Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Lee R. Martin" <lmartin AT vol.com>]

Ezekiel's vision caused him to be "angry and bitter."
Lee R. Martin

Jim West wrote:

> Colleagues...
> I think we are all aware that for most Biblical Literature God's presence is
> perceived as a blessing.  Yet, there seem to be a number of places where the
> presence of God becomes an oppressive and nearly unbearable burden.
>
> In particular, God's command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac seems to imply
> that God has become an oppressor.  Likewise, Jeremiah's confession that God
> had "overpowered" (literally- raped) him and forced him into the prophetic
> office seems to indicate that God's presence is no blessing at all but
> rather a curse.  Similarly Job says "turn your face away long enough for me
> to swallow my spit".  This too I take as an indication that God's presence
> is a curse rather than a blessing.
>
> Im sure there must be other examples of God's presence as oppressiveness.
> Can you think of any?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jim
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> " The righteous man looks after his own soul, and the bodies of others,
> whereas the hypocrite looks after his own body, and the souls of others"
> Rabbi Lionel Blue
>
> Jim West, ThD
> jwest AT highland.net
> http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
>
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--

Lee R. Martin
Pastor, Prospect Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee
Instructor in Hebrew and Old Testament
Church of God Theological Seminary
http://earth.vol.com/~lmartin/