The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and olive oil to the storerooms, where the articles for the sanctuary and for the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the musicians are also kept. “We will not neglect the house of our God.” – Nehemiah 10:39

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 31, 2017): Nehemiah 10

Robert Watson-Watt advocated for a “cult of the imperfect.” Watson-Watt, the man who developed the early warning radar system in Britain to defend the island nation against the threat of the German Luftwaffe, argued: “give them the third best to go on with; the second best comes too late, the best never comes.” The argument is that we can’t wait for perfection. We have to make a move now, or we will be making our move when the threat has already passed.

I have to admit that I struggle with Watson-Watt’s words. Maybe it is the perfectionist in me, but too often in modern society, we settle for what is “good enough” because we have no desire to put in the effort to do something better. Why excel at something when merely a pass will do. Why put out a great product, when a good product will make money. There exists a tension between doing our best within a certain time parameter and coming up with Watson-Watt’s “third best,” and calling something that is sub standard third best when it is far below even that, all because we didn’t want to put in the effort.

The one place I clearly see this principle at work is in the church. There is a phrase I greatly dislike – “It is good enough for the church.” Under the auspices of this concept have come poor artistic performances and a parade of badly used furniture. As far as the furniture is concerned, I am often convinced that the church becomes the dumping ground for old items because it is cheaper to give it to the church than to take it to the dump. But just for a second, consider this thought. A piece of furniture is not good enough for your house, so you are replacing it. It is, however, good enough for God’s house. And so the furniture flows through the doors of the church requiring pastors all over the world to smile broadly and thank their parishioners, and then quietly find a truck to take the junk to the dump where it should have gone in the first place.

All of this takes on the form of being negligent toward the house of God. It is not the best we could offer, even if our best is really only Watson-Watt’s third best. It is merely good enough, and we have no desire to do better.

Nehemiah knew the history of the Temple. Too often the priests went hungry, and they did not have the tools to do their jobs because the house of God had been neglected. Now, together, the people of Israel were vowing to change that past behavior. Maybe the best that they could give to the house of God was not a reality. And the second best might never come. But they would make the house of God a priority and bring in the third best that they held in their hands right now. It was the very best that the present moment afforded them. This would belong to God. And this was their pledge.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 11

Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress. – Nehemiah 9:37

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 30, 2017): Nehemiah 9

Former Vice-President Al Gore admits that one of the most criticized moments of his 2006 documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” was the graphic that showed the flooding of New York because of Climate Change, flooding that might even reach the 9/11 Memorial and Museum site placing the National Memorial under water. In his promos for his 2017 follow-up documentary “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power,” the former Vice-President talks about the flooding of the Memorial site because of Superstorm Sandy in 2012 claiming that his prediction came true. And that is sort of the truth. The National Memorial site did flood, although Gore’s prediction seemed to lean toward a more permanent invasion by the Atlantic Ocean, returning the 9/11 Memorial Site to the ocean, than just the temporary flooding of the site as a result of a superstorm.

Still, the warning is one that we need to heed. Maybe it is doubtful that we will see the total decimation of our world by climate events in our lifetime, although we might. But there is ample evidence that disasters directly related to Climate Change, and our actions which have furthered that change, will be borne by our children and grandchildren. And, at least for me, that is a problem. I do not want my grandchildren to wonder why I did not care for them enough to do something – anything – to slow the process. I live in an oil dependent area of the world, and yet I know and understand that we need to move away from oil dependency. We have to find environmentally neutral ways of living our lives. And Gore is also right, we either have the technology, or we are on the verge of having the technology to make the change. The only question is whether or not we have the will to make the change. We must hear the warnings, or those that follow us are only going to suffer.

The Priest Samuel warned Israel about their wish for a king. Samuel felt that Israel’s desire for a king was one of the great failures of his life. Yet, as the Priest and last of the Judges grew older, the people made this request - “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have” (1 Samuel 8:5). Samuel’s response was clear.

This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day” (1 Samuel 8:11-18).   

At first, the Kings were the brothers to the people, and Israel put up with them. But time had passed and now centuries after the death of Samuel, the people were finally feeling the full impact of his warning. And so they cried out in their distress, hoping that maybe God might change what was happening. But Samuel, after centuries, had been proven more right than Samuel ever wanted to be. This was the full penalty of their sin. And it was a penalty that God would not quickly remove.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 10

Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. – Nehemiah 8:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 29, 2017): Nehemiah 8

Do you stand when someone new enters the room? Good manners still demand that we rise every time someone new enters a room for the first time in the day (obviously in significant social situations this is impossible) and for a woman, etiquette requires standing by men every time she enters or leaves the room. So, if you are in a meeting with a lady who is in and out of the room for whatever reason, men should rise every time that she enters or exits the room. The basis for the etiquette rule is that rising shows that you noticed the person and that you are ready and willing to engage with the person. It gives a clear confirmation that we are interested and value the individual who has come into our vicinity. For the misogynists in our midst, maybe the fact that we rise every time a woman enters or leaves a room serves as a reminder to us of the importance of the women in our midst. Although I am sure that someone will label these rules, even though etiquette still demands this kind of behavior, as outdated and sexist, we need to remember that the practice stresses the twin purposes of showing both respect and interest.

Nehemiah notes that as Ezra opened the Bible, the people spontaneously stood up. What might be interesting to note is that the standard of behavior in Hebrew society for a teaching situation was that the people stood while the teacher sat down. (I am not sure if any teachers would like to try that the next time that they engaged a class.) But here, it is expressly mentioned that the crowd is standing showing both respect and interest because the words of Torah or Mosaic Law was about to be read. In standing, the people were visibly telling Ezra, the leaders of the nation, and each other, that they cared and were interested in the words that were about to be read.

Historically, the church continued this tradition by having people stand for any reading of the Bible. It is interesting that currently we often would rather sit through a church service than to stand at any time, but if there is a spontaneous standing, it is more likely that we would stand for the songs and sit during the reading of the Bible. I am not sure if that might indicate a lack of interest in the Bible, or maybe a lack of respect for the church in general. Our gatherings have become ritual and events that we feel guilted into attending rather than receiving our intense attention and care.

And maybe that is the reason that the church is slowly declining into oblivion. Even we don’t care enough to stand for the words of God, so why should anyone else.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 9

These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. – Nehemiah 7:64

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 28, 2017): Nehemiah 7

I am a cousin of Prince William through his mother, Princess Diana. Well, at least we can keep the rumor going that that is true. The real truth is that we have to go back a little more than 20 generations, to sometime in the 16^th century, to make the connection between the future King of the United Kingdom and myself – all of the time working through genealogies that have been kept by families for generations. I am also related to Ulysses S. Grant, just not the Ulysses S. Grant that happened to be the 18^th President of the United States. Or, maybe it was the President. History, especially of the more personal variety, can become fairly murky. Making the direct connections is hard. Another of my relatives served as an advisor to King Edward II and was rumored to be of royal descent. How he was related is unknown and, at this point, unknowable.

But all of these are just rumors, muddied by time. They don’t really count for anything. There is no prestige to the rumors. They are interesting facts from a family point of view, but nothing more. And nothing that is for sure.

As the exiles returned to Judah at the end of the Babylonian exile, there were those who believed that they were descendants of the priests of Judah. They had heard the family rumors and stories told around the campfire of the times when their ancestors had ministered inside the Temple of Jerusalem. But the problem was that all of this was nothing more than a rumor. They had no proof that they descended from the line of priests. Nehemiah was desperate for more priests to work in the Temple, but not desperate enough to just take these stories as truth. So he examined the records that he could find and searched for the names of these individuals, but these names were not identified in the archives.

The fact that the names couldn’t be found did not mean that these men were not of the priestly line, just that that lineage could not be proven for certain. And as far as Nehemiah was concerned, the priests who would serve in the new Temple had to have an established relationship with the priests of Judah who served in Solomon’s Temple before it was destroyed. To minister in the Temple, God said that you had to be of a particular lineage. And there was no way that Nehemiah was going to cut corners and allow someone who was not of the line of the priests to minister in the Temple. Rumors were not enough, Nehemiah needed the facts.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 8

… and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together.”– Nehemiah 6:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 27, 2017): Nehemiah 6

In 1651, Arnold Johan Messenius and his 17-year-old-son were executed together (beheaded) by Queen Christina of Sweden. Their crime was, officially, that they were “enfant terrible,” or literally “unruly children.” The senior Messenius occupied the position of being the national historian for Sweden, but he had chosen to abuse his post and accuse the Queen of misbehavior, specifically calling her a “Jezebel.” And for Queen Christina, that was more than enough cause to justify her demand that the father and son be executed together.

This probably shouldn’t have been a surprise. The Queen had said “As you know, no one over thirty years of age is afraid of tittle-tattle. I myself find it much less difficult to strangle a man than to fear him.” If it was Messenius’s intent to drive fear into the heart of the queen, that was not going to work. Christina would fear no-one, and she would kill anyone who made it their intention to cause her to live in fear.

Of course, driving fear into the hearts of our opponents seems to be a common way that we try to bend someone else’s will to ours. And the best way to drive fear is to tell someone in a position of authority what our opponent is really doing. If a teacher doesn’t do what we think is appropriate, we run to the principal – and if a co-worker refuses to behave, then we run to the boss. And if it is the boss that is not acting appropriately, we either find another higher up to whom we can tell our story, or we threaten to go public with what we know. Messanius, in writing down his accusation, had decided to go public. The act cost Messanius his life and the Queen the last of the goodwill that she had with the people. As is so often true, it was not the accusation that cost Queen Christina. It was her reaction to the accusation. Three years later, and for a number of reasons, Christina converted to Roman Catholicism and abdicated the throne of Sweden. She would live the rest of her life in exile.

Nehemiah’s enemies had decided that the only way to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem was to end Nehemiah’s life. They sought to get Nehemiah in a vulnerable position and then get rid of him. But none of their schemes had worked. And so they decided to try something else. They created a rumor that Judah had re-established a king on the throne of Judah (we are not told who, but it might have been Nehemiah himself that was the proposed King) and was planning to revolt against Persia. Jerusalem was now sending out their prophets to proclaim the news of the King who now reigned in Judah once again. It didn’t matter that no king existed. The rumor, correctly told to Nehemiah’s boss, King Artaxerxes of Persia, would hopefully bring destruction down on Nehemiah and the city of Jerusalem. They hoped that their “tittle-tattle” would be enough to drive fear into the heart of Nehemiah and stop the rebuilding of the city. Or, at least, cause Nehemiah to make a mistake and place himself in a position where his enemies would be able to kill this leader of the Jews.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 7

Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land. – Nehemiah 5:16

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 26, 2017): Nehemiah 5

Former President Jimmy Carter Made a stop in the city I call home earlier this year. His stop was in support of a “Habitat for Humanity” build here in the city. Admittedly, if you lived in that section of town, you couldn’t miss that something was going on. Streets were filled with Police and the protection detail that almost shut down that part of the city. And, of course, there were the sightseers that just wanted to catch a glimpse of the over ninety-year-old Former President with a tool belt buckled around his waist and a hammer in his hand, all to help build a house.

The truth is that Jimmy Carter (James Carter just doesn’t seem to fit) has revolutionized the way that former presidents are expected to act. We can argue about Carter’s legacy as a President of the United States and, although in recent years our regard for his presidency has risen significantly, he still does not rank among the best of Presidents. But there is little doubt that Jimmy Carter is the model of how a past president should use his influence following his time in the Oval Office. Among past presidents, he is the best. And part of the reason why he is considered the best is that the Former President has never been scared to roll up his sleeves and get to work.

Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the King. The cupbearer was a position of honor and prestige. But Nehemiah took some time off from that position to act as Governor of Judea – his homeland. In either position, Nehemiah was the one who commanded others. What he said was expected to happen. But Nehemiah was not willing to sit in an office and control the people out of a place of comfort. If a wall needed to be built, then he would roll up his sleeves and work at building the wall. And it was not just the governor that raised the expectation. If the leader was going to work, then so were the ones who worked with the leader.

It is a characteristic of a good leader. Leaders don’t just instruct what they want to be done. He works at the task, setting the example for those that follow. In this, it seems that Nehemiah and James Earl Carter were very similar people. They were not afraid to work at the dream that they were building – and by work I mean they rolled up their sleeves and set their hands to the task.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 6

Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” – Nehemiah 4:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 25, 2017): Nehemiah 4

It is easy to criticize. We know that. Our politicians know that. One of the hardest transitions for a democratic government is moving from being the opposition to the elected government to taking over the position and function of the elected government. It is a different thought pattern that is needed to create than is required to criticize. It is relatively easy to see and understand where those who are in charge are going wrong. It is much harder to have actually to solve the problems with which the nations are struggling. This is why if you are an observer of American Politics, which seems to dominate our social understanding wherever we live, Republicans are always tearing down the Democrats, and the members of the Democratic Party tear down the Republicans. It is easier to spot the limitations of a crooked Hillary or Lying Ted or the Donald than it is to try to fix what is wrong. Solutions only happen when we can work beyond the labels and attack the actual problems that the nation is trying to face.

Tobiah the Ammonite is a critic. He doesn’t want the wall built and has no intention of suggesting a solution to the problem. All he knows is that the wall that is being built won’t work. It is weak, and even a small animal like a fox attempting to climb the structure would bring it down. Were Tobiah’s words right? Maybe, but more likely they are a grand exaggeration of the truth. But the reality is that criticizing the strength of the wall was a lot easier than trying to build a strong wall.

Critics are always those who have taken the easiest path. They have no intention of solving the problem or being part of the solution. Maybe they just aren’t smart enough, or creative enough to imagine a different way. Personally, I used to be a good critic, but my hope is that I have moved onto something better – to expending energy to finding the solutions no matter the source.

Some years ago, in a moment of honesty, a colleague admitted that he really didn’t want to be part of a focus to find the solution to a problem because then he couldn’t criticize the result. It was the voice of the critic, but my desire was that he would reach beyond that to something better – the voice of the one who desired nothing more than to try to solve the problems that we faced. It is the hope that we have for all us.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 5

Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. – Nehemiah 2:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 24, 2017): Nehemiah 2 & 3

Last week, the decision was made to release Steve Bannon from his role inside of the Donald Trump White House. A week later, the maybe unanswerable question is – what does all of this mean for the future of Trump presidency. Bannon, most likely for even a longer than Trump is willing to admit, has been the voice in the ear of Donald Trump. And there is no guarantee that Bannon will not continue to have some influence on President Trump through back channels, at least, as long as Bannon is willing to peddle that kind of behind-the-scenes kind of communication. But, from a public point of view, the era of Steve Bannon as the puppet master has ended.

Nehemiah was the “cupbearer to the king.” It is not a position that we understand well in modern politics. A fundamental understanding of the position is that the cupbearer was the one who carried the drink to the king. In a world filled with palace intrigue, the cupbearer was the one responsible for making sure that the drink the King would consume was not poisoned. In times of high stress, the cupbearer may have even tasted the contents of the king’s glass to ensure that there was no poison present.

But that was only the beginning of the position. The cupbearer was more than just the servant who brought the drink to the king. He was a key advisor. He had the ear of the king, and the king trusted him. Nehemiah was the “cupbearer to the king.” Steve Bannon was also a modern “cupbearer to the king.”

Steve Bannon was unceremoniously shown the door from Trump’s presence last week. Maybe one of the key differences between Bannon and his ancient counterpart, Nehemiah, is shown in this conversation between the cupbearer and his king. As Bannon leaves the White House, there is no question that he is not being invited to return. Artaxerxes, on the other hand, does not dismiss Nehemiah lightly. Nehemiah is a valuable advisor that the king needs. He is willing to make the sacrifice of allowing Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem knowing that Nehemiah’s presence there might be the stabilizing force that that portion of the Persian Kingdom needed. But he wants him back. Nehemiah is too valuable in the presence of the king to be allowed to leave forever. The King needs his cupbearer, and there is no greater compliment for any of the cupbearers of the world than the understanding of that need. Artaxerxes response was a compliment to his cupbearer. And it is a response that all cupbearers desire to hear from the kings that they serve.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 4

The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa … - Nehemiah 1:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 23, 2017): Nehemiah 1

I sometimes wonder how much of our history is going to be questioned a thousand years from now by scholars reading of the events of our day. What events that we have lived through every day will cause people to wonder if this could be true. How many of our leaders will be accepted as historical fact – or is it possible that our political leaders will be seen as legendary in status. (Is it possible that Donald Trump might be regarded as a symbol of the populist feelings that dominated American culture during this period of time rather than an actual President of the United States?) Even with proof, we seem to have trouble believing the things that we have not seen with our own eyes. And if you doubt that just consider the rise in the number of Holocaust doubters that we seem to possess in our culture a mere seventy-five years after the horrible events that took place during the Second World War. And this doubt is present in spite of the volumes of pictures and film that we have access to that were taken at the time of the Holocaust. For some, the truth is that we were not there so we really can’t know.

We have a similar argument when it comes to the characters that were presented with in the pages of the Bible. A rabbi by the name of Jesus of Nazareth really did walk the earth. We know from several historical writers that he lived and that he was crucified for his teachings. This is historical. Was he the Son of God and did he come back to life, these are issues that invite doubt in those who do not want to believe in the full story of Jesus and here we can man things about which we can argue. But we cannot seriously maintain that Jesus the man never existed. There is too much proof outside of the Bible to allow for that supposition.

Nehemiah stands in a similar position in history. Every indication leads us to believe that the person of Nehemiah is a real person who served the King of Persia in the middle of the 5^th Century B.C.E. The opening words of the book that carries his name anchors this person into a real point in time. And everything fits. Nehemiah served the King Artaxerxes of Persia. It was the twentieth year of his reign, or 445-444 B.C.E. Artaxerxes reigned for forty-one years, so this places the story of Nehemiah at the center portion of the Kings reign. It is likely that there was political stability at this point in the reign of Artaxerxes. And the story begins in the month of Kislev at the Citadel at Susa. And even here, the facts fit. The capital of the Persian Empire at this time was the city of Persepolis, but the book of Nehemiah says that these events started during the month of Kislev, which translates to late November or early December. And Susa was the winter capital of the king. During this season, we would not expect the king to be in Persepolis, but rather Susa.

And here the story begins to unfold, as historically it should.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 2 & 3

Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles. – Ezra 10:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 22, 2017): Ezra 10

As threats of racial violence continues to reverberate in many areas of our world, the question that is left is really “what do we do next?” And maybe central to the question is this one – do we even understand why racism and racial violence is wrong. I am not sure that the answer to the question of our understanding of wrong in this area is yes. Deep down there seems to be a racial chasm that we have no idea how to cross.

About a week ago I watched the talking heads on CNN discuss the question of racism in the United States. Unfortunately, the CNN conversation seemed to huddle around the question of political history and who did what when. There is no doubt that all of the political parties have had their racial moments. But at some point we have to be able to flip the switch and say clearly to the world “yes, we have messed up in the past. But in the future we have decided to move in a different direction. We want to change the past; to make a break with it. Who we were yesterday is not the legacy that we want to leave for the future.” But maybe that is easier said than done. We still have the racial chasm that we have to build a bridge over. The blame has to end. We have to decide what kind of a society we are wanting to build, and then build it.

Ezra knew that Israel needed a change. It was time to move the nation in a different direction. And so the first thing he does is get alone and fast as he contemplates the nation’s change of direction into the future. As the leader of the nation, he mourns the unfaithfulness of the people and takes the blame for their failure on himself before his God. And maybe that is what we miss. The blame does not begin with others. It starts with us. We have to mourn what has gone wrong – be willing to weep over it and understand our part in the failure of the past. Only then can we move into the future with a new idea of what needs to happen next.

By the way, I am not convinced that Ezra got it right. The problem was that foreigners, the racial bias that is present in this passage, brought with them foreign gods. Marrying a foreigner didn’t just introduce a foreign god into the culture, it brought it into the home. The real question behind Ezra’s problem as Israel started off on fresh footing was this – regardless of your nationality, are you willing to follow the God of Israel from this moment forward. If you are, then everything is okay, even if you were not a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But if you are not willing to follow the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob into this new adventure, then you cannot stay. You must go – even if you were born a citizen of Jacob’s Nation. There is no room for you in the new national dream, and national direction on which we are ready to embark.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 1

I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. – Ezra 9:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 21, 2017): Ezra 9

Actress Priyanka Chopra once commented “Black, brown, white, yellow – why are we always talking about colors? I’m a girl. I believe in a global community.” I agree, although as a white male my opinion on this matter often doesn’t count. I am viewed as a part of some elite, even though that is not the experience that I carry through life. I am convinced that the idea of community is essential. My whiteness is irrelevant. Our world is filled with beautiful color that enhances everything that we do. We exist in a global and color-filled community.

The existence of a global community is one reason why protectionism bothers me. The world in which walls meant something died when we invented planes and rockets with the capability to fly over the walls. We need to understand all struggles are global problems that require all of us to solve. There can be no real success at solving the problems of environmental care, poverty, racism or many others unless we are willing to partake in the global community and recognize that our membership in the human race requires that we go beyond our national borders. Success requires community. Of course, the flip side is also true. Failure is never limited to the individual; when one fails, we all have failed.

Ezra sets the example for us in this. He has just entered the scene, and he is told of the failure of the community. There is no indication that any of this failure is his. There is no cause to believe that Ezra’s theology had, in the past, been misguided. He has moved from exile back to Judah with the intention of making a difference. And yet he refuses to chastise the people for their shortcomings. His prayer does not say that their, the people’s, sins are higher than their heads. He says “our sins.” Even though he had nothing to do with what had happened, before God, he places himself in the middle of the community and repents of the communities shortcomings.

And not only does Ezra repent of the sins of the community, he feels for the community. The words “ashamed” and “disgraced” speak of a two-pronged process. First, Ezra understood and felt the shame of the sin. But it was not enough to stop there. Next, Ezra felt the physical discomfort and pain that the shame brought with it. He could have avoided that pain by reminding himself that he was blameless of the wrongdoing. But as a leader of the community, he refused to do that.

Shame is an emotion that usually brings change. And that change is, in part, because of the pain that we feel as a result of our shame – what this passage calls disgrace. As a member of the global community, we must allow ourselves to feel the disgrace, because only then will we have the reason to find the answer. As long as we don’t feel the pain, it will forever be someone else’s problem – and global repentance and change will never take place.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezra 10

I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. – Ezra 8:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 20, 2017): Ezra 8

Author Leo Buscaglia, also known as Dr. Love, wrote that “your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.” Every one of us has been gifted by God in some way. Too often we seem to bury the gifts we have been given because it is not the one that we wish that we possessed. But God never gifts us without some purpose. We are all important puzzle pieces, and when we are willing to put our pieces together, we have the potential to make a difference in this world. And this difference is the reason why we have been gifted in the first place. Buscaglia is right. Or maybe to phrase his words, God has gifted us with the expectation that we will make a positive difference in the world in which we live by acting together and, in this act, giving our gifts back to God.

It is apparent that as Ezra returns to Judah, he returns with a purpose. He intends to restart the practice of Temple Worship in the newly built Temple. To complete this task, he needs two groups of people who have been specially gifted to work in the Temple. Both groups are technically Levites or descendants of the Tribe of Levi. One group was the priests who were responsible for the sacrificial rituals within the Temple, and the other was the Levites who were not priests who were responsible for all of the rest of the activities of the Temple. Maybe the most important role of these Levites who were not priests was that they were the musicians required for the worship of the Temple.  

Ezra notes that he checks among the people and the priests and he finds that there are no Levites. Obviously, he has priests because he has spoken with them, but what is missing is this second group of Levites; the Levites support workers for the Temple, and possibly most importantly, the musicians.

In some ways, this is problematic because we know that Levites were part of this group. One solution is that the Levites had grown comfortable in Babylon. The Tribes of Israel had been instructed to give their tithe to the Temple in order to care for the Priests and Levites, allowing them the time to minister in Temple. But the Tribes had often not brought the whole Tithe into the Temple, leaving the Priests and the Levites living off of very little. It is possible that the Levites, being freed from the responsibilities of the Temple, were supporting themselves and did not want to go back to the responsibility of the Temple supported by the Tithe.

But another interesting option is that when the rulers in Babylon had ordered the Levites to provide music during the exile (Psalm 137), the Levites had cut off the tips of their fingers making the playing of their instruments impossible. So as Ezra checks among the people and the priests, he finds Levites, but none that can play the necessary music of the Temple.

And without the Talents of the Levites, the Temple worship could not be restarted. The Levites were necessary to give their talents back to the community – and back to God.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezra 9

For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. – Ezra 7:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 19, 2017): Ezra 7

We are living in the age of “The Education Gap.” On February 23, 2016, Donald Trump bragged, “If you listen to the pundits, we weren’t expected to win too much – and now we’re winning, winning, winning the country. We won with the young. We won with the old. We won the highly educated. We won with the poorly educated. I love the poorly educated.” Of course, the last line caused Donald Trump to be relentlessly mocked. But it is also the truth. Trump loves those with less education, and they have reciprocated – they love him back. In March of 2016, the Atlantic reported that “the best single predictor of Trump support in the Republican primary is the absence of a college degree.”

But it is not just Donald Trump. Brexit and other populist movements in Europe are sparked by those without education. And it might be that this is sparked from within the Christian Church. (Admittedly, the role of the Christian Church in the election of Donald Trump has mystified me.) The Church has long been a place where we have dealt with education with suspicion. This is partly because of populist movement inside the church with regard to the Bible. The idea seems to be that those who are educated go beyond a “plain reading of the text” that is the only reading available to people who have had less religious education. If the Bible is truly a book of the people, then, according to this group, it must be a book that can simply be read and meaning gained, and not a book that must be studied.

The Bible would seem to push back against that very idea. The psalms open up with this idea:

Blessed is the one …
  whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers (Psalm 1:1-3)

We are blessed when the Bible is important enough for us to delve into and examine the ideas that are behind the texts. We are blessed when we dare to struggle with what the Bible says, and in the process, we learn more about God and his Kingdom. The path to blessing is not in simply reading, but allowing the Holy Spirit to grant us understanding as we fight with the words it presents.

And this defines the essential character of Ezra. He was the one devoted to the study of the Bible and learning exactly what it is that the Bible teaches (Orthodoxy) and with taking what he had learned from his times of study and putting it into practice (Orthopraxy). He struggles with the word of God. And now he serves as a model, not just for those of us who endeavor to the lead the church, but for all who call themselves Christian. We are made and formed through our struggle with the Word of God, not by our cursory glances at what the Bible might say. Without a willingness to struggle, the church is nothing more than a populist movement that is virtually devoid of God, because God is made alive within us as we struggle with him.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezra 8

Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records. – Esther 9:32

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 18, 2017): Esther 9 & 10

“That's what fiction is for. It's for getting at the truth when the truth isn't sufficient for the truth.” This is how fiction writer Tim O’Brien describes much of his own life's work. Good fiction often reflects truth better than the truth itself. It is the reason why so many of us read fiction. Summer is coming to a close, and for decades I have devoted my summers to the practice of reading good fiction. Getting alone with a good book is one of my primary ways of relaxing and recouping what I need for the year ahead. But it is also an excellent way to be reminded of what is true because even if the stories are formed from the imagination of the authors, the truths are the ones that we need to understand.

One of the most enduring questions surrounding the Book of Esther is whether or not the book is historical. There are several historical accuracies and inaccuracies. King Xerxes was a real king, and the story is anchored in a particular place and time in history. It reflects some of the practices of that time very well. But it also fails at the same task.

The question is not new. Esther was the last book to be accepted into the Hebrew Canon, and even then it was a severely redacted version that was approved. And one line of thought is that Esther was never intended to be a history, but rather a historical novella. Historical novellas were popular at the time when Esther was written, so this becomes another favorite novella from this period. But it is also a story written with a purpose. It strove to reveal the truth in the celebration of Purim, which celebrates the events of the story. But the meaning of Purim actually goes beyond the story of Esther. It celebrates the idea that God always takes care of his people. Always.

Esther might be historical, or it might be a historical parable. But either way, we can’t lose sight of the truth that is being told by the story. God is involved with the lives of his people. He always has been, and he always will. And the story, like many pieces of good fiction, reveals the truth that we all need to hear.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Ezra 7

In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them. – Esther 8:17

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 17, 2017): Esther 8

Paulo Coelho comments in “The Alchemist,” “Don't give in to your fears. If you do, you won't be able to talk to your heart.” Fear is something that must be defeated. And because of that, there is an inherent weakness in the politics of fear. Fear might be able to motivate people in a particular direction for a short time. But the reality is that all through that time the people we are motivating will be plotting the defeat of their fear.

Yet, fear is a tool that is often employed by individuals who want to drive us in a particular direction. Politicians use fear to grab hold of votes and motivate people to give to their campaigns. Religion uses fear in the same way. You must believe the way that I do because if you don’t then the evil that is all around you will come crashing down on your life. You must give your money because together we can hold off the attack of the darkness. But in the end, we begin to resent the things that have caused us to be afraid. And we start to attempt to throw off our shackles. We need to be able to talk to our hearts.

I have no idea how this passage in Esther was intended to sound. It might have been that, for a people who came close to being eliminated and who lived in constant fear of those who held power, the idea that the ones who were trying to eliminate them began joining with them and becoming like them, was a positive circumstance. But what bothers me about the comment is the reason behind the movement. They joined the Jews because they were afraid. This was not a movement toward the Jews because they were respected or because their loving beliefs brought people of all nations toward them. People became like the Jews because they were afraid of them – and that is a circumstance that simply cannot be a long-term strategy.

Don’t try to scare me into believing like you. In the end, we will end up resenting each other. Respect me and, hopefully, we can build a lasting friendship. But fear cannot make anything that is lasting because fear has no staying power. And I have no desire of being a stranger to my heart.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 9 & 10

Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?” As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. – Esther 7:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 16, 2017): Esther 7

There is something about physical humor that makes us laugh. It is the joy that we get from watching “I Love Lucy,” or “Three’s Company.” John Ritter (Jack on “Three’s Company”) admitted that he patterned his humor after Lucille Ball. Of course, if some of the things that happened in our comedies actually happened to us in real life, it probably wouldn’t be so funny.

If it wasn’t that the results were so grave, this might have been just another funny episode of physical humor. Haman realizes that he is in trouble. The King feels that he has been played (not something that you ever want a sovereign to believe, especially of you are the one that has done the playing.) He also realizes that there is no way that he is going to be able to change the mind of the king. So, in his mind, he only has one option left; plead with the Queen. Maybe he can apologize and convince her that he is aware of his error and obtain forgiveness. Admittedly, since he had been unwittingly plotting against her people (until this moment, Haman did not realize that Esther was a Jew), it was a longshot. But, in this case, it was the only shot that he had to take.

And so the situation is set. King Xerxes prepares to re-enter into the room currently occupied by Haman and Queen Esther. Esther has moved off to recline on a couch. Haman walks toward the sofa in order to make his apology to the Queen. And then, for some unknown reason, Haman falls onto the couch that is currently occupied by the Queen. Maybe he tripped over something. One Jewish author surmises that maybe the angel Gabriel pushed him at just the moment that King Xerxes was re-entering the room. It definitely was not something that Haman planned to do. There is no way that he believed that assaulting the Queen was going to get him back into good relations with the royal couple.

If this were a comedy, then there would be a brief, terrifying moment and then some kind of reconciliation and forgiveness. But this is not a comedy. The King now assumes the worst from Haman’s behavior. And so the author, possibly Mordecai, says that from that moment the face of Haman was covered. The words hold a grim meaning. Haman was now being prepared for his execution.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 8

“Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.” – Esther 6:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 15, 2017): Esther 6

“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong and repairs the evil.” The words belong to Sophocles from his play “Antigone.” They speak of something that we universally understand. We all have, at some time or another, been wrong. And there is nothing negative about our error. I continue to be convinced that we are not wrong enough – we don’t make enough mistakes. Someone who is never wrong is also someone who never takes chances. And as a result, they never make as great a difference in this world as perhaps they could. The error and the sin occur when we refuse to change our path even though we know that we are wrong. This is the problem that I have with groups of people who insist on digging up the past and want us to believe that the things that we said years, or even months, ago, is what we still believe. That attitude leaves no room for us to grow and change, and repair any wrong that has been committed. Life is too short to hold grudges and too long to believe that we will never follow a path for which we will have to repent later. This is the truth of life.

Haman’s problem was not that he had followed a wrong path. His fight with Mordecai, in the beginning, might have been on solid ground – an honest difference of opinion. Haman’s struggle was that he refused to change the path and recognize that he was wrong. Haman could never learn from his mistakes, and he could never understand the good that might exist in Mordecai. He was obsessed with his own sense of self-importance. Because of his pride, and his refusal to see the good in Mordecai, this becomes the worst moment in Haman’s life. Instead of cheering the value and difference that Mordecai had made to the Kingdom, all Haman can do is mourn that his enemy has found favor with the king. Even now, there might be a chance for Haman to repent of his actions and repair the evil of which he has had a part. But Haman can’t make that change.

Real success in life means that we have to learn to cheer each other’s accomplishments. We need to be able to bring honor where honor is due. In doing so, we become people worthy of honor. Our inability to bring honor where it is deserved makes us disciples of Haman – and that inability can only lead to our downfall and death.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 7

Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. – Esther 5:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 14, 2017): Esther 5

Hunter Thompson tells a story about the motorcycle gang, the “Hell’s Angels,” and their need for a garage. According to Thompson, while the gang was out on a ride, they needed to make some repairs to their bikes. And so they pulled into a rural garage that happened to appear in their path. The owner of the garage was frightened at the sudden appearance of the gang at his doorstep. The “Angels” asked the owner of the garage if they would be able to use the premises to make repairs to their bikes. The garage owner told them that they could, and then, in fear, simply walked away from his garage. Hours later, the owner return. In the hours of his absence, he had reconciled himself to the reality that there would be a lot of work that would have to be done at the garage to make it ready for the next day’s jobs – and equipment and supplies that would likely need to be replaced. It was an expense he probably couldn’t afford. But he had at least escaped the bad situation with his life. But to his surprise, he walked back into his now empty garage to find it in better condition than when he left. The floor had been swept, the tools were cleaned and in each was put back into its proper place. The lights had been turned off. They treated his garage with respect. Nothing was stolen, and everything was in place.

Thompson argued that when the owner of the garage fled in fear, to the “Angels” that had been a sign of the respect that the proprietor of the garage had in the gang. And all that the “Hell’s Angels” had ever wanted was respect. When they were given respect, they knew how to return that respect to the person from which it came. The owner, in turn, revised his image of the motorcycle gang, declaring that the Angels were welcome on his premises any time they wanted.

Haman was looking for respect. He expected to be respected by Mordecai by traditional means (rising in his presence) or untraditional ways – maybe “Angelic” ways - (by showing fear in Haman’s presence.) But Mordecai did neither. Instead, he simply went about his business as if Haman was inconsequential. And that made Haman’s already out of control rage, grow. Haman’s anger would end up being his downfall.

We cannot demand respect. We can do things that will gain it, and as even the Hell’s Angels understood, we need to return it when we find it. Haman had never earned the respect of Mordecai, and he had no intention of returning it, and so he was left with just his rage to shape his life. And that is never good.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 6

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? – Esther 4:14

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 13, 2017): Esther 4

The legacy of Sir Winston Churchill is a topic that is bound to get people into a heated argument. The reality is that the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was a very complicated person. For some, he held racist views incompatible with his office, while others argue that his views were no different from the views held by most of the British upper classes. But there is one thing on which we might agree. He was the right person to lead the United Kingdom through the trials of the Second World War. He might not have been the right person to be Prime Minister either before or after the war, but during the war years, there just couldn’t have been anyone more fit for the position of Prime Minister. He seemed to have risen to power at precisely the right time – for such a time as this.

Mordecai feels the same way about Queen Esther. Her rise to power has come at exactly the time that her people needed her to be in a position of influence. Mordecai’s words to Esther are important. It may be that you have risen to this position for “such a time as this.” The fact that you are in the position in which you find yourself is no accident. God has placed you in power within the Persian Empire precisely because this is the time when your people need you.

Of course, the words didn’t remove the stress the Queen was feeling at this moment. Mordecai was asking her to go into the King’s presence, without being summed, and plead the case of the Jews. The act of going into the King’s presence without being summoned could mean her death. But Mordecai was convinced that if she didn’t go, that salvation would arise from some other avenue – and Queen Esther would bear the punishment intended for her people. God had made a way, and placed her on the throne, at this moment in time. Esther needed to make her way to see the king.

I believe that there is a principal at work here of which we all need to be aware. We are not accidents and the situations in which we find ourselves is also not accidental. Sometimes, the situations are because of our missteps. But sometimes, God has placed us where we are for a grand purpose of which we are unaware. For such a time as this, we exist to make a difference. You exist to make a difference. Go and be the difference God created you to be.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 5

Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. – Esther 3:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 12, 2017): Esther 3

One of the gravest sins of society is being different. We are pressured to conform at every turn – and ostracized if we refuse. We want people to believe like us, act like us and especially dress like us. One of the criticisms that I often hear from mainstream people within the culture that I live is that if you are going to live in our country, adopt our customs. And so we have fought over whether it is appropriate to wear a turban while on duty as a police officer or in military service. Never mind that the turban is a symbol of the concept that we are willing to accept ourselves the way that God has created us. Wearing a turban is wrong because I don’t wear a turban. (Okay, self-confession time. There have been times when I have so wanted to wear a turban just to see how people would treat me, to walk a mile in my turban wearing friend’s shoes.) We reject the burqa, especially with the full face covering, not recognizing the demands of modesty made by cultures different from our own. Of course, the burqa with the full face covering has also been misused by terrorists providing a different reason for its ban. And so that conversation becomes a legitimate safety issue, but it sometimes becomes a challenging task to know where to draw the line between public safety and personal modesty.

The Jews were different. There are two things to note in this passage. First, even though the return from the Babylonian exile was now fully underway, many Jews had made the decision not to go home. They had recreated their lives, formed friendships, married and had children, and built their homes away from Judah. While Babylon had been a foreign land for their parents and grandparents, the reality was that now, for these children of Israel, the foreign land was Judah. It is also apparent that the Jews had been at least partially assimilated into society – they had been dispersed among the people.

But they were also different. In some ways they kept separate. It is likely that they tended to marry among their people, and worship their own God. And so when the command was made to bow down to the king, this group of assimilated and yet separate people refused. It violated their idea of honoring only their God. They would bow down only to him.

And this act made them not only different but dangerous. In times of national struggle, for whom would they fight. By not bowing down to the King, they were seen as not having allegiance to the King. As well, because they would not bow down to the king meant that they would also not bow down to the national gods. As a result, these gods might not come to the defense of the Empire in times of need – a penalty visited on the Empire because they tolerated these different people. And so, the attitudes of this separate people could not be tolerated.

Haman’s issue specifically was with Mordecai of the Jews. But what he had in mind was the genocide of a people that were different from him. And in society then, as now, being different is a sin for which there is often little forgiveness.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 4

Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. – Esther 2:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 11, 2017): Esther 2

Who are you – really? Certain characteristics in you are absolutely unchangeable. For better or worse – certain reactions are just part of who it is that we are and how we are made. As I was growing up, I wished that some of my reactions would change. But they didn’t. It is not a matter of right or wrong – and it definitely isn’t sin. God can help with both of those. But some neutral personality traits are just part of me – and there are some reactions in your life that are just part of you.

Because the traits are part of us – they also betray us even we are a trying to hide them. Esther was a Jew. It was her identity – her nationality. And it was her family background. She had been brought up in the culture – and the people that were important to her reflected that culture. It was there even though it wasn’t being revealed. Her nationality had helped shape who she was at the core. It wasn’t something from which she would simply be able to walk away.

Part of emotional health is just coming to term with who we are – and using our identity to help shape our lives. We need to recognize the good and the bad of where we came from – it has shaped us and understanding that will allow us to move into the future with health and with confidence. It was a journey that Esther was about to have to make.

When we recognize our past – it can’t hurt us. It really can’t. Embrace who you are on the inside.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 3

This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush … Esther 1:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 10, 2017): Esther 1

Whenever we read a modern translation of the Bible – even the King James Version – we are accepting a set of assumptions that someone has made for us. There is no one word to one-word translation available, so translators work with concepts instead. And often as they work with these ideas, the resultant translation is the translator’s best guess as to what the words or concepts mean. Often the guesses are very educated, and we are pretty confident of what the words mean, but never-the-less, they remain just guesses.

And Esther opens up with one such guess. We are told that the events of the story that we are about to be told happened during the reign of Xerxes (NIV). The attempt is to anchor the story of Esther to a particular moment in history. But the original Hebrew text doesn’t actually mention Xerxes. The name referred to in the Hebrew text is Ahasuerus. We are pretty sure that Ahasuerus and Xerxes, or more specifically Xerxes the Great, are the same king. It is our best guess, one that we are fairly confident about, but we are not entirely sure.

But if Ahasuerus and Xerxes the Great are the same king, then the story of Esther is anchored to a time when the Persian Empire dominated what we sometimes describe as the known world – essentially the Middle East and the land that surrounds it. That would make the story of Esther a story that happened in the first half of the fifth century (Xerxes reigned as King for about a twenty year period from 486 – 465 B.C.E).

The position of Esther in the Bible has long been under attack. Strictly speaking, Esther seems to be more of a book about Jewish history than a book about Jewish spirituality. The Book of Esther is the only book in the Bible that does not mention the name of God. In spite of this, the story of Esther and Xerxes has become a much-loved story in both Judaism and Christianity. And in an interesting parallel between Jewish and Persian culture, Persian Jews are often referred to as Esther’s Children – paying homage to the story of Esther.

No matter what we believe about the story, it is a story that has influenced our world – and because of that, it is a story that we need to know well.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 2

Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. – Isaiah 66:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 9, 2017): Isaiah 66

Admirable James Stockdale spent eight years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. He survived incredible hardship when many others simply gave up and died. In researching Stockdale for his book “Good to Great,” Jim Collins remarked that he got depressed just reading Stockdale’s book “In Love and War” – a book written in alternating chapters by Admiral Stockdale and his wife, Sybil. When Collins asked Stockdale how he survived his time as a captive, Stockdale replied that “I never lost faith in the end of the story.  I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.” Stockdale maintained throughout his captivity that somehow, in the end, all of the pain that he suffered would be finally worth it. When Stockdale was eventually released on February 12, 1973, he was unable to stand upright, and he could barely walk. And yet he still clung to the idea that all of his pain, and the eight years that he spent separated from his family and friends, that all of this was somehow worth it. 

There are a couple of ways that verse has been interpreted. And the first is to simply say that this verse speaks of a metaphorical rebirth of Israel from out of the Babylonian exile, and that rebirth would be without pain. It looks back to the rise Cyrus the Great and the Persian Empire, and the King’s sudden release of the captives sending them once again for home, as being a process that was absent of pain. But the problem with this interpretation is that it assumes that the 70 years of captivity were without pain – and that does not appear to make much sense. Any removal of a people from their home would undeniably cause a certain amount of pain – even if their captors intended no harm.

A better interpretation might be to understand the passage to be speaking of the pain of the exile which will end quickly. The prophecy of the end of the captivity would fill the captives with hope – and in the end, the pain of the captivity would provide a benefit to Israel that would be worth all of the pain that the nation had to go through – that somehow all of that pain would eventually be worth it.

Isaiah likens the process to a mother giving birth to a child. It is not that the mother does not go through any pain; the pain of childbirth is great. And yet somehow when you emerge on the other side, and you are finally holding that new life in your arms, the pain seems inconsequential. In the end, the pain is minor when compared to the immense joy that is gained in the child that is born.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Esther 1

Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. – Isaiah 65:20

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 8, 2017): Isaiah 65

On January 26, 2016, Abe Vigoda died. Maybe I should rephrase that. We think that Abe Vigoda died on January 26, 2016. Who knows, maybe the character actor is still alive and living it up on some remote island. Vigoda reportedly died in his sleep of natural causes less than a month before his 95^th birthday. The confusion? Abe Vigoda was the victim of more fake death announcements than maybe anyone else in history. The guy was always dying – and yet never seemed to be really dead. Writing a death announcement for Vigoda always appeared to be a futile effort. And reading one always brought up questions about whether or not there could be truth to the report. Even as I write these words, I have to admit that I did a quick search just to make sure that the actor had really passed away.

Still, almost 95 seems to be a full life. But then again, life seems to be lengthening. Between my wife and I, we have had three grandparents live past the century mark – my wife’s Grandfather died at 102, as did one of my Grandmothers. My other Grandmother, currently 102, is still alive and beating the family at Scrabble any chance that she gets. This feels like it is something new.

But reading Isaiah, maybe this is something to be expected and surpassed. If we are looking for biblical evidence of long life here on this earth, this might be the passage. Isaiah does not seem to be speaking of eternal life in heaven, but something different. Genesis appears to limit our days to one hundred and twenty years. “Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years” (Genesis 6:3). Isaiah seems to overwrite the Genesis prohibition with a promise that someday the long life that seemed to exist for the earliest people in the Bible would return. In that day, no child would live for just a few days and then die. A child would still be young at one hundred, and expected to live much longer.

Currently, we know that life expectancy is rising. But what we sometimes fail to see is that it is increasing on two fronts. Infant death, once common, is becoming rarer. It still happens, but its frequency has been significantly reduced. It was actually infant death that dropped life expectancy rates of previous generations. There have always been long-lived people, but childhood death was also an all too unpleasant reality.

But we are also extending life on the other end. More people are living past the century mark than have ever lived that long before. Maybe this is the seeds of the beginning of the longevity that Isaiah saw in the future. A time when death, at any age, became rare, and we all learn what it means to live life to the full.     

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 66