And the Lord said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is beloved by her friend and is an adulteress; even as the Lord loves the people of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins."
So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a 1/2 homer of barley. And I said to her, "You must dwell as mine for many days; you shall not play the harlot, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you."
For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or teraphim.
Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their King; and they shall come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the end of days.
2 comments:
The people of Israel (unlike the rest of us) sure did like the yummy desserts at the local Baal potlucks...
-------
"Shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or teraphim."
That does describe what came about... but it's an interesting list:
No one to govern or lead. No sacrificial cults. No priestly costumes with devices for divining God's intentions. No images.
Which seems to suggest that all these things may fit in one category: 'idolatrous'.
----
"The end of days" ? Does this mean something like "eventually"? Is this where the idea of the "End of the Age", and then the notion of "End Times", got their start? (I don't know enough about this history to say for sure, but I'd say this is the earliest reference I've seen to do more than hint... (?))
--------
What about returning and seeking "David their King"? This was the man who was said to have "done what was right in the sight of YHWY, and did not turn aside from all He commanded him all the days of his life." Aside from being a bit of a thug in his early outlaw days, and when he was King, inviting Uriah's wife to the palace for ping-pong, and ordering his general to frag Uriah, and generally slaughtering his political opponents on suspicion... But this was also a man who'd been continually "inquiring of the Lord", ie having his priest cast lots to divine what God would have him do. So the name "David," here, does suggest a King at least intending to let God make the decisions. Rather than thinking up ways to get the priests to endorse his own plans...
"The end of days" ? Does this mean something like "eventually"? Is this where the idea of the "End of the Age", and then the notion of "End Times", got their start?
It could reference either the universal "end of days" or perhaps our individual "end of days" that we come trembling and seeking His goodness?
"Aside from being a bit of a thug ... " a mite understated but as flawed as we are there IS hope for the rest of us, eh?
Post a Comment