Psalm 111 - reflection

Psalm 111 - reflection

Do we ever stop to consider the massive impact of the historical revelation of what God did in Egypt?  There are subtle echoes of this in the surrounding nations in Joshua, Samuel, and even into Kings.  This must have rocked the Ancient Near East, so much so that people were still talking about it hundreds of years later.  What a huge revelation it must have been in this world for God to set plagues on Egypt, bring His people out, and then deliver the land of Israel into the hands of his covenant people.  Over and over again you find God reminding the people that He brought them out of Egypt, and then a strange irony in that the surrounding nations, often in times of conflict, haven't forgotten this is the God who humiliated the Egyptian gods and conquered the land of Canaan for his people.

            Praise the Lord.
            I will extol the Lord with all my heart
            in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
         
            Great are the works of the Lord;
                they are pondered by all who delight in them.
            Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
                and his righteousness endures forever.
            He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
                the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
            He provides food for those who fear him;
                He remembers his covenant forever.
            He has shown his people the power of his works,
                giving them the lands of other nations.
            The works of his hands are faithful and just;
                all his precepts are trustworthy.
            They are steadfast forever and ever,
                done in faithfulness and uprightness.
            He provided redemption for his people;
                He ordained his covenant forever—
            holy and awesome is his name.
         
            The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
                all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
            To him belongs eternal praise.

Consider the Ancient Near East, what God's covenant with Israel was revealing to outsiders.  Now consider how in the new covenant we are conquering the world as God's people through peace, and how appropriate it is for this time in history.  God acts in the fullness of time, but He also acts within an appropriate revelation for that time.

God brought his people out of Egypt and says, "you shall have no other gods before me," speaking into a brutal pantheistic age.  The world begins a slow movement towards monotheism.  The other of the 10 Commandments start humanity towards less war and less violence, more humane living, more tolerance, less justice killings, and overall, better relationships.  Polygamy disappeared over time in the lands under Judeo Christian influence, as did slavery, and countless other things.  Ancient history is unsettling to study, it's horrific at times, and it bring you to a point of having almost culture sock when you glance into these ancient cultures.  You can't help but be in awe of what God has done from then to now.

Imagine the surrounding cultures staring into Israel.  What does God want them to see?  A lamp on a lampstand?  Yahweh is no tribal God, no, He is the one true God.  He is the creator God.  He is in control of history, or in a Christocentric sense, moving history to a point where the world is ready for His Son.  To do this, He must keep reminding His people to be faithful.  What does God gain by working miracles when His people have fallen away into idolatry?  The surrounding nations see them worshiping Ashera or one of the figures of Baal, and God loses ground if His work is not recognized as distinctly His own.  A victory in battle was a victory for God, for Israel, and for all future generations of the earth who comes to see the glory of God in clearer vision.  A lose for Israel also served as a revelation when they were not faithful, and yet God was still faithful to the covenant.  It took time.

We should be aware of how God is speaking to the world through the new covenant.  Jesus communicates this to us, through Kingdom language, through his prayers and teachings.  Torah law was often limiting ancient uncivil behavior and practice, attribute this to God's patience and commitment to redeeming creation; at times to be very grieved by human behavior, but as the timetable for transformation is sometimes slow, we should not view these laws as condoning or enabling things God was seeking to remove.. in His good time.  The world in the first century was ready for a savior, ready for radical new teachings and a covenant extended to all nations.  As we live as God's people, we should remember the lessons learned in the stories of the past by viewing God's work in the world, through a chosen people, but we should also be looking forward and speaking of the final promises yet to be fulfilled.  He remembers his covenant forever.

Humility -

It is utterly pointless to have knowledge of humility without servitude.  The recognition of humility in others is often seen through the benefits which accompany humility as a characteristic, then the downside is the expectation and not the posture.  Understanding humility and not practicing humility, mostly because the heart is not in a place where it can be humbled is simply an understanding to project onto others as an expectation.  A more true manifestation of humility comes in service to others.  And yes, it is not hard to be humbled by God, before God, specially in an understanding of His majesty.  On the horizontal field it yields an understanding that your neighbor is just as in need of God's grace as you once were [and continue to be], and that God wants to spread His grace through servitude, thus you can be comfortable with the idea of serving the fellowship table and not have to compete for the highest place at the table.  - That is what I would define as meekness. 

Easter 2012

1. To Be Alone With You - Sufjan Stevens

2. He Is Faithful - Bryan & Katie Torwalt

3. Your Love Is Deep - Ben Thomas arrangement 

4. Christ is Risen - Matt Maher

5. War On War - Wilco

6. Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven  Loretta Lynn

7. He Never Said A Mublin Word - Bifrost Arts

8. This Is Not the End - Gungor

9. Oh Our Lord - All Sons and Daughters