He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass. – Judges 14:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 9, 2016): Judges 14

Does Hillary Clinton believe in Unidentified Flying Objects? We should have known that this strange election season had to turn to this question sooner or later. Back in the midst of Bill Clinton’s reign he admitted that he wouldn’t be surprised if we found out that we had been visited by extra-terrestrials. And now Hillary promises to investigate such sites as the famed “Area 51” in search for the truth about space and the existence of UFO’s. But before all the space junkies get excited about having someone in the Oval Office who will finally investigate these claims, or truths, about Area 51 and the UFO’s, the truth is that Hillary has already been there, because Bill was there. If there was any truth in what the space junkies believe, Hillary already knows it. And if what the government has been telling us for decades is true and Area 51 and other such areas are nothing more than military research areas, then she already knows that too.

The reality, probably one that most of us already know, is that Hillary Clinton’s interest is Area 51 and UFO’s is most likely to turn out to be words without substance. She doesn’t think that anything is there, but what does it cost to say that I will investigate when I become president, even when she has no intention, or even interest, in following that rabbit trail in reality. Clinton and Area 51 is nothing more than a more obvious example of what politicians do on a regular basis – they make promises, especially in more marginal areas, that they have no interest in keeping. But the hope is that the promise will get them just a few more votes. But the words remain without substance.

Samson’s experience with the lion and the honey reveal more than we may realize about this legendary strong man. Samson was one of the people who were born with the vow of being a Nazirite being placed on their life. Maybe the most obvious symbol of being a Nazirite was long hair and a ritual abstention from alcohol. But the Nazirite vow also meant that Sampson was not supposed to go near anything that was dead. (Note: the lion was dead.)

So as Sampson takes the honey from the carcass of the lion, he violates his Nazirite vow. And when he offers the honey to his parents, he leaves that fact out so that he will not be diminished in the eyes of his parents. Sampson has the appearance of being a Nazirite, but in reality his words are without substance. All that Sampson really has is the appearance of a spiritual commitment.

And it isn’t until the end of the story of Sampson that his emptiness of substance – and character – is finally revealed. Sampson’s lack would eventually become his downfall – and then even his famed strength would not be enough to save him.       

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 15

He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” – Judges 13:18

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 8, 2015): Judges 13

“The Prince and the Pauper” was Mark Twain’s first attempt to write Historical fiction. The Story tells the tale of Tom Canty, a poor boy who lives with his abusive father. But there is something special about Tom, because the boy turns out to be identical in appearance to Prince Edward, the heir apparent to the throne of England. When Edward and Tom meet, Edward recognizes the unique opportunity that Tom presents to him. For his entire existence, the Prince has been pampered and cloistered within the walls of the palace. But the presence of Tom Canty changes that. Edward hatches a plan to change places with Tom; it is a chance for the Prince to experience life as a common child of London.

Tom and Edward hatch their plan and actually succeed in trading places. But then the King dies. Edward becomes king, but it wasn’t really Edward that was living in the palace. Although no one knew it, the person they were about to proclaim as king was really Tom Canty, a commoner of London. The plot of Twain’s story turns on something that Edward had hidden before his exchange with Canty. Although the reader doesn’t realize it early in the story, the thing that Edward hides is the Great Seal of England. And at the height of the novel, it is that seal that convinces the authorities of Edward’s (and Tom’s) true Identity – and restores the real Edward to the throne.

A lot has been made about the word that we have translated in this verse with the phrase “beyond understanding.” The problem is that the original word in this passage is related to the word that is used in Isaiah 9:6 where it is translated “Wonderful,” and used in a prophecy of the coming Messiah – he is the one whose name would be “Wonderful.” For some scholars the coincidence is a little too much. This, combined with the word “I am” that the angel uses to identify himself in verse 11, leads them to only one conclusion - this angel was really the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. He is the only one whose name could be “Wonderful.”

It is an interesting theory, and maybe it is true. But there is another, maybe simpler, explanation. The angel words to Manoah might simply be what they seem to be. The angel’s name was ineffable and not open to understanding. But maybe more to the point, the angel was just a messenger. He had no desire to be the object of Manoah’s worship – that belonged only to God. If there was worship to be offered, it was not the angel that should have been the object of worship – the angel’s only response is to point straight at God the Father, the only one worthy of our worship.

Of course, if the mysterious angel truly was Jesus, that would have been exactly his response. Throughout the entire length of his ministry he did exactly the same thing; he pointed at his Father as the only true object of our worship. No one else is worthy.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 14

He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside his clan, and for his sons he brought in thirty young women as wives from outside his clan. Ibzan led Israel seven years. – Judges 12:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 7, 2016): Judges 12

As the Franco-Spanish war began to wind down in 1658, a decade after the end of the Thirty Years War – one of the most devastating wars in Europe up until that time and the war that began the French-Spanish conflict in the first place - both nations were searching for a way that could provide for the end of the war. And so they began the process of peace and concessions given by both sides to stop the fighting. One of the concessions was that Maria Theresa of Spain would be given to Louis XIV of France as his wife. Spain was originally concerned that such a marriage might be a way to unite the two nations under one king at some point in the future (as has happened with England and Scotland at various points in their histories), and so Maria Theresa, who had been the heir presumptive to the Spanish throne at different parts of her life, was forced to relinquish her authority to reign, and the authority of any of her offspring to reign, in Spain. And so the peace between France and Spain was forged, and Louis XIV and Maria Theresa (who were actually cousins through Louis’ mother, Anne of Austria) were married.

The practice of solving conflict through marriage sounds barbaric to our ears (could you imagine the war between the United States and the Islamic State ending by the giving and receiving of a bride and a groom from each of the conflicting parties as a way to cement the peace?), but in ancient times it was a common way of building Alliances between the nations. The marriage between Louis XIV and Maria Theresa to cement the peace between France and Spain was simply nothing unusual.

The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus insists that there was nothing significant that was accomplished during the seven years of Izban’s reign. “He did nothing in the seven years of his administration that was worth recording, or deserved a memorial. So he died an old man, and was buried in his own country” (Flavius Josephus – The Antiquities of the Jews). But it might be that Josephus is actually asking the wrong question. Maybe the question that needs to be asked is why was there nothing happening during the reign of Izban (or really in the reigns of the Judges that followed him). Why was Izban so lucky?

The answer to that question might be found in these innocuous words about his children. Izban seems to have been an accomplished diplomat. And he kept the peace through his diplomatic skill, and through the giving of his children in marriage to those who were “outside of his clan.” It is maybe significant that the author of Judges stresses this aspect of Izban’s life, making sure that we understand that the sons and daughters of Izban were not given as husbands and wives to those they grew up with – but rather to other clans and tribes, cementing the peace that Israel now enjoyed.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 13

And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” – Judges 11:30-31

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 6, 2016): Judges 11

Russia has named the United States as one of the threats to Russian Sovereignty and World Peace. The American War machine has been seen working within the countries of the European Community of Nations and threatens to upset the delicate balance of power between Europe and Asia. Whether the Americans really are a threat or not, the truth is that the delicate European-Asia power balance has been a problem ever since the Russian Revolution in 1917 and the Removal and execution of the Tsar and his family (who were related to much of the European Royalty) and the takeover of power, first by the Russian Provisional government and finally by the Bolshevik Party, which paved the way for the creation of the Soviet Union – which in turn resulted in the creation of NATO, which tends to be the offending arm of the United States in Europe.

But much of this is actually a self-fulfilling prophecy. Power always breeds an opposite power. Comic book readers have noticed the trend for decades. If you have a super-hero, you must have a super villain. And the truth is that Russia (Soviet Union) and the United States have played those roles for each other throughout most of the last century. And in every circumstance, including the current conflict in Syria, they seem to find a way to take opposing sides. So the question becomes, should we really expect anything else out of these two nations.   

The story of Jephthah is a sad one. And the first thing we need to realize is that the story is descriptive in nature – not prescriptive. It simply describes what happened rather than being a story that says this is the way that we should act as followers of God; just as the previous discussion on Russian-American relations does nothing more than describe the current state of affairs between the two countries. The discussion in no way says that this is the way things should be, just that this is the way that things are. The story of Jephthah simply describes what happened.

But the other thing that we need to note is that there is no way that the story of Jephthah should have ended the way that it did. God was already moving through Jephthah before Jephthah took a radical and unexpected turn in the plot of the story. The Bible consistently preaches against human sacrifice, and yet Jephthah makes this vow that if he wins, then he will sacrifice “whatever comes out of his house.” Jephthah had to be thinking about a human sacrifice – it was highly unlikely that a cow was going to wander out of his house. And the motivation for the vow likely came from his noticing the customs of the local Canaanite religions. It is possible that he was thinking maybe a servant, but that would have been no better than his daughter. Either way it is human sacrifice that seemed to be on the mind of Jephthah.

And this vow places God into a hard position. Either he fails Japhthah and Israel and stops the human sacrifice, or he goes through with the original plan and hopes that Japhthah will come to his senses and stop the sacrifice. God may have even caused Japhthah’s daughter to come out first to drive home that this vow of his was simply a bad idea.

But Japhthah sees his daughter and mourns his inability to not go through with the vow. He will go through with the sacrifice of his daughter even though the act violates the law of God – all because of a vow that Japhthah should never have made.

As far as Russia and the United States is concerned, there have been a number of vows on both sides that should never have been made, and for peace to truly exist between these two great nations, a way has to be found to go beyond the rhetoric of words and power and try to find the common ground that has to exist between friends. But as long as one feels that the other is trying to exercise undo control, or that one is taking advantage of those countries within its sphere of influence, then it is unlikely that the friendship will ever be a reality – and the power dance and war of words will continue between the nations.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 12

Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD. - 1 Samuel 2:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 5, 2016): 1 Samuel 2

It is hard not to weigh in on the Bill Cosby scandal. And I have to admit that I am as disappointed as anyone. I grew up with the moral teachings of Fat Albert and The Cosby Show, and there were several times when I admit that I applauded the things that Cosby would say. And yes, I get that Cosby was speaking to the Black community, but his words were often just as applicable to the White community of which I belonged. I am not trying to belittle the Black struggle in America, and I have never had to live that life, but in the end we are all people. And what applies to one group, applies to another. Despite the preferential treatment that we seem to see on the Network news, we are all people – there are not, or at least there should not be, different rules for one group than another. We are the same. So when Bill Cosby spoke, even I could take to heart the wisdom of his words.

But sometimes we think that exalted position means that we are better people. It is at the heart of the complaint of some athletes that they are being paid to play football (or baseball or some other sport) not to be role models. Just because I am making tons of money and every child wants to live my life, that doesn’t mean that I am a good person. Cosby stands in the same place. Just because he was famous and rich and said wise things we thought that maybe he was a quality person. And maybe that was the truth and all of his accusers are out for his money or something. But in this moment of time it just doesn’t look like that was the case. Apparently Bill Cosby the wise is really Bill Cosby the scoundrel.

Eli was the High Priest. And his sons were also priests. In fact, Eli’s sons whose names were Hophni and Phinehas, were probably on the track to become, if not the High Priest, at the very least a really important priest in the nation of Israel. They were high profile people and when they spoke, people listened.

But Samuel says that Hophni and Phinehas were scoundrels (if that word sounds too crude for you, then the Hebrew word used here is ben bĕliya`al, which translates to the “sons of worthlessness or destruction,” but scoundrels works for me). Even though they claimed to serve the God of Israel, the truth was that the only god they really served was themselves. In spite of the fact that they held high office and were most likely very well respected, in reality they were worthless – and their lives were waiting for destruction, because even as priests of God, they refused to really serve god.

Our culture seems to reveal to us many people who are prominent and who we begin to give them our respect, who are really scoundrels. Bill Cosby, if the allegations are true, definitely does not stand alone. But maybe the more important question is simply this – do our lives when we are alone match the morals that we proclaim publically. It is a question we need to keep on asking, before someone calls us the “sons and daughters of worthlessness” – or just scoundrels.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 11

Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. – 1 Samuel 1:17-18

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 4, 2016): 1 Samuel 1

The Islamic States call for revolutionaries went awry over the Christmas break. The call went out over twitter, and some of the responses from Muslims believers was simply precious. Among the jewels were @MohsinArain91’s “Sorry mate, I don’t want to risk dying before the next Star Wars comes out. Or @JayLikesIt with “Sorry Amir al-Mushrikeen, I’m busy being a real Muslim, giving to charity etc. Also, your dental plan sucks.” But the simple response of @mehmetCelebi might sum it all up – “Just read the Quran, it says no bro. Sorry mate.”

But all of this simply reveals that there is a very real a problem with the phrase “God said it.” It is a discussion ender. If God said it, then this is what we must do. But the solution just can’t be that simple. Religion is, by its very nature, very subjective. As religious people, we often argue the reverse – we seem to think that any thinking person should be able to come up with the idea of God, but in many ways we are fooling ourselves. Religion is subjective. How else could one section of Islam find a violent response as the message of God from the Qur’an while others preach its message of love and giving to charity?

But it isn’t just a Muslim problem. As Christians we differ as to what it is that God is saying to us. I am convinced that the overall message of the Bible is love for God and for your neighbor – and the definition of neighbor is any person living on the planet earth (and if we find intelligent life on other planets then we might have to broaden the definition.) We are the caretakers of the earth, a job that was first given to Adam and then passed down to the rest of us. By the way, it is a job we haven’t been doing well of late. And yet there are others that seem to believe that the voice of God is telling them the reverse – that hate is the path to the light (maybe they just haven’t seen Star Wars). Or that this earth is not to be protected and cared for by us, but rather we have been given the earth so that we can use it up and destroy it – and when this is done Christ will come back and usher us into our reward. I admit, I don’t see it, but the teaching is present within the Christian community. And it all relates back to the answer to the question – what is it that you hear God saying?

Before I go too far, I do not believe that each belief of what it is that God has said is equal. I believe that there is a true teaching. The Islamic State’s violence and another Muslim’s love are not created equal. One is right (and I side with the Muslim belief in love – it is consistent with my own belief in love, spoken from the one true God.) But maybe the major takeaway is that we need to be a people in constant conversation with other believers, willing to be shaped by the God who enters into that conversation that happens between us – something that might not happen when we are alone and unchallenged by our own thoughts.

So Hannah goes to the tabernacle to pray. Eli, the priest, thinks that she is drunk and tells this woman move along. Hannah insists that she is not drunk, but troubled – and then proceeds to tell Eli of her problems. And then it happens. To be honest, every time I read this passage I hear a priest mutter an inconsequential platitude to Hannah in order to get away. The words are probably close to our saying that we will pray for someone, but what we really mean is that the conversation has ended and we would rather be someplace else. Eli simply says “May God grant what you have asked of him.” Personally I am not sure that he meant it. I am not convinced that he even cared about the conversation that he was having with Hannah. He just wanted to be someplace else.

But that is not what Hannah heard. Hannah heard the voice of God saying that everything was going to be alright. Her countenance changed and she ate – something her husband had been trying to get her to do. Something had changed inside of her. She had heard the voice of God speaking from the lips of Eli.

Who was right? That is the easy question. It was Hannah. God had spoken through Eli, and Eli had no idea that it had happened. Later, he may not have even remembered the exchange. But Hannah would never forget it, because on this day it was not Eli who had spoken to her – she was sure she had heard the voice of God.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 2

After the time of Abimelek, a man of Issachar named Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim. He led Israel twenty-three years; then he died, and was buried in Shamir. – Judges 10:1-2

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 3, 2016): Judges 10

A few years ago, Dan Amira suggested in a New York Magazine article that we celebrate President’s day (just over a month away) by remembering the most forgotten of the American Presidents. He nominated the 23^rd President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison. But it was his concluding paragraph that won me over to the idea.

Probably seven or eight people in the entire country could even recognize your name, Benjamin Harrison. None of those people are familiar with anything you did as president. But today, and forever more, Daily Intel will celebrate your non-existent legacy on Presidents Day. Because, after serving this great nation for four years as president, you deserve at least one day a year where people acknowledge that you did, in fact, exist. (Dan Amira – Let’s Celebrate America’s Most Forgotten President.) 

Significant people are not always famous people. The reverse is also true, famous people are not always significant people. It is just the way that life is. Another truth is that the ones who may be significant to me, may not be significant to you. People are important for a number of reasons, but maybe the most important is because they have had an impact on your life. Because of this, we know that Benjamin Harrison was important to somebody – even though we don’t know who – or why.

In my spare time I have been trying to build my family tree, just trying to see who it is that might be hiding in the branches. The family history includes the names a number of famous people who might be there, although it is not often the most famous that are the most interesting. But some of the names that have become important to me are very unimportant to the world. I spend some of my time chasing after a man nicknamed Poughkeepsie Pete – or Peter Mullen, born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. in 1750. Family history assures us that our ancestors hailed from Ireland, but the farthest back my research has been able to go is to good old Poughkeepsie Pete. I just have no idea who his parents might be, and there seem to be no mention of them anywhere – or how much earlier it might be that my branch of the Mullen family emigrated from Ireland to what would one day become the United States. So Poughkeepsie Pete is important – but probably just to me.

Tola, the son of Puah, a man from the tribe of Issachar was a judge of Israel. But that is pretty much all that we know. Of all of the people who led Israel during this period of time, we know the least about Tola. There is no mention of his deeds or even who the enemies of Israel might have been at the time. We simply know that he rose “to save Israel” from somebody – and that he led Israel for more than two decades – what is, after all, a fairly significant length of time.

So, while we may not know exactly who this man was or what he did – and it is very unlikely that anyone will ever produce a movie about him proclaiming his deeds - Tola was significant, at least to the people living in Israel and especially those living in an around Shamir during this two decade stretch of time. Tola was significant, even though he was not famous and joins Benjamin Harrison on a list of forgotten leaders.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 1