In Praise Of Ancestors

"Let us now glorify illustrious men, the ancestors of our people.

The LORD gave them great glory according to his own greatness from the beginning.

Some ruled kingdoms and were renowned for their achievements, others were wise and able to counsel, or spoke as prophets.

They led the people with their warnings or with their knowledge of the popular writings.

Some cultivated music and poetry, others were rich and powerful men living peacefully in their homes.

All were highly respected in their days and honored by the people they lived with.

The names of some lived on and people still praise them today; others are not remembered and have disappeared as if they never existed.  It is the same for their children.

But now consider the godly men whose good deeds have not been forgotten.  Those who came after them benefited from the rich legacy they left; their race remained faithful to the Covenant, their children followed their example.  Their family will endure forever and never will its glory be tarnished.  Their bodies were buried in peace but their memory lives through generations.  People will speak of their wisdom and the assembly will celebrate their praise." - Sirach 44:1-15 

(After the hymn to GOD whose glory is revealed through HIS creation, the author will present to us GOD's work in HIS chosen people, Israel.

In his poem of praise of the ancestors, we have a glimpse of all the famous people of Israel: kings, liberators, prophets, sages, poets.  The author notes that there are many courageous and just people who died and whose deeds and virtues will not be recorded after them.  He knows that even if all the descendants of a famous man disappear, as in the case of Moses, the people of Israel hold on to the promises of eternity.  In this book there is still no sign of faith in a resurrection of persons [except possibly in 48:11 and all hope is fixed on the future of the chosen people].)

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Unless The Seed Falls Into The Ground And Dies, It Remains Alone

"When YAHWEH brought the exiles back to Zion,

we were like those moving in a dream.

Then, our mouths were filled with laughter,

and our tongues with songs of joy.

Among the nations it was said,

'YAHWEH has done great things for them.'

YAHWEH had done great things for us,

and we were glad indeed.

Bring back our exiles, O YAHWEH,

like fresh streams in the desert.

Those who sow in tears

will reap with songs and shouts of joy.

They went forth weeping,

bearing the seeds for sowing,

they will come home with joyful shouts,

bringing their harvested sheaves."

- Psalm 126:1-6

(Israel's drought will turn to fertility.   Her own labor of sowing will achieve its harvest.  'The field is the world' [Matthew 13:38] and the field whitens for a harvest of souls gathered to eternal life [John 4:35ff; Matthew 13:30].  But the sowing is in tears: 'Unless the seed falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone' [John 12:24ff].  The seed is the Word--the Word made flesh and crucified.  The tears are HIS, the joys ours: 'YAHWEH has done great things for us!'  And yet we, too, have our crucifixion.  If we want to turn suffering into hope, tears into songs, we can pray with this psalm.)

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Who Is A GOD Like YOU?

"Shepherd your people with your staff, shepherd the flock of your inheritance that dwells alone in the scrub, in the midst of a fertile land.  Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old, in the days when you went out of Egypt.

Show us YOUR wonders.  On seeing this, the nations will be put to shame, in the midst of all, their might.  People will lay their hands upon their mouths and they will not believe the news.

They shall lick the dust like snakes, like creatures that crawl upon the ground.  They will come, trembling out of their strongholds; they will be in fear of YOU.

Who is a GOD like YOU, who takes away guilt and pardons crime for the remnant of HIS inheritance?

Who is like YOU whose anger does not last?  For YOU delight in merciful forgiveness.

Once again YOU will show us your loving kindness and trample on our wrongs, casting all our sins into the depths of the sea.

Show faithfulness to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, as YOU have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old." - Micah 7:14-20 

(The psalm of hope which concludes the book was inserted here later, in the time of Exile.  The end is similar to Habakkuk 3:17: the just one knows that while evil reigns, he must continue hoping for GOD's justice.)

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To Do Justice, To Love Mercy, And To Walk Humbly With Your GOD

"Listen to what YAHWEH said to me, 'Stand up, let the mountains hear your claim, and the hills listen to your plea.'

Hear, O mountains, YAHWEH's complaint!  Foundations of the earth, pay attention!  For YAHWEH has a case against HIS people, and will argue it with Israel.

'O MY people, what have I done to you?  In what way have I been a burden to you?  Answer ME.

I brought you out of Egypt; I rescued you from the land of bondage; I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead you.

O MY people, remember what Balak, king of Moab, plotted, and what Balaam, son of Beor, answered him.  Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, how you have come to know YAHWEH's righteous paths.'

'What shall I bring when I come to YAHWEH and bow down before GOD the most high?  Shall I come with burnt offerings, with sacrifices of yearling calves?  Will YAHWEH be pleased with thousands of rams, with an overabundance of oil libations?  Should I offer my firstborn for my sins, the fruit of my body for my wrongdoing?'

'You have been told, O man, what is good and what YAHWEH requires of you: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your GOD.'" - Micah 6:1-8 

(O MY people what have I done to you?  In what way have I been a burden to you?  YAHWEH argues with HIS people.  We see GOD's love confronting HIS people's indifference.

Micah is addressing a people without understanding.  When they are in trouble or feel an inclination for religion, they think of expensive things:  sacrifices, offerings and even the sacrifice of their children, according to the Canaanite religions.

To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your GOD.  The answer is short and clear:

- do justice is Amos' message;

- to love mercy: see Hosea 2:21;

- to walk humbly with GOD: see Isaiah.)

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I Will Gather The Remnant Of MY Sheep

"'Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the sheep of MY pasture!'

This is the message of YAHWEH, GOD of Israel, to the shepherds in charge of MY people, 'You have scattered MY sheep and driven them away instead of caring for them.  Now I will deal with you because of your evil deeds.

I will gather the remnant of MY sheep from every land to which I have driven them and I will bring them back to the grasslands.  They will be fruitful and increase in number.  I will appoint shepherds who will take care of them.  No longer will they fear or be terrified.  No one will be lost.'

YAHWEH further says, 'The day is coming when I will raise up a king who is David's righteous successor.  HE will rule wisely and govern with justice and righteousness.  That will be a grandiose era when Judah will enjoy peace and Israel will live in safety.  HE will be called YAHWEH-our-justice!' - Jeremiah 23:1-6 

(Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter!  This new attack against evil leaders is the prelude to words of hope.

I will gather the remnant of MY sheep.  The destruction of the "physical" Israel prepares for the coming of the "spiritual" Israel.  People were used to seeing their leaders abuse power, and their rulers become richer.  But GOD is preparing for HIS people a shepherd who will look after the sheep.

They will call HIM YAHWEH-is-my-justice.

I will appoint shepherds who will take care of them.  As well as the just king, Jeremiah sees other shepherds: besides the only Shepherd, CHRIST, there is no room for others determined to be responsible for their brothers and sisters.

No longer will they fear.  GOD promises lasting peace.  The new people of GOD will be more than a mere continuation of the old kingdom of Israel, and the new king will be more than the earthly kings [see how JESUS develops this point in John 10].

Humankind hopes for unity in peace, and the Church now must offer the witness of different people gathered in CHRIST.  The reality, however, will be achieved only in the heavenly Jerusalem [Revelation 21:22].

Jeremiah expresses the same hope elsewhere, especially in 33:15-18.  In Ezekiel 34 we find the same image of the Good Shepherd preparing for what JESUS will say in John 10, Luke 15:4 and Matthew 9:36.)    

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Woe To Those Who Plot Wickedness And Plan Evil Even On Their Beds!

"Woe to those who plot wickedness and plan evil even on their beds!  When morning comes they do it, as soon as it is within their reach.

If they covet fields, they seize them.  Do they like houses?  They take them.  They seize the owner and his household; both, the man and his property.

This is why YAHWEH speaks, 'I AM plotting evil against this whole brood, from which your necks cannot escape.  No more shall you walk with head held high, for it will be an evil time.'

On that day, they will sing a taunting song against you; and a bitter lamentation will be heard, 'We have been stripped of our property in our homeland.  Who will free us from the wicked who allots our fields.'  Truly, no one will be found in the assembly of YAHWEH to keep a field for you." - Micah 2:1-5 

(HE denounces the exploiters, those who always have legal means to despoil little people.  We must not forget that the Scriptures had a code of laws--far ahead of any other nation--to defend the rights and the lives of the poor, the widows, etc.  See Deuteronomy 23:16.

Everyone, naturally, is furious with the prophet who disturbs the established injustice.)

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Illness And Cure Of Hezekiah

"In those days Hezekiah fell mortally ill and the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, went to him with a message from YAHWEH, 'Put your house in order for you shall die; you shall not live.'

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to YAHWEH, 'Ah YAHWEH!  Remember how I have walked before YOU in truth and wholeheartedly, and done what is good in YOUR sight.'  And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Then the word of YAHWEH came to Isaiah, 'Go and tell Hezekiah what YAHWEH, the GOD of his father David, says: I have heard your prayer and I have seen your tears.  See!  I AM adding fifteen years to your life and I will save you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria.  I will defend it for MY sake and for the sake of David MY servant.

Isaiah then said, 'Bring a fig cake to rub on the ulcer and let Hezekiah be cured.'

Hezekiah asked, 'What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of YAHWEH?'  Isaiah answered, 'This shall be for you a sign from YAHWEH, that HE will do what HE has promised.  See!  I shall make the shadow descending on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.'  So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had covered on the stairway." - Isaiah 38:1-22 

(This incident must have taken place before the 701 siege.  Here we see king Hezekiah sick and worried about his health.

Isaiah offers to cure him on GOD's behalf and adds the promise to protect and defend the Holy City.  YAHWEH's perspective is much broader than that of the pious Hezekiah.  If GOD cures him it is with a view to HIS own plan of salvation for all.)

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Come To ME!

"Come to ME, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take MY yoke upon you and learn from ME, for I AM gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest.  For MY yoke is easy; and MY burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 

(I will not relieve you of your load but by placing MY yoke on you, I give you the means of carrying the load.

JESUS plays with the two words yoke and load, for the Jews used to call "load" the divine teachings imparted to pupils, and yoke the balancing of the teacher's sentences, which should be learned by heart.

JESUS, the patient and humble teacher, enables us to see the mercy of GOD in our lives and in our own cross.  HE shows us the love of GOD even in the requirements of the law.  Only GOD is good; and good is the authority of CHRIST.)

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Everything Has Been Entrusted To ME By MY FATHER

"Everything has been entrusted to ME by MY FATHER.  No one knows the Son except the FATHER; and no one knows the FATHER except the Son, and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal HIM." - Matthew 11:27 

(GOD does what is needed for people to have always and in all places thousands of ways of knowing HIM.  In this life it is only through JESUS that we have the revelation of the FATHER.

Must we translate "learn from ME for I AM..." or "learn from ME that I AM..."?  The humility of JESUS reveals to us the humility of GOD who never seeks to put us down or intimidate us, but instead always wants to raise us to HIM.  Such humility does not prevent HIM from being GOD, and HE may exact everything from us because HE does not use external force: HIS influence reaches to the depths of the heart.  See Luke 10:21.)

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The Invincible City Of GOD

"Great is YAHWEH,

most worthy of praise in the City of GOD,

HIS holy mountain.

Beautifully elevated, it is the joy of all the earth

--Mount Zion, heavenly mountain,

the City of the great King.

Here, within her lines of defense,

GOD has shown HIMSELF to be a sure fortress.

The kings assembled together,

advanced toward the city,

But as soon as they saw it, they were astounded;

they panicked and took to flight.

Seized with fear, they trembled,

like a woman in travail,

or like the ships of Tarshish,

shattered by a strong wind from the east."

- Psalm 48:2-8

(The pagans may speak of the mountains of the terrifying and inaccessible gods, but the small hill of Zion is dignified by the presence of the one GOD.  It is a homely place.  For all its insignificance, it can look down on every high place on earth [Psalm 68:17].  There is a strong sense of national pride in this psalm.  The assertions of innocence is softened by the free acknowledgment that all comes from GOD.  It is accompanied, too, by a full acceptance of moral responsibility.  The Temple is a place to ponder GOD's love for HIS people, but it is here also, that HIS commands must be joyfully received.

What are the places of the presence of GOD?  The outskirts of the city?  Refugee camps?  Sick or maimed bodies?  We need to tell the text generation where our GOD is.  GOD is our Guide.  So, no matter how complex our lives become, we have no need to fear.  For, GOD will guide us through to our destination.)

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