Stephen W. Hiemstra's Blog, page 17

Mark 11:1-11—Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday Donkey

By Stephen W. Hiemstra

I beg you Lord, deliver us!  I beseech you Lord, prosper us! (Psalm 118:25 SWH)[1]

Hosanna (הוֹשִׁ֨יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א):  What is in a word?

Mark’s Palm Sunday

Mark’s account of Palm Sunday is amazingly simple:  The disciples hunt around for a donkey;  they have a small parade; some people start shouting;  they scope out the temple and go home.  No palms!  No Pharisees hanging around.  No prophecy.

Parade

Still, this is no ordinary parade.  France notes that nowhere else in the gospels do we read of Jesus riding .  The parade fulfills the prophecy:  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9 ESV).

Hosanna

The whole story builds up to v. 9 and the shouting:  Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord (Mark 11:9).  Hosanna is a transliteration of a Hebrew phrase appearing only in Psalm 118:25 cited above.  The rest of the phrase is cited from the next verse (Psalm 118:26).  Beale and Carson  describe Psalm 118 as a “royal song of thanksgiving for military victory” regularly sung at Passover.  The truncation of Psalm 118:25 to exclude the second half of the sentence (I beseech you Lord, prosper us), underscores the military intentions of the Palm Sunday crowd.  The next verse makes this point very plain:  “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David”(Mark 11:10).

Who is really being blessed here?

The Greek in v. 9 admits a second translation:  “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa once described herself as Christ’s donkey.  When we come humbly in the name of the Lord, in some sense we too become Christ’s donkey.  And we too are blessed.

Footnotes

[1] אָנָּ֣א יְ֭הוָה הוֹשִׁ֨יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א אָֽנָּ֥א יְ֜הוָ֗ה הַצְלִ֨יחָ֥ה נָּֽא (Psalm 118:25 WTT).

 R.T. France.  The New International Greek Testament Commentary:  The Gospel of Mark.  Grand Rapids:  Eerdmans.  P. 428.

 G.K. Beale and D.A. Carson [Editors].  2007.  Commentary on the NT Use of the OT.  Grand Rapids:  Baker Academic.   Pp. 206-207.

Mark 11:1-11—Palm Sunday
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:



Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com





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Holiness Petition

By Stephen W. Hiemstra

Holy Father,

All praise and honor, power and dominion, truth and justice are yours because you called the church into being from the nations and blessed it with your Holy Spirit that we might be witnesses among those who are sick and dying.

Forgive us for forsaking your call and not sharing your blessings with those in dire need.

Thank you for sustenance, gifting, and protection of your Holy Spirit.

In the power of your Holy Spirit, open our hearts, illumine our minds, and strengthen our hands in your service.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Holiness Petition
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:



Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com




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Santa Petición

Por Stephen W. Hiemstra

Santo Padre,

Toda la alabanza y el honor, el poder y el dominio, la verdad y la justicia son tuyos porque llamaste a la iglesia a la existencia de entre las naciones y la bendijiste con tu Espíritu Santo para que pudiéramos ser testigos entre los enfermos y moribundos.

Perdónanos por abandonar tu llamado y no compartir tus bendiciones con aquellos que están en extrema necesidad.

Gracias por el sustento, los dones y la protección de tu Espíritu Santo.

En el poder de tu Espíritu Santo, abre nuestros corazones, ilumina nuestras mentes y fortalece nuestras manos en tu servicio.

En el precioso nombre de Jesús, Amén.

Santa Petición
Vea También:
Una Guía Cristiana a la Espiritualidad
Vida en Tensión
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The Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts

But you will receive power 

when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, 

and you will be my witnesses 

in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, 

and to the end of the earth. 

(Acts 1:8)

By Stephen W. Hiemstra

The Old Testament name for the Holy Spirit in Genesis 1:2 in Hebrew is Ruach Elohim (ר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים)⁠1). It is translated into the Septuagint Greek interchangeably as Pneuma Theou (πνεῦμα θεοῦ)⁠2 or Pneuma Kuriou (πνεῦμα κυρίου). In English, that would be Spirit of God and Spirit of the Lord. The Greek Pneuma Kuriou is also frequently corresponding to the Hebrew Ruach YHWH⁠3 (ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֔ה), which has often other more metaphorical translations, like breath of God. Ruach Elohim is also translated as Pneuma Poneron (πνεῦμα πονηρὸν)⁠4 or evil spirit once in Judges and three times in 1 Samuel 16 in reference to King Saul after David had been anointed.

Grieving the Holy Spirit

What is interesting about this list of Old Testament references to the Holy Spirit is that the two primary names for the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts πνεύματος ἁγίου⁠5 and πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον6 do not appear on this list. This latter Greek term for the Holy Spirit does, however, appear twice in the Old Testament. Once in a famous Psalm of David: “Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.” (Ps 51:11) The Hebrew here reads ruach kadeska (ר֥וּחַ קָ֜דְשְׁךָ֗). The second time is in Isaiah 63 where a close parallel Hebrew name, ruach kadesho (ר֣וּחַ קָדְשׁ֑וֹ), is used again. The passage cautions God’s chosen (Israel in Isaiah’s context) not to grieve the Holy Spirit.

An example of someone obviously grieving the Holy Spirit was King Saul. Saul is described as tall and handsome, but also as superstitious, willful, and impatient (1 Sam 9:2, 15:1-35). By contrast, David as young, ruddy, and handsome, a musician and shepherd, a man after God’s heart (1 Sam 13:14; 16:12). Once the Prophet Samuel anointed David, God sent an evil spirit to torment Saul. Consequently, Saul’s servants sought out David to play the lyre to sooth Saul in his affliction and Saul took David as his armor-bearer, a kind of kingly apprenticeship (1 Sam 16:15-21).

Evangelist Charles Finney (1982, 63) used the word quench to describe resisting the truth that the Holy Spirit presents to our minds.

David knew first-hand the implications of losing the Holy Spirit, which no doubt motivated his prayer (Ps 51:11). The prominence of the Holy Spirit in the foundation of the church and reference to this aspect of the Old Testament understanding of the Holy Spirit suggest that the story of Saul has direct relevance to the church. This also sheds light on the story of another Saul in the Book of Acts (Acts 8:1).

Something New

This linguistic departure from the Old Testament and the particular passages in view suggest that Luke in the Book of Acts sees God doing something new. Neither the anointing of the righteous lineage (Gen 11) nor the temporary anointing of the Holy Spirit on Moses’ elders (Num 11:25) is being claimed or referenced. The question that arises is what is new?

At least three things appear new in the Book of Acts as a consequence of the tearing of the curtain in the temple of Jerusalem (Matt 27:51, Mar 15:38, Luke 23:45). First, the disciples were given the mission of being witnesses. Second, the mission was extended geographically from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8) and, by inference, the mission extends also to Gentiles. Third, the gift of the Holy is no longer for a season, but forever, again by inference (Acts 2:4). Previously, the gift of the Holy Spirit was temporary and limited, except perhaps for those or the righteous lineage or anointed as messiahs.

The Footloose Spirit

The story of King Saul plays out in the Book of Acts in the person of Saul of Tarsus. When the church in Jerusalem appears satisfied to remain in Jerusalem rather than live into its mission to witness in Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), Saul is seen raging the church and scattering the disciples (Acts 8:1-4). This is like King Saul being tormented and driven to David by an evil spirit (1 Sam 16:15-21).

Once this scattering has been accomplished, we see Saul undergoing a conversion experience and living into his gentile name, Paul (Acts 9). Paul then becomes one of the church’s most celebrated evangelists and joins named and unnamed disciples who carry the church to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Thus, we see both the Holy Spirit and its evil twin accomplishing God work in establishing the church through the person of Saul of Tarsus.

Jews and Gentiles

The Holy Spirit anointed gentiles before acknowledgment of the church confirmed it. We see this in the pouring out of the spirit on the Samaritans (acts 8:14-17), Philip’s witnessing to the Eunuch (Acts 8:26-39), and Peter’s vision inviting him to eat both clean and unclean animals before visiting the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion (Acts 10:22).

Later. at the Council of Jerusalem, in spite of much opposition, the Gospel is provisionally opened to gentiles (Acts 15:19-20). Consequently, the Gospel reached the furthermost parts of the Roman Empire and beyond within a single generation.

Holy Spirit as Agent of Faith

The purpose of the spirit in evangelism is to identify those called to be the church. The Apostle Peter cited the Prophet Joel (2:28-29) during his sermon on the Day of Pentecost: 

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:17-18 )

Peter then describes the path to faith: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) This suggests that the Holy Spirit is both the sign and seal of faith, and with it, salvation. In some sense, the Apostle John’s term for the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete (παράκλητον)⁠7 or in English, the comforter, embodies both ideas.

Footnotes

1 Also: Gen 41:38, Exod 31:3, 35:31, Num 24:2, 1 Sam 10:10, 11:6, 16:15, 16, 23, 18:10, 19:20, 23, and 2 Chr 15:1.

2 Gen 1:2, 41:38, Num 23:7,  4:2, 1 Sam 10:10, 19:9, 20,  23, 2 Chr 24:20, Rom 8:9, 

and 1 Cor 7:40.

3 Jdg 3:10, 11:29, 13:25, 14:6, 19, 15:14, 1 Sam 10:6, 16:13, 19:9, 2 Sam 23:2, 1 Ki 22:24, 2 Kgs 2:16, 2 Chr 18:23, 20:14, Isa 11:2, 40:7, 13, 59:19, 63:14, Ezek 11:5, Hos 13:15, Mic 2:7, and 3:8.

4 Jdg 9:23, 1 Sam 16:14, 16, 23

5 Matt 1:18, Luke 1:15, 

41, 67, 4:1, Acts 1:2, 2:4, 4:8, 25, 6:5, 7:55, 9:17, 11:24, 13:9, 52, Rom 5:5, 15:13, 1 Thess 1:6, 2 Tim 1:14, Tit 3:5, Heb 2:4, 6:4, and 2 Pet 1:21.

6 Ps 50:13, Isa 63:10, 11, Mark 3:29, 13:11, Luke 3:22, John 14:26, Acts 1:16, 5:3, 32, 10:44, 47, 11:15, 13:2, 15:8, 19:6, 20:23, 28, 21:11, 28:25, Eph 4:30, Heb 3:7, and 10:15.

7 John 14:16, 26; 15:26, 16:7, and 1 John 2:1

The Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:



Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com




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El Espíritu Santo en Lucas y Hechos

Pero recibirán poder cuando el Espíritu Santo venga sobre ustedes; 

y serán mis testigos en Jerusalén, en toda Judea y Samaria, 

y hasta los confines de la tierra. 

(Hechos 1:8)

Por Stephen W. Hiemstra

El nombre del Antiguo Testamento para el Espíritu Santo en Génesis 1:2 en hebreo es ruach elohim. Ferguson (1996, 17) escribe:

“Ruach no connota la idea de inmaterialidad divina (espíritu, no materia), aunque sin duda eso está implícito en la perspectiva bíblica general. El acento se pone más bien en su energía abrumadora, casi se podría hablar de la violencia de Dios. Espíritu Divino, por tanto, denota la energía de la vida en Dios.”

Se traduce al griego de la Septuaginta indistintamente como pneuma theou o pneuma kuriou. En español estos serían Espíritu de Dios y Espíritu del Señor. El griego pneuma kuriou  se correspondiente frecuentemente al hebreo ruach YHWH⁠1 que también tiene mas metafóricas translaciónes, como alma de Dios. Ruach Elohim también se traduce como Pneuma Poneron o espíritu maligno una vez en Jueces y tres veces en 1 Samuel 16 en referencia al rey Saúl después de que David había sido ungido.

Contristando al Espíritu Santo

Lo interesante de esta lista de referencias del Antiguo Testamento al Espíritu Santo es que los dos nombres principales del Espíritu Santo en el libro de los Hechos, pneuma agion y pneuma ta agion, no aparecen en esta lista. Sin embargo, este último término griego para el Espíritu Santo aparece dos veces en el Antiguo Testamento. La primera vez está en un famoso salmo de David: ¨No me eches de tu presencia, y no quites de mí tu Santo Espíritu.¨ (Ps 51:11) El hebrero aquí lee ruach kadeska. La segunda vez está en Isaías 63:10, donde se utiliza un nombre hebreo variante, ruach kadesho. El pasaje advierte a los elegidos de Dios (Israel en el contexto de Isaías) que no contristen ni apaguen al Espíritu Santo (Finney 1982, 63).

Un ejemplo de alguien que claramente contristó al Espíritu Santo fue el rey Saúl. Se describe a Saúl como alto y guapo, pero también como supersticioso, voluntarioso e impaciente (1 Sam 9:2, 15:1-35). En contraste, David era joven, rubio y apuesto, músico y pastor, y un hombre conforme al corazón de Dios (1 Sam 13:14; 16:12). Una vez que el profeta Samuel ungió a David, Dios envió un espíritu maligno para atormentar a Saúl. En consecuencia, los siervos de Saúl buscaron a David para que tocara la lira para calmar a Saúl en su aflicción y Saúl tomó a David como su escudero, una especie de aprendizaje real (1 Sam 16:15-21). Más tarde, David se convierte en yerno de Saúl.

Estando cerca del rey Saúl, David observó de primera mano las implicaciones de perder el Espíritu Santo, lo que sin duda motivó su oración (Salmo 51:11). La prominencia del Espíritu Santo en la fundación de la iglesia y la referencia a esta comprensión del Espíritu Santo en el Antiguo Testamento sugieren que la historia de Saúl arroja luz sobre la historia de otro Saúl en el libro de los Hechos (Hechos 8:1).

Algo Nuevo

Esta desviación lingüística de los términos más comunes para el Espíritu Santo en el Antiguo Testamento y los pasajes particulares en cuestión sugieren que Lucas, en el libro de los Hechos, ve a Dios haciendo algo nuevo. Incluso en el Evangelio de Lucas se nos dice que Jesús recibe el Espíritu Santo en su bautismo antes de la genealogía de José que traza su linaje a través de Judá, Sem y Set hasta Adán. Lucas distancia a Jesús de esta genealogía al distanciarlo de la paternidad biológica de José (Lucas 3:23). Así, ni la unción del linaje justo (Gén. 11), ni la unción temporal del Espíritu Santo sobre los ancianos de Moisés (Núm. 11:25), ni el llamamiento del rey Saúl (1 Sam. 10:6-11) se están reivindicando o acreditando. ¿Qué es exactamente nuevo?

Al menos tres cosas aparecen nuevas en el libro de los Hechos como consecuencia del desgarro del velo en el templo de Jerusalén (Mateo27:51, Marcas 15:38, Lucas 23:45). 

En primer lugar, a los discípulos se les dio la misión de ser testigos. En segundo lugar, la misión se extendió geográficamente desde Jerusalén a Judea y Samaria, y hasta los confines de la tierra (Hechos 1:8), y, por inferencia, se extiende también a los gentiles. 

En tercer lugar, el don del Espíritu Santo ya no es temporal, sino para siempre, nuevamente por inferencia (Hechos 2:4). Anteriormente en el Antiguo Testamento, el don del Espíritu Santo era temporal y limitado, excepto quizás para aquellos del linaje justo o aquellos ungidos como mesías.

El Espíritu Libre

La historia del rey Saúl se desarrolla en el libro de los Hechos en la persona de Saúl de Tarso. Cuando la iglesia en Jerusalén parece satisfecha de permanecer en Jerusalén en lugar de vivir su misión de testificar en Judea, Samaria y los confines de la tierra (Hechos 1:8), se ve a Saúl devastando la iglesia y dispersando a los discípulos (Hechos 8:1-4). Esto es como si el rey Saúl fuera atormentado y llevado hacia David por un espíritu maligno (1 Sam 16:15-21).

Una vez realizada esta dispersión, vemos a Saúl experimentando una experiencia de conversión y viviendo en su nombre gentil, Pablo (Hechos 9). Pablo se convierte entonces en uno de los evangelistas más célebres de la iglesia y se une a discípulos nombrados y anónimos que llevan a la iglesia en su misión (Hechos 1:8). Así, vemos tanto al Espíritu Santo como a su gemelo malvado realizando la obra de Dios al establecer la iglesia a través de la persona de Saúl de Tarso.

Edmund Clowney (1995, 56) escribe: “El Espíritu Santo de Dios no puede quedar limitado por las limitaciones de las instituciones humanas. Él es el Espíritu Creador, soberano y omnipotente, que gobierna todas las cosas.” Esta naturaleza libre supera los límites habituales de las instituciones establecidas, como la iglesia en Jerusalén, que tienden a osificarse con el tiempo, siguiendo caminos familiares en lugar de seguir el liderazgo del Espíritu Santo de Dios. Así, el movimiento de Jerusalén hacia Judea, Samaria y los confines de la tierra es más que una experiencia histórica. Es un impulso de reavivamiento necesario en cada generación que recuerda el llamado de Abraham a dejar su país, su tribu y su familia.

Judíos y Gentiles

El Espíritu Santo ungió a los gentiles antes de que el reconocimiento de la iglesia lo confirmara. Vemos esto en el derramamiento del Espíritu sobre los samaritanos (Hechos 8:14-17), el testimonio de Felipe al eunuco (Hechos 8:26-39), y la visión de Pedro invitándolo a comer animales limpios e inmundos antes de visitar la casa de Cornelio, un centurión romano (Hechos 10:22).

Más tarde, en el Concilio de Jerusalén, a pesar de mucha oposición, el Evangelio se abre provisionalmente a los gentiles (Hechos 15:19-20). En consecuencia, el Evangelio llegó a los confines del Imperio Romano y más allá en una sola generación.

Espíritu Santo como Agente de la Fe

El propósito del espíritu en la evangelización es identificar a aquellos llamados a ser la iglesia. El apóstol Pedro citó al profeta Joel (2:28-29) durante su sermón del día de Pentecostés:

¨Y sucederá en los últimos días, dice Dios, que derramare de mi espíritu sobre toda carne y sus hijos y sus hijas profetizaran, sus jovenes eran cisiones y sus ancianos soñaran sueños y au sobre mis siervos y sobre mis derivas derramare de mi espíritu en esos días, y profetizaran.¨ (Hechos 2:17-18)

Al citar este pasaje de Joel, Pedro claramente cree que está viviendo en los “últimos días,” un sentimiento que comparten muchos hoy en día. Pedro describe luego el camino hacia la fe: ¨Arrepiéntanse y sean bautizados cada uno de ustedes en el nombre de Jesucristo para perdón de sus pecados, y recibirán el don del Espíritu Santo.¨ (Hechos 2:38) Esto sugiere que el Espíritu Santo es a la vez signo y sello de la fe y, con ella, de la salvación. En cierto sentido, el término que el apóstol Juan utiliza para referirse al Espíritu Santo, el Paráclito, o en español, el Consolador, encarna ambas ideas.

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1 Jue 3:10, 11:29, 13:25, 14:6, 19, 15:14, 1 Sam 10:6, 16:13, 19:9, 2 Sam 23:2, 1 R 22:24, 2 R 2:16, 2 Cr 18:23, 20:14, Isa 11:2, 40:7, 13, 59:19, 63:14, Eze 11:5, Os 13:15, Miq 2:7 y 3:8.

El Espíritu Santo en Lucas y Hechos
Vea También:
Una Guía Cristiana a la Espiritualidad
Vida en Tensión
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Soule on Deep POV

Sherry A. Soule. 2016. The Writer’s Guide to Deep POV: Create Realistic Characters, Settings, and Descriptions. Sacramento: FWT.

Review by Stephen W. Hiemstra

One of my goals for 2017 is to upgrade the quality of my writing. While I primarily write nonfiction, even nonfiction Christian writing includes significant storytelling and memoir is sometimes described as narrative nonfiction, both of which suggest that the line between fiction and nonfiction writing blurs more than occasionally. An important challenge in traversing the fiction and nonfiction boundary is learning to show rather than tell emotions, descriptions, and character development, which is often described as deep point of view (or just deep POV) writing.

Introduction

In her new book, The Writer’s Guide to Deep POV, Sherry Soule writes:

“Deep POV is just describing everything that your character is feeling, observing, and identifying, along with whatever they’re seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling…” (4)

Deep Point of View

The point of deep POV is to remove the narrator and reduce narrative distance to bring the reader closer to the actual experience of the characters (8). She offers four tips in implementing deep POV:

“Writers should try to reduce as many filtering references as they can from their writing. Words such as felt, saw, heard, smelled, and notices…Naming the emotion can become a bad habit….Be more specific when describing places, settings, people, clothing, objects, cars, etc. so you don’t create a weak visual…One way to rid your fiction of shallow writing is to use the ‘look through the camera lens’ method…[so that everything] is perceived through that POV.” (10-11)

While she admits that there are times when telling can pick up the pace in your writing, anytime that you can rewrite to show rather than tell you should do it. (12) Deep POV offers: “the reader direct access to the character’s moods, emotions, and perceptions.” (13) Showing the character’s reactions and views is what Soule sees as revealing a character’s true voice. (49) For the author, deep POV is the focus of revision work.

Use of Examples

At its core, The Writer’s Guide to Deep POV is a how-to book inventorying the different ways that deep POV can be used and illustrating its use in paired examples. Typically, Soule offers a SHALLOW example of a paragraph or series of paragraphs followed by a DEEP POV example of the same material. These DEEP POV examples are taken from her own published work, while the SHALLOW examples are presumably taken from an earlier draft. While this method may be tedious to read, it offers the aspiring author a cookbook of examples to study when writing in any part of the inventory covered.

Fatigue

For example, in her chapter on fatigue, Soule writes:

“When your character is tired or fatigued, I would show the character’s mental and physical exhaustion through Deeper POV. I realize that it is much simpler to just state that a character is drowsy or that a character looks exhausted, but I think it is much more fun to show the reader instead—don’t you?” (107)

Some of the “physical signs of exhaustion” she lists are: “loud yawning, heaving eyelids, droopy eyelids, weakness in limbs, cannot concentrate…” (108)

Example of Fatigue

After this, one of her examples for fatigue was:

“SHALLOW: Dan looked sleepy and he fell asleep in class. He started snoring loudly. The teacher got mad and woke him up.

DEEP POV: Dan’s breathing slowed and his eyelids grew heavy. He rested his head on the desk and his eye’s closed. He must’ve been snoring, because the teacher shook him awake.” (109)

After such short examples of SHALLOW and DEEP POV writing, Soule often offers more lengthy examples running for several paragraphs. Much of her book consists of roughly 30 short chapters of 5-6 pages each taking this basic format of explanation, physical signs, and shallow/Deep POV examples. The inventory covers description, character development, emotions, and other places where an experienced writer should employ deep POV.

Assessment

Sherry Soule describes herself as a bestselling author, editor, publisher, and writing coach, where her fiction writing focuses on urban fantasy, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. Her book, The Writer’s Guide to Deep POV, remains one of seven books in a nonfiction series entitled: Fiction Writing Tools. Judging from this volume, the rest of the series is certainly worth a look.

Footnotes

@SherrySoule, http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com.

Soule on Deep POVAlso see:Wilbers Outlines the Keys to Great Writing and Then Some The Christian Memoir Karr Voices Memoir Clearly Books, Films, and MinistryOther ways to engage online:Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/sprng_2025, Signup

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Shekinah: Monday Monologues (podcast), April 7, 2025

 By Stephen W. Hiemstra

This morning I will share a prayer and reflect on the Shekinah Cloud. After listening, please click here to take a brief listener survey (10 questions).

To listen, click on this link.

Hear the words; Walk the steps; Experience the joy!

Shekinah: Monday Monologues (podcast), April 7, 2025
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:



Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com




Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/sprng_2025, Signup
 
 

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Shekinah Prayer

By Stephen W. Hiemstra

Almighty Father,

All praise and honor, power and dominion, truth and justice are yours because you have guided us through the ages and invited us to faith for your name’s sake.

We confess that we have not always heeded your invitation or even called on your name when we get into trouble. Do not forget us.

Thank you for the gift of faith, your Shekinah Cloud, and the fellowship of your spirit and the church. Be ever near.

In the power of your Holy Spirit, guide through troubled times and guard our hearts when we grow weak. May we always return to you.

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Shekinah Prayer
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:



Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com




Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/sprng_2025, Signup
 

 

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Oración Shekinah

Por Stephen W. Hiemstra

Padre Todopoderoso,

Tuyos son toda la alabanza y el honor, el poder y el dominio, la verdad y la justicia, porque nos has guiado a través de los siglos y nos has invitado a la fe por amor a tu nombre.

Confesamos que no siempre hemos atendido a tu invitación o incluso invocado tu nombre cuando nos metemos en problemas. No nos olvides ni nos sometas a una maldición inútil (Deut 28:30; Hillers 1964, 78-79).

Gracias por el don de la fe, tu nube Shekinah y la comunión de tu espíritu con la iglesia. Mantente siempre cerca.

Con el poder de tu Espíritu Santo, guíanos en los momentos difíciles y protege nuestros corazones cuando nos debilitamos. Que siempre podamos regresar a ti.

En el precioso nombre de Jesús, Amén.

Oración Shekinah
Vea También:
Una Guía Cristiana a la Espiritualidad
Vida en Tensión
Otras Formas de Interactuar en Línea:

Sitio Web del Autor:  http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Sitio Web del Editor:  http://www.T2Pneuma.com


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Old Testament Images

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, 

because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; 

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, 

to proclaim liberty to the captives, 

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

(Isa 61:1)

By Stephen W. Hiemstra

The Holy Spirit is alive and well in the Old Testament. Because the Holy Spirit is the agent of God’s work in his creation, it is helpful to recognize two distinct Old Testament characteristics: Examples of the Holy Spirit’s manifestation and embodiment. I use the term, manifestation of the Holy Spirit, to capture a pattern of action while the Holy Spirit’s embodiment suggests a symbol or joint participation of the spirit and a person. Both are important in scripture as God’s agency in his creation is described.

Manifestations of the Holy Spirit

The first characteristic of the Holy Spirit is manifestation. The Holy Spirit’s footloose nature is manifest in at least two patterns in the Old Testament that display responses to God’s invitation of faith. The first manifestation is seen in Abraham’s call to faith:

“Now the LORD said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen 12:1-3)

Abraham must leave behind all sources of security in the ancient world—country, tribe, and family—to respond to God’s call. Abraham’s faith is displayed in a physical, not verbal, response to this call. God’s election becomes obvious in both blessings and curses to prosper and protect Abraham. Evidence of Abraham’s election arises in his sharing of God’s blessings with others.

For those who refuse the invitation of faith, a second manifestation can be seen:

“And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God has driven you, and return to the LORD your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you.” (Deut 30:1-3)

For those who refuse faith, there is the curse of scattering, an echo of the curse of Cain (Gen 3:14). Here the pattern is: collective sin, scattering and enslavement, crying out to the Lord, and the sending of a deliverer. Walter Brueggemann (2016, 59) describes this pattern as the Deuteronomic Cycle.

These two manifestations are repeated throughout scripture and represent two responses to God’s invitation of faith. All are called; not all respond. One way or the other, through the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit: “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.” (Isa 45:23)

Embodiment of the Holy Spirit

The second characteristic of the Holy Spirit is embodiment. The first person to embody the Holy Spirit is likely Abel, the righteous son of Adam and Eve. Scripture does not actually say that Abel was embodied with the Holy Spirit, but is a keeper of sheep and provided worship that God found acceptable( Gen 4:2-5). His brother, Cain, was a farmer and, later, a city-builder. After Cain killed Abel out of jealousy, God cursed Cain to be a wanderer, and Adam and Eve had a third son, Seth, who replaced Abel as the righteous son (Gen 4:25-26). The genealogy in Genesis 11:10-27 shows Abraham to be a direct descendent of Shem.

Melchizedek is thought by some to be another name for Seth who also directly passed on blessings to Abraham. Abraham responded by offering a tithe (Gen 14:18-20) suggesting that Abraham both had and embraced the status of the righteous lineage, which required no further anointing of the Holy Spirit. This lineage traces through Isaac and Joseph. Each member of this righteous lineage has a direct relationship with God that is then passed onto the Nation of Israel.

This righteous lineage history lays the groundwork for charismatic leadership where the spiritual legacy of the Holy Spirit takes the form of messianic leaders, those anointed with oil and the laying on of hands. Messianic titles include: priests, prophets, and kings. The title, Christ, is a Greek translation of the Hebrew word, messiah.

The Special Role of Moses

Leadership in Israel went to Joseph bypassing Simeon and Levi (the first and second born sons of Jacob) because of their role in the bloodshed after the rape of their sister Dinah (Gen 34). Because Moses was of the tribe of Levi (Exod 2:1) he was not of the righteous lineage. This is ironic because the tribe of Levi became priests under Moses’ leadership. Nevertheless, God called Moses personally to lead the Nation of Israel out of Egypt (Exod 3:1-10).

Moses embodied the Holy Spirit on account of his personal relationship with God. As Moses led the Nation of Israel out of Egypt and into the desert, we read:

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.” (Exod 13:21)

The Holy Spirit is embodied here in a “pillar of cloud” often referred to as the Shekinah cloud, where Shekinah is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for divine presence. The Shekinah cloud is also seen hanging over Mount Sinai with the giving of the law (Exod 19)) and over the Tabernacle (Num 9:15), the antecedent of the Temple built in Jerusalem by Solomon.

The Temple in Jerusalem

The anointing of the Holy Spirit in Old Testament is given to charismatic leaders and, on one occasion, to 70 leaders of the Nation of Israel (Num 11:25), an antecedent of the founding of the church at Pentecost (Acts 2). The founding of the Temple in Jerusalem started not with the Holy Spirit, but with King David wanting to move the Tabernacle to Jerusalem and replace it with a temple.

God was not altogether pleased with David’s idea of building a temple:

“In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” (2 Sam 7:7)

Building a temple in the ancient world was a way to control access to the gods and was typically an instrument of nation-building and kingly rule. God forbid David from building a temple because he spent most of his life at war, but conceded that his son, Solomon, could build this temple.

When Solomon built the temple and dedicated it, it was filled with the Shekinah glory of God (2 Chr 7:1). This was the first Temple of Jerusalem that was later destroyed by the Babylonians (2 Kgs 25:9). A second Temple of Jerusalem was built by the exiles returning from Babylon 70 years later (Ezr 3). 

The idea that God’s throne is in heaven suggests that the status of temples as an embodiment of the Holy Spirit has always been problematic (Ps 11:4). This problematic embodiment reaches a highpoint with the crucifixion of Jesus when temple veil was torn (Matt 27:51) and the Temple in Jerusalem was again destroyed in AD 70 by the Romans.

Old Testament Images
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:



Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com




Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/sprng_2025, Signup
 

 

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