ellauri108.html on line 73: In the King James Version of the Christian Bible, the Hebrew יהּ is transliterated as "JAH" (capitalised) in only one instance: "Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him". An American Translation renders the Hebrew word as "Yah" in this verse. In the 1885 Revised Version and its annotated study edition, The Modern Reader's Bible, which uses the Revised Version as its base text, also transliterates "JAH" in Psalms 89:8 which reads,"O LORD God of hosts, who is a mighty one, like unto thee, O JAH? and thy faithfulness is round about thee".
ellauri153.html on line 488: God’s faithfulness: how can God act so that justice is eventually
ellauri164.html on line 495: The book of Deuteronomy shows Moses giving several sermon-type speeches to the people, reminding them of God’s saving power and faithfulness. He gives the second reading of the Law (Deuteronomy 5) and prepares this generation of Israelites to receive the promises of God. Moses himself is prohibited from entering the land because of his sin at Meribah (Numbers 20:10-13). At the end of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses’ death is recorded (Deuteronomy 34). He climbed Mount Nebo and is allowed to look upon the Promised Land. Moses was 120 years old when he died, and the Bible records that his “eye was undimmed and his vigor unabated” (Deuteronomy 34:7). The Lord Himself buried Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5–6), and Joshua took over as leader of the people (Deuteronomy 34:9). Deuteronomy 34:10–12 says, " Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel."
ellauri164.html on line 550: 2. He spoke to the people, not with meekness and calm authority, but in heat and bitterness. "Ye rebels, must we fetch you water out of this rock?" Thus he "spake unadvisedly with his lips" (Psalm 106:33) instead of his stick. It is not difficult to understand how Moses should have so far forgotten himself on this occasion. Let the facts be weighed. The servant of the Lord is now 120 years old. The generation which sinned thirty-seven years ago, and was condemned to die in the wilderness, is nearly all gone. Moses is mortified to find that the new generation is infected with a touch of the same impatient unbelief which wrought in their fathers so much mischief. No sooner are they at a loss for water than they rise against Moses with rebellious murmurings. For once he loses command of himself. On all former occasions of the kind his meekness was unshaken; he either held his peace, or prayed for the rebels, or at most called on the Lord to be his Witness and Judge. Now he breaks out into bitter chidings. At the root of this there was a secret failure of faith. "Ye believed me not," - did not thoroughly rely on my faithfulness and power, - "to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel" (verse 12). His former meekness had been the fruit of faith. He had been thoroughly persuaded that the Lord who was with him could accomplish all he had promised, and therefore he faced every difficulty with calm and patient resolution. Now a touch of unbelief bred in him hastiness and bitterness of spirit.
ellauri164.html on line 588: Moses’ Unfaithfulness at Meribah (Numbers 20:2-13)
ellauri164.html on line 879: This interpretation is solidified by Moses’ words about this event in the Book of Deuteronomy. Three times in the first four chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses says that he is not able to enter the Promised Land because of Israel. At first glance, again, this might seem an unfair charge. Moses had caused his own exclusion, hadn’t he? Why is he accusing the generation after the event in Numbers 20 of being the cause of his failure? If we look at these three mentions, we see a few important facts. In the first instance, Deuteronomy 1:37, Moses is recounting the failure of Israel when they listened to the 10 spies’ negative report and how God forbade that generation from entering the Promised Land, and he then says “The Lord was angry with me also on your account, saying, ‘Not even you shall enter there.’” Moses associates his inability to enter the Promised Land with Israel’s rebellion and unfaithfulness, but he also seems to be lumping the people’s refusal to enter the land (Numbers 13-14) with his own sin in Numbers 20. This is not Moses forgetting the chronology of these two events, but rather indicating that they are closely associate with one another.
ellauri459.html on line 226: Jotamin vertauksessa orjantappura piti hallitsemista hyvänä asiana, mutta viiniköynnös ja viikunapuu eivät pitäneet siitä. Jotham's Parable is a significant narrative found in the Book of Judges, specifically in Judges 9:7-21. This parable is delivered by Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon (also known as Jerubbaal), and serves as a prophetic and moral lesson to the people of Shechem. It is a unique example of a parable in the Old Testament, utilizing allegory to convey its message. The events leading to Jotham's Parable occur after the death of Onni Gideon, a major judge of Israel. Gideon had refused kingship, declaring that the LORD would rule over Israel (Judges 8:23). However, after his death, Abimelech, one of Gideon's sons by a concubine, sought to establish himself as king. Abimelech's ambition led him to murder his seventy (again?) brothers, except for Jotham, who escaped. With the support of the men of Shechem, Abimelech was made king. Jotham's Parable is delivered from Mount Gerizim, where Jotham addresses the people of Shechem. The parable is as follows: "The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. They said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.' But the olive tree replied, 'Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?' Then the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and reign over us.' But the fig tree replied, 'Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?' Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and reign over us.' But the vine replied, 'Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?' Finally, all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and reign over us.' But the thornbush replied, 'If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'" (Judges 9:8-15). The parable uses the imagery of trees seeking a king to illustrate the folly of the Shechemites in choosing Abimelech as their ruler. The olive tree, fig tree, and vine represent individuals or leaders who are productive and beneficial, unwilling to abandon their roles for the sake of power. In contrast, the thornbush, a symbol of worthlessness and danger, represents Abimelech. The thornbush's offer of shade is ironic, as it provides little protection and poses a threat of destruction. Jotham's Parable serves as a critique of the Shechemites' decision to support Abimelech. It highlights the dangers of choosing leaders based on ambition and self-interest rather than integrity and service. The parable also contains a prophetic warning: if the choice of Abimelech is not made in good faith, destruction will follow. This prophecy is fulfilled later in the chapter when conflict arises, leading to Abimelech's downfall and the destruction of Shechem. From a theological perspective, Jotham's Parable underscores the importance of righteous leadership and the consequences of turning away from God's guidance. It reflects the broader biblical theme of God's sovereignty and the need for leaders who honor Him. The narrative also serves as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people, emphasizing the need for faithfulness and obedience. It is a timeless reminder of the need for discernment and integrity in selecting leaders, both in ancient Israel and in contemporary genocidal context.
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