Certainty

Certainty is something we grasp for, we long to know. But certainty is an aberration born from our need for security, safety, and love. Circumstances are allowed into our lives which remind us that we are not in control. Circumstances over which, we are powerless. We cannot make them right, we cannot make the mountain move. Yet, we want certainty that the mountain will move, and wrongs will be made right. We want to know that we will be ok. We want to know that life is not just pain after pain. We want to hear a voice saying – “you’ll never be alone,” because deep down we feel so powerless, so alone, so unable and helpless. Yet, as strong individuals – we rebel against such feelings and grasp for whatever certainty we can hold onto.

Well my dear ones, there is certainty we can hold on to. The following things won’t give specific answers to your problems, but you’ll find that you don’t need those answers. That which we grasp onto for certainty is that which cannot be moved or shaken, yet can be entreated and warmed.
Points of certainty:

There is no condemnation

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Jeshua the Messiah (Romans 8:1).” I mention this first as a reminder that God does not view us the way we view ourselves. When I am grasping for certainty, most often there is some obvious (at least to me) sin in my life: anxiety, mis-trust, anger, covetousness. This verse is not an excuse for sin, but rather a comfort. As believers who hate sin and despise every evidence of it in ourselves, it is easy to get caught up in a view of self that is defined by the sin we see most clearly at the moment. Yet the Psalmist reminds us: “As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:10).” When God views us, He doesn’t see our sin. He doesn’t look at us with the condemnation we would hold for ourselves. He sees nothing but his beautiful, fresh out of the tub children, and smiles as He reaches out to hold us.

Nothing can separate us from God

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. (John 10:28-30)” There is not one pair of divine hands holding us, but two. We are doubly protected and cared for, so precious that Jeshua does not only hold us Himself, but the Father wraps His arms around us in comfort and joy. Our Father continues in Roman’s 8, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor power, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Jeshua the Messiah our Lord (35-39).” Since we cannot be separated from Him, He will always be with us. “I will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb 13:5b),” “I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt 28:20).” But what does this mean practically? God being “with us” is an abstract concept – we don’t actually see or feel his presence.

El Roi

An Egyptian slave girl named Him, “You are the God who sees me – ‘el roi” (Gen 16:13). Later Abraham names a mountain “The LORD will see – ‘adoni jireh” (Gen 22:14), which is commonly translated “The LORD provides.” The Hebrew root in both words is the same, “ra’ah,” meaning “he saw.” David in Psalm 139:7-12 says, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” I quote all that to make one simple point: God sees you. How often do I feel invisible, as though the Lord does not see my life, my pain, my service – and yet that is not true! He is El Roi, Adoni Jireh. Not only has He seen in the past – He will continue to do so in the future no matter where I am, no matter where I go – He is watching. Not a sparrow can die, not a blade of grass can fall without His notice, and we truly are much more valuable than they (Matt 6).

We are loved

A God who always sees us would be terrifying if He was not a God of love (or if we have not chosen to repent). And He is such a God of love, “being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us (Eph 2:4)” But concretely, what does that mean – a “God of love.” Scripture gives us a beautiful definition of Agape love: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away...So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (I Cor 13:4-8, 13).” This passage does not merely describe the love we should have one-to-another, but it describes just a glimmer of the love God has for us.

Purpose

In His love for us, He saved us – and foreordained a purpose for us. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand, that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10).” This verse then states that we are not purposeless beings sent to wander the earth aimlessly in search of. . . something. We are placed here with a purpose, and gifted in such a way as to accomplish that purpose. God will provide for our needs in accordance with what He has for us to do. None of us is put on this earth for no reason we can take comfort in our purposefulness which God has taken centuries to work out in each of us, as He kept us safe and molded us – but not only us. He brought our parents together, our grandparents – saving them and preserving them through the situations of life so that someday YOU and I would be here. And someday, if the Lord wills, He will give us children, for whom He has a purpose also. Our lives will be a reflection of his foreordained care and love for that new person who is going to do great things for HIM!

Provides for needs

This is the one I struggle with the most. Perhaps because I’m so used to it – and He as provided for me throughout my life in ways I take for granted and don’t even notice. I have an amazing loving family with AWESOME parents (who are becoming very close friends as I age), great siblings, a stable, loving environment when I’ve been nurtured, comforted, corrected, and taught love, wisdom and compassion. I’ve always had food – and plenty of wonderfully prepared nutritionally thought out food. I have had a stellar education – which fit who I am perfectly: homeschooled through high school so that I could learn my way, in college I had great professors who changed my view of the world, opened new doors, and invested in me personally, in grad school I had friends and mentors who pulled me through. I have a church family, who cares and sees me as God made me, and accepts that. Yet, when faced with an uncertain future – I fear the worst – that God will forget me, leave me behind, shelve me for someone/thing else. This makes no logical or spiritual sense – He is the provider as seen through the whole of Scripture – and as I have unwittingly experienced my ENTIRE life while taking it all for granted. Will His character suddenly change? Will He suddenly abandon my, and my hopes and dreams, out of carelessness or spite? NO. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He won’t change is character, His plan, or His will (which is FOR us, not against). “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:25-34).”

Suffering

Suffering is also a certainty. This is the one of which we are all terribly afraid. Suffering equals pain. Pain is not a natural part of the created world – it entered with sin. It is easy to live life afraid of, and avoiding suffering. Yet, it will come in dramatic ways (the loss of a spouse, child, parent, job, country) or seemingly small insignificant ways (loneness, boredom, bad grades). Some are brought on by our own actions; others forced upon us. We all react to suffering differently, and what may be huge to one person isn’t even suffering to another, and what one person views as a tiny thing, can rock the world of his friend. I do not understand why God would choose suffering as a primary agent of change and growth in our lives – but He does. So, all the more, in the middle of suffering, the above certainties are still true – still valid, and must be held onto. God does not allow suffering out of his own pleasure or vindictive power. He allows it out of His goodness and love. Because, through His divine will – suffering is how mankind gains depth and maturity. As you suffer – you will start to recognize this and notice it in yourself and others. As you do – the pain will lessen, slightly.

Elisabeth Elliot in her book “A Path Through Suffering” gives the following reasons for suffering, may they comfort your soul:
First, we suffer FOR OUR OWN SAKE:
That we may learn who God is (Ps 46:1; Dn 4:24-37; Job)
That we my learn to trust (2 Cor 1:8-9)
That we may learn to oben (Ps 119:67, 71)
Discipline is proof of the Father’s love and the validity of our sonship (Heb 12:5-11)
It is the condition of discipleship (Acts 14:22; Lk 14:26-27, 33)
It is required of soldiers (2 Tim 2:4)
We are being “pruned” the we may bear fruit (Jn 15:2)
That we may be shaped to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29)
To qualify us to be fellow-hears with Christ (Rom 8:17)
To qualify us for the kingdom of God (2 Thes 1:4-5)
To qualify us to reign with Christ (2 Tim 2:12)
That our faith may be strengthened (Jas 1:3; 2 Thes 1:4-5; Acts 14:22)
That faith may be tested and refined (Is 43:2; Dn 11:35; Mal 3:2; 1 Cor 3:13; 1Pt 1:7)
That we may reach spiritual maturity (Jas 1:4)
Power comes to its full strength in weakness (2 Cor 12:9)
To produce in us endurance, character, hope (Rom 5:3-4)
To produce in us joy and generosity (2 Cor 8:2)

Second, we suffer FOR THE SAKE OF GOD’S PEOPLE:
That they may obtain salvation (2 Tim 2:10)
To give them courage (Phil 1:14)
That because of death working in us, life may work in them (2 Cor 4:12; Gal 4:13; 1 Jn 3:16)
That grace may extend to more (2 Cor 4:15)
That our generosity may bless others (2 Cor 8:2)

Third, we suffer FOR THE WORLD’S SAKE:
That it may be shown what love and obedience mean (Job; Jn 14:31; Mt 27:40-43)
That the life of [Jeshua] may be visible in ordinary human flesh (2 Cor 4:10)

Forth, we suffer FOR THE SAKE OF THE MESSIAH:
That we may be identified with Him in His crucifixion (Gal 2:20)
Suffering is the corollary of faith (Ps 44:22; Acts 9:16, 14:22; 2 Tm 3:12; Jn 15:18-21; 1 Thes 1:6, 3:4)
That we may share in His glory (Rom 8:17-18; Heb 2:9-10; 2 Cor 4:17)

Modesty - What's in it for me?

Modesty: What’s in it for me?

How would you respond if you were told that you should exercise because it would make your neighbors happier? What if you were taught that the importance of your daily devotions was to protect your sister’s spirituality? Often this same logic is used when teaching girls and women to dress modestly. When modesty is discussed, the church motivates as follows: “A woman should dress modestly, so that she does not make her brother in Christ stumble.” Though the Bible clearly teaches that we should not make a brother stumble, that is insufficient motivation. That our brothers in Christ can stumble when looking at an immodestly dressed women, should be a guide to the definition of what modesty is not the motivating factor. There are much greater reasons for a woman to dress modestly than to protect and please men. Modesty should not be a badge of masculine weakness but rather a showing of a woman’s desire to honor and please God.

How a women dresses is a reflection of who she is on the inside. She takes great care and thought deciding what to wear and how to present herself to the world. The mere act of dressing is in essence a plea to be known, or unknown. The clothes, which a women wears, are a form of communication with the world. “This is who I am. Appreciate me! Understand me!” Notice how a woman dresses, not the specifics of a particular day, but her general appearance (her lifestyle), and you will know much more about her.

Women were created by God in His image (Gen. 1:27). As image bearers, a woman most strongly reflects a different aspect of God than a man does. Women are drawn to beauty – they long to be beautiful. Women are relational - they long for deep heart connections. Women are communicative - they long to be known. But most of all, women long to be loved. They long to be valued - to have their infinite value proved to them. From these basic heart cries, comes the outflow of immodesty. It’s not what goes into a man that makes him unclean, but that which comes from the heart (Matt 15:17-18).

Immodesty is a symptom not the disease. When a woman (even young girls are women in training) dresses immodestly, that action comes from the outflow of what is in her heart. Yet, the religious world tries to treat the symptom rather than dealing with the heart of the problem. To ease the ripple effects of immodesty, most religious movements throw rules at the problem. If the problem of immodesty is to be conquered, then a woman’s heart must be sought and the issues of her heart resolved. External motivations are a legalistic temporary fix.
Let’s move logically backwards from the symptom to the heart. There are many different branches that could be taken, but her heart is the key to it all. What does this woman want so badly, that she is willing to dress the way she does? The world says, “If you want to be beautiful - this is how you must dress. If you want to be loved - this is what you must show to get the man’s attention.” This message comes through every means possible: television, movies, friends, family, celebrities, advertisements, magazines, etc. This indoctrination begins at the earliest of ages, and hits a young girl in her heart. The church is using only one selling point for modesty - and it doesn’t touch a woman’s heart. But our culture is training away proper modesty and putting in its stead brazen sensuality. See, immodesty has to be trained into a person (the exception being the youngest children, who are innocently without shame - as a flashback to creation).
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In the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve sinned, they realized that they were naked and covered themselves. The Hebrew word for naked invokes an image of everything laid bare and open to sight. This was both a spiritual and physical nakedness. But since man’s physical being is more obvious - that must be dealt with as well as the spiritual. When sin came, Adam and Eve were still image bearers. Only now, the physical form of the image must be clothed.
They tried to cover themselves (Gen. 3:7). Literally, they just created loincloths; this Hebrew word, coverings, is used elsewhere for belts and girdles. Adam and Eve’s attempt at modesty was not sufficient. Note that it was after their attempt that they still say, “I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself (Gen. 3:10b).” Their sense of physical nakedness drove them to hide from God. From their point of view, their inadequate clothing became a barrier to their relationship with God.

God took down that barrier. God clothed man (Gen. 3:21). He promised a covering for the spiritual nakedness (“serpent/seed”) in the coming Messiah. He foreshadowed their redemption (shed blood). Then He dealt with the physical problem. Mankind cannot deal with the spiritual, unless the physical is taken care of. Prayer is very difficult, when the stomach is growling. Therefore, clothing, just like the rest of the world was not an invention of mankind, but of God which was made to remove the physical barrier to relationship with Him. Sadly, this last touch put on creation by God, is represented in Sunday school illustrations, flannelgraphs, and famous art as caveman-esque hides shapelessly draped over Adam and Eve without care or craftsmanship (the hair isn’t even removed). The God revealed throughout the whole of scripture would have given Adam and Eve beautiful, functional, long lasting, and symbolic clothes which reminded Adam and Eve continually of sin and holiness. This is the God Who wants women to dress modestly, not because of the surrounding world, but because of her relationship with Him.

Notice how in the Genesis 3 account, though the real problem was on the spiritual level,
Adam and Eve were so caught up in the physical symptom (their nakedness) that they couldn’t begin to deal with the spiritual issues. Whatever the heart problem that allowed them suddenly to feel shame at their nakedness; they only could focus on the physical nakedness. The religious world does that same thing with the modesty issue today. They fail to look past the physical symptom to the real cause, and issue in the heart of the woman. Just as Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves to deal with their new-found bareness, so today the issue becomes about the covering, not the person.

Humanity senses nakedness more clearly when that which is holy, or that which is perceived to be holy, is near. Women walking by the chapel at our county fair adjust their shirts so that less cleavage and midriff are showing. When a pastor or priest approaches, people are less comfortable in their immodest dress. In Israel the churches, synagogues, and mosques require shoulders, knees, stomachs, and cleavage to be covered- and provide scarves when necessary, or simply refuse entrance to both offending men and women. There is an innate response in man to holiness that includes covering oneself.

The believing woman has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and has the Holy Spirit in her. Dressing modestly should be an outflow of daily remembrance that she is justified, made righteous, holy, and that the holiness of the Messiah, Christ Jesus is what God sees when He sees her. She is not separated from God, but walks with Him daily. This should motivate her modesty.

When Jesus spoke about men’s visuality, He addressed the men, not the women (Matt.
5:27-30). Scripture does address modesty (Gen. 3; I Tim. 2:9-10; II Pet. 3:3-6), but it does not require modesty for the same reasons which today’s church requires it. Perhaps, scripture’s front door to the issue is ignored, because many think the more obvious back door is more important.

Rather, let us use the symptom of immodesty to plead with their hearts. Use teachings on modesty as a platform to show women God. They are seeking love and appreciation; they are looking and not finding. Use this topic to point them to the One Who loves them intimately and wholly. The One Who gave everything, not just for their body, but for their soul. The One Who can understand their deepest pains, and joys, and fears. The One Who desires a love relationship with them. Their modesty should be a reflection of His divine presence, and relationship with Him which consumes their lives. Modesty should not be a badge of masculine weakness but rather a symbol of the God who changes hearts and lives, and Who created women in His image: beautiful, relational, emotional. He is a God Who is real, and present. He is not a God with rules we must obey at the cost of feeling beautiful and loved. He is the source of true love unimaginable.
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Every woman wants to be precious and beautiful. But, physical beauty is perishable. We age and “beauty” fades away never to be retrieved. A woman cannot be beautiful forever, therefore, it seems, an aspect of her value will be lost. Peter and Paul both give away the secret to a precious imperishable beauty that will never fade. “But let [the adorning] be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price (I Peter 3:4).” Adornment is not looked down on, but rather as something good which pleases.

Paul, in I Timothy 2, deals more directly with modesty. The chapter starts with an injunction for prayer so that believers “may lead a quiet and peaceable life (I Tim 2:2).” It moves to dealing specifically with males and Paul commands that men pray everywhere “without wrath and doubting (I Tim 2:8).” Paul does not reiterate to the women the necessity of prayer. He rather addresses their adorning. “In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works (I Tim 2:9-10).” Paul starts by dealing with the attitude of the women. They are to do all that he commands “in like manner (I Tim 2:9a)” to how the men were praying: “without wrath and doubting (I Tim 2:8a).”

After establishing the manner of attitude, Paul moves on to discuss firstly what they ought to be wearing. Notice the positive command “I will ... that women adorn themselves (I Tim 2:9b).” This word for “adorn” is the Greek word meaning to “embellish with honor, gain ,” to “make beautiful or attractive (Bauer 446).” It speaks of causing “something to be beautiful by decorating .” There is no injunction here against a woman making herself beautiful. A woman is actually instructed to make herself beautiful - by using “modest (KJV)” clothing.

Modest clothing in this text means that which is “moderate, well ordered ,” nicely arranged clothing. This adorning is to be done with “shamefastness (KJV),” which means (in the Greek) “modesty/respect .” It is a “quality of modesty - with the implication resulting in respect .” To be modest is to be respectable in dress . Alongside modesty, this adorning is to be accompanied by “sobriety (KJV).” This term does not speak to a state of soberness instead of drunkenness, but rather to “rationality, mental soundness” and “good judgment, moderation, self control .” Women are to think about how they dress, and to use their God given intellect to accompany their moderate clothing. Paul is commanding women to make themselves beautiful using well-ordered, put together clothing which is respectable and chosen out of good judgment.

These terms are contrasted with how women naturally go about making themselves beautiful. Natural women use “braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array (I Tim 2:9).” Paul doesn’t want a believing woman’s beauty to be dependent upon these man-made devices. He wants her to make herself beautiful “with good works” which “becometh women professing godliness (I Tim 2:10).” The word “becometh (KJV)” means to be “fitting, proper, right .” Paul wants the beauty of these women to be from their good works. This contrasts the elaborate hair, make-up, jewelry, and clothing, commonly employed even by believing women as their primary means of beauty.

Notice what Paul says about good works in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Women are created and then saved for specific good works which God has already laid out of them to do. Therefore, it follows logically, that a woman’s outward physical appearance, her inward natural personality (as it is further sanctified), and cultural background are chosen for her by God, because of what He wants her, and her only, to do. God has specifically handmade each woman special for the tasks He has chosen her to do. What she looks like physically is not divorced from what she is created to do.

God made each woman in such a way that if He planned marriage for her, that a certain man would be attracted to her, and their children (whom He knows before they are born) would be ready for what He has them to do. The LORD made each woman so that, as she interacts with her environment according to the physical form and abilities He gave her, He could be most glorified. These good works, with which Godly women are to make themselves beautiful, are a predestined guarantee, a promise. There will never be a time in her life when a woman cannot make herself beautiful. Here He gives a hope of everlasting and increasing beauty.

Modesty is given to woman as a way to glorify God. It does not detract from beauty, but rather allows a woman’s true God given beauty to shine more brightly. In teaching women to dress modestly, one must see who women are, and what God desires for these who are so precious in His sight.
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NOTE TO WOMEN: Dear sisters, let us watch ourselves carefully. When we slide toward habits of immodest dress or attitude – let us ask ourselves: What is it that my heart craves so much, that I am adopting the world’s answer to my problem? What truth about God do I need to cling to? What relationship do I need to build?

What the languages of the Bible teach us about God.

I am realizing more and more how separated we are from the Bible. Our language and culture are dramatically different – yet, we continually bring our frame of reference to the Bible, rather than bringing its framework to us.

God could have chosen to write His words in any language He wished: English, Ethiopian, Incan, Chinese, French. Yet, He chose to write His words in Hebrew and Greek. Now, consider how God merely having His word written is of immense significance. In no other culture did the gods of the people WRITE to their people. God pulled a nomadic tribe, which had been stationary for 400 years, made them nomadic again, (which nomadic as a cultural set indicates a culture of storytelling, and oral traditions) and then WROTE the Torah through Moses, creating a culture that would grasp literacy, and value education for their sons throughout all of history. The fact that the Bible is written is huge, even before we talk about the languages it was written in.

God chose to write in Hebrew and Greek, because those particular languages could express His thoughts and will in a way that no other language could. The verb forms, and sentence structures which make up those languages express more than words and pictures, they reveal a cultural framework, a value system, a world view that is dramatically different than our own. The languages themselves teach us something about God.

Greek is an ASPECT oriented language. It is concerned with the completeness or continuance or undefinedness of the action. Koine Greek doesn’t care as much about when the action happened, as it is the whole concept of action as finished, unfinished, or continuing. This lends extra power to Jesus’s words on the cross, “It is finshed (John 19:30).” The Greek verb in that instance indicated a completed action, the effects there of continue on afterwards. The effects of Jesus’s death on the cross are still felt today. In that moment of completion, Jesus started a ripple effect for the rest of eternity. English may acknowledge such a concept, but the verb forms in Greek proclaim it loudly.

Hebrew is a VOICE oriented language. It is concerned with the relationships between the subject and the verb. Is the action something you are acting out, or are you being acted upon? Is the action extremely intense? Is the action because caused, put into effect by another? Hebrew does have a very strong past tense and future tense verb (like English), but the color of all the verbs in Hebrew (even the aspect oriented ones) are indicated by the VOICE of the language. It is a strong, colorful, evocative language showing less concern with the completeness of the action, or when the action took place as it is the relationship between the actor and the action. In the Old Testament we see a God who is moving, and active, a God who shifts the pattern of the world, and changes the minds of kinds, and conquers nations. He is not passive, or idle.

We today are in a totally TIME oriented culture. I don’t care whether the action is complete, or how you and that action relation, I just want to know WHEN it occurred, and how long I have to wait. We wear watches (or use cell phones) so that we always know the time. We set 2 or 3 alarm clocks, so we would never be late to work. If church or a meeting runs over – that is disrespectful to our person. Our time is more valuable than money.

How different is our God! I sit here. I will be 25 in 6 months. If I am extremely blessed, a quarter of my life is gone. It is easy to look at the remaining TIME, and watch it fly away out of reach far more quickly than I care to see it go. What have I accomplished? What have I done to make this time worthwhile? Then, it hits me. Our Lord is eternal. Time is nothing to Him (a thousand years are as a day). He did not write His word using a time oriented language, reflecting a time oriented culture. He, the Lord Almighty, our Father, cares more about bringing us to completion (Phil 1:6), and acting upon the relationship in our lives than the length of that life. I am so caught up in a time centered world – when the Word isn’t. The very language He used to communicate with us shows that He is concerned with the whole (completion) and interaction (both ours with the world, and His with us). It is less about what we do when, and more about who we become and with whom.

P.s. On a different, yet related note: This TIME, ASPECT, VOICE concept challenges the way we teach Biblical languages. We MUST teach the culture behind the language as we teach the language. We are trying to teach an ASPECT oriented language to a TIME oriented culture. Or worse, we are trying to teach a VOICE oriented language to a TIME oriented culture in the exact same way we teach an ASPECT oriented language to a TIME oriented culture!

We MUST teach the culture behind the language as we teach the Biblical languages. Language doesn't happen in a vacuum. It reflects the value system and world view of the culture it represents. The Bible was written not merely using a language and alphabet which is different than English, it was written using an ENTIRE CULTURAL SYSTEM (two actually) which is vastly different than ours today. Know this! It will affect how you interpret scripture!

These concepts must be taught in our schools and churches. Humans, unless trained otherwise, do not see the world with any viewpoint/framework other than their own. This causes problems in relationships (movies and books illustrate this every day) and in Biblical interpretation. We go to the Bible with our 2009 brains, expecting God to speak directly TO us from the text, not realizing, that though the whole Word of God is “and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (II Tim 3:16)” it is written TO a specific people at a specific time, place, and cultural framework (including linguistic models – i.e. aspect and voice emphases) which is vastly different than our own.

What's in a name?

I am doing research for the new Sunday School unit we are about to embark on. Today I've been researching the author of the Torah - Moses. Now, in English, names mean very little to us. They are just titles, or labels we put on people so that we can identify them verbally. We could easily subsitute numbers for our names, and have the same purpose achieved. (Hi! I'm 528, who might you be? 674? Its great to meet you!) This is not the case in Hebraic literature. In the Tenach (Old Testament), especally the Torah and Historical books, the meaning of names is crucial from a literary perspective. What a character's name means is a huge descriptor for that character. The meaning of someone's name can tell an observing audience not only who they are, but what they are like, what they may look like, rank, etc. The meaning of the name can lend the story it needed irony and word play to draw us in and help us understand the setting and situation in which the characters find themselves.

Now, back to Moses. In Hebrew his names means "draw out." We find this in Exodus 2:10, "She named him draw-out [Moses], 'Because,' she said, 'I drew him out of the water.' (ESV)” In Egyptian, his name can come from either mw - 'water' or msw - 'son, offspring.' Now, the point I want to make is this: We miss so much of the text because we are unfamiliar with Hebrew. BUT I think we likely miss even more because we are unfamiliar with Egyptian. I wonder how many of the names in the Torah, when transliterated back into Egyptian lend further flavor and color to the story! God used Moses, who was educated in all the knowledge of the Egyptians, to write the Torah - I would not be surprised if there are more Egyptian puns in the text than we know! The original audience would have spoken Egyptian and Hebrew - and therefore would have caught Moses's word play. Just a thought for the day!

Beholding in Triplicate (Gen 15)

Abram is introduced to us as "Exalted Father." This is ironic, because the first thing we are told about his wife - is that she is unable to have children, which sets the audience of the book up to see that the crucial problem for Abram and Sarai will be their lack of children.

Genesis 15 takes place at an interesting point in Abram's life. He has aquired great wealth. The Lord has provided for him richly, and protected him immensely. We've seen Abram grow in faith - not overtly, but through his actions on a day to day basis, as God takes care of him. God protected he and Sarai in Egypt when the Pharaoh wanted to take her as his wife. God provided for Abram when Lot chose the luscious Jordon valley for his home, leaving Abram the hill country. We've see Abram's battle with a Bronze age army from the East with his copper age weapons when possibly outnumbered 5 to 1, and win through God's hand. And in response to that victory, we've see Abram offer to God the first tithe, through the priest "King of Righteousness [Melchizadeck]," who was also the king of "Peace [Salem]." God promised years ago that Abram would have a son - yet the Exalted Father, is still childless. Enter Chapter 15.

God appears to Abram shortly after his battle with the rulers of the East, saying: "Fear not, Exalted Father [Abram]. I am your sheild, your reward shall be very great! (vs 1)" As an audience member, we can see how this promise has been coming true. Abram is rich in livestock and servants. He is respected in the surrounding country and has just saved 5 kingdoms/cities. Yet, to Abram - these things do not salve his heart. He cries to the Lord, "O Lord God, what will you give me? For, I continue childless, and the heir of my house is God-is-help [Eliezer] of Damascus? (vs. 2)" The riches Abram as gathered are meaningless if he does not have a son to carry on the name. The blessings of the Lord will go to another. Abram continues, and we see in the Hebrew a rising pitch of urgency and emotion, "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and BEHOLD!* a servant born in my household will be my heir (vs 3)." Abram is crying out to the Lord, 'You, have made me a promise - and I see no possibility of it coming true - how then, can you say that I am to have a reward?!'

I feel for Abram. How often do we feel that God isn't holding up His end? Do you ever entertain those thoughts? God makes beautiful profound promises, but the cares of the world, and the struggles of life, and the TIME spent in waiting gives us doubts. Abram here is struggling with the question of whether his God is to be believed - will God actually keep His promises? Will he actaully move? Or is He just a God who talks good, but doesn't act.

In times of uncertainty and waiting, when the issues of life grow large - it is easy to forget what God has done. In Abram's life the list is long: brought him out of Ur to Canaan, rescued him from his own stupidity in Egypt, provided great physical wealth and riches, conquers large armies, protects Abram's distant relatives. In our lives the list is long as well, yet it is so easy to forget what He has already done, when we are waiting for what He will do.

Moving back to the text. "And Exalted Father [Abram] said, 'Behold, you have given me to offspring, and BEHOLD a member of my house will be my heir.' and !BEHOLD! the word of the LORD came to him (3-4)." Stop right where you are, read that again, "Behold, the word of the LORD came to him." How dare we forget that God answers our prayers. How dare we impugne his kindness with our lack of faith - God answers. Abram didn't have the whole scriptures like we do today, so God spoke to him directly. What a blessing. And what a blessing, that God speaks through his Word to us today - there is no lack in communication now, just as there was not then.

"Behold, the word of the LORD came to him, 'This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.' And he brought him outside and said, 'Look toward the heaven, and number the stars, IF you are able to number them.' Then he [the Lord] said to him [Abram], 'So shall your offspring be. (vs 5)" God responds gently to Abram's question. A gentle reminder, in the face of an emotional outburst. How gracious is our God. Abram responds rightly. "And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness. (6)" This is the first time in the Bible the word 'believed' is used. How significant. Abram's belief was a conscious choice, one made out of heart-ache, disbelief and fiery questions to the Most High. He questioned God, got his answer, and chose to believe. It was that simple. Abram's life didn't change dramatically at that moment. His wife is still barren. His heir is still a servant. And he will still struggle with faith. BUT he chose to believe God. And was declared RIGHTEOUS.

*Sadly, our English texts leave out the second "Behold" and the text looses much of its character.

What does an Apple tree know that we don't?

Far too often in Bible Study and teaching we rush to application. The Word of God is what changes life, so we seek life change rather than seeking God. We want to know WHAT we are to do with the text, but we don’t take the time necessary to really grasp all that is going on in the text. God is communicating specific things through the text and we are amiss to jump right to application, or rather keep it on top and everything in the text, hangs off our constant search for application. An example of this would be the tendency to focus on the fruits of the spirit in our life. How are you doing on Love, Peace, Patience? I know I need to keep working on love this week. How about you? When we do this, we miss the beauty and the glory of the Word (both the written Word and the Person). Notice what the fruits of the spirit - That’s right, they are FRUIT! Does an apple tree grow apples by concentrating on the apples? No, not at all. The apple tree takes in the nutrients from the soil, rain and sun. As it grows and flourishes, because it’s feed properly. The apples just grow. If there aren’t apples, then the tree is not properly nourished, is diseases, OR is not an apple tree. Let us not be apple trees focused on apples. An apple tree reaches for the sun! Every branch on the apple tree in my back yard is reaching for the sun – it isn’t concerned with how many apples it has covering its branches it is using the nourishment the Son provides it, and reaches for the sun with all its might. Let us focus on the Son, which allows the rain (milk of the Word) and the nourishing earth (meat of the word) to combine through the power of the Holy Spirit to change us in the inner man. This isn’t something we can force any more than an apple tree can grow apples in the middle of winter. It happens naturally in season, WHEN the proper things are being done. So, in our Bible study – we must shift from a focus on growth and spiritual production, to a focus on the Son and His person. Let Him be concerned with creating the fruits in our life. Just as the branches of my tree reach toward one object, may our hearts and minds follow the example of creation which simply doesn’t know any better.

(This is the beginning of my Philosophy of Bible Study lecture which I am preparing in conjuction with a whole series on Bible Study [basic and advanced], etc)

Gen 9 - All about Canaan

Have you ever noticed in scripture, how, when you really study the text, the story isn't about the person you originally thought? The book of Ruth really isn't about Ruth, its about Naomi. Esther is about Mordeci. The story of Shadrack, Meshack and Abendigo is actually about a showdown between the super power of the day (Nebedchadnezzar) and God. The last half of Genesis 9 is no different. The first thing that should jump out at you is in verse 18, "The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Ham was the father of Canaan). 19 These three were the sons of Noah. . . " When studying scripture, look for things that are out of place. Why is that there?! Genesis 11:28-30 is the end of the geneology introducing Abram, it mentions his wife, Saria and verse 30 gives the seemingly out of place information that Sarai, is barren - she can't have kids. Know why? Because Sarai's barrenness is the crux of the whole story - Genesis 9 is no different. "Ham was the father of Canaan" is mentioned because this Biblical account is really about Canaan, not Ham.

The text moves on, and most of you are familiar with the account. Noah gets drunk and is lying nacked in his text. Ham sees him, and tells his brothers, who in turn, respectfully cover their father up. Alot of mental pursute often goes to the question, What is the deal with Ham seeing Noah neaked? What does that phrase even mean? (For those of you who are curious as to what the Hebrew says - it says the same thing as the English, Ham "saw" that's all the info we get.) But we the modern audience (MA) get the general idea - what Ham did = bad, what Japheth and Shem did = good. Interestingly enough, Noah doesn't curse Ham. He curses Canaan and states that he will be a servant of servants to his brothers. Talk about a random ending to an already bazaar story.

I ponder, why is this included in scripture to begin with? Why is Canaan cursed and not Ham? What was Ham doing anyway? Then I take a step back and it all becomes clearer. This passage was not written TO me, I cannot understand the purpose of this divinely inspired - yet complex piece of Old Testament History when I am sitting in my modern-day frame of reference, I get caught up in all the wrong questions.

See, this account was written to the nation of Israel in the wilderness. God was bringing them to their promised land, but there's a problem. The Canaanites. These people are big, powerful, and scary. Or so they seem. Upon further reflection, I realized that this story is the catalist for a huge paradigm shift. The issue of entering the land cannot rest on the ferocity of the Canaanites - they are a cursed people from the beginning of the re-population of the earth - they are going to be the servants of their brothers (the decedents of Shem and Japheth). Israel is descended from Shem, therefore the rightful "rulers" of the Canaanite people - per Genesis 9 which occurred (on the original participants level - OP) thousands of years before the conquest of Canaan.

To recap - the account of Ham and Noah is Gen 9 is confusing and seems pointless until you look at it through the eyes of the OA - realizing that this is not merely the account of Ham's sin, it is designed as the framework underpinnings for Israel's mindset concerning the conquest of the their land.