This is what I do instead of homework. . .

I had a good theological conversation after dinner tonight, and at the very end when we were all tired and deciding to go back to our dorms to do homework, Mike said, "Did you know that God exalts His Word above Himself? Look it up!"

At first hearing, his statement sounds very strange. So, I did a google search first to see what people had to say about this, and hopefully find the reference. Well, it comes from Psalm 138:2. And I'm going to have to post it in several translations, because there seems to be some textual variety going on.

First, the KJV:

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

This actually says that He magnified his Word above His name, not Himself, but that is arguably the same thing.

But I immediately discovered that the ESV is slightly different:

I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.

The translators of the ESV included a footnote: "Or you have exalted your word above all your name"

Let's look at some other versions. . . NASB:

I will bow down toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.

The plot thickens!! This is different even than the previous two!
I looked at the NIV just for kicks, and it was similar to ESV. NKJV was the same as KJV.

Let's see what Jewish Hebrew translators have to say (this is from chabad.org, by the way):

I shall prostrate myself toward Your holy Temple, and I shall give thanks to Your name for Your kindness and for Your truth, for You magnified Your word over all Your names.

That's very similar to KJV, actually. And God does have several names.

So, I'm discovering more questions than answers, like why are there three different variants? And what does it mean anyway? The way the ESV renders it seems very straitforward and non-controversial: His name and His Word are given equal standing. But the NASB? What does it mean for Him to magnify His word according to His name?

It so happens that the Jews and the KJVers seem to actually agree about something in this text. I'm trying to consider what this rendering might mean. Is God saying that His word is more important than His person? Or just His name (although His name is often used as a designation of His person)? The only thing I am thinking of is that no man has seen God, or can see God, therefore He uses His word to reveal Himself to man. That makes His word of extreme priority in His self-disclosure. It is also true that Messiah is the Word, according to John 1, and "God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name" (Phil 2:9). That's interesting. What name is Paul refering to? How come we never talk about that?

So, I have no conclusions. Only more questions. I also did a google search of the text to see what people said about it. I only looked a little, but I found that people mostly were using it as a proof text for one thing or another, without really going into detail about what it meant. On the side, I found this highly amusing blog article in which the author rebuts a KJV-only person who uses Psalm 138:2 as a proof-text. Check it out, it's fun.

Anyway, if anyone has insight to share I would be glad to hear it. Don't worry, I won't be up all night thinking about this, I'm just curious. The strange thing is that while I should be frustrated with God's word for not being plain and simple, I think I have more respect for it. And I think I've learned something. . . maybe.

Now that I have spent over an hour on this mystery, I had better do some work on my "Theme and Variations" composition. I find it incredible that at a Bible College I have not had much time for theological musings recently. How sad.

Christmas?

For one of my classes I had to read Shadowlands by William Nicholson, a play about how C. S. Lewis meets, marries, and falls in love with Joy Davidman. I am posting a delightful interchange on the subject of Christmas between Lewis and his friends.

Christopher Riley: What I resent about Christmas is the general presumption of good will. I feel no good will towards my fellow men. I feel ill will.

C. S. Lewis: It's got nothing to do with how you feel, Christopher. Feelings are far too unreliable.

Riley: Maybe so, Jack, but they're very close to me. I'm very attached to my feelings. I won't hear a word against them. They're easily hurt.

Harrington: I'm afraid Christmas is something of a lost cause, Jack.

Lewis: That depends on how it's presented. If you tell people it's about peace in the world, and being kind to the poor and needy, then naturally nobody listens.

Riley: Aha! the archcommunicator in action! Give us the sales pitch, Jack!

Lewis: "Virgin has sex with Omnipotent Alien--Gives birth to God."

Riley: I've always thought the incarnation proves that God has a severely limited intellect. Who'd choose, voluntarily, to be human, when you have the option of being safely divine?

Lewis: Think of the magic, Christopher. The birth of a helpless, squealing creature that is also God. An all powerful baby. Doesn't that satisfy your taste for the peculiar? It's the coming of new life in the heart of winter, when all the land is dead. The snow falls, and the trees are bare. All but one tree, which bears fruit. That's real magic.

In my opinion, those of us who celebrate Christmas are doing so in vain, because of the ways in which we celebrate. The character of Lewis touches on what we lose sight of: the wonder of the incarnation, God in His glory humbling Himself to become human.

Maybe it's because we tend to do one of two things to concepts we can't understand: Explain them away, or don't think about them at all.

Sometimes we pay lipservice to "the true meaning of Christmas." We watch "Charlie Brown Christmas" and remind ourselves that Christmas is not about lights, trees, and Santa, but that it's about a baby born in Bethlehem. But even that does not go far enough!

Last night my dorm mom said, "What are all the things you associate with Christmas? If all those things weren't there, what would it be like?" Many girls said, "Sad, depressing, etc." But she was trying to get us to realize that all the things we focus on at Christmastime are in the way of what we really need to see.

We spend this time stressing more than worshiping. I find that my mind is more preoccupied with "What am I going to give so-and-so?" rather than meditating on the beauty of Emmanuel, God with us. Coming at the fullness of time to redeem.

That's real magic.

Holy Sonnet number 5 by John Donne

Batter my heart, three-personed God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurped town to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you and would be loved fain,
But am betrothed to your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, shall never be free,
Nor ever chaste except you ravish me.

Where Is My Wonder?

It has been a while since I felt whole. My life has been wrapped up in duty. All semester I have run from task to task, responsibility to responsibility. I have treated spirituality as a duty as well--a duty that I just haven't been able to make time for.

I miss the wonder. It comes periodically, like rays of sunshine in northeast PA (few and far between), but over all I have bought into the lie that for this semester I don't have time for wondering about God, for sitting at His feet, soaking in His Words. Now I look at my first post and see that something has changed.
Everyone says life just gets more complicated. Just because I will have less credits next semester does not mean that life will be less complicated. Just because I will be done with college next year does not mean that I will suddenly have time for God.
A good track record in the past doesn't mean anything. Look at Rebecca, the virtuous virgin who became a conniving wife. Or Jehu, the king who cleansed Israel from sin and evil people out of his zeal for the LORD, but yet "was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord the God of Israel with all his heart."
Something needs to change. I hope it's going to be me.

Gracious Listening, Gracious Criticism

I've had some good conversations lately about attitudes toward those that deliver the Word. I attend a Bible College: breeding grounds for young people who think they know everything. But some of us are starting to notice things that are getting out of hand.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week was the annual Bible Conference. No classes, but several sessions of speakers preaching on a specific theme: Rock Solid Faith. Before the conference started on Wednesday, I recognized that I have had such a critical spirit when I go into chapel lately. I look at the speaker and just wait for him to mess up. I evaluate his preaching style, weigh his illustrations against the amount of scripture he shares, etc. But what I haven't been doing is saying, "Lord, open my eyes and my ears to the message from Your Word that this person is sharing, whether they do it the way I think they should or not." So, I repented of my wrong, and prayed for an open heart to what God would teach me this week. It has been really good! One very important point during this conference has been made that "rock solid faith comes from our rock solid God. Our faith is only as good as the object of our faith." This week has been such a good reminder of my lack of faith in many areas, and my lack of praying in faith for those areas.

So, all was well until this morning. The speaker was one that I have heard before, and have always had a hard time not being distracted by the things that he says that don't always line up. But I always hear people talking about what a great man he is, and what a great heart for God that he has. So, I resolved to be open-minded and to try to listen to the text he shared and what he had to say. . . Oh well. He said too many things that just don't seem to line up with scripture. I felt really bad, cause I had just had another conversation last night about the critical spirits on this campus, and the way we rip apart the speakers that graciously come to share with us.
I didn't bring it up to anyone right away, but a sweet and discerning girl asked me what I thought. I was honest, and tried to say it in a gracious way. It turned out that she was feeling the same way.

At lunch my friends and I talked about the situation. I love my friends. One friend confesses that he is overly-cynical about everything. Another friend did not hear the sermon but wanted to think the best of this brother who spoke. Another friend is so tender-hearted and graciously gleans the truth from those who preach, but does not always notice the problems with some of the things they say. A fourth friend was, like all of us, wanting to find a balance (or ballast as some might say).

Our conclusion was this: We should be gracious critical thinkers, and gracious listeners. Both should be present without the exclusion of the other. We should be open to what God wants to teach us through the text that is shared, despite the human flaws of those that share it. However, our love for God's Word should compel us to listen critically, be discerning, and to measure the things that people say against what the Scriptures say. We should by all means talk about it when we think a point was wrong, but graciousness should be present in all.

Strive for truth; don't strive to be right. The former stems out of love for God and His Word, the latter stems out of pride and self-righteousness.

Transcendence and Immanence of God

It's interesting that I've had several conversations lately with different people about the transcendence and immanence of God. They were very good conversations. I'm struck by the fact that we as humanity do not know how to fully understand that God can be both at once. It's one of those mysteries.
Sometimes we veer to the side of immanence to the point that we forget His transcendance. We talk about Jesus as our friend. We wear shirts that say, "Jesus is my homeboy." We treat Him as though he just another human being that we can toss around at will. We take His lovingkindness and grace for granted in the way that we approach worship. It becomes a carefree, come-just-as-you-are affair. Our prayer suffers because as we come boldly to His throne we forget His greatness and power. Our small view of Him gives us a weak faith.
On the other hand we can jump over to an understanding of His transcendence to the neglect of His immanence. When we read the command to love God, we translate that as simply "obey God." Our prayer suffers because in our understanding of His holiness and our lowliness we think that He does not concern Himself with our day-to-day needs. We conduct our lives in fear alone.
This is so hard to get, but we must understand that God is not only holy, high and lifted up, but also loving, near to the humble. The God who is too holy to tolerate sin is also the God who clothed Himself in flesh to become the sacrifice for sin. He is the God who said "come unto me, all who are weary and heavy laden." The God who is near to the broken-hearted. The God who said, "I am God, and there is none like me." The God who said, "kiss the Son, lest He be angry."
I fear that in most evangelical circles the danger is to forget God's holiness. I think I have been at both ends of the spectrum from time to time.
One friend has spent most of her life focused on God's immanence. As He has been teaching her about His holiness, it humbles her so much that she feels that she can do nothing before Him. The Job syndrome: "I have heard of You, but now I have seen You. Therefore I cover my mouth and abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." We need more of that, as long as we understand that He has made a way for us to approach Him.
Another friend spent most of her life focused on His transcendance. When she read the command to love God, to her it meant to obey God. It never occured to her that there could be a wonderful joy in knowing and loving God. Loving God not merely in her obedience, but also with her affections, with her whole being. God is near, we can talk to Him at any moment.

"The first and greatest commandment is this: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength."
I think this verse encapsulates the issue in a way that I have never thought of before.

The God of Israel

God chose to reveal Himself through a people called Israel. Throughout the entire Bible He identifies Himself as the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is incredible to me. As a Christian I have been taught that the Bible is God's self-disclosure, but this falls short--it is His self-disclosure to the world through a particular people. His identity is wrapped up in His dealings with this people. Not because they are better than any other, but because He has chosen this way. His certificate of authenticity to Gentiles such as myself is this: If the God of Israel goes back on any of His word to the people of Israel, then He is not worthy of worship. This is why I am neither reformed nor dispensational, though I have learned much from both groups of Christians. Both groups require me to overlook promises that God has made to the people to whom He has linked His identity.

Some might say that the New Testament changed this, but Jesus came as Messiah, the Annointed One promised to Israel. He was crucified as the King of the Jews. Every time "Christ" is mentioned in the epistles it is referring to Messiah as a distinctly Jewish concept. Gentiles didn't know what Messiah was. They needed Jews like Paul to tell them. (God promised to make Israel a "light to the nations" in Isa. 42:6, 49:6 and Matt. 5:14.) They even had to fabricate a new Greek word "Christos" to attempt to describe the concept of Messiah to Gentiles.

This all just amazes me. I do not have time right now to go in depth with this, but there it is. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is His name forever (Ex. 3:15).

Let Me Clarify. . .

This began as a reply to Matt's comment on my previous post, but it has gotten so long that I decided to make it a post instead.

Let my clarify my thoughts:

"Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my law;"

God preserves a remnant who are faithful to Him. I wish to bring comfort to those of Israel "who know righteousness," that is, the righteousness of Mashiach, Who is the fulfilment of the law. Whose very name means Salvation.

I do not presume to fully understand the nature of Israel and God's relationship to it, but I am attempting to study it. I know that without their Messiah, a Jew is doomed, just as much as I am without Him.

But should I forget the Olive Tree to which I have been grafted into? I do not want to be arrogant toward the branches. Salvation is from the Jews.

We would say that God loves the elect before they turn to Him; what about the elect of Israel? I belive that we too often are content to forget that God preserves a remnant of Israel. We also forget the part He may wish us to play in reaching that remnant.

I don't know if I can say dogmatically that God does or does not love the Jews apart from Messiah. I want to look into that. I do know that Jews have the gifts and blessings of God that He gave to Abraham. Would that not be love? And God says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." I would be more inclined to say that He loves them. I am still learning.

No, I am not trying to give comfort through empty words. But I am trying to remember that among those suffering in Israel right now are the remnant who believe in Messiah, and perhaps more of the remnant who will believe.

As an afterthought, I am including the full text of Romans 11 from the ESV. I am ashamed that it only comes as an afterthought, but after reading it just now, I realize that God has a lot of light to shed on this subject.

Romans 11

The Remnant of Israel

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3"Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life." 4But what is God's reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

7What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8as it is written,

"God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day."

9And David says,

"Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and bend their backs forever."

Gentiles Grafted In

11So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

13Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the ? 16If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19Then you will say, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in." 20That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

The Mystery of Israel's Salvation

25Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

"The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob";
27"and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins."

28As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

33Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34"For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?"
35"Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?"

36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

If I Were In Israel. . .

If I were in Israel this is what I would do. Find a Jew and read Isaiah 51 to them.

Isaiah 51

The LORD's Comfort for Zion

1"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
you who seek the LORD:
look to the rock from which you were hewn,
and to the quarry from which you were dug.
2Look to Abraham your father
and to Sarah who bore you;
for he was but one when I called him,
that I might bless him and multiply him.
3For the LORD comforts Zion;
he comforts all her waste places
and makes her wilderness like Eden,
her desert like the garden of the LORD;
joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the voice of song.

4"Give attention to me, my people,
and give ear to me, my nation;
for a law will go out from me,
and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.
5My righteousness draws near,
my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will judge the peoples;
the coastlands hope for me,
and for my arm they wait.
6Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;
but my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will never be dismayed.

7"Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my law;
fear not the reproach of man,
nor be dismayed at their revilings.
8For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
and the worm will eat them like wool;
but my righteousness will be forever,
and my salvation to all generations."

9Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the LORD;
awake, as in days of old,
the generations of long ago.
Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,
that pierced the dragon?
10Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
who made the depths of the sea a way
for the redeemed to pass over?
11And the ransomed of the LORD shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

12"I, I am he who comforts you;
who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,
of the son of man who is made like grass,
13and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth,
and you fear continually all the day
because of the wrath of the oppressor,
when he sets himself to destroy?
And where is the wrath of the oppressor?
14He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;
he shall not die and go down to the pit,
neither shall his bread be lacking.
15I am the LORD your God,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar--
the LORD of hosts is his name.
16And I have put my words in your mouth
and covered you in the shadow of my hand,
establishing the heavens
and laying the foundations of the earth,
and saying to Zion, 'You are my people.'"

17Wake yourself, wake yourself,
stand up, O Jerusalem,
you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD
the cup of his wrath,
who have drunk to the dregs
the bowl, the cup of staggering.
18There is none to guide her
among all the sons she has borne;
there is none to take her by the hand
among all the sons she has brought up.
19These two things have happened to you--
who will console you?--
devastation and destruction, famine and sword;
who will comfort you?
20Your sons have fainted;
they lie at the head of every street
like an antelope in a net;
they are full of the wrath of the LORD,
the rebuke of your God.

21Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted,
who are drunk, but not with wine:
22Thus says your Lord, the LORD,
your God who pleads the cause of his people:
"Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;
the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more;
23and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,
who have said to you,
'Bow down, that we may pass over';
and you have made your back like the ground
and like the street for them to pass over."

The parts I hilighted in blue were parts that stood out to me strongly as I read it and thought of the current attack on Israel by Hizbullah. Not that I skimmed over the other parts as irrelevant, not at all. I loved it all, but the blue parts were the words to which my spirit sang out, "Amen!" as I read them.

I felt a great desire to bring comfort to Zion as God does in this portion of Scripture.

This post underscores one of the great things I have been learning over the recent months, and arguably over my life: That God deeply loves Israel. The more I have learned about His love for Israel, the more my love for Israel has grown. But her friends are few.

Six Days or Sovereignty?

Try this one on for size. It seems appropriate for the beginning of this blog.

My sister just said that whether God created the earth in 6 days or 6 million years is not as important as the fact that He created it. I have always been in circles that would spend time defending 6 days til the cows come home, but although she believes it was 6 days she does not make a big deal about it.

That's interesting. I can rest in what God has told me about creation. I don't have to spend my life trying to debate with every evolutionist or theistic evolutionist to prove what God already said. Take Him at His Word.

And what does His Word say there? That God is Creator. His emphasis is not on how fast He did it, but that He did it. Shame on us for losing sight of His main point when we approach His Word. What's the point? If He created it, then He is Lord of it. The rest of the Bible is about what He proceeded to do with it after He created it.

Don't see six days, see Sovereignty. This Lord of Creation has continued to be Lord and to direct history. On a personal level, He is Lord of me and sovereignly directs all that occurs in my life as well.

My sister says she doesn't feel threatened by people who think otherwise. Of course! Why can't we always have that perspective? The truth will always be the truth whether people believe it or not. It is when we get militantly defensive--or worse, offensive--that people stop wanting to listen. There are more subtile tactics than that, people. I am not arguing for this world's form of tolerance, but rather a more calm assurance in what we believe. If we take that stance we might find that more people will want to listen to us.

Prerequisites

Let's start with this. I am dealing with God, the immensely complex Being. In fact, it would be safer to say that He is dealing with me. I have been learning about Him all my life, and I am finding that He is so complex that I may have been wrong about some things. Indeed He is so complex that perhaps 95% of all the things I post on this blog will turn out to be wrong.

But my goal is to not be satisfied with what I already know and understand. If there is one thing I have learned from Augustine it is that the element of wonder is important in my relationship with God. He must not be taken for granted, and we must not accept every trite answer we hear from a pulpit, pope, greeting card, or well-meaning friend.