Day One - Hear, forgive, listen & act

As we begin our new series of reflections we look at Forgiveness from the perspective of the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament part of our Christian Bible).

We consider two Scriptures, both written in the light of the devastation of the sacking of Jerusalem in 586BCE. With their Temple destroyed by the mighty empire of the Babylonians and their world turned upside-down, the Jewish people perhaps felt as many people the world feel today – overwhelmed, bewildered and looking for answers.

The first text comes from a chapter in the book of Daniel slotted between the narrative about his time in exile and his visions. In the Hebrew Bible the book of Daniel is placed in the Writings section, but in our English version of the Greek translation it is placed between the major and minor Prophets.

Daniel 9:4-5 and 18-19 (NRSV)

I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, “Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you and keep your commandments, we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances.

Incline your ear, O my God, and hear. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and the city that bears your name. We do not present our supplication before you on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of your great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and act and do not delay!”

Let’s examine the stages of this prayer of Daniel.

There is an acknowledgement of the gulf between the supplicant and the One to whom the prayer is being addressed; also, a recognition of the faithful character of the One with whom the people have a covenanted relationship; and importantly a penitent self-appraisal, a recognition of who has breached the covenant of moral law.

The latter part of the prayer asks for intervention by God in the dire circumstances the Israelites now find themselves in. The supplicant reaffirms their collective unworthiness and then invokes a characteristic of the Israelite God, that of Mercy. In verse 19 we have a summary: O Lord hear, forgive, listen and act. In other words, Daniel is asking God to hear his confession of unfaithfulness by the people, to forgive their neglect of his commandments and to listen to their cry for help with a responsive action.

The second Old Testament text is to be found in a series of 5 poems known as Lamentations. Written in response to the same destruction of Jerusalem, the majority of these poems verbalise the inconsolable grief of the people. Amongst the helplessness and guilt in the face of such despair, the author, however, manages to find some consolation.

Lamentations 3:21-23

But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope. The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

I think for those of us who are swirling around in chaos, whether of our own making or not, confidence in the faithful, forgiving character of God, offers us hope. Hope, as we repent individually and on behalf of our nation, that God’s light will, even on this eve of All Hallows, illuminate the darkness.

Elisabeth Sweeney