In the beginning...
This is my first official post to my new blog. I'm open for business. I have thought long and hard about what to write and have finally succumbed to the advice of many a fellow blogger that I should write first and decide later. I have so many interests and avenues that this blog could support that it truly will be a seemingly random melody of thoughts.
Bible Reading:
Right now I'm reading Nehemiah. What an interesting figure. There are some extremely salient moments in Nehemiah, especially when he is pleading his case in the text and then he turns and comments to YHWH about the unjust treatment he receives. His attitude is very instructive and very simple. It is easily summarized in this, "I do what G-D strengthens me to do and I leave the outcome in His hands." I'm sure I could be more eloquent about this with time but that is my first response to Nehemiah. Also of interest is the contemporary relationship between Nehemiah the "Tirshatha" or governor and Ezra the priest. We see something that appears very familiar in scope to the reformation.
Today I read from Nehemiah chapter 8. We have, what would constitute "goin' to church" for a revival of sorts in this chapter and it has some fascinating features.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
The part I find to be of greatest interest is the juxtaposition of the people's personal grief over their sin with the praise due to G-D because of this holy day. Israel was convicted of their sins and yet the priests & levites would not allow them to mourn but rather caused them to rejoice...
I also find it fascinating that when the people heard the law they were cut to the heart. This particular passage holds faint strains of Acts 2 in my ears. The people "[made] great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them." This is also a wonderful opposition of the conviction of personal sin and praising G-D simply because He is worthy of praise.
I am also drawn to the lack of sacrifice for sin. We do not find the priests & levites causing the people to bring propitiation for their transgressions but rather, "go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Am I prepared to rejoice and praise God in the midst of conviction? Do I sometimes seek to make my transgressions into some extroverted sideshow of penitence before the Lord when what is often required is to simply "do otherwise" and rejoice because I have understood that which was made known to me?
Nehemiah challenges me to live rightly simply because it is right, regardless of adversity and to deal with transgression by simply "not transgressing" any longer. The message of this ancient sage is one that is very contemporary for both Jews and Christians: understand, obey & rejoice.
Bible Reading:
Right now I'm reading Nehemiah. What an interesting figure. There are some extremely salient moments in Nehemiah, especially when he is pleading his case in the text and then he turns and comments to YHWH about the unjust treatment he receives. His attitude is very instructive and very simple. It is easily summarized in this, "I do what G-D strengthens me to do and I leave the outcome in His hands." I'm sure I could be more eloquent about this with time but that is my first response to Nehemiah. Also of interest is the contemporary relationship between Nehemiah the "Tirshatha" or governor and Ezra the priest. We see something that appears very familiar in scope to the reformation.
Today I read from Nehemiah chapter 8. We have, what would constitute "goin' to church" for a revival of sorts in this chapter and it has some fascinating features.
8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
The part I find to be of greatest interest is the juxtaposition of the people's personal grief over their sin with the praise due to G-D because of this holy day. Israel was convicted of their sins and yet the priests & levites would not allow them to mourn but rather caused them to rejoice...
I also find it fascinating that when the people heard the law they were cut to the heart. This particular passage holds faint strains of Acts 2 in my ears. The people "[made] great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them." This is also a wonderful opposition of the conviction of personal sin and praising G-D simply because He is worthy of praise.
I am also drawn to the lack of sacrifice for sin. We do not find the priests & levites causing the people to bring propitiation for their transgressions but rather, "go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Am I prepared to rejoice and praise God in the midst of conviction? Do I sometimes seek to make my transgressions into some extroverted sideshow of penitence before the Lord when what is often required is to simply "do otherwise" and rejoice because I have understood that which was made known to me?
Nehemiah challenges me to live rightly simply because it is right, regardless of adversity and to deal with transgression by simply "not transgressing" any longer. The message of this ancient sage is one that is very contemporary for both Jews and Christians: understand, obey & rejoice.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home