Lee Harmon's Blog, page 94
May 14, 2012
Job 1:11-12, Satan Wins a Bet
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
//Ever play that kid’s trick on your little brother, where you say "Bet you five cents I can hit you softer than you can hit me!" So, he brushes your shoulder with a gentle little fist-kiss, and when your turn comes you haul off and whack him silly. "Oops, guess you won, here's your nickle."
Take the story of Job, and the friendly little wager between God and Satan. God, with all his foreknowledge, hardly needs to run a contest to find out what Job will do. God knows before he begins who's gonna win this bet. And Satan's no dummy either, I don't think; he surely knows God can see the future. He knows he doesn't have a ghost of a chance in this bet.
So who's playing who? It sure seems to me that God gets played. Satan gets to torment Job all he wants, with God's blessing, and never offers so much as an apology. Not even an "Oops, here's your nickle."
//Ever play that kid’s trick on your little brother, where you say "Bet you five cents I can hit you softer than you can hit me!" So, he brushes your shoulder with a gentle little fist-kiss, and when your turn comes you haul off and whack him silly. "Oops, guess you won, here's your nickle."
Take the story of Job, and the friendly little wager between God and Satan. God, with all his foreknowledge, hardly needs to run a contest to find out what Job will do. God knows before he begins who's gonna win this bet. And Satan's no dummy either, I don't think; he surely knows God can see the future. He knows he doesn't have a ghost of a chance in this bet.
So who's playing who? It sure seems to me that God gets played. Satan gets to torment Job all he wants, with God's blessing, and never offers so much as an apology. Not even an "Oops, here's your nickle."
May 13, 2012
Acts 16:9, The First He-She?
During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."
//Paul, traveling around preaching Jesus, one day received a vision of a "man of Macedonia" calling him there. Paul concluded that God wanted him to preach in Macedonia, and he set off on a journey there.
But when Paul arrived, he found no man at all! He went "to the river," where he expected to find Christians gathered to pray, and instead he found a cluster of women. Immediately recognizing the women as the reason for his visit, Paul sat down with them and began to teach.
One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.
Lydia invited Paul and his companions to stay at her house, and the Lord "opened her heart." The "man of Macedonia" turned out to be a woman! Well, dreams can be a little hazy!
//Paul, traveling around preaching Jesus, one day received a vision of a "man of Macedonia" calling him there. Paul concluded that God wanted him to preach in Macedonia, and he set off on a journey there.
But when Paul arrived, he found no man at all! He went "to the river," where he expected to find Christians gathered to pray, and instead he found a cluster of women. Immediately recognizing the women as the reason for his visit, Paul sat down with them and began to teach.
One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.
Lydia invited Paul and his companions to stay at her house, and the Lord "opened her heart." The "man of Macedonia" turned out to be a woman! Well, dreams can be a little hazy!
May 12, 2012
Book review: Blurring the Lines
by Jerry Zehr
★★★
Fun, short little book! Thomas, a naive young man from an Amish heritage, moves to Los Angeles hoping to pursue a career in acting. The Amish connection isn't overplayed; Thomas is a pretty normal fellow, but breaking into this business is tough, and earning enough money on the side to survive proves difficult. He falls in with the wrong crowd, and his innocence plays against him until his experiences begin to bring more than shame; they land him in danger, both for his life and with the law.
Thomas is lucky, though, to have developed a special friendship with a man who encourages and provides spiritual guidance, while downplaying Thomas's mistakes. We can assume Thomas would drift ever deeper into darkness were it not for this mysterious acquaintance. The ending is surprising and memorable, though in retrospect, I really should have gathered enough clues during the story to guess the climax.
This is Christian literature, though Zehr's outlook is not conservative and the language is a bit rough. Part of Thomas's growing-up includes learning to look at God differently. Nothing monumental or overly deep, though, and the story's brevity prevents a fully-developed plot. This is a good book for teens.
On the downside, the book starts out in quite passive prose, so it doesn't grab you from the opening. Do keep reading! Also, I was given a pre-edited version, and a few editing and formatting corrections would be expected for the published version.
★★★
Fun, short little book! Thomas, a naive young man from an Amish heritage, moves to Los Angeles hoping to pursue a career in acting. The Amish connection isn't overplayed; Thomas is a pretty normal fellow, but breaking into this business is tough, and earning enough money on the side to survive proves difficult. He falls in with the wrong crowd, and his innocence plays against him until his experiences begin to bring more than shame; they land him in danger, both for his life and with the law.
Thomas is lucky, though, to have developed a special friendship with a man who encourages and provides spiritual guidance, while downplaying Thomas's mistakes. We can assume Thomas would drift ever deeper into darkness were it not for this mysterious acquaintance. The ending is surprising and memorable, though in retrospect, I really should have gathered enough clues during the story to guess the climax.
This is Christian literature, though Zehr's outlook is not conservative and the language is a bit rough. Part of Thomas's growing-up includes learning to look at God differently. Nothing monumental or overly deep, though, and the story's brevity prevents a fully-developed plot. This is a good book for teens.
On the downside, the book starts out in quite passive prose, so it doesn't grab you from the opening. Do keep reading! Also, I was given a pre-edited version, and a few editing and formatting corrections would be expected for the published version.
May 11, 2012
Genesis 11:6-7, Rebuilding the Tower of Babel
The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."
//One day, the inhabitants of the earth decided to build a tower up to heaven. Unfair, they felt, that the gods frolicked up in heaven while they were stuck on the earth. So they put their mind and muscle to the task, and started building.
God panicked. Mankind, if they spoke the same language and worked together as one, could accomplish anything! They could invade the privacy of the gods! So, God confused their languages, and scattered the earth's inhabitants around the globe. That's why, today, there are so many languages.
There came a day, however, when God changed his mind. He decided it would be nicer to share his living space with his creation, and set about reopening the channel from heaven to earth. He came down and set things right. You know this as the Day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:2, Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
It’s Babel’s ending being reversed! Everyone, filled with the Holy Spirit, began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mosopotamiams, Judeans, Asians, Phrygians, Egyptians, Cretans, Arab, Romans ... all were able to understand each other. Amazed and perplexed, they asked each other, "What does this mean?"
Perhaps the answer is this: Once again, as one under the Spirit, mankind can do anything they set their mind to.
//One day, the inhabitants of the earth decided to build a tower up to heaven. Unfair, they felt, that the gods frolicked up in heaven while they were stuck on the earth. So they put their mind and muscle to the task, and started building.
God panicked. Mankind, if they spoke the same language and worked together as one, could accomplish anything! They could invade the privacy of the gods! So, God confused their languages, and scattered the earth's inhabitants around the globe. That's why, today, there are so many languages.
There came a day, however, when God changed his mind. He decided it would be nicer to share his living space with his creation, and set about reopening the channel from heaven to earth. He came down and set things right. You know this as the Day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:2, Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
It’s Babel’s ending being reversed! Everyone, filled with the Holy Spirit, began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mosopotamiams, Judeans, Asians, Phrygians, Egyptians, Cretans, Arab, Romans ... all were able to understand each other. Amazed and perplexed, they asked each other, "What does this mean?"
Perhaps the answer is this: Once again, as one under the Spirit, mankind can do anything they set their mind to.
May 10, 2012
Acts 6:2, The Day Clergy Were Born
So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
//Today’s post might not be appreciated by all, but it’s something we should think about.
Here's the story. Christians in the early church felt a keen responsibility to care for others, even to the point of donating all their belongings and holding all things in common. But the number of disciples was growing too fast, and not everybody was getting the daily distribution of food. So, the bigwigs got together and chose seven other people to take care of mundane duties, like waiting on tables. That freed the bigwigs up to "give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
But this separation of clergy and laity may not be what Jesus had in mind at all. Read, for example, Luke 22:26-27:
[T]he greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
Thus Jesus expressly taught the Twelve how to be good waiters. The very men who later disdained that role, feeling they were too busy to bother, so as to take upon themselves the responsibility of ministry, instead.
On this day the clergy was born.
//Today’s post might not be appreciated by all, but it’s something we should think about.
Here's the story. Christians in the early church felt a keen responsibility to care for others, even to the point of donating all their belongings and holding all things in common. But the number of disciples was growing too fast, and not everybody was getting the daily distribution of food. So, the bigwigs got together and chose seven other people to take care of mundane duties, like waiting on tables. That freed the bigwigs up to "give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
But this separation of clergy and laity may not be what Jesus had in mind at all. Read, for example, Luke 22:26-27:
[T]he greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
Thus Jesus expressly taught the Twelve how to be good waiters. The very men who later disdained that role, feeling they were too busy to bother, so as to take upon themselves the responsibility of ministry, instead.
On this day the clergy was born.
May 9, 2012
Book review: Romans: The Divine Marriage
by Tom Holland
★★★★★
First, my apologies to Tom and PICKWICK Publications for taking so long on this review. The thing is, reading Holland’s take on Romans is like reading a foreign letter. So unfamiliar is Holland’s corporate spin that it took me forever to get through the book … not just because it’s a comprehensive work, but because I wound up reading several passages twice to pull myself away from the more common individualistic interpretation. You’ll learn to recognize two distinct, corporate communities at odds with one another: one in Adam with sin as its head, the other in Christ with Jesus as its head.
This is a verse-by-verse study of the book of Romans, and would make a good university text. Remember: Romans is Paul’s magnum opus, with every verse saturated with meaning. I try to write reviews appropriate for casual readers, but this book belongs in academics as well. Not only is every verse explored, but Holland delves into several topics in detail. I think there are nine such “excursions” peppered throughout the text.
Now, Tom is a conservative believer, so I don’t quite see eye to eye with him on every topic, but his research is deep and not at all preachy. Holland bemoans the way other scholars tend to interpret the New Testament by relying on Greek secular literature, instead of appreciating its Hebraic flavor. “The only allusions or echoes we can safely consider are those which reflect the Old Testament literature” (quotation reprinted without supporting context, which is substantial). So, he digs deep.
This book could sit on your shelf for reference, but that would be a misuse. Holland’s particular interpretation really requires analyzing the letter as a whole. Themes of corporate justification, Passover, the second exodus, and the pilgrimage of God’s chosen resonate throughout, and these underlying themes set the tone for Paul’s more confusing passages. Baptism (dying and rising with Christ) carries a different meaning in this light. Even the word “sin” gets a remake with a corporate meaning: Paul sees sin as a predator, waiting to attack and kill. Try replacing the word “sin” with Satan throughout to get a better grasp of Paul’s meaning. Remember the Adamic community? That’s Satan, not sin, at its head. Also as you read, I suggest you keep the book’s title uppermost in your mind: The Divine Marriage. We’re talking about the eschatological marriage with its great cosmic banquet. Paul’s theology is so deep that it’s easy to lose track of the fact that he really is going somewhere in this letter.
My favorite discussion in the book was Holland’s exposition of the following passage: 10:6-7 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ’Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descent into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) After a ten-page explanation, these two verses finally makes sense.[image error]
★★★★★
First, my apologies to Tom and PICKWICK Publications for taking so long on this review. The thing is, reading Holland’s take on Romans is like reading a foreign letter. So unfamiliar is Holland’s corporate spin that it took me forever to get through the book … not just because it’s a comprehensive work, but because I wound up reading several passages twice to pull myself away from the more common individualistic interpretation. You’ll learn to recognize two distinct, corporate communities at odds with one another: one in Adam with sin as its head, the other in Christ with Jesus as its head.
This is a verse-by-verse study of the book of Romans, and would make a good university text. Remember: Romans is Paul’s magnum opus, with every verse saturated with meaning. I try to write reviews appropriate for casual readers, but this book belongs in academics as well. Not only is every verse explored, but Holland delves into several topics in detail. I think there are nine such “excursions” peppered throughout the text.
Now, Tom is a conservative believer, so I don’t quite see eye to eye with him on every topic, but his research is deep and not at all preachy. Holland bemoans the way other scholars tend to interpret the New Testament by relying on Greek secular literature, instead of appreciating its Hebraic flavor. “The only allusions or echoes we can safely consider are those which reflect the Old Testament literature” (quotation reprinted without supporting context, which is substantial). So, he digs deep.
This book could sit on your shelf for reference, but that would be a misuse. Holland’s particular interpretation really requires analyzing the letter as a whole. Themes of corporate justification, Passover, the second exodus, and the pilgrimage of God’s chosen resonate throughout, and these underlying themes set the tone for Paul’s more confusing passages. Baptism (dying and rising with Christ) carries a different meaning in this light. Even the word “sin” gets a remake with a corporate meaning: Paul sees sin as a predator, waiting to attack and kill. Try replacing the word “sin” with Satan throughout to get a better grasp of Paul’s meaning. Remember the Adamic community? That’s Satan, not sin, at its head. Also as you read, I suggest you keep the book’s title uppermost in your mind: The Divine Marriage. We’re talking about the eschatological marriage with its great cosmic banquet. Paul’s theology is so deep that it’s easy to lose track of the fact that he really is going somewhere in this letter.
My favorite discussion in the book was Holland’s exposition of the following passage: 10:6-7 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ’Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descent into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) After a ten-page explanation, these two verses finally makes sense.[image error]
May 8, 2012
Luke 2:10, Tidings of Great Joy
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
//You may recognize this verse in its Christmas theme; the baby Jesus brings hope of great joy, which, the verse says, shall be to "all people."
Paul, writing in 1 Corinthians 15:22, echoes a similar sentiment: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
This universal hope is again extended to "all" ... that is, we assume, "all people." Wonderful, isn't it, how all are enveloped in great joy! But is it possible that even "all people" is too restrictive? Luke's verse could be more literally translated as "all flesh." After all, here is the promise, back in the Old Testament book of Joel:
Joel 2:28, And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.
Not just people, but all flesh. Animals, too, perhaps. But what about the plant kingdom? Back to Joel, a few verses prior to this, about that wonderful day:
Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things. Be not afraid, O wild animals, for the open pastures are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
Makes me wonder if perhaps even Universal Christians aren't universal enough!
[image error]
//You may recognize this verse in its Christmas theme; the baby Jesus brings hope of great joy, which, the verse says, shall be to "all people."
Paul, writing in 1 Corinthians 15:22, echoes a similar sentiment: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
This universal hope is again extended to "all" ... that is, we assume, "all people." Wonderful, isn't it, how all are enveloped in great joy! But is it possible that even "all people" is too restrictive? Luke's verse could be more literally translated as "all flesh." After all, here is the promise, back in the Old Testament book of Joel:
Joel 2:28, And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.
Not just people, but all flesh. Animals, too, perhaps. But what about the plant kingdom? Back to Joel, a few verses prior to this, about that wonderful day:
Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things. Be not afraid, O wild animals, for the open pastures are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
Makes me wonder if perhaps even Universal Christians aren't universal enough!
[image error]
May 7, 2012
Genesis 1:28, Subdue the earth
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
//In this verse, just after God creates humankind on the earth, he grants us dominion over all the animals and tells us to “subdue” the earth. What does this mean? There are two main ways of reading this, and I’ve heard both sides preached.
On the one hand, utilitarian readers interpret this verse as permission to use the earth as they wish, to their own end. Knowing that God will one day destroy his creation anyway, they reason that there’s no point of preserving it, and gladly accept the call to dominate all that lives.
On the other hand are those who see this verse as a call to care for the earth. They read the story of Adam and Eve in Eden, placed there to care for God’s garden, and see today’s verse as a similar call for responsible stewardship.
My own opinion? Logic dictates that we hedge our bets and come down on the “responsible stewardship” end of the spectrum, just in case God does want us to save the whales.
[image error]
//In this verse, just after God creates humankind on the earth, he grants us dominion over all the animals and tells us to “subdue” the earth. What does this mean? There are two main ways of reading this, and I’ve heard both sides preached.
On the one hand, utilitarian readers interpret this verse as permission to use the earth as they wish, to their own end. Knowing that God will one day destroy his creation anyway, they reason that there’s no point of preserving it, and gladly accept the call to dominate all that lives.
On the other hand are those who see this verse as a call to care for the earth. They read the story of Adam and Eve in Eden, placed there to care for God’s garden, and see today’s verse as a similar call for responsible stewardship.
My own opinion? Logic dictates that we hedge our bets and come down on the “responsible stewardship” end of the spectrum, just in case God does want us to save the whales.
[image error]
May 5, 2012
Book review: DMT, the Spirit Molecule
by Rick Strassman, M. D.
★★★★★
Absolutely fascinating! Suspend your skepticism for a few hours and enter the incredulous world of Strassman’s research with a powerful hallucinogen. DMT, sort of a fast-acting LSD, was used in DEA-approved clinical research at the University of New Mexico between 1990 and 1995, where volunteers repeatedly described experiences similar to near-death and alien abduction reports.
The question is this: Are the experiences entirely psychedelic, or is the drug allowing volunteers to tap into another reality, where aliens really do exist? Strassman takes the question seriously, and while the implications are more than a little disturbing, the volunteers “unquestionably had some of the most intense, unusual, and unexpected experiences of their lives.” (After reading the case studies, I can believe it.)
Strassman connects DMT with the pineal gland, the “house of the soul.” The pineal gland develops in the human fetus 49 days after conception, with its DMT chemical secretion serving as a portal to astral worlds. OK, this is wayyy outside my comfort level and not something I know anything about, yet I can’t help it: This is a five-star book, guys, even though it steps on some religious toes. Skip ahead to part IV, The Sessions, if you must, and then come back to read the rest after your mind is blown.
Strassman presents his data like a research doctor, and he admits that one of his deepest motivations behind the DMT research was the search for a biological basis of spiritual experience. He went into this research already intrigued with the pineal gland, so his hypotheses are not unexpected. His application was entirely professional, with intravenous injections under strict supervision—this is not an experiment that can be undertaken at home. The experiences are kaleidoscopic and often frightening. Yet I couldn’t help wonder how many people, after reading this book, found a way to obtain the drug and jump into the next universe. I sure wanted to.
[image error]
★★★★★
Absolutely fascinating! Suspend your skepticism for a few hours and enter the incredulous world of Strassman’s research with a powerful hallucinogen. DMT, sort of a fast-acting LSD, was used in DEA-approved clinical research at the University of New Mexico between 1990 and 1995, where volunteers repeatedly described experiences similar to near-death and alien abduction reports.
The question is this: Are the experiences entirely psychedelic, or is the drug allowing volunteers to tap into another reality, where aliens really do exist? Strassman takes the question seriously, and while the implications are more than a little disturbing, the volunteers “unquestionably had some of the most intense, unusual, and unexpected experiences of their lives.” (After reading the case studies, I can believe it.)
Strassman connects DMT with the pineal gland, the “house of the soul.” The pineal gland develops in the human fetus 49 days after conception, with its DMT chemical secretion serving as a portal to astral worlds. OK, this is wayyy outside my comfort level and not something I know anything about, yet I can’t help it: This is a five-star book, guys, even though it steps on some religious toes. Skip ahead to part IV, The Sessions, if you must, and then come back to read the rest after your mind is blown.
Strassman presents his data like a research doctor, and he admits that one of his deepest motivations behind the DMT research was the search for a biological basis of spiritual experience. He went into this research already intrigued with the pineal gland, so his hypotheses are not unexpected. His application was entirely professional, with intravenous injections under strict supervision—this is not an experiment that can be undertaken at home. The experiences are kaleidoscopic and often frightening. Yet I couldn’t help wonder how many people, after reading this book, found a way to obtain the drug and jump into the next universe. I sure wanted to.
[image error]
May 4, 2012
Romans 8:15, Abba, Father
But ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
//Much has been made of Jesus' choice of words for his Father in heaven. Jesus claimed a blasphemously close relationship with God, even calling God "Abba," and it eventually got him the death penalty.
This terminology found its way into Christian language rather quickly, as evidenced by Paul's letters, where, twice, Paul encourages us to speak to the Father with the same familiarity. This should be no surprise: religious Jews fervently believed that one day, God would return to earth and dwell personally with his people, calling them his children. The Christian claim was that this day had arrived with the coming of Jesus.
But what, exactly, does abba mean?
The truth is, we don't know anymore. We assume it is meant to convey intimacy. A 20th-century German scholar, Joachim Jeremias, suggested that the word abba is best translated as "daddy." Jeremias apparently backed off somewhat from this assertion, but the translation stuck. It's heart-warming and intimate, exactly the way we think of Jesus' relationship with the Father. I, too, suggest the translation "daddy" in my books about Revelation and John’s Gospel.
But it's good to remember, like so many other translation issues from the original Greek and Hebrew of our Bible, that we don't really know what Jesus meant.
//Much has been made of Jesus' choice of words for his Father in heaven. Jesus claimed a blasphemously close relationship with God, even calling God "Abba," and it eventually got him the death penalty.
This terminology found its way into Christian language rather quickly, as evidenced by Paul's letters, where, twice, Paul encourages us to speak to the Father with the same familiarity. This should be no surprise: religious Jews fervently believed that one day, God would return to earth and dwell personally with his people, calling them his children. The Christian claim was that this day had arrived with the coming of Jesus.
But what, exactly, does abba mean?
The truth is, we don't know anymore. We assume it is meant to convey intimacy. A 20th-century German scholar, Joachim Jeremias, suggested that the word abba is best translated as "daddy." Jeremias apparently backed off somewhat from this assertion, but the translation stuck. It's heart-warming and intimate, exactly the way we think of Jesus' relationship with the Father. I, too, suggest the translation "daddy" in my books about Revelation and John’s Gospel.
But it's good to remember, like so many other translation issues from the original Greek and Hebrew of our Bible, that we don't really know what Jesus meant.
