We continue in Zechariah 6. Zechariah is still with the angel in his vision. Now he sees four chariots with four different color horses, coming from between two mountains of bronze. These horses are sent in the four cardinal directions throughout the earth.
Next, the word of the lord came to Zechariah, telling him to take silver and gold from some of the exiles, make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest Joshua. Then, Zechariah is to say, "Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the lord. It is he who will build the temple of the lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two." So here the high priest Joshua is called the branch. The author of Zechariah seems to be saying saying that Joshua is the fulfillment of the prophecies about the Branch, found in Isaiah 4 and Ezekiel 17. Jeremiah 23 and 33 also mention a righteous branch. After this, the crown is to be given back to the exiles, but kept in the temple as a memorial. This is to remind them the temple will be built if they obey the lord.
Since it is clear from this passage that Joshua was the Branch. It seems quite plausible that he could have become a larger than life mythological figure or symbol in Judaism, or among some Jews, representing a man of righteousness and favor with god. After the destruction of the second temple, in the days of Rome, wouldn't the Jews be looking for a second Joshua/Branch to rebuild the temple and be anointed as high priest by Yahweh? It's a compelling thought.
In chapter 7 of Zechariah, we start with a short paragraph written in third person, possibly inserted later. It is now supposed to be the 4th year of Darius, ninth month, 4th day. People of Bethel came to ask the lord a question, through the priests. They wanted to know if they should continue to mourn and fast in the fifth month as they had done for years.
Next, in verse 4, we have first person passage where god asks Zechariah to ask all the people and priests if they had really been fasting for yahweh, or even feasting for yahweh, over the last seventy years. Hadn't the prophets of old asked the same thing when the Jerusalem and the surrounding area were at peace? The appearance of the number seventy usually has some prophetic significance.
In verse 8, we switch back to third person. Verses 8-10 appear to be inserted in the text. They disrupt the continuity of the passage. If they were left out the rest of chapter eight would make more sense, continuing in the vein of what happened when the prophets of old warned the people but they did not listen. Then the lord scattered them among the nations. It's about the past. However, verses 8-10 seem to be trying to connect it with Zechariah's time. It is slightly confusing.
Moving on to chapter 8, we are back in first person. Yahweh tells Zechariah he will return to Jerusalem to live. Once again there will be peace and prosperity. Yahweh will save his people from the east and the west and the will come back to live in Jerusalem. Everyone hearing those words needed to be strong to rebuild the temple. The lord was not going to treat the remnant of his people as he did in the past. (That didn't work out so well, did it?) Crops would grow, rain would fall, and the remnant's inheritance would flourish. Judah and Israel would be a blessing. Yahweh brought disaster upon their ancestors when they angered him, but now he is determined to do good again to Jerusalem. These are the things Yahweh required of them: to speak the truth, be just, and treat their neighbors right.
So, to answer the question from verse four, the mourning fasts are to become festivals of joy. Many people from other lands will come and seek out Yahweh. They will beg to live in the land of the Jews.
More to come.
Showing posts with label seventy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label seventy. Show all posts
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Jesus and gentiles part 3
Today, I will skim through the book of Matthew, looking for Jesus's interactions with, or statements about, gentiles.
*The first thing I notice is the visit of the magi to the infant/child Jesus in chapter 2. They surely weren't Jews, so why did they recieve a debatable astronomical revelation of the birth of "The king of the Jews?" My study bible says it is because Matthew (actually an unknown person who wrote the book of Matthew) wants to show that people of all nations acknowledged Jesus as king of the Jews and worshipped him as lord. How can they say that these magi represented "all nations" when all that is said about them is "they came from the east?" This story is not found in any other part of the bible.
*At the end of chapter 4, we are told that large crowds of people followed Jesus around as he performed miraculous healings, including people from the decapolis and across the Jordan, which were gentile regions. In spite of this, there are no contemporary records of Jesus or his activities.
*In Chapter 8, a Roman centurian asks for help because his servant is ill. Jesus offers to go heal him but the centurian says he is not worthy to have Jesus in his home and requests that the servant be healed long distance. Then we have a significant statement from Jesus, who is astonished at the centurian's faith. (One wonders why he is astonished if he is god in the flesh and has read people's thoughts in other passages.) Jesus says,"I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The servant was healed.
*At the end of chapter 8, we have a repetition of the story of the demon possessed man and the pigs, found in the book of Mark. However, here there are two mad men, not one.The people still asked him to leave.
*In chapter 10, Jesus gives his twelve disciples authority to heal, then sends them out with this admonition, "Do not go among the gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel." Later in the passage Jesus prophesies to them,"On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the gentiles." There is no contemporary extrabiblical record of this happening to the twelve. This passage is very similar, word for word in parts, to Luke chapter 10. However, in Luke, Jesus sends out seventy-two others, two by two. This also occurs in Mark 6, where the twelve disciples are sent out two by two. Neither the Mark nor Luke accounts have Jesus telling the disciple not to go to the gentiles.
It is interesting to note that, according to my study bible, some manuscripts record Jesus sending out seventy people not seventy two. That actually makes more sense when we remember that 70 is one of the special significant Jewish numbers. In fact the greek translation of Hebrew scriptures in Jesus's day was the Septuagint, which means seventy.
To be continued.
Edited to correct an error.
*The first thing I notice is the visit of the magi to the infant/child Jesus in chapter 2. They surely weren't Jews, so why did they recieve a debatable astronomical revelation of the birth of "The king of the Jews?" My study bible says it is because Matthew (actually an unknown person who wrote the book of Matthew) wants to show that people of all nations acknowledged Jesus as king of the Jews and worshipped him as lord. How can they say that these magi represented "all nations" when all that is said about them is "they came from the east?" This story is not found in any other part of the bible.
*At the end of chapter 4, we are told that large crowds of people followed Jesus around as he performed miraculous healings, including people from the decapolis and across the Jordan, which were gentile regions. In spite of this, there are no contemporary records of Jesus or his activities.
*In Chapter 8, a Roman centurian asks for help because his servant is ill. Jesus offers to go heal him but the centurian says he is not worthy to have Jesus in his home and requests that the servant be healed long distance. Then we have a significant statement from Jesus, who is astonished at the centurian's faith. (One wonders why he is astonished if he is god in the flesh and has read people's thoughts in other passages.) Jesus says,"I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." The servant was healed.
*At the end of chapter 8, we have a repetition of the story of the demon possessed man and the pigs, found in the book of Mark. However, here there are two mad men, not one.The people still asked him to leave.
*In chapter 10, Jesus gives his twelve disciples authority to heal, then sends them out with this admonition, "Do not go among the gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel." Later in the passage Jesus prophesies to them,"On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the gentiles." There is no contemporary extrabiblical record of this happening to the twelve. This passage is very similar, word for word in parts, to Luke chapter 10. However, in Luke, Jesus sends out seventy-two others, two by two. This also occurs in Mark 6, where the twelve disciples are sent out two by two. Neither the Mark nor Luke accounts have Jesus telling the disciple not to go to the gentiles.
It is interesting to note that, according to my study bible, some manuscripts record Jesus sending out seventy people not seventy two. That actually makes more sense when we remember that 70 is one of the special significant Jewish numbers. In fact the greek translation of Hebrew scriptures in Jesus's day was the Septuagint, which means seventy.
To be continued.
Edited to correct an error.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Judges chapter 8
After reading chapter 8:
*For some reason, the Ephraimites took offense that Gideon had not asked for their help when he originally went to fight the Midianites. Even so, they had come to Gideon's aid and helped capture two of the Midianite leaders. Pursuing the rest of the Midianites, Gideon and his men crossed the Jordan after two more rulers of Midian. They asked a couple of different cities for food, but were rejected. Gideon cursed those cities.
*There were 15,000 men left of the remnants of the eastern armies. 120,000 had been killed in battle. Gideon and his 300 men (amazingly, none dead) routed the remaining Midianites and captured the leaders, Zebah and Zalmunna. Then Gideon went to the towns of Succoth and Peniel, who had rejected his plea for food. He punished the elders of Succoth with desert thorns and briars, tore down the tower of Peniel, and killed the men of the town. Questioning Zebah and Zalmunna, Gideon found out they had killed his brothers. He ordered his son to kill them, but being just a boy, he wouldn't. Zebah and Zalmunna dared him to do it himself and he did.
*The Israelites asked Gideon to be their king. He refused, saying Yahweh should rule over them. However, he asked each of them to give him one gold earring from their plunder. The earrings had a total weight of about 43 pounds. Gideon made the gold into an ephod. It was taken to Gideon's town of Ophrah and eventually worshipped. The land had rest for another forty magical years. Gideon went back home and had 70 sons by his many wives and concubines. (Seventy being another special number usually referring to large assemblies.) After Gideon died the Israelites began worshipping Baal-Berith and forgot about Yahweh and the heroic deeds of Gideon.
*For some reason, the Ephraimites took offense that Gideon had not asked for their help when he originally went to fight the Midianites. Even so, they had come to Gideon's aid and helped capture two of the Midianite leaders. Pursuing the rest of the Midianites, Gideon and his men crossed the Jordan after two more rulers of Midian. They asked a couple of different cities for food, but were rejected. Gideon cursed those cities.
*There were 15,000 men left of the remnants of the eastern armies. 120,000 had been killed in battle. Gideon and his 300 men (amazingly, none dead) routed the remaining Midianites and captured the leaders, Zebah and Zalmunna. Then Gideon went to the towns of Succoth and Peniel, who had rejected his plea for food. He punished the elders of Succoth with desert thorns and briars, tore down the tower of Peniel, and killed the men of the town. Questioning Zebah and Zalmunna, Gideon found out they had killed his brothers. He ordered his son to kill them, but being just a boy, he wouldn't. Zebah and Zalmunna dared him to do it himself and he did.
*The Israelites asked Gideon to be their king. He refused, saying Yahweh should rule over them. However, he asked each of them to give him one gold earring from their plunder. The earrings had a total weight of about 43 pounds. Gideon made the gold into an ephod. It was taken to Gideon's town of Ophrah and eventually worshipped. The land had rest for another forty magical years. Gideon went back home and had 70 sons by his many wives and concubines. (Seventy being another special number usually referring to large assemblies.) After Gideon died the Israelites began worshipping Baal-Berith and forgot about Yahweh and the heroic deeds of Gideon.
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