I am now almost done with the book of Leviticus. It’s really a fascinating book if one has the right perspective. The main themes are holiness and separation. The book contains a series of laws, sacrifices, and ceremonies that will set Israel apart from the pagan nations and establish her security in Yahweh. Back in Exodus 19 God and the Israelites enter into a conditional covenant. This Mosaic Covenant is two-sided, the people must keep their end of the deal. (This differs from the Abrahamic Covenant which is unconditional and solely based in God) If they honor God, He will bless them in return.
What follows is a series of ceremonial and civil laws. These laws ensure the orderly functioning of the community and the holiness of the people. Many are immensely practical. For instance, you are not allowed to marry anyone in your immediate family. (Obviously genetic mutations had progressed enough at this point to make inbreeding unwise.) Leviticus also lays down laws on how to deal with infections and other personal hygiene issues, initiating positive trends for the community’s health and sustainability. Similarly, the dietary restrictions offer numerous health benefits (like not eating raw meat). But the dietary restrictions reveal a second purpose that is perhaps implicit in all of the laws throughout the book of Leviticus – that is, separation. The Jews’ dietary restrictions hindered their ability to socialize with those on the outside. God did not want his people befriending and intermarrying with the pagan nations surrounding them. At this point in history the people of God were to be kept separate and holy.
This is not the way we operate today. Christ wiped a lot of these customs away when He established the New Covenant. However, these laws still present symbolic reminders of the way that sin creeps into our daily routine, invading our lives and homes like an infection that destroys the body. Just as those who were unclean were put outside the camp for a time, sin too can bind us in our own private exile. Leviticus reminds us that the principle of separation and holiness is just as important today as it was back then. God will bless us, in this life or in the next, if we honor Him. This does not necessarily mean we are out sacrificing goats or abstaining from sausage, but it does explain why our romantic relationships look different, why we spend less and give more, why we prioritize people and families over career advancement, and why we seek to build community with other very flawed Christians.
In truth, we modern-day Christians are not any better than the Israelites at this “separate but holy” concept. Nonetheless, we do have some advantages. In Leviticus, even when the proper offering is made and the Day of Atonement secures nationwide cleansing, the people were still missing out on that free open access to the throne of God that we enjoy so flippantly today. I’m so thankful that our Messiah has come. He has torn that curtain and eliminated all the requirements for sacrificing a goat every time I want to talk to God.
If we were still doing it that way I would need a lot of goats.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Creativity: Exodus 35-39
The closing chapters of Exodus provide and insanely detailed blueprint for the Hebrew Tabernacle. God is very exacting in His instructions to Moses and is clear in calling artisans to build the structure. The Exodus account gives precise measurements, details the exact shape of the ornamentation, and dictates the building materials to be used throughout the structure. Here is an example: “The sockets for the pillars were bronze, the hooks of the pillars and their bands were silver, and the overlay of their capitals was silver and all the pillars of the court had bands of silver.” (Exodus 39:17) Admittedly, this is not the most engrossing section of the Bible. Nonetheless, it reveals truths about our God that help us understand who He is and how we are indeed created in His image.
One does not have to wade through the chapters of Exodus to understand that our God values appearances and creativity. Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” God is ever-present in all of creation and is Himself the standard for creativity in this world. Sometimes it takes a trip outside our manmade suburban paradise to notice God’s handiwork. This summer I crawled through labyrinthine caves stretching miles under the earth. I traveled to Alaska, finding a land that hosts enormous glaciers, mountains and fjords replete with wildlife. Survey a remote Alaskan coastline and you will encounter all sorts of captivating life forms – some beautiful, some not, but always strangely intriguing. Something as simple as the annual journey of the salmon to their spawning grounds is actually a wonderful display of the intricacy of our ecosystems. I can’t help but marvel at both the fragility and the astonishing tenacity of life on this planet. We live in a world full of unique and spectacular wonders, a testament to our God’s care and design.
As humans fashioned in the image of God, aesthetics and originality comprise an important part of our everyday lives. We crave beauty, structure, and design. That is why places like IKEA exist. We admire creativity, and those video game designers that can craft engrossing virtual worlds for us to experience. We value imagination and people like J.K. Rowling that can tell a good story. Admittedly, I feel slightly guilty about spending money on aesthetic accoutrements or entertainment with so many poor living in squalor around the world. Yet while this must guide moderation in our spending, it is important to recognize that our quest for beauty also evidences the mark of God’s image in each one of us. God has given some individuals an immense capacity for brilliance and ingenuity. I spent last summer traipsing through Europe admiring the cathedrals, castles, museums, and gardens. These things remain a testament to that glimmer of the Creator in each human artist. I believe that at some level we all long to create.
Quite honestly, I do not know if this world came about in 7 days or several million years. I do not know what proportion of organisms came through microevolution versus macroevolution. I do not know exactly how and when the plates have shifted to create mountains and valleys. I’m not sure how many floods and ice ages have graced this planet. However, when I look at the beauty and complexity inherent in the untouched remnants of this earth it seems absurd that it could have all happened through chance. At the very least, it takes and immense amount of faith remove the Divine from the equation. When I admire the cathedrals in Europe, the innovation coming out of the Googleplex, or even the brilliance in some of my most promising students I am ever more convinced that there is a Creator and that each one of us bears His image.
One does not have to wade through the chapters of Exodus to understand that our God values appearances and creativity. Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made.” God is ever-present in all of creation and is Himself the standard for creativity in this world. Sometimes it takes a trip outside our manmade suburban paradise to notice God’s handiwork. This summer I crawled through labyrinthine caves stretching miles under the earth. I traveled to Alaska, finding a land that hosts enormous glaciers, mountains and fjords replete with wildlife. Survey a remote Alaskan coastline and you will encounter all sorts of captivating life forms – some beautiful, some not, but always strangely intriguing. Something as simple as the annual journey of the salmon to their spawning grounds is actually a wonderful display of the intricacy of our ecosystems. I can’t help but marvel at both the fragility and the astonishing tenacity of life on this planet. We live in a world full of unique and spectacular wonders, a testament to our God’s care and design.
As humans fashioned in the image of God, aesthetics and originality comprise an important part of our everyday lives. We crave beauty, structure, and design. That is why places like IKEA exist. We admire creativity, and those video game designers that can craft engrossing virtual worlds for us to experience. We value imagination and people like J.K. Rowling that can tell a good story. Admittedly, I feel slightly guilty about spending money on aesthetic accoutrements or entertainment with so many poor living in squalor around the world. Yet while this must guide moderation in our spending, it is important to recognize that our quest for beauty also evidences the mark of God’s image in each one of us. God has given some individuals an immense capacity for brilliance and ingenuity. I spent last summer traipsing through Europe admiring the cathedrals, castles, museums, and gardens. These things remain a testament to that glimmer of the Creator in each human artist. I believe that at some level we all long to create.
Quite honestly, I do not know if this world came about in 7 days or several million years. I do not know what proportion of organisms came through microevolution versus macroevolution. I do not know exactly how and when the plates have shifted to create mountains and valleys. I’m not sure how many floods and ice ages have graced this planet. However, when I look at the beauty and complexity inherent in the untouched remnants of this earth it seems absurd that it could have all happened through chance. At the very least, it takes and immense amount of faith remove the Divine from the equation. When I admire the cathedrals in Europe, the innovation coming out of the Googleplex, or even the brilliance in some of my most promising students I am ever more convinced that there is a Creator and that each one of us bears His image.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Exodus 4: A Meeting on the Mountain
“Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you will say.” Exodus 4:12
I love this story because it is a genuine picture of our humanity and God’s sovereignty. God meets Moses in the desert of Horeb and explains that He intends to bring the Israelites out of slavery; and he has chosen Moses to lead this venture. As Moses vehemently protests, you can’t help but feel sorry for the poor guy. He would have been quite content feeding sheep for the rest of his life.
Yet God reigns over Moses’s protests. Moses argues that he’s ill-equipped and lacks eloquence. Though I am kind of on Moses’s side here, I have got to admit that I am a fan of God’s answer: “Who has made man’s mouth?” That basically silences Moses’s side of the debate. Then, in exasperation, God promises that He will give Moses the words to say.
Throughout this whole discussion Moses remains completely honest with God. Rather than saying “I cannot do this” perhaps Moses should have said “God, I know what you want of me, but I cannot do this alone.” To me, the beauty of the story is that he does not say this – and thus, we see it is true that Moses is not eloquent and super-spiritual. He is just a normal guy that does not want to trade a docile flock of sheep for a herd of unruly Jews.
The truth is, we are all useless without God. However, protesting against His plan for us is not the way to express humility. Moses’s protest is merely a lack of faith. True humility is recognizing that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
That said, there will always be days when I would rather be tending sheep.
I love this story because it is a genuine picture of our humanity and God’s sovereignty. God meets Moses in the desert of Horeb and explains that He intends to bring the Israelites out of slavery; and he has chosen Moses to lead this venture. As Moses vehemently protests, you can’t help but feel sorry for the poor guy. He would have been quite content feeding sheep for the rest of his life.
Yet God reigns over Moses’s protests. Moses argues that he’s ill-equipped and lacks eloquence. Though I am kind of on Moses’s side here, I have got to admit that I am a fan of God’s answer: “Who has made man’s mouth?” That basically silences Moses’s side of the debate. Then, in exasperation, God promises that He will give Moses the words to say.
Throughout this whole discussion Moses remains completely honest with God. Rather than saying “I cannot do this” perhaps Moses should have said “God, I know what you want of me, but I cannot do this alone.” To me, the beauty of the story is that he does not say this – and thus, we see it is true that Moses is not eloquent and super-spiritual. He is just a normal guy that does not want to trade a docile flock of sheep for a herd of unruly Jews.
The truth is, we are all useless without God. However, protesting against His plan for us is not the way to express humility. Moses’s protest is merely a lack of faith. True humility is recognizing that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
That said, there will always be days when I would rather be tending sheep.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
What the Puritans Got Wrong
Genesis 46:3, Exodus 1
“So he said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will surely put his hand on your eyes.” – Genesis 46:3
I have never had God come down and speak to me directly. Some people have had those surreal experiences, but God has always made His will clear to me in more concrete ways. For example, one Monday morning four years ago, after returning from a weekend of job interviews, I prayed a very specific prayer. I prayed, “God, please let a principal call me today. Give me some hope that I’ll get a job.” Sure enough, at 3:49 pm I got a call from a Social Studies department chair in Northern Virginia. Ok, it was not technically the principal, but I had hope. It seemed like God was moving…
In Genesis, God tells Jacob to get up and go to Egypt. With God’s blessing Jacob and his caravan set out for this unknown land. God assures Jacob that going to Egypt is part of His will. He does not tell Jacob that his descendants will end up enslaved under oppressive pharaohs. He also does not tell Jacob about the harrowing and glorious exodus that awaits the Nation of Israel.
Jacob is merely a piece of the story.
Could following God’s will mean we are getting ourselves into something uncomfortable and downright messy?
Yep.
We often expect that following God will ensure physical and material blessing. Our American forefathers, the Puritans, said that if you work hard and serve God he will bless your life. Conversely, those without such blessings were deemed unspiritual and judged for their state of misfortune. In fact, this “Protestant ethic” became so entrenched that made its way into our AP US History curriculum. Every September I teach that unit. Every September I can't help but think that I would have made a great Puritan.
I must ask myself: Am I guilty of judging people for making “poor life decisions?” If things aren’t going well for someone do I assume it’s because they just “suck at life?”
Sometimes God makes our paths very clear. Sometimes God’s direction makes sense. However, we may be called to do impractical things for the Gospel. Sometimes the path is difficult and hard to see. We might end up enslaved, imprisoned, or impoverished. Perhaps God’s plan is larger than our solitary lives. Perhaps those hardships are pieces of the story. We do not see the whole picture.
I wonder, would Jacob have gone to Egypt if he had known what was in store?
“So he said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will surely put his hand on your eyes.” – Genesis 46:3
I have never had God come down and speak to me directly. Some people have had those surreal experiences, but God has always made His will clear to me in more concrete ways. For example, one Monday morning four years ago, after returning from a weekend of job interviews, I prayed a very specific prayer. I prayed, “God, please let a principal call me today. Give me some hope that I’ll get a job.” Sure enough, at 3:49 pm I got a call from a Social Studies department chair in Northern Virginia. Ok, it was not technically the principal, but I had hope. It seemed like God was moving…
In Genesis, God tells Jacob to get up and go to Egypt. With God’s blessing Jacob and his caravan set out for this unknown land. God assures Jacob that going to Egypt is part of His will. He does not tell Jacob that his descendants will end up enslaved under oppressive pharaohs. He also does not tell Jacob about the harrowing and glorious exodus that awaits the Nation of Israel.
Jacob is merely a piece of the story.
Could following God’s will mean we are getting ourselves into something uncomfortable and downright messy?
Yep.
We often expect that following God will ensure physical and material blessing. Our American forefathers, the Puritans, said that if you work hard and serve God he will bless your life. Conversely, those without such blessings were deemed unspiritual and judged for their state of misfortune. In fact, this “Protestant ethic” became so entrenched that made its way into our AP US History curriculum. Every September I teach that unit. Every September I can't help but think that I would have made a great Puritan.
I must ask myself: Am I guilty of judging people for making “poor life decisions?” If things aren’t going well for someone do I assume it’s because they just “suck at life?”
Sometimes God makes our paths very clear. Sometimes God’s direction makes sense. However, we may be called to do impractical things for the Gospel. Sometimes the path is difficult and hard to see. We might end up enslaved, imprisoned, or impoverished. Perhaps God’s plan is larger than our solitary lives. Perhaps those hardships are pieces of the story. We do not see the whole picture.
I wonder, would Jacob have gone to Egypt if he had known what was in store?
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Restoration - Joseph Part II
…The real point of the story is this:
“Now therefore, do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” – Joseph, Genesis 50:21
The real point of the story is restoration.
Genesis 45 is a beautiful chapter. Here, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. He assures them that he holds nothing against them; God’s will has triumphed over their sin. He inquires about his father and commands his brothers to restore the family by bringing Jacob to Egypt.
The rest of the book is full of hope. It is such a welcome respite from the Genesis tragedy. I love the part where Joseph meets his father at Goshen and weeps in his arms “a good while.” [Gen 46:29] Finally, the family is together again. They are not a perfect family, but they have come a long way. If you pay attention to Jacob’s speech and demeanor throughout the remainder of the book you can sense that he has deepened his relationship with God – or at least his understanding of the important legacy his family carries.
Soon Joseph is busy implementing communism (Don’t believe me? Read Genesis 47:13-26) and things seem to be going well. In time Jacob dies, but not before his epic blessing on the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, at the very end of the book we begin to see that latent insecurities have plagued the brothers for years. They still question Joseph’s forgiveness, but Joseph won’t stand for that kind of thinking; in fact he is moved to tears once again: “Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore do not be afraid, I will provide for you and your little ones.’ And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” [Genesis 50:20-21]
Joseph’s speech is full of grace, yet it does not gloss over wrongdoing. I am sure that the brothers walked away from that conversation feeling a mixture of regret and relief. Joseph’s forgiveness was genuine; they did not deserve such grace.
Forgiveness, grace, justice – this is all part of the restoration at the end of Genesis. Joseph not only preserves the nation of Israel and thus the line of Christ, but his example provides a glimpse of the Shalom that will come.
“Now therefore, do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” – Joseph, Genesis 50:21
The real point of the story is restoration.
Genesis 45 is a beautiful chapter. Here, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. He assures them that he holds nothing against them; God’s will has triumphed over their sin. He inquires about his father and commands his brothers to restore the family by bringing Jacob to Egypt.
The rest of the book is full of hope. It is such a welcome respite from the Genesis tragedy. I love the part where Joseph meets his father at Goshen and weeps in his arms “a good while.” [Gen 46:29] Finally, the family is together again. They are not a perfect family, but they have come a long way. If you pay attention to Jacob’s speech and demeanor throughout the remainder of the book you can sense that he has deepened his relationship with God – or at least his understanding of the important legacy his family carries.
Soon Joseph is busy implementing communism (Don’t believe me? Read Genesis 47:13-26) and things seem to be going well. In time Jacob dies, but not before his epic blessing on the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, at the very end of the book we begin to see that latent insecurities have plagued the brothers for years. They still question Joseph’s forgiveness, but Joseph won’t stand for that kind of thinking; in fact he is moved to tears once again: “Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore do not be afraid, I will provide for you and your little ones.’ And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” [Genesis 50:20-21]
Joseph’s speech is full of grace, yet it does not gloss over wrongdoing. I am sure that the brothers walked away from that conversation feeling a mixture of regret and relief. Joseph’s forgiveness was genuine; they did not deserve such grace.
Forgiveness, grace, justice – this is all part of the restoration at the end of Genesis. Joseph not only preserves the nation of Israel and thus the line of Christ, but his example provides a glimpse of the Shalom that will come.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
A Leader for Egypt: Joseph - Part 1
Joseph provides a welcome respite from the tragedy of Genesis. The book ends on a high note; a family reunites, forgiveness abounds, and a Holy God leads in a pagan land through the hands and feet of young Joseph.
My favorite piece of the whole story actually occurs when Joseph is in prison. He proves himself to the guards and they put him in charge of the place. The account reads: “The keeper of the prison did not look into thing that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.”
That verse is highlighted in blue on page 73 of my Bible. I’m not sure when I highlighted it the first time, but it definitely stood out as I came across it the other night. That passage resonated with me once again. This year I have been feeling very blessed in my work. Yet this blessing has come with tremendous pressure and stress. I wonder if Joseph felt overwhelmed by his responsibility. I wonder if he laid awake thinking to himself “I’m way too young for this, what are they doing putting a twenty-something in charge of a prison full of criminals?” When Joseph turned thirty (the same age that Jesus was upon beginning his ministry) he became the second in command over all of Egypt. His job was to keep the nation from starving. I’m sure this required him to sort through a myriad of logistical and bureaucratic hurdles. Having no formal training in management, Joseph must have encountered his share of sleepless nights. (Ok, maybe I’m starting to read my own insomnia into this story)
Joseph was young and inexperienced, yet he served the Lord with a purer, steadier heart than his father and grandfathers. He stood his ground when tempted; he never went chasing after false gods, he worked hard, and as far as I can tell he remained faithful to one wife.
In short, Joseph’s story is inspiring. I don’t have the livelihood of Egyptians on my shoulders (definitely wouldn’t want that job right about now), but I do have nearly two hundred young minds and fragile souls to teach and coach and hopefully motivate. Some days when I think about it that way it’s kind of scary; but then I remember Genesis 39:23 – it’s the Lord that makes our work prosper.
…and that is only half of what I have to say about Joseph…the real point of the story is still to come. Stay tuned.
My favorite piece of the whole story actually occurs when Joseph is in prison. He proves himself to the guards and they put him in charge of the place. The account reads: “The keeper of the prison did not look into thing that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.”
That verse is highlighted in blue on page 73 of my Bible. I’m not sure when I highlighted it the first time, but it definitely stood out as I came across it the other night. That passage resonated with me once again. This year I have been feeling very blessed in my work. Yet this blessing has come with tremendous pressure and stress. I wonder if Joseph felt overwhelmed by his responsibility. I wonder if he laid awake thinking to himself “I’m way too young for this, what are they doing putting a twenty-something in charge of a prison full of criminals?” When Joseph turned thirty (the same age that Jesus was upon beginning his ministry) he became the second in command over all of Egypt. His job was to keep the nation from starving. I’m sure this required him to sort through a myriad of logistical and bureaucratic hurdles. Having no formal training in management, Joseph must have encountered his share of sleepless nights. (Ok, maybe I’m starting to read my own insomnia into this story)
Joseph was young and inexperienced, yet he served the Lord with a purer, steadier heart than his father and grandfathers. He stood his ground when tempted; he never went chasing after false gods, he worked hard, and as far as I can tell he remained faithful to one wife.
In short, Joseph’s story is inspiring. I don’t have the livelihood of Egyptians on my shoulders (definitely wouldn’t want that job right about now), but I do have nearly two hundred young minds and fragile souls to teach and coach and hopefully motivate. Some days when I think about it that way it’s kind of scary; but then I remember Genesis 39:23 – it’s the Lord that makes our work prosper.
…and that is only half of what I have to say about Joseph…the real point of the story is still to come. Stay tuned.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Genesis 29 & 30: Thoughts on Patriarchy
One day in the Garden Adam awoke to find Eve. He probably thought she was perfect (let’s hope so, because she’s the only woman that ever was). Eve was created as a companion for Adam because there was not a “helper comparable to him” (Gen 2:20). I like the NKJV phrasing because it depicts gender roles so carefully. It alludes to a balance between submission and partnership. Unfortunately there are few marriages in the Bible that stand out as good examples to follow.
Reading through Genesis quickly discourages me. The deeper in you get, the more you see sin creep into every human relationship. By the time you get to Jacob women have become a commodity. Chapter 29 talks of Jacob “loving” Rachel, but I often wonder what this means. Throughout the story you see little real interaction between the couple. Rachel is often manipulating various situations and competing with her sister for the attention of their shared husband. Then both ladies offer up their maids as the childbearing contest intensifies. I wonder if Jacob valued Rachel for anything other than her beautiful “form and appearance” (Gen 29:17b). I wonder if he valued Leah for anything more than the kids she could produce.
Where did that role of “helper” break down? I do not blame Jacob entirely (although he comes from a long line of weak men). The women were manipulative and unsupportive, merely seeking ways to sabotage each other and win the approval of the patriarch. At the same time however, you can’t help but sympathize with them. After all, how would it feel to sit back in the ladies’ tent while your sister sleeps with your man?
In the West the pendulum has swung to the other direction. While I hate patriarchal systems I am not a feminist - at least not in the Betty Friedan sense. I believe that the feminists of the latter twentieth century shot themselves in the foot. Rather than attributing value to women's roles, the feminists claimed that a woman’s natural strengths were of little value and they must dress, act, and think like men. Climbing up the career ladder became the only way to achieve worth. Families should take second place. Today, families are more like an expensive hobby to prove that you can, in fact, do it all.
I know that striking the balance and finding that God-ordained partnership is exceedingly difficult. It is impossible without grace. While women are not meant to lead the family, they must be the “comparable helper” which does involve submission. However, their intellect and unique abilities should be highly valued and made essential to the functioning of the household. Their role is to support, encourage, and share the burdens of life - whether that means cleaning the house or bringing home a paycheck. You see little of this in the women of Genesis. Christ’s lineage is filled with dysfunctional families. It is full of humans crying out for love and value and not finding it in one another. This is why we need a Savior.
Reading through Genesis quickly discourages me. The deeper in you get, the more you see sin creep into every human relationship. By the time you get to Jacob women have become a commodity. Chapter 29 talks of Jacob “loving” Rachel, but I often wonder what this means. Throughout the story you see little real interaction between the couple. Rachel is often manipulating various situations and competing with her sister for the attention of their shared husband. Then both ladies offer up their maids as the childbearing contest intensifies. I wonder if Jacob valued Rachel for anything other than her beautiful “form and appearance” (Gen 29:17b). I wonder if he valued Leah for anything more than the kids she could produce.
Where did that role of “helper” break down? I do not blame Jacob entirely (although he comes from a long line of weak men). The women were manipulative and unsupportive, merely seeking ways to sabotage each other and win the approval of the patriarch. At the same time however, you can’t help but sympathize with them. After all, how would it feel to sit back in the ladies’ tent while your sister sleeps with your man?
In the West the pendulum has swung to the other direction. While I hate patriarchal systems I am not a feminist - at least not in the Betty Friedan sense. I believe that the feminists of the latter twentieth century shot themselves in the foot. Rather than attributing value to women's roles, the feminists claimed that a woman’s natural strengths were of little value and they must dress, act, and think like men. Climbing up the career ladder became the only way to achieve worth. Families should take second place. Today, families are more like an expensive hobby to prove that you can, in fact, do it all.
I know that striking the balance and finding that God-ordained partnership is exceedingly difficult. It is impossible without grace. While women are not meant to lead the family, they must be the “comparable helper” which does involve submission. However, their intellect and unique abilities should be highly valued and made essential to the functioning of the household. Their role is to support, encourage, and share the burdens of life - whether that means cleaning the house or bringing home a paycheck. You see little of this in the women of Genesis. Christ’s lineage is filled with dysfunctional families. It is full of humans crying out for love and value and not finding it in one another. This is why we need a Savior.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Easter: Forget the Bunny, Remember the Snake.
It has been awhile since I've read through the Bible. I did it in college, but that was for homework and the only surefire way to secure an A in various Bible courses. With that in mind I've undertaken a new initiative - to read and blog my way through the Bible. I have no intention to get this done in a year and quite honestly I'll probably be more diligent in the summer and during school breaks. Most importantly I'm not doing this to get an A, to win heaven-points, or even to get internet followers. I just want to chronicle where God has led me, and if there are others in cyberspace who care to read about it, then I'm happy to share.
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My high school English teacher once said that the Christian God started out as a God of wrath, but His plans failed and He had to change his strategy. That has always stuck with me. I knew at the time that I was supposed to disagree, but a small part of me wondered if he was right. While the Old Testament justifies holy war and bloodshed, the God of the New Testament does seem like a much nicer deity.
I've since come a long way in reconciling this God of the Old Testament with the God of the New Testament, but I'll admit that I'm not wholly there. Thus, whenever I read the Old Testament literature I'm always looking for pictures of Christ and the message of the Cross. I have found that grace is on every page.
The good news is, you don't have to get in very far to find Jesus. The first direct reference to the Savior shows up in Genesis 3:15:
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel."
I love good foreshadowing. (This too is probably thanks to my high school English teacher) I love that right after God issues the curse He delivers the Promise. We live under the curse every day, sometimes we do not even realize it is there. We get so caught up in the busyness of our lives that it takes a holiday like Easter to remind us that Christ came to Earth, that He suffered the "bruising" of the snake, and arose in triumph.
I'm not sure if the "head crushing" refers to Christ's resurrection or Christ's Second Coming. It could be both, since God's understanding of time is different from our own. Either way, here we have the God of Wrath, juxtaposed against the God of Grace. He condemns Satan, while paving the way for a new Eden, a new Heaven and Earth once the snake is completely destroyed.
Easter is not cute and fluffy - but I suppose having a vanquished "Easter Snake" rather than an Easter Bunny would make a rather disturbing holiday mascot.
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My high school English teacher once said that the Christian God started out as a God of wrath, but His plans failed and He had to change his strategy. That has always stuck with me. I knew at the time that I was supposed to disagree, but a small part of me wondered if he was right. While the Old Testament justifies holy war and bloodshed, the God of the New Testament does seem like a much nicer deity.
I've since come a long way in reconciling this God of the Old Testament with the God of the New Testament, but I'll admit that I'm not wholly there. Thus, whenever I read the Old Testament literature I'm always looking for pictures of Christ and the message of the Cross. I have found that grace is on every page.
The good news is, you don't have to get in very far to find Jesus. The first direct reference to the Savior shows up in Genesis 3:15:
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel."
I love good foreshadowing. (This too is probably thanks to my high school English teacher) I love that right after God issues the curse He delivers the Promise. We live under the curse every day, sometimes we do not even realize it is there. We get so caught up in the busyness of our lives that it takes a holiday like Easter to remind us that Christ came to Earth, that He suffered the "bruising" of the snake, and arose in triumph.
I'm not sure if the "head crushing" refers to Christ's resurrection or Christ's Second Coming. It could be both, since God's understanding of time is different from our own. Either way, here we have the God of Wrath, juxtaposed against the God of Grace. He condemns Satan, while paving the way for a new Eden, a new Heaven and Earth once the snake is completely destroyed.
Easter is not cute and fluffy - but I suppose having a vanquished "Easter Snake" rather than an Easter Bunny would make a rather disturbing holiday mascot.
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