Unanswered Prayers!

In previous a blogspot posting I included the poetics found in Proverbs 9 with a particular emphasis on the two word forms that provide a dramatic transition in the chapter. The posting title is “Mirror, Mirror.” Also, I described two New Testament passages that emphasize key issues through the medium of alliteration, one from Paul in Philippians and the other from Peter in 1 Peter. The title here is “Read the Bible, But . . . .” In this posting I focus directly on a popular poetic literary pattern called Chiasmos found both in the Old and New Testaments. Poetic texts are often self-interpreting and about 50% of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew poetry—Yes, Hebrew poetry which is significantly different from western poetry that popularly communicates through rhyme and rhythm among other patterns whereas Hebrew poetry frequently communicates by parallel members in poetic lines.

The problem, however, is that readers of the English Old Testament are not always attuned to the poetic elements imbedded in the Hebrew text, elements which the editors may not translate or elements that cannot be translated. Micah 3:4 is the example for this posting. The New American Standard Bible and other common versions adequately represent the words of the original Hebrew with one exception. The New American Standard Bible reads:

 

“Then they will cry out to the LORD,
But He will not answer them.
Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time,
Because they have practiced evil deeds.”

 

The verse has four lines which are developed in a chiastic (X) pattern around the subject of the verbs (bold font)—(A) They, (B) God, (B´) God, (A´) They. According to Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, 374, Chiasmos is “used in the most solemn and important portions of the Scriptures.” Here and elsewhere, the corresponding lines interpret one another. In other words, “will not answer” in line 2 is illustrated by “will hide His face” in line 3. Lines 1 and 4 also connect logically.

Understood as a chiasmos, then, it is better to adjust the translation of the verb in line 4 to connect with the thought of line 1 and read, “because they have practiced and keep on practicing evil deeds.” (An example of the Hebrew “perfect tense with ‘have’ denoting action completed in the past but continuing in its effects into the present,” Ronald J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, An Outline, p. 29; Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar, p. 311). The Lord answers the prayers of sinners when there is genuine repentance, but not when there is no repentance. One is driven to the conclusion that their praying for divine deliverance from distress occurs while they persist in their evil ways. This is the reason (“because,” line 4) for God’s turning away from them in lines 2 and 3.

The poetic element in Micah 3:4 expands both the meaning and the application. As the verse reads in the English text, one cannot help but wonder why God turns away from His people when they ask for His help. He will not, however, turn a “deaf ear” if there is genuine repentance involving a change in thinking and actions. He will turn away if there is outward religiosity without internal integrity. This Old Testament message is echoed in the New Testament, “You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures,” James 4:2b-3.

On a personal note—I taught a few Psalms in the connect group at church and emphasized the Hebrew pattern of parallel lines and the ensuing interpretations/applications. At the end I was approached by one member who stated that I had ruined his reading of the Psalms! I was dumbfounded and wondered what I did to evoke such a negative statement. He thankfully expanded his thought by saying that he could no longer read the Psalms without including the possibility of parallel lines being expressed causing him to think through both the interpretations and applications to life!—a deeply encouraging and positive statement! About six months later when I wasn’t teaching a winter-visitor stopped me and asked if I was Dr. Wretlind who taught in the Psalms. She then reinforced the preceding example! “Thank You, Jesus!”