"the same yesterday, today, and forever"
Hebrew 13:8
I love grammar. I always have. I know the difference between adverbs and adjectives; I know when to use "who" and when to use "whom". I love gerunds, appositives and antecedents ~ and diagramming. This is not altogether good news for my kids, at least as far as they are concerned. They rather gloss over the subject, but because I love it, we spend extra time on it. Besides, it's good for them, right?
So one thing I know is grammatically incorrect in writing, is tense disagreement. You know, like "The dogs is running in the backyard." That one's disagreement between the subject and verb. Or there's a sentence like, "When she saw the ice cream, she eats it happily." In that case, the subjects each agree with their own verbs, but there is not continuity in the sentence as a whole. Generally, this is a no-no.
But I found a situation where there was serious tense disagreement, and I loved it. And naturally, it's in Scripture. So it's beautiful, inspiring, and completely truthful tense disagreement.
Look with me at Isaiah 43:1-7, and enjoy a glimpse into the past, present, and future...
"But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
4 Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you;
Therefore I will give men for you,
And people for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
And gather you from the west;
6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the ends of the earth—
7 Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”
Do you see all the verbs, and all the variations between past tense, present tense and future tense? Love it... Only God can get away with that and have it be so beautiful. It is a sweet reminder to me, of what He has done, what He is doing, and what He is going to do. But more than that, it's a reminder that He was, and is, and is to come.
"God was..."
"God is..."
"God will be..."
Exodus 20:21
Genesis 21:22
Exodus 18:19
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