Forgiveness... freedom.

“Forgiveness made me free from hatred. I still have many scars on my body and severe pain most days but my heart is cleansed. Napalm is very powerful, but faith, forgiveness, and love are much more powerful. We would not have war at all if everyone could learn how to live with true love, hope, and forgiveness. If that little girl in the picture can do it, ask yourself: Can you?”

— Kim Phúc, NPR in 2008 (a Vietnamese-Canadian best known as the child subject of a Pulitzer Prize winning photograph taken during the Vietnam War on June 8, 1972. The iconic photo taken in Trang Bang by AP photographer Nick Ut shows her at about age nine running naked on a road after being severely burned on her back by a South Vietnamese napalm attack.)

from Lowell

Let go and let God.
One day at a time.
First things first.
Live and let live.
Time takes time.
Cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.
Live life on life's terms.
You can't think your way into a new way of living... you have to live your way into a new way of thinking.
Your worth should never depend on another person's opinion.
Learn to listen and listen to learn.
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Feelings are not facts.
Progress, not perfection.
Keep it simple.
This too shall pass.
Easy does it.
Keep coming back.

From Lowell's blog...

Our duty is to respond humbly to what God has given us, and expect to see God's presence and grace in the unexpected circumstances and people.

S Y N C R E T I S M

"I see syncretism as a first step in moving beyond religion toward spiritual practice. Eventually we will realize that God is unknowable, so creed is untenable. What matters is how compassionate and just we are. Those religious ideas and practices that enhance our capacity for compassion and justice will become part of our lives, regardless of the religion from which they come. And to that I say, Amen."

-- Rabbi Rami Shapiro

...and this coming from a Jew? There is hope and it is good!

Summer Reflections

I have finished my reading assignments for the year: EfM Year 1.

I love to read Lowell Grisham's blog (see this page for a link). Today I read the following:

Rabbi Shapiro suggests that there are "three major phases of life." After we have spent some time, usually some considerable time, achieving some degree of financial success, most people find that pursuit unsatisfying, and shift into a second phase of accumulating -- this time "accumulating spiritual things the way you used to accumulate material ones. You 'collect' gurus, seminars, retreats, and mystical experiences in pursuit of the next spiritual high."

He says that this second phase of spiritual accumulation eventually "proves unsatisfying, and you enter the third phase -- divestment. You simplify your life externally and internally. You stop chasing gurus and focus on those few people who really matter to you. You stop shopping for enlightenment and make peace with not-knowing. You realize that life isn't a question to be answered or a problem to be solved but a gift to be enjoyed, both in solitude and with loving friends. The first two phases are hard work. The third is pure play."

I took a moment to look up this Rabbi Rami Shapiro and found:

"Organized religion is sane and not silly when read as myth and poetry rather than science and law. Religion speaks nonsense when taken literally, but reveals some of the deepest truths of humankind when understood mythically, poetically, and even allegorically—that is when it is read with an active and creative imagination."

Excellent stuff! I am now a follower if Rabbi Shapiro's blog.

Chapter 34 - Wisdom & Apocalyptic Literature

Wisdom Literature: common to many Near and Middle Eastern cultures.
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job

Apocalyptic Literature: Alexander the Great, Syria, great changes for Judah.

The mind of the wise may perceive wisdom, but wisdom herself issues only from YHWH.

Proverbs...
Ecclesiastes...
Job...

Job addresses the "good things happen to bad people and bad thing happen to good people" - Punishment and reward are beyond comprehension. We continue to wrestle with justice and obedience - ethics and religion are bound together. More than moralistic bookkeeping.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrates the temple - revolt. From Wikipedia, "What began in many respects as a civil war escalated when the Hellenistic kingdom of Syria sided with the Hellenizing Jews in their conflict with the traditionalists. As the conflict escalated, Antiochus took the side of the Hellenizers by prohibiting the religious practices the traditionalists had rallied around. This may explain why the king, in a total departure from Seleucid practice in all other places and times, banned the traditional religion of a whole people"

Aristotle: supreme essence or "Being Itself" - which we might call "God" - but without name or specific cultus.

YHWH - anthropomorphic and constantly involved in the activities of humankind - obedience

Greek tolerance posed a great threat. It made the stubborn insistence of Judaism on the supremacy and jealousy of an old tribal deity look naive.

Pogrom - term dates from Czarist Russia but the practice dates from Antiochus Epiphanes (Epimanes).

Judas the "Maccabee" or "Maccabeus" - Chanukkah/Hanukkah - defeat of the Syrian force in Jerusalem and re-dedication of the temple.

Chasidism groups: quiet piety, interpretation of torah, apocalyptic writers.
Pharisees - expanded oral tradition of interpretation of the torah
Sadducees - literal interpretation

Apocalyptic - to uncover or to reveal - outgrowth of the wisdom tradition

The Book of Daniel: two parts - a series of six narratives (chapters one to six) and four apocalyptic visions (chapters seven to twelve).

The phrase 'son of man' is a primarily Semitic idiom that originated in Ancient Mesopotamia, used to denote humanity or self. The phrase is also used in Judaism and Christianity. The word used in the Greek, translated as Son of man is ἀνθρώπου, Anthropos. The Book of Daniel's use of the phrase son of man is different because it describes an event of eternal significance.[4] Parts of the text originally written in Aramaic, this portion of the volume deals with a vision attributed to the author about "the times of the end": Daniel 7:13-14 The expression occurs 82 times in the four Gospels, and is used only in the sayings of Jesus. It only occurs four times in other New Testament books.

Common theme: "the historical accuracy of the story has no bearing on its theological thrust."

During and after the Exile, under the influence of Babylonian and Persian systems of belief, a great change becomes noticeable in the angelic lore of the Jews. The more the monotheistic idea took hold of the people—permitting no being to interfere with the absolute supremacy of YHWH—the greater became the need of personifying the working forces of life, and of grouping them in ranks around the throne of God to form His royal court. His transcendent nature demanded a more definite system of heavenly functionaries attending Him and awaiting His commands. Gradually the celestial government was formed after the pattern of the earthly one, as it presented itself, imposing and well organized, at the Persian court. (http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1521&letter=A interesting reading)

Eschatology - eschaton - last things

First clear statement of resurrection: Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Successive world ages
One like a human being
Symbolism involving numbers and beasts
Supernaturally determined future
Woes of the time immediately preceding the end
Last judgment and resurrection
Developing angelology

The effect of the rise of apocalyptic on the formation of the NT can hardly be overstated.

Chapter 33 - The Psalter

One hundred and fifty psalms

Difficulty in dating individual psalms

Hymns of praise or laments

Often laments can turn into songs of praise

Divided into five books

Psalm 22: did the early Christians find this psalm fit the actual details of Jesus' death or was the story shaped by the details of the psalm.

Psalm 58: The psalm is not a "fight song" after which the participants go out and wreak vengeance themselves... (except in modern-day Israel when dealing with the Palestinians) Why can't we have the words of our faith in our hearts which we take into the world instead of leaving the words in holy books or in holy places? I look at what our nation and other nations have done - nations that consider themselves to be Christian or Jewish. Let's complain to God - give God all our grievances and then leave it at that - the vengeance, the punishment is God's; not ours.

Use of the psalms by early Christians... the early church.

Chapter 32 - The Restoration

I and II Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Third Isaiah, Ruth, Jonah... this might be a big chapter!

Even though they were free to return home, many stayed because of the prosperity of Babylon.

Life in the new Jerusalem: exclusive and nationalistic - how horrible.

The P version of history began while in exile.

Read and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the following sequence:

1. Ezra 1, 2:1-70 6. Neh 1:1-7:5

2. Neh 7:6-73a 7. Neh 11-13

3. Ezra 3:1-4:6 8. Neh 9:38-10:39

4. Ezra 4:24-6:22 9. Ezra 7-10

5. Ezra 4:7-23 10. Neh 8:1-9:37

Second Isaiah -> Cyrus "the annointed"
Haggai -> Zerubbabel, the Messiah
Apocalyptic Literature -> Messiah mysterious "a role no historical figure could possibly fill"
Zechariah -> Joshua receives the crown of the Messiah. Originally the name was almost certianly Zerubbabel. Not apocalyptic.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Isaiah 58 - Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Horrible text from Isaiah 63: I [YWHW] trampled them [Edomites] in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.

One of my favorite images: The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD. (Isaiah 65)

"The Jews to whom Third Isaiah was addressed might not have perceived an inconsistency between bloody triumphalism and a vision of peace" <- sounds like today's Israel, eh?

I keep seeing hints that the difference between Israelites and Gentiles must disappear in the fullness of Israel and yet it seem that, with the flourish of fundamentalism, the perceived differences between all peoples is being underlined. God help us all.

Isaiah 61: The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.

Luke 4: Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Damn! This one gets me into trouble, eh? [Ezra] "You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel's guilt. Now make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives." ... " All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives." I guess my name would have been on that list.

Is "narrowness of purpose" and "exclusiveness" acceptable (justifiable) if it saves the faith from syncretism?

Voices lamenting the exclusiveness: Ruth and Jonah

Chapter 31 - The Second Isaiah

Persian King Cyrus - Babylon god: Marduk
Nabonidus - moon-gad: Sin

Second Isaiah - hears news of Cyrus, the liberal ruler. Writes from 550-540 BCE

Finally: "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God."

Handel’s Messiah:
(1) Overture.
(2) Isaiah 40:1-3 “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned ...“
“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord) make straight in the desert a highway for our God”.
(3) Isaiah 40:4 “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain"
(4) Isaiah 40:5 “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it”.

Error in the text: 48:18-20 should read 40:18-20 (page 538)

It's a fine line, eh? We were taken into exile not because their gods are greater than our God but because our God wanted it. Sounds suspicious to me. We went into exile because we were bad not because your armies were stronger. Because we were bad God made our armies weak and yours strong. Hmmm... yeah, yeah.

"Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see!" - reminds me of Jesus and some of the things he did. Were Jesus' acts to be taken literally or a continuation of this concept: we see and we hear but we don't get it... we don't understand.

I struggle with this: present circumstances reflect the righteous judgment of God. I look around me today and see bad things happening to good people and good things happening to bad people and I can't believe that this reflects the righteous judgment of God.

YHWH will give Egypt and Ethiopia and Seba in ransom for Israel. I struggle with this too. Unless, to the Egyptians, God says, "I will give Ethiopia and Seba and Israel in ransom for Egypt." ...and to the Ethiopians God says, "I will give Egypt and Seba and Israel in ransom for Ethiopia." ... and to the people of Seba God says, "I will give Egypt and Ethiopia and Israel in ransom for Seba." As, in my eyes, we are all part of God's creation. Get over yourselves Israel!

This is good: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

In Hebrew the word for "word" and the word for "deed" are the same. Well, this is significant. If I once new this I had forgotten it. So God's words are deeds.

The Servant. Establishing justice but gently. The Servant will establish a way of life and will provide teachings that will bring about life. (Sounds like Jesus)

Exiles, Servant, suffering, sin-offering, glorification because of suffering, bore the sin of many... WOW. This language is familiar.

Suffering: a medium of salvation. Only through the suffering of the righteous. The unrighteous cannot be the means of salvation for themselves. Interesting...

It is only by reading the Old Testament that we begin to understand the New Testament.

More Servant: Servant's task is given by God, Servant's task may involve suffering, this suffering will be for the many, Servant is a light to the nations.

The Messiah (kingly) and the Servant (intercessory) are separate images. It is Jesus who brings them together: Who do you say that I am? The Messiah. The Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected.

Chapter 30 - Ezekiel

More gloomy oracles? More destruction? Can't wait...

Individual Responsibility: revolutionary concept.

Part I - 1-24: visions/prophecies against Jerusalem
Part II - 25-32: oracles against foreign nations
Part III - 33-48: oracles of hope for return and reconstruction

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

He is given pastoral responsibility for God's people. He must warn others or he is guilty.

This is some strange stuff:
"Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel. After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year."

Although the elders remain PUBLICLY loyal to YHWH, in SECRET, perhaps within an actual secret sanctuary, these leaders of Israel worship the animal-like gods of Egypt. - perhaps the "secret sanctuary" is their hearts, their minds. But YHWH has access to everything.

Wonderful story (parable):
"Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised. Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, "Live!" I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare. Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD. But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur. You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. Also the food I provided for you—the fine flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat—you offered as fragrant incense before them."

Big OUCH: "So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you." (a whore who pays her tricks)

New mood for the community that returns: penitential, concern for atonement for sin: sin-offerings, guilt-offerings. Sacrifice: pain and loss.

Individuals experienced their worth and followed out their destiny only as members of a family, tribe, clan, or nation. Guilt of the individual could become the corporate guilt of the nation.

The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.

The change in the direction determines: turning from one to the other (from righteousness or to righteousness)

Those in Jerusalem not taken into exile cannot depend on the righteousness of previous generations. Those in exile complaining about the actions of previous generations that have resulted in their exile should look to their own lives.

Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Reconstruction of the new temple - the new temple should be the human heart.

Ezekiel 34:11-16:
I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

I was reminded of Psalm 23 as I read the above:
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me....

The Valley of the Dry Bones: the resurrection/restoration of a dead community.

Detail plans for the temple: "I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man's hand was six long cubits, each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high. Then he went to the gate facing east. He climbed its steps and measured the threshold of the gate; it was one rod deep. The alcoves for the guards were one rod long and one rod wide, and the projecting walls between the alcoves were five cubits thick. And the threshold of the gate next to the portico facing the temple was one rod deep. Then he measured the portico of the gateway; it was eight cubits deep and its jambs were two cubits thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple.... . . . . . . " I was very disappointed when I read this. It shows me that they still didn't get it. It's not a physical temple made out of stones that counts it is the human temple in the hearts of the people.

A legal code was read to the people but it was not Ezekiel's code. Ezekiel differs from the norm of the Torah. Censorship... regulations forbidding anyone under 30 from reading the book. Hmmm...

Chapter 29 - Jeremiah and the Fall of Jerusalem

More doom... *heavy sigh*

Jeremiah lived during the reign of Josiah...

From wikipedia: "Nebuchadnezzar engaged in several military campaigns designed to increase Babylonian influence in Syria and Judah. An attempted invasion of Egypt in 601 BC was met with setbacks, however, leading to numerous rebellions among the states of the Levant, including Judah. Nebuchadnezzar soon dealt with these rebellions, capturing Jerusalem in 597 BC and deposing King Jeconiah, then in 587 BC due to rebellion, destroying both the city and the temple, and deporting many of the prominent citizens along with a sizable portion of the Jewish population of Judea to Babylon.[6] These events are described in the Prophets (Nevi'im) and Writings (Ketuvim), sections of the Hebrew Bible (in the books 2 Kings and Jeremiah, and 2 Chronicles, respectively)."

Ishmael and the rebels kill the governor, flee into Egypt taking Jeremiah, and flourish eventually responsible for the creation of the Septuagint.

The abuse of Jeremiah: in stocks, behind bars, down a cistern, sent to Egypt.

Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease? (assuming that God inevitably brings a curse to disobedience and a blessing to obedience)

Jeremiah lets it all come out: "Therefore, give their children over to famine
and deliver them up to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless and widowed. Let their men also be smitten to death, their young men struck down by the sword in battle. May an outcry be heard from their houses, when You suddenly bring raiders upon them; for they have dug a pit to capture me and hidden snares for my feet. Yet You, O LORD, know all their deadly designs against me; do not forgive their iniquity or blot out their sin from Your sight but may they be overthrown before You; Deal with them in the time of Your anger!" (ouch)

Interesting opportunity here: The people are being hauled off to Babylon (now I have Bob Marley running through my head - oh well...). The people have become very attached to their land (country and city) and their temple. They should be attached to their God. The exile forces them to understand this: YHWH is not restricted to a place. YHWH will go with them and be with them wherever they go... even into Babylon.

The Law will be an inner reality, instead of an external code. ...an inner reality ...an external code. ...and external code: In God We Trust? ...an inner reality: respect the dignity of every person.

"Israel would never again be coterminous with any political unit or geographical area." -> until post-WWII when the new Israel is created. (I may sound anti-Israeli but I am more frustrating with their actions than anything)

Chapter 28 - The Deuteronomic Reform

Micah and the Book of Deuteronomy

Micah and Isaiah contemporaries. Micah from the country and Isaiah from the city.

The evil is in the cities: Samaria was responsible for the fall of Israel and Jerusalem is responsible for the sin of Judah.

Micah could be talking about the people of Wall Street: big business USA.

to do justice, to love kindness, to walk humbly with your God... sounds so simple.

Chapters 12-26 - archaeological discovery? The Book of the Law. It speaks to current conditions.

The speaking of an oracle versus the written word. The Lord was in the moment and now said to be in the written words. "Shattering significance"

Passover - ceased to be observed. Hard to imagine this. Passover is reestablished.

Book of Deuteronomy:
1. introduction 1-11
2. Deut. Code 12-26
3. appendix 27-30
4. continuation of the story of Israelite's march to Canaan 31-34

Probably from the north (displaced Israelites) into Judah. Probably based on older material.

Deuteronomy, "the gospel of the Old Testament" - often quoted in the New Testament.

Moses is speaking to the people of today: the covenant is not an event long past but a present relationship.

Sabbath: because of creation or because of redemption? Judaism becomes a religion in which social justice, equity, and decency occupy a central position (except when dealing with Palestinians in their own country)

6:4-5 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד - Shema Yisra'el YHWH Eloheinu YHWH Echad

The Gospel of Mark 12:29 mentions that Jesus considered the Shema the beginning exhortation of the first of his two greatest commandments: "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one." (NIV).

Necessity for purity: Israel must not be contaminated with the religions of other lands. Israel is commanded to destroy utterly the nations she finds in the land of Canaan (modern Israel is doing its best to carry this out - how sad)

Older law is stated in its original form and then amended to fit the new Deut. scheme.

The monarchy in ancient Israel was 'constitutional' where the Torah was the constitution and God was the King of Kings.

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach... No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.

Chapter 27 - Isaiah of Jerusalem

Amos and Hosea in the northern kingdom and, somewhat later, Isaiah and Micah in the southern kingdom.

Moral decay, oppression of the poor, arrogance of the wealthy...

Historical context: II Kings 15:1-20:19 (In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign...)

Syro-Ephraimitic War - war between Judah and the allies, Syria and Ephraim (Israel)

Ahaz (Judah) asks for Assyria's assistance against the Syro-Ephraimitic alliance and becomes a vassal of Assyria. Hoshea (Israel) wants an alliance with Egypt but Assyria (Shalmaneser) takes out Israel first... puts an end to Israel as a separate nation forever.

The Samaritans become a symbol to Jews of all that is vile, polluted, and contemptible and yet Samaria was the capital of Israel. Samaritans are neither Israelites nor pagans.

Hezekiah does a cleaning... religious reforms, high places torn down, Canaanite symbols destroyed, etc.

Isaiah: chapters 1-39, 40-55, 56-66 = I Isaiah, II Isaiah, III Isaiah

I Isaiah - pre-exilic writings

1st major division:1-12, 2nd major division: 13-23, 3rd major division: 28-31 - 24-27 an apocalyptic section from later, 34-36, 36-39 a Deut. history that duplicates II Kings 18:13-20:19.

...The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand. Stupid people!

Ah, sinful nation, a people loaded with guilt, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! Bad people!

Why should you be beaten anymore? <- I've been whacking on you for some time now but it ain't getting through.

Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

parthenos versus almah - virgin versus young woman

The gift of a son - this one, unlike the one who was born of the "young woman," is a messianic figure. Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace - God made flesh? No.

Interesting to read this through Jewish eyes instead of Christian eyes.

YHWH is the reason for being and YHWH is the one whom we should trust.

No reference to the covenant with Moses. All attention directed to the covenant with David.

Chapter 26 - Amos and Hosea

I keep reading the title and wanting to say "Amos and Andy" ...oh well.

The role of prophecy - an ethical dimension - denouncing social injustices.

Religious syncretism. Religious syncretism!

God's justice demands the destruction of the people, but God's love for them invigorates a hope for their salvation.

Israel gets a major slap in the face: oppressions of the poor, violation of the family, wholesale social immorality... profanation of religious acts.

There are showy displays of religiosity for all to see... worship for the glorification of the people... scrupulously correct worship done in a spirit of blasphemy...

To seek YHWH means to seek justice and righteousness...

Some things never seem to change: let's put the word GOD on our money and in our public lives and let's put scripture here and there but justice and righteousness? Pffft.... as long as I have my health care I don't want to pay more taxes for someone else to have health care.

Prepare to meet you God! It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear!

I cannot stand your assemblies... I will not accept your offerings... I will have no regard for your offerings... I will not listen to the music of your harps...

But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Pretty harsh stuff here.

Amos doesn't hold back anything: 'Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagan country. And Israel will certainly go into exile, away from their native land.'

As I read this I was reminded of how much we like to quote scripture that proves our point and how much we tend to ignore scripture that might actually have something to tell us.

Amos slams the Capitalists: "When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?" — skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat.

The above makes me think of recent Wall Street activities.

So YHWH will tear it all down in order to build it all back up again.

"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. I will bring back my exiled [g] people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the LORD your God. <- although these are not the words of Amos.

* * * Hosea * * *

Idolatry is evil not simply because it is idolatry but because of the moral BLINDNESS it produces in the people.

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
...it was I who healed them...and bent down to feed them...all my compassion is aroused...
I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man — the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.

God's grace.

Chapter 25 - Elijah and Elisha

...brought to Judah by Israelites fleeing from the Assyrians.

Micaiah - oracle (inquire) "religious sanction for a political move"

Call
Speech
Action
Inspiration

Elijah, ranked second only to Moses.

YHWH is to come to the people to reclaim them, to establish himself as God and to turn their hearts back (repentance).

Elijah and Fire.

Elisha as Elijah's successor.

YHWH reaching outside of Judah and Israel to other nations: Syria.

Elijah & Elisha: prophets of the 9th century
Amos & Hosea: prophets of the 8th century

Hmmm... I expected more from a chapter about these two guys. I confess I am disappointed.

Chapter 24 - The Divided Kingdom

"In reading the book of Kings, we encounter an interpretation of events which sees all that happens to the nation as the result of its faithfulness or unfaithfulness to YHWH."


Solomon...

- breaks down tribal loyalties
- defines twelve administrative districts
- builds national structure
- imposes unbearable burdens on the people for the support of the royal court

Contrast: David versus Solomon

"The narrator cannot imagine that anything as important as ... could occur for merely political reasons or because of the foolishness of one imprudent individual."

IT MUST BE GOD'S WILL!

North - tribal - conservative. South - monarchy or "royal theology" - novelty.

What kinds of changes are necessary and permissible to preserve religious heritage in the face of changing circumstances?

Chapter 23 - David The King

(I have fallen behind on my reading and posting)

I am "enjoying" this chapter. I can relate the concepts of Father & Son and King and People to Christian meanings. YHWH & David and the YHWH & Solomon. Interesting to watch how the realities of life (politics - monarchy) interfere with the theology.

Love the physical temple versus temple in the hearts of the people discussion. God's people on the march versus Israel, the preservers of an immovable and changeless shrine. Is this modern Israel's current problem?

The house was wrong for David but it is in order for Solomon: theological shifts.

Good reading

Chapter 22 - Saul and David

Northern tribes: Saul (Benjamin)
Southern tribes: David (Judah)

(David & Saul) Least of the sons...

God picks David because of his heart but then it didn't hurt that David was ruddy, had beautiful eyes, and was handsome...

Jesus is suppose to be a descendant of the house of David.

Sometimes I get tired of the "this version says this and that version says that and we are not sure what it all means" repetition in the Old Testament.

It seems to come down to, if you were of this tribe you told this story and it was favorable story but if you were from that tribe you told that story and it was unfavorable and it is all suppose to be the story of the people of God?

The stories of the peoples of God appear to tell us that the peoples of God could never agree on much.

There are some good stories though... the conflict between Jonathan and Saul caused by their relationship with David. Jonathan is "throwing away" his inheritance (the throne) because of his love of David.

Isn't it rather presumptuous to believe that YHWH wanted this event or anointed that person?

Chapter 21 - Samuel and Saul

The tribes become a nation. This is pretty global - not just a story of Israel.

A political union rooted in the covenant with YHWH - the beginning of a just and loving God (in my opinion not yet totally there in the Old Testament)

* * How can the fundamental character of an original religious experience be preserved when the conditions which gave birth to that experience are significantly altered? * *

Could the gospel, with its roots in the faith of the Hebrew scriptures, be expressed in the terms of gentile culture without losing its fundamental meaning?

How does a faith in opposition to the state religion become the state religion without losing its essential identity?

* * How can any religious community develop the institutional organization it needs to preserve its identity throughout the passage of time, and still remain open to God's direct inspiration and guidance? * *

Samuel... Saul... Philistines... Jonathan...

Early source: Saul favorable "Saul Source"
Late source: Saul unfavorable "Samuel source"

Saul's imposing an oath of fasting on his troops... what was he thinking? A curse on anyone who breaks the fast?

So what does Jonathan do? No! Jonathan! Don't eat that... oops... too late.

Jonathan, "What was dad thinking? What a stupid thing to order. If the troops don't eat then they can't fight - duh."

Good comparison of Jonathan and Saul.

...may be seen as an example of the thoroughness of later writers in their attempts to discredit Saul. Nice. Wonderful. Holy books, eh?

To obey is better than to sacrifice. To obey is better than religious activities.

Chapter 20 - No King in Israel

(concludes Judges and begins I Samuel)

"It seems to be a recurring feature of religious life that practices which at the outset are characteristic of the entire religious group tend eventually to devolve on a particular "professional" order with in the group."

"It is probably a mistake to label the moments of diffused spontaneity as "good" and those of ordered regularity as "bad." They represent a tension that is inevitable, and each has its merits and its dangers."

Samuel straddles both the period of the judges and the beginning of the monarchy.

Luke's Jesus and Samuel: parallels.

The whole "turning from YHWH to the Baals" is interesting. Don't you think we all tend to do that - consciously or unconsciously?

"...and certainly then as now a religious gathering could easily ignite a political revolution."

"The suffering of the innocent and the success of the unrighteous became problems with which the Israelite theology would wrestle."

constituting a purposeful dialogue of call and response ... without negating the freedom and responsibility of humankind. Not a puppet theater.

God and people respond with 'yea' or 'nay' - hmmm...

Chapter 19 - The Judges

A tribal confederacy...

Israel's faithlessness to the covenant with YHWH produces evil times and disaster.

D was more a theologian using historical events to illustrate a theology than a historian deriving theological insights from the study of history.

Sin > punishment > repentance > deliverance > sin > punishment > repentance > deliverance > ...

I can't help but think about modern Israel and their military and ruthless treatment of the Palestinians as I read the stories of fighting and conquer in this chapter. Does the modern Israelite see himself or herself and waging a war against the Canaanites in the name of YHWH? How wonderful... NOT!

Favorite theme: YHWH chooses one of the weakest in Israel to confound the mighty oppressor.

YHWH orders Gideon to tear down the Baalite altar and to offer sacrifice to YHWH... wonder if the modern Israelite would like to tear down Allah altars.

(Can you tell that I am in an anti-Israeli mode right now? It happens...)

"Gideon is also set on blood revenge" <- wonderful! Can we skip to the New Testament now please?

Kingship is a betrayal of YHWH, eh? How much that will change in the years to come.

"As often happens in early Israel's popular narration of history, the one who speaks wisely, when YHWH's rule is at stake, is a woman." <- I like this.

Can't you image the Hebrews sitting around the fire telling these stories over and over again. Instead of radio or TV they probably told these stories, eh?

Wish we could hear the stories as they were before the Deuteronomist's editing. "One should probably omit..."

Still enjoy the story of Samson - image it told around a good fire some night.

Chapter 18 - The Conquest of Canaan

J and E traditions edited and embellished by P. Now comes D: from the entrance into Canaan to the fall to the Babylonians.

"...biblical practice of faithfully reproducing the sources even when they contradict the editor's viewpoint."

National Pride, Deuteronomic theology (danger of syncretism or "blending of traditions", blessing-fall-repentance-restoration cycle),
Joshua the hero (suitable successor to Moses)

To obey the law is to prosper, to disobey the law will result in failure and bad times.

Corporate guilt (Achan) and later individual responsibility

YHWH against other peoples - causing hailstones to fall and kill more than the Israelistes. We hear modern preachers attributing death and destruction to God. The tradition continues.

"The cities, vineyards, fields, and crops - these represent Israel's inheritance; they are for her use" <- explains a lot of what happened in the 2nd half of the 20th century!!!

Chapter 17 - The Book of Numbers

I enjoyed this chapter. I love a good epic tale. I like how history can be combined with legend, myth, and lore to prove a point and explain history.

Complaining, angry, revolting people and Moses is always pleading a case for them to YHWH. ...and YHWH gives in.

YHWH leads the people as they march and when they camp YHWH can be found in the middle of the camp.

So many versions of the stroies... so many conflicts in the versions... Wish we could find the original versions and better understand why we have what we have and what the intentions were of those who compliled what we have today.

Chapter 16 - Concluding Exodus

"...is so confused it is practically impossible to understand." and then
"...are also described in a way incapable of being understood."

After the Exile... it seems like much of what we have read so far was written (or edited) after the Exile in the attempt to re-establish a national identity.

God "comes down" and engages in the actrocities of humankind. (hmmm...)

In the patriarchal period the covenant was made with individuals; with Moses the covenant is finally given to Israel as a whole people. (Ah....)

God overcomes human evil and transforms it.

(I am almost caught up now)

First post from France

Now that I have internet in my room I will be able to update this thing.

My responsibility here is knowledge transfer. The technicians here who work for the French bank will soon be responsible for supporting our software that is used by the bank (Citibank-Germany) that was recently purchased. I am here as the Systematics expert. There is another person here from the Citibank technology subsidiary to explain the modifications that have been done to the Systematics software. Nelvin, the other technician, and I have a wonderful tag-team thing going where I explain how the software works or used to work coming from Little Rock and he explains how it is used today in the Citibank-Germany environment. Anyway, all this to explain how I have, every now and then, time to do other things.

This morning I have been reading Lowell's blog. Wow! If you have not read the last three or four I highly recommend them. He is on a roll. Having worked through the Genesis stories and being familiar with the New Testament, I can really appreciate Lowell's observations. Brilliant!

Look for more to come now that I am online.