(8) O God, when You went at the head of Your army, when You marched through the desert, selah (9) the earth trembled, the sky rained because of God, yon Sinai, because of God, the God of Israel. (10) You released a bountiful rain, O God; when Your own land languished, You sustained it. (11) Your tribe dwells there; O God, in Your goodness You provide for the needy. (12) The Lord gives an utterance; those who bring the news are a great host: (13) “The kings and their armies are in headlong flight; housewives are sharing in the spoils;
Each time the priests would lift the ark of the covenant, to move the encampment, as indicated by the pillar of smoke would lift from the tabernacle, Moses would pray the prayer recorded in the book of Numbers 10:35: "Rise O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, let those who hate you flee before you." These words are repeated in Psalm 68:1 transposing the direct address into third person, "The LORD will arise, and let his enemies be scattered, let those who hate him flee before him," and we can see that the Psalmist continues the tradition begun by Moses. And it is the same "good news" reported by the heralds in each case: that the Lord gives an utterance, putting kings and armies to flight.
The entire psalm 68 is recited on Shavuot/Pentecost by Sephardic Jewish communities, reflecting the doctrine that the giving of the Torah law is the good news liberating his people from bondage to idolatry to know the truth and be set free, and that Israel is therefore the manifestation of the Kingdom of heaven, when it is governed righteously and according the Torah, as the Kingdom of God on earth.
The vision articulated in Isaiah 2:2-4 foretells the expansion this kingdom of God by the voluntary accession of all nations of the earth. Here is the "gospel herald" of Isaiah 40, which is communally read on the midsummer Shabbat Nachamu, the sabbath of comfort:
(6) A voice rings out: “Proclaim!” Another asks,“What shall I proclaim?”
“All flesh is grass, All its goodness like flowers of the field: (7) Grass withers, flowers fade When GOD’s breath blows on them. Indeed, people are but grass: (8) Grass withers, flowers fade— But the word of our God is always fulfilled!”
(9) Ascend a lofty mountain, O herald of joy to Zion; Raise your voice with power, O herald of joy to Jerusalem— Raise it, have no fear; Announce to the cities of Judah: Behold your God! (10) Behold, my Sovereign GOD comes in might— Whose arm wins triumph; See, [God] has brought along the reward, The recompense is before him.
(26) Who foretold this from the start, that we may note it; From aforetime, that we might say, "right!?"
Not one foretold, not one announced; No one has heard your utterance! (27) The things once predicted to Zion— Behold, here they are! And to Jerusalem I will give herald again. (28) But I look and there is no man; From among them no counselor, that I might ask them and they return a word.
(6) Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that speaks: Behold, here I am.
(7) How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that announces peace; that brings good tidings of good, that announces salvation; that says to Żiyyon, Thy God reigns!
(8) The voice of thy watchmen is heard: they lift up the voice; together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, the Lord returning to Żiyyon 9) Break forth into joy, sing together, O waste places of Yerushalayim: for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Yerushalayim: (10) the Lord has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
QUESTIONS
1. This root for "herald" מבשרת or "heralds" מבשרות where else in TaNaK does it occur? (Since Sefaria does not feature a concordance, I found it in Strong's as 1319)
2. How do Targum Yonatan interpret this?
3. What do the sages of blessed memory teach in Talmud and Midrash?
4. How do secular and religious zionism interpret or misinterpret these prophecies?
5. What good advice do Jewish leaders have today, how should believers today live out this prophetic direction to "get up on a high mountain", to "raise up your voice"?
5.1 How and when should believers instead imitate the "servant of the Lord" (Israel/Jacob) of whom its said, "he did not cry out, or raise his voice in the streets"
6. How would this "proclamation" be similar or different to that of other political movements, and how are we to be distinct and different in our activism, agitation, and advocacy for social change?
7. How did the Geonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim respond to the cataclysmic changes of their days brought on by the misappropriation of this "good news": the spread of Byzantine and catholic christianity, of the Islamic empires, the Crusades, the Ottoman conquests? What can we learn from their successes and mistakes?
8. In response to the mass movement of anti-zionism recently, what opportunities and obligations do we have on college campuses this year on the high holidays to announce the kingship of the God of Israel, blessed be he, and what is the secular or universal aspect of that message?
The prophets understand the secular "new year's day" to have special sanctity for Jews and God-fearers: More than merely "Rosh haShana", it is also "Yom haDin" - the Day of Judgement, heralded as "Yom Teruah" - the day of trumpet blasts. On that day Jewish communities around the world will read Psalm 47, announcing the Kingdom of God and "the ascension" of God as King over the entire universe. That is the partial fulfillment of these prophecies, and the "good news" is that someday all the nations of the world join in holy fear with Israel to accept on themselves the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, and the fulfillment will be complete. May the day come soon when we all say:
לכו ונעלה אל הר ה" אל בית אלהי יעקב וירנו מדרכיו ונלכה בארחתיו
Your teaching is in my inmost parts. (10) I proclaimed [Your] righteousness in a great congregation;
see, I did not withhold my words;
O LORD, You must know it.
(1) This is My servant, whom I uphold,
My chosen one, in whom I delight.
I have put My spirit upon him,
He shall teach the true way to the nations. (2) He shall not cry out or shout aloud,
Or make his voice heard in the streets. (3) He shall not break even a bruised reed,
Or snuff out even a dim wick.
He shall bring forth the true way. (4) He shall not grow dim or be bruised
Till he has established the true way on earth;
And the coastlands shall await his teaching.
They have all gathered and come to you.
Your sons shall be brought from afar,
Your daughters like babes on shoulders. (5) As you behold, you will glow;
Your heart will throb and thrill—
For the wealth of the seaasea Emendation yields “coastlands.” shall pass on to you,
The riches of nations shall flow to you. (6) Dust clouds of camels shall cover you,
Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah.
They all shall come from Sheba;
They shall bear gold and frankincense,
And shall herald GOD’s glories. (7) All the flocks of Kedar shall be assembled for you,
The rams of Nebaioth shall serve your needs;
They shall be welcome offerings on My altar,
And I will add glory to My glorious House.
For the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still,
Till her victory emerge resplendent
And her triumph like a flaming torch.
I have set sentries,
Who shall never be silent
By day or by night.
O you, the ETERNAL One’s remembrancers,cremembrancers I.e., the sentries just mentioned.
Take no rest (7) And give no rest to [God],
Until Jerusalem is established
And she is made renowned on earth.
Clear the road for the people;
Build up, build up the highway,
Remove the rocks!
Raise an ensign over the peoples! (11) See, GOD has proclaimed
To the end of the earth:
Announce to Fair Zion,
Your Deliverer is coming!
See, [God] has brought along the reward,
The recompensedthe reward, / The recompense See note at 40.10. is in view. (12) And they shall be called, “The Holy People,
GOD’s Redeemed,”
And you shall be called, “Sought Out,
A City Not Forsaken.”