out of the fire’. Usually saving is attributed to God (1 Tim 4:10) or Jesus Christ (Mt 1:21; Lk 2:11; Acts 4:12) but sometimes, in the sense of deliver, preserve from harm, it is attributed to human beings (1 Cor 7:16; 1 Tim 4:16; Jam 5:20). The apostle Paul said in 1 Cor 9:22: ‘I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.’ Jude is telling the believers that they can be instrumental in saving others from spiritual enemies and they are to do this ‘with fear.’

‘With fear’ is usually taken to indicate with caution and watchfulness lest the believer be infected (fall into the same sin) as the offenders. They must be careful not to get burned while ‘pulling them out of the fire.’ ‘Pull’ (harpázō) is a strong word with connotations of violence. It means ‘to yank back with force’, seize, snatch away, rob. It is the word translated ‘caught up’ 1 Thess 4:17 and ‘take by force’ in Mt 11:12. An alternative interpretation of ‘save with fear’ is that it means a firm approach to those who have already followed the false teachers. They are to be terrified by strong reproof (Isa 58:1) and made afraid to continue in their sin. This would involve concern for sinning believers resulting in reproof (Heb 12:15) and the exercise of church discipline if necessary.

‘Snatching out of the fire’ conveys ideas such as pity, speed, carefulness, danger and full concentration. Although the expression is used in Amos 4:11 it seems that Jude is drawing his imagery from Zechariah 3:1-5. He has already used the expression ‘the Lord rebuke thee’ (Jude 9; Zech 3:2) and now mentions ‘pulling out of the fire’ (Jude 23; Zech 3:2) and dirty garment[s] (Jude 23; Zech 3:3-4).

‘hating even the garment spotted by the flesh’ – the idea of stained clothing conveys the thought that these people are morally evil. The soiled chitṓn (an inner garment worn next to the skin) suggests that they are in a permanent state of defilement and that it would better not to associate with them. To do so would put one at risk of being ensnared in the same sin as the offenders, something a true believer would wish to avoid (2 Tim 2:21; James 1:27)

DOXOLOGY (24-25)

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Jude does not close his letter with greetings to individual believers but instead ends with a doxology – an expression of praise to the Lord. The praiseworthy characteristics Jude identifies are the ability and the unity of God our Saviour.

HIS ABILITY

Jude began by telling the believers that they are ‘preserved in Jesus Christ’ (v.1) and now ends with a similar assurance: he ‘is able to keep you from falling.’

‘he is able’ (dúnamai) – to have power

‘keep’ (phulássō) – to guard, keep safely, preserve

‘from falling’ – (aptaístous) – only used here – means ‘without stumbling’, therefore ‘blameless’

‘present’ (hístēmi) – to place, cause to stand

‘faultless’ (ámōmos) – without blemish, spotless

Jude tells his readers that God is able to preserve them from falling into moral failure, spiritual ruin or apostasy. He assures them that God’s grace empowers believers to remain steadfast despite the influence of the false teachers mentioned earlier in the letter. Not only that but in a future day (1 Jn 3:2) the Lord will place them in his glorious presence – a) negatively -‘faultless’ and b) positively – ‘with exuberant joy.’

Here are some things that the New Testament tells us about God’s ability -‘he is able.’

His saving ability – Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25

His surprising ability – Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Ephesians 3:20

His sympathising ability – For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. Hebrews 2:18

His satisfying ability – And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 2 Corinthians 9:8

His securing ability – For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 2 Timothy 1:12

His subduing ability – Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Philippians 3:21

His sustaining ability – Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude 24

HIS UNITY

In a pluralistic and polytheistic world where many gods were worshipped and where even the Roman emperor was titled ‘god and saviour’ Jude assures them that there is only one God; he is not only their judge (v.21) but their saviour.

Finally Jude elaborates on attributes of God that describe his greatness and mentions:

  • Glory – refers to his inherent splendour and worth.
  • Majesty – denotes his supreme greatness and magnificence.
  • Dominion – emphasises his rule and kingship. It is translated strength in Lk 1:51. He has the power to do whatever he wills.
  • Power – his control or authority. He is sovereign and has the liberty to do whatever he wills.

The duration of this praise is said to be now and forever and then the doxology ends with a word of affirmation. ‘Amen’ means ‘so be it,’ expressing agreement and confidence in God’s eternal attributes and abilities.

We too should recognise God’s wisdom, glory and majesty, dominion and power, and be thankful for his grace to us in salvation, in preservation and in our future presentation.

SUMMATION

This short but powerful epistle warns believers against false teachers who have infiltrated the church and urges them to contend for the faith. Jude lists some examples of God’s historical judgment upon people who have rebelled against him in the past and assures the believers that the intruders will likewise be judged. Jude encourages his readers to build themselves up on their most holy faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep themselves in God’s love and wait for the mercy of Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. He advises them how to treat people who have come under the sway of the false teachers and closes his letter with a doxology that declares God’s greatness and his ability to preserve believers and present them blameless in his presence.

The Epistle Of Jude – Verses 1 and 2 – Introduction

Jude 3-11: Historical Judgments

Unmasking False Teachers in Jude 12-16: Key Metaphors Explained

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

Barker, M. (2005). The Lost Prophet: the Book of Enoch and its Influence on Christianity. Sheffield Phoenix Press

Bauckham, R. (2015). Jude and the Relatives of Jesus in the Early Church. Bloomsbury Publishing

Charles, R. H. (2013). Book of Enoch. SPCK Publishing, London

‌Chester, A. and Martin, R. P. (1994). New Testament Theology: the Theology of James, Peter, and Jude. Cambridge University Press 

Currie, B, (2023). Meditations on the Single-Chapter Books of the Bible (Obadiah, Philemon, 2John, 3John, Jude). Assembly Testimony, Northern Ireland 

Davids, P. H. and Kostenberger, A.J. (2014). A Theology of James, Peter, and Jude: Living in the Light of the Coming King.  Zondervan, Grand Rapids 

Garrett, E. S. (2020). Jude: A Verse-By-Verse Commentary. Superior Word

Green, G. (2008). Jude and 2 Peter (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Baker Academic 

Green, M. (1987). The Second Epistle of Peter, and the Epistle of Jude: an Introduction and Commentary. Inter-Varsity Press, Leicester, England

Heiser, M. (2020). A Companion to the Book of Enoch: A Reader’s Commentary, Vol I: The Book of the Watchers (1 Enoch 1-36). Defender Publishing, Crane, Missouri

Jenkyn, W. (1865). An Exposition upon the Epistle of Jude Delivered in Christ Church. James Nichol, Edinburgh 

Knight, J. (1995).  2 Peter and Jude: 18 (New Testament Guides), Sheffield Academic Press 

Landon, C. (1996). A Text-Critical Study of the Epistle of Jude. Sheffield Academic Press.

Norman, J. (1982). A Commentary on the Epistles of Peter and Jude.  Adam & Charles Black, London 

Reed, Y. A. (2010). Fallen Angels and the History of Judaism and Christianity : the Reception of Enochic Literature. Cambridge Univ. Press.

Samra, J. G. (2016). James, 1 & 2 Peter, and Jude. Baker Books, Grand Rapids, Michigan 

Schreiner, T. R. (2003). 1, 2 Peter, Jude. Broadman & Holman, Nashville, Tenn. 

‌Vinson, R. B., Wilson, R. F. and Mills, W. E. (2010). 1 & 2 Peter; Jude.  Smyth & Helwys Pub, Macon, Ga 

Walker, D. H. (2013). The General Epistles of John & Jude (The Learners Greek New Testament Series). David Harris Walker Pub. 

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Bartholomä, P. F. (2008) “Did Jesus Save the People out of Egypt? A Re-Examination of a Textual Problem in Jude 5.” Novum Testamentum, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 143–58. 

Eybers, I. H. (1975). “Aspects of the Background of the Letter of Jude.” Neotestamentica, vol. 9, pp. 113–23.

 Grace II, W. M. and Williams, J. (2015) “Jude.” Southwestern Journal of Theology, Vol. 58, No.1, pp.1-156

Jacobus, M. W. (1896). “The Letters of Peter and Jude.” The Biblical World, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 280–89.  

Joubert, S. J. (1990). “Language, Ideology and the Social Context of the Letter of Jude.” Neotestamentica, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 335–49. 

Lockett, D. (2015). “Objects of Mercy in Jude: The Prophetic Background of Jude 22-23.” CBQ, vol. 77, no. 2, pp. 322–36 

Mathews, M. D. (2010). “The Literary Relationship of 2 Peter and Jude: Does the Synoptic Tradition Resolve this Synoptic Problem?” Neotestamentica, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 47–66. 

Mayor, J. B. (1905). “The Epistle of St. Jude and the Marcosian Heresy.” The Journal of Theological Studies, vol. 6, no. 24, pp. 569–77. 

Robinson, A., Llewelyn, S. and Wassell, B. (2018). “Showing Mercy to the Ungodly and the Inversion of Invective in Jude.” New Testament Studies, 64(2), pp.194–212.

DIGITAL 

Letter of Jude Word List https://vocab.perseus.org/word-list/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0031.tlg026.perseus-grc2/?o=-1&page=all 

Posted in Exposition

Unmasking False Teachers in Jude 12-16: Key Metaphors Explained

Posted on by writtenexposition

COMMENTS ON JUDE CONTINUED

DESCRIPTION (12-16)

In this section (vv.12-16) Jude describes the ‘certain men crept in unawares’ of v.4. Twice in this section (vv.12 and 16) he refers to them, rather disparagingly, as ‘these.’ Notice that Jude uses this pronoun ‘these’ (hoútos) for the intruders five times in his letter:

  • v.8 these filthy dreamers
  • v.10 these speak evil
  • v.12 these are spots
  • v.16 these are murmurers
  • v.19 these be they who separate

METAPHORS FOR DANGEROUS MEN

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

(12-13) In these two verses Jude employs six vivid metaphors to describe the intruders. Two metaphors are nautical, two astronomical and two agricultural:

  1. Nautical – hidden reefs
  2. Agricultural – selfish shepherds
  3. Astronomical – empty clouds
  4. Agricultural – fruitless trees
  5. Nautical – raging waves
  6. Astronomical – wandering stars

HIDDEN REEFS

Spilás means ‘rock’ This can mean a rock in the sea on which a vessel is shipwrecked. The ESV translates the plural here as ‘hidden reefs’ and NET, NLT and CSB as ‘dangerous reefs.’  Therefore the metaphor means that the false teachers cause Christian believers to shipwreck.

If the reference is to rocks in general then similarly the idea is that they cause people to stumble and fall.

Other translations (e.g. KJV, NIV) read the Greek text as spilṓ, meaning ‘spot’ or ‘stain.’ NIV says’ ‘blemishes.’ This idea of the pollution caused by sin would tie in well with ‘defile the flesh’ in v.8 and ‘the garment spotted by the flesh’ in v.23. If indeed Jude has the priority (i.e. was written first) and was used by Peter, it is interesting that this is how Peter interpreted the word. 2 Pet 2:13 says: ‘spots they are and blemishes.

Nevertheless, I accept the nautical reference – dangerous reefs that can cause shipwreck –  making the assumption that Jude is not talking about specks of dirt but spots of danger. To the unsuspecting person everything seems fine but below the surface these rocks will cause shipwreck.

SELFISH SHEPHERDS

This metaphor is not immediately obvious from the Authorised Version (KJV) translation but ‘feeding themselves’ (poimaínō) is literally ‘pasturing themselves’, ‘shepherding themselves,’ ‘serving themselves.’ Darby translates as ‘pasturing themselves,’ NIV as ‘shepherds who feed only themselves.’

They feed themselves brazenly, with no qualms; thinking only of themselves while taking advantage of the generosity of unsuspecting believers. NLT calls them ‘shameless shepherds.’ They gorge themselves at the ‘love-feasts.’

In the early church the Christians often gathered as equals for a communal meal known as a ‘love-feast’ (cf. Acts 2:46) which was connected with the Lord’s Supper (Communion, the Eucharist). Note that the Apostle Paul addressed similar abuses at love-feasts in the church at Corinth (1 Cor 11:20-22).

‘Feeding themselves’ (KJV) brings to mind the passage in Ezekiel 34:2-10 about the false shepherds of Israel:

2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. Ezekiel 34:2, 8,10 (see also 34:18)

EMPTY CLOUDS

Jude compares the false teachers to clouds that do not produce rain and are driven by the winds. They are useless, promising a lot but delivering nothing. They do not bring satisfaction or refreshment (cf. Prov 25:14). ‘Winds’ are sometimes associated with false doctrine (Eph 4:14; Heb 13:9). These men can change their teaching on a whim, they are unstable.

FRUITLESS TREES

The intruders are like late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted (they have no source of life). KJV says ‘trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit’ which sounds strange but the Greek word translated ‘withereth,’ found only here in the New Testament, is phthinopōrinós. This is made up of phthínō, to decay, fail, wither, and opṓra, autumn – i.e. trees such as they are at in late autumn, dry, with no leaves;’ therefore Jude adds ‘without fruit.’ He says that they are twice dead (they have no fruit and they are uprooted) to emphasise the fact that the false teachers are totally useless; they are unproductive (cp. Mt. 7:15-20).

RAGING WAVES

These dreamers (v.8) are like turbulent waters; ‘raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame.’ ‘Raging’ is ágrios; belonging to the field, wild, untamed. This metaphor suggests that they were either wild in the sense of uncontrollable or wild in the sense of cruel or savage. Probably both were true of these men. ‘Foaming out’ (epaphrízō, to pour out like foam) occurs only here in the New Testament. ‘Shame’ is plural and may therefore mean shameless deeds or acts. Perhaps Jude had Isa 57:20 in mind: ‘But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.’

WANDERING STARS

‘Star’ is astḗr and ‘wandering’ is planḗtes, in which we see our English word planet. The intruders are like comets whose flight-paths appear quite random. For them the gloom of darkness has been reserved for eternity. Their eternal destiny will be deep darkness.

ENOCHS’S PROPHECY

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

(14-15) At this point Jude offers supporting evidence from prophecy of God’s judgment upon the wicked by referring to a second apocryphal account. The first account he introduced with ‘Yet Michael’ (v.9), this one begins with ‘And Enoch'(v.14). He identifies his source as a prophecy attributed to Enoch and gives a direct quotation from 1 Enoch 1:9.

In order to suit his purpose, which is to show that the punishment of the intruders when ‘He cometh’ has been authoritatively predicted centuries before, Jude slightly modifies the quotation. He changes the ‘He cometh’ of the original document to ‘the Lord cometh’ and thus applies Enoch’s prophecy about a theophany by ‘the Holy Great One… the eternal God’ (possibly a reference to the Flood, Gen 7-8) to a prophecy of the coming again of Jesus Christ.

Jude views that prophecy as authoritative, not because it was given in the distant past, but because Enoch was the seventh from Adam; the number seven being highly significant to the Jews who considered it a symbol of completeness or perfection. The generations listed in Gen 5:3-21 are in the order: Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch (as also Lk 3:37-38, working backwards).

Muriás means myriad or 10,000 but is sometimes used to express an unlimited number (Lk 12:1; Acts 21:20; Heb 12:22; Rev 5:11). For references to the Lord accompanied by angels see Deut 33:2; Dan 7:10; Zech 14:5; Mt 13:41; 25:31; Mk 8:38; 13:27; 1 Thess 3:13; 2 Thess 1:7).

‘Prophesied of these’ – Jude views Enoch’s ancient prophecy (about the Flood?) as relating to circumstances in Jude’s own day and asserts that the prediction of judgment has been fulfilled in the ‘certain men’ who have intruded into the early church. Jude may have taken this idea from 1 En 1:2-3 which specifically states that the prophecy is not for Enoch’s own day but relates to a future time: ‘I understood as I saw, but not for this generation, but for a remote one which is for to come.’

‘To execute judgment upon all’ Jude is not referring here to the universality of judgment (i.e. judgment upon all [people], including believers) but this is clearly a judgment upon all the ungodly who will be found guilty and punished. There is no suggestion of redemption in this verse for they are all described as godless. Jude repeats the word ‘ungodly’ in various forms (adjective, noun, verb) to emphasize that this is their outstanding characteristic. Their speech in particular is blasphemous, they have spoken ‘harsh words’ against the Lord.

(16) The thought of what the wicked say leads Jude to return to the subject of the dreamers of v.8 and describe them as ‘murmurers’ and ‘complainers.’ They are discontented and complain against God yet they live their lives according to their own appetites or desires (cf. vv. 11,18). They speak ‘great swelling words’ – oversized, swollen, boastful – i.e. they are bombastic men with great presentation skills. They will happily flatter people, pretending to be best friends but using them for their own gain.

The Epistle Of Jude – Verses 1 and 2 – Introduction

Jude 3-11: Historical Judgments

Contending for the Faith: Lessons from Jude 17-25

Posted in Exposition

Jude 3-11: Historical Judgments

Posted on by writtenexposition

COMMENTS ON JUDE CONTINUED

PURPOSE (3-4)

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Moving on from the initial greeting and description of the recipients in vv.1-2 Jude, in vv. 3-4, shifts to his purpose and the circumstances that have occasioned his writing. These two verses lay a foundation for the rest of the letter by introducing the threat from false teachings and the urgent need for believers to defend the true faith.

(3) Jude addresses the recipients as ‘beloved.’ He does this three times (3, 17, 20), in every case following it with an exhortation (contend, remember, build up). ‘Beloved’ (agapētós), meaning ‘worthy of love’ or ‘dear,’ expresses Jude’s deep affection for his readers.

There are two main, and opposing, views on what comes next. The first is that he changed his topic, the second that there is no indication of a change. Proponents of the first think that Jude originally intended to send a letter about ‘the common salvation’ but, sensing the pressing danger posed by false teachers, feels compelled to write urging the believers to ‘contend for the faith.’ Others see little difference between ‘the common salvation’ and ‘the faith which was once delivered’ and reckon that Jude is just saying that he did intend to write to them but has now written earlier because of the emergency of the situation.

‘The common salvation’ is that shared here and now by all Christians regardless of background (Jude may have had Jew and Gentile in mind).

Jude feels compelled (‘I have found it necessary’) to shift his focus from a discussion of ‘the common salvation’ to an exhortation for believers to ‘earnestly contend for the faith’ i.e. actively defend the faith. ‘Earnestly contend’ translates one very strong word in Greek (epagōnízomai – to fight [for], strive), which occurs only here in the New Testament. It refers not to warfare but to athletics, e.g. a wrestling match which requires strenuous activity and training. I am not sure whether the contending refers to a believer’s individual personal struggle or to collective concerted action by a group of Christians.

‘The faith’ does not refer to personal response to the gospel but to the body of faith i.e. essential Christian doctrine (cf. 1 Tim 3:16). Jude says that this was ‘once (hápax) delivered (handed down, transmitted).’ Hápax here means ‘once for all;’ therefore the doctrine is definitive and immutable. As it is fixed it cannot be changed to suit personal preferences; further additions or alterations are not permissible (Rev 22:18-19).

‘Saints’ – holy ones – is a term for Christian believers (1 Pet 1:15-16).

(4) Why is this call to defend the truths of the gospel necessary? Verse 3, which begins with ‘for,’ gives the reason.  It is because ‘certain men’ have infiltrated the church, subtly introducing false teachings. Jude does not name them but obviously has particular persons in view. They have ‘smuggled themselves in’ (NLT says ‘have wormed their way into…’). The Greek word pareisdúō – to enter without notice – occurs only here in the New Testament. ‘Crept’ in the KJV translation ‘crept in unawares’ aptly emphasizes the danger posed by these individuals; initially they appear harmless but slyly work to undermine the faith from within.

Even before discussing the characteristics of these men Jude comments that they were ‘long ago marked out for this condemnation’. ‘Before of old’ (long ago) translates pálai which, while not indicating a definite time, suggests that the condemnation (kríma, judgment) was not a recent development but rather a predetermined outcome from the distant past. It is clear from the use of the adverb pálai in Heb 1:1 (KJV ‘in time past’) that it refers to an unspecified past time in human history. This fact significantly weakens the argument that in this verse we have an example of Reprobation – the sovereign decision of God in eternity to pass over some people, deciding not to save them.

The Greek word prográphō translated as ‘ordain’, literally means ‘write publicly, ‘forewrite’ or ‘enrol.’ It also occurs in Rom 15:4. Thus the condemnation may either have been written ‘before’ as in time or ‘before’ as in openly or publicly.

‘This condemnation’ is a forward reference to vv.5-7 where Jude will demonstrate by use of three Old Testament examples that there is historical precedent for divine judgment against ungodliness. He refers to the punishment of rebellious Israelites, the judgment of the fallen angels and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (vv.5-7).

The ‘certain men’ who have intruded are ‘ungodly’ (profane, impious). The word ‘ungodly’ occurs 5 more times in Jude’s letter: four times in v.15 and once in v.18. As a result of being ungodly these people do two things:

  • they corrupt God’s grace by turning it into a license for unrestrained immoral behaviour (sensuality, debauchery) – likely sexual immorality – thus perverting grace – the liberty that a Christian enjoys as a result of forgiveness and salvation (Rom 8:21).
  • they deny the authority of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, either explicitly or implicitly, through their rejection of his lordship. ‘Denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.’ By their lewd actions they deny God (lit. ‘the only master’ despótēs – one with supreme authority) and the Lord (kúrios – one who owns or possesses) Jesus Christ. Some view the structure of the text as suggesting that ‘the only Lord God’ and ‘our Lord Jesus Christ’ are the same person. J.N.D. Kelly (1969, p. 252) comments:

The second charge is that they deny the only Master and our Lord Jesus Christ, i.e. both God the Father and Christ…The alternative translation, ‘deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ….is equally possible linguistically, and the decision between them is not easy. The fact that there is a definite article before only Master and none before our Lord J.C. might seem to suggest that the whole complex expression applies to a single person, but this argument cannot be pressed: the article is often omitted before ‘God, ‘Lord’, and the like (…Eph. v. 5; 2 Thess. i.12; 1 Tim v. 21; Tit. ii. 13).

REMINDER (5-11)

In the following verses Jude reminds his readers of three notorious historical events from the Old Testament which illustrate the judgment of God upon evildoers:

EXAMPLE 1 – v.5 The wilderness generation – ‘destroyed;’

EXAMPLE 2 – v.6 angels – ‘everlasting chains;’

EXAMPLE 3 – v7. Sodom and Gomorrah – ‘the vengeance of eternal fire.’

(5) EXAMPLE 1 – Israel in the wilderness.

5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

Jude begins by complimenting the recipients on their knowledge (cf. Rom 15:14; 1 Thess 4:9; 1 Jn 2:21, 27) and says that he would like to remind them that the Lord, having saved the Israelites from Egypt, later (to deuteron, afterward, lit. ‘the second time’) destroyed many of them because of their unbelief. He is not saying this to frighten them but to make them aware that punishment awaits the ungodly men who have infiltrated the church. He is reassuring his readers because he says that they have been informed of these things and that ‘once for all’ (hapax). The knowledge that they have acquired ‘once for all’ is much more than familiarity with stories in the Old Testament; the reference is to their acceptance of the apostolic teachings (v.17).

Jude reminded them of the Exodus and of how the Lord delivered the Israelites out of Egypt but afterward destroyed those who did not believe. This illustration is taken from the book of Numbers which asserts that because of unbelief (Num 14:11; Deut 1:32) the wilderness generation, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb, would not enter the Promised Land (see Num 14:1-38; 26:64-65).

29 Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,
30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I swore to make — you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. Numbers 14:29-30

This unbelief of the Israelites in the wilderness is cited by way of warning in other biblical passages (Psa 95:10-11; 1 Cor 10:1-13; Heb 3:7-19).

‘The Lord’ – although many commentators (also citing Jn 12:41; 1 Cor 10:4, 9; Heb 11:26; 1 Pet 1:11) view the use of ‘the Lord’ in v.5 as evidence of involvement by the preincarnate Jesus in Old Testament events it is more likely that here ‘the Lord’ is just another way of saying ‘God.’ The next verse (v.6) referring back to ‘the Lord’ in v.5 says concerning the rebellious angels: ‘he hath reserved.’ The parallel passage in 2 Pet 2:4 specifically attributes that to God: ‘For if God spared not the angels that sinned.’

(6) EXAMPLE 2 – The imprisoned angels

6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Verse 6 of Jude is one of the most controversial and fascinating verses in the Bible. It contains Jude’s second example of God’s punishment of wrongdoers in the past. Notice:

1. Fallen angels. – a group of angels rebelled against God. They did not keep (tēréō) the positions that had been assigned to them but instead chose to abandon their proper dwelling. ‘First estate’ (archḗ) is status, eminence, principality, dominion. These angels did not maintain the dominions for which they had administrative responsibility, and as well as that they lusted after human women, leaving ‘their proper dwelling place i.e. heaven (oikētḗrion: house, dwelling, abode – also occurs in 2 Cor 5:2).

2. Severe consequences. – As a result of their rebellion God has reserved (tēréō, kept) them in everlasting chains and in darkness awaiting the judgment of ‘the great day’ (see Acts 2:20; Rev 6:17; 20:10). Notice the word play on tēréō – they did not keep…the Lord has kept them. The imagery conveys the idea that their punishment is severe and eternal; they will never again enjoy the light of God’s presence.

3. Links to other biblical passages: Jude 6 corresponds to 2 Pet 2:4. Peter does not specify the sin that led to the angels’ punishment; we learn about that here in verse 6 of Jude. This verse is often linked to Gen 6:1-7 which relates how the ‘sons of God’ (an Old Testament term for angels, Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7) cohabited with human women.

4. Lessons. This example demonstrates the seriousness of rebelling against God and the severity of the punishment that ensues.

Note: Jude refers to angels in vv. 6, 8, 9, 14.

(7) EXAMPLE 3 – Sodom and Gomorrah


7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Does ‘even as’ i.e. ‘likewise’ or ‘in like manner’ refer to:

a) giving themselves over to fornication,’ or

b) being ‘set forth as an example,’ or

c) ‘suffering the vengeance of eternal fire?’

I would choose option a) – that their sin is in view. Here Jude compares Sodom and Gomorrah and their surrounding cities to the fallen angels. The similarity lies in the fact that both groups practised sexual promiscuity and and lusted after ‘strange flesh.’ The citizens of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim (Deut 29:23; Hos 9:8) ‘gave themselves over to lewdness’ (ekporneúō) and lusted after different flesh. Heteras sarkos is ‘flesh of a different kind.’ Jude is making the point that ‘even as’ angels took human wives/women (Gen 6:1-7) so the people in these cities were so thoroughly immoral that they wished to have sexual relations with angels (Gen 19:5-9). Spiritual beings and mortals engaging in illicit relationships was a violation of God’s order (Psa 8:4-5). The people of these cities stand out as an example of unrestrained licentiousness. They are experiencing the punishment of eternal fire.

In verses 8-11 Jude applies the lessons from his three Old Testament illustrations of judgment to his present day situation and then alludes to four more Old Testament characters – the archangel Michael, Cain, Balaam, and Korah.


8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

(8) ‘Likewise’ links the behaviour of the intruders, here called ‘dreamers’, to that of Jude’s three examples from Israelite history. The sins of the false teachers mirror those of Israel, the fallen angels and Sodom and Gomorrah. Jude lists them in reverse order. Like Sodom and Gomorrah etc. the intruders pollute their bodies (Jude has already referred to their debauchery in v.4). At the same time, like the rebellious angels they despise authority and like the Israelites they speak evil of dignitaries (in Num 14:1-4, the Israelites murmured against Moses, Aaron and the Lord).


9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

(9-10) Having accused the intruders of despising authority and speaking evil of dignitaries Jude immediately contrasts their arrogance and presumption with the restraint shown by the archangel Michael in a dispute with the devil about the body of Moses. That story is not recorded in the Old Testament but, whatever the source, it was well-known to Jude and the recipients of his letter.

Michael means ‘who is like God.’

‘Archangel’ (chief angel) occurs in Jude 9 and 1 Thess 4:16.

Many commentators identify the archangel Michael in Jude 9 with Michael the prince (chief) in Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1 and the Michael of Rev 12:7-9.

Some (mainly Reformed) writers hold that Michael is a revelation of the preincarnate Christ. They base this on the meaning of his name and the fact that ‘angel’ equals ‘messenger.’

There is a view that ‘the body of Moses’ does not refer to his literal body but to his body of writing, i. e. The Law, Pentateuch (Jn 5:45; Acts 15:21; 21:21; 2 Cor 3:15).

Some suggest that the incident involving a disagreement between Michael and the devil occurred at the same time as that recorded in Zech 3:1-5.

It seems to me more sensible to take the passage at face value and accept that Jude refers to an occasion when Michael the chief angel was at odds with the devil (for reasons that are not stated) about the literal, physical body of Moses (see Deut 34:6). Jude does not provide full details because he is interested only in the attitude Michael displayed during the discussion. Michael did not pronounce a reviling judgment but deferred to the Lord’s authority as the one whose rightful position it was to rebuke the devil. Jude contrasts Michael’s attitude with the insolence of the intruders and their disrespect for authority (v.8).

Teaching by the apostle Paul about a proper Christian attitude is recorded in Tit 3:1-2: ​’Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.’

The contrast with Michael continues in v.10. Michael did not pronounce judgment ‘but these men’ revile everything that they do not understand. They have no spiritual understanding but are driven by their basic instincts and desires – just like animals.

Notice the repetition of ‘blaspheme’ (v.8, 10, ‘speak evil of,’ v. 9 ‘railing’)


11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.

Jude pronounces a woe upon the intruders. ‘Woe to them’ indicates displeasure and calls for retribution. He links their fate to that of three Old Testament figures: Cain, Balaam and Korah, who are not listed in the order in which they appear in the Old Testament. Each of these men represents a different form of rebellion against divinely-appointed authority.

CAIN – an example of godlessness.

BALAAM – an example of compromise for personal gain.

KORAH – an example of rebellion against authority.

Taken together they convey the extent to which the false teachers have rebelled against and rejected the ways of God. ‘For’, ‘because’- the reasons for the pronouncement of the woe are:

1) ‘they have gone in the way of Cain’

Cain (Gen 4:1-16; Heb 11:4) was the first son of Adam and Eve and is better known for having killed his brother Abel, thus becoming the first murderer in the human race. Jude, however, is not accusing the false teachers of being murderers. He is accusing them of being thoroughly evil. Cain is more than a murderer, he is the prime example of an evil person. The apostle John calls him a child of the Evil One: ‘Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.’ 1 John 3:12.

A godless person, Cain relied on his own resources, despising God’s way and the sacrifice that the Lord required. Jude’s opponents allowed themselves to live their lives in the way that Cain lived his – ‘they have gone in the way of Cain’ i.e. ‘they have travelled down Cain’s path.’ It was of their own volition.

2) ‘and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward’ (Read Num 22-24)

The false teachers have abandoned themselves (‘rushed headlong’, ‘totally committed themselves’) to Balaam’s error for profit. Balaam’s ‘error’ was not an unintentional mistake but a deliberate deviation from the truth of God. According to Num 31:16 and Rev 2:14 it was on his advice that the Midianites caused the Israelites to commit idolatry: ‘Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.’ Numbers 31:16.

The prophet Balaam is a prime example of someone who is willing to do anything, no matter how evil, for financial gain. Jude implies that the intruders have dedicated themselves to making money from their false teaching (cf. 1 Tim 6:5; Tit 1:11; 1 Pet 5:2).

In 2 Pet 2:15 the New Testament refers to ‘the way of Balaam, in Jude 11 to ‘the error of Balaam’ and in Rev 2:14 to ‘the doctrine of Balaam.’

3) ‘and perished in the gainsaying of Korah’

‘Gainsaying’ (antilogía) means ‘contradiction’ or ‘speaking against.’ It has to do with defiance against authority so some translate it as ‘rebellion.’ Korah (Num 16:1-40) was a Levite who mutinied against Moses and Aaron. He was privileged to be a Levite but was not satisfied with that position and level of responsibility; he thought that he should be a priest. He would not submit to the men to whom the Lord had entrusted leadership of the national worship. He, along with Dathan and Abiram, instigated a revolt, having recruited 250 of the most respected chiefs to join them. These arrogant, self-righteous men thought that they could come before God on their own merits so they tried to approach him without a mediator. The Lord opened up the ground so that Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their households were swallowed alive, while fire from heaven consumed their 250 co-conspirators.

The intruders Jude is writing about must have been rebelling against leaders in the church and causing unrest and division among the believers. The aorist tense (all three verbs in the verse are aorist) of the verb ‘they have perished’ dramatically views their fate as already sealed. Swift judgment upon them is certain.

The Epistle Of Jude – Verses 1 and 2 – Introduction

Unmasking False Teachers in Jude 12-16: Key Metaphors Explained

Contending for the Faith: Lessons from Jude 17-25

Posted in Exposition

The Epistle Of Jude – Verses 1 and 2 – Introduction

Posted on by writtenexposition

READING: Jude 1-25

FURTHER READING: Zechariah 3:1-4; 2 Peter 2:1-18; 3:1-3; Commentary on 2 Peter 2:1-22; The Book of Enoch

INTRODUCTION

The short Epistle of Jude, containing 461 Greek words, is a New Testament book which preachers and teachers tend to neglect. Often they concentrate more on 2 Peter, with which the Epistle of Jude shares a number of verses. The resemblances between them in ideas and wording are indeed striking. Jude 4-13 aligns with 2 Peter 2:1-17 and Jude 17-18 echoes 2 Peter 3:2-3. It is thought that the similarities may be explained either by literary dependence (i.e. one of them used the other as a source) or by a common source (i.e. each of the writers drew upon an earlier document or tradition). Generally speaking, scholars argue for literary dependence; with 2 Peter thought to be secondary. If Jude had access to all of 2 Peter, so the argument goes, surely he would have used more of it; so Peter must have used Jude. We shall leave that debate to others.

Equally unclear are the date the epistle was written, those to whom it was originally addressed and the exact occasion for writing. There is nothing in the letter that would establish its year of origin but, since its author claims to be Jude the brother of James, it must have been written before the end of the first century; probably between 65 and 80 CE.

There is also no hint as to the identity of the letter’s recipients. Jude addresses them as ‘beloved’ (‘Dear friends’) so he must have known them personally. During the first century heretical ideas and practices like those he describes emerged in Asia Minor so perhaps Jude is writing to a group of Jewish Christians there. His allusions to Old Testament characters and events and the presumption that his readers would understand them would indicate that both he and they had a Jewish worldview. He also refers to, and quotes, from Jewish apocryphal literature.

Although Jude addresses a specific situation his book is usually classified as one of the seven New Testament ‘catholic’ or ‘general’ epistles (James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude). These are circular letters addressed to the Christian church at large rather than to one specific destination. Jude is written in the form of a first century Christian letter. It commences with the name of the sender, the recipients, a greeting and ends with a doxology. Jude’s purpose in writing is to underscore and emphasise the personal responsibility of Christian believers to be vigilant against false teachers/teaching and ungodly practices.

There are a couple of sevens (v. 14 ‘the seventh from Adam’ and allusions to seven Old Testament individuals/ groups and associated events – Israelites, angels, Sodom & Gomorrah, archangel Michael, Cain, Balaam, Korah) but Jude has a noticeable penchant for triadic constructions. His grouping of elements together in threes displays his skill as a writer and is an example of the rhetorical device of amplification by accumulation, where a series of words or phrases with similar meanings are presented together to create a stronger statement and have greater impact. This skilful use of language helps make Jude’s message memorable, persuasive and therefore more likely to achieve its intended effect. Currie (2023) lists 22 triplets in an appendix to his comments on the Epistle of Jude.

SIMPLE DIVISION OF JUDE

1-2 Greeting

3-4 Purpose

5-11 Reminder

12-16 Description

17-23 Exhortation

24-25 Doxology

COMMENTS

GREETING (1-2)

1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.
2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

(1) In verse 1 Jude gives details of the author and the audience.

Jude

The writer identifies himself as ‘Jude ((Ioúdas) the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James’. This is a clear indication that Judas, the brother of Jesus, wrote this epistle. If the names in Mt 13:55 are listed in order of age then Jude may have been the youngest in the family. He may also have been married (1 Cor 9:5). There are several men in the New Testament called by the popular name Jude/Judas:

  • Judas, the half-brother of Jesus (Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3).
  • Judas [son] of James (Lk 6:16; Acts 1:13) also known as Lebbaeus Thaddeus or Thaddaeus (Mt 10:3; Mk 3:18). John calls him ‘Judas, not Iscariot (Jn 14:22).
  • Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus (Mt 10:4, Lk 22:3-4).
  • Judas of Galilee, a revolutionary (Acts 5:37).
  • Judas, at whose home in Damascus Paul stayed after his conversion (Acts 9:11).
  • Judas, surnamed Barsabas (Acts 15:22).

Jesus Christ

Jude, while being Jesus’ brother, humbly calls himself a ‘slave’ rather than asserting his familial connection to Jesus Christ. This term ‘slave’, however, is often linked with Christian ministry (Rom 1:1; Gal 1:10; Phil 1:1; Col 4:12; Jam 1:1; 2 Pet 1:1) and therefore may also indicate someone specifically authorised to labour in the Lord’s service who, as such, deserves to be listened to and heeded. Jude states that he is a servant of Jesus Christ before mentioning that he is related to James; this would suggest that he prioritizes his submission to Jesus Christ over earthly ties (it is interesting that Jude’s brother James, in his epistle, introduces himself similarly as ‘James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ’). Jude’s use of ‘servant’ therefore not only reflects an emphasis on his spiritual rather than familial relationship with Jesus but also establishes his authority to address his readers and warn them about the dangers of false teachings.

James

James, the brother of Jesus, was a prominent figure in the early church, particularly within the Jerusalem community (Mt 13:55; Acts 15:13; 21:18; 1 Cor 15:7; Gal 1:19; 2:9,12) and was so highly respected that he could be referred to simply as ‘James’ without any confusion. The author of the Epistle of Jude probably identifies himself as ‘the brother of James’ for two reasons: 1) to distinguish himself from other individuals named Jude or Judas in the early church and 2) to leverage the authority and recognition associated with James, the Lord’s brother. By identifying himself as ‘the brother of James’ Jude implicitly links himself to James’ authority and reputation. This was particularly important since, as someone who was not an apostle, Jude would not have been widely known. Associating himself with James enhances the impact of his message, due to James’s esteemed position and influence within the early church.

AUDIENCE

The letter is addressed to ‘them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.’ The terms ‘sanctified’, ‘preserved’, and ‘called’ are important theological concepts and together provide a concise definition of a true Christian believer:

Sanctification: This signifies being set apart for God’s purposes, a process of becoming more Christ-like.

Preservation: This emphasizes the ongoing (perfect tense – not only once but continuing) protection and security that believers have in Jesus Christ. This word (tēréō) in Jude 1 means ‘carefully guarded’ (see Acts 12:5; 16:23). There may also be the idea of preserved for Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Thess 5:23).

There are five references to ‘being kept’ (tēréō) in Jude: v.1 ‘preserved;’ v.6 ‘kept;’ v.6 ‘reserved;’ v.13 ‘reserved;’ v.21 ‘keep’

Calling: This refers to the divine initiative in salvation (Rom 1:6; 8:28; 1 Cor 1:24; 1Thess 2:12; 2 Thess 2:13-14; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 Pet 2:9; 5:10; Rev 17:14).

(2) Jude’s greeting in verse 2 is also a prayer: ‘Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.’ This is typical of early Christian letters; they often included a prayer or blessing for the recipients (e.g. 1 Pet 1:2). These three objective aspects of God’s grace are often interpreted subjectively. Only in Jude are they found together.

Mercy: Objective: mercy is God’s saving action in Christ. Subjective: the recipients need God’s forgiveness and compassion, especially in the face of the challenges they face.

Peace: Objective: reconciliation with God. Subjective: the inner harmony and wholeness that comes from a right relationship with God, even in the midst of trials.

Love: Objective: God’s love extended to sinners. Subjective: brotherly love between Christians.

The request that these blessings be ‘multiplied’ expresses Jude’s desire for the recipients to experience these qualities in abundance.

Jude 3-11: Historical Judgments

Unmasking False Teachers in Jude 12-16: Key Metaphors Explained

Contending for the Faith: Lessons from Jude 17-25

Posted in Exposition

Ezekiel 12: Prophecies of Exile and Judgment

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

Ezekiel gives no new date marker at the beginning of chapter 12. The next one is not until 20:1 so in the absence of chronological data for chapters 12-19 one must assume that the messages they contain were delivered soon after the prophecies of chapters 8-11, during 592 BCE (8:1).

Since it would seem that the account of a trance which Ezekiel had communicated to his fellow-exiles (11:25) had had no effect upon them it was therefore essential that the theme of judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah be further developed, this is the main point of chapters 12-19. In chapter 12 Ezekiel emphasises the certainty of that impending judgment.

CHAPTER 12

1-2 A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE

3-7 THE PREDICTION OF EXILE ENACTED

8-16 THE FLIGHT OF THE PRINCE FORETOLD

17-20 THE TREPIDATION OF THE JUDAHITES ENACTED

21-28 THE OBJECTIONS OF SCOFFERS REFUTED

A REBELLIOUS PEOPLE (1-2)

1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house. Ezekiel 12:1-2

(1) The phrase ‘the word of the Lord came unto me saying’ signifies the commencement of a new message from YHWH.

(2) YHWH again addresses Ezekiel as ‘Son of man (adam)’ thus emphasising Ezekiel’s humanity in contrast to the Lord’s divinity. He says that Ezekiel dwells in the midst of a ‘rebellious house.’ This refers to the exiles who are already in Babylon along with Ezekiel. They are rebellious because they refuse to see or hear the truth (cp. Deut 29:3-4; Isa 6:9; Jer 5:21; Mk 8:18; Acts 28:27). The exiles probably shared the vain sentiments of the people back home in Judah whom Jeremiah (Jer 7:4) warned about misplaced trust in the temple. They thought that because the temple of the Lord was in Jerusalem the city would not fall to invading forces. Ezekiel needed to powerfully drive home the lesson that Jerusalem would indeed fall and that its inhabitants would be taken into exile.

THE PREDICTION OF EXILE ENACTED (3-7)

3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house.
4 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity.
5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.
6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.
7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bore it upon my shoulder in their sight.

(3-7) YHWH instructs Ezekiel to enact a drama of someone going into exile. Referring back to ‘which have eyes to see, and see not’ in v.2 notice the seven-fold repetition of ‘in their sight’ in vv. 3-7. Also, the words ‘by day’ are mentioned three times in these verses. Ezekiel is to make sure that his actions get the attention of his audience. Notice also ‘remove’ and ‘removing’ – these are from a word meaning captivity or going into exile.

Ezekiel receives specific instructions regarding the drama he is to act out.

a. He is to ‘prepare his stuff’ by day for going into exile (v.4). ‘Stuff’ – According to Strongs H3627 this word can refer both to a vessel or receptacle and also to utensils or items of equipment. Most translations say something akin to ‘pack your baggage’ but here the reference is more likely to the bag or knapsack itself rather than to the few basic items (e.g. clothing, bedding, cooking utensils, food) an exile would put in it. Thus the Christian Standard Bible translates ‘prepare thee stuff for removing’ as: ‘get your bags ready for exile.’ Ezekiel’s fellow exiles in Babylonia would have no problem recognising what he was portraying; they had done this very thing for real a few years earlier, in 597 BCE.

b. He is to go out in the evening as if escaping like an exile (v.4).

c. He is to dig a hole in the wall (of his house, the courtyard or the town?) and take his baggage (stuff) out through it (v.5).

d. He is to carry his bag on his shoulder into the pitch darkness with his face covered so that he cannot see the ground (v.6). Note that the word translated ‘twilight’ in KJV means thick darkness. It occurs in vv. 6, 7, 12 and Gen 15:17.

Perhaps this performance will enable his rebellious fellow-exiles to understand (v.3) that this will soon be the situation in Jerusalem. People there will soon be fleeing as emigrants, never to return. YHWH tells Ezekiel (v. 6b) that by acting out this scenario he will serve as a sign or portent to the house of Israel (see also v.11). Isaiah is another prophet said to have been a sign (Isa 20:3).

‘I did so as I was commanded.’ In v.7 Ezekiel confirms that that he has faithfully complied with YHWH’s instructions. He adds that he excavated the hole in the wall by hand; thus avoiding the noise of a pick or other instrument that in a real life escape might alert the enemy. The main emphasis, however, is on his exile’s pack; its significance is revealed in v.10.

THE FLIGHT OF THE PRINCE FORETOLD (8-16)

8 And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,
9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?
10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them.
11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.
12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes.
13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.
14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.
15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.
16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

(8-9) The following morning Ezekiel receives further communication from YHWH in the form of a negative question: ‘hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?’ Ezekiel’s strange behaviour has caught the attention of his fellow-exiles who have asked about it. This presents an opportunity for him to explain the significance of his symbolic act.

(10-11) YHWH instructs Ezekiel to give the explanation in the form of an authoritative prophetic message. It begins with ‘Thus saith the Lord God,’ followed by a summary statement of the point of the drama. It is a message of impending disaster both for King Zedekiah and for all who remain with him in Jerusalem. Ezekiel uses ‘house of Israel’ in two different senses. Note that v.9 refers to the ‘house of Israel’ in Babylonia (cp. 11:15) and v.10 to the ‘house of Israel’ in Judah.

King Zedekiah of Judah is not mentioned by name but it is obvious that he is the person referred to. He is not called ‘the king’ (meleḵ) but ‘the prince’ (or chief). The Hebrew word for ‘prince’ is nasi.’ Many commentators point out that there is word play here on ‘prince’ (nasi) and ‘burden’ (maśśā). Greenberg (1983, p. 211) comments ‘The chief is this burden. Hebrew hannaśi hammaśśa hazze; this alliterative phrase is patterned after Jer 23:33.’ As well as a play on sound there seems also to be a pun on meaning. Ezekiel’s ‘burden’ was lifted up and borne on his shoulder, the term ‘prince’ refers to someone who is elevated or lifted up.

Some take ‘burden’ here to mean a threatening message, the word is used in that sense by other Old Testament prophets, but it only occurs here in Ezekiel and in the context must refer to the bag containing Ezekiel’s ‘stuff’ (v.4). Greenberg (1983, p. 212) explains: ‘The meaning of the sentence is: this burden – the exile’s pack – represents the chief and the Israelites of Jerusalem; they will be taken out of the city into exile. Two things are unexpected: the reference to two subjects, the chief (king) and the people, and the symbolic character of the exile’s pack (maśśā is linked to naśa ‘al katef “carry [the pack] on the shoulder” in vss.6f….’

Ezekiel’s message is that Zedekiah and his subjects will be carried into exile. Ezekiel himself is a ‘sign’ in that his actions represented the destiny and fate of King Zedekiah of Judah and the people of Judah. Note that the thought of Ezekiel as a sign reappears in 24:18-27 where he is forbidden to formally mourn the death of his wife; symbolising YHWH’s refusal to grieve for Jerusalem at the time of its destruction (24:24).

(12-14) Returning to the subject of the prince Ezekiel expands on his symbolic action. He predicts in detail Zedekiah’s flight from Jerusalem by night with his pack upon his shoulder and his eyes covered; probably to avoid recognition – but perhaps this also symbolises shame (cp. Jer 9:19).

Ezekiel predicts additional details that do not feature in his drama: Zedekiah will be pursued, apprehended, blinded and taken into captivity in Babylon. His supporters and troops will scatter in all directions and be pursued by the Babylonian forces. YHWH claims responsibility for these forthcoming events, saying (v.13) that Zedekiah will be metaphorically caught in his snare and trap.

The literal fulfilment of Ezekiel’s specific and accurate predictions is recorded in 2 Kgs 25:1-7; Jer 39:1-7; 52:1-11. These passages tell us that Zedekiah fled Jerusalem at night through a gap between  two walls, was captured by the Babylonians near Jericho and taken to Riblah to meet Nebuchadnezzar. As punishment for his revolt Nebuchadnezzar had Zedekiah watch the murder of his family before blinding him and transporting him to Babylon.

The abovementioned accounts (e.g. Jer 39:7) explain the riddle or apparent enigma in Ezek 12:13: ‘I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.’ Zedekiah would be blinded before being transported to Babylon.

King Zedekiah himself may have been aware of this prophecy but failed to appreciate its significance. According to the first century CE historian Flavius Josephus, in his work ‘Antiquities of the Jews,’ Ezekiel wrote down this prophecy and sent a copy to King Hezekiah. He compared the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel and reckoned that these contradicted one another. He therefore decided not to believe either of them.

Josephus, living more than 600 years after this event, is the only source of this interesting but possibly unreliable piece of information:

Now as to Zedekiah himself, while he heard the prophet [Jeremiah] speak, he believed him, and agreed to every thing as true, and supposed it was for his advantage; but then his friends perverted him, and dissuaded him from what the prophet advised, and obliged him to do what they pleased. Ezekiel also foretold in Babylon what calamities were coming upon the people, which when he heard, he sent accounts of them unto Jerusalem. But Zedekiah did not believe their prophecies, for the reason following: It happened that the two prophets agreed with one another in what they said as in all other things, that the city should be taken, and Zedekiah himself should be taken captive; but Ezekiel disagreed with him, and said that Zedekiah should not see Babylon, while Jeremiah said to him, that the king of Babylon should carry him away thither in bonds….

For background it is worth reading all of chapter 7 in Book X of Josephus’ ‘Antiquities of the Jews’ (Ant. X. 7. 2)

(15-16) Now the prophet raises a faint note of hope with the mention of a ‘a few men’ of Judah (the remnant) who will be spared for the purpose of testifying to YHWH’s sovereignty. These people will recognise that it is their own idolatry that has brought the judgment upon them.

THE TREPIDATION OF THE JUDAHITES ENACTED (17-20)

17 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
18 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness;
19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.
20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

(17-20) Ezekiel receives a further communication directly from YHWH, instructing him to perform another symbolic action. He is to eat his food and drink water in a manner that portrays fear and anxiety. By shaking and trembling as he eats and drinks Ezekiel will visually convey the fear that the people of Judah will experience during the siege of Jerusalem. His actions will symbolise the people’s anxiety and deep distress in the face of that calamity. This prophetic sign suggests that even basic tasks like eating and drinking will be carried out with fear.

Ezekiel is to impart this message to ‘the people of the land,’ here a reference to the exiles who are with Ezekiel in Babylonia. It is about Jerusalem and the land of Israel. It is especially about those who live in Jerusalem and in ‘her land’ i.e. the territory surrounding the city, since they would be the ones enduring the siege and destruction first-hand.

Vv. 19b and 20 further explain Ezekiel’s symbolic act. The word translated ‘carefulness’ used with reference to how they will drink their water (v.19) and how they will eat their food (v.20) means ‘anxiety.’ It also occurs in 4:16 where in the context the anxiety is about running out of food. That fear of scarcity and famine that will be experienced during the siege seems to be in view here too.

The people of Jerusalem and Judah will also feel terror because their towns will be laid waste and the land will be stripped of everything. The Babylonians will pursue a scorched-earth policy; they will leave no people, animals, crops or infrastructure. There will be total devastation. The reason for this is once again said to be the unrestrained violence of the people of Judah (7:11, 23; 8:17).

As has already been said in v.16, the purpose of the desolation is so that the people will recognise the authority and sovereignty of YHWH – ‘ye shall know that I am the Lord.’

THE OBJECTIONS OF SCOFFERS REFUTED (21-28)

21 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
22 Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
23 Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.
24 For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel.
25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
26 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.
28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.

(21-25) Verses 21-28 address the people’s doubt and scepticism that Ezekiel’s prophecies will be fulfilled.

Ezekiel receives a new message from YHWH which is introduced by the usual formula ‘the word of the LORD came unto me, saying.’  As elsewhere, Ezekiel is addressed as ‘Son of man’ then YHWH highlights a saying that was popular in the land of Israel. This proverb (māšāl) mocks the prophets and reflects a general belief that the judgment they predict will never come to pass: ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth’ (Cp. Ecc 8:11; 2 Pet 3:3-4). Despite the passing of time none of their prophecies of doom have come to fruition.

YHWH instructs Ezekiel to inform the Israelites that he will cause this proverb to cease – because the course of events will prove the proverb wrong. In fact it will be replaced by a new proverb: ‘The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.’ i.e. the time is not far off and every vision will come to pass.

In addition, all false prophecies that flatter the people of Israel will cease. They are described as ‘vain visions and smooth divinations.’ These prophecies obtained through occult practices are by false prophets who flatter the people by predicting peace, security and the return of the Jehoiachin exiles from Babylon (for an example of this read Jer 28:1-17).

The coming judgment will expose their deceptive lies and bring their false assurances to an end. True predictions by genuine prophets of YHWH like Jeremiah and Ezekiel will come to pass but those expressed by the false prophets will fail. (Note that false prophecy is the subject of the next chapter -Ezekiel 13.)

In v.25 YHWH asserts his sovereign right to speak (declare judgment). Unlike the false prophets his words are truth and will be fulfilled soon. Through Ezekiel he declares that the judgment will come upon the current generation – ‘in your days.’ Once again he describes them as a ‘rebellious house’ (12:2, 3, 9, 25).

(26-28) Another communication from YHWH to Ezekiel is introduced by ‘the word of the Lord came to me saying.’ The prophecy that follows is similar but slightly different to that in the previous segment. Verses 20-25 relate to a proverb that denies that the prophecies of judgment would ever be fulfilled. In verses 26-28, however, YHWH quotes another proverb (‘they of the house of Israel say’) which promotes the equally erroneous view that that Ezekiel’s prophecies may well be fulfilled, but not for a very long time (‘the vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.’). YHWH, however, confirms that Ezekiel’s prophecies will  be fulfilled soon.

SUMMATION

This chapter underscores the certainty of YHWH’s judgment. In it Ezekiel enacts the flight of a refugee. This sign-act is explained as predicting the attempted escape of King Zedekiah, and others, from Jerusalem. Ezekiel then enacts another drama, demonstrating the terror that the Jerusalemites will experience while the city is under siege. The remainder of the chapter addresses the apparent failure of Ezekiel’s visions of destruction. YHWH says that those prophecies will soon be fulfilled. Ezekiel is not a false prophet, his predictions will certainly come to pass.

Posted in Exposition

The Day of the Lord: Justice and Restoration in Obadiah 15-21

Posted on by writtenexposition

DELIVERANCE FOR ISRAEL IN THE DAY OF THE LORD (15-21)

The book of Obadiah is a prophecy against Edom, a nation closely related by kinship to Israel/Judah but one with a long history of opposition and aggression towards it. The first section of the book condemns Edom’s pride and lists its crimes (10-14), both passive and aggressive, against Israel/Judah.

In verses 15-21 the prophet shifts from the judgment on Edom to a broader picture of God’s judgment on all nations, plus the restoration of Israel. YHWH is Lord over human history and therefore will judge not only Edom (as promised in Obad 2-4 and 8-10) but the other nations also; on a future occasion known The Day of YHWH.

For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. Obadiah 1:15

(15) Verse 15 expands the scope of God’s judgment from Edom to all nations and introduces the ‘Day of the Lord’ with the word ‘for.’ This word connects the second oracle (vv.15-21) with the first as it refers back to the crimes against Judah outlined in vv.10-14. These crimes are the reasons for YHWH’s judgment upon Edom and the other nations in the Day of the Lord and for the lex talionis that will apply. Verses 15-16 contain three expressions of lex talionis:

as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee

thy reward shall return upon thine own head

as ye have drunk…so shall all the heathen drink

RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE

Lex talionis is a Latin expression for the legal principle of retributive justice. You might hear it referred to in everyday casual conversation as ‘tit for tat;’ ‘an eye for an eye;’ ‘it’s karma;’ ‘what comes around goes around;’ or ‘you reap what you sow.’

The law of retributive justice is clearly set out early in the Old Testament:

And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. Exodus 21:23-25

In the New Testament it is mentioned by Jesus –

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matthew 7:2

– just before he goes on to restate it positively in what has become known as the Golden Rule:

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12

Also relevant is a statement in the New Testament by the apostle Paul:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7

The principle of sowing and reaping is a popular theme in gospel preaching and it is no less popular on Christian web sites. Much online content on the topic appears to be based on the work of John W. Lawrence (The Seven Laws of the Harvest : Understanding the Realities of Sowing and Reaping, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI, 1995).

I found five of the laws Lawrence identifies particularly interesting and instructive:

  • We reap only what has been sown.
  • We reap the same in kind as we sow (Gal 6:7-8)
  • We reap in a different season than we sow (Eccl 3:2; Gal 6:9)
  • We reap more than we sow (2 Sam 12:9-12; Hos 8:7)
  • We reap in proportion to what we sow (Prov 11:24-26; Mt 19:29; 2 Cor 9:6)

The principle of lex talionis underscores the justice of God’s judgment: Edom and the nations will face consequences proportional to their actions. The emphasis is on God’s fairness, as every nation will be held to account for its deeds.

THE DAY OF THE LORD

The Day of the Lord in the Old Testament refers to a time when YHWH decisively intervenes in human history, mainly in judgment. The concept may have developed from the idea of YHWH as a divine warrior who comes to the aid of his worshippers in battle (Isa 13:6; Ezek 13:5). The Day of the Lord is associated with divine justice and overwhelming violence.

The expression ‘the Day of YHWH’ may not have been coined by the prophet Amos (c.760 BCE) but he is our earliest Old Testament written source for it. Amos viewed the Day of YHWH as characterised by darkness (Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. Amos 5:18 ).

More than 130 years after Amos the prophet Zephaniah listed more characteristics of the Day of the Lord; as well as darkness he included battle imagery such as noise, wrath, slaughter, destruction and finality (Zeph 1:14-18).

There are similar expressions that refer to this great event (e.g. ‘The day of the Lord’s vengeance’ Isa 34:8; ‘the day of the Lord of hosts’ Isa 2:12; ‘the day of the Lord’s wrath’ Zeph 1:18; ‘the day of the Lord’s anger’ Zeph 2:2; ‘the day of his fierce anger’ Isa 13:13) but according to Hoffmann (1981, p.39) the exact Hebrew expression ‘the Day of YHWH’ only occurs in six passages (Isaiah 13:6, 9; Ezek 13:5; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11; 3:14; Amos 5:18; Obad 15; Zeph 1:7, 19).

For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been. Obadiah 1:16

(16) Verse 16 continues the theme of judgment, using the imagery of drinking as a metaphor for experiencing God’s wrath. If we assume that in v.16a YHWH is addressing Edom rather than Judah then ‘as ye have drunk’ refers to (literal) drinking by Edom on an occasion when Jerusalem was invaded and looted (probably during the reign of Jehoram of Judah). ‘My holy mountain’ is Zion (see also Psa 2:6; Isa 11:9; Joel 2:1). The idea of (metaphorically) drinking the cup of God’s wrath occurs frequently in the Old Testament and means undergoing divine judgment (e.g. Isa 51:17, 22; Jer 25:15-17; 49:12; Lam 4:21). As a result of that drinking (swallowing God’s wrath) YHWH’s enemies ‘shall be as though they had not been’ i.e. they will be completely destroyed.

Edom drank in revelry and celebration but the nations, including Edom, will drink from the cup of God’s judgment. The actions of Edom and the nations against Israel/Judah in the past will affect them in the future. Obadiah does not mention but doubtless assumes a major difference between what Edom has done and what YHWH will do. For Obadiah Edom’s actions against Judah were wrong whereas YHWH’s actions against Edom and the nations will be legitimate and just.

But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. Obadiah 1:17

(17) Note the repetition of ‘shall’ in vv.17-21, emphasising that these predictions will surely come to pass.

As well as retribution against his enemies the Day of the Lord is associated with restoration, renewal and reward for his people. The word ‘but’ shows that a contrast is being drawn between the nations’ judgment and Israel’s restoration on the Day of the Lord. While the nations face destruction, there will be survivors in Zion (Jerusalem, Psa 48:2). YHWH will dwell in his temple on ‘Mount Zion’ (see Mic 4:1-2) and it will no longer be desecrated by Edom (v.16) but restored to holiness and purity. The “house of Jacob” (probably referring to Judah) will reclaim its land, from which it will have been dispossessed due to exile and oppression. This is a promise of restoration for God’s people. Note the repetition for emphasis – ‘possess their possessions.’ This suggests a period of peace and stability.

And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it. Obadiah 1:18

(18) This verse prophesies victory for Israel and destruction for Edom (‘house of Esau’) using parallelism.

the house of Jacob will be a fire

the house of Jacob [will be] a flame

the house of Esau [will be] stubble

Some commentators suggest that ‘house of Jacob’ may stand for Judah and ‘house of Joseph’ for the ten northern tribes of Israel. Thus the idea is of Israel in total. The imagery of fire (‘house of Jacob’) and flame (‘house of Joseph’) versus stubble (‘house of Esau’) highlights the overwhelming defeat that Edom will face. Fire consumes stubble quickly and completely, symbolising the destruction of Edom. The mention of ‘no survivor of the house of Esau’ reinforces the severity of Edom’s judgment. This statement is an example of a literary technique known as hyperbole (use of exaggeration for emphasis or effect) as v.21 predicts that ‘saviours’ will judge Edom. Assurance that these predictions will be fulfilled comes from the highest authority: ‘the Lord hath spoken it.’

And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. Obadiah 1:19

(19) Verse 19 details Israel’s territorial expansion and the restoration of its land. The Negev (southern desert region) will take possession of Mount Esau (Edom’s territory) to the east, and the Shephelah (lowland region of Judah) will take over the land of the Philistines to the west (Isa 11:14; Zeph 2:4-7). Ephraim and Samaria represent the northern kingdom of Israel, Ephraim was the largest tribe and Samaria the capital. Benjamin (one of the two tribes in southern Israel) will take possession of Gilead (east of the Jordan River, i.e Transjordan).

And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south. Obadiah 1:20

(20) Israel will not only regain its own land but will expand into the territories of its enemies. This verse speaks specifically of the return of Israelite exiles. One group of exiles will expand through territory formerly occupied by the Canaanites as far north as ‘Zarephath,’ a town some ten miles south of Sidon (in present-day Lebanon).

The ‘exiles of Jerusalem’ who are in ‘Sepharad’ will return and possess the cities of the Negev. Lipiński (1973, p.368) maintains: ‘There can be no doubt that Sepharad is identical with the Persian satrapy of Sparda, in Asia Minor. The name itself appears in the Aramaic inscription found at Sardis, the capital of that satrapy.’

This verse indicates indicates the regaining of Israel’s traditional lands and also expansion into territory beyond that which they previously controlled. It suggests a regathering of Israelites from distant lands.

And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s. Obadiah 1:21

(21) The deliverance will be by ‘saviours’ (judges), presumably appointed by YHWH to guide the Israelites to a proper form of worship. The administration will have its headquarters in Jerusalem (Mount Zion). Ironically, in a reversal of Edom’s fortunes, the judges will rule over Edom (Mount Esau – i.e. Mt. Seir). The two mountains are compared in order to emphasize the change in circumstances for Edom and the nations. The closing phrase of Obadiah’s book envisages a utopian future. It points to a future time when theocratic rule will be established; ‘the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.’

SUMMATION

The message of Obadiah is primarily one of judgment against Edom. This is said to be because of its attitudes and actions towards Israel. Key themes are:

Judgment

Obadiah prophesies that YHWH will make Edom small among the nations because of its pride and arrogance. It will be destroyed because of its cooperation with foreign invaders and actions against Israel at a time of distress.

Retribution

The actions that Edom and other nations have taken against Israel will be repaid in kind. Lex talionis is a principle of divine justice – ‘as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee’ (v.15).

Restoration for Israel

The prophecy of Edom’s doom also contains a message of hope for Israel. Obadiah promises that YHWH will deliver Israel from its enemies, that Israel will possess and even expand its former territory and that the kingship of YHWH will be manifested.

Despite its brevity the book of Obadiah communicates a powerful message about the consequences of sin and the triumph of God’s justice. It still serves today as a warning against pride, arrogance and betrayal. It is a reminder of God’s sovereignty and of his ultimate retribution against all who oppose him and his people.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

Alexander, T. D., Baker, D.W., and Waltke, B. (2015). Obadiah, Jonah and Micah. InterVarsity Press.

Assis, E. (2021). Identity in Conflict: The Struggle between Esau and Jacob, Edom and Israel. University Park, PA: Penn State University Press.

Currie, B, (2023). Meditations on the Single-Chapter Books of the Bible (Obadiah, Philemon, 2John, 3John, Jude). Assembly Testimony

Dicou, B. (1994). Edom, Israel’s Brother and Antagonist: the Role of Edom in Biblical Prophecy and Story. Sheffield: Jsot Press.

Ehud Ben Zvi (1996). A Historical-critical Study of the Book of Obadiah. Berlin; New York: Walter De Gruyter.

Jenson, P. P. (2009). Obadiah, Jonah, Micah. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

Lawrence, J.W. (1995). The Seven Laws of the Harvest: Understanding the Realities of Sowing and Reaping. Grand Rapids, Mi: Kregel Publications.

Mason, R. (2004). Micah, Nahum and Obadiah. Bloomsbury Publishing.

McComiskey, T. E. (1993). The Minor Prophets / Vol. 2, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum and Habakkuk. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House.

Rushdoony, R. J. (2013). Sermons in Obadiah & Jonah. Chalcedon Foundation.

Simundson, D. J. (2011). Abingdon Old Testament Commentaries: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah. Abingdon Press.

Sawyer, J. F. A. and Clines, D .J. A. (1983). Midian, Moab and Edom: The History and Archaeology of Late Bronze and Iron Age Jordan and North-West Arabia. A&C Black.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Anderson, B.A. (2010). ‘Poetic Justice in Obadiah.’ Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 35(2), pp. 247–255.

Anderson, B. A. (2012). “Edom in the Book of Numbers: Some Literary Reflections’ Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, vol. 124, no. 1, pp. 38-51.

Anderson, B. A. (2014) ‘The Reception of Obadiah: Some Historical, Ideological, and Visual Considerations.’ Proceedings of the Irish Biblical Association, 36-37 . pp. 17-35.

Assis, E. (2006). ‘Why Edom? On the Hostility Towards Jacob’s Brother in Prophetic Sources.’ Vetus Testamentum, 56(1), ppp. 1–20.

Assis, E. (2014). ‘Structure, Redaction and Significance in the Prophecy of Obadiah.’ Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 39(2), pp. 209–221.

Bartlett, J. R. (1969). ‘The Land of Seir and the Brotherhood of Edom.’ The Journal of Theological Studies, 20(1), pp. 1–20.

Bartlett, J. R. (1977). ‘The Brotherhood of Edom.’ Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 2(4), pp. 2-27.

Becking, B. (2016). ‘The Betrayal of Edom: Remarks on a Claimed Tradition.’ HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 72(4). pp.1-4

Burdon, C. (1998). ‘Jacob and the Dominion of Edom.’ The Expository Times, 109(12), pp. 360-363.

Cannon, W. W. (1927). ‘Israel and Edom: The Oracle of Obadiah—II.’ Theology, 15(88), pp. 191-200.

Davies, G. I. (1977). ‘A New Solution to a Crux in Obadiah 7.’ Vetus Testamentum, 27(4), pp. 484–487.

Ferries, R. (2022). ‘Edom and Babylon: Archetypal Enemies of God and His People. A Comparative Analysis of Obadiah and Isaiah 13:2–14:23,’ Old Testament Essays 35 no.3, pp. 475 – 495.

Forder, A. (1901). ‘Sela or Petra, “The Strong City.” The Ruined Capital of Edom.’ The Biblical World, 18(5), pp. 328–337.

Glueck, N. (1936). ‘The Boundaries of Edom.’ Hebrew Union College Annual, 11, pp. 141–157.

Hoffmann, Y. (1981). ‘The Day of the Lord as a Concept and a Term in the Prophetic Literature.’ Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, vol. 93, no. 1, pp. 37-50

Hwang, J. (2014). ”My Name Will Be Great among the Nations:’ The Missio Dei in the Book of the Twelve.’ Tyndale Bulletin, 65 (2): pp. 161–80.

Krause, J. J. (2008). ‘Tradition, History, and Our Story: Some Observations on Jacob and Esau in the Books of Obadiah and Malachi.’ Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 32(4), pp. 475–486.

Lipiński, E. (1973). ‘Obadiah 20.’ Vetus Testamentum, 23(3), pp. 368–370.

Ogden, G. S. (1982). ‘Prophetic Oracles Against Foreign Nations and Psalms of Communal Lament: the Relationship of Psalm 137 to Jeremiah 49:7-22 and Obadiah.’ Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 7(24), 89-97.

Robinson, T. H. (1916). ‘The Structure of the Book of Obadiah.’ The Journal of Theological Studies, 17(68), pp. 402–408.

Tebes, J. M. (2017). ‘Memories of Humiliation, Cultures of Resentment towards Edom and the Formation of Ancient Jewish National Identity.’ Nations and Nationalism, 25(1), pp.124–145.

Werse, N. R. (2013). ‘Obadiah’s ‘Day of the Lord:’ A Semiotic Reading.’ Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 38(1), pp.109–124.

DIGITAL

ANDERSON, B. A. (2010) Election, Brotherhood and Inheritance:
A Canonical Reading of the Esau and Edom Traditions. Doctoral thesis, Durham University.

Posted in Exposition

Pride and Fall: Obadiah 1-14

Posted on by writtenexposition

As noted towards the end of my previous post Understanding the Book of Obadiah: A Concise Overview the prophecy of Obadiah to Judah about Edom falls into two main sections. The first section is historical, the second eschatological.

1-14 Declaration of Judgment on Edom

15-21 Deliverance for Israel in the day of YHWH

DECLARATION OF JUDGMENT ON EDOM (1-14)

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

1. This verse introduces the prophecy of Obadiah with a superscription indicating that the author is a man called Obadiah. No chronological or biographical information is supplied. Obadiah means ‘servant of the Lord’ so this may either be the name of the writer or just a self-description (For a list of the other men in the Old Testament named Obadiah see Understanding the Book of Obadiah: A Concise Overview).

Obadiah claims to have received a ‘vision.’ This is a general word for divine communication but may also refer to oracles by false prophets (Jer 14:14; 23:16). Using the prophetic formula ‘thus saith the Lord God’ (Isa 7:7; Jer 7:20; Ezek 2:4) Obadiah clarifies that the source of his vision is the Lord God (Adonai YHWH, Gen 15:2; Isa 3:1; Jer 1:6; Ezek 2:4), and thus it has divine authority. Strangely he does not follow this saying with direct speech from YHWH but instead with words spoken by YHWH’s audience; ‘we’. Who the ‘we’ are is not specified, probably Obadiah means himself plus others in the nation of Israel/Judah. In the parallel passage Jeremiah says ‘I,’ meaning just himself (Jer 49: 14-16).

‘We have heard a report (cp. Isa 53:1) straight from YHWH, and [what’s more] an envoy has been sent among the nations.’ Since Obadiah and his associates heard the tidings directly from YHWH we must presume that it is YHWH who has sent out an envoy to summon the nations to war against Edom. Whether this ambassador is human or angelic is not stated. The perfect tense ‘has been sent’ means that this will surely happen. ‘Among the nations’ is used in the context of war in Jer 49:14; 50:2; 51:27; Joel 3:9. ‘Arise ye’ is a summons to battle, as in Jer 6:4, 5; 49:14, 28, 31. YHWH will cause the nations to go to war against Edom.

EDOM

In the Old Testament the ancient nation of Edom was a prominent enemy of YHWH and his covenant people Israel. Edom, meaning ‘red,’ was descended from Esau and Israel was descended from Esau’s twin brother Jacob (Gen 25:22-26). The story of this family is found in Genesis chapters 25-33. Genesis 36:1-43 gives Esau’s family record and also lists the early kings of Edom.

Saul, Israel’s first king, waged war against Edom (1 Sam 14:47-48) as did his successor David (1 Kgs 11:15-16). David successfully subdued Edom (2 Sam 8:13-14), making it a vassal state of Israel, which it remained under Solomon. When the Israelite monarchy divided after Solomon’s death Edom remained under the control of Judah. The books of Kings and Chronicles record several Edomite revolts against Judah. These were during the reigns of the Judahite kings Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20:10-23), Jehoram (2 Kgs 8:20-22; 2 Chron 21:8) and Amaziah (2 Kgs 14:7; 2 Chron 25:1-11). According to Psa 137:7 the Edomites were also complicit in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586/7 BCE.

In the Bible Edom is often associated with Mt Seir (Num 24:18; Deut 2:4; Judg 5:4; 2 Chron 20:10; 25:11; Isa 21:11). Its exact location is unknown but must have been in or close to Edom, probably in the Negev (a desert area to the south of Judah). The traditional territory occupied by Edom lay to the southeast of Israel in what is now southern Jordan and included two important commercial and military ports on the coast of the Red Sea, Elah (modern Eilat) and Ezion-geber (1 Kgs 9:26). The capital of Edom was Bozrah (Isa 63:1) but by the time of Amaziah (2 Kgs 14:7; 2 Chron 25:11-12) the nation’s main fortification was at Sela (modern Petra) which means ‘rock.’

2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.
3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD. Obadiah 2-4

Verses 2-4 give the reason for Edom’s judgement – pride.

2. ‘Behold’ directs the reader’s attention to what is going to happen. YHWH declares judgment on Edom saying that that the nation will be made small. This may be an ironic play on Gen 27:1 where Esau is described as Isaac’s ‘big son.’ YHWH will make the Edomites insignificant and despised among the nations. Their forefather Esau had despised the birthright (Gen 25:34), now his progeny will be despised.

3. Edom’s pride of heart is noted. The main idea is that of presumption, overstepping acceptable bounds (cp, 1 Sam 17:28). Pride comes first in the list of seven sins that YHWH hates (Prov 6:16-19). According to Prov 16:5 ‘everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord…he shall not be unpunished.’ Isaiah maintains that the proud and lofty will be brought low (Isa 2:13-17). Down through the years people have made arrogant and foolish statements (that God himself could not sink the Titanic springs to mind) but surely Edom is a biblical example of the truth of Prov 16:18: ‘Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall’. Ironically Edom has become delusional, its proud heart has deceived it and in v.7 its allies will deceive it too.

‘Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high’. Since they live in mountainous regions and have a virtually impregnable stronghold at ‘the rock’ i.e. Sela (Petra) the Edomites trust in their natural fortifications. Sela‘ means rock. They believe that they are invincible and therefore they ask themselves the rhetorical question ‘Who shall bring me down to the earth? As Edom sees it the answer is ‘No-one!’

4. The correct answer to the question is given in v.4. No matter how high Edom exalts itself YHWH declares that he will bring them down from that perch. Using striking imagery Obadiah compares Edom’s fortress to an eagle’s eyrie (Job 39:27-30) situated at a great height ‘among the stars’ (Job 22:12). Edom’s pride and arrogance will result in humiliation. See Mt 11:23; 23:12.

As well as at Edom (Obad 3; Jer 49:16) the Old Testament prophets levelled the charge of pride at other nations also.

Assyria – Isa 10:12; Ezek 31:3,10; Zeph 2:13,15.

Babylon – Isa 47:8

Moab – Isa 16:6; Jer 48:29

Tyre – Ezek 28:2

5 If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grape gatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?
6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!
7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.
8 Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?
9 And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.
10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever

Verses 5-10 declare the extent of Edom’s judgement.

5. Obadiah’s use of powerful imagery continues as in three conditional clauses beginning with ‘if’ he compares Edom’s destruction to a night-time robbery and to the work of grape gatherers. Note the double use of ‘came’ and ‘would they not’ in the two parallel statements in v.5.

‘If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night…would they not have stolen till they had enough?’

‘If the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?’

These rhetorical questions make the point that robbers and reapers only take what they can carry; they do not take everything, they always leave something. Edom’s destruction, however, will be total, its plunderers will leave nothing. Between the two metaphors lies a dramatic aside ‘how art thou cut off,’ this is a mock lament.

6. The mocking continues in v.6 and emphasises the thoroughness with which Esau (standing for Edom) will be plundered as its enemies search for and dig out its hidden treasures.

7. The regional powers with which Edom has allied and agreed peace treaties will betray her. Who these confederates are is not stated but YHWH will have them turn against Edom. These allies will commit three acts of treachery against Edom. They will (1) expel Edom’s ambassadors from their borders , i.e. send them back to their own country, (2) deceive and overpower Edom, reneging on bilateral agreements that have been ratified with a covenant meal (e.g. Josh 9:12-15), and (3) wound Edom’s lower parts, i.e. ambush Edom and strike a blow from which it will not recover. YHWH will execute destruction on Edom by influencing its allies to attack her.

That there was ongoing diplomatic activity among the nations in that region is clear from Jeremiah chapter 27. Envoys from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon arrived at Jerusalem, no doubt to discuss forming an alliance against Nebuchadnezzar and his advancing forces. Jeremiah got involved and sent each of the representatives on their way back to their kings with a yoke as an object lesson, along with advice to submit to Babylonian rule.

8-10. Again taking up the topic of divine retribution foretold in vv.2-4 YHWH asks a rhetorical question, to which the expected answer is ‘Yes!’ ‘Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?’ YHWH say that he will remove wise men from Edom so that her leaders will no longer have the discernment to make good decisions. Because of this Edom’s warriors will become demoralised and the army ineffective. They will be slaughtered by opposing military forces.

‘The mount of Esau’ (also v.21) refers to Mt Seir and stands for all of Edom (Ezek 35:15). Teman (as well as Sela. see v.3) was a town in Edom and was named after one of Esau’s grandsons (Gen 36:11; 1 Chron 1:36).

‘In that day’ refers to the time when the events of v.7 take place.

Edom was famous for its wisdom (Obad 8; Jer 49:7; see also 1 Kgs 4:30). Eliphaz, one of Job’s comforters (Job 16:2) was a Temanite (Job 2:11).

Verse 10 makes it clear that Edom deserved severe punishment because it did not respect the historical kinship bond with Israel. This is emphasized by the use of ‘thy brother Jacob’ meaning Israel. Israel was descended from Jacob and Edom from Jacob’s twin brother Esau. Israel was bitter at the violence perpetrated against it by Edom; this resentment is expressed very powerfully in the book of Obadiah. Because of hostility displayed towards Israel Edom will be disgraced and will cease to exist as a nation (‘cut off forever’).

11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
12 But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.
13 Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;
14 Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.

11. Verse 11 refers to a specific time of crisis for Judah when Edom was complicit with foreign invaders, taking sides with them as they attacked Jerusalem.

12-14. Verses 12-14 lists eight crimes which Edom perpetrated against Judah on that occasion. ‘In/on that day’ occurs nine times in vv.10-14.

  • You should not have gloated over your brother in the day of his alienation (v.12).
  • You should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin (v.12).
  • You should not have boasted in the day of distress (v.12)
  • You should not have entered the gate of my people in the day of calamity (v.13).
  • You should not have gloated over their disaster in the day of their calamity (v.13).
  • You should not have looted their wealth in the day of their calamity (v.13).
  • You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off fugitives (v.14).
  • You should not have handed over survivors in the day of distress (v.14).

These crimes against Judah may have occurred during the Edomite rebellion c. 850 BCE in the reign of Jehoram of Judah but the dominant view among scholars, based on Psa 137:7, is that Obadiah was written soon after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587/6 BCE and that these verses refer to Edom’s behaviour at that time.

That view takes no account of the fact that the Edomites are not mentioned in the list of nations that helped the Babylonians at that time (2 Kgs 24:1-2). It also fails to explain Jer 40:11, which indicates that people from Judah fled from the Babylonians to other territories; a number of them finding refuge in Edom.

In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servants the prophets. 2 Kings 24:1-2

Verse 14 brings to an end the oracle against Edom. The prophet now turns from the day of Judah’s calamity when Edom acted against it to another day; the Day of YHWH. On that day the situation will be reversed. Edom and the other nations will be judged and Israel will be delivered (v.17).

Posted in Exposition

Understanding the Book of Obadiah: A Concise Overview

Posted on by writtenexposition

The prophecy of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament and fourth of the twelve Minor Prophets (note: it comes fifth in LXX which has a different order for the first six Minor Prophets – Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah). It commences with a superscription (v.1) which states that it was written by someone called Obadiah and also that the subject matter concerns Edom. The remainder of the book is a diatribe against Edom, consisting of two oracles; the first denouncing that nation for sins committed against the people of Israel/Judah and the second a prophecy about the Day of YHWH.

AUTHORSHIP

Obadiah is a common Old Testament name that means ‘servant of the Lord’ so this may either be the name of the book’s author or just a self-description. A dozen men named Obadiah are mentioned in the Old Testament. Smith’s Bible Dictionary lists them as follows:

  1. A man whose sons are enumerated in the genealogy of the tribe of Judah. (1 Chronicles 3:21)
  2. A descendant of Issachar and a chief man of his tribe. (1 Chronicles 7:3)
  3. One of the six sons of Azel, a descendant of Saul. (1 Chronicles 8:33; 9:44)
  4. A Levite, son of Shemaiah, and descended from Jeduthun. (1 Chronicles 9:16; Nehemiah 12:25)
  5. The second of the lion-faced Gadites who joined David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:9)
  6. One of the Princes of Judah in the reign of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 17:7)
  7. The son of Jehiel, of the sons of Joab, who came up in the second caravan with Ezra. (Ezra 8:9)
  8. A priest, or family of priests, who settled the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:5)
  9. The fourth of the twelve minor prophets.
  10. An officer of high rank in the court of Ahab. (1 Kings 18:3)
  11. The father of Ishmaiah who was chief of the tribe of Zebulun in David’s reign. (1 Chronicles 27:19)
  12. A Merarite Levite in the reign of Josiah, and one of the overseers of the workmen in the restoration of the temple. (2 Chronicles 34:12)

Nothing is known about no. 9 in Smith’s list, the author of the book of Obadiah.

DATE OF WRITING

The book of Obadiah contains no internal evidence that would indicate when it was written. No information about the author (except for his name) is given so it is virtually impossible to determine the date of writing. There are differing theories as to when the book was written. That depends upon how v.11 is interpreted.

In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. Obadiah 11

There is disagreement as to whether this verse refers to what happened around the time of the siege and fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar II in 587/6 BCE or to a much earlier event. The verse relates to an attack on Jerusalem, when the Edomites participated in the city’s destruction.

PRE-EXILIC VIEW

Those who consider that Obadiah was a pre-exilic prophet view Obadiah 11 as referencing an event much earlier in Judah’s history than the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. They identify two possibilities:

a) The Edomite revolt during the reign of King Jehoram of Judah (c. 852-841 BCE) when, in league with the Philistines and the Arabians, the Edomites plundered the temple of YHWH in Jerusalem and also carried off the royal household.

In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day... 2 Kings 8:20-22

In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots. So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day… 2 Chronicles 21:8-10

Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: And they came up into Judah, and broke into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. 2 Chronicles 21:16-17

Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Philistia? will ye render me a recompense? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head; Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Greeks, that ye might remove them far from their border. Joel 3:4-6

Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom: But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the palaces thereof: And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant: But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof. Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever: But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah. Amos 1:6-12

Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:
The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes (Arabians);
Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
Assur also is joined with them: they have helped the children of Lot. Selah. Psalms 83:1-8

b) Edomite conflict with Judah during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah (c. 732-716 BCE).

At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there. 2 Chronicles 28:16-18

EXILIC VIEW

Those who view Obadiah 11 as referring to what happened around 586 BCE postulate that the prophet Obadiah wrote early in the exilic period, just after the fall of Jerusalem, of which he may have been a contemporary eyewitness. These are the relevant passages:

Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof. Psalms 137:7

As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins. Lamentations 4:17-22

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them; Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 25:12-14

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: Ezekiel 35:1-5

I favour the pre-exilic view that Obadiah lived and wrote during or soon after Edomite rebellion in the reign of King Jehoram (c. 852-841 BCE) but the dominant opinion among modern scholars is that the Book of Obadiah was written sometime in the 6th century BCE, probably in the early years of the Babylonian exile. This assumes that the occasion when Edom gloated over Jerusalem was its destruction by the Babylonians. Psalm 137:7 strongly supports that view. Its proponents, however tend to ignore Jeremiah 40:11, which indicates that people from Judah fled from the Babylonians to other territories; a number of them finding refuge in Edom.

PROPHETIC PARALLELS

The book of Obadiah contains obvious parallels with other Old Testament prophetic writings; especially Jer 49:7-16. The other passages are Lam 4:21; Joel 1:15; 2:32; Ezek 25:12-14; 35:5; also compare Psa 137:7; Mal 1:2-5.

BACKGROUND

Read: Gen 25-33

According to the Old Testament the nations of Edom and Israel traced their roots to a common ancestor. This was the patriarch Isaac, son of Abraham. Isaac fathered twin sons named Esau and Jacob. From Esau came the nation of Edom and from Jacob the nation of Israel.

According to the biblical account the twin brothers were rivals from before birth (Gen 25:19-34). Verse 22 of Gen 25 notes that in their mother Rebekah’s womb ‘the children struggled together within her.’ Concerned by this she inquired of YHWH and in reply received a significant prophecy:

And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. Gen 25:23

Genesis does not clarify whether the prophecy relates to the two individuals (Esau and Jacob) or to the future nations (Edom and Israel) that would descend from them.

The rivalry between the twin brothers continued into adulthood but it the Genesis record would indicate that later on they more or less patched up their differences; which would lead one to the conclusion that the prophecy pointed to future national affairs. The brothers may have reached an accommodation of sorts but that was not the case with Edom and Israel. Despite the fact that the two nations had a common ancestor and were thus related by kinship, their history is marked by mutual hatred and hostility. The nation of Israel expected Edom to behave towards it as a brother should, unfortunately Edom did not share those same sentiments (Deut 23:7; Num 20:14-21).

The brotherhood of Edom and Israel is referred to several times in the Old Testament. It is stressed even in the account of the birth of the twin brothers Esau and Jacob with the comment that immediately after Esau was born ‘his brother came out’ (Gen 25:26). Other references to this kinship are in Num 2:14; Deut 2:4, 23:7; Amos 1:11; Obad 10, 12; Mal 1:2.

The treatment of Esau and Edom in the Pentateuch is comparatively neutral in tone but in the prophets they are referred to with hostility. The main reasons are 1) Edom’s history of aggression towards Israel, often in cahoots with other Canaanite nations that were unrelated by kinship and also 2) Edom’s expansion into Judean territory in the Negev (Ezek 35:10; 36:5; Obad 19-20, cp. 1 Esdras 4:50).

The bad press continues in the New Testament where Esau is viewed negatively in Rom 9:13 as regards election and in Heb 12:16-17 is cited as a negative example of someone who prefers the gratification of fleshly appetites to the blessing of God. There is no direct quotation from Obadiah in the New Testament.

THEMES AND PURPOSE

The Book of Obadiah has two main themes. One is the overthrow and destruction of Edom, Israel’s inveterate enemy. The other is the eventual glory of Israel/Judah in the Day of YHWH. The purpose of the book is therefore to prophesy Edom’s doom because of its pride and hatred of Israel/Judah and to encourage the Israelites/Judeans in the fact that a bright future lies ahead. The book divides as follows:

1-14 Declaration of Judgement on Edom

15-21 Deliverance for Israel in the Day of YHWH

KEY VERSE

…as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. Obadiah 15

KEY PHRASE

the kingdom shall be the LORD’s. Obadiah 21

Posted in Exposition

PSALM 19:7-14

Posted on by writtenexposition

Hymn: Mission Praise No. 506, O Lord my God

Reading Psalm 19

According to the heading Psalm 19 is a psalm of David. We do not know when it was written but David, at some time, must have looked up and marvelled at what he saw in the heavens above him. I am sure that verse one is familiar to all of us: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.’ 

As David meditates on how the sun dominates and illuminates everything under it in physical life, he thinks about how the word of God dominates and illuminates in spiritual life. This leads him to contemplate divine revelation in nature and then reflect upon divine revelation in the written word. He ponders what the Bible is and the role it should play in the life of the believer.

The psalm easily divides into three sections which could be considered under the following headings:

1-6 THE REVELATION OF GOD IN THE SKY

7-9 THE REVELATION OF GOD IN THE SCRIPTURES

10-14 THE RESPONSE TO THE WORD OF GOD IN THE SERVANT

For the sake of precision, let me point out that in the first section (vv.1-6) about divine revelation in nature, the name ‘God’ (v.1) is used. This name ‘God’ would remind us that he is the sovereign creator.

In the last half of the psalm the name ‘the Lord’ is used; occurring seven times. The name ‘the Lord’ brings before us the mercy and love of the covenant-keeping God.

This evening I won’t deal with the psalm in detail but would just like to point out a few things from vv. 7-14 for your consideration.

(7-9) THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORD OF THE LORD.

David makes six statements, each one containing a different name for the word of God, followed by a description of what it does.

It is perfect

‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.’ (v.7a)

This means that the word of the Lord is without blemish, complete, lacking nothing. It is flawless, without error. It is not misleading, it has integrity. God’s word contains everything we need to know about who God is. It also tells us about ourselves and the devastating impact of our sins. It tells us about the atoning sacrifice of our Saviour and how we can be saved. God’s word is perfect, restoring the soul.

This word ‘restore,’ in Hebrew can mean to revive or to restore but it can also mean to return, as in repent. The KJV translates it as ‘convert’, ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.’

As it is read and applied God’s perfect word has an effect on the soul. His word tells how we can be returned to a right relationship with God. It restores us to God as it is the means by which we are drawn into a right relationship with him.

It is sure

‘The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.’ (v.7b)

The testimony (covenant) of the Lord is ‘trustworthy.’ We can rely upon it. When all around us there is fake news and conflicting messages the truth of God’s word is unchanging; it is sure and trustworthy.

The word ‘simple’ does not refer to someone one who is incapable of understanding but to someone who is lacking in knowledge. The idea is of a rather naïve person who needs to gain wisdom in order to live a life that pleases the Lord. God will reveal himself to anyone who comes to the Bible with an open mind. His word makes us wise for without it we would be lost in our own confused thinking.

It is right

‘The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.’ (v.8a)

A statute is something appointed, that is, a directive which, if followed, will lead successfully to the goal of a productive and useful life. The thought is that of orders or directions, which if followed allow us to go where God wants us to go. God’s directions are exactly right and they are always right. David says that they cause the heart to rejoice. This is because they keep us in a right relationship with God.

It is pure

‘The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.’ (v8b)

The word pure here means ‘without pollution’ and can describe the purity and radiance of sunlight. The NIV translates: ‘The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.’

Psalm 119:105 says, ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’

Proverbs 6:23 says, ‘For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.’

Without God’s word we would have no spiritual understanding. Like the brilliance of the sun it banishes the darkness and enables us to see clearly. Through it God shows us where to step, what to avoid and which way to take. By following God’s word we can make sound choices in life.

It is clean

‘The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.’ (v.9a)

The fear of the Lord is clean – the word ‘fear’ is used for the word of God because the fear of the Lord is one of the effects God’s word has upon the heart. This is a literary technique known as metonymy (using a single characteristic of an object to describe the whole object). The word of the Lord produces reverence and awe. That fear of the Lord is clean;  i.e. it has a purifying effect on us, and it endures forever. It does not change.

1 Peter 1:24-25 says, ‘For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever’ 

It is true

‘The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’ (v.9b)

God’s judgments are true. The word ‘judgments’ here refers to God’s decisions. These are his declarations about what ought not to be and what should be. The idea behind ‘judgment’ is that of a legal ruling. All God’s decisions are based on the truth and are therefore righteous altogether. God gives true justice.

V. 10 THE DESIRE FOR THE WORD OF THE LORD

‘More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.’

The psalmist now speaks about the desirability of God’s word. David says that God’s word is sweeter than honey or the drippings from the honeycomb. If we love God, then his word will be precious to us, like gold, and sweet to us, like honey.

David’s words challenge us to ask: ‘What do I treasure most in life?’ Many people pursue wealth, success or pleasure. But David tells us that God’s word is more valuable than any of these things. It is more precious than gold because it produces what money cannot buy – wisdom, righteousness, and a relationship with God. It is sweeter than honey because it satisfies the deepest longings of the heart.

VV. 11-13 THE DISCERNMENT OF THE WORD OF THE LORD

‘Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.’

God’s word warns us against sins that we commit unintentionally and those which we commit wilfully. When we read God’s word it rewards us. That is, it produces good results by helping us to avoid falling into sin.

David, who calls himself a servant (v.11) of the Lord, realizes that, despite his knowledge of God’s word, he is prone to sin. He identifies two types of sins: secret faults and presumptuous sins. Hidden faults are those sins which we commit unknowingly and unintentionally. Wilful sins, on the other hand, are deliberate acts of disobedience when we know what is right but choose to ignore that and sin anyway.

Recognizing the fact that all of us, because of spiritual insensitivity, commit sins that we do not even discern, David (v.12) asks a rhetorical question: ‘Errors, who can discern them?’

As we read and study God’s word and allow it to direct our thinking, God will show us hidden faults in our lives which we could not otherwise see. Verse 12 reminds us that we must pray for cleansing from secret faults.

Verse 13 reminds us that believers ought also to pray for preservation from presumptuous sins. These are arrogant, premeditated sins which are committed wilfully. We presume that we can get away with them. We view them as insignificant, thinking and hoping that somehow God will see them that way as well.

If David could be cleansed from secret sins and preserved from committing presumptuous sins he would be innocent of ‘the great transgression.’ By this he probably means a state of rebellion against the Lord.

V. 14 THE DEVOTION OF THE SERVANT OF THE LORD

‘Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.’

David’s final plea is for his life to be pleasing to God – not just in outward actions, but in the words he speaks and the thoughts he thinks. He desires to live a life that honours God, recognizing that God is his Rock (strength and stability) and his Redeemer (the one who saves him).

SUMMATION

In Psalm 19:7-14 David celebrates the beauty, value, and power of God’s word. It is perfect, it is sure, it is right, it is pure, it is clean and it is righteous. It is more valuable than gold and sweeter than honey. It warns us of dangers and brings great reward when we follow it. It reveals our sins and leads us to forgiveness, and ultimately, shapes our lives so that we may live in a way that pleases God.

Let us therefore commit ourselves to treasuring God’s word; allowing it to restore our souls, guide our steps, and transform our hearts.

Short talk delivered at a Sunday evening prayer meeting, 22 September, 2024

Posted in Exposition

THOUGHTS ON 3 JOHN

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

Consisting of just 219 Greek words 3 John is the shortest book in the New Testament. With 245 Greek words, 2 John is the next shortest. These two books by the same author share some similarities. They both appear to be personal letters addressed to individuals, from someone calling himself ‘the elder.’ 2 John is addressed to an anonymous lady and her children and 3 John to a man called Gaius. In each case, however, the content seems to be aimed at a wider readership. They have the same structure, similar conclusions and have ‘truth’ and ‘love’ as key words.

Neither letter records the writer’s name and date of writing but authorship has traditionally been ascribed to the Apostle John and the date of writing thought to be between 80 and 95 CE. Scholars also reckon that John was based in Ephesus at that time and, as the last of the twelve apostles still living, was a senior figure in the fellowship of Christian assemblies in Asia Minor.

Both epistles deal with the topic of hospitality, but from a different angle. On the one hand, 2 John forbids extending hospitality to visiting teachers who hold faulty teaching about Jesus Christ whereas, on the other hand, 3 John encourages the provision of hospitality and material supplies to itinerant Christian workers who have ‘gone out in the Name.’ The key verse in 3 John is v. 8 as it sums up John’s message to Gaius: ‘So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.’ 3 John 1:8 NLT

In 2 John the emphasis is more on the home whereas in 3 John the emphasis is on the church. Indeed, it is the only one of the Johannine writings, except the Revelation, that refers to ‘church’. 2 John, with its mention of deceivers, antichrist and teaching is more concerned with doctrine. 3 John mentions three men, at least one of whom is a church leader, and focuses more on personalities.

The occasion that inspired the writing of 3 John is unknown but may perhaps be reconstructed as follows from the sparse information in the epistle. John writes a personal note to a close friend called Gaius about a serious situation that has arisen in one of the Christian assemblies in Asia Minor. Gaius is an influential and hospitable member either of that assembly or of another one nearby. By sheer force of personality a man called Diotrephes has assumed leadership of the church, is refusing to receive itinerant Christian workers and has excommunicated other members of the church who opposed or disobeyed him. John has written to the assembly about these issues but Diotrephes has rejected his communication, made it clear that John is not welcome and has been spreading malicious rumours about him. John writes to encourage Gaius in his faith and exhort him to continue to extend hospitality to Christian workers. John himself will travel to the church urgently and will sort out the problem of Diotrephes.

Third John may be divided as follows:

1-2 SALUTATION
3- 8 PROSPEROUS GAIUS – WALKING IN THE TRUTH
9-11 PREEMINENT DIOTREPHES – WITHOUT TRUTH
12 PRAISEWORTHY DEMETRIUS – WELL-REPORTED OF THE TRUTH
13-14 CONCLUSION

SALUTATION (1-2)

(1) Like any first century Greek letter, 3 John begins with a salutation. As in 2 John, the writer identifies himself as ‘the presbyter (elder).’ This word can refer to an older man, which John certainly was at the time of writing, but in the early church it also referred to a church leader; of which there would have been a plurality in every assembly location (Ac 14:23; 20:17; Titus 1:5).

The elder addresses the letter to one person, a certain Gaius, whom he describes as ‘well-beloved’ in v.1 and also in vv. 2, 5 and 11. There are three references to love in the first two verses. The elder loves Gaius in truth i.e. he truly or genuinely loves him. Even though there is no definite article (‘the’) it may mean that the elder loves Gaius ‘in the truth’ i.e. they are fellow-believers in the truth about Jesus Christ. There are six references to truth in the epistle: vv.1, 3 twice, 4, 8, 12.

The name Gaius (meaning ‘rejoicing’) was popular in the Roman Empire at that time which would suggest that this man was a Gentile convert. There are three other men named Gaius in the New Testament:

  • Gaius of Macedonia Acts 19:29
  • Gaius of Derbe Acts 20:4
  • Gaius of Corinth Rom 16:23; 1 Cor 1:14

Some commentators speculate that Gaius of Corinth may have been the hospitable Gaius of 3 John since Paul says that he was his ‘host’ (Rom 16:23). That is unlikely because the Gaius in 3 John is one of the Apostle John’s converts (3 Jn 4) whereas the other three are closely associated with Paul. It would therefore seem that the Gaius of 3 John is a fourth Gaius, especially since there is no ancient tradition that links the epistle 3 John with Corinth.

(2) As in any secular letter of the time there follows a wish for the recipient’s good health and wellbeing. The verb eúchomai can mean ‘wish’ or ‘pray;’ perhaps the latter translation is more appropriate in this case. The elder addresses Gaius as ‘beloved’ (something like ‘dear friend’) and prays that Gaius may prosper (lit. be led along a good road; cp. Rom 1:10; 1 Cor 16:2) and be well even as his psyche (soul or life) is prosperous. This wish that Gaius might be as well off physically as he is spiritually may suggest that Gaius had some ongoing health problem(s).

PROSPEROUS GAIUS – WALKING IN THE TRUTH (3- 8)

(3) Having stated in v.2b that Gaius’ soul prospers, the elder proceeds to give his reasons for that confident assertion. He says that he rejoiced greatly when some of the brothers (see also vv.5, 10) came to him with a good report about Gaius’ faithfulness and adherence to the truth. The present participle in ‘coming’ and ‘testifying’ implies that these occurred more than once (‘the brothers coming and testifying’). Possibly the same ‘brothers’ who brought the good news about Gaius are those who also reported negatively on Diotrephes (v.10). ‘Even as’ – that the truth is in Gaius is exemplified by the fact that he always ‘walks (i.e. lives) in the truth.’

(4) Lit. ‘Greater than these I do not have joy that I hear.’ Referring to the occasions when he had heard good reports about Gaius the elder expands upon ‘rejoiced greatly’ (v.3) to say that nothing causes him greater joy than hearing reports like these about his ‘children’ (téknon). Presumably his children refers to converts who have come to faith in Jesus Christ through his ministry. The Apostle Paul uses téknon in this sense in 1 Cor 4:14; Gal 4:19; Phil 2:22. The joy that the elder experiences reflects his deep pastoral concern for the spiritual growth of his converts.

(5) Once again addressing Gaius as ‘beloved’ (vv. 1, 2, see also 11) the elder commends him for all his efforts for the brothers, even though they are strangers. What he does for them (i.e. his hospitality) is ‘a faithful thing’ – he is acting as a believer should. ‘And to strangers’ means ‘even to strangers.’ The strangers are the brothers, not a different group of people. They are fellow-believers, most likely itinerant preachers, unknown to Gaius.

‘You do the faithful thing’ is present tense but may also refer to future actions as if already accomplished. All that Gaius has done, currently does and will do for the brothers is an expression of his Christian faith.

(6) The brothers had testified to the truth that was in Gaius (v.3) but here it is said that they also testified to his love, speaking highly of him in the presence of the church. Most likely this means the presbyter’s assembly rather than Gaius’ assembly or the church at large. In the gospel and epistles of John ‘church’ only occurs here and in vv. 9 and 10 of this letter.

‘Whom if thou bring forward on their journey… thou shalt do well.’ To ‘bring them forward’ means to ‘send them on their way;’ the idea is that after extending hospitality Gaius would send them off equipped with enough food and money to last them until they reached their next destination (Acts 15:3; Rom 15:24; 1 Cor 16:6,11; 2 Cor 1:16; Tit 3:13). To send them on their journey like this would be ‘in a manner worthy of God. ‘Thou shalt do well’ is future which suggests that although the travelling workers had visited Gaius and then returned to the elder (v.3) they were about to go out again and would require hospitality from Gaius once more.

(7) ‘Because they have set out on behalf of the Name.’ ‘ Set out’ (exérchomai) is used of missionaries in Acts 14:20; 15:40. ‘The Name’ could refer to God but is more likely to refer to Jesus, as it does elsewhere in the New Testament (Jn 15:21; Acts 4:12, 17; 5:41; 9:16; 15:26; 21:13; Rom 1:5; Phil 2:9; 1 Pet 4:14). The reasons John gives for supporting the brothers are a) they are Christian missionaries, and b) they have no other means of support.

Perhaps to contrast with the begging activities of itinerant philosophers and representatives of pagan cults the Christian missionaries did not seek support (received nothing) from the Gentiles. Note that Jews used the word ‘Gentiles’ to refer to non-Jews whereas in this verse we have an example of its use by Christians to refer to non-believers.

(8) ‘We’ (i.e. Christian believers as distinct from non-believing Gentiles) are to receive such (i.e. those that match the criteria in v.7). Notice the word play: those who ‘receive’ (lambánō) nothing from the Gentiles ought to be ‘fully received’ (apolambánō) by the church. By receiving such people Gaius would prove to be a co-worker (sunergós, see also Rom 16:3; 2 Cor 6:1; Phil 2:25; Col 4:11) for the truth (the gospel message).

PREEMINENT DIOTREPHES – WITHOUT TRUTH (9-11)

(9) John now refers to the case of Diotrephes (his name means ‘God-nurtured’). This may have been his main motivation for writing to Gaius. He says ‘I wrote to the church’ which would suggest that in a letter that is no longer extant John wrote, perhaps to commend a worker or provide some teaching for the assembly, but the message was rejected by Diotrephes. This church where Diotrephes holds sway may be Gaius’ assembly also but since John seems to be informing Gaius of the situation it seems more likely that it is an assembly near Gaius.

John states that Diotrephes does not ‘receive’ him personally; i.e. he does not accept John’s apostolic authority. John notes that Diotrephes is someone who ‘loves to have first place.’ The present tense (‘loves’) denotes ongoing and habitual action. Egotistical and ambitious as he is, Diotrephes seems to have appointed himself as leader of the assembly and for some reason, whether doctrinal or personal, spurns the authority of the apostle John.

(10) In v.10 John lists four specific allegations about Diotrephes behaviour. ‘Which he doth’ is present tense. Diotrephes’ actions are continuous and ongoing.

  • He slanders John.
  • He refuses to accept the brothers (itinerant Christian workers).
  • He prevents others church members from extending hospitality to the brothers.
  • He expels those who disobey him and give hospitality to the brothers.

John says ‘wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds.’ This statement does not imply doubt about John’s arrival. He is promising to visit the assembly and publicly denounce Diotrephes (‘I will bring up, remind’). He will address Diotrephes’ deplorable behaviour when he visits.

(11) Once again calling Gaius ‘beloved’ John encourages him to imitate good and avoid evil. One who is good shows that he is of God whilst one who is evil has not seen God. The perfect tense of ‘has seen’ references a past event. ‘To see God’ is to have intimate knowledge of God (Jn 6:46; 14:9). John would not wish Gaius to imitate Diotrephes but in the next verse he mentions someone whom Gaius would do well to imitate.

PRAISEWORTHY DEMETRIUS – WELL-REPORTED OF THE TRUTH (12)

Implicit in the text is the suggestion that Gaius ought to imitate the life of Demetrius, who is a good person. His name meaning ‘belonging to Demeter’ (Demeter was a Greek fertility goddess) would suggest that he is a converted pagan. That he is ‘well spoken of by everyone and by the truth itself’ means that he has a good testimony and lives a life of truth. He is of good character and has a good reputation. Demetrius may have been the one who carried the letter to Gaius because John then adds a further endorsement: ‘we (pl) bear witness.’ John and his associates also vouch for Demetrius. John may have in mind the Old Testament requirement for three witnesses (Dt 19:15, cp. 1 Jn 5:7-8). The witness to Demetrius’ life and character was from a) everyone b) the truth, and c) John and his associates.

CONCLUSION (13-14)

The concluding words of 3 John are similar to those of 2 John 12-13. The elder ends on a personal note, saying that he looks forward to seeing Gaius, whom he asks to convey his greetings to other believers.

(13) John has been using the plural ‘we’ in v.12 but now changes to the singular ‘I’ in vv.13 and 14. He has told Gaius that he is coming to visit ‘shortly’ therefore he will not write more with a reed pen and ink (lit. black) but will talk to Gaius in person (lit, ‘mouth to mouth’).

(14) ‘Shortly’ is ‘immediately’ or ‘very soon’ and may reflect the urgency with which John needs to deal with the problem of Diotrephes. The letter closes with a three-fold greeting:

1. ‘Peace be to thee.’ John wishes a blessing upon Gaius (cp. Num 6:26).

2. ‘Our friends salute thee.’ John’s associates send their greetings as well.

3. ‘Greet the friends by name’ John asks Gaius to to pass on his greetings to each person individually rather than just as a group. This is the one and only time Christians are directly addressed as ‘friends’ in the New Testament.

SUMMATION

3 John highlights the topics of truth, hospitality and church leadership. It contrasts the behaviour of faithful and helpful believers like Gaius and Demetrius with the self-serving and divisive actions of Diotrephes and thus serves as both encouragement and warning.

Posted in General

Go Forward!

Posted on by writtenexposition

Hymn: Mission Praise 245. How great is our God

Reading: Exodus 14:1-15

And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.

INTRODUCTION

Times of great change can be a mixed bag of fear and excitement. This week, for some of the young people connected with this church there may be a change of school or perhaps a change of subjects after GCSEs. Maybe others will soon be off to work or university, having recently received their “A” level results. There will be excitement at what has been accomplished so far but also a degree of trepidation at what lies ahead.

Some of you, much older, perhaps find yourselves in a distressing situation, feeling hemmed in and not sure where to turn or what to do next. You are asking yourself: ‘What do I do now?’ 

BACKGROUND

In the passage which we have read from the book of Exodus the Israelites have recently been delivered from slavery in Egypt. They had witnessed incredible miracles there, including the plagues that struck the Egyptians but spared them, the Passover that killed firstborn Egyptian sons but spared their own, and their release from the many years of bondage that they had endured.

Now, not long after the Exodus, they are at the shore of the Red Sea, with Pharaoh’s army fast approaching from behind. Before them lies the Red Sea; behind them, the advancing Egyptian army. It is a moment of great fear and uncertainty for the people. They are trapped, in a dead end. What should they do now?

As recently liberated slaves not used to making decisions, they have had a crisis of confidence. Moses’ initial suggestion in v.13 was to ‘stand still,’ but that wasn’t going to achieve anything. In their dire situation, loudly expressing great fear and doubt (vv. 11 and 12), the people cried out to Moses, and Moses cried out to the Lord. God’s response to Moses was surprising: ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward.’

COMMENTS

This evening let us briefly reflect on the message that God gave to Moses and the Israelites in their moment of crisis:  ‘Go forward!’ It is one that we can apply to ourselves today: for it calls us to move beyond our fears, doubts and uncertainties. Using this passage as a springboard, allow me to suggest some principles that will help us to ‘go forward’ in our own lives and in our walk with God.

WE MUST HAVE FAITH IN GOD

When God through Moses instructed the Israelites to go forward, he was asking them to trust him completely, in spite of the fact that there was a seemingly insurmountable obstacle before them, i.e. the Red Sea. From a human perspective, they were trapped, they were cornered, there was no way forward. But God’s command was not based on human reckoning; it was based upon his own divine power and purpose.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a similar situation. We face what seems like an impossible obstacle, and we feel trapped by our circumstances. Our natural inclination is to look for an escape route, to find a way back to safety or just to cry out in despair. Yet, God calls us to go forward and trust his instructions even when we cannot see the path ahead. Whenever the way ahead is unclear going forward requires faith. The Apostle Paul reminds us of that in 2 Corinthians 5:7: ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’ Faith is believing the promises of God and trusting his ability to make a way forward, even though that may seem impossible.

WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO GOD’S WILL

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Rom 16:1-2

If ye love me, keep my commandments. Jn 14:15

Because the Israelites obeyed God’s command to go forward, they witnessed one of the greatest miracles in the Bible; the parting of the Red Sea. As they moved forward in faith, God acted on their behalf, making a way through. Their obedience unlocked God’s miraculous provision. Whenever we choose to obey God, even if that doesn’t seem to make sense, he will work in us, through us and for us; in ways that we can never imagine.

WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACT

God’s instruction to move forward was about more than just physical movement; it also meant stepping outside of their comfort zone. The Israelites had been slaves for around four hundred years. They were accustomed to life in bonds, but now God was asking them to trust him for freedom. They needed to be brave in the face of peril. Similarly, God sometimes summons us outside of our comfort zones. He encourages us to venture into the unknown, to embrace change, and to take risks that may be uncomfortable or even frightening. Whatever the problem, God’s demand to move forward requires us to abandon the safety of what we know and embrace the potential of what God has in store for us.

WE MUST BE ALERT

As we ‘go forward’ through life seeking to obey God’s commands and fulfil his will for us we must always be alert, as we shall encounter many obstacles and face many difficulties along the way. Here in Exodus 14 the Israelites faced the problem of the Red Sea and how to get over it. Their next challenge would be the Sinai Desert and how to cross it; no shelter, lots of heat, sand as far the eye can see, little food and a shortage of water.

By the way, the following chapter, Exodus 15, highlights the importance of water to the Israelites’ during their wilderness experience:

MIGHTY WATERS:  Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. Exod 15:10

MISSING WATERS: So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. Exod 15:22

MARAH WATERS: And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. Exod 15:23

MANY WATERS: And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters. Exod 15:27

We must be alert because the enemy is always on our track, seeking to ruin us and prevent us from going forward and reaching our goal. The Apostle Peter warned about this in 1 Peter 5:8 where he wrote about alertness (Be sober, be vigilant;), an adversary (because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,), and an attack (seeking whom he may devour). Let us be careful!

SUMMATION

How do we ‘go forward’ today?

  • We must trust God in times of fear and uncertainty.
  • We must obey God’s commands, confident that he is able to make a way forward even when that seems impossible.
  • We must have the courage to step out of our comfort zone and accept the new things that God wants to do in our lives.
  • We must constantly be on the alert in order to avoid obstructions and repel the adversary who seeks to devour us.


Just as the Lord led the Israelites through the Red Sea, he is ready to lead us through our challenges and obstacles, but we must be willing to ‘go forward’ in faith.
Let each of us therefore reflect on those areas of our life where God may be calling us to ‘go forward’ – areas where he is asking us to trust him more, where he is challenging us to step out in faith. This evening let us commit to moving forward, trusting in God to guide us every step of the uncharted way ahead.

Short talk delivered at a midweek prayer meeting 03 September, 2024

Posted in Exposition

THOUGHTS ON 2 JOHN

Posted on by writtenexposition

INTRODUCTION

The Second Epistle of John, the second shortest book in the New Testament with only 245 Greek words, is a brief letter written in the Greek style that was common in the first century CE and is the only New Testament epistle addressed to a woman. At first sight, 2 John appears to be a personal letter, possibly sent to an individual Christian woman. However, the content of the letter is general enough to suggest a broader audience. Many scholars believe that ‘elect lady’ is a cryptic reference to a Christian church or community, rather than an actual person.

Traditionally, the letter is attributed to the Apostle John, who is thought to have written it from Ephesus, possibly to a Christian community in Asia Minor c. 80-95 CE. The letter mentions the Father and Jesus Christ but does not refer directly to the Holy Spirit. Like 1 John, its major themes are ‘love’ and ‘truth.’

The epistle divides as follows:

1-3 Address and salutation

4-6 Spiritual life: following God’s commands.

7-11 Spiritual dangers: repudiating deceivers.

12-13 Closing greeting.

ADDRESS AND SALUTATION (1-3)

(1) The author of the letter does not provide his name but instead identifies himself as ‘the presbyter’ or ‘elder,’ The definite article (‘the’) would suggest that he was a well-known figure among his recipients. The word ‘elder’ means an older man but in the early church it also carried the idea of maturity, dignity and authority. It signified a church leader/overseer.

For further reading see my earlier posts on presbuteros in the Pastoral Epistles:

(1) THE PRESBYTER-BISHOP IN THE PASTORAL EPISTLES – INTRODUCTION

(2) THE PRESBYTER-BISHOP IN THE PASTORAL EPISTLES – QUALIFICATIONS

(3) THE PRESBYTER-BISHOP IN THE PASTORAL EPISTLES – CONCLUSION AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

The letter opens with a greeting from ‘the elder’ to ‘the elect lady and her children.’ In vv. 1 and 5 ‘lady’ (kuria) is the feminine form of ‘lord’ (kurios). She is described as ‘elect’ (eklektḗ). Possibly the writer is using this designation to respectfully address a woman of distinction (something like ‘dear lady’). If so, she is a Christian woman who has children (v.4) and her own house (v.10).

Note, however, that both words may be proper names. Electa meaning ‘chosen, selected or excellent’ and Kyria meaning ‘strong, valued, essential, noble.’ The letter may therefore be written to a woman called Electa Kyria. Notice that Rom 16:13 has a similar masculine example that includes ‘elect.’

Various interpretations of ‘elect lady’ have been suggested, such as:

  • the lady Electa (it is, however, unlikely that one particular woman would be known and loved by all Christians or that two sisters in the same family would be named Electa, see v.13).
  • the noble Kyria
  • Dear lady – a courteous greeting.
  • Elect lady – the Christian church at large.
  • Elect lady (and your children) – a local church or Christian community (and its members).

Given the context of Roman hostility towards Christianity at the time, the latter interpretation seems likely. By using symbolic language, the author may have been attempting to protect the identities of both himself and his audience.

If the ‘elect lady’ is indeed figuratively a church then her children (téknois) are her spiritual offspring or members. Church members are referred to as ‘children’ several times in 1 John (1 Jn 3:1, 2, 10; 5:2). John says that he loves them (‘whom’ is plural) ‘in truth.’ This means that he’ ‘really’ or ‘truly’ loves them.

Not only is it a church that John loves but it is also well-known – because it is loved by all who know the truth. John here associates himself with all who ‘have known’ the truth. The perfect tense conveys two ideas: an action that has taken place in the past and its results that continue in the present. In John’s thinking he and all who know the truth are orthodox in their beliefs unlike the deceivers in vv.7-11. ‘Truth’ is mentioned five times in 2 John, all occurrences are in the first four verses.

(2) John expands upon v.1 and says that he loves the lady and her children ‘on account of the truth.’ He does not only love her because she is well-respected but also because they share the truth. This truth dwells (abides, remains) in us and will be with us forever. The emphasis is on the words ‘with us.’ This may be an indirect reference to the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:17; 15:26; 1 Jn 3:24; 5:7). The indwelling power makes us capable of Christian love.

(3) The salutation concludes with a blessing, expressing confidence that the recipients will receive grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. God will support them (grace) and have compassion and pity on them (mercy) should they have to endure undeserved affliction. Grace and mercy will produce well-being (peace). These three things are associated with truth and love.

The formula ‘grace, mercy and peace’ occurs in other New Testament letters (1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2; Tit 1:4). John says that grace, mercy and peace come from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father. The expression ‘Son of the Father’ is unique to 2 John.

See: THE IDENTITY OF JESUS AS ‘SON OF’

The repetition of truth and love from v.1 marks the end of the opening salutation.

SPIRITUAL LIFE: FOLLOWING GOD’S COMMANDS (4-6)

(4) The next section shifts to a discussion about the spiritual life of the recipients. Having referred to truth and love at the end of v.3 the author takes these up as themes in vv.4-6. John expresses joy upon hearing that some members of the community are ‘walking in truth,’ living in accordance with God’s commands (1 Kgs 2:4; 2 Kgs 20:3; Psa 86:11; Isa 38:3; 3 Jn 3, 4). However, his use of ‘some’ suggests that not all are steadfast in their faith, indicating possible divisions or disagreements among the believers. Verse 4 attributes the command to live in the truth to the Father, not to the Lord Jesus Christ.

(5-6) Verses 5-6 make it clear that the command to live in the truth includes the obligation to love others. John emphasises the importance of love to resolve issues, reminding them that they are to love one another, a command which has been central since the beginning of Christianity. It is the new command which in the Fourth Gospel was issued by Jesus (Jn13:34; 15:12-17) but would have come from God (Jn 7:16-17). It is also attributed to God in 1 Jn 3:23. Love, John argues, is the foundation of all God’s commands.

‘Command’ appears four times in vv. 4-6. It appears three times in the singular; in v.4 (‘a command’), in v.5 (‘a new command’) and in v.6 (‘the command’). In v.6 it is in the plural (‘his commands’). The singular may perhaps refer to the specific command to love but the plural to all God’s commands.

Again emphasizing that the command is from the beginning, John in v.6 underlines the fact that they should love one another. He does this by reversing the order of the ideas of command and love; in v.5 command is followed by love, in v.6 love is followed by command. In v.6 he also uses ‘this’ and ‘that’ to provide emphasis: ‘this is love…that we should walk after his commandments.’ Obedience to the command to love is obligatory.

SPIRITUAL DANGERS: REPUDIATING DECEIVERS (7-11)

(7) John then moves on to warn against spiritual dangers, specifically false teachers who may lead believers astray. These ‘deceivers,’ as he calls them, have abandoned true doctrine and are opposing Christ, making them ‘antichrists.’ John cautions his readers to be vigilant so that they do not lose what they have worked for, but instead receive their full reward.

John links vv.7-11 with the preceding section vv.4-6 by the word hóti meaning ‘for’ or ‘because.’ He moves from rejoicing that his readers walk in truth to warning them against the malign influence of people who might mislead them into holding false beliefs. He claims that many deceivers have abandoned true doctrine and  ‘defected’ into the world (1 Jn 2:18-19). Switching from plural (‘many deceivers’) to singular (‘a deceiver’) John brands such a person as the deceiver and the antichrist. A deceiver is someone who figuratively wanders from the truth and leads others astray. An antichrist is someone who is actively opposed to Christ.

John says of the deceivers that ‘they confess not,’ – it is worth observing that often what people do not say can be more deceptive than what they actually do express.

Deceivers do not acknowledge ‘Jesus Christ coming in the flesh.’ ‘Coming’ (erchomenon) is a present active participle. What does John mean by this brief description of their heresy? Is he referring to Christ’s first or second coming, i.e. to his incarnation or to his parousia?

The usual interpretation takes this present active participle as meaning that the historical Jesus Christ came in the flesh and continues to remain in the flesh, i.e. he never stopped being human (see Patterson & Kelley, Women’s Evangelical Commentary NT, p. 879). It is thus a similar thought to 1 John 4:2 which is more precise as it has a perfect participle (elḗlythota):  ‘Jesus Christ having come in the flesh.’

Or, does the present participle have a future meaning? If it does then the deceivers either deny Christ’s future parousia or that it will be ‘in the flesh.’

(8) Since many deceivers are out and about John issues a strong warning to his readers. He instructs them using the imperative: ‘watch yourselves’ (‘be vigilant’ or ‘protect yourselves’). Self-effort is necessary, the believers must always be on the alert. This is because doctrinal error can result in loss. John presents this possibility negatively and then positively:

Do not lose what we have worked for. This refers to the missionary work and evangelistic effort that John and others have undertaken. It would be sad to lose what has been accomplished (cp. Gal 4:11; Phil 2:16).

That you may receive a full reward. This refers to the reward for service that believers will receive (Mt 5:12; Mk 9:41; Jn 4:35-36; 1 Cor 3:8; Rev 11:18; 22:12). Acceptance of false teaching will diminish that reward. John therefore warns them against complacency as he wants them to receive their reward ‘in full’ i.e. without anything lacking.

(9) Should someone, however, ‘transgress’ (run ahead, go beyond, make progress) and not remain in the doctrine of Christ then that person has never been saved. He may think that he is progressive but he does not have (possess) God. John draws a contrast between ‘whoever abideth not in the doctrine of Christ’ and ‘he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ.’ Someone with a wrong view of Christ has neither Christ nor the Father whereas someone who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both.

Whether the genitive (‘of’) is subjective (teaching from Christ) or objective (teaching about Christ) is matter of great debate. Either view makes sense but in view of the emphasis in 1 and 2 John on what is ‘from the beginning’ (1 Jn 1:1; 2:7, 13, 14, 24; 3:8, 11; 2 Jn 5, 6) it seems more likely that Christ’s own teaching is foremost in John’s mind, i.e. the genitive is subjective.

(10-11) CONTAMINATION BY ASSOCIATION

‘If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine…’ The two verbs ‘come’ and ‘bring’ together suggest the possibility that people are travelling about with the deliberate intention of promoting their false teaching. John may be aware of some who have already set out to visit the ‘elect lady’ for that purpose. He uses further imperatives: ‘do not receive’ and ‘do not greet’ to issue a clear instruction to reject false teachers and avoid any association with them. This is practical advice. Using the repeated negative ‘do not’ for emphasis, he warns the believers against what D. Moody Smith (1 2 & 3 John : Interpretation Commentary, p.145) aptly terms ‘contamination by association.’

Although hospitality was strongly encouraged in the early church (Acts 16:15; Rom 12:13; 1 Tim 3:2; 5:9-10; Tit 1:8; Heb 13:2; 1 Pet 4:9) the presence of false teachers in believers’ houses would make it easier for false teaching to be spread, especially since church services were usually held in homes.

Vv.10-11 make it clear that an individual Christian or a church has a responsibility to combat the spread of error by refusing to welcome false teachers into ‘the house’ or even to greet them cordially. The reason John gives for this is that anyone who welcomes and supports false teachers becomes complicit in their wrongdoing. Such a person ‘fellowships’ or ‘partners’ with the false teachers in their evil deeds. A similar thought is expressed by Paul in 1 Tim 5:22 where the same verb (koinōnéṓ̄) is used: ‘neither be partaker of other men’s sins.’ This apparent intolerance advocated by John demonstrates the seriousness with which the apostles regarded false teaching about the person of Christ. Such doctrine would undermine the true Christian faith so they were not prepared to permit or overlook it.

CLOSING GREETING (12-13)

John closes his letter by expressing his wish to visit in person. He has so much to write to them that he ‘did not wish’ to set out his thoughts on paper (lit. papyrus) and ink (lit. what is black). He looks forward to face-to-face (lit. mouth to mouth) communication that will bring ‘completed joy’ (see 1 Jn 1:4). He also sends greetings from the ‘offspring of your elect sister,’ which, if ‘elect lady’ in v.1 is indeed a metaphor for a church, suggests another Christian community sending regards.

SUMMATION

Though brief, 2 John is rich with meaning and insight into the early Christian church. It emphasises the importance of love and truth, warns against false teaching and teachers, and underscores the need for vigilance. Written in a time of persecution and uncertainty, this letter serves as both encouragement and a guide to maintaining the integrity of the Christian community.

Posted in Exposition

EZEKIEL 11 – THE GLORY DEPARTS

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INTRODUCTION

Ezekiel 11 is the last of four chapters (8-11) that describe Ezekiel’s second vision. The main topic of that vision is the gradual departure of YHWH’s kabod (Glory) from Solomon’s temple and the city, leaving Jerusalem without divine protection. It begins with a change of location for Ezekiel when in vision he is transported to the east gate of the temple where he observes a meeting of ‘the princes of the people.’

The bulk of the chapter consists of two disputation speeches. Put simply, a disputation speech presents one particular viewpoint and contradicts or refutes it by presenting the other side of the argument. There are ten such speeches in the book of Ezekiel (11:1-12; 11:14-21; 12:21-25; 12:26-28; 18:1-32; 20:32-34; 33:10-11; 33:17-20; 33:23-29; 37:11-14).

Chapter 11 closes with the departure of the kabod, Ezekiel’s return to Chaldea in vision and confirmation that he communicated details of the vision to his fellow-exiles.

There are two main divisions:

1-13 CONDEMNATION

14-25 RESTORATION

Each of these sections contains a disputation oracle.

CONDEMNATION (1-13)

(1) Ezekiel is transported to the eastern gate of the temple where he observes a meeting of twenty-five members of the Jerusalem elite. This is the same number of individuals as in 8:16 but cannot be the same men. The sun-worshippers in the inner court of the temple in chapter 8 would have been priests whereas those meeting at the east gate are called the ‘princes of the people.’ They are not priests, they are politicians. Two of the most notable are mentioned by name: Jaazaniah the son of Azur and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah.

(2-3) The Spirit informs Ezekiel that this group of influential men meets to plot evil and is responsible for giving harmful counsel to the Jerusalemites. Verse 3 gives an example of this counsel: ‘it is not near; let us build houses, this city is the caldron, and we are the meat.’ The Preacher’s Commentary says that: ‘the Hebrew wording of their boast is difficult to understand. It says literally, “Not build houses near? It is the pot, we are the meat!”

The exact meaning escapes us but obviously it is an arrogant assertion of confidence that goes against what YHWH was revealing through Jeremiah at the time. The elders are insisting that all is well while Jeremiah prophesies imminent destruction at the hands of the Chaldeans (Jer 37:14 – 38:4).

The following ideas might be conveyed in the proverb:

  • ‘All is well. Now is the time for us to build houses and restore the material damage done by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians when Jerusalem under King Jehoiachin was besieged a few years ago (597 BCE).’
  • ‘We who live in Jerusalem are like meat in a cooking pot. We are the best bits. The exiles in Babylon are the offal, they have been thrown away. We are in a city that is under YHWH’s protection, the exiles in Babylon are obviously under his judgement.’
  • ‘Even if the Babylonians do attack it is much safer for us to be in the pot (within Jerusalem’s city walls) than outside it.’

In the verses that follow (especially vv. 7-12) their opinions are shown to be false.  Note that in Ezekiel caldron (siyr) occurs only in chapter 11 and in chapter 24. The latter contains the parable (or allegory) of the cooking pot.

(4-6) In the vision Ezekiel is commanded to prophesy and is empowered by the Spirit to speak YHWH’s words. They reveal that the leaders’ thoughts, intentions, motives and hypocrisy are known to the Lord. They, the leaders of the people, have been responsible for widespread violence and death in the city. This may refer to the slaughter carried out by the six executioners earlier in the vision (9:5-7).

(7-12) In this disputation speech by the Lord God (Adonai YHWH) the analogy of the caldron (cooking pot) as used by the leaders of Jerusalem is refuted. The city of Jerusalem is the cooking pot but YHWH asserts that dead bodies, not living people, is the meat. The leaders may think that the pot guarantees safety but they will be driven out of it to face what they fear most: a violent death by the sword. YHWH will remove them from Jerusalem and hand them over to foreign enemies who will slay them at Israel’s border. Notice the double occurrence of ‘I will bring you out’ (7, 9). This is language reminiscent of the Exodus. The imminent ‘bringing out,’ however, will not be to salvation but death. Notice also the double mention of ‘border’ (10,11).

YHWH reiterates (vv.11) that the city will not provide safety (‘be a pot for you’) and emphasizes that the leaders will be judged. The judgement will reveal YHWH’s sovereignty and lordship (‘ye shall know that I am the Lord’ vv.10,12). The Jerusalemites (represented by their leaders) will face consequences because: a) they have not followed the Lord’s decrees b) they have not kept his law, but c) they have adopted pagan practices. We learn from 2 Kgs 25:4-7 and Jeremiah 52:7-10 that what Ezekiel prophesied concerning the leaders of Judah literally came to pass.

(13) In Ezekiel’s vision the threat of impending judgement is emphasized by immediate judgement upon Pelatiah who drops dead while Ezekiel is prophesying. We do not know if Pelatiah really dies in Jerusalem at that time or if his death is just enacted in Ezekiel’s vision. Ezekiel’s reaction to this episode in the vision is one of concern that a remnant in Israel should survive. This is similar to a previous reaction by him in chapter 9: And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? Ezekiel 9:8. De Vries (The Kābôd of Yhwh in the Old Testament, p.281) observes that: ‘Whereas in 9:8b he had called this out as a question, in 11:13b it is actually a statement: the interrogative particle is lacking this time.’

LOUD VOICE

In the second vision the Jerusalemites cry with a ‘loud voice’ (8:8), YHWH cries with a ‘loud voice’ (9:1) and Ezekiel cries with a ‘loud voice’ (11:13).

RESTORATION 14-25

The hope that a remnant will survive is addressed in the following section of the chapter. The prevailing view is turned on its head. There will indeed be a remnant but it will not arise from Jerusalem, it will come from the Jehoiachin exiles who are already in Babylon. In this section we have the first of three prophecies of restoration delivered by Ezekiel before the fall of Jerusalem (11:16-21; 16:60-63; 20:33-44). After he hears about the fall of Jerusalem (33:21) Ezekiel utters further prophecies of restoration in chapters 34, 36, 37 and 39.

(14-16) Still in vision the word of YHWH came to Ezekiel and quotes what the inhabitants of Jerusalem say about the exiles: ‘Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession.’ The Jerusalemites have the notion that it is the exiles who are far from the Lord and that the ancestral land they have left behind now belongs to those remaining in the city. The exiles referred to are the royals and professional people (including Ezekiel) who were deported to Babylonia a few years earlier by Nebuchadnezzar in the Jechoiachin Exile of 597 BCE (2 Kgs 24:8-17). As a result of that deportation the people of Judah became divided into two groups; those in exile with Jehoiachin in Babylon and ‘the people that were left in the land’ (Jer 40:6) of Judah under Zedekiah. It was very much a ‘them and us’ situation although ongoing contact between the two groups (e.g. Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles – Jer 29) did occur.

Throughout Israel’s history the concepts of deity, kingship, people and land have been closely linked. In spite of the fact that they are idolaters it suits the Jerusalemites financially to claim allegiance to YHWH and promote the view that the exiles had been deported far away because he was angry with them. They said that YHWH had expelled them because of their wickedness and that therefore their ancestral land was forfeit. The Jerusalemites claimed that YHWH favoured them rather than the exiles because they still had the land, a functioning royal court, and (YHWH’s presence in) the temple. They must therefore be the remnant.

The exiles are described as Ezekiel’s ‘brethren’ and ‘kindred.’ As prophet to the exiles (3:11) Ezekiel very much identified with them and viewed them as family. In 33:21 and 40:1 he refers to the exile as ‘our captivity.’

Ezekiel’s prophetic answer to the Jerusalemites arrogation of land to themselves is that, contrary to expectations. YHWH has deliberately sent the exiles to Babylon because he controls history; the Babylonians carry out his will. The temple might be in Jerusalem (soon to be destroyed), but the exiles would have access to YHWH because he would be a ‘little sanctuary’ (or some suggest: ‘sanctuary for a little while’) for the exiles, in Babylon or wherever else they dwelt.

This is highly significant as it means all the benefits of YHWH’s presence, protection and favour transfer from those still dwelling in the land to the exiles.

(17-20) In this disputation oracle (vv.14-21) YHWH reveals that the exile will be temporary. A remnant will indeed return to the land of Israel but it will be from the Babylonian exiles, NOT from the dwellers in Jerusalem. Those who come back will clear the land of all the idols and images (7:20; 8:3) that defile it. That they should do so will be evidence of a change of heart. This change will be brought about by YHWH himself. He promises to replace their heart of stone with a heart of flesh so that they will be receptive to what YHWH wants. He will ‘take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart’ (11:19 NLT). The covenant between YHWH and his people will effectively be re-established – ‘they shall be my people, and I will be their God’ – as a result of them keeping the Lord’s regulations and following his commands.

(21) It is not clear who v.21 refers to. Is this a prophecy that some of those who return from the exile will return to or persist in idolatry and therefore receive the consequences of their behaviour? Or is this a warning to the leaders and residents of Jerusalem who are mentioned earlier in the chapter (vv.2-6,15)?

(22-23) The final stage of the vision takes place. The cherubim and wheels take off from the eastern gate of the temple and carry YHWH’s enthroned kabod to the hill to the east of the city (Mount of Olives, Zech 14:4). The judgement can begin, Jerusalem is no longer under YHWH’s protection.

(24-25) The chapter ends with comments by Ezekiel explaining that once the vision ended he was returned to Chaldea by the Spirit of God. He the shared with the exiles what YHWH had shown him. It was a solemn message about the current state of Jerusalem and its impending destruction but one which contained hope of a remnant and a return from captivity. That must have been a great encouragement to his fellow-exiles.

Posted in Exposition

EZEKIEL CHAPTER 10 – COALS OF FIRE

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INTRODUCTION

Chapter 10 of Ezekiel is a continuation of the prophet’s second vision and is the third of four chapters (8-11) in which Ezekiel relates details of a visit to Jerusalem which he experienced while in a prophetic trance. Bear in mind that that he was physically located in Babylon while taken to Judah temporarily in a vision.  Although complicated and repetitive, chapter 10 is important because it links back to the vision of YHWH’s kabod in chapter 1 and forward to its return in chapter 43.

The settings of Ezekiel’s first and second visions are different but the imagery is similar. Some small discrepancies in detail are noticeable but essentially chapters 1 and 10 each describe a firmament, a throne, winged creatures and wheels.

The parallels are as follows:

  • Four wings and four faces – 1:6 and 10:21
  • Human hand(s) – 1:8 and 10:8, 21
  • Each creature moves straight forward – 1:12 and 10:22
  • The four faces described – 1:10 and 10:14
  • A wheel beside each creature – 1:15 and 10:9
  • Wheels gleaming like beryl – 1:16 and 10:9
  • A wheel within a wheel – 1:16 and 10:10
  • Wheels travel in four directions without turning as they go – 1:17 and 10:11
  • Rims full of eyes – 1:18 and 10:12
  • The wheels moving in sync with the living creatures – 1:19 and 10:16
  • Spirit of the living creatures(s) – 1:21 and 10:17
  • The sound of wings – 1:24 and 10:5
  • Throne, firmament/sapphire – 1:26 and 10:1

The most important aspect of the chapter, however, is the location of the kabod (Glory, Presence) of the Lord. Because Judah and Jerusalem have been turning away from the pure worship of YHWH his Presence is gradually moving away from them (8:4; 9:3; 10:1, 10:18, 19; 11:23). This abandoning of the sanctuary by YHWH provides an explanation for the destruction soon to be wreaked by the Babylonians – the city is no longer under God’s protection. No doubt this revelation came as a great shock to a nation that thought itself invincible because of YHWH’s presence in the Jerusalem temple. Jeremiah, however, had warned them that such a belief was no longer valid: ‘Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD.’ (Jer 7:4)

Chapter 10 falls into two main sections:

(1-8) Preparations for Jerusalem’s Judgement

(9-22) Preparations for the Kabod’s Departure

(1-8) PREPARATIONS FOR JERUSALEM’S JUDGEMENT

Ezekiel continues his report of the second vision using the first person ‘I looked and behold.’ He uses this expression again in v. 9. What he sees is similar to the first vision of chapter 1 at Chebar. There he describes the figures as ‘living creatures’ (ḥayyāh), here in chapter ten he clarifies that they are, in fact, cherubim (vv. 15, 20). The chariot of the first vision reappears (10:1) and Ezekiel again sees the sapphire-like throne but makes no mention of any person on the throne. Note that in the book of Ezekiel ‘throne’ is only mentioned in the three visions that involve the kabod of YHWH (1:26; 10:1; 43:7).

Verse 2 does not clarify who speaks (probably YHWH) and commands the man clad in linen to go beneath the ‘whirlers’ (galgal), fill his hands with coals of fire and scatter them over the city. Galgal in 10:2, 6, 13; also 23:24; 26:10 is not the usual word for wheel (which is ’ôp̱ān). In Isa 5:28 and Jer 47:3 galgal refers specifically to chariot wheels. It is interesting that in Solomon’s temple, where this scene is set, the laver stands (1 Kgs 7:27-37) had carved panels decorated with lions, oxen and cherubim (1 Kgs 7:29) beneath which were wheels which the author of Kings (7:33) specifically says were made like chariot wheels.

The three imperatives in v.2 are Go, Fill, Scatter.

What do the coals signify? Many commentators point out that the mention of cherub(im) together with coals of fire is associated with judgement in 2 Sam 22:8-13 and Psa 18:8-13 (note: there is an opposite minority view that the coals are for marking those to be spared, see 9:4). Others, basing their conclusion on Isa 6:6-7, take the fire as a symbol of purification. Or, the fire may be symbolic of YHWH’s jealousy (8:5; Deut 4:24). The filling of both hands symbolises that the judgement will exhaustive.

That the cherub(im) here are the ones Ezekiel saw in his first vision and not the cherubim that covered the ark of the covenant (1 Kgs 6:23-28; 8:7) is clear because the latter were not located in the south side of the temple but in the Holy of Holies nor did they have wheels. ‘Cherub’ in v.2 is singular and possibly refers to the one nearest Ezekiel, or to the highest ranking of the four cherubim (cp 28:14), or to one especially associated with fire.

Ezekiel then sees the man in white linen go in as instructed, whereupon ‘the cloud’ fills the inner court (10:3) and then the whole temple (10:4). Presumably this refers to a cloud of smoke from the coals of judgement scattered on the temple by the man in linen. Alternatively, it might refer to the cloud of the kabod of YHWH that had previously filled the temple (1 Kgs 8:10-11) – although Ezekiel says in v.4 that here its brightness filled only the court. Solomon’s temple was literally burned by the Babylonians a few years later:

And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire. 2 Kings 25:8-9

In v.4 Ezekiel repeats the information already given in 9:3 that the kabod has moved to the temple exit and in v.5 concentrates on the scary noise made by the whirling wings. He uses a simile to describe the awesomeness of the sound, it was ‘as the voice of El Shaddai’ -God almighty.

In vv.6-8 Ezekiel’s attention focuses once more on the man dressed in linen. After the command of v.2 is reiterated a cherub reaches into the fire and places some (coals) into the man’s hands. Verse 8 explains how this is possible; the cherubim have hands under their wings, as in 1:8. The man in linen then leaves the scene in order to complete his task. The passage says of him: ‘he went in…..and went out.’ We are not told what happens to the coals of fire and what effect they have on the city. The man disappears and is not mentioned again.

(9-22) PREPARATIONS FOR THE KABOD’S DEPARTURE

THE WHEELS (9-13)

Again Ezekiel says ‘I looked and behold’ as his attention now shifts to the wheels. What he describes is essentially the same as 1:15-21 except that chapter 1 speaks of living creatures, here in chapter 10 they are called cherubim. For Ezekiel the noticeable aspects of the wheels are that a) their hubs are themselves wheels (v.10), b) they move forward in unison without veering off course (v.11) and c) they are full of eyes (v.12). Ezekiel emphasizes that the wheels move directly forward and maintain their course; the phrase ‘they turned not as they went’ occurs twice in v.11. In chapter 1 only the wheels were full of eyes, here the whole body – backs, hands and wings as well as the wheels – was full of eyes. They can see everything and nothing can divert them. In Ezekiel’s hearing (v.13) the wheels are instructed to turn or whirl (‘O wheel!’).

THE CHERUBIM (14-17)

10:14 begins exactly like 1:6 (‘and every one had four faces’) but there are differences in detail between the two accounts. In chapter 1 it is the four living creatures that have the faces but in chapter 10 it is grammatically unclear if the faces belong to the wheels or to the cherubim since the subject at the end of v.13 is the wheels. The cherubim, however, are the subject at the beginning of v.15 so it is more likely that Ezekiel is already thinking of them v.14. In 1:10 the faces listed are those of a human, a lion, an ox and an eagle, whereas in 10:14 they are the faces of a cherub, a human, a lion and an eagle. In chapter 1 Ezekiel just gives the position of two of the faces, the lion on the right and the ox on the left whereas in 10:14 he numbers the faces 1 to 4 (first, second, third, fourth).

In vv.15-17 he describes the cherubim taking off and notes that they and the wheels move in unison. This harmony is because the spirit of the living creature is in them, they are not machines – they share the same life. Whenever the cherubim fly the wheels go with them, whenever the cherubim are stationary the wheels are inactive as well. These observations are essentially the same as 1:19-21. As he views the scene Ezekiel realises that the cherubim are/is the ‘living creature’ (singular and feminine – ‘she is the creature’) of his first vision (10:15).

THE DEPARTURE (18-22)

Verse 18 describes another stage in the slow departure of the kabod from the temple. The ‘kabod of the God of Israel’ leaves the threshold of the temple and takes up position (on the sapphire stone, v.1) above the cherubim. The cherubim with the kabod above them then mount up and fly to the east gate, over which they hover while Ezekiel receives a further oracle in chapter 11. This gate was the main entrance to the temple complex.

The last three verses of the chapter (20-22) consist of editorial comment by Ezekiel in which he confirms:

  • his identification of the cherubim with the living creature that he saw under the God of Israel at the River Chebar. Note ‘God of Israel’ not ‘God of Judah.’
  • that the cherubim had four faces, four wings and hands like humans under their wings (1:8).
  • that their faces are the same as those he saw by the River Chebar i.e. man, lion, ox, eagle. There is no explanation about the cherub face of v.14 being replaced.
  • that they move directly forward. Nothing can stop the progress of YHWH’s throne-chariot. God can move around anywhere he pleases. This fact is important to Ezekiel, he mentions the idea several times (1:9, 12, 17, 19, 20, 21; 10:11,16, 22).

SUMMATION

Ezekiel chapter 10 continues Ezekiel’s report of experiences during his second vision. They are a dramatic portrayal of God’s righteous anger and determination to bring judgement upon a rebellious nation. The early verses of the chapter focus on coals of fire taken from between the cherubim and scattered over the city; an action that represents the fiery judgement about to befall Jerusalem. The awe-inspiring imagery of the cherubim and wheels emphasizes the holiness and majesty of the Lord. The gradual departure of God’s glory from the temple is a stark symbolic reminder of the withdrawal of both the Lord’s presence and protection from his people. The defeat and disaster that befalls them will not be because YHWH is dead or weak but because he is no longer in his temple and has left to be with the exiles in Babylon. Chapter 10 serves as a solemn warning about the dire consequences of sin and disobedience.

Posted in Exposition

PSALM 73: ASAPH’S STRUGGLE WITH DOUBT

Posted on by writtenexposition

Psalm 73, penned by Asaph, is a reflection on faith, doubt, and the ultimate understanding of God’s justice. Asaph, a worship leader for King David and Israel, composed twelve of the psalms collected in the Book of Psalms (Psalm 50, 73-83). We learn something of his role and experiences in the books of Chronicles (1 Chronicles 6:31-32, 39; 16:4-7; 25:1-2; 2 Chronicles 5:12),

ASAPH’S PROBLEM

Despite his dedication to the Lord’s work, Asaph experienced profound struggles. He confessed, ‘my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped,’ reflecting a deep personal crisis. Let us explore his journey through Psalm 73 in five sections: A Close Call (1-3), A Confusing Problem (4-14), A Correct Understanding (15-20), A Contrite Apology (21-22), and A Clear Conclusion (23-28).

A Close Call (Verses 1-3)

Asaph begins with a confident declaration of God’s goodness but quickly shifts to his own turmoil: ‘But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.’ His honesty resonates with many believers who, despite knowing God’s goodness, find themselves doubting when they observe the prosperity of the wicked. Asaph admits that envy led him to this precarious state, demonstrating how easy it is for us to lose focus on God and be consumed by our own circumstances.

A Confusing Problem (Verses 4-14)

Asaph grapples with a troubling observation: the wicked seem to prosper without suffering. He notes their pride, violence, arrogance, prosperity, and good health. He wonders at their apparent lack of troubles, although they scoff at God. This contradiction between his beliefs (that God blesses the upright) and his experiences leaves him puzzled and bitter. He questions the value of his righteousness, feeling as though his efforts to live a pure life have been in vain. This section captures the internal conflict many believers face when reality does not align with their expectations of divine justice.

A Correct Understanding (Verses 15-20)

In his confusion, Asaph wisely chooses to keep his doubts to himself to avoid spreading negativity among his community. Instead, he seeks understanding in the sanctuary (plural – perhaps translate ‘great sanctuary’) of God. The turning point occurs when he enters God’s presence, where he gains a new perspective. Asaph realizes that the prosperity of the wicked is fleeting and their ultimate end is destruction. This revelation restores his faith and clears his confusion, thus demonstrating to us the importance of seeking God’s perspective in times of doubt.

A Contrite Apology (Verses 21-22)

Asaph’s newfound understanding leads to a contrite apology to God. He acknowledges his foolishness and ignorance in allowing his emotions and circumstances to dictate his faith. By confessing his weaknesses, he demonstrates humility and the need for God’s wisdom. Moments like this are crucial in one’s journey as a believer, contrition is important in restoring one’s relationship with God.

A Clear Conclusion (Verses 23-28)

The psalm concludes with a reaffirmation of Asaph’s faith. He resolves to trust in God, and recognizes the benefits of divine guidance and eternal security. He highlights several key benefits of salvation:

  • God’s Presence: “Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.” (v. 23)
  • God’s Protection: “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” (v. 24)
  • God’s Person: “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” (v. 25)
  • God’s Provision: “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.” (v. 26)
  • God’s Proximity: “But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” (v. 28)

Summation

Asaph’s journey in Psalm 73 teaches believers the importance of maintaining faith amidst doubt and confusion. His honest confession of nearly slipping in his faith serves as a reminder that it’s natural to struggle but crucial to seek God’s perspective. By bringing our doubts to God, we gain clarity and an appreciation of his justice and goodness.

In conclusion, Asaph’s experience reminds us to judge our experiences by God’s word (the Bible), and not the other way around. True and lasting happiness is found not in worldly success but in our relationship with the Lord. As believers, let’s strive to keep our focus on God, especially in times of doubt, and trust in his ultimate justice and goodness.

Posted in General

ASAPH:- PSALMIST, SINGER AND SEER

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INTRODUCTION

Of the four men in the Bible named Asaph the most notable is the Davidic Asaph – a Psalmist, Singer and Seer. He was a contemporary of King David and King Solomon who was primarily recognized for his role as a musician and psalmist, mainly during the reign of King David. The other three Asaphs are mentioned in Kgs 18:18; 1 Chron 26:11; Neh 2:8.

Asaph- Musician and Singer

In the Old Testament scriptures Asaph the son of Berechiah, a Levite of the Kohathite clan (1 Chron 6:38-39; Ez 3:10), is always associated with music. We first meet him in 1 Chron 15:16-19 when the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord was transferred from the house of Obed-edom the Gittite (1 Chron 13:13) to the tent that David had prepared for it (1 Chron 16:1) in Jerusalem. On that occasion ‘David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy’ (1 Chron15:16). Asaph was one of the Levites chosen to sing; he also played bronze cymbals (1 Chron 15:19).

David also appointed some of the Levites to serve before the ark that day ‘to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel.’ Asaph was put in charge of this group of musicians and singers (1 Chron 16:4-7).

For the remainder of David’s reign Asaph was was one of the men in charge of the ‘service of song’ in the house of the Lord and this job lasted into Solomon’s reign, until the Temple was built (1 Chron 6:31-32). His general job description given in 1 Chron 16:37 was ‘to minister regularly before the ark as each day required.’

Asaph -Prophet / Seer

His close musical associates were Heman and Jeduthun (1 Chron 25:1, 6; 2 Chron 5:12) but as well as that the three of them are collectively said to have prophesied (1 Chron 25:1-2) and are individually referred to as a ‘seer’ (Asaph: 2 Chron 29:30; Heman: 1 Chron 25:5; Jeduthun: 2 Chron 35:15). According to 2 Chron 5:12 the sons of Asaph were choristers and musicians along with their father at the inauguration of Solomon’s Temple. Asaph seems to have been the founder of a Levitical dynasty of musicians and singers later called ‘the sons of Asaph’ (Ez 2:41; 3:10; Neh 7:44; 11:22). It is unclear if these men had a hereditary gift of prophecy but there is a record of Jahaziel, one of the ‘sons of Asaph,’ prophesying in the presence of King Jehosaphat (2 Chron 20:14).

Asaph – Poet / Psalmist

According to the headings of the Psalms twelve of the collection were written by Asaph. These are Psalm 50 and 73 -83. Asaph’s psalms are personal reflections that are still instructive and useful for believers today.

Posted in Exposition

EZEKIEL CHAPTER 9 – THE EXECUTIONERS

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INTRODUCTION

Ezekiel’s second vision extends from 8:1-11:25 and concerns the departure of YHWH’s kabod (Glory or Presence) from Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, thus signifying the removal of divine protection and the abandonment of the city to impending judgement. This will come in the form of a siege and destruction by Babylonian forces some five years later.

In chapter 8 Ezekiel has, in vision, been snatched away from Babylon to Judah and shown the state of religion in Jerusalem at that time (Aug/Sept 592 BCE). He was taken to four locations close to the sanctuary where he viewed progressively worse forms of idolatry take place:

  • An idol at the temple entrance.
  • Elders worshipping graven images.
  • Women weeping for Tammuz.
  • Sun worship in YHWH’s temple.

YHWH cannot be expected to remain where such abominations take place so in chapter 9 he initiates judgement upon Jerusalem and Judah.

9: 1-2 Judgement commanded.

9: 3-4 Marking foreheads.

9: 5-7, 11 Judgement executed.

9:8 Ezekiel’s reaction

9: 9-10 YHWH’s response.

JUDGEMENT COMMANDED (1-2)

Following on from the mention of idolaters crying to YHWH for mercy with a ‘loud voice’ at the end of chapter 8, verse 1 of chapter 9 begins with Ezekiel hearing the ‘loud voice’ of YHWH (or YHWH’s kabod) summoning those ‘that have charge over the city.’

‘in mine ears’ – YHWH was not addressing Ezekiel but speaking in his hearing.

These officials (the word means someone designated to carry out an official task) are called ‘men’ in vv.1-2 but seem to be supernatural creatures in human form, perhaps angels. Each is to carry what is termed an ‘instrument of destruction’ (v.1) and ‘implement of smashing/shattering) (v.2); probably a battle-axe or war-club (Jer 51:20).

In response to YHWH’s summons six men come from a northerly direction (i.e. from Babylonia), appearing from the upper gate situated at the north of the temple courts (2 Kgs 15:35; Jer 20:2). As instructed, each executioner carries a destructive weapon. A seventh (or perhaps one of the six) carries a writing kit (materials necessary for writing) at his waist. This supernatural scribe is dressed in linen which was a fabric was worn by priests (e.g. Exod 28:29-42; 39:27-29; Lev 16:4, 23) and heavenly beings (Dan 10:5; 12:6-7). Angels are often associated with judgement (e.g. Gen 19:15; 2 Sam 24:16; 2 Kgs 19:35; Psa 78:9; Mt 13:49-50; Ac 12:23; 2 Thess 1:7-8). The executioners and the scribe assemble beside the bronze altar.

MARKING FOREHEADS (3-4)

Just as in chapter 8 the idolatry viewed by Ezekiel in 4 locations gets progressively worse, so in chapters 9-11 the departure of the kabod progresses in 4 stages (9:3; 10:4; 10:18-19; 11:22-23). Verse 3a of chapter 9 interrupts the flow the story to inform the reader that even before Ezekiel sees this part of the vision the kabod has already risen from the cherub upon which it rested and has moved to the threshold (entrance) of the temple. The kabod sometimes appears in connection with judgement (Num 14:10; 16:19, 42).

The cherub here is not one of the winged living creatures that support the throne chariot of chapter 1 but one of two cherubim in a three-dimensional sculpture placed above the ark of the covenant (1 Kgs 6:23-28; 2 Chron 3:10-13; 1 Kgs 8:6-7; 2 Chron 5:7-8) in Solomon’s temple. Some suggest that the singular used here refers to both cherubim since the sculpture may have been crafted from a single lump of metal (1 Chron 28;18). LXX has the plural here , and also in 10:2.

CHERUB/CHERUBIM

‘Living’ cherubim are associated with the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:24; Ezek 28:14,16) and with theophanies (2 Sam 22:11; Psa 18:10; Book of Ezekiel).

In Solomon’s temple (as also in the Tabernacle before that) inanimate cherubim were depicted. I have given references for the three-dimensional sculpture(s) in the Holy of Holies above.

There were also two-dimensional representations of cherubim carved or engraved in friezes, upon doors, and on cultic stands (1Kgs 6:29;, 32, 35; 7:29, 36; 2 Chron 3:7). The motif of cherubim was so much associated with YHWH that he was known as ‘The Lord of hosts, the cherubim sitter/dweller’ (1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Kgs 19:15; 1 Chron 13:6; Psa 80:1; 99:1; Isa 37:16).

Vv. 3b-4. ‘And he called to the man clothed with linen’ Strictly speaking ‘he’ is the kabod but the order is said to be issued by YHWH. He instructs the man in linen to go through the city and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things being done in Jerusalem. There is no indication that necessarily these people are righteous, the standard is set much lower than that. They just have to be those who sigh and groan silently at the lamentable state of religious and social affairs in Jerusalem.

That this mark is a sign of protection, distinguishing the condemned from those to be spared, is not stated, but presumably that is the case (cp. Cain, Gen 4:15; First Passover, Exod 12). The Hebrew word for ‘mark’ is tāw, the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Most English versions translate it as ‘signature’ in Job 31:35 (e.g. ‘Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!’ ESV) which leads some commentators to conclude that the mark is God’s signature, therefore a person marked in this way belongs to God and will be spared.

Since tāw in Paleo-Hebrew script was written as a cross (something like the shape of a + or an x) it has been suggested that its occurrence in 9:4 is an Old Testament anticipation of the cross of Christ and its association with salvation. Personally, I find this very far-fetched.

JUDGEMENT EXECUTED (5-7, 11)

The other executioners are commanded to follow the man in linen and strike down everyone who does not have the protective mark, sparing neither the young nor the old including women and children, and beginning at the sanctuary (the temple). No-one is to be spared. Then the slaughter begins, starting with the elders (8:11? or 8:16?) who are at the front of the temple.

So unfit is the sanctuary for YHWH’s presence that in v.7 he commands that the executioners contaminate his own temple by filling the courts with slain. It was believed that blood, bones and dead bodies would defile religious shrines and render the sites unusable for worship; e.g. see the deliberate desecration of religious sites by King Josiah in 2 Kgs 23:12-20. Ezekiel uses this verb ‘defile’ (ṭām’āh) of the temple three times (5:11; 9:7; 23:38). Elsewhere he uses (ḥālal) meaning ‘pollute/profane’ (7:21, 22; 23:39; 24:21; 25:3; 44:7).

In v.11 the man in linen reports that he has done what he was commanded to do. He does not say whether the other six have accomplished their grisly assignment, presumably they have.

EZEKIEL’S REACTION (8)

While the men are carrying out their appointed tasks Ezekiel displays his concern for the nation by falling on his face and pleadingly asking YHWH if he intends to destroy the entire nation of Israel and city of Jerusalem in his fury. Will a remnant (6:8-10) not be spared? In 11:13b Ezekiel also falls on his face and asks the same question again.

YHWH’S RESPONSE (9-10)

Ezekiel’s intercession is to no avail. YHWH tells him that that things have gone too far. The iniquity of Israel and Judah is extremely great. Until this point it has either been ‘house of Israel’ (8:6, 10, 11, 12) or ‘house of Judah’ (4:6; 8:17), here they are combined, emphasizing the enormity of the sin and how widespread it is.

In this verse (9) ‘the land is full of blood’ and the city ‘full of perversity.’ In 7:23 ‘the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of violence’. In 8:17 ‘they have filled the land with violence.’

‘For they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.’ This refers back to the complaint of the elders in 8:12 but here the two parts of the saying are reversed. This reversal facilitates the irony of v.10; i.e. they say that YHWH does not see but he does see – and his eye will not spare (5:11; 7:4, 8:18; 9:5,10).

Again the ruthlessness of YHWH in judgement is emphasized.

SUMMATION

Ezekiel chapter 9 moves on from the reasons for YHWH’s judgement in chapter 8 to the execution of the judgement itself. The chapter underscores the severity of God’s punishment of sin and corruption. In this part of his second vision Ezekiel sees YHWH unleash six supernatural executioners upon Jerusalem, the city is doomed. Verse 11 does not state how many receive the mark. If the phrase in v.8 is translated ‘I alone was left’ rather than ‘I was left alone’ then it may be that Ezekiel thinks no Jerusalemite is to be spared, hence his despair. The vision concerning the departure of YHWH’s kabod from Jerusalem continues in chapter 10.

Posted in Exposition

IDOLATRY IN THE TEMPLE PRECINCTS – EZEKIEL CHAPTER 8

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INTRODUCTION

Ezekiel 8:1 commences the second major section of the book. This segment spans twelve chapters, from 8:1 to 19:14, with the initial four chapters (8-11) presenting what is arguably the most significant of Ezekiel’s visions. These chapters narrate the dramatic departure of the kabod (glory) of YHWH from the Jerusalem temple.

This vision is then followed by twelve oracles of varying length, each commencing with ‘The word of the Lord came unto me, saying’ (12:1; 12:8; 12:17; 12:21; 12:26; 13:1; 14:2; 14:12; 15:1; 16:1; 17:1; 18:1) and treating some aspect of the forthcoming judgement upon Judah and Jerusalem.

EZEKIEL CHAPTER 8

Ezekiel 8:1-2 details the circumstances and commencement date relating to the vision of chapters 8-11 and the oracles of chapters 12-19 that follow.  The remaining verses provide justification for YHWH’s abandonment of his sanctuary. The chapter may be divided as follows:

The commencement date and circumstances of the vision and oracles (8:1-2)

The image that provokes jealousy (8:3-6)

Animal worship (8:7-13)

The weeping for Tammuz (8:14-15)

The worship of the Sun (8:16-18)

THE COMMENCEMENT DATE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE VISION AND ORACLES (8:1-2)

In chapter 1 we discover that Ezekiel is a priest from Judah who had been deported, presumably as one of ten thousand elite citizens of Judah, by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon along with King Jehoiachin (Ezek 1:1-2; 2 Kgs 24:13-14) in 597 BCE. At that time Ezekiel was twenty-five years of age. Five years later, at age thirty, YHWH called him to be a prophet to the exiles in Babylon. Ezekiel supplies precise dates for his prophecies, all (with the exception of 29:17) in chronological order (1:1-2; 8:1; 20:1; 24:1; 26:1; 29:1; 29:17; 30:20; 31:1; 32:1; 32:17; 33:21; 40:1).

Chapter 8:1 gives the date of Ezekiel’s second vision as the fifth day of the sixth month (Elul) of the sixth year of Jehoiachin’s exile (Aug/Sept 592 BCE), some thirteen (LXX) or fourteen (MT) months after the first vision. This is roughly halfway between the first siege of Jerusalem/Jehoiachin’s exile in 597 BCE and the forthcoming judgement of YHWH upon Judah and Jerusalem in the form of a second Babylonian siege (586/587 BCE).

On the recorded date Ezekiel was visited at his house by a group of ‘the elders of Judah,’ that is, the leaders of the Jewish community in exile in Babylonia. Why they wished to consult him on this occasion is not stated, unlike two other occasions (14:1-3; 20:1) when the purpose of their visit was to ‘inquire of the Lord.’ As the elders sat before Ezekiel YHWH took hold of him once more (see 1:3; 3:14) but this was not in response to any questions posed by them.

In this vision the mysterious supernatural figure of 1:27 returns, puts forth the likeness of a human hand ( i.e. he was not human), lifts Ezekiel by a lock (‘twisted’ i.e. tassel Num 15:38, 39) of hair and transports him to the Jerusalem temple where he shows him the sins of the leaders of Judah. There is some disagreement as to whether this figure is YHWH himself or a representative who speaks for him. There are certainly strong parallels between the description (of YHWH) in 1:27 and that in 8:2, although the characteristics are presented in reverse order.

1:27 the colour of amber

1:27 of his loins even upward

1:27 his loins even downward

1:27 the appearance of fire

———————————–

8:2 the appearance of fire

8:2 of his loins even downward

8:2 from his loins even upward

8:2 as the colour of amber

The figure certainly speaks as YHWH (‘my sanctuary’ 8:6; ‘provoke me to anger’ 8:17; ‘I will deal in fury,’ ‘I will not hear them’ 8:18) and later in the vision Ezekiel addresses him as ‘Lord God’ (9:8; 11:13).

THE IMAGE THAT PROVOKES JEALOUSY (8:3-6)

Having been snatched up in a trance by the mysterious figure and teleported from Babylonia to Israel (this happens another time in 40:1-2) and seeing what God was seeing (‘in the visions of God’), Ezekiel is deposited in the first of four locations – the north gate of Jerusalem, which is the ‘seat’ of an offensive idol that provokes jealousy. YHWH had made it clear to the Israelites in Ex 20:5; 34:14 that they were to worship him exclusively, he is a jealous God who will not share. This idol provokes YHWH to jealousy not only because it is a false god but also because of where it is situated; in the precincts of YHWH’s temple.

The statue is called a semel (translated ‘image’) in this passage, a word which occurs only here, in Deut 4:16 and in 2 Chron 33:7, 15. The 2 Chronicles passage describes the idol that King Manasseh of Judah (c. 686 to 642 BCE) set up in the temple, and later removed, as a carved semel. 2 Kings 21:7 clarifies that it was an Asherah pole, a representation of the goddess Asherah. Since the statue here in Ezekiel 8:3, 5 is said to be a semel what Ezekiel views in the vision may be another Asherah pole erected at the same site. Sweeney (Reading Ezekiel 2013, p.56), however, suggests that it may have been a stele, depicting Nebuchadnezzar and his gods (esp. Marduk) and commemorating Babylonian subjugation of the city at the time of Jehoiakim’s revolt in 598/597 BCE, which would have been erected in a prominent position like the temple courtyard.

Ezekiel reports that the kabod (glory) of YHWH there, as in the vision in the plain (3:2-23).

The kabod

Kabod occurs 199 times (excluding the proper name Ichabod) in the Old Testament and has the idea of weightiness. It carries various shades of meaning, including burden, riches, honour, respect, reverence, splendour, distinction, majesty, dignity and weight/mass. It is often translated into English as glory or presence. Kabod/glory is something that gives people or objects importance or makes them impressive:

Isa 60:13 – Isaiah speaks of the kabod of the trees of Lebanon.

Isa 16:11 – Isaiah wrote about the kabod of Moab, in 17:4 of Jacob and in 21:16 of Kedar.

Gen 45:13 – Joseph instructed his brothers to tell his father of all his kabod in Egypt.

YHWH’s kabod (glory)

There appears to be two sides to YHWH’s kabod (glory):

a) The glory the he himself manifests. b) The glory that is due to him.

It is the first of these that concerns us and there are various aspects to this.

i. The glory of YHWH in creation (Psa 19; 29; 57; 72; 96; 97; 102; 104; 108; 113; 138).

ii. The glory of YHWH’s works in history; especially in relation to Moses, Sinai (Ex 24:16-17; Deut 5:24) and the wilderness wanderings (pillar of fire and cloud).

iii. The glory of YHWH in Israel’s system of religion, his great power and majesty associated with the tabernacle (Ex 40:34-35) and later the temple (2 Chron 5:14; 7:1-2).

iv. The future eschatological glory of YHWH – mainly in Isaiah (e.g. Isa 60).

v. The glory of YHWH in theophany – mainly in Ezekiel where YHWH and his kabod are almost indistinguishable.

In Ezekiel 8:4 the kabod is called ‘the glory of the God of Israel’ – a title which only occurs in Ezekiel (8:4; 9:3; 10:19; 11:22; 43:2). In v.5 Ezekiel’s guide draws his attention to the semel that provokes jealousy located in the northern ‘entrance’ (this is the only occurrence of this Hebrew word in the Old Testament) and in v.6 asks him ‘Son of man, seest thou what they do?’ – this question is repeated in vv. 12, 15 and 17. This query would suggest that not only did Ezekiel see the statue but also people worshipping it. In this vision Ezekiel is being shown the reasons for the departure of the kabod from the temple (11:23) and for the forthcoming judgement and destruction.

There is much discussion about the subject of the infinitive ‘to drive away’ (KJV ‘go far off) in v.6. Ka Leung Wong (p.397) explains: ‘The crux of the problem lies in the word lrhqh which is a qal infinitive construct with l, having a feminine form. The main question is to decide what its subject is.’

The possibilities are the abominations, the people of Israel or YHWH. It can hardly be the abominations so which of the other two is it likely to be? Should it be translated a) to drive themselves away , or b) to drive me (i.e. YHWH) away?

Those who take the subject as YHWH point out that in the immediate context YHWH is the speaker and that the broader context (chapters 8-11) deals with the departure of YHWH’s kabod from the sanctuary. The problem for many is that this makes the departure of the kabod involuntary, i.e. YHWH is not departing of his own accord but is forced out of his own sanctuary because of the abominations present there.

The subject probably is the house of Israel. Although they are not literally far from YHWH’s sanctuary (since they are worshipping in the temple precincts) by their idolatry they figuratively drive themselves far from it, in a spiritual sense.

The standard view of chapters 8-11 is that they are chapters about the abandonment by YHWH of his sanctuary, thus depriving the people of his protection and leaving them open to defeat and exile. Ezekiel 5:11 would seem to support this view (Therefore, as I live” ​— ​this is the declaration of the Lord GOD ​— ​“I will withdraw and show you no pity, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your abhorrent acts and detestable practices.” Ezekiel 5:11 CSB.)

An alternative, however, is that by the time of the vision of 8-11 YHWH’s mobile kabod had already left the Jerusalem temple and moved east to be with the exiles in Babylon (notice that it departs to there in 11:23 and comes from there in 43:2). According to this view chapters 8-11 are about a visitation in judgement. YHWH, having already departed from the temple, has temporarily returned in order to show Ezekiel the reasons for Jerusalem’s destruction (chapter 8) and to initiate the judgement (9:1 ff.). This theory is based on a statement in 43:3 which refers back to the vision of chapters 8-11: (‘And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face.’)

Verse 6 ends with the statement ‘and thou shalt see greater abominations.’ This saying is repeated in vv. 13 and 15.

ANIMAL WORSHIP (8:7-12)

Ezekiel’s guide then takes him to the entrance to the inner court and instructs him to view the practices being conducted inside the temple compound. This location is closer to the sanctuary than the first. It is unclear exactly how Ezekiel gains entrance but it involves a wall, a hole, further excavation by Ezekiel and the discovery of a secret door. Ezekiel, in vision, seems to break through a casemate wall and enter a room of a house. That dwelling either extends into the temple wall or is built in the space between double walls. There he encounters a group of seventy of the elders of Judah burning incense in front of animal reliefs or murals. These are said (v.10) to be depictions of reptiles and abominable beasts. ‘Abominable’ (šeqeṣ) occurs in Lev 7:21, eight times in Lev chapter 11 and in Isa 66:17. It describes ritually unclean animals including:

Lev 11:10-12 Creatures that live in water but do not have scales or fins.

Lev 11:13-20 Birds of prey.

Lev 11:20, 23 Some insects.

Lev 11:41-43 Reptiles.

Isa 66:17 Pigs, mice.

This scene is doubly abominable in that a) graven images are present, and b) that unclean foods are spread out for a ritual meal.

SEVENTY ELDERS

In Ex 24:9 seventy elders saw the glory of YHWH. In Num 11:25 the spirit of God rested upon seventy elders. Here seventy elders are offering incense to false gods.

The worship leader at this private ritual is named as Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, who ‘stood’ in the midst of them. He is not the Jaazaniah of Ezekiel 11:1 because his father’s name is different. The verb ‘stand’ (āmaḏ), according to Strongs ‘has the sense of serving before someone, as Joseph served, stood before Pharaoh (Gen. 41:46).’ Likely Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan and the elders are not priests and therefore have no right to burn incense.

It may be that Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan was the brother of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe (Jer 36:10, 12) who was supportive of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 36:25). There are also references in Jeremiah to Ahikam (Jer 26:24) and Elasah (Jer 29:3) who are also said to be sons of Shaphan. Perhaps their father was Shaphan the scribe of 2 Kgs 22 who some thirty years earlier had read the rediscovered copy of the Torah to King Josiah, an event that sparked wide-ranging religious reforms.

Once again (v.12) Ezekiel’s supernatural guide asks him ‘hast thou seen? (8:6,15,17) and comments that the elders also worship in the dark (i.e. at night), in their own chambers. These men may have been occupying cell-like quarters meant for priests at the temple. Ezekiel includes similar accommodation in his plans for an ideal temple (45:1-11).

V.12 ends with an insight into the thinking of the elders who say: ‘The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth.’ This might mean that they thought they were acting in private and YHWH could not see them. It is, however, more likely that they are not referring to YHWH’s supposed inability to see but to his lack of interest and involvement. Somehow they were already aware that their idolatry had offended YHWH, his departure therefore inevitable. They accuse YHWH of forsaking the earth when, in effect, it was they who had forsaken him.

‘For they say.’ Ezekiel quotes what people are saying in other passages as well (9:9; 12:22; 18:2, 19; 20:49; 37:11).

Since the four episodes in this chapter are scenes of increasing abomination Ezekiel is once again told that even worse things than this are going on.

THE WEEPING FOR TAMMUZ (8:14-15)

Ezekiel’s guide now takes him to a new location; the north gate of the temple, where he sees a group of women weeping for Tammuz (Dumuzi). This was a fertility deity in Mesopotamian mythology usually depicted as a young man and said to be the consort of the goddess Ishtar (Inanna). He was associated with spring vegetation (died and then returned the following summer) and the cyclical nature of life, death and rebirth. The wailing for Tammuz was a feature of mourning rituals that lamented his death and looked forward to his return. This Babylonian cult must have been practised by some Jewish women in Jerusalem. This myth about a dying and rising god is thought to equate to the Egyptian one about Osiris and Isis and to the Greek story about Adonis and Aphrodite.

Again (v.15) Ezekiel is told that even worse things than this are going on.

THE WORSHIP OF THE SUN (8:16-18)

Ezekiel is now taken in vision to a fourth location. This is in the inner court before the entrance to Solomon’s temple and between the portico (’ûlām, porch, vestibule, 1 Kgs 6:3; 1 Chr 28:11; 2 Chr 3:4; Joel 2:17) and the altar. Presumably this was an area where only Levitical priests could enter (2 Chron 4:9; Joel 2:17). Here Ezekiel discovers a group of about 25 men (LXX says 20) facing eastward and worshipping the sun. That they are bowed down to the sun, standing with their backs toward the temple, is the ultimate act of disrespect and signifies a complete rejection of YHWH. They have literally turned their backs on him. This fourth scene is the climax of the abominations shown to Ezekiel, in ascending order of seriousness. There is an early Old Testament reference to solar worship in Job 31:26-28. That the practice of Sun worship took place in Judah is confirmed by 2 Kgs 23:5,11. There is a later reference to 25 men (11:1) but no indication that this is the same group.

In v.17 Ezekiel is once again asked if he has seen this. A rhetorical question then follows: ‘Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the detestable acts they are doing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and repeatedly anger me, even putting the branch to their nose?’ (CSB). This question, to which the answer is obviously ‘Yes!,’ is designed to emphasize that the practices Ezekiel has seen performed are abominations that provoke YHWH to anger. Three transgressions are listed:

  • The worship of false gods – committing abominations.
  • The land filled with violence. As in 7:23 idolatry is linked with social injustice.
  • The deliberate provocation of YHWH. They put a branch to their/his nose. What this involves is not known. If they put a branch to their nose possibly the reference is to an obscene worship ritual involving vine branches that provokes YHWH to anger. If they put the branch to his nose the implication is that they direct an obscene, arrogant and deliberately provocative gesture at YHWH. The word zemôrāh meaning branch or tendril occurs four other times in the Old Testament (Num 13:23; Isa 17:10; Ezek 15:2; Nah. 2:3) and refers to vines.

V.18. YHWH will therefore not spare them and will not have pity. Even though the people cry for mercy with ‘a loud voice’ he will not hear them. The thought of a loud voice is taken up again in the next verse (9:1) which begins with the ‘loud voice’ of YHWH.

SUMMATION

In chapter 8 Ezekiel is transported in vision from Babylonia to Jerusalem where he witnesses the idolatrous state of religion and society back home. He views scenes of idolatry in four locations. Each location is closer to the sanctuary itself and each scene of idolatry is progressively worse. The temple precincts are polluted, why would YHWH stay? Chapter 8 provides justification for the withdrawal of the kabod of YHWH from the temple (chapters 8-11). Once YHWH abandons Jerusalem because of his people’s sin it will no longer be inviolable; the Babylonians will be able sack the city.

This chapter sets the stage for the judgement to come, as YHWH withdraws His protection, leaving Jerusalem vulnerable to destruction. The vivid imagery and detailed narrative underscore the severity of the people’s sins and emphasize the dire consequences of forsaking YHWH for idols.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

de Vries, Pieter 2015. The Kābôd of Yhwh in the Old Testament: with particular reference to the Book of Ezekiel. BRILL.

‌Ackerman, Susan. “A Marzēaḥ in Ezekiel 8:7-13?” The Harvard Theological Review, vol. 82, no. 3, 1989, pp. 267–81.

Aharoni, Yohanan. “The Date of Casemate Walls in Judah and Israel and Their Purpose.” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, no. 154, 1959, pp. 35–39.

Lapp, Nancy L. “Casemate Walls in Palestine and the Late Iron II Casemate at Tell El-Fûl (Gibeah).” Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, no. 223, 1976, pp. 25–42.

Wong, Ka Leung. “A Note on Ezekiel VIII 6.” Vetus Testamentum, vol. 51, no. 3, 2001, pp. 396–400.

Yamauchi, Edwin M. “Tammuz and the Bible.” Journal of Biblical Literature, vol. 84, no. 3, 1965, pp. 283–90.