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Hate evil, love good and establish justice in the gate; . . . Amos 5:15
Establish – Amos was God’s ambassador. He came with a burning desire to see God’s people restored. He exhorted them to heed his warning. There was a way of avoiding judgment, a way that required nothing more complicated than hating evil, loving good and establishing justice. But establishing justice isn’t quite the same as cleaning up the legal system. Establishing justice is putting everything in its proper place according to God’s instructions about living.
The Hebrew verb yatsag means to place or set in a specific location for a purpose. The idea here is not simply organizing. It is arranging according to a plan in order to accomplish a certain goal. We can think of it in military terms. In a battle plan, divisions of soldiers are arranged in ways that will provide the maximum chances of success. The plan dictates where the armored units go, where the infantry advances, where the aircraft bomb, etc. Everything is arranged in order to defeat the enemy.
Imagine this deliberate placement in order to accomplish justice. What does that mean? It certainly must be more than fair sentences for criminals. God’s idea of justice is the establishment of a culture of righteousness. That means a deliberate effort to care for the abused and the helpless. That means capitalism with compassion. That means understanding the difference between what I need and what the community needs. That means acting with benevolence toward my neighbor even if it costs me to do so. That means honoring God’s instructions and adopting His code of conduct. Justice is much more than legal application. From God’s point of view, justice is doing things God’s way in every area of life.
Amos tells Israel that there is a way to avoid the coming judgment. The people must hate evil, love good and put justice in place. But Israel didn’t listen. They decided to make up their own rules for living. They decided that some things God said were evil weren’t really all that bad and that some things God said were good really didn’t make sense. They altered the laws to fit their purposes. And judgment came. God offered them a way of escape. They didn’t take it. God’s offer appears too costly. Their desires for life on their terms overruled God’s design. But no man can overrule God’s sovereignty. Babylon became God’s tool for corrective action.
Perhaps Amos has something crucial to tell us. There is a way of escape. God honors those who hate evil, love good and establish justice. These are not petty and insignificant things. They make the difference between shalom and shephet (judgment). But they are not easily done, especially in a culture that has a long history of twisting God’s ways to suit its own purposes. The remedy is painful and costly, but the alternative is terminal.
Topical Index: establish, yatsag, justice, Amos 5:15
“That means capitalism with compassion.”
Hi Skip,
Isn’t that an oxymoron? 🙂
The code of contemporary capitalism is “I Ching, Darwin, stuff happens….Roll with it.”
Or get rolled over; it is survival of the fittest.
Within capitalist society, we do have some “utopian spaces.”
In places such as the best corporations, colleges, and universities.
And maybe some other places, like the military if you aren’t over fighting the Taliban.
But a large segment of American society is getting very old and who wants to pay for them?
Their poorly financed mortgages, rising food and gas prices, and health care costs.
It is no country for old men and it could be challenging for our children.
I try to stay focused on the here and now.
Because I don’t like what I see coming.
“I try to stay focused on the here and now. Because I don’t like what I see coming”
That reminds me of a rather profound line that I heard recently in (of all movies) KungFu Panda (watching it with the kids): “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift (that is why it is called “the present”)”.
Gems like that pop up in the strangest of places, sometimes. 🙂
Michael, the problem is we don’t have capitalism in its historic sense. All theories of economics turn on one point: property ownership. The command “Thou shalt not steal” and establishes the boundarymarks for individuals and governments, along with other Torah teachings.
Today, the worldwide economies are built on the idea that government sets the boundarymarks, it takes whatever it likes in taxes, redistributes wealth on the idea that some people have too much and others not enough. And the biggest lie of all, it continually defrauds citizens of the value of their wealth by expanding the money supply through coins, currency, and most of all credit expansion – the purpose of fractional reserve banking. This is the reason for general price increases. In other words, there are no just and weights in relation to money and its value. See Lev. 19:35-36.
Skip’s reminder about justice reminds us of our duty and obligations with regard to evil. The trouble is, we’ve let the “bad guys” redefine capitalism so that it no longer represents the older view based on the eighth commandment.
The question now is: how do we get it back?
Hi Ian,
Please see coments inline.
Ian: “we don’t have capitalism in its historic sense”
Mike: I agree that capitalism is changing, but more than one thing has not changed.
Mike: There are two groups of folks under capitalism, those who own capital and those who don’t. (Full Disclosure: under the circumstances, I would prefer to own more than I do).
Mike The vast majority of folks own no capital, work for a wage, and are buried in debt.
Ian: All theories of economics turn on one point: property ownership.
Mike: As an American Indian, Hombre lived on a reservation with his tribe.
Mike: Before the Europeans came to America and took his land, it was “owned” by his community.
Ian: Worldwide economies are built on the idea that government sets the boundarymarks.
Mike: Let me introduce my response with a quote on the American Dream by Tony Montana, the Cuban (communist) immigrant played by Al Pacino in Scarface:
“In this country, you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the women.”
Mike: In the world today, it is the people with the power and the money who influence the governments, whether they represent labor or capital, in my view.
Ian: (The government) takes whatever it likes in taxes, redistributes wealth on the idea that some people have too much and others not enough.
Mike: With all due respect to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, (in my view they are good, very smart, people who honestly earned their money).
Mike: Why is it that folks like Bill and warren in the world today have so much more money than all the rest of us put together, if governments are focused on redistributing the wealth?
Mike: That makes no sense to me.
Ian: And the biggest lie of all, it (the government) continually defrauds citizens of the value of their wealth by expanding the money supply through coins, currency, and most of all credit expansion – the purpose of fractional reserve banking.
Mike: I agree it is a problem, but it is being done for the benefit of businesses and to a certain extant it is done for the people to inflate away their debt.
Just my 2 cents 🙂
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‘The trouble is, we’ve let the “bad guys” redefine capitalism so that it no longer represents the older view based on the eighth commandment.
The question now is: how do we get it back?’
Good morning dear saints, [I know it’s not morning but it was when I started this]
I truly hesitate to post this but here goes.
So what are we longing to go back to? A system based on a spiritualized, allegorized, synthesized, version of the word of God from a Greek worldview? Babylon? Egypt?
We are in diaspora folks! It has come to us stealthily. Is is a direct result of us breaking the very first commandment ever given to all that has breath. “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” We’ve bought into the save the earth 2 children per household let the school system raise them so we can go make enough money to make our own little utopia for ourselves LIE.
Because we have adopted the hedonistic ways of the pagans to the e nth degree, we are now in big trouble. We get to call on the gods we have been worshiping unless we ruthlessly root them all out of our hearts, repent fully and go back to thinking and behaving like the people of YHVH.
Islam is a formidable foe not because they have better earthly military strategy but because they live by Torah principals to advance themselves, which they understand with an eastern cultural worldview which is not entirely unlike the Hebraic worldview we are all learning about.
They have legally immigrated (Persia steadily pouring into Babylon Harbor for 4 decades) and taken up the torch of liberty for all (a pagan deity sent to us by our Masonic brothers in France) and populated our country with an average of 9+ children per family just like they’ve done world wide. How Brilliant. DAH!!!!!!!! America is in for the fight of her life, and all of her troops are over seas because we don’t have a clue what we’re up against. If my hope was in America I might be jumping off the Golden Gate bridge by now.
But my hope is in YHVH and in you dear saints. You have a higher calling to fulfill. We are neither called to go back to Egypt or stay in Babylon both of which America typifies nicely. We are to build God’s kingdom which suffers violence and be violent to take it by force. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We need to throw away the armor of Saul and take up our sling and start slaying the Nephilim at every opportunity and call upon YHVH with all our might. To Him be the glory and strength and power and honor forever amen.
The trouble as I see it is that we need to go back to Torah and be the shining lights in the dark that Yehoshua described in Mt. 5-7. This is our golden opportunity to minister the gospel to the nations without ever leaving our neighborhood! Every tongue, tribe and nation lives next door and down the block from us.
“Amos tells Israel that there is a way to avoid the coming judgment. The people must hate evil, love good and put justice in place.”
If there is any hope of saving America we need to look to YHVH for help.
There are two astonishing military victories in scripture that contain an amazing Hebrew construct of the name of our Elohim. For those of you who read a little Hebrew it looks like this.
וּרְאוּ אֶת יְשׁוּעַת יְהוָה
For those of you who understand but don’t read it is transliterated ur’u et ye’shu’at YHWH which in English is translated “and see the salvation of YHVH”. This construct is first found in Ex.14:13 and again in 2 Ch.20:17
I can’t explain everything about this little phrase but here are some of the highlights and you do your own research.
The word אֶת (et) consists of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alef bet. In the minds of many (myself included) the pictograph represents the alpha and omega, beginning and the end, the first and the last.
You can see this in the very first phrase of scripture Gen.1:1. Remember Hebrew is read from right to left. In the beginning God created “אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ” (et hashamayim ve-et haeretz) “the heavens and the earth”.
The “ha” in ha-shamayim and ha-eretz is translated “the” in the sentence and the “ve” in ve-et is the word “and”. Et אֶת is not really translated into a word. What it does do grammatically is signify the direct object.
So what does that mean? Well for many (myself included) it means I’m not done with this huge little word yet because there is still the word picture of אֶת (et) which if it were translated into words it would be something like “entirely complete in total from beginning to end”. אֶת
So back to Ex.14 and 2 Ch. The gist of these two passages (you must read the passages to get the context) is that Israel in both instances stands out numbered and helpless standing in battle formation. In Ex. Moses is leading them out of Egypt after sacrificing the passover lamb at YHVH’s command. They are ignorant of YHVH’s true ways and marching forward to receive His Torah and trapped at the red sea. In 2 Ch. King Jehoshaphat is leading them out of their blatant rebellion to YHVH’s true ways and leading them back to Torah. In both passages the people of YHVH are standing clothed in righteous works before YHVH facing an overwhelming enemy. You’ll just have to read about what happens if you don’t already know.
The escatalogical implications are shocking given the prophet Joel’s statements;
Joe 3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead (Didn’t He do that with Pharaoh?) with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted My land.
Joe 3:12 “Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
So lets look at the grammatical construct in Ex.14:13 and 2 Ch.20:17
אֶת = the direct object ( plus that incredible word picture) and yeshuet יְשׁוּעַת is the noun that is feminine singular. The Tav ת at the end of this noun = of, making it the particular personal (feminine) possession of YHVH. The masculine form of this noun is ישועה yeshsuah which means salvation and coincidentally? just happens to be the Name of someone we all know and love.
If this doesn’t scream ezer kenegdo to all of you I don’t know what else to say.
I believe with everything in me that YHVH put us here to salt America. I’m grateful for the freedom of religion we’ve enjoyed for nearly 2.5 decades. I pray for revival for her. My 5 children and 15 grandchildren live here. I cry over the freedoms they don’t even know they’ve lost. But saving her? That battle belongs to אֶת יְשׁוּעַת יְהוָה
So read the story of the Exodus and the story of Jehoshaphat and repent to the core. Then having done all to stand (in the armor of God) STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF YHVH.
Re 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and he went to make war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Re 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Re 22:14 Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
As the people of God this is the way we can make a real difference.
Shalom
Pam,
Today this post spoke to me. I can absolutely agree with you about WHERE we are, and WHY we are here. How many of us ‘bought in’ to the American Dream before we found out it could turn into a nightmare? We must learn to stay awake and watch, so that we can understand the times, and know what to do.
Bless you sister.
We ladies need to stand up and be what Avinu calls us. Ezer Kenegdo
Be brave and of good courage!
Shalom
lol!- amen Rodney! that is beautiful! G-d does have a way of “showing up”- sometimes, (most times) from very unusual and unlikely sources!
good morning Michael- “what is coming” is a Who.. -it is the “day of the LORD.” The second advent of (the) Christ, and the “rapture” (or catching away) of the bride of Y’shua. Does this sound strange or foreign to you? or is it a bright and burning reality? lol!
Oh yes! G-d has a plan and it is unfolding like a scroll..- all the “pieces and parts” (only a bajillion of them-lol!) are coming together according to His purpose. What about “me?” and who am “I?”-lol!
I am a little cog on a great big wheel. -But praise G-d!- I am “included!” I am His “cog.” lol!
Amos was (one of) G-d’s “ambassadors.” Famous Amos!- lol! He too was a little cog on a great big wheel.. His story was included in G-d’s continuing, opening scroll. We (us y’all) have a lot to learn from Amos. Speaking of sources- Who was “famous Amos?” lol! Read for yourself! Look who G-d uses to be His “ambassadors!” (excuse me, but -“Ha!”)
And now- for the “rest of the (continually unfolding) story..” “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.” With apologies to all who may be offended, this (“scripture?”) is found in Luke 24:27. – As G-d’s “representative” to this “foreign land,”- May I ask, (politely)- Who is “He?” Yes..,-“Who is this King of glory?”
Pam, the word in Joel 3:2 that is translated plead is actually #8199: shafat: to judge. So it is a much stronger verse than most translations would have us understand. Well said!
Thank you for the heads up. I’ll look into it further. We can’t continue in this wretched bless me in the comfort of my own home mode and and expect to have a nation much longer.
Hi Pam,
I enjoyed reading your comments above and was inspired by your enthusiasm.
A little bit like the gospel according to madame mao.
A couple of questions.
1. When you use the term “salt” what do you imply?
2. Could you elaborate on alpha and omega?
Thanks,
MAO
My post on today’s Capitol Conditions describes how I tend to salt things with my life.
As for Alpha and Omega I have a strong backround in Reformed Theology that I am still in the process of shedding. The phrase brings to my mind All of time and eternity past present and future. When He created It was all there from beginning to end and is now unfolding as it were. The reformers call it the already and not yet. For example it can explain how we can be seated together with Christ in the heavenlies (truth) and on earth (truth) at the same time. YHVH sees from the beginning to the end because He created it complete from beginning to end and calls forth those things which are not (yet) as if they are. Ro. 4:17
I’m not to sure about the Mao thing. She’s not a character I would have thought of to describe myself even though I am an old Hippie (Jane Fonda had nothing on me) and I know I come on strong. And oh how you would rejoice if you could only know that you are encountering the sanctified version. lol
“not to sure about the Mao thing”
Actually, I don’t know much about Madame Mao either.
But her lack of respect for most of the elder revolutionaries within the Central Committee was well known.
My only real memory of Madame Mao is a very old, black and white film clip of the news.
She was standing alone in the midst of a gigantic auditorium full of her accusers.
The Central Committee was silent but her voice was filling the room with intensity.
And she was speaking in these long, seemingly computer generated, sentences.
And I was reading the subtitles in amazement as she kept asking rhetorical questions:
“You are accusing me of being a counter-revolutionary?”
“Where were you when we were out fighting the revolution, putting our lives on the line at “point A.””
“Where were you when we were out fighting the revolution, putting our lives on the line at “point B.””
“Where were you when we were out fighting the revolution, putting our lives on the line at “point C.””
And every once in a while she would “break stride” with something like:
“No, you are the running-dog lackeys and cowards of the Imperial Bourgeoisie.”
“Not me.”
She looked very small and thin and weary, but her voice was electrifying.
Needless to say, I was impressed 🙂
Alpha Omega of course is personified in our Lord. That’s why He can create complete
“1.The first and the last: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord” (Revelation 1:8).
Hi Pam,
If God is infinite, he has no beginning and ending, does he?
Maybe this is a difference between God and Jesus?
Hey Michael,
Rev. 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto THE SON OF MAN clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Again, because of my Reformed training I don’t understand but I see the Trinity clearly in scripture.
I am still working through the whole trinity controversy and only when I am forced to because I find it very distracting and not very edifying.
So I’m very grateful my salvation doesn’t depend on my ability to understand any of that because YHVH has seen fit to leave me on the side of the trinity for now albeit not entirely in the classic understanding of it.
I have so many other pieces of the puzzle in a different place on the table that He has given me that I don’t go over to that side of the table unless a puzzle is presented to me in the course of my regular study. Other wise I get distracted from what He’s trying to teach me this moment.
I’m an old lady with limited abilities. For now I take the above passage at face value and see The SON OF MAN as the ALPHA AND OMEGA
Hi Pam – may we help out a little with this? In Hebrew, the aleph-bais (alphabet) neither begins nor ends… the A-Z (alpha-omega) thing is Greek; it is linear. In Greek, the alphabet is a list of the letters that are used in the language. In Hebrew, it’s far more than that. The letters have an independence that is separate from the language because they have a root within God Himself – the letters are the ‘physical representation’ of the utterances God used when He created. The letters are the essence of everything – in fact, Jews believe they were ‘created’ before anything else. Jews believe that God didn’t actually speak the Creation into being, but that He only had to form the thought in His mind. That is why Torah – the Word of God – really is the essence of the divine will.
Jews study the letters of the aleph-bais; they each, individually, have a depth of meaning to be discovered – in combination, they release wisdom. As with all things Hebrew, the aleph-bais is cyclical… when you reach your study of Tav, you return to aleph and study again… using the insight you have gained in your previous study. If someone (Abraham, for instance) is referred to as having fulfilled Torah from aleph to tav (even before it was given at Sinai!) it means that he embodied or presented the totality of its essence.
Aleph to tav represents a perfection of character based upon what is contained within the aleph-bais as far as it has been revealed at that time to that person. For instance – Proverbs 31 v10-31 (In Hebrew – an accomplished woman) has 22 verses that appear in alphabetical order to show how the Jewish woman fulfils the Torah through her obedience and is an allegory of the Shekinah. It goes without saying, then, that it is a dedication to the entire Torah (aleph-tav) that fulfils the will of God. [This relates to the little ‘et’ that you brought out so well in the post above.]
Time will not allow me to elaborate (it will be Shabbat within a few hours) – nor to describe how Jews view aleph-tav as pertaining to the physical world of action, whilst reversing the aleph-bais represents the spiritual (many Hebrew words, when reversed, present the spiritual aspect of a previously physical action). Jews also have a method of interpreting Scripture where, when they see one letter (say ‘aleph’) they would read/write its partner letter (tav). In fact, some translations of Scripture we use haven’t worked out that this was the authors particular style of writing was, and so the Hebrew Tanakh can be very different to our translations.
Anyway, I must stop – have a great Shabbat! Shalom!
Thank you Ian,
It’s good to speak to someone who knows this stuff and I would love to dialog about it.
I’m just now approaching the mystical side of Aleph Tav and am plodding through it very carefully. I’ve tiptoed into the numerology, colors, musical notes and so forth.
What terrifies me about it is that I don’t see ANYONE so far, approaching these things in light of;
Eze.8:8 Then said He unto me, “Son of man, dig now in the wall”; and when I had dug in the wall, behold, a door.
9 And He said unto me, “Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here.”
10 So I went in and saw; and behold, every form of creeping things and abominable beasts and all the idols of the house of Israel portrayed upon the wall round about.
11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.
12 Then said He unto me, “Son of man, hast thou seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his images? For they say, ‘The LORD seeth us not. The LORD hath forsaken the earth.’”
13 ¶ He said also unto me, “Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.”
14 Then He brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
15 Then said He unto me, “Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”
16 And He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house, and behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east.
17 Then He said unto me, “Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence and have returned to provoke Me to anger; and lo, they put the branch to their nose.
18 Therefore will I also deal in fury. Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.”
I take NO comfort in the fact that the Sages believed and practiced something. It does NOT make me feel safe to adopt it for myself.
I came out of a heavy mystical occult past. Much of what I’ve read and some of what you describe fits neatly into the practice of black magic. That is not to say that it isn’t valid or for us, please don’t get me wrong. But these are things I’m very very careful with because of the way I have used them in the past.
Many of the symbols people wear in Judaism & Messianic Judaism cause me to recoil because of their occult use. I’m not unaware of how HaSatan takes the things of YHVH and perverts them. I’m guardedly open to the idea that it doesn’t mean that YHVH doesn’t use them. But if I don’t see them in SCRIPTURE they are suspect in my mind.
Experimentally though, when I put them off almost 29 years ago and took up the practice of waiting on YHVH for HIS deliverance in place of them, I’ve walked in miracles of a totally different sort.
Yeshua taught the P’shat of Torah as I see it. And the Apostles taught in the same way. Simplicity of heart is pleasing in His sight. I feel very safe in this place. There’s no room for confusion or speculation.
There was a period of time that Ron and I worked at a ministry that was antagonistic toward Shabbat and the festivals, so we kept them under a bushel and the flow stopped. After returning openly to Torah, not only did Avinu restore our study and prayer life as before,(dienu) but within a month of our repentance , springs of living water (quite literally) appeared out of the ground 500 ft. above our off grid NV desert home that we had been hauling every drop of water into for years.
So “for now” I tend to stick well within the confines of the P’shat of the word, the ancient word pictures for illustration, and the pitiful amount of Hebrew language that I have thus far mastered. When He decides to shift me over to the other side of the table I’ll be there in a heart beat.
Mt 18:3 and said, “Verily I say unto you, unless ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Shabbat Shalom
Rev. 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Rev. 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Rev. 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto THE SON OF MAN clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Hey Pam,
Thanks for sharing the lines above; I tend not to read Revelation, but Revelation 1:11-13 is awfully good stuff, isn’t it?
The first time I saw Bergman’s The Seventh Seal, I thought it was the best movie ever made and said to myself that I had better go back and read Revelation, because Bergman revealed a lot of things that I had overlooked 🙂
And yes I agree with your point below:
“For now I take the above passage at face value and see The SON OF MAN as the ALPHA AND OMEGA.”
You’ll see me use the phrase “For now” alot. I hold everything I’ve been taught with a loose grip. Avinu has my permission to extract anything He sees fit (or unfit might be a better way to say it) out of my hand. Especially doctrines!
All of Rev. is awfully good stuff. There is a special blessing for reading Rev. Notice I didn’t say understanding Rev.
This dialog with you has been a treat. Press in and press on dear brother.
YHVH bless you
Everlasting Peace
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
All the nations will stream to it,
peoples without number will come to it,
and they will say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh,
to the temple of the God of Jacob
so that he may teach us concerning his ways
and that we may walk in his paths;
since the law will go out from Zion
And the oracle of Yahweh from Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 2:3
Could the passage above be the source of the so-called “utopian vision” of most “dialectical” thinkers in the 20th century?
I think so.
In any case I used Isaiah to make that point when I taught it at UCSD.
Back in the late seventies, I really enjoyed connecting Isaiah 2:3 with the so-called “utopian vision” and the music of Bob Marley.
Bob Marley’s first hit outside Jamaica, “No Woman No Cry,” seemed like pure Spirit to me.
And not long before the end of days, the days in which I had a full time job, I recall a curious coincidence regarding Bob Marley.
I had mentioned a scary scene in the movie Stardust to a coworker and she replied that it was not as scary as “I am Legend.”
It seemed like an odd response, but when I found myself with a lot of free time on my hands, I watched the movie, I am Legend.
The character played by Will Smith is all alone in the world; it is in fact the End of Days.
Although it is a nightmarish view of the world, Will Smith finds comfort in two things.
Walking his dog and listening to the music of Bob Marley.
We sell Marley Mint at the nursery work at.