Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, liturgy for liturgy.
Isaiah warns those who forsake Yahweh by preparing sacrificial feasts for Fortune and Destiny (65:11). The judgment for this sacrificial infringement is itself sacrificial.
Those who worship Destiny are “destined” (65:12; the Hebrew verb is from manah, also the root of the word Destiny) for the sword. They prepare a table for Fortune, slaughter the sacrifice for a feast; the Lord will pull out His own sacrificial sword against them. They have bowed to idols; He will make them bow in defeat and fatigue, not to their favored gods, Fortune and Destiny, but to a god they want to avoid – tevach, slaughter (65:12).
The danger when Israel sacrifices to false gods is not that sacrifice will come to an end, but that the sacrifice is just beginning.
Of Roots and Adventures
I have lived in Ohio, Michigan, Georgia (twice), Pennsylvania, Alabama (also twice), England, and Idaho. I left…
Our Most Popular Articles of 2025
It’s been a big year for First Things. Our website was completely redesigned, and stories like the…
Our Year in Film & Television—2025
First Things editors and writers share the most memorable films and TV shows they watched this year.…