Yahweh told Moses (Exodus 34:10 NET):<\/p>\n
See, I am going to make a covenant before all your people. \u00a0I will do wonders such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation.\u00a0 All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it is a fearful (<\/em>y\u00e2r\u00ea\u02bc)[1]<\/sup><\/a> <\/em>thing that I am doing with you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Rabbis who translated the Septuagint<\/a> chose \u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03ac here.\u00a0 In John\u2019s vision on Patmos[2]<\/sup><\/a> [those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name<\/i>[3]<\/sup><\/a>] sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: \u201cGreat and astounding<\/i> (\u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03ac, a form of \u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03cc\u03c2)[4]<\/sup><\/a> are your deeds, Lord God, the All-Powerful!\u00a0 Just and true are your ways, King over the nations!\u201d<\/i>[5]<\/sup><\/a> It is not that \u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03ac is all positive spin, any more than \u03c6\u03bf\u03b2\u03ad\u03c9 is all negative.\u00a0 John also used \u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03cc\u03bd (another form of \u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03cc\u03c2) to describe the seven angels who have seven final plagues<\/i> as a great and astounding<\/i> (\u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03cc\u03bd) sign in heaven<\/i>.[6]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0But I think I can feel why the Rabbis chose \u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03ac for the revised covenant over a form \u03c6\u03bf\u03b2\u03ad\u03c9.[7]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
How tragic that the once-faithful city has become a prostitute<\/i> (Septuagint<\/a>, \u03c0\u03cc\u03c1\u03bd\u03b7<\/a>),[8]<\/sup><\/a> reads part of the message about Judah and Jerusalem that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah<\/i>.[9]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0She was once a center of justice, fairness resided in her, but now only murderers<\/i>.[10]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves.\u00a0 All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs.\u00a0 They do not take up the cause of the orphan, or defend the rights of the widow<\/i>.[11]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
The sovereign Lord who commands armies, the powerful ruler of Israel<\/i>, had a plan to rectify this situation.\u00a0 But it was not a plan to redeem Israel\u2019s officials and fill them by his Spirit with the love that is the fulfillment of the law<\/i>[12]<\/sup><\/a>\u2014not yet anyway.\u00a0 It was a plan to remove them by death or exile in a foreign land.\u00a0 \u201cAh, I will seek vengeance against my adversaries<\/i>, He said, \u201cI will take revenge against my enemies. \u00a0I will attack you; I will purify your metal with flux. \u00a0I will remove all your slag. \u00a0I will reestablish honest judges as in former times, wise advisers as in earlier days.\u00a0 Then you will be called, \u2018The Just City, Faithful Town.\u2019\u201d<\/i>[13]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it is a fearful<\/i> thing that I am doing with you<\/i>,[14]<\/sup><\/a> He had said to Moses.<\/p>\n
Most prophets were sent with dire warnings of impending doom in the hope that the people to whom they were sent would hear, believe and repent.\u00a0 Not so with Isaiah.\u00a0 His was truly a ministry<\/a> that produced condemnation and death.[15]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 \u201cGo and tell these people,\u201d<\/i> Isaiah heard the sovereign master say<\/i>,[16]<\/sup><\/a> \u201c\u2018Listen continually, but don\u2019t understand!\u00a0 Look continually, but don\u2019t perceive!\u2019 \u00a0Make the hearts of these people calloused; make their ears deaf and their eyes blind!\u00a0 Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.\u201d<\/i>[17]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
\u201cHow long, sovereign master?\u201d<\/i>[18]<\/sup><\/a> Isaiah replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil cities are in ruins and unpopulated, and houses are uninhabited, and the land is ruined and devastated, and the Lord has sent the people off to a distant place, and the very heart of the land is completely abandoned. \u00a0Even if only a tenth of the people remain in the land, it will again be destroyed, like one of the large sacred trees or an Asherah pole, when a sacred pillar on a high place is thrown down.\u201d<\/i>[19]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 This devastation happened as it was written.<\/p>\n
But Isaiah also prophesied about another time: \u201cComfort, comfort my people,\u201d says your God. \u00a0\u201cSpeak kindly to Jerusalem, and tell her that her time of warfare is over, that her punishment is completed.\u00a0 For the Lord has made her pay double for all her sins.\u201d<\/i>[20]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 <\/i>And Jeremiah had prophesied, The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, \u201cI will restore the people of Judah to their land and to their towns.\u00a0 When I do, they will again say of Jerusalem, \u2018May the Lord bless you, you holy mountain, the place where righteousness dwells.\u2019\u201d<\/i>[21]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed, a time is coming,\u201d says the Lord, \u201cwhen I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. \u00a0It will not be like the old covenant that I made with their ancestors when I delivered them from Egypt. \u00a0For they violated that covenant, even though I was like a faithful husband to them,\u201d says the Lord. \u00a0\u201cBut I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,\u201d says the Lord. \u00a0\u201cI will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. \u00a0I will be their God and they will be my people.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. \u00a0For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,\u201d says the Lord. \u00a0\u201cFor I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.\u201d[22]<\/sup><\/a><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The quotation of this passage in the letter to the Hebrews reads, \u201cAnd there will be no need at all<\/i><\/b> for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying<\/b>, <\/i>\u2018Know <\/i><\/b>(\u03b3\u03bd\u1ff6\u03b8\u03b9, a form of \u03b3\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03c3\u03ba\u03c9)[23]<\/sup><\/a> the Lord<\/i><\/b>,<\/i>\u2019 since they will all know <\/b><\/i>(\u03b5\u1f30\u03b4\u03ae\u03c3\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd, a form of \u03b5\u1f34\u03b4\u03c9)[24]<\/sup><\/a> me<\/i><\/b>, from the least to the greatest<\/b>.\u00a0 For I will be merciful toward their evil deeds<\/b>, and their sins I will remember no longer<\/b>.<\/i>\u201d[25]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
To Know the Lord<\/i><\/b> is how Jesus defined eternal life: Now this is eternal life<\/i> \u2013 that they know<\/i> (\u03b3\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03c3\u03ba\u03c9\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd, another form of \u03b3\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03c3\u03ba\u03c9) you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent<\/i>.[26]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 When Jesus asked Thomas, \u201cHave you believed because you have seen<\/i> (\u1f11\u03ce\u03c1\u03b1\u03ba\u03b1\u03c2, a form of \u1f41\u03c1\u03ac\u03c9)[27]<\/sup><\/a> me?\u201d<\/i> He pronounced a blessing on those who believed without seeing: \u201cBlessed are the people who have not seen<\/i> (\u1f30\u03b4\u03cc\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2, another form of \u03b5\u1f34\u03b4\u03c9) and yet have believed.\u201d<\/i>[28]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0But He did not indicate that Thomas or anyone who knew Him by seeing, knew Him any the less for seeing Him: they will all know <\/i><\/b>(\u03b5\u1f30\u03b4\u03ae\u03c3\u03bf\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd, a form of \u03b5\u1f34\u03b4\u03c9)[29]<\/sup><\/a> me<\/i><\/b>, from the least to the greatest<\/b>.<\/i><\/p>\n
The prophet Daniel had received and recorded this message from Gabriel: Seventy weeks have been determined concerning your people and your holy city to put an end to rebellion, to bring sin to completion, to atone for iniquity, to bring in perpetual righteousness, to seal up the prophetic vision, and to anoint a most holy place. \u00a0So know and understand: From the issuing of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives, there will be a period of seven weeks and sixty-two weeks<\/i>.[30]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
If Daniel\u2019s seventy weeks meant literal weeks then that time had long passed with no apparent fulfillment.\u00a0 But if it meant seventy times seven years, that hope was still future to the rabbis who translated the Septuagint.\u00a0 They lived in interesting times, after the people of Judah had been restored to their land and to their towns<\/i> as The Lord God of Israel<\/i> had promised.\u00a0 It would be natural for them to assume, that <\/i>[Jerusalem\u2019s] time of warfare is over, that her punishment is completed<\/i>, and that they looked forward to a new covenant and the coming of an anointed one.\u00a0 It is not too difficult to see why the Rabbis saw that fearful<\/i> thing <\/i>the Lord was doing as \u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03ac rather than \u03c6\u03bf\u03b2\u03b7\u03b8\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c3\u03b1 or some other form of \u03c6\u03bf\u03b2\u03ad\u03c9.<\/p>\n
But when the Anointed One appeared, speaking in parables<\/a>, continuing Isaiah\u2019s ministry of condemnation and death even as He inaugurated the New Covenant by his own death and resurrection, most in Israel did not pivot quickly in faith.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t recognize that their time of punishment was not yet complete, or that Jerusalem was about to be destroyed again, to pay double for all her sins<\/i>.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t write this to blame them for it, but to learn from their mistakes.<\/p>\n
I, too, didn\u2019t understand faith<\/a>[31]<\/sup><\/a> as \u201clistening attentively\u201d[32]<\/sup><\/a> to the Holy Spirit, remaining open and flexible and conformable to his teaching.\u00a0 I thought faith<\/i> was a kind of rigidity, an unwillingness to be persuaded by anything I hadn\u2019t heard before.\u00a0 And as far as I can tell, the word before<\/i> meant some arbitrary time in an individual\u2019s past or, worse, a particular period in church history.\u00a0 (And I say worse<\/i> because it indicates that one never even tried to \u201clisten attentively\u201d to the living God but only to the opinions of dead men.)<\/p>\n
Jesus told the chief priests and the Pharisees<\/i>[33]<\/sup><\/a> a parable about a landowner who planted a vineyard<\/i> and leased it to tenant farmers<\/i>.[34]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0When the landowner sent his slaves to collect his fruit[35]<\/sup><\/a> (\u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03c0\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2[36]<\/sup><\/a> \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6[37]<\/sup><\/a>) from his vineyard, the tenants beat and killed them.\u00a0 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, \u201cThey will respect my son.\u201d \u00a0But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, \u201cThis is the heir. Come, let\u2019s kill him and get his inheritance!\u201d \u00a0So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him<\/i>.[38]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n
Jesus asked them what they thought the landowner would do with those tenants.\u00a0 They said to him, \u201cHe will utterly destroy those evil men!\u00a0 Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him\u201d<\/i>[39]<\/sup><\/a> this fruit (\u03c4\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2[40]<\/sup><\/a> \u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03c0\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2).\u00a0 Jesus said to them, \u201cHave you never read in the scriptures:<\/i> \u2018The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone<\/i><\/b>. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous <\/b><\/i>(\u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u1f74, a form of \u03b8\u03b1\u03c5\u03bc\u03b1\u03c3\u03c4\u03cc\u03c2, also in the Septuagint) in our <\/i>eyes<\/em><\/b>\u2019?\u201d<\/em>[41]<\/sup><\/a><\/i><\/p>\n
<\/a>For this reason I tell you<\/i>, Jesus continued, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit<\/i> (\u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03c0\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2).[42]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. \u00a0They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds regarded him as a prophet<\/i>.[43]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it is a fearful thing that I am doing with you<\/i>, He promised Moses.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Still, I must consider that Jesus\u2019 expectation for the Gentile churches was that they would be that people who will produce<\/i> the fruit of the kingdom of God, the fruit of his Spirit, because if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him<\/i>.[44]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0But in the definition of \u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03c0\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2 in the NET<\/a> online Bible the fruit of the Spirit is not even mentioned, except perhaps obliquely: \u201c2) that which originates or comes from something, an effect, result.\u201d<\/p>\n
What is specified however is this: \u201cis used in fig. discourse of those who by their labours have fitted souls to obtain eternal life.\u201d So while there is no direct mention of Jesus\u2019 stated reason for taking the kingdom of God away from the chief priests and Pharisees to give it to another people, \u201cthose who by their labours have fitted souls to obtain eternal life\u201d is spelled out in detail and attached to the word \u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03c0\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2 (fruit).\u00a0 But if the fruit of the kingdom of God is nothing more than the works of \u201cthose who by their labours have fitted souls to obtain eternal life\u201d there was no cause to seek another people.\u00a0 The chief priests and Pharisees were already far more advanced down that road than any others.<\/p>\n
I am the Lord!\u00a0 That is my name!\u00a0 I will not share my glory<\/a> with anyone else<\/i>,[45]<\/sup><\/a> He told Isaiah.\u00a0 All the people among whom you live will see the work of the Lord, for it is a fearful thing that I am doing with you<\/i>, He said to Moses.\u00a0 Paul preached the Gospel in the power of the Spirit of God.\u00a0 And he watched with a profound gratitude mixed with great sorrow and unceasing anguish<\/i><\/a>[46]<\/sup><\/a> as\u2014The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers<\/i>[47]<\/sup><\/a>\u2014heard his message<\/a> and entered the kingdom of God while his own people judged themselves unworthy of eternal life[48]<\/sup><\/a> (\u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03bf\u1f50\u03ba \u1f00\u03be\u03af\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03bd\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 \u1f11\u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2 \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b1\u1f30\u03c9\u03bd\u03af\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b6\u03c9\u1fc6\u03c2) in Paul\u2019s words. \u00a0After he had wrestled with these things he wrote (Romans 11:20-22, 25-36 NET):<\/p>\n
They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. \u00a0Do not be arrogant, but fear (\u03c6\u03bf\u03b2\u03bf\u1fe6, a form of \u03c6\u03bf\u03b2\u03ad\u03c9)<\/em>! \u00a0For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. \u00a0Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God \u2013 harshness toward those who have fallen, but God\u2019s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.<\/p>\n
For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery<\/a>, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. \u00a0And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: \u201cThe Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 <\/i>\u00a0And this is my covenant with them<\/i><\/b>, when I take away their sins.\u201d<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n
In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. \u00a0For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. \u00a0Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. \u00a0For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.<\/p>\n
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! \u00a0How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways! \u00a0For who has known the mind of the Lord<\/i><\/b>, or who has been his counselor? <\/b><\/i>\u00a0Or who has first given to God<\/i><\/b>, that God needs to repay him? <\/b><\/i>\u00a0For from him and through him and to him are all things. \u00a0To him be glory forever! \u00a0Amen.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Fear – Exodus, Part 9<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n