“We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” – Joshua 9:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 30, 2015): Joshua 9

Twice during the 20^th Century Germany was dismantled. The nation essentially traded its future for survival. At the end of World War I, the dismantling of the nation seemed to be extreme, and many felt that it was this dismantling that gave fertile ground for the rise of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party. The promise that Hitler gave to the German people was a simple one – I will make Germany great again. Germany in a moment of extreme crisis had traded its future for survival, but now it was willing to risk survival to regain its future – to become great again.

Germany fell a second time after World War II, and again the nation was dismantled. This time it was split between four nations, but also between two ideologies. But the difference after World War II seemed to be that, at least for the most part, we realized the World War I mistake. Germany still traded its future for survival, but gradually the nations – especially those dominated by a Western ideology – began to give Germany back its future. The whole process culminated in what was one of the most unexpected events of the 20^th century, one that I admit I never thought I would live to see – the reunification of a nation. East Germany and West Germany became once again just Germany.

Much is made about the Gibeonite deception. There is absolutely no doubt that the Gibeon’s pulled off a great ruse against Israel. But sometimes what we overlook is simply this simple statement of truth made by the Gibeon’s – we are your servants. We fail to recognize the great truth - that in this moment of time the Gibeonites were willing to trade their future for survival.

In recent years, the identification of Gibeon with the village of al-Jib in what is now the West Bank has begun to open up to us a greater understanding about the crisis in Gibeon during the days of Joshua. The city sat in a fertile plain. It appears to have been a very prosperous maker of wine. Gibeon laid just outside of Jerusalem and there is evidence that the city was indeed a protectorate of Jerusalem and defended by Israel.

But Gibeon is also the site of several important biblical events. It was the place where God made the sun stand still as Israel defended the city, it was made by Joshua a Levitical city, and for a time the Tabernacle that Israel had carried through the wilderness as the dwelling place of God was set up in Gibeon. The message seemed to be clear. In spite of the Gibeonite deception, God was offering Gibeon a way back. They had traded their future for survival, but if they were willing to serve the God of Israel, he would give them back their future.

And in the end that is what we all really need – a way back where God, in spite of our deceptions and failing, offers us a future in him.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 10

They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them, you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The LORD your God will give it into your hand. – Joshua 8:6-7

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 29, 2015): Joshua 8

We receive too much information in a day to really deal with it properly. So our brains organize the information according to the beliefs and experiences that you have had in the past. The simple reality is that if you believe in God, you will see the evidence for God all around you. If you do not believe in God, you will see evidence against God all around you. Neither are objectively true. The evidence has been carefully arranged for us by our brains to support whatever it is that we believe. And this rearrangement happens in almost every area of life. Even the doctors that we visit rely on their experience to diagnose what is wrong with us. And that is why the “second opinion” is so important. We need someone to see us from a different angle – and maybe come up with a different solution.

So in the early days after the 2015 Paris attack, we received evidence that made sense to us – Syrian refugees, or more precisely Syrian radicals who smuggled themselves in with the refugees, had pulled off the attacks. It didn’t matter that objectively that scenario didn’t really make much sense, it supported what we were afraid of in the first place – that the foreigners that we were inviting into our countries were going to turn on us and bring their brand of violence to the places that we live. It made sense and so we believed.

Since those early moments, evidence has emerged that maybe we were at least partially wrong. There may have been Syrian nationals involved, radicals who had been smuggled in with the refugees, but the main players in the attacks were European citizens. They came from France and Belgium and they owned businesses, worked and lived in Europe. They may have carried Syrian identification, but that identification may have been stolen off of dead soldiers. The whole operation may have been European in origin, but with some planted evidence to make it appear to be Syrian in origin – after all, that is what we expected in the first place. The amazing thing is that even with the mounting evidence suggesting that the origins of attack were home grown, we still fear the Syrian refugees. And the real reason is that that was what we feared before the Paris attacks – the fear did not result because of the Paris attacks.

Joshua’s plan to take Ai was built off of just this kind of tendency. Because we build our expectations in a certain direction, Joshua wanted to take advantage of that tendency (something every NFL team tries to do every Sunday). He believed that if the soldiers defending Ai saw the army of Israel in retreat, they would follow the army of Israel and leave the city unguarded. Because of Israel’ earlier defeat, an Israel in retreat was just what the soldiers of Ai expected to see. As a result, Joshua hoped that they wouldn’t think the situation through – he hoped they would just respond. Because just responding is always the easier path – it just isn’t always the right path.

Sometime responding works well for us. But there are times when we need to think things through, to see a situation from the other side. To be honest, it seems to be against our nature, but it just might be the key to finding the truth.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 9

That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. – Joshua 7:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 28, 2015): Joshua 7

I am either a reluctant or a confused pacifist. I strongly believe that war only brings pain. And we repeat the pain as we increase the conflict. The history of the human race sometimes seems like it is nothing more than an extended conflict between the Hatfields and the McCoys orchestrated on a global level. As if ISIS wasn’t bad enough, it seems that Al Qaeda is offended and is stepping up their own operations. Islamic extremists kill thousands, the Western World returns the favor, and every life must be avenged. Russia’s president Putin calls for a global response against terrorism, and so the terrorist call for a response against the Group of Twenty (G20) - the elite economic nations of the world - and against NATO. Paris is under attack, followed by Mali and Brussels and a rumored plan against other cities and other nations. And it all just makes me want to yell “Stop.”

I am a reluctant or confused pacifist. And part of my problem is that I believe in the power of love. I think that love is both tangible and transforming. The history of love is that it has derailed military powers in the past, and it is the only thing that makes any sense for our future. And what I hate (and yes, I realize the strength of the word and the incompatibility of the thinking) is anything that takes away from love. I see the enemies of love everywhere, even within my own religion and my own church. And because of this, I have a choice. I can either cower in fear and let the love that I believe in be swept under the rug – or I can stand and face the enemies of love where ever I find them – even if I find them within my circle of friends. I think the second choice is the proper one. But that also brings a problem. If I am going to remain a prophet of love, then I cannot allow myself to get sucked into violence. If love is not the total answer, then love will never survive.

And I think that this is exactly what Joshua is saying. Israel cannot stand up against it enemies on the outside if it is unwilling to stand against its enemies on the inside. It isn’t enough to conquer those around you when there is a cancer inside that is threatening to conquer you. For Israel, If God was not the total answer, then God could not be the answer. And someone within the fellowship of Israel had become an enemy of God – and that needed to be handled before the nation could take a step forward. Sin had to be confronted – that was the only path to success.

What does all of this mean for a reluctant or confused pacifist? I wish I knew – except that for me today’s God answer has to be love. This is the truth of God that needs to be proclaimed. So when people want to bring more guns into the fight, that solution must be stood against. I am not against gun ownership, but is it impossible to see that increased weapons in terrorist situations only means increased death? Because once the shooting starts, then where exactly does it stop? How can I tell which are friendly and which or not – and if I am carrying a gun then how do they know my intentions? I get that this is not a popular stand to take right now, but if the answer is love (and I desperately believe that it is) then it must be only love – everything that is not devoted to love must be destroyed. In the words of Joshua, what is not devoted to love is devoted to destruction.

It is time to stop. Everything. It is time to say that I am sorry for offense given. I am sorry for words that have been spoken not in love. It is time to stop the pain. It is time to talk and to forgive and to love across our differences. Life is too valuable to react in any other way.

It is time for me to stand for love in every area of my life. I may be a reluctant or confused pacifist, but it is the belief in the power of love that keeps me that way. In the end I know that love wins.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 8

At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho: “At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”– Joshua 6:26

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 27, 2015): Joshua 6

The bombing of Dresden in February 1945 by the Americans and the British remains one of the most controversial actions of World War II. The criticism seems to stem from two main areas of concern – the identity of the city and the method used in the bombing. First, Dresden was seen as a cultural hub prior to the war, and until 1933 and the beginnings of the Nazi regime in Germany, Dresden had been the European center for modern art. But the problem was that in the last days of the war, it also became the hub for the defense of Germany, especially with regard to the approaching Russian Army from the East. Dresden began to be packed with military personnel and equipment. And so the decision was made to bomb the city.

The Americans and British insist that they bombed only military targets in Dresden. But the reality after the war was over was that much of the cultural center of Dresden was gone. The city boasted many civilian casualties in the bombing and the city looked like someone had simply tried their best to erase the city off of the map. And one of the post war decisions that had to be made was simply what do we do with Dresden? The final decision was about restoration. While many destroyed cities were rebuilt with new buildings allowing the old to simply be removed and fade from memory, in Dresden there was a concerted effort to restore the city to the way it was before the bombing - to rebuild the city and try to make it look like it did before bombs tore away at its cultural heart.

The position of cities is rarely accidental. Cities are often built strategically. They are close to needed natural resources, or they are built in a militarily vulnerable area. Often they are built close to rivers, which brings with it both life and the danger of flooding during the rainy season. If a city grows, then the place where it stands is important. And when the city is destroyed, rebuilding is often a natural response – because a city in this place is still needed.

Some cities are not rebuilt. Ancient Babylon remains today as an example of a place where many have planned to rebuild, yet centuries after its destruction the site still remains in ruins. But most destroyed cities in one way or another find their way back to life.

And Jericho would be an example of a city that was hard to kill. The reality is that many have declared this prophecy to be false. Almost immediately following the destruction of Jericho, we find people inhabiting the ancient site. It seemed like a natural place for people to live. The site was naturally defended with cliffs west of the city and the Jordan River defending it in the east. It sat close to the Northern coast of the Dead Sea. So even though the city lay in ruins, people began to return to the ancient site and began to live in Jericho once more.

But Bible scholars have pointed out that the curse was not that the city would remain unoccupied, but rather that it could never be fortified again. And for generations this was true. People lived in Jericho, but Jericho was a town with no walls. The walls were not rebuilt until the time when Ahab was king over Judah, generations after its destruction by Joshua. And in that day the prophecy of Joshua would come true. The postscript to this story of destruction is found in 1 Kings 16:34.

In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua son of Nun.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 7

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day. – Joshua 5:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 26, 2015): Joshua 5

Jenny McCarthy recently blasted Charlie Sheen on her radio show for waiting for four years to reveal that he had tested HIV positive. McCarthy, who played one of Charlie Sheen’s love interests on Two and a Half Men, admits that she is a little hyper about Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) and makes anyone she is in a relationship with sign a waiver that specifies that they are clean before the relationship can continue. And in a world where actors regularly have to disclose any diseases and medications they might be taking to each other on the projects that they work together, McCarthy argues that the fact that Sheen had tested HIV positive might have been a pertinent fact to release to fellow actors.

But, as far as Jenny and Charlie is concerned, I am not sure about the time line. If Charlie found out that he was HIV positive in 2011, 2011 was also the year that he imploded and left Two and a Half Men – in other words, he may not have known when he was acting with Jenny that he was HIV positive (and neither Jenny nor I know how Charlie handled his interactions with actors after his diagnosis.)

But I also feel for Charlie Sheen. He is right when he says that those three letters have a profound effect on your life. And if you doubt that, all you need to do is to read the headlines since the Sheen revelation – headlines that question whether Sheen is capable of headlining his own new half-hour comedy project, which would be an incredible fourth major comedy project of his career after Spin City, Two and a Half Men, and Anger Management. Sheen is about to feel the reproach of the industry focussed on him as he moves forward in his new HIV focussed world. 

It is an almost a strange line to read as we consider Israel’s entrance into the Canaan that it was on this day that God had removed “the reproach of Egypt.” And to be honest, scholars have argued over the wording of this phrase since the book was written. But the most obvious solution to the words is that God is saying that Israel has carried with them their slavery throughout the whole time of their desert wanderings. But now that their wanderings are over, the reproach of their slavery has been finally removed.

For Israel that was the story of the entire generation of men and women who died and were buried in the desert. They could never really remove the reproach of slavery from their identity of who they were. They continued to see themselves as slaves. But for this new generation, the reproach could be removed and they could begin to see themselves as a nation and a holy people devoted to God.

It is the dream that God has placed on all of our lives. The idea that we can be separated from the reproach that our past has brought on us. Our future is bound up in the one who has said “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). In Christ, the reproach of the past is gone, and all that is left is the future we have in him.

Today’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 6

And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before. – Joshua 4:18

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 25, 2015): Joshua 4

Jeb Bush’s campaign team insists that their leader is not in trouble. The situation right now is all about timing. Many politicians are strong early but fade as they get closer to the voting. According to the Bush camp and many of the other more traditional campaigns, it is easy to say that you support the bombastic Donald Trump and a Ben Carson that obviously doesn’t understand foreign policy now, but as the time gets closer to voting, that gets harder. The two questions that have to be answered then are these - can this person really be President (what would their responses have been to the Paris crisis if it had happened under their watch) and who is genuinely electable over whoever it is that the Democrats put forward. Bush’s team think that their candidate answers both of those questions better than either Trump or Carson. It is just the timing that is not right. Bush’s number will rise as we get closer to the time of the vote, so his languishing numbers are unimportant now. The important thing is for Jeb Bush to keep walking – keep moving toward his ultimate goal, the Presidency of the United States. If he can do that, then he just might receive the miracle that he is hoping for.

The author of Joshua wants us to understand that the timing of God is everything, and that the crossing of the River Jordan was a miraculous event – on the same level as the crossing of the Red Sea forty years earlier. I have often said that the crossing of the Red Sea had more of a Steven Spielberg feel to it – the Sea was deep and the Egyptian army was closing in and tension was high. By contrast, the crossing of the River Jordan was missing several elements. No one was chasing them. The tension was probably fairly low in comparison to the Red Sea experience. But only two people present at the Jordan crossing had been at the Red Sea crossing – Joshua and Caleb. But the Jordan was no less of a miracle.

But it was a miracle of timing. The bible says that the water was stopped several miles upstream. When the priests stepped in and the water stopped, the miracle had actually happened a few minutes earlier when the water was piled up. And at the tail end the same thing happened, in reverse. The water was released at just the right moment so that the flood stage water would return into its proper place as the priests stepped out of the dry river bed.

God’s timing is amazing. Personally, I think that the River Jordan story is much more applicable to our lives than the Red Sea. I know, that we want the Red Sea story to be true in our lives. We want the water to stop and for us so that we can simply walk through the miracle that God has caused in front of us, but in my experience it is much more common for God to respond miraculously to our movement than it is for God to open up a hole for us to walk through, As we go, he goes, As we step, he moves. And in the middle of the movement God’s miracle happens. But when we turn around, everything is as it was. The timing of God’s movement in our lives is impeccable - and that is the story of the River Jordan.

Today’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 5

 

The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. – Joshua 3:17

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 24, 2015): Joshua 3

The contemporary Christian Church has a trust issue. We don’t seem to trust anyone – including God. I was distressed as I read social media responses to the Paris attacks earlier this month. What I found were Christians advocating the taking up of weapons by private citizens to wipe the offending people off of the map. I saw Christians calling Islam a “garbage religion” (we must find a way to differentiate between what our media calls the radicalized believer in Islam and our Muslim neighbors and brothers and sisters.) I watched as godly people called for a halt of humanitarian aid and assistance to Syrian refugees because there might be a few radicals that intend to harm us in the mix. If our character is defined by how we react in the worst moments, I have to admit that I didn’t enjoy seeing the Christian character that was revealed by the Paris attacks. It is something that the Church needs to pay attention to – it is a growth area where we need desperately to grow.

I know that the Paris attacks, followed by reports of other attacks that were “in the pipeline” and may include some prominent European and North American centers, is a scary thought. One friend admitted that his response was born out of fear. Which brings me back to my original thought, do we trust God? Even a little bit? Repeatedly the Bible gives us this image that there is nothing to fear because God is in control – he is still on the throne. In the great prophetic passage of Matthew 24, Jesus instructs his followers to continue with life and to pay attention to the Gospel teachings even in the face of wars and rumors of wars. Jesus said -

Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains (Matthew 24:5-8 emphasis mine).

I understand that the flood waters seem to be rising, but God is still the Lord of the Flood. We can keep our trust in him.

Every time I read this passage I have to admit that it brings into focus my trust. Let me set the stage for you. The River Jordan is at flood stage. There is a generation of people who have known only sand and the occasional spring, and when you are not used to it (or even I you are used to it), any river at flood stage is scary sight. But God’s instruction is that Israel is to cross this scary body of water. But the water will not stop until the priests step into the water. If the priests have faith and are willing to step into the rushing water, then the water will stop. But only if they have faith.

And so the priests step into the water. The water stops and the priests are instructed to walk to the center of the river and stand. I am not sure that I would have been happy with those instructions. I would want to get across the river as quickly as I could – like, before the flood returns. But then again, I am not on the throne – God is.

Even though they knew that the flood waters were going to return, the priests maintained their ground in the center of the river. They waited for every straggler to cross, every animal of the flock to find its way to its new home. I hope that at least one priest impatiently encouraged the slow to cross the dry riverbed just a little faster, because I am pretty sure that if I was standing in the center of the river that that would have been me. But they stood their ground, under great stress and the promise of the river’s return, and they did for only one reason – because God said so.

We are facing our own floodwaters, but let me encourage you with the words of Jesus – see to it that you are not alarmed. We are the ones who should calm in the face of terror, because we have heard the voice of God. All of these things have to happen. But we know that God is still on the throne.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 4

Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. – Joshua 2:17-18

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 23, 2015): Joshua 2

Beret Wearing "Maquis" in France

Star Trek’s resistance fighters “The Maquis” received their name from real life French resistance fighters during World War II. The original Maquis were active in Brittany and Southern France during the war. The name simply means “bush” (maybe a description of their ability and need to hide as they did their work) and is actually Italian in origin. The Maquis were active and highly effective in frustrating the efforts of the German army as well as helping downed airman and Jews get out of Nazi controlled territories.

The real Maquis often wore berets in order to identify each other. The idea was that the beret was common enough not to arouse suspicion but unique enough to serve as a signal to other resistance leaders in the area. The Maquis served as just one of the many resistance operations during World War II. Resistance operations were found in every occupied nation during the war. They were eclectic groups of people bound together by persecution and working toward one common goal – to end the German occupation in the areas where they operated.

Rahab symbolizes the resistance movement that was present in Canaan as Israel entered into the land. There was evidence that the people of the land were expecting them, and many feared their arrival. Some, like Rahab, decided that it was better to fight on the side of Israel rather than to campaign against them. And so Rahab became an integral part of the taking of the city of Jericho by Israel. She saved the spies from discovery as they scouted the city, and as a result Rahab and her family were saved from the destruction when the city fell. Her identifying mark was to be a red chord hanging from her window. As long as the chord hung from the window, anyone who was inside the house would be safe. But they couldn’t leave the house until the fighting was over. The red chord was their “beret,” and they would only be safe as long as they were within its vicinity.

Bible scholars have been quick to note the similarity between this story and a couple of others in the Bible. One such story was the first Passover. The people of Israel, the resistance fighters in Egypt, were commanded to kill a lamb and place its blood (red) on the doors of the house. Then the angel of death would pass over the house leaving the inhabitants unharmed. But they were instructed not to leave their houses until morning – that was the only way that their safety could be guaranteed.

For the Christian, the parallel is found in the cross and the death of Jesus. The idea of the hymn writers of being “washed in the blood” really indicates that this is the way that we are to be identified as belonging to God. It is not our doors that bear the blood of the Lamb, it is our lives. The blood has been symbolically placed on us and it is that blood that both justifies and saves us. The blood becomes our “beret” marking us out as followers of God. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him (Romans 5:9)!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 3

Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them … Joshua 1:14

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 22, 2015): Joshua 1

Article five of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Mutual Defense Treaty clearly states that, if invoked, the signatories of the treaty must come to the defense of their NATO ally or allies. The question, as Paris suffered last week, was would France invoke article five compelling all of the NATO members to actively declare war on ISIS? (Admittedly this was written at a time when France was expected to invoke article five, but had not officially done so – by the time you read this that may have changed.) But in the hour of possibility of the article five invocation, already NATO members were planning their response. It would seem that the attack on Paris on November 13-14, 2015 fit the bill for the invoking of article five. The attack was made by a foreign power who considers themselves a nation (even though most of the world would consider that claim to be illegitimate), who occupy a specific piece of land (a portion of the area known as The Levant which includes the land on the East side of the Mediterranean Sea and includes Syria, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon – and the presence of Israel in “The Levant” adds another facet of the problem of the ever expanding area which is under Islamic State control– as well as portions of Iraq) and who have authored a specific attack into NATO held territory.

To be honest, the genius of the move, if it was not accidental, needs to be admired. The Islamic State attack on Paris in the days ahead will test the mettle of NATO. If France invokes article five, and nations refuse to join the war or the defence of France and Europe (The Islamic State is promising new attacks) or join for a moment but quickly tire and leave the battle, then, for all intents and purposes, NATO is dead. If the nations refuse France in their hour of need after promising to defend, there is no legitimate purpose for NATO. And if that happened, that might be the greatest military win of the Islamic State to date – in fact, it is hard to imagine a win that is bigger.  

This was precisely the point where Israel found themselves on the eve of entering the Promised Land. Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh had decided to settle on the east side of the Jordan River. They were allowed to do this on the condition that their armies would assist the Tribes that were settling on the west side of the Jordan River to take the land. They agreed to the request, but it would not be an easy thing to do. First, it meant that the task of clearing the land and planting crops and building homes would have to be left to the women, children and the men who were either too old or too young to fight. Second, it also meant that their families, at least for a time, would be left without an adequate defence. The fighting men of the tribes would all be on the west side of the Jordan River.

The promise of the Transjordan tribes military support to the remaining Tribes of Israel had been made to Moses, but now it was Joshua who was in effect invoking his own article five. If the tribes refused, citing the legitimate concerns for the safety of their families and the work that needed to be done at home, Israel would have probably quickly descended into a civil war – and the Promised Land would remain untaken by Israel for at least another generation – and maybe forever. Solidarity of the tribes was needed to move forward and do what is right. And solidarity is still what we need.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 2

Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. – Psalm 91:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 21, 2015): Psalm 91

Officially, World War I began on July 28, 1914 with Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia, the mobilization of Russia and The Netherland declaring their neutrality in the conflict. The next few days would basically just feature the posturizing of the nations with warnings, declarations of neutrality and declarations of war. It wouldn’t be until August 2 that the first shots would be exchanged in the “Skirmish at Joncherey,” a fight on the Western Front. But by the time the war ended on November 11, 1918, nine million combatants and seven million civilians were dead as a direct result of the war making it one of the deadliest conflicts in history.

As if that wasn’t enough, January 1918 brought with it the first of the two major H1N1 Flu pandemics. Because of the war, the extent of the H1N1 outbreak was a secret throughout much of the world. But as a result of Spain’s neutrality, the extent of the pandemic’s reach in Spain, including the illness and subsequent recovery of King Alfonso XIII, was common knowledge throughout much of the world giving the false impression that the pandemic was worse in Spain than it was anywhere else in the world – and giving the flu its popular name, the Spanish Flu. But the reality was that the 1918 pandemic was worldwide, infecting more than 500 million and killing between 50 and 100 million people, dwarfing the number that had already been lost because of the war. It must have seemed that God had left the neighborhood as the world suffered under an unbelievable weight.

Jewish tradition says that Psalm 91 was written by Moses, most likely late in his life. The Psalm promises good things for those who will follow God. And in verse 3, two different perils are mentioned – the fowler’s snare and the deadly pestilence. One is human in origin and the other is something handed out by nature. It might be an apt description of what happened between 1914 and 1920. It started with the fowler’s snare (World War I) but ended with the deadly pestilence (the H1N1 pandemic.) The problem as we look at the events of the second decade of the 20^th century is simply this, did God keep us safe. I mean, there were Christians and God-fearing people that died both in the war and in the pandemic – exactly how were they kept safe.

Maybe the best way to bridge the tension and to interpret the Psalm 91 might be that Moses is talking about our eternal disposition. The reality is that there is nothing that happens here, outside of the will of God, which has any effect on our eternal destiny. Our souls are safe, even when our bodies are not. And that is where our focus needs to be. Jesus taught his disciples something very similar - Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). The designs of the enemy might be able to kill the body, but what really matters God holds closely in his hands – and there it is kept safe.       

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 1

Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face … - Deuteronomy 34:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 20, 2015): Deuteronomy 34

Most lists of the best Presidents of the United States usually start with three, although sometimes the order changes. Those three presidents are Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Interestingly enough, all three also share something else – their Presidential careers were born out of violence. For Abraham Lincoln, his trial by fire was the American Civil War. For George Washington (and usually Lincoln and Washington are either first or second in these lists of the best) it was the American Revolutionary War. And for F. D. R., it was World War II. Their characters were forged by fire. George Washington might make the list without the American Revolutionary war, after all he was first. But who knows where Abraham Lincoln would rank without the civil war or Roosevelt without World War II. The unique abilities of both men were released in the some of the worst moments of history. And it probably doesn’t hurt that their lives belong to generations that have long preceded ours – their legends just continue to grow.

Moses career in some ways mirrors the career of George Washington. He was first. His career began in what amounted to Israel’s revolutionary war of independence. He became the lawgiver and he set the boundaries for a nation. He held a group of independent tribes and convinced them that they were stronger together (it is absolutely amazing that Washington was able to do that in the early days of the United States.) And Moses gave Israel a picture of their God.

There were others. Joshua was an able leader who led Israel through the battles in the taking of Canaan. He waded through the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. But his major weakness might have been that he seemed to have no idea about who would take over for him when he decided to retire - a decision that would result in Israel being thrown into their dark ages known as the period of the Judges. And David would be a great king and a man after God’s own heart, but he would never be a Moses. He would never be first and a man who had met with God face to face.

But there would be another Moses, another lawgiver – and another first. His name would be Jesus. He would be the Messiah and the one predicted to be “a prophet like Moses.”

One more note on the dating of Deuteronomy. Regardless of when the rest of the book was written, this epilogue was written much later. How much later, we are not sure. But enough time had passed that leaders had come and gone and no one had measured up to Moses.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 91

About Asher he said: “Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be favored by his brothers, and let him bathe his feet in oil. The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze, and your strength will equal your days. – Deuteronomy 33:24-25

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 19, 2015): Deuteronomy 33

According to a 1981 interview in Playboy Magazine, John Lennon’s song “Help” was a cry for exactly that - help.

When 'Help' came out in '65, I was actually crying out for help. Most people think it's just a fast rock 'n roll song. I didn't realize it at the time; I just wrote the song because I was commissioned to write it for the movie. But later, I knew I really was crying out for help. It was my fat Elvis period. You see the movie: He -- I -- is very fat, very insecure, and he's completely lost himself.

It almost seems impossible to grasp. In 1965, the Beatle’s seemed to be on top of the world. Help would become their third number one song for the year, following “Eight Days a Week” and “Ticket to Ride.” But Lennon also admitted that the band had started to seriously use marijuana. Communication for the band had almost become impossible. Most conversations quickly descended into nothing more than a fit of giggles. They were on top of the world, but they needed help.

Moses’ prophecy about Asher matches the prophecy of Jacob for his son. Both men agree that the descendants Asher would be prosperous. The tribe of Asher would live on top of the world. Rabbinic literature and history agrees. Even the name Asher means happiness. Asher was the tribe that would be the most blessed with male children. The women of the tribe were so beautiful that priests and princes sought them out for marriage. Asherites were renowned for their wisdom. And the land was so fertile that even in times of famine and during the Sabbath year, Asher was able to supply the entire nation with olive oil. Asher was on top of the world.

And yet biblical experts also recognize that none of this changes the fact that Asher would be one of the Ten Tribes that would fall at the hands of the Assyrians, and disappear from the pages of history forever. The question that they ask is this – are the bolts and gates described in this prophecy an indication of their great strength in mining, or do they indicate the strength of the prisons that they would serve in after their defeat at the hands of the Assyrians.

But either way, in spite of all of their prosperity, Asher was a tribe deeply in need of help.     

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 34

Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.” – Deuteronomy 32:52

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 18, 2015): Deuteronomy 32

A story is told that at the opening of Disney World in Florida, someone commented to Lillian Disney, Walt Disney’s widow, that she must have wished the Walt could have seen this pinnacle of his imagination. According to the story, Lillian Disney smiled and remarked that “Walt has seen it, and that is why it exists.” If it was not for the dream of Walt Disney, so much of what we take for granted of our childhoods would be missing. Walt Disney was renowned for his imagination and vision, and all of the things that he could see that didn’t exist – at least not yet. 

There are a number of people that have blest our generation with amazing feats of vision for things that didn’t exist. Alongside Walt Disney stand many others – like George Lucas (Star Wars) and Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek). They all had the ability to see what didn’t yet exist – and because they saw it, we had the privilege see what it was that they saw.

God hands Moses his sentence. The People of Israel are about to enter into the Promised Land, but Moses won’t enter. This is the consequences of his sin –a consequence of his impatience and lack of trust in God. But God has arranged for him to see the land that would become Israel – at least from a distance. But to be honest. I am not sure that it was really necessary.

From what the Bible tells us of Moses, he was another man of great vision. He had seen the Promised Land from that first moment at the burning bush. Moses’ reluctance to go to Egypt and demand that the Pharaoh “let my people go” had less to do with a lack of vision than it had in an inability to see what he could bring into that future. From Moses point of view, he was a failure. He had tried to move Israel into a new reality when he was still a prince in Egypt. And he had failed. But Moses had longed dreamed of the land, and when he closed his eyes for the past forty year, that land was all that he saw.

In that moment when the spies had returned to tell Moses of everything that they had seen, it confirmed everything that Moses had believed about this new land. It was a fertile place. It was a place where a people could grow. Over the forty years of wandering, I think Moses had walked in the Promised Land every time that he closed his eyes. Now, at the age of 120, Moses would finally see with his eyes open in the distance exactly what it was that he had seen with his eyes closed over the past forty years. He already knew the land, and that is exactly why he was willing to dedicate the last third of his life in getting his people to precisely this point - on the edge of the Promised Land.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 33

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. – Deuteronomy 31:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 17, 2015): Deuteronomy 31       

King George II of Britain led the British Army into the Battle of Dettingen in 1743 (part of the War of Austrian Succession between the Austrians, backed by Britain and the Dutch, and the French and Prussians.) It was the last time that a British Monarch would actually lead his troops into battle. The days had passed when the King was a knight and was expected to lead the charge of the troops. After George II, Kings began to lead from the boardroom, they simply were no longer the fighting men of old. (And who among us really wants to see Queen Elizabeth in the battle in Syria.) Part of the problem would be that, in the day of gunpowder, the sovereign in the midst of the battle became a prime target of the enemy– and a danger to anyone who stood near. The honest truth is that George II probably wished that he was in boardroom. In 1743, the British army was a neglected institution. It had not participated in a major European war in over 20 years. George II had fought to bring greater professionalism into the ranks. He worked for the idea of promotion by merit rather than by the sale of commissions. But none of his ideas had met with much success. So as the Allied armies of the British, Austrian, Dutch, Hanoverian and Hessians took the field against the French, George II found himself leading the army – eventually to victory.

How much George II’s presence meant to the battle is probably unknowable. The King’s presence in the battle was admired by many in Britain after the story of the battle began to circulate, even though the people were critical of the war itself. But the presence of a great leader in the heat of the battle often boosts the confidence of those who are in the middle of the fight.

There is no doubt that Israel was heading for a fight. The repeated phrase at the close of Deuteronomy and at the beginning of Joshua are “be strong and courageous.” It was the flag that Israel would fight under. The words were first spoken by Moses to Joshua. And later Joshua would repeat the same words to Israel. But there is not an empty sentiment here. Moses’, and later Joshua’s, words were not meant to mean that there are probably good things that are going to happen to you tomorrow. It is not a simple “you can do it speech.” The words are be strong and courageous because God is riding into the heat of the battle with you. He, your king, will be there with you in the fight. He will go before you. There will not be any battle into which you are led that the King has not already surveyed. And this was something that Israel was going to need to know if they were going to survive the days that lay ahead.

It is something that I need to know every day. God has gone before me. He has prepared the way. And nothing else really matters – because I fight beside my king. He will make away even in the midst of the worst that I can imagine. So when the fight comes to me, even I can be “strong and courageous.”

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 32

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. – Deuteronomy 30:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 16, 2015): Deuteronomy 30

There is an ancient proverb that we know of as “For the Want of a Nail.” The first appearance of the complete Proverb is thought to have been applied to the death of King Richard III at the hands of Henry Tudor (soon to be King Henry VII and the last English monarch to win the throne through battle) at the Battle of Bosworth Field ending the “War of the Roses” in 1485. But there is evidence that the proverb existed much earlier.

The full proverb simple reads like this:

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

The idea behind the proverb is that simple things in life often come with grave consequences; we are often just unable to see those consequences. So we need to take care of the small things – like a horseshoe nail. The idea has also been popularized by concepts like chaos theory and the Butterfly Effect, which postulates that the movement of a butterfly in one part of the world can result in a major storm in an another place.

Given the choice of prosperity or destruction, most of us would choose prosperity. But often what we fail to see is a connection between our daily lives and either the prosperity that we desire or the destruction that we feel we are reaping. Admittedly, it is often hard to see the connection between the nail and the loss of the kingdom. But successful people seem to be able to make the connection. Another proverb that we seem to like to live by is “don’t sweat the small stuff.” But that proverb only works for some small stuff. There are some small things that we definitely need to sweat if we want good things in our lives (saving up for retirement from the moment we begin to work might be one of these things), but the challenge is often telling the difference – and that can only be learned by being aware of the consequences of our actions.

Moses seems to be describing something very similar to the people of Israel. The decisions that they made as they entered the Promised Land were going to have a lasting effect. They needed to understand the consequences of their actions. The line between life and death, or prosperity and destruction was as thick as a nail, or as fragile as a butterfly’s wing. If they consistently chose God, good things would follow. But that was not going to be the natural choice. What comes naturally is the choosing of self. And if they chose self continually, then death and destruction would be their lot. The choice was theirs, but their future was not going to be discovered in the grandiose moments of the nation, but rather in the little things that they would choose on a daily basis.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 31

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. – Deuteronomy 29:29

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 15, 2015): Deuteronomy 29

God keeps secrets. Not everything is fit for our knowledge. There seems to be a few levels of knowledge within the realms of God. Some things are simply revealed to us. These things may be termed “self-evident,” although I have to admit that I am not sure that anything is truly undisputable. We seem to have to work at most things to truly understand them. (Just as a note, I am not convinced that there is anything even as simple as a “plain reading of the text.” Often this is our fallback position with regard to our biblical readings. But I am not sure that God ever intended there to be such a thing as a “plain reading.” God’s intention has always been that we would struggle with his words – and in the struggle truly learn what he expects out of us.) Other things are revealed to us as we work through problems. Every day we seem to unlock more of the mysteries of the universe. Our children will build on the knowledge that we possess, and they will do truly amazing things. But there are some things that we will never really understand. There are a lot of things that I think fit into this last category. The evolution vs. creation argument might be one (and this is often a point that we cry out for a plain reading of the text. I have a recurring fantasy of God trying to teach Moses the processes of a God directed evolutionary process, and in the end the best way to describe the process is simply with the words “I molded you out of dirt.”) Many higher science problems often seem to be unsolvable, at least in this moment in time. We have theories, but we can’t say that we really know. And that is okay. It is the way it is supposed to be. There are some things that God keeps secret.

There is a Jewish teaching that God didn’t really become God until the moment of creation. Before creation, God was something else. He was still a powerful, omnipresent and omniscient being, but he was not God. They also believe that it is a sin to try to figure out what God was before creation. That knowledge remains securely in the domain of God – it is part of what he keeps secret.

I believe that if the people of God could simply embrace this idea, it would be revolutionary for the world. There would be no more fighting over the unknowable. We would find ourselves comfortable with the secrets of God. We would still be responsible for the things that has been revealed to us. We are responsible to love this broken planet, to bring light into the darkness and salt into the blandness of the earth. But we are under absolutely no pressure to know everything, or to be able to describe perfectly how everything works. And what we feel has been revealed, we would hold even that loosely. Our faith has never been based on what we know, except that we know Christ, and we know him crucified. In the long run, that is the only piece of knowledge that is essential. Nothing else really matters.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 30

The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. – Deuteronomy 28:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 14, 2015): Deuteronomy 28

I do not understand what seems to have become the financial message of our times – the idea that debt is good. In 2008, personal unsecured debt caused damage to our society that, at least in some areas, we are still trying to overcome. I know that we want to blame the evil corporations for the financial crash, but the reality is that the evil was in us. We were the ones who moved ourselves into a debt situation from which we could not recover. We were the ones who found ourselves owing more money than our properties were worth, because we were the ones who had purchased with too little down payment. We were the ones who allowed our credit card debt to go far beyond what it was that we could afford. The evil was in us.

Even today, I have close friends who have no intention of ever getting out of Credit Card debt. They don’t even pretend that there is a possibility of a zero balance on their credit cards ever within their lifetimes, even though in some cases death is still a good three decades away. And not only is there no possibility of a zero balance, there is no possibility of their assets being able to pay off their debt when their time on this planet is done. And yet, the overwhelming message that I hear from people – and even from some of our politicians - is that debt is good. I admit, I think our idea of what is good and bad is upside down.

Could imagine, just for a moment, your nation with no debt? Could you imagine not having to make that interest payment? Can you see the incredible good that we could afford to do if it were not for our debt; increased services to the people, better education and health care, and all of it without having to increase at all the tax load of the people?

This is the biblical idea of the health of a nation. That God will pour out his blessings on us and we will be able to have so much that our storehouses will be full. And that we will be the lenders, and not the borrowers, for the world. National financial health is never having to worry about the shutting down of a government because we can’t find the authority to borrow more money. This is the hallmark of a blessed nation, and of a nation that has learned to live within its limits.

Ah, and there is the rub. We want more than we can afford. Credit is easy, whether we are talking about your personal finances or the finances of a nation. It is past time for us to be responsible and insist that the debt ceiling be lowered instead of raised. It is time to find our way back to the idea of biblical financial health, where debt is something that somebody else has to suffer through – not us. We just can’t go on the way we have in the past. Something simply has to change – or we will end up running up a bill that we cannot afford to pay.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 29

“Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!” – Deuteronomy 27:18

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 13, 2015): Deuteronomy 27

In the fictional “Star Trek” Universe, the character Geordi La Forge is born blind, and by the time of the storyline in which he lives sees only with the help of a visor that interprets the world for him. In one episode an alien remarks that it was cruel of his parents not kill him at birth. In that culture, nothing less than perfection was allowed to live. But as humans, we are often defined by the compassion that we have on those who are handicapped in some way. It was an element of the human condition that “Star Trek” franchise repeatedly liked to play with. But the reality is that our compassion is actually self-directed. Some of our handicaps might be more obvious than others, but there are really none of us that are totally without them. We exist as a broken people. We long to be made whole, but we all know that that is simply not the way that we exist. As a people we have only two choices - to recognize and push against the shortcomings that we all possess, or to deny their existence and hope that no one ever finds out that we were not created perfect.

Last week I led a meeting of leaders reviewing our churches Abuse Protection Policy. And every element in the policy simply reinforces the fact that we understand that we live in a broken world, and that we will take every precaution to make sure that no one takes advantage of the vulnerable who walk among us. We understand fully the truth of “Star Trek;” we know that we are defined by the way that we treat those who are weaker than we do, whose handicaps are more obvious than ours. We know that the vulnerable is us.

The curses presented from Mount Ebal are symbolic in nature. The curse on the one who would lead the blind astray is really a curse on anyone who would dare to take advantage of someone who is vulnerable and dependent on the kindness of others. Such an act is not only cursed and cruel, it lessens who we are as human beings. So we draw a line in the sand and say that it will not happen here. Our humanity is defined by how we treat those who are weaker than us. If perfection were a prerequisite to life, then this planet would be empty. This is the truth that we must understand or we are apt to fall into the trap of the cursed who take advantage of the blind for their own amusement or self-edification.

As Christians, this cannot be us. We must acknowledge and welcome the weak, because we know that we walk with that group. I am the vulnerable one, and I have every right to live and make my way through this life. Our humanity will be defined by the compassion we exercise on all of those around us, but not only that, my Christianity will be clearly reflected in that compassion. This is the way that it has to be. And this is the concept to which we all need to add our personal “Amen!”

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 28

Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. – Deuteronomy 26:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 12, 2015): Deuteronomy 26

Canadian’s welcomed what the American papers called “The NYC Wild Child” back from her self-imposed exile last week. Her name, of course, is Margaret Trudeau, the former wife of the former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and someone who has been romantically linked to men as diverse as Ted Kennedy and Mick Jagger. Trudeau has opted to stay out of the lime light for the past three decades, but now is getting set to re-enter both the culture and (at least as visitor) the house that she once called a prison and remarked that it was a place to which she would “never, never return” – 24 Sussex Drive, the official home of the Prime Minister of Canada. Of course, this time her connection with 24 Sussex Drive will be through her son, the new Prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. With her exile complete, it seems that the wandering Margaret Trudeau has come full circle – and never, well, never is simply a long time.

Moses reminds the Children of Israel where it is that they could find their origins. The “my father” that he speaks of are actually the Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And he is quite right in calling them “wandering Arameans.” The fathers hailed most likely from the area around Paddan Aram in what is today Northern Syria or Southern Turkey (which is why some translations say that “my father was a wandering Syrian” – both would be technically correct, although the actual word that is used here is “Aramean”. Then it was simply part of the Kingdom of Aram. But they were “wandering” Arameans. They didn’t stay home. They travelled south into Canaan which eventually would become known as the Promised Land. They made ventures even further south into Egypt. They were keepers of the flock and they were continually on the move. They were wanderers. Jacob would return home to Paddan Aram and live there for a number of years at the express wish of his mother. Her desire was that Jacob would marry a woman from his own family. But, after his marriages to Rachel and Leah, he would return to the family wandering. Eventually, Father Jacob would take his entire family into Egypt to escape a famine that was inflicting much of the Middle East. But the NIV misses what might be an important concept. Jacob’s family exile to live in Egypt is termed a sojourn (the NIV simply says that they “lived there.”) But the idea was that this was a temporary experience. They were not making “we will never return statement.” They had plans to go home. But for now they would live in Egypt. The total time that Israel sojourned in Egypt was 400 years.

Experts have seen a godly purpose in the sojourn of Israel in Egypt. In Canaan, the young nation would most likely have been swallowed up by the peoples that surrounded them. They did not possess the numbers to take the land, and they would have likely been co-opted into the worship of the local gods.

But Egypt was a highly racist nation, and the object of their racist beliefs was the Arameans. In Egypt, the children of Jacob would be left alone giving them ample opportunity to bond together. Eventually, of course, they became slaves to the Egyptians which would have further cemented that bond. In Egypt, they would develop a system of belief and an identity that was separate from the culture at large. In Canaan, they would have been victims of assimilation, but in Egypt they would become a nation. And one day, when their wandering and their sojourn was completed, they would finally be ready to end their exile and to return to their new home.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 27