Today’s Scripture Reading (February
3, 2014): Zephaniah 2
In the “Star
Trek” Universe, the Captains and leaders of the Federation exploratory space
ships struggle with their premiere law – the Prime Directive. The Prime
Directive is essentially a non-interference decree aimed at allowing cultures
to advance at their own pace. The directive is intended to limit the cultural
effect that an advanced civilization can have on an inferior one. The leaders
are expressly forbidden to share or use advanced technology on worlds that have
not advanced far enough to develop the technology for themselves. Of course,
the Prime Directive comes with a moral inconsistency. If I have the ability to
relieve suffering, do I not also have the moral responsibility to use whatever
technologies or practices that I have at hand to lessen that suffering, regardless
of whether or not those in need of help have the ability to replicate the
technology? It is an argument that each of the fictional star ship Captains aboard
the Enterprise has struggled with – and every one of them at one point (or at
several points) have made the decision to violate the Prime Directive – and in
every case the decision to violate was because of the high value these leaders
have placed on sentient life.
In ancient
times there existed at least two cities – and maybe as many as five – on the
south end of the Dead Sea. The cities were xenophobic in nature. But the aversion to foreigner was not based on
a moral Prime Directive that wanted to protect inferior cultures – they were
simply highly prejudicial cities that had no desire to extend hospitality to
anyone who was not “like” them. The Bible clearly says that it was this
inhospitality, and not any homosexual practices (homosexual rape was actually a
tool used by the cities to discourage strangers from coming to the south end of
the Dead Sea on a visit) that resulted in their eventual destruction.
Zephaniah
ties the fate of Moab and Ammon to the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. And the tie
is not accidental. The only survivors from the disaster that hit these cities
on the south end of the Dead Sea that the Bible mentions were Lot and his
daughters. And it was Lot’s Daughters that became the ancestors of the people
of Moab and Ammon.
We do not
know much about these two nations until the time of Exodus of Israel out of
Egypt. But at that time they reject Israel and refuse to extend a hand of
friendship to the escaping slaves. It would seem that Moab and Ammon both inherited
the xenophobic policies of Sodom and Gomorrah – and for that they would share
in the ancient cities fate. Like Sodom and Gomorrah, the nations would be
destroyed and left a wasteland.
Historians
have openly wondered whether Sodom and Gomorrah ever existed. The destruction
of the cities was so complete that there is nothing left to tell of their
existence. But the stories of Sodom and Gomorrah, and of Moab and Ammon, stand
as a testimony to the hospitality that God demands of all of us. Hospitality
and compassion are not optional – they form the Christians Prime Directive. And
it is a Directive that we dare not violate.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:
Zephaniah 3
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