Wednesday, September 28, 2011

"The Dead Bodies of Thy Servants"


Every once in awhile the Scriptures are just shocking.  Never more so than in Ps 79.1-5.  Here Asaph (or a descendant of Asaph?) describes what Jerusalem looks like after it has been destroyed by the Assyrians (or Babylonians?).  God's people lie dead in the streets in such great numbers and without any burial, that they are food for the buzzards of the air.

Notice that the protagonists here, the ones who do the killing, are a country that does not believe in God, indeed that is dismissive of the God of Israel.

So we have the picture of God's people slain, by pagans at God's will and plan!  If that doesn't shock you, not much will, I'm afraid.

Imagine living through this experience.  Do you think it would shape one's theology of God just a little?  Imagine trying to explain this, theologically.  Yes, it happened due to the sins of God's people, but still the result is shockingly unexpected

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