Since we’ve ended the book of Amos, the next one is the book of Joel, only three chapters-long, and explaining vividly his vision :
The first chapter starts once again with a report of Israel’s imminent destruction, because of other humans, or non-humans(, e.g., locusts), or the weather.
The second chapter gives more details on the day of Judgement, in which God’s army destroy Israel : Joel 2:11-13 :
The Lord God leads this army of countless troops, and they obey his commands.
The day of his judgment is so terrible that no one can stand it.
The Lord said :
It isn’t too late. You can still return to me with all your heart.
Start crying and mourning !
Go without eating.
Don’t rip your clothes to show your sorrow. Instead, turn back to me with broken hearts.
I am merciful, kind, and caring.
I don’t easily lose my temper, and I don’t like to punish.
The second and third chapters expand on these better days that will come(, as an example of what happened : « You have dragged the people of Judah and Jerusalem from their land and sold them to the Greeks » (Joel 3:6), less interestingly, it says that, in these better days, they’ll retaliate by selling their oppressors(, Philistines and people from Tyre and Sidon,) to the Sabeans ; i don’t know if they would have indeed done the same once given the power to do so, perhaps, israelis had human slaves as well after all(, and countries that didn’t had servants instead), it was partly useful in order to buy time, but we now have technology for that ; and marxists will still say that workers aren’t paid their just salary in regard to the capitalist’s profits).
The book of Joel ends with this verse : Joel 3:21 :
I, the Lord, live on Mount Zion.
I will punish the guilty and defend the innocent.
John 9:1-7 :
As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who had been blind since birth.
Jesus’ disciples asked, “Teacher, why was this man born blind ? Was it because he or his parents sinned ?”
“No, it wasn’t !” Jesus answered.
[I’d be surprised if they never heard of the karmic cycle of reincarnation, even vaguely, which itself can also be partially explained rationally, since our present is the consequence of our ancestors sins or virtues, if only for the collective aspect(, but i wouldn’t be surprised if it extends to one’s genes)]
“But because of his blindness, you will see God work a miracle for him.
As long as it is day, we must do what the one who sent me wants me to do. When night comes, no one can work.
While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.”
[He’s using the word “light” right after speaking about a suspiciously useless sentence about night//day, there’s probably a link between these two sentences, does it imply that no-one can “work” when Jesus-Christ is absent from the world ?]
After Jesus said this, he spit on the ground. He made some mud and smeared it on the man’s eyes.
Then he said, “Go wash off the mud in Siloam Pool.”
The man went and washed in Siloam, which means “One Who Is Sent.”
When he had washed off the mud, he could see.
[Adam comes from adamah which means “soil”, and they have already expanded a lot on the symbology of water in the previous chapters, and spit is water coming from the mouth… i.d.k., this part seems easier than the others to take literally]
Narrated Jâbir bin ‘Abdullâh رضي الله عنهما :
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “I have been given five (things) which were not given to any one else before me :
a) God made me victorious by awe, for a distance of one month’s journey.
b) The earth has been made for me(, and muslims,) a place for praying and a thing to purify, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever he is, at the time of prayer.
c) The booty has been made halâl/lawful to me, yet it was not lawful to anyone else before me.
d) I have been given the right of intercession(, on the Day of Resurrection/Judgment).
e) Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only, but I have been sent to all mankind.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol. 1, Hadîth No.331)
Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه :
God’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “My similitude in comparison with the other Prophets before me is that of a man who has built a house nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner.
The people go round about it and wonder at its beauty, but say : ‘Would that this brick be put in its place !’
So I am that brick, and I am the last(/end) of the Prophets.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol. 4, Hadîth No.735).
Narrated Ibn Mas‘ûd رضي الله عنه :
As if I saw the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم talking about one of the Prophets whose nation had beaten him and caused him to bleed, while he was cleaning the blood off his face and saying, “O God ! Forgive my nation, for they have no knowledge.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol. 4, Hadîth No.683).
[Makes me think of one of the most powerful sentence of the new testament, that apparently early manuscripts didn’t have]
Narrated ‘Âishah رضي الله عنها and Ibn ‘Abbâs رضي الله عنهما :
On his death-bed, God’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم put a sheet over his face, and when he felt hot he would remove it from his face.
When in that state(, of putting and removing the sheet,) he said, “May God’s Curse be on the Jews and the Christians for they built places of worship at the graves of their Prophets.”
(By that,) he intended to warn( the muslims) from what they(, jews and christians,) had done.
[In case it wasn’t clear enough : more than a criticism, it’s mainly to avoid that muslims do the same for him]
(Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol. 4, Hadîth No.660)
Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه :
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “The Isrâelis used to be ruled and guided by Prophets. Whenever a Prophet died, another would take over his place.
There will be no Prophet after me, but there will be caliphs who will increase in number.”
The people asked, “O God’s Messenger ! What do you order us( to do) ?”
He said, “Obey the one who will be given the Bai‘a(/‘pledge given by citizens’) first [, i.e., the election of a second one is invalid].
Fulfil their(, caliphs,) rights, for God will ask them about (any shortcomings in )ruling those whom God has put under their guardianship.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol. 4, Hadîth No. 661).
Surah Al-Baqarah(, “The Cow”) 2:253-255 :
Those Messengers ! We preferred some of them to others ; to some of them God spoke ; others He raised to degrees ; and to Jesus, the son of Mary, We gave clear proofs and evidence, and supported him with Gabriel.
If God had willed, succeeding generations would not have fought against each other, after clear Verses of God had come to them, but they differed - some of them believed and others disbelieved.
If God had willed, they would not have fought against one another, but God does what He likes.
[And we’re still celebrating Charles Martel, 🙄]
O you who believe ! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession.
And it is the disbelievers who are the wrong-doers. [Obviously ! You can’t knowingly commit bad deeds while at the same time being afraid of the Fire !]
Allâh ! Lâ ilâha illa Huwa(, none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum(, the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists).
Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.
Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission ?
He knows what happens to them(/‘His creatures’) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter.
And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills.
His chair/footstool extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them.
And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
[End of the second surah, since what follows has already been discussed here]
Saint of the day : St. Martin, Bishop of Tours(, read more on Vatican News)