Laurie Larsen's Blog, page 4

The Bible Has Cliffs Notes?!

 

Do you know what Cliffs Notes are?  Careful!  Your answer to that question will give a clue to your age!

Cliffs Notes are a series of summaries and analyses of works of literature, intended as study aids to students.  They were originally created in 1958 by Cliffton Hillegass. He began by, partnering with his wife Catherine, writing succinct summaries of sixteen Shakespeare plays in his basement in Lincoln, Nebraska and publishing them in slim paperback booklets. By 1964, sales reached one million booklets annually. After a full career creating Cliffs Notes on hundreds of works of literature, in 1998, IDG Books purchased Cliffs Notes for $14.2 million!  (Thanks to Wikipedia for these details.)

But one thing about students – they’re smart!  And innovative.  Can you guess what the eventual use for Cliffs Notes were?  Intended as an aid for students, they eventually evolved into a substitute for reading the actual book.  I wonder, as an English major myself, how many Literature tests were taken (and passed) after reading Cliffs Notes instead of the book itself? 

When I took on the challenge of reading the Bible in a year, I wanted to read every book, every chapter, every word.  And I did.  I wanted to read it all so I could experience the flow, to notice nuances and pick up on parallels that I wouldn’t know without reading the entirety of the Bible itself. Of course, there are thousands of books that were written to help the reader to interpret and understand the Bible. Reading the Bible is not actually necessary if you read those books.  And you can actually buy Cliffs Notes of the entire Bible!

But did you know that the Bible itself offers something similar to Cliffs Notes? 

It’s true! As I was reading along, I made a note of several locations that gave a really good summary of what had already happened in the Old Testament.  Like Cliffs Notes, you can read these summaries to either replace or enhance your reading of the entire book.  I’ll leave that decision up to you.

The first one I encountered was in Nehemiah 9 starting in verse 6. In this section, the prophet Nehemiah is addressing the Lord God, listing all the great acts he performed for his people Israel:

·        The creation of the earth.

·        Choosing Abram, naming him Abraham. Making a covenant with him to give his descendants the land of their enemies.

·        Noticing the suffering of his people in Egypt, sending signs and wonders against the Pharaoh, dividing the sea, to ensure that Pharaoh released them from slavery.

·        Descending from Mount Sinai, delivering his law on stone tablets to Moses.

·        Feeding his freed people bread from heaven and quenching their thirst with water from a rock.

·        The stubborn people disobeying his commands and casting themselves an image of a calf which they worshipped. But God didn’t abandon them. Forty years he sustained them in the wilderness.

·        The chosen people taking possession of the land God promised, and their children becoming as numerous as the stars in the sky.

·        God delivering them into the hands of their enemies when they were disobedient and rebelled against God.

·        Lots of cases of God forgiving and providing and the people doing what was evil in his sight. But whenever the people ask for forgiveness God provides it.

 

Another summary that I really like is in Acts chapter 7.  

In this chapter, we meet a man named Stephen.  In Acts 6:5 Stephen is described as a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.  A few verses later he’s described as “a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.”

But as much as he was loved and respected by Jesus’s new church, he caused great opposition from a group of Hellenistic Jews who began to argue with Stephen. Who were the Hellenistic Jews? They were a sanction of Judaism during the time of Christ (and after) that were located in Greece, spoke in Greek and read the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible.  To “Hellenize” something is to make it more Greek; to adopt more Greek cultures and ideas.   Dissensions arose between the Hellenistic Jews and the Hebraic Jews, who were located in Israel, the original home of Judaism.

Anyway, back to Stephen and his Cliffs Notes of the Old Testament.  The Hellenistic Jews didn’t like this well-spoken and respected Stephen representing the “New Way” (as the new Christian church was referred to at the time). They argued with Stephen, but they couldn’t stand up against his wisdom (Acts 6:10) so they secretly persuaded some men to spread rumors about Stephen, that he was heard blaspheming Moses and God. Mission accomplished: Stephen was seized by the teachers of the law, and brought before the Sanhedrin, which was the Jewish legal council at that time. The entirety of Acts chapter 7, believed to be written by Luke, shares Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin, which is an Old Testament summary. 

Here are the topics he covers:

·        God appears to Abraham and entices him to leave his country. Promises him that his descendants will inherit the promised land.

·        Abraham becomes the father of Isaac and Jacob.

·        Joseph gets sold into slavery by his brothers.

·        Famine struck in Egypt. Joseph’s brothers see Joseph during their trip for grain.

·        Moses’ birth and Pharaoh’s daughter taking him and raising him as her son.

·        Moses, now forty years old, defends a fellow Israelite and kills the attacking Egyptian.

·        Forty years pass and an angel appears to Moses in a burning bush. God’s own voice speaks to him, “I am the God of your fathers.”

·        Moses is made the ruler and deliverer to lead his enslaved people out of Egypt.

·        The tabernacle of the Lord is with them in the desert, made as God directed Moses.

·        David becomes king after Moses.

·        Solomon, David’s son builds the permanent temple for God, replacing the tabernacle.

A few things happen after Stephen provides his Cliffs Notes version of the Old Testament.  Number one, he proves that he is very knowledgeable about the Hebrew history.  And number two, the Sanhedrin get very angry.  Verse 54 begins: When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.  Later, in verse 57 we learn that the elders and listeners rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him.

I would hate to think that more modern students who used Cliffs Notes to take tests would have to pay such a terrible price! (Joke)

There is another incredible event described in verse 55 which I won’t go into because it’s not the topic of this blog, but please, look it up:  Acts chapter 7, verses 55 and 56.  Amazing!  We’ll get into it in a future blog.

 

Prayer:  Dear God, we thank you for your Word. We thank you for all of it, and we also thank you for the summaries and supplements that have been written to help us learn and understand it.  Please help us when we read your Word to open our minds and see and absorb the meaning so that we can learn more about you.  Amen.

 

Esther -- A Fairy Tale With a Punch

 

The Book of Esther, located about midway through the Old Testament is an interesting addition to the Bible, for several reasons.  It reads differently than any of the other books. To me, it reads like a fairy tale told to generation after generation, a well-known story with meaning embedded deep within.  Esther also has the distinction of being the only book in the entire Bible that God is not mentioned at all!  But if read carefully, we can learn a great deal about this actual time in history, as well as what eternal lessons we can utilize in our lives today.

Let me start by telling you the Book of Esther, fairy-tale style:

Rich and lazy, King Xerxes loves to throw lavish parties and display his wealth. He orders his wife, Queen Vashti to come into the chamber where he’s been partying steadily for a week, so his guests can admire her beauty.  Vashti refuses this request and Xerxes banishes her from his kingdom forever.

The King orders a search for beautiful young women across his entire kingdom to come to his palace and form a harem, out of which he will select his new queen. From all the young virgins, Esther, niece of Mordecai (secretly a Jew), wins the king’s favor and becomes Queen.  

Outside the kingdom gate, Mordecai overhears an angry plot to kill the king, and reports it to Esther. The new queen tells her husband, who has the conspirers killed.

Royal consultant to the king, Haman, notices that Mordecai refuses to bow in Haman’s presence. His hatred grows and he decides to kill Uncle Mordecai for his disobedience. Because Haman discovers Mordecai is a Jew, he decides, what the heck, he’ll have the kingdom’s entire Jewish population killed as well. The king blindly agrees, not knowing that he just signed on the dotted line to have his new beautiful Queen Esther killed as well.

Mordecai asks Queen Esther for help in stopping the plot to kill all the Jews.  Esther knows that palace law states that no one, not even the Queen, is allowed to speak to the king without being summoned by him. If she approaches the king to dissuade him from this genocidal plan, she could likely be put to death, unless the king extends his gold scepter in greeting. Yet, she will do it in order to save her people, and if she perishes, she perishes.

At Esther’s approach, the king extends the scepter, pleased to see his beautiful queen. He offers her anything she asks, but all she requests is a banquet with herself, the king and Haman in attendance. Haman happily brags about being included in such illustrious company until his eyes land on that disobedient Mordecai outside the palace. Anger rising, he plans a request to the king to have Mordecai impaled the next day.

During a night of insomnia, the king reads the book containing the history of his reign, and there, he remembers that Mordecai had exposed the plot to kill him. Realizing Mordecai had never been properly rewarded, he calls Haman in for his thoughts on how to reward “the one the king delights to honor.” Haman, believing the king is referring to him, suggests an extravagant parade with the honoree riding astride the king’s horse, wearing the king’s robes, being honored by the city. The king turns the tables on Haman, ordering him to set all that up for Haman’s enemy, Mordecai!

At the banquet hosted by Queen Esther, she reveals to the king that she and all her countrymen would be killed by Haman’s plot. The king is horrified by Haman’s evil treachery and orders that he be impaled on the very pole where Haman had planned to impale Mordecai that very day.

The king awards Queen Esther with Haman’s entire estate, and awards Mordecai with the king’s own signet ring, and along with it, a job working alongside the king. Esther begs the king to reverse Haman’s upcoming plans to kill the Jews, but the king knows that no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked. Instead, he tells Mordecai and Esther to write a new edict allowing the Jews to assemble and protect themselves against attack.

Because of the favor he received from the king, and the resulting destruction of Haman, Mordecai became a strong and influential Jew in the kingdom. Enemies were terrified of him, and under his leadership, they faced victory after victory, destroying all the enemies who came to kill them at the appointed time.  It was a time of happiness and joy for the Jews.

Mordecai is promoted to second in command under King Xerxes and he became pre-eminent among the Jews, held in high esteem because he worked for the good of his people.

THE END

Wow! What a story.  It has all the makings of an epic fairy tale. But it isn’t fiction.  It is historically proven to be true.

Now that we know the story, let me share some other interesting points about the Book of Esther:

Timeline:  King Xerxes (also known as Ahasuerus) was a real-life king, verified by history. He reigned in the Persian empire from 485 to 465 BC.  In terms of foreign tyranny over the Jews of Israel, the Persian empire followed the Babylonian empire and preceded the Roman empire.

Esther and Mordecai’s lineage: Esther 2:5 reads: Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shemei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah.

Why is this important? Well, Kish is the father of King Saul.  Mordecai had royal blood flowing through his veins.  Nebuchadnezzar battled and exiled the Jews about one hundred years before this story takes place.  Esther is caught between two worlds.  She’s hiding the fact that she’s a Jew for her own safety.

Haman wouldn’t have even been there if Mordecai’s ancestors had obeyed God’s order: Okay, stay with me here. Sometimes it’s amazing how one Bible story supports or ties back to another.

Look to this section of the book, I Samuel 15:1-3: Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them.  Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’"

Saul did attack the Amalekites as God ordered, but look in verse 9: But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle … These they were unwilling to destroy completely.

So … despite God ordering Saul to kill all the Amalekites, he spared one … Agag.  And take a guess: does Agag relate to Haman somehow?  Yes, in Esther 3 we see the evil Haman’s lineage … Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite. And Haman became obsessed with destroying Mordecai from the lineage of Saul who spared his own ancestors, and the entire Jewish race in the Persian empire.  When I discovered that, my mind was blown.

The plot happened again with the Holocaust.  Esther tells an ancient account of one man determined to wipe the entire Jewish race off the face of the earth. Seems extreme and unlikely.  But wasn’t there another man in modern times who had the same intent?  And went to vast extremes to ensure that every last Jew was captured and tortured and killed?

Hitler. 

Hitler was the Haman of the modern world. Thank God that he was stopped before he accomplished his goal.

Haman – Hamas?  At the very same time that I was studying the book of Esther, news programs were filled with stories of the attack of Hamas against Israel. Wikipedia says, “On 7 October 2023, Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups launched coordinated armed incursions from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel, the first invasion of Israeli territory since the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. The day was labeled the bloodiest in Israel's history and the deadliest for Jews since the Holocaust. Some have called the attack a genocidal massacre against Israelis.”

I don’t know what to make of that coincidence, other than: the evils of humanity never change.

The Holiday of Purim: Out of the story of Esther comes the Jewish holiday of Purim, which celebrates the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of Haman. In Esther 9 starting with verse 26: “These days were called Purim; … the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should observe for two days every year …days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor."

Purim is celebrated among Jews by:

·        Exchanging gifts of food and drink

·        Donating charity to the poor

·        Eating a celebratory meal with alcoholic beverages

·        Public recitation of the Scroll of Esther, usually in synagogue.

·        Reciting additions to the daily prayers and the grace after meals

·        Other customs such as wearing masks and costumes, public celebrations and parades, eating hamantashen (transl. "Haman's ears"), and drinking wine.

I’m so glad that this marvelous Jewish character inspired a holiday of fun and joy for the believers.

In closing, I’d like to share a famous verse from the Book of Esther that makes us ponder why certain events land on us in life before we know the whole story, and what part we play in it:  Esther 4:14: (Mordecai speaking to Esther) If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place … who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?

We don’t know why we are called into certain situations, but we can feel confident that God has called us in to serve his own purposes because of our unique experiences and skillset.  If only we are brave enough to try, like Esther.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the powerful story of Esther and Mordecai and how they used their unique skills and experiences to save the abolition of the Jewish race way back nearly five hundred years before Christ came.  We ask that when you call us to do important work for the kingdom that you give us the confidence to move forward and take action.  Amen.

 

The Power of Prayer in Today's Out of Control World

Do you pray?  If yes, during what occasions do you pray?  I grew up saying prayers at the dinner table to give thanks to God for our meal.  When I was in high school, my church youth worker taught me that prayers can be nearly constant – unspoken thoughts directed to God as we go about our day … “God, help me with this, God, thank you for that, God, I praise you for this.”

Now, I often recognize the need for prayer in the lives of my friends and family.  I keep a list of current prayer requests on my phone so that when I say, “I’ll pray for you,” it’s not just lip action – I actually remember to do it. There’s little to no power in saying “I’ll pray for you” unless you follow through and do it.

But what happens when we pray? Can we expect results? Resolution to our requests? Where do our prayers go?

In the United States we are going through a terrible phase in our history where public shootings have become prevalent.  People attending a concert or a night club or even a church service face the very real possibility that they could be shot down by a rogue gunman who has entered the location. 

Arguably the most tragic of all the mass shootings we’ve seen are those that take place at a school. Children and teachers are in their classrooms, exactly where they’re required to be.  The act of education is going on but outside their doors, a gunman roams the hallways, waiting for the opportunity to terrorize and open fire, ending the treasured lives of so many innocents.

The Washington Post has reported that there have been 394 school shootings since the one that many feel started it all – Columbine High School in 1999.  Further, more than 360,000 children have experienced gun violence in school, resulting in 1676 deaths. 

And worse yet, school shootings are on the rise: the number of school shootings per year doubled from 15 to 30 in 2017, and since 2021 have reached a number in the forties per year! That’s almost one a week!

Random violence against our children is at epidemic proportions. Obviously it’s a high-priority topic for political authorities to tackle.  How to make sure guns are only in hands of people who won’t carry out these ridiculous acts of violence. How to make sure that our schools are safe for our children and educators. How to stop the growing trend of violence in this country.

Unfortunately, like so many other topics we deal with as Americans, this has become a fiercely partisan topic for the opposing political parties to argue about.  And therefore, little is getting done to reverse the trend.

Whenever a new shooting is announced on TV, the reporter usually says, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.” And I am glad because I am praying for those people too. We all should pray for God to encircle their families and provide peace and comfort to all those involved with such a horrible experience.  But as each shooting continues to happen, I’ve been seeing angry responses on social media, “We need more than prayers.  Prayers do nothing.  We need legislative changes.”

And this hurts my heart because although I agree that we need to legislatively reach the solution to this problem, we need to continue to pray about this problem.

What will prayer do?

In the Bible, there are scores of verses that tell us about the power of prayer.  It’s simply not true that “prayers do nothing.”  Prayers work, although very rarely are they an immediate correction.  Let’s take a look at some verses in the Bible that tell us believers what happens when we lift a prayer to God. 

Daniel 9:20 – 23:  While I was praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God – while I was still in prayer, (the angel) Gabriel came to me in swift flight. He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have come to give you insight and understanding.  As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.”

Word went out among the angels of heaven when Daniel started praying, because he was highly esteemed! Gabriel even visited him on earth to ensure him that his prayers were being heard.  Wow! If we ever have concern that prayers are useless because they’re not being heard, we can seek comfort in this verse.

Let’s look further:

James 5:23 – 26: Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

James reminds us that just as my high school youth worker taught me, prayer is for all occasions.  Don’t just go to the Lord when you are in trouble and need help. Pray on all occasions!  

That reminds me of the country artist Jelly Roll’s song, Need a Favor:

I only talk to God when I need a favor

And I only pray when I ain't got a prayer

So, who the h*** am I to expect a savior?

James (who was Jesus’s earthly brother, by the way) tells us that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, so maybe our focus should be on becoming a righteous person so our prayers will be more powerful! 

What else can we find in the Bible about the power of prayer? 

Hebrews 7: 24-25 tells us: Because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

What this tells me is Jesus is interceding for his followers to the heavenly father when we go to him in prayer. How does this work? Let’s do a quick process map to illustrate: 

We believe in Jesus --> we pray for the desires of our heart --> 

the Son intercedes to the Father on our behalf -->  prayers are answered.

Wow! Think about that the next time we send a prayer skyward!

For those who have slipped into the earthly belief that “prayer does nothing,”

1 John 5:14 offers this assurance:  This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.

Friends, we will see answers to our prayers.  It may not be immediate.  It may not look the way we think it will.  Wouldn’t it be nice if starting tomorrow, the issue of gun violence at our schools is completely wiped out of the nightly news?  Yes, of course it would be.  Would that be an answer to prayer? Yes!  But we need to trust in God that he will answer our prayers in his timing, in his own way and know that it will all work out for good.

The Book of Revelation tells us that in the end of days an angel will offer incense, along with all the prayers of God’s people, on the golden altar in front of God’s throne. I’m sure this powerful section of the Bible will warrant its own The Year I Read the Bible blog (or two) when I reach the end of the New Testament!  But just think of it: the end of the world which has been planned for centuries, an act that takes an entire book of the Bible to describe, incorporates the prayers of believers to make it all happen:

Revelations 8:4: The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people went up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

Your prayers are not wasted. Your prayers are not useless or ineffective. They are important! They matter!  And don’t stop raising them up, even if you don’t see immediate response or correction.  God hears them, Jesus intercedes with God on our behalf, and the angels collect them to be offered up in the prophetic end of times.

Prayer: Father, we thank you for these biblical reminders that what we offer up to you in prayer is important, that it’s not forgotten or dismissed.  You listen and you take action and it’s all part of your plan. We thank you for giving us this important way to communicate with you. Help us to continue to strive to be a righteous person whose prayers are effective and powerful.  Amen.

 

 

We Learn How to Parent From Him

 

As I sit down to write this blog, my heart is filled with love and excitement.  Last night, a thousand miles away, my son’s wife gave birth to a precious baby boy! We’d been anticipating this day for so long.  We’d stayed in touch with her pregnancy, and we knew everything she’d gone through to get to this important day. Fortunately, due to modern technology, we were able to easily send quick text messages back and forth, keeping in touch with the progress.

We stayed up late, way past our bedtime, so that we wouldn’t miss the moment that he arrived!  And we stayed up until after the doctors had examined him and declared him a perfectly healthy hour-old baby boy. The relief in my heart was intense. Even though I’d given birth to two sons myself, that was a long time ago, and I was young enough then that I never considered that things might go wrong.  And they didn’t, thank God!  And this precious grandbaby is perfectly fine too, but my grandparent’s heart was thick with love and prayers that everything would be smooth and right for his parents.

Have you ever looked into the face of a moments-old baby and known to your very soul that you would do anything for this little creature?  If needed, you would sacrifice your own health, your own life, to make sure that this little human has the greatest chance. Hopefully you will never need to make that sacrifice, but you know in your heart that you would, if needed.

How timely that my blog post for this week was inspired by Hosea 11:1 – 4:

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. … It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms, but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.  To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.”

The overwhelming feeling that exudes from this passage is about parental love.  It’s exactly that feeling that I have for my new grandbaby.  Protection, love, sacrifice, pride, hope for a bright future.  We feel all those emotions naturally; no one has to teach us to feel that way about a child.  We feel that way because God feels that way about his own creations.  I’m willing to bet that you didn’t even have to read Hosea 11 to know that’s how you feel about your own child!

We love our own children because it’s in our DNA.  Because that’s how God loves us.

While we’re here, let’s dig a little deeper into this Hosea passage. According to Wikipedia, the prophet Hosea was active in the 8th century before Christ.  He was considered the first of twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew Bible. Biblical scholar John Day says that Hosea chapter 11 portrays God's "inextinguishable" love, leading him to call it "one of the high points in the Old Testament." This chapter depicts God’s unfailing love for the Israelites despite their continuous rebellion and disobedience and uses a parable of a father’s love for a rebellious child to illustrate God’s persevering love.

This parable speaks to me, not only from a parental point of view. It also speaks to my heart from a child’s point of view. As much as I try to be a good child of God, there are times when I fall.  Certain situations in life arise and make my attitude and my words and thoughts to be decidedly ungod-like. It’s going to happen – because we’re human. But I know that God is not going to banish me from his loving kindness because I had a falter. He’s going to forgive me and love me through it because he is a good, good father.

In my “day job” I write novels...

I say this jokingly because for over three decades, my day job was in an office working long hours, and I wrote novels at night.  Now, though, I’m enjoying a wonderful retirement from my Number One day job. Writing novels has become the work I do most, in addition to my The Year I Read the Bible project.

And going to the beach.

And meeting friends for lunch.

And reading.

And going to movies.

And hosting visitors.

And traveling.

(I did say it was a really wonderful retirement, right?)

But back to my novels. Specifically, I write love stories with a faith message.  The genre is known as Inspirational Romance.  (Here’s a link to a look at all twenty-some of my novels if that might interest you.) 

There is a classic in our genre entitled Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It’s a captivating historical romance novel set during the 1850s Gold Rush in California. The story is basically a retelling of the book of Hosea, and its central theme revolves around the redeeming love of God towards sinners.  The protagonist is Angel, a tragically wounded soul who has endured a life of pain and betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. Her heart is frozen, and she expects nothing but betrayal from men.

In contrast, we have Michael Hosea, a man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything. He obeys God’s call to marry Angel and love her unconditionally. Despite Angel’s resistance, Michael defies her bitter expectations day by day, thawing her frozen heart. As Michael’s love persists, Angel’s heart softens. However, overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear drive her to run back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love. But Michael’s love is relentless, and he refuses to let her go.

The novel is a powerful retelling of the biblical story of Hosea and his wife Gomer, emphasizing God’s unconditional, redemptive, and all-consuming love. Recently, a major motion picture was released based on the book. The most common review from people who didn’t realize it was based on a Bible story, “It’s completely unrealistic! No one would ever go through that much pain and disappointment for love!”

While I agreed that it was humanly unrealistic, we have to remember that God’s love for us is supernatural. He has the ability and the tendency to love beyond human limits, which surpasses our understanding.  Redeeming Love is a literary masterpiece that reminds us that God’s love knows no bounds. It’s a story of healing, redemption, and the transformative power of love.

What is your love story between you and God? What has he done in your life to prove that he loves you with no bounds?

Prayer:  Dearest God, we thank you for loving us as well and as fiercely as you do.  We thank you that by your example, you teach us how to love our own children.  We pray that we always follow your example, but thank you that when we stumble, as we always will, you’re right there to take our hand, mend our scrapes and love us through it all.  Amen.

 

 

Why Don't Jews Believe Jesus is Their Messiah?

Did you read last week’s blog?  The one where I shared a conversation I had with a Jewish rabbi as I sought out more learning and education on our Old Testament?  If not, go back and read it.  Go on, I’ll wait.  Because this week’s blog is the continuation and probably the most important difference yet between Jews and Christians:

Was Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, who was prophesied throughout the Hebrew Bible?  Quite simply, Christians answer yes, while Jews answer no.

Christians have a common saying: the entire Old Testament is about Jesus, just not by name. There are many Old Testament prophesies that point to facts about the Messiah, that Jesus fulfills in the New Testament:

·        He is born of a woman

·        From the line of Jacob

·        Born from the family of Jesse

·        David’s Kingly Heir

·        Born in Bethlehem

·        Born of a virgin

The basis of the entire Christian faith is that Jesus fulfills the prophesies throughout the Old Testament of a Savior who will come to earth in human form and provide salvation for everyone who believes in him.

So why do the Jews not believe?  The rabbi and I discussed this at length during our conversation.  He not only shared his own responses, but he also suggested some additional reading: a book called Kosher Jesus by Shmuley Boteach. I did indeed purchase the book and dove into it with interest.  As I organize this blog, I will include information from both sources: my conversation with the rabbi as well as writings from Kosher Jesus.

First, a little history lesson: Jews have been waiting for the Messiah forever, and they know that not everyone who claims to be a Messiah, is in fact, one.  The books of Jeremiah and Deuteronomy warn urgently about not being duped by false prophets who claim to be from God (Deuteronomy 18:21-22, Jeremiah 23:16).

Jesus wasn't the only Jew who showed up in first-century Palestine, started a following and was labeled by some as a messiah. Other intriguing men of the time would sermonize, accrue followers and perform signs that the observers believed were miracles from God.

Each time, the Jewish leaders would watch and wait, and diligently determine if they were valid. Eventually, the movements ended when the subjects were executed by the Romans. Each time, the Jews would apply the claimed Messiah to the rules outlined in the Hebrew Bible and make the determination of whether they believe it to be true.

There were two men named Theudas.  One was mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament (Acts 5:36). He performed signs and wonders and accrued four hundred followers, before Jesus started his own ministry. The Jews started applying the terms of the Messiah checklist, but Theudas was found wanting.

Another man named Theudas arrived on the scene a dozen years after Jesus’ death. The second Theudas took a group of followers to the Jordan River and allegedly parted the waters in two. This is a clear sign intended to resemble the miracle seen in the book of Joshua. The procurator of the region captured him, killed his followers, and beheaded him. Obviously, he wasn’t the Messiah, despite proclaiming that he was.

Thank you to Christianity.com’s article, Who Were the Two False Messiahs Named Theudas? 

Simon Bar Kochba was another self-proclaimed messiah, who led a Jewish rebellion against Rome some one hundred years after Jesus’s death. Now, this was behavior more like the promised Messiah in the Hebrew Bible – a conquering savior.  Bar Kochba was supported by the greatest rabbis of the day, and due to his military prowess, he checked off quite a few of the boxes expected of the Jewish Messiah. But his revolt ended in total Jewish defeat. Bar Kochba himself was killed by the Romans and his followers were all either killed or enslaved within a year. Another promising Messiah candidate who did not fulfill the requirements as outlined in the Hebrew Bible.

So, what about Jesus?  To Christians it is so clear that he is God’s Son, sent by God to save the world. But not so to the Jews.  Why?  Here are the answers to this crucial question that I gained from both Rabbi Weissman and the book, Kosher Jesus.

Jesus didn’t fulfill the requirements of a Messiah:  Jews believe that the Hebrew Bible lays out very specific qualifications so they can recognize the coming Messiah. “Messiah” is a title given to the very wise Jewish king who:

·        reestablishes Jewish sovereignty in Israel by putting a Jewish king on Israel’s throne

·        rescues Jews from Roman (and all foreign) tyranny

·        brings truth and justice to the world

·        ends all war and hate

·        ends hunger

·        brings about the universal conversion of all people either to Judaism or to ethical monotheism

·        rebuilds the Holy Temple

 

How does Jesus match up?  Jesus did NOT do any of these things.  He didn’t overpower foreign rule, he didn’t restore a Jewish king to the throne, and he didn’t provide peace to the world. On the contrary, he was overpowered by the Jews’ oppressors, the Romans and was crucified, a violent death intended for criminals, in front of the Jewish citizenry.

Jesus didn’t have the proper bloodline: The Messiah would have royal blood flowing in his veins, from the House of David. After rescuing the Jews from foreign rule, the Messiah would establish a new king in Israel with David’s royal blood in the Holy Land.

Although the gospels of Matthew and Luke lay out Jesus’ genealogy, it’s inconsistent. If you look at the two genealogy accounts closely, they’re slightly different. So, which is correct?  Or is neither correct?

Furthermore, if Joseph is not the biological father of Jesus (due to the virgin birth) then Jesus doesn’t actually come from that bloodline like God promised. The genealogies in the gospels indicate that it was Joseph’s side of the family that was connected to Jesse and David.

Jews believe that the Holy Trinity violates God’s law: Jews believe in the indivisibility of God. God emphasized in the Old Testament that we should worship no God but him.  He was singularly our God, no one else. With Jesus, the concept of the Holy Trinity is introduced – the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Jews believe that’s against what God is.

Jews don’t believe the crucifixion was necessary to redeem us: Christians believe that the intent of Jesus’ crucifixion was to atone for or pay the price for people’s sins, to earn eternal forgiveness from the Father. That God loved us all so much that he gave his only son to pay for our sins. But Jews believe that we each atone for our own sins through good deeds and prayer. Therefore, it wasn’t necessary for Jesus to die for us to gain God’s favor.

Jews don’t believe God would negate the Old Testament: Jesus’ teachings changed the teachings of Moses. They introduced new laws and sometimes negated what the Jews had always followed. They don’t believe God would completely change everything with the arrival of this one man. The Christian Bible is called the New Testament. Jews interpret that title as if it replaces the “Old,” outdated, ossified, discarded Testament.  No, it’s the Word of God.  He wouldn’t just toss it out.

Because of these literal long-held interpretations of the description of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus didn’t make the cut, and therefore, Jews don’t believe he was the one. In Kosher Jesus, the author states, “In the event that Jesus does return in a second coming like Christians expect, Jews will have to rethink their current position. Until then, there is no justification for Jews’ acceptance of Jesus as the messiah.”

But what about the New Testament? Do Jews read the New Testament and wonder about this huge following that Jesus has accrued?  Rabbi Weissman explained that most Jewish congregants don’t know much about the New Testament or about Jesus specifically unless they have personally done the research. 

Author Shmuley Boteach spends quite a bit of his book asserting that the New Testament is a historical document filled with errors. The gospels were written half a century after Jesus died, and details vary between them, but even so, many of the “facts” were made up. For example, the idea that Pontius Pilate was reluctant to crucify Jesus, and it took an angry Jewish mob yelling for his crucifixion to convince him, isn’t true.  Pontius Pilate was an insurrectionist and a very mean man. It wouldn’t have been in his character to want to save Jesus. 

The Gospel of Matthew portrayed Jews as angry people who wanted to kill Jesus, which set up thousands of years of antisemitic sentiments among Christians.  In reality, Jesus was a Jew, raised Jewish and followed the Jewish laws.  He chose Jewish men to be his disciples. The original early Christians were a Jewish sect.  The average Jewish citizens at the time would have no reason to develop the sense of outrage described in the gospels to demand the Romans to murder Jesus.

The rabbi explains that in general, the Jewish faith believes that if Christians want to believe Jesus is the Son of God, then fine – you believe that.  Just don’t try to tell Jews they’re wrong because they don’t agree.  Jews are very open and accepting of other faiths and religions and they sometimes see that Christians aren’t like that.  The rabbi noted that Jesus is love, but a lot of things are being done in this world in Jesus’ name that he didn’t think Jesus would approve of.

This thought, of course, brought to my mind Jesus’s own words as documented in John 13:35: “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Rabbi Weissman’s closing words: We are all part of God’s tapestry and we need to live in peace with others.

In closing, I want to graciously thank Rabbi Weissman for the time he spent sharing his thoughts with me, and also for the book recommendation. I went into this challenge uninformed about the Jewish faith and their thoughts about Jesus and I came out much more educated.

Readers, I’d be interested in your thoughts and reactions to these last two blogs.  Feel free to leave comments or questions (respectful only, please) on this blog so we can discuss together.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for this deep dive experience into learning more about your chosen people. Thank you for the ability for people who all worship you, to have rational discussions about their beliefs and where they divide and differ. I thank you for faithful Jewish followers as well as faithful Christian followers and I pray that we can continue to live in that peaceful tapestry that the rabbi so beautifully described.  Amen.

A Christian Chats with a Jewish Rabbi

 

I took on my The Year I Read the Bible with the goal of learning.  Learn more about God, about the Bible, about my faith. The more I read the books in the Old Testament, the more I realized how much I still didn’t know. Like many Christians, I lean more heavily to the New Testament – the part where Jesus comes, and I’d neglected digging into the Old Testament in my adult years.

What Christians call the Old Testament is the Jewish Bible: The Hebrew Bible.  The books are in a different order than ours, but for the most part, it’s the same content. The Hebrew Bible is broken up into three parts:

·        The Torah (Hebrew translation: “law” or “instruction”): The Torah is made up of the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

·        The Nevi’im (meaning “Prophets” in Hebrew):  This section can be broken down into two key parts: the Former Prophets (books such as Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) and the Latter Prophets (made up of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel).

·        The Ketuvim (meaning “writings” in Hebrew): This section contains 11 books across a variety of literary genres and styles, from history to poetic verse. The poetic books of the Ketuvim are the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Job focusing on wisdom and commitment to God, as well as the prophecy of Daniel, and the history books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Chronicles.

Thank you to the article, The Tanakh Explained: The Hebrew Bible vs. The Christian Bible on the website alabastorco.com for the help!

When you want to learn, often you seek out experts willing to share their knowledge. Who else would be well-versed in helping me translate ancient writings and meanings than a person born and raised in the Jewish faith? I needed to talk to a Jew! Fortunately, I have a Jewish friend and asked her for help. But I think I made her nervous that she wasn’t up for the challenge, although I’m sure she would’ve been.  So instead, she talked to her rabbi and told him about my Bible In a Year challenge and the blogs I’m writing. She asked if he would speak to me, and he generously agreed.

So, in the middle of January, 2024 I placed a call to Rabbi Weissman. We had a delightful chat. He was warm and friendly, interested in answering my questions, and had a great way of explaining what I wanted to know. I could tell he was a loving and devoted man, and we both agreed that we weren’t trying to convert each other to our own beliefs. This was just an open fact-finding conversation. This blog will relate some of the topics that you might find interesting. I’m including the rabbi’s answers as he gave them, as closely as I can.

Caveat: if anything I’ve recounted from our conversation is inaccurate information, it is 100% my interpretation of the explanation, and 100% NOT Rabbi Weissman’s explanation that is at fault.

How the Jewish religion is organized in modern times:   Just as the Christian religion has organized into many different denominations based on nuances of the faith, the same could be said for the Judaism. There are three major Jewish “denominations”:

·        Orthodox: this is the most traditional grouping of the Jewish faith. They adhere to the original understanding of the Jewish law as documented in the Torah and interpreted by rabbis over the centuries. Currently, 10% of all Jews are Orthodox.

·        Conservative: represents a midpoint on the spectrum between orthodox and reform. They’ve loosened up the strict rules in the Torah on some subjects but kept them in others. 18% of all Jews are Conservative.

·        Reform: the most liberal and largest of all the denominations, about 35% of Jews identify as reform. The rabbi is part of the Reform denomination. The ethics of the Jewish tradition are more important, and often take the place of ancient law. They seek to adapt Jewish tradition to modern sensibilities and sees itself as politically progressive and social justice-oriented while emphasizing personal choice in matters of ritual observance.

·        NOTE: The Messianic Jews denomination is outside the mainstream. Messianic Jews believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah. They also believe that to follow Jesus you have to be Jewish just like the early disciples were in the Acts of the Apostles.

How the Jewish faith views the Bible: “The modern Reform Jewish take is that the Bible is a God-inspired work. Parts of the Bible are specific to the social and historic time the Bible was written in, the ancient times.  However, some parts of the Torah have eternal value and apply to modern Jews. The faith is based on the many learnings that have eternal value.

Here’s an example of a Bible law that is seen from a modern lens now: modern man has become more sophisticated and sensitized to moral issues. Example: homosexuality – the Torah forbids it.  But the modern take is that people are all made differently, all in God’s likeness and we are all God’s children. If you are a good person leading a good life as described in the Jewish Bible, it doesn’t matter that you happen to be homosexual.”

How the Jewish faith views other religions, such as Christianity: “There is a place for all righteous people in God’s world. No one has an exclusive hold on truth. We are all just part of one ultimate truth. People who faithfully follow another faith and worship a god besides our God, as long as they’re good people, it’s not up to me to question their beliefs.  You are a Christian. I don’t believe the same things that you do because I’m Jewish. But that doesn’t mean that you’re not a good person, and that doesn’t mean that you’re not a part of God’s kingdom.

An exception would be if someone’s religion requires them to use their faith as a weapon of hate. That is an abomination against God.”

How the Jewish faith views animal sacrifices as a way to earn God’s forgiveness as detailed in the Torah: “In the Reform denomination, we have evolved our practices and beliefs as our world has evolved. Now, “Mitzvah” has replaced animal sacrifice.  Mitzvah means doing a good deed or fulfilling a commandment.  It’s not what you think that counts, it’s what you do that counts. It’s seen as a commandment from God to be performed as a religious duty.  A mitzvah is often associated with doing an act of kindness or charity. It’s a way to connect with others and make a positive impact on the world around us.  God is out there for us to experience.  When we do a good deed (comfort, donate to a charity, feed the poor, etc) we experience God in the actions. “God is Love” is the best definition.  God wants us to lead good lives. This pleases him.”

How the Jewish faith views what happens to believers after death: “Not all Jews believe in life after death. I believe that the soul survives, but I don’t know in what form.  A person’s essence may continue to exist, but not in a physical form. Some Jews believe in reincarnation.  Humans have a very vivid imagination and they dreamed up a place called heaven.  In truth, no one knows.  In general, the Jewish faith does not believe in heaven and hell, or life after death.”

How the Jewish faith views Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah: . . .

I’m going to end this blog right … there … as a cliffhanger till next time!  Of course, this is the exact point where Jews and Christians have opposite points of view. Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah and Jews believe he is not.  But why do they not believe it? Stay tuned for next week’s blog when we will discuss this topic!

Prayer: God, I thank you for Rabbi Weissman, the faithful Jewish rabbi who educated me so well on the faith of your chosen people. I thank you that despite the differences in belief between Christians and Jews, we can have logical and calm discussions and learn from each other. Please help Christians to respect our Jewish friends despite our differences, knowing that we are all part of the same family.  Amen.

What Is the Paradise Isaiah 35 Promises Us?

Imagine this with me: you’re hiking through the desert. The hot sun is beating down on you, sweat drips off your brow. You reach for your bottle of water, but you forgot to bring it. As you push yourself forward, your feet begin to ache.  Your ill-fitting shoes are causing a blister, making you wince with every step.  Sunburn is now making your skin heated and sore to the touch.  You pray for a cool breeze and just a drip of water for your dry tongue. You wonder if you’ll survive this treacherous hike. Will this be the end?

Just then, an unexpected fellow hiker jaunts up beside you and delivers a water bottle! Just in time, you think, I never would’ve made it another yard.  You drink and drink, but then your savior points out a stream of natural, cool, refreshing water!  You jump into it, gulp it into your mouth, savoring the wonderful healing it provides to your body, soul and mind!

Okay, this is somewhat dramatic, but bear with me; I’m a fiction writer! This scene is me when I reached Isaiah chapter 35 in my Bible journey.  The Book of Isaiah is placed more than halfway through the Old Testament. In my Bible it started on page 639. Isaiah is one of the most prolific prophets in the Old Testament and his book lasts sixty-six chapters of predictions for the people of Israel. The vast majority of the prophecies were negative, torturous, scary.

And then … like the sun rising over a dark land, comes Isaiah 35!

Henry H. Halley describes it, in his book, Halley’s Bible Handbook: "One of the greatest chapters in the Bible. A poem of rare and superb beauty. It presents a picture of the last times, when the redeemed, after long suffering, finally shine forth in all the radiance of their heavenly glory.”

Isaiah 35 is the longed-for oasis in that trek through the hot thirsty desert. Not just a gulp of water for a dried throat, but a pool of clean refreshing water! Let me share some of my favorite parts:

"The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. (vs 1).  They will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. (vs 2).  Say to those with feeble hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with a vengeance; he will come to save you.” (vs 4).  A highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way.  The unclean will not journey on it." (vs 8)

All kinds of physical maladies that we suffer on earth will be cured in this new time and place: 

"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy." (vs 3, 5-6)

It goes on to describe the water gushing forth, the burning sand becoming a pool, and only the holy will journey through the land.  No violence will exist, no wickedness or foolishness.  No sorrow or tears.

Only everlasting joy.

Wow! It’s exciting. It brings us hope that whatever we’re dealing with here and now in this imperfect world, is temporary. For the people who love God, we have a peek at what is coming.

But … when?  And where?  What exactly is Isaiah describing in his prophecy?

Of course, there is a great deal of commentary written about this chapter of Isaiah. But I’d like to propose that Isaiah, who my Chronological Bible tells me wrote this section between 740 and 686 BC was describing the very same post-judgement earth that the disciple John describes in his Book of Revelation chapter 22:

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing … fruit. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and … his servants will see his face. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.” (vs 1 – 5 – written in the mid 60’s through the mid 90’s AD).

Of course, we don’t know when we’ll be living in this Paradise.  And people of God have differing opinions about who will be there, and how we will get there. Sometimes God’s ways are a mystery. But why don’t we just focus on the fact that sometime, somehow, Paradise will be there for those of us who believe. And meanwhile, when we feel like we are in the middle of that hot trek across the desert without water, wondering how much longer we’ll survive, we can pick up these written accounts at any time and gain hope from them. It will be a glorious time and place when God decides he’s ready and I treasure in my heart his invitation to us to join him there.

Meanwhile, we can get a tiny taste of paradise right here on earth.  What are those activities or times in your life when you experience everlasting joy? Holding your new baby or grandbaby close to your face and whispering words of love.  Jumping into a cool pool on a hot day or floating in the calm waves of an ocean. Surrounding yourself with people with like interests and engaging in the things you love – a concert, a theatrical production, a football game, a worship service.  Whatever defines everlasting joy to you, seek out those opportunities as often as you can and give a moment’s thought to: is this what Paradise will be like?

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for giving us a glimpse of what your heavenly kingdom will be like some day, when in your timing, you are ready to offer it to us. Keep us diligent and faithful in this life to serve you and others and share love and joy. Use us and our skills to do the work of the kingdom here on earth.  Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Explore Different Translations (till you find the perfect one)

When I read the Bible in a year, I wanted to read the Chronological Bible. That way, I could not only read the entire Word of God front to back, but I could learn about the order of historical events.  

I went shopping and perused the options.  It was important to me to get a Large Print version -- might as well be kind to my eyes along the way. Without too much consideration I picked up the New Living Translation, and off I went.

Occasionally during my reading, I stumbled over something, and I wanted to check the verse or chapter against another translation.  The Bible I was reading most often before I picked up the Chronological one was the New International Version.  Between the NLT and the NIV I was usually able to solve my questions enough to move forward.

Now that I’ve completed my Bible in a Year Challenge, I’ve become somewhat of a Bible translation connoisseur. For this blog, I went through the various bookshelves in my house and pulled out all the Bibles that I have collected.  The picture above shows my result.  When I counted them up, my Bible collection consists of ten different translations!

A quick Google search satisfied my curiosity about how many different Bible translations exist for the English language and you’ll be amazed to find out the answer: nine hundred!   A website called BibleProject states: “Since Tyndale’s original English translation in 1526, translators and publishers have created approximately 900 different English Bibles, making it difficult to know which to choose.”

Wikipedia adds, “As of September 2023 all of the Bible has been translated in 736 languages, and the New Testament has been translated into an additional 1658 languages.”  I have to admit I’m astounded by this! I honestly didn’t know there were 1658 languages in existence!

So how do you pick one? My response: it depends on what you are looking for. If you want a translation that is the closest and most accurate based on the original Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek, then your choice would be different than if your goal is simple understanding in today’s modern English. For the purposes of my own The Year I Read the Bible project, I was seeking understanding, so the New Living Translation and New International Version suited my needs perfectly.

When I was in the eighth grade, I was confirmed in the Presbyterian church I attended as a child. I was presented with my own Bible, a King James Version.  The print was small and the words spoken by Jesus were printed in red. It had an impressive black cover embossed with gold.  My pastor and my confirmation teacher autographed the Dedication page. I loved displaying it on my bookshelf.

But I rarely opened it up and read it.  Why? Because the King James Version was difficult to interpret for a pre-teen. It seemed like a foreign language to me.

When I entered high school and I became active in my church’s youth group, we used the Good News for Modern Man translation of the Bible.  It was a thick paperback with a decorative cover featuring the names of newspapers from all over the world.  The translation was much more understandable and, well, modern. It was a great starter Bible for me to really start to dig into the concepts as a young person. I can’t locate it in my collection, so I must’ve let it go sometime along the way, which I regret now, because it’s no longer in print.

Here are the translations I currently own:

·        New International Version (3 different Bibles)

·        New Living Translation

·        The Living Bible

·        Literal Standard Version

·        Blended Harmony of the Gospels

·        Today’s English Version

·        Common English Bible

·        The Message

During my journey through the Bible, I was working my way through the Old Testament when I came upon the Psalms. I breathed a sigh of relief because after the heaviness of the Jewish Torah detailing all the rules and laws (the first five books) and the books covering the history of the Israelites, from their conquest of Canaan to their defeat and exile in Babylon; next up were the poetic books: Psalms, Proverbs and Song of Solomon. I anticipated the advent of some light, happy reading, or as much as there could be in the Old Testament.

The problem was, I didn’t connect with the Psalms. I should have! I was a long-time reader and writer, a lover of words. I majored in English in college, and a professional writer for over twenty years, having written twenty-some novels!

But I’ve never been an appreciator of poetry.  It’s difficult for me to follow the rhythms and absorb myself in its meanings and nuances. But I wanted to complete the entire Bible, and I wanted to do my best to enjoy the beauty of the Psalms and Proverbs. So I turned to my other versions of the Bible.  Is there one in the stack that would speak to me?

Yes.  As it turned out, there was.

Let me quote to you a section of a psalm in the New Living Translation of my Chronological Bible (Psalm 8: 1 - 4 – A Psalm of David, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument):

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Your glory is higher than the heavens.

You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength.

Silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you set in place –

What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?

 

Here is the same psalm in The Message:

God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.

Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;

toddlers shout the songs that drown our enemy talk and silence atheist babble.

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry,

Moon and stars mounted in their settings.

Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?

 

I really love the rich imagery in The Message! For me, it was my solution to finding a way to absorb and love the Psalms. You may not agree, and that's okay! What I’m saying is, there are so many ways to read the Bible. If you want to kick off your own Bible reading project, don’t get discouraged if you don’t connect to the first translation you pick up.  Try another!  And another if you need to!  The important thing is finding that one translation that makes you want to stick with it. 

What is your favorite translation?  What do you like about it? How many versions of the Bible do you own? Leave me a comment and let me know.

 

Prayer: Dear God, we thank you for your Word. And we thank you that we have so many options for reading the important messages you have provided for us to feast on. Be with us when we sit down to read the Bible. Help us focus and concentrate and understand so that we know what you expect of us as we live our lives.  Amen.

 

 

 

The People Who Walk in Darkness Will See a Great Light

 

Life can be hard.

As we humans look back over the phases of our lives, we can identify those times that were bright, sunny, happy: 

·        Riding a bike as a child with the breeze blowing your hair behind you

·        Waiting for the perfect wave in the ocean, then climbing onto your boogie board and screeching happily as it transports you quickly to shore

·        Your first kiss with the person who will eventually be the love of your life

·        Taking your newborn child home from the hospital, knowing that your life will change in drastic ways, but looking forward to this milestone of life

·        Landing the job you’d spent years preparing for, knowing it will make a huge difference in family’s lives because of its challenges and opportunities.

But for every happy, sunny circumstance, there can also be darkness.  While on that exciting bike ride, you could run over a pothole and fall, scraping your knees or breaking a bone.  That perfect wave could throw you under the salty water, head over heels, scraping you on the bottom and filling your sinus cavities with salty water.

You get the idea.  There’s light and there's darkness.

We want to be in the light.  We know that darkness will sometimes enter our days, but we also have faith that eventually the sun will come up and we will be walking in the light again. 

In Isaiah 9, one of the Old Testament’s most prolific prophets to the Jewish people wrote, “The people walking in the darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest.” (Isaiah 9:2-3a)

When I read this text, I immediately wonder, how??  Don’t you? This section paints a powerful illustration of people walking in the darkness, but the sun has finally risen. I’m sure the ancient Jews wondered how? as well. Their lives, as described in the Old Testament, were never easy, lacking so many of the modern luxuries we enjoy now.

The answer to our question is given starting in verse 6 in this very famous text:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the greatness of his government and peace, there will be no end. (Isaiah 9: 6-7a)

Jesus!  The prophesied Savior is the answer! He will be the great light given to the people walking in darkness.

I find this simple truth to be valid in my own life. When I am sad or depressed or stressed out or dejected by any number of life’s challenges, I almost subconsciously seek out the light, Jesus.  I go to a quiet place where I can be in his presence: the beach or the woods, or even just a quiet room in my house and shut the door.  I close my eyes and push all that dark stuff out of my mind. I breathe in and out. I calm my racing heart and mind, and I focus on my Heavenly Father. 

Then I speak to him.  Out loud is best.  I start with all those things that I am thankful for. “Thank you, God for my health, for my husband, for my sons, for my …” on and on and on.  Because no matter how dark the circumstances are in our lives, there is always something to be thankful for.  Draw your attention away from the bad things, which granted, are real, true things.  They’ll be there when you’re done. But for right now, let’s focus instead on what is good.

Then I ask him to watch over me as I deal with whatever issue or problem is causing me this darkness.  What would he have me do? What is his guidance? How should I handle it?  Regardless of how open I think I am to his answer, I don’t get a booming response from the heavens at that moment. But by asking in this way, I’ve opened a portal in my heart to receive an answer when he sees fit to provide it.  Most likely, the answer will come to me when I’m doing something else – worshipping him, listening to music, talking to a friend, reading the Bible, walking.  The answer will come because I’ve asked him and he’s always faithful to respond.

But for now, I move on to worshipping him.  First thanking him, then asking him for help, then worshipping him.  Because I understand how great he is, how awe-inspiring, and he deserves our praise. Maybe I’ll recite some meaningful song lyrics or Bible verses that I’ve memorized, or maybe I’ll sing one of my favorite praise songs.  It doesn’t matter.  He gets it.

And when I rise from this session, the light has begun to dawn on the darkness. Sure, the problem that sent me there hasn’t gone away; it’s still there. But by handing it over to God for his handling, it takes the pressure off me. And the next time I find myself in the midst of a dark problem again (as I will be, inevitably) I remember what it feels like to be in the light. And I grasp it to my chest.

That’s a little look at how I personally deal with times of trouble in my own life. I welcome you to try it in yours. Let me know how you make out.

Before I close this devotion, I wanted to touch briefly on someone else who was inspired by this section of Isaiah. Did the lyrics sound familiar to you?  Maybe you hear them twice a year, at Christmas and Easter?

Yes, it’s Handel’s Messiah!

The German composer Georg Frideric Handel became a naturalized British citizen in 1727. He became well respected and honored for his composing skills. He received a pension from the court of King George II, he held the office of Composer of Music for the Chapel Royal, and he’d even had a statue erected in his honor in the Vauxhall Gardens, something almost unheard of for a living person. His long list of music compositions was impressive of course. Although by the early 1730s, public appreciation for the opera format was beginning to fade, Handel remained committed to the genre.

In 1741 he was inspired by a communication from a wealthy landowner Charles Jennens to write a substantial composition using the Isaiah 9 text as its base.  Wikipedia states, “The music for Messiah was completed in 24 days of swift composition. Having received Jennens's text some time after 10 July 1741, Handel began work on it on 22 August. His records show that he had completed Part I in outline by 28 August, Part II by 6 September and Part III by 12 September, followed by two days of "filling up" to produce the finished work on 14 September.”

Amazing!  And I’m willing to bet that every reader of this blog has heard a performance of Handel’s Messiah sometime in your life, now in the 21st century!  It truly became the masterpiece of an already masterful composer.  My dad, a long-time bass singer, has a tattered book containing the complete score of the Messiah that he acquired while he was singing the composition in college in the 1950’s.  He brings it along every year when he attends an offering of “Sing-along Messiah” at a local church or university. 

I sang the Hallelujah Chorus section of the Messiah in my college choir, where I sang the alto part, and I also sang it later in a church choir where I was a soprano. So, I’m familiar with both female parts, and often combine my favorite parts when singing along.

Jesus is the great light for those people walking in the darkness.  The next time you find yourself in the darkness, try some of the practices in this post to find the light.

 

Prayer:  Dear God, thank you for providing light in the darkness.  Thank you for being available to us so that we can talk to you about our problems, thank you for our blessings and worship you for your greatness. Amen.

And, for your listening pleasure: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAGRRdjOy6A

 

Worship No Other Gods Before Me

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Welcome to Week 3 of my writing project, The Year I Read the Bible.  In a nutshell, last year I read the Bible cover to cover and this year, I’m sharing my thoughts via blog and video.  I’m hoping that by doing so, it might inspire you to do the same thing!

In the Old Testament of the Bible, God delivered many rules and commandments to his people to teach them how to live righteously and form in them the behavior and mindset of his chosen people. In the Book of Exodus, chapter 19, Moses climbed Mt. Sinai to appear before God, where God called to him and said, “Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel. You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth.” (Exodus 19: 3-6)

What God shared with Moses were stone tablets containing the ten commandments. The very first commandment of the ten is: “You must not have any other god but me.” Exodus 20:2 – New Living Translation.

The fact that God listed this commandment first is significant.  Although he goes on to list the nine other vital commandments (you shall not murder, you shall not steal, etc) the first one on his list is to worship him and only him.

As I was reading the Bible, I looked at the concepts in two ways:

·        What was the historical significance of the message?

·        And what does it tell me today in my current life?

Let’s take a look at what was going on during this time relating to worshipping other gods.  Thanks to my Chronological Bible, I know that Moses received the Ten Commandments approximately 1300 to 1400 years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. At that time, every community or grouping of people seemed to have invented their own myths about the gods they prayed to.  These came to be known as pagan gods.  Here’s a short sampling of the “other gods” that the recipients of God’s Ten Commandments would’ve been aware of.

Baal (pronounced with two syllables, Bah-ahl) was a god worshipped in many Middle Eastern communities, especially the Canaanites, who considered him a fertility deity. His title was known as Prince, Lord of Earth.  Canaanites believed that Baal fought with Mot, the god of death and sterility, in seven-year cycles.  If Baal won a battle with Mot, seven years of fertility would ensue.  If he lost the battle, the earth would experience seven years of drought and famine.

The Old Testament mentions Baal by name over a hundred times.  The God of Abraham was very aware of the draw of this particular pagan god to his chosen people and forbid them by name for worshipping him.

At this same time, the ancient Greeks worshipped twelve pagan gods. I’m sure we’re all aware to some extent of the major Olympian gods and goddesses (Zeus, Hera, Poseidon and the like).  Our children even know them because Disney created the popular animated movie about them.

Around 300 BC (Before Christ), the Greek and Roman empires combined their pagan religions, transformed and reinvented them to be known as the Hellenistic religion. Old cults died and a new religious movement came into being. Egyptian deities Isis and Serapis entered the scene.  Hellenism survived until about 300 years after the death of Christ, and when Jesus was engaging in his earthly ministry in the area of Galilee, the Romans who ruled unjustly over the Jews were largely practicing Hellenism.

In a recent Bible study I attended covering the Book of Philippians, the instructor said that at the time Paul wrote his letter to the new Christian church there, a total of thirty-eight “religions” or gods were being recognized in the area.

Imagine that! From a historical perspective, we see why God placed that commandment at the very top of his list.  He needed his people to realize that none of those other gods were sanctioned by him, and he was the one and only.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see many instances where God’s anger is stoked because his people once again wandered away from him and began to worship one or more of these popular deities that were so prevalent around them.  Can’t you just picture early Jews talking to their neighbors about an issue they were having, and that pagan neighbor saying, “There’s a god for that! All you have to do is pray to him or do a prescribed ritual and your problem will be over.”

It reminds me of all the weight-loss products on the market.  Let’s face it, losing weight is not easy.  It takes a lot of hard work and discipline.  Eating right, drinking water, exercising.  You can’t just take a pill and be skinny.  But why do we always forget that when an ad comes over our Newsfeed proclaiming that a celebrity lost forty pounds in a month just from eating a gummy every day?  She didn’t change anything in her diet and she didn’t exercise!  Want the same product? Click here to buy!

When I look at it like that, I begin to understand the plight of ancient Jews when they succumbed to their temptations to solve some of life’s problems by worshipping a pagan god who was reported to be a specialist in one particular area. If their difficult lives could be made easier, isn’t it worth a try?

That’s why God put that particular commandment first on his list. I get it. But what does that commandment tell me in my life today?  Obviously, twenty-first century humankind doesn’t follow the ancient gods. But what if we looked at it like this: what are the things in your life as a modern-day Christian or Jew that takes you away from focusing on God? What things or practices in your life have, in effect, replaced God in your life, even if you still believe in him?

The list could be very long, but here’s a few I can think of off the top of my head:

·        Substance addiction (alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs)

·        Pornography

·        Workaholic tendencies

·        Adultery

·        Child abuse or neglect

·        Spending too much time on the internet

·        Choosing to spend time on self-centered pursuits rather than with God or the people you love who depend on you.

You get the idea. By spending our time on these unhealthy pursuits, they become the god that we worship in place of our true God. What would be on your list? Has it become an unhealthy past-time? Is it time to refocus and place your priorities back on God?

 

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for being our one and only God. Thank you for documenting your number one commandment to help us remember to place you first in our lives. Forgive us when we wander away from that priority but thank you for always welcoming us back. We pray for your help in structuring our lives properly and remembering our connection with you.  Amen.