Monday, November 24, 2014

Notes on Is.64

If so-called third Isaiah is built around the theme of disappointment, this passage certainly fits the bill. It fits the previous lament. Therefore, it fits well a time of the fear of decline and a sense of brooding disappointment abroad in the land.

This is a good entry pt. into apocalyptic thinking.When people feel powerless they look to God to act in a decisive way.For the autumn, the shriveled leaf image works exceptionally well. For a moment as one reads, it leads one to think the prophet has seaid that we do not see you since the great acts of old.

I absolutely love the notion that people are  not praying because God has not been responsive. Yet, the poet wants more than God to listen; god should act and act soon.

One could perhaps deal here with the divine emotions, including anger. Is it a primitive view of god,or a proper one. How doe sit fit then with the orthodox view of an impassive god? Isn't the sight of suffering enough to move God here? anger here is wrath, very angry-it has the sense of a stick being broken and splinters flying.

How do you read, in this instance, the image of potter and clay and the divine anger? One could use this artistic image as opposed to other image sof God in the OT.

Father language is not used all that frequently in the OT.what is its effect here?

No comments: