3. (Judges 2:16-19) The cyclical pattern of bondage and deliverance in the days of the Judges
Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do as their fathers. When the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them. But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways.
Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them: In verse 16, the first explanation of the protocol of the Judges is discussed which includes the correlation between the spiritual role and the human role of the Judge. The LORD Himself would raise up a judge, and the judge would be a savior who would rescue some tribe from whoever was oppressing them. But even then, Israel would quickly return to those false gods of their neighbors after the judge/savior had completed his mission. The thing to understand is that for as long as a judge whom the LORD established ruled, Israel was kept secure.
For the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning: We are told that the LORD was moved to pity because Israel's enemies were oppressing God's people. The Hebrew word that is translated as oppressed or afflicted is lachats. Lachats means to apply pressure or to squeeze. Lachats has a direct counterpart in the New Testament. The New Testament word in the Greek is thlipsis, which we translate as tribulation. It is used in both the Greek and Hebrew to mean oppressed or afflicted. However, the evangelical branch of the church has taught us to think of tribulation as equivalent to extreme subjugation, forced servitude and mortal danger to those who resist. But in fact, it can represent just a great pressure to do what is not right. We are all familiar with the term peer pressure, meaning that those who we have the closest relationship with and those whose admiration and acceptance we seek, apply a kind of unbearable psychological influence upon us to conform us to their ideals and morals. The force is more often a passive one of implicated social rejection for non-compliance and less usual is that such as aggressive coercion and physical harm.
When we read Judges, we see that unbearable pressure from both aspects is present on Israel due to their mixing the godly with the ungodly and the clean with the unclean. The LORD decides to take pity on them as a result. The two main pressure points on Israel are the immense social and psychological pressure to conform to what is seen as the common good, and some degree of physical coercion of the government to comply with the society's laws and customs. There is also a third minor pressure and that is the attacks from other nations who want to take land or crops from Israel.
The next time you read about tribulation (thlipsis, lachats) in the apocryphal books of the New Testament, do not automatically picture the situation as some kind of grossly evil fascist repressive government enslaving people or killing the opposition on a whim. More often tribulation is simply addressing a national situation whereby the pressures of a society that is far from God makes life for those living within that society who also seek to live in harmony with God terribly difficult. In the case of Israel dealing with their Canaanite neighbors, it points to a situation whereby the temptations placed in front of Israel to succumb to a pagan lifestyle are immense. The draw to personal pleasure, comfort and sexual deviance are nearly irresistible. The principle that economic advancement overrules everything else becomes Israel's focus.
They did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways: The Hebrew word translated as stubborn (and elsewhere in the Bible translated as stiff-necked) is a word that was also applied to Israel many times during the Exodus (Exodus 32:9, 33:3, 33:5). This shows that a change of location--even coming into the Promised Land--did not necessarily mean a change of heart for Israel. We should never count on sanctification by relocation. Wherever you go, you take everything with you. A new environment does not always mean a new attitude.
Additionally, the Hebrew word for stubborn (kawsheh) comes from the idea of being hard or severe. To be stubborn against the LORD is to have a hard and unyielding heart. It results in a very difficult life.
4. (Judges 2:20-23) God gives them over to their sinful compromise
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, "Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice, I will also no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk in it as their fathers did or not." So the LORD allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel: Verse 20 continues to make the point that the LORD is VERY angry with Israel. Thus, there is NO chance that Israel will escape severe punishment.
Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded to their fathers: Hidden in the words of the second half of verse 20 is a kind of slap in the face to Israel by the LORD. In Hebrew this verse says, "Because hagoy haze violates My covenant..." Goy means gentile nation. Way back in Genesis, before the time of Abraham, goy or goyim meant nations as in any nation on earth. But when Abraham was declared by God as the first Hebrew, the earth was divided into the gentiles and Hebrews. Thus, the term goy applied ONLY to gentile people and nations but NOT to the Hebrews. So, here we have the LORD essentially saying, "because this gentile-like nation violates My covenant..." The bottom line, if a follower of God behaves as a non-follower then God will see you just as though you were a non-followed and not one of His people.
I will also no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, in order to test Israel by them: God says that He is leaving those Canaanite nations there for the tribes of Israel to contend with as a test or trial. This does not mean trial as in the sense of trials and tribulations. It does not indicate being put into a bad situation whereby the bad situation is of itself the punishment. Rather, in Hebrew the word is nassa, and it refers to a judicial kind of trial. In other words, the accurate sense of this statement is that God is going to put the tribes of Israel on trial in His courtroom. They are the accused, and He is the judge. Whether they are convicted and merit further punishment, or whether they are found to be innocent and merit mercy, will all depend on if Israel proves itself to have learned its lesson and becomes Torah observant as their immediate ancestors were. The alternative is that Israel will reject God's discipline (in the form of the Canaanites nations being divinely allowed to create problems for Israel's society), and God reacts with further and more sever punishments on His people.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Sunday, March 24, 2019
Judges Chapter 2 Part Four (Verses 14-15)
2. (Judges 2:14-15) God's wrath upon their sin of idolatry
The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. Whenever they went, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken and as the LORD had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.
The anger of the LORD burned against Israel: Literally, the first words of verse 14 say, "The aph of the LORD burned against Israel," which word for word translates as "The nostrils of the LORD burned against Israel." The LORD is furious about Israel's idolatry. They were bowing down to the Baal gods. They were presenting burnt offerings to the Baal gods and then also presenting these same offerings to God. These tainted offerings were unacceptable to God; they were defiled and anything but holy.
In the first five books of the Bible, God mentions that the smoke of Israel's offerings from the altar of burnt offerings would float up to God, and He would find them to be a pleasing aroma to His nose. The offerings were pleasing because they were offered in obedience. They were offered properly from the altar at the tabernacle/temple and were made by the proper mediators (the Levitical priests).
In verse 14, we find the opposite. When the LORD smelled the smoke of the burnt offerings it caused His nose to BURN. The odor of Israel's offerings were not pleasing to Him because they were offered according to pagan standards from pagan altars at pagan sanctuaries and many times by whatever official they wished to use.
God's people cannot substitute unclean offering for clean offerings and give them to the LORD. God's people cannot declare something good if God declares it evil. God's people must never think that we can without consequence wander after things we are told to reject because the result (at some point) can be that God will no longer block our path. At some point, He will let us go the way we have determined we will go. He will open His hand, and we will be allowed to be as the world. Think this is only an Old Testament curse?
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them...For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for the which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the women and burned in their desires toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper." (Romans 1:18-19, 26-28)
Just as Israel convinced themselves that God preferred peace with their Canaanite neighbors to war, so have many modern Christians convinced themselves that God prefers tolerance and inclusiveness to obedience and standing up for what is right. The commandments of God are crystal clear, but men have decided that any kind of love is godly love. Is there a consequence for doing this? According to Paul there is.
From the spiritual and heavenly point of view, there were five reasons recorded in Judges for Israel's fall from grace.
1. The tribes no longer fought for a common cause and were in a state of disunity. They even began to war among themselves. This led to the Wilderness Tabernacle becoming dilapidated. Even the Ark of the Covenant became dissociated from the Tabernacle in such a way that it would soon be seen as no longer necessary that the Ark of the Covenant be kept in the Holy of Holies. This led to a breakdown in the priestly system and the sacrificial system.
2. The 12 tribes decided that rather than following God's instruction to deport all Canaanites from the Promised Land and annihilate those who refused to go, they would establish good relations with them. Such a thing exposed Israel to customs and cultures that held too much temptation to resist.
3. The gods of the Canaanites were nature gods. As Israel had won the hills but not the productive valleys and plains, Israel had a hard time growing crops on their rocky ground while the Canaanites had almost ideal conditions to sow and plant. Israel would watch the Canaanites worship the sun god, rain god and goddess of fertility and concluded that unless they did the same, it was nearly hopeless that they could grow substantial crops in less suitable soil. So the Israelites followed the Canaanite ways.
4. Although it is not typically talked about in our religious institutions, sex played an enormous role in primitive societies. It was key for growing the families large, and it was just as key for the animals to procreate freely in order to grow the flocks and herds. Sex was seen as an integral part of worship practices. Temple prostitution (which is the scholarly name for sex acts as part of religious services) was normal and customary. In fact, it must have seemed strange for Israel to NOT employ sacred sex during services. Can you imagine what your worship experience would be like if suddenly it was deemed that no music or singing would be included during services? Most folks would find congregational assemblies less fulfilling and exciting. It would seem as though an important ingredient was missing. That is how ingrained and expected that sacred sex was among the Babylon Mystery Religions. This illicit mixing of Israel with the Canaanites and thus becoming intimately near their worship customs proved too attractive to Israel. Henceforth, they too adopted sacred sex as a part of their integrated worship of God and Baal.
5. Syncretism was the result of blending the politics and economics of the Canaanites with the Israelites. The two different societies looked almost identical because their condition before God was becoming identical. While they did not plan for this to happen, they also did not resist it.
The consequences of this apostasy were that God responded by turning Israel over to their enemies. Thus, they could not stand against them as they did under the godly leadership displayed by Joshua.
He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them: The purpose of this was to turn Israel's heart back to the LORD. God's goal was not punishment in itself but repentance. Therefore, we should see this as a manifestation of God's love for Israel instead of God's hate. The worst judgment God can bring on a person is to leave them alone and to stop trying to bring them to repentance.
We see the same principle in the relationship between parents and children. Though children often wish their parents would just leave them alone, it is really their worst fear that no one would love them enough to correct them.
The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. Whenever they went, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken and as the LORD had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.
The anger of the LORD burned against Israel: Literally, the first words of verse 14 say, "The aph of the LORD burned against Israel," which word for word translates as "The nostrils of the LORD burned against Israel." The LORD is furious about Israel's idolatry. They were bowing down to the Baal gods. They were presenting burnt offerings to the Baal gods and then also presenting these same offerings to God. These tainted offerings were unacceptable to God; they were defiled and anything but holy.
In the first five books of the Bible, God mentions that the smoke of Israel's offerings from the altar of burnt offerings would float up to God, and He would find them to be a pleasing aroma to His nose. The offerings were pleasing because they were offered in obedience. They were offered properly from the altar at the tabernacle/temple and were made by the proper mediators (the Levitical priests).
In verse 14, we find the opposite. When the LORD smelled the smoke of the burnt offerings it caused His nose to BURN. The odor of Israel's offerings were not pleasing to Him because they were offered according to pagan standards from pagan altars at pagan sanctuaries and many times by whatever official they wished to use.
God's people cannot substitute unclean offering for clean offerings and give them to the LORD. God's people cannot declare something good if God declares it evil. God's people must never think that we can without consequence wander after things we are told to reject because the result (at some point) can be that God will no longer block our path. At some point, He will let us go the way we have determined we will go. He will open His hand, and we will be allowed to be as the world. Think this is only an Old Testament curse?
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them...For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for the which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the women and burned in their desires toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper." (Romans 1:18-19, 26-28)
Just as Israel convinced themselves that God preferred peace with their Canaanite neighbors to war, so have many modern Christians convinced themselves that God prefers tolerance and inclusiveness to obedience and standing up for what is right. The commandments of God are crystal clear, but men have decided that any kind of love is godly love. Is there a consequence for doing this? According to Paul there is.
From the spiritual and heavenly point of view, there were five reasons recorded in Judges for Israel's fall from grace.
1. The tribes no longer fought for a common cause and were in a state of disunity. They even began to war among themselves. This led to the Wilderness Tabernacle becoming dilapidated. Even the Ark of the Covenant became dissociated from the Tabernacle in such a way that it would soon be seen as no longer necessary that the Ark of the Covenant be kept in the Holy of Holies. This led to a breakdown in the priestly system and the sacrificial system.
2. The 12 tribes decided that rather than following God's instruction to deport all Canaanites from the Promised Land and annihilate those who refused to go, they would establish good relations with them. Such a thing exposed Israel to customs and cultures that held too much temptation to resist.
3. The gods of the Canaanites were nature gods. As Israel had won the hills but not the productive valleys and plains, Israel had a hard time growing crops on their rocky ground while the Canaanites had almost ideal conditions to sow and plant. Israel would watch the Canaanites worship the sun god, rain god and goddess of fertility and concluded that unless they did the same, it was nearly hopeless that they could grow substantial crops in less suitable soil. So the Israelites followed the Canaanite ways.
4. Although it is not typically talked about in our religious institutions, sex played an enormous role in primitive societies. It was key for growing the families large, and it was just as key for the animals to procreate freely in order to grow the flocks and herds. Sex was seen as an integral part of worship practices. Temple prostitution (which is the scholarly name for sex acts as part of religious services) was normal and customary. In fact, it must have seemed strange for Israel to NOT employ sacred sex during services. Can you imagine what your worship experience would be like if suddenly it was deemed that no music or singing would be included during services? Most folks would find congregational assemblies less fulfilling and exciting. It would seem as though an important ingredient was missing. That is how ingrained and expected that sacred sex was among the Babylon Mystery Religions. This illicit mixing of Israel with the Canaanites and thus becoming intimately near their worship customs proved too attractive to Israel. Henceforth, they too adopted sacred sex as a part of their integrated worship of God and Baal.
5. Syncretism was the result of blending the politics and economics of the Canaanites with the Israelites. The two different societies looked almost identical because their condition before God was becoming identical. While they did not plan for this to happen, they also did not resist it.
The consequences of this apostasy were that God responded by turning Israel over to their enemies. Thus, they could not stand against them as they did under the godly leadership displayed by Joshua.
He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them: The purpose of this was to turn Israel's heart back to the LORD. God's goal was not punishment in itself but repentance. Therefore, we should see this as a manifestation of God's love for Israel instead of God's hate. The worst judgment God can bring on a person is to leave them alone and to stop trying to bring them to repentance.
We see the same principle in the relationship between parents and children. Though children often wish their parents would just leave them alone, it is really their worst fear that no one would love them enough to correct them.
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Purim
One of my favorite holidays of the year is the festival of Purim. Unlike other Jewish holidays in which there are strict observances set forth in the Torah, the only command for Purim is that it is to be celebrated on the 14th day of the Jewish month Adar (which occurs in February or March on the Gregorian calendar.) This year Purim will be celebrated from sunset on March 20 through sunset on March 21. Purim is mostly a holiday filled with lots of fun events including dressing up as your favorite character from the book of Esther!
The Basics
The entire holiday of Purim is set aside to celebrate the Jews triumphal victory over the wicked Haman and his evil plot to exterminate the Jews as detailed in the Book of Esther. During the holiday, the Book of Esther is read in synagogue. (And I would suggest, if you wish to appreciate all the characters and things associated with Purim, it would be very beneficial to read the Book of Esther as well.) When the book is read, any time Queen Esther or Mordecai are mentioned, the audience breaks out into spontaneous cheers and shouts of joy. When the evil character Haman is mentioned, the crowd stomps its feet and shouts out booing.
The word Purim is derived from the Persian language which translated into English means lots. In the Book of Esther, Haman casts lots (i.e., throws dice or uses some sort of divination) to determine when he should carry out his evil plan of exterminating the Jews. The 13th of Adar (the 12th month on the Jewish calendar) was slated to be the date. On the 13th of Adar, the Jews and the Persians fought. On the 14th of Adar, the Jews in the Persian kingdom celebrated a glorious victory over their foes. (The Jews in the Persian capital city of Sushan fought for a second day on the 14th of Adar. On the 15th of Adar they held a giant celebration.) From this time forth, the 14th of Adar has been remembered and celebrated as a joyous day when the Jews defeated their enemies.
The Story in a Nutshell
The Persian Empire of the 4th Century BC extended across 127 lands from northern Africa and Asia Minor in the east across to India in the west. All the Jews living in this region were ruled by the Persians. When King Ahasuerus has his wife, Queen Vashti, dethroned for failing to follow his orders, he arranged for a search to find a new queen. (I like to call this the very first beauty pageant, Miss Queen of Persia.) A young Jewish woman, Esther, found favor in the king's eyes and became the new queen. Under the command of her cousin, Mordecai, Esther never divulges her Jewish nationality.
Subsequently, Haman, a Jew-hating man, was appointed as prime minister of the empire. Mordecai defies the king's orders and refuses to bow down to Haman. Haman becomes infuriated and convinces the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th day of the month Adar, a date picked via casting lots (purim).
When the decree is made public, Mordecai rallies the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray. Moreover, he entreats Esther to ask the king to rescind his decree. Esther bravely goes before the king's throne and asks him (and Haman) to join her for a feast. After her courage fails her the first day, Esther asks the King and Haman to join her on the following day for another feast. At the second feast, Esther reveals to the king her Jewish identity. Haman begs the queen's forgiveness, but the king orders Haman to be hung. When Esther reveals to the king that Mordecai is her cousin, the king appoints Mordecai to be prime minister. A new decree is issued, granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemy.
On the 13th of Adar, the Jews kill many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar, they rest and celebrate their triumphant victory. In the capital city of Sushan, the Jews take one more day to finish killing their enemies.
Other Facts
Esther's name is derived from the goddess Ishtar. Ishtar was the Babylonian and Persian goddess of war, love and fertility. She was called Ashteroth by the Phoenicians. Esther's Hebrew name is Hadassah. Hadassah is derived from the Hebrew word hadas which means myrtle tree. According to Jewish tradition, a myrtle trees represents righteousness in Scripture. The sages in the Midrash take this one step father and say just as a myrtle tree has a sweet smell and a bitter taste, so too Esther was good and listened (sweet) to the righteous Mordecai. She was adverse (bitter) to the wicked Haman.
The Book of Esther, known as "the Scroll" (Megillah) in Hebrew, is a book in the third section (Ketuvim "Writings") of the Jewish Bible. It is one of five scrolls (Megillot) in the Hebrew Bible. The Books of Esther and Song of Solomon are the only books which do not explicitly mention God in the text.
The book of Esther consists of an introduction in chapters 1 and 2; the main action occurs in chapters 3 to 9:19; and a conclusion is given in chapter 9:20-10:3. The plot is structured around banquets (mishteh), a word that occurs 20 times in the Book of Esther and only 24 times in the rest of the Hebrew Bible. This is apropos given that the Book of Esther describes the origin of a Jewish feast, the feast of Purim.
The Book of Esther became the last of the 24 books of the Tanakh (Old Testament) to be canonized by the Sages of the Great Assembly. It is usually dated to the fourth century BC. The Greek Book of Esther included in the Septuagint is a re-telling of the events of the Hebrew Book of Esther rather than a translation. The Greek book includes additional traditions which do not appear in the original Hebrew version. One such addition is the identification of Ahasuerus with Artaxerxes and includes details of various letters. The Coptic and Ethiopian versions of the Book of Esther are translations of the Greek version rather than the Hebrew version of the Book of Esther.
(Side note: The Tanakh also called the Mikra or the Hebrew Bible, is the canonical collection of Jewish texts, which is the textual source for the Christian Old Testament. These texts are composed mainly in Biblical Hebrew, with some passages in Biblical Aramaic. The traditional Hebrew text is known as the Masoretic Text. The Tanakh consists of 24 books.
Tanakh is an acronym of the first letter of each of the Masoretic Text's three subdivisons: Torah ("Teaching", also known as the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im ("Prophets") and Ketuvim ("Writings"). Hence it is called TaNaKh. The name Mikra, meaning "that which is read", is another Hebrew word for the Tanakh. The books of the Tanakh were passed on by each generation, and according to rabbinic tradition, they were also accompanied by oral tradition called the Oral Torah.)
Purim Observances
1. Hear the Megillah
At synagogues across the world, the whole Megillah scroll (aka, the Book of Esther) is publicly read twice--once on Purim night and again on Purim day. This year, that is Wednesday night, March 20 and Thursday, March 21.
2. Give to the needy (Matanot LaEvyonim)
One of Purim's main themes is Jewish unity. Haman tried to kill all the Jews. Being unified in danger, the Jews also unify in celebrating. During Purim, there is a special emphasis on caring for the less fortunate. A main act of kindness is giving food or money to at least two needy people. On Purim, a donation is given to whomever asks. Many synagogues take up special offerings during this time to give to charity in their communities.
3. Send food gifts to friends (Mishloach Manot)
The holiday of Purim emphasizes the importance of friendship and community. One way of showing this spirit is by sending food gifts to friends. The tradition is to send at least two ready-to-eat food and/or beverage items to at least one acquaintance. Men send gifts to men; women send gifts to women. It is preferable that the gifts be delivered via a third party. As with all the observances, children also participate in sending gifts. Additionally, children are often employed as the messengers in delivering the gifts.
4. Masquerade!
On Purim, children (and some enthusiastic adults) dress in costumes, an allusion to God's hand in the Purim miracle, which was disguised by natural events. Girls often dress up as Queen Esther, and boy often dress up as Mordecai. Many synagogues have a masquerade party, along with prizes for the children during or after the Megillah reading.
5. Feast!!!
During Purim day (March 21), families gather together and often invite guests to celebrate a Purim meal. Traditionally, the meal begins before sundown and lasts well into the evening. The table is covered with a nice tablecloth; candles give the illumination. The meal features meat, wine, Jewish songs, words from the Torah and lots of laughter and joy. The feast is a great celebration of eating, singing and having fun.
Purim Food
1. Hamantaschen
The most famous Purim food is hamantaschen (Yiddish for Haman's pockets). These treats are thinly rolled dough cut into circles with their sides folded up around a dollop of filling. The cookie can be crumbly if made with oil or soft when made with butter or cream cheese. The hamantaschen can be filled with almost anything--fruit, cheese, chocolate, nutella or savory ingredients.
The cookie itself is highly symbolic. The most common interpretation is that they resemble the three cornered hat worn by Haman. In Hebrew, the cookies are called ozney Haman which means "Haman's ears". This refers to the custom of cutting off a criminals ears before his execution. A third idea suggests that each corner of a hamantaschen represents one of the fathers of Judaism--Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--whose power weakened Haman and gave strength to Esther to save the Jews. Lastly, one more thought is that because the German word taschen means "pouch" or "pocket", the cookies could signify Haman's pockets, and the money he offered to the king for permission to kill the Jews.
2. Challah
Challah is a traditional Jewish braided bread made with eggs, flour, water, yeast, sugar and salt. A special Purim Challah is usually oversized and extensively braided. The braids on the challah are intended to remind people of the rope used to hang Haman. The term challah originally refers to the commandment of separating a portion of the dough before braiding it. This portion of the bread is set aside as a tithe for the priests. In Hebrew, this commandment is called hafrashat challah or "separating challah". This obligation applies to any loaf of bread, not just to the Sabbath bread.
3. Bean dishes
Bean dishes include salted beans, and boiled chickpeas seasoned with salt and pepper. These dishes are to remind the people that Esther would not eat anything at the court of King Ahasuerus that was not kosher. So, she mainly ate peas and beans.
4. Kreplach
Kreplach are triangle pouches filled with chopped meat, mashed potatoes or other filling. They are usually boiled and served in chicken soup; although they may also be served fried and served alone as a side dish. They are similar to the Polish uszka, Russian pelmeni, Italian ravioli or tortellini and Chinese wontons. The dough is traditionally made of flour, water and eggs. It is kneaded and rolled out thin. Some modern-day cooks use frozen dough sheets or wonton wrappers. Ready-to-eat kreplach are also sold in the kosher frozen foods section of some grocery stores.
The Basics
The entire holiday of Purim is set aside to celebrate the Jews triumphal victory over the wicked Haman and his evil plot to exterminate the Jews as detailed in the Book of Esther. During the holiday, the Book of Esther is read in synagogue. (And I would suggest, if you wish to appreciate all the characters and things associated with Purim, it would be very beneficial to read the Book of Esther as well.) When the book is read, any time Queen Esther or Mordecai are mentioned, the audience breaks out into spontaneous cheers and shouts of joy. When the evil character Haman is mentioned, the crowd stomps its feet and shouts out booing.
The word Purim is derived from the Persian language which translated into English means lots. In the Book of Esther, Haman casts lots (i.e., throws dice or uses some sort of divination) to determine when he should carry out his evil plan of exterminating the Jews. The 13th of Adar (the 12th month on the Jewish calendar) was slated to be the date. On the 13th of Adar, the Jews and the Persians fought. On the 14th of Adar, the Jews in the Persian kingdom celebrated a glorious victory over their foes. (The Jews in the Persian capital city of Sushan fought for a second day on the 14th of Adar. On the 15th of Adar they held a giant celebration.) From this time forth, the 14th of Adar has been remembered and celebrated as a joyous day when the Jews defeated their enemies.
The Story in a Nutshell
The Persian Empire of the 4th Century BC extended across 127 lands from northern Africa and Asia Minor in the east across to India in the west. All the Jews living in this region were ruled by the Persians. When King Ahasuerus has his wife, Queen Vashti, dethroned for failing to follow his orders, he arranged for a search to find a new queen. (I like to call this the very first beauty pageant, Miss Queen of Persia.) A young Jewish woman, Esther, found favor in the king's eyes and became the new queen. Under the command of her cousin, Mordecai, Esther never divulges her Jewish nationality.
Subsequently, Haman, a Jew-hating man, was appointed as prime minister of the empire. Mordecai defies the king's orders and refuses to bow down to Haman. Haman becomes infuriated and convinces the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th day of the month Adar, a date picked via casting lots (purim).
When the decree is made public, Mordecai rallies the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray. Moreover, he entreats Esther to ask the king to rescind his decree. Esther bravely goes before the king's throne and asks him (and Haman) to join her for a feast. After her courage fails her the first day, Esther asks the King and Haman to join her on the following day for another feast. At the second feast, Esther reveals to the king her Jewish identity. Haman begs the queen's forgiveness, but the king orders Haman to be hung. When Esther reveals to the king that Mordecai is her cousin, the king appoints Mordecai to be prime minister. A new decree is issued, granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemy.
On the 13th of Adar, the Jews kill many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar, they rest and celebrate their triumphant victory. In the capital city of Sushan, the Jews take one more day to finish killing their enemies.
Other Facts
Esther's name is derived from the goddess Ishtar. Ishtar was the Babylonian and Persian goddess of war, love and fertility. She was called Ashteroth by the Phoenicians. Esther's Hebrew name is Hadassah. Hadassah is derived from the Hebrew word hadas which means myrtle tree. According to Jewish tradition, a myrtle trees represents righteousness in Scripture. The sages in the Midrash take this one step father and say just as a myrtle tree has a sweet smell and a bitter taste, so too Esther was good and listened (sweet) to the righteous Mordecai. She was adverse (bitter) to the wicked Haman.
The Book of Esther, known as "the Scroll" (Megillah) in Hebrew, is a book in the third section (Ketuvim "Writings") of the Jewish Bible. It is one of five scrolls (Megillot) in the Hebrew Bible. The Books of Esther and Song of Solomon are the only books which do not explicitly mention God in the text.
The book of Esther consists of an introduction in chapters 1 and 2; the main action occurs in chapters 3 to 9:19; and a conclusion is given in chapter 9:20-10:3. The plot is structured around banquets (mishteh), a word that occurs 20 times in the Book of Esther and only 24 times in the rest of the Hebrew Bible. This is apropos given that the Book of Esther describes the origin of a Jewish feast, the feast of Purim.
The Book of Esther became the last of the 24 books of the Tanakh (Old Testament) to be canonized by the Sages of the Great Assembly. It is usually dated to the fourth century BC. The Greek Book of Esther included in the Septuagint is a re-telling of the events of the Hebrew Book of Esther rather than a translation. The Greek book includes additional traditions which do not appear in the original Hebrew version. One such addition is the identification of Ahasuerus with Artaxerxes and includes details of various letters. The Coptic and Ethiopian versions of the Book of Esther are translations of the Greek version rather than the Hebrew version of the Book of Esther.
(Side note: The Tanakh also called the Mikra or the Hebrew Bible, is the canonical collection of Jewish texts, which is the textual source for the Christian Old Testament. These texts are composed mainly in Biblical Hebrew, with some passages in Biblical Aramaic. The traditional Hebrew text is known as the Masoretic Text. The Tanakh consists of 24 books.
Tanakh is an acronym of the first letter of each of the Masoretic Text's three subdivisons: Torah ("Teaching", also known as the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im ("Prophets") and Ketuvim ("Writings"). Hence it is called TaNaKh. The name Mikra, meaning "that which is read", is another Hebrew word for the Tanakh. The books of the Tanakh were passed on by each generation, and according to rabbinic tradition, they were also accompanied by oral tradition called the Oral Torah.)
Purim Observances
1. Hear the Megillah
At synagogues across the world, the whole Megillah scroll (aka, the Book of Esther) is publicly read twice--once on Purim night and again on Purim day. This year, that is Wednesday night, March 20 and Thursday, March 21.
2. Give to the needy (Matanot LaEvyonim)
One of Purim's main themes is Jewish unity. Haman tried to kill all the Jews. Being unified in danger, the Jews also unify in celebrating. During Purim, there is a special emphasis on caring for the less fortunate. A main act of kindness is giving food or money to at least two needy people. On Purim, a donation is given to whomever asks. Many synagogues take up special offerings during this time to give to charity in their communities.
3. Send food gifts to friends (Mishloach Manot)
The holiday of Purim emphasizes the importance of friendship and community. One way of showing this spirit is by sending food gifts to friends. The tradition is to send at least two ready-to-eat food and/or beverage items to at least one acquaintance. Men send gifts to men; women send gifts to women. It is preferable that the gifts be delivered via a third party. As with all the observances, children also participate in sending gifts. Additionally, children are often employed as the messengers in delivering the gifts.
4. Masquerade!
On Purim, children (and some enthusiastic adults) dress in costumes, an allusion to God's hand in the Purim miracle, which was disguised by natural events. Girls often dress up as Queen Esther, and boy often dress up as Mordecai. Many synagogues have a masquerade party, along with prizes for the children during or after the Megillah reading.
5. Feast!!!
During Purim day (March 21), families gather together and often invite guests to celebrate a Purim meal. Traditionally, the meal begins before sundown and lasts well into the evening. The table is covered with a nice tablecloth; candles give the illumination. The meal features meat, wine, Jewish songs, words from the Torah and lots of laughter and joy. The feast is a great celebration of eating, singing and having fun.
Purim Food
1. Hamantaschen
The most famous Purim food is hamantaschen (Yiddish for Haman's pockets). These treats are thinly rolled dough cut into circles with their sides folded up around a dollop of filling. The cookie can be crumbly if made with oil or soft when made with butter or cream cheese. The hamantaschen can be filled with almost anything--fruit, cheese, chocolate, nutella or savory ingredients.
The cookie itself is highly symbolic. The most common interpretation is that they resemble the three cornered hat worn by Haman. In Hebrew, the cookies are called ozney Haman which means "Haman's ears". This refers to the custom of cutting off a criminals ears before his execution. A third idea suggests that each corner of a hamantaschen represents one of the fathers of Judaism--Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--whose power weakened Haman and gave strength to Esther to save the Jews. Lastly, one more thought is that because the German word taschen means "pouch" or "pocket", the cookies could signify Haman's pockets, and the money he offered to the king for permission to kill the Jews.
2. Challah
Challah is a traditional Jewish braided bread made with eggs, flour, water, yeast, sugar and salt. A special Purim Challah is usually oversized and extensively braided. The braids on the challah are intended to remind people of the rope used to hang Haman. The term challah originally refers to the commandment of separating a portion of the dough before braiding it. This portion of the bread is set aside as a tithe for the priests. In Hebrew, this commandment is called hafrashat challah or "separating challah". This obligation applies to any loaf of bread, not just to the Sabbath bread.
3. Bean dishes
Bean dishes include salted beans, and boiled chickpeas seasoned with salt and pepper. These dishes are to remind the people that Esther would not eat anything at the court of King Ahasuerus that was not kosher. So, she mainly ate peas and beans.
4. Kreplach
Kreplach are triangle pouches filled with chopped meat, mashed potatoes or other filling. They are usually boiled and served in chicken soup; although they may also be served fried and served alone as a side dish. They are similar to the Polish uszka, Russian pelmeni, Italian ravioli or tortellini and Chinese wontons. The dough is traditionally made of flour, water and eggs. It is kneaded and rolled out thin. Some modern-day cooks use frozen dough sheets or wonton wrappers. Ready-to-eat kreplach are also sold in the kosher frozen foods section of some grocery stores.
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Amalek and the Book of Esther
Have you ever wonder what might happen if you disobey a command God gives specifically to you? The answer may not be as dramatic as that of Amalek and the Israelites, but it might be. We have a limited view as to how our actions can affect the future. The Book of Esther gives us great insight into how one person's actions can greatly influence the lives of many in the generations to come.
In Genesis 36:12, we are introduced to Amalek. "And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife."
Jewish tradition holds that Timna was from royal Egyptian lineage. She wanted to be part of Jacob's family; however, she was not accepted. After being rejected, Timna did the next best thing she could think of, she attached herself to Jacob's brother's family, Esau. Remember that Esau and Jacob were twin brothers. Jacob bought the first born rites from Esau for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29-34). Jacob also received the favored blessing from his father Isaac after deceiving him (Genesis 27:1-29). Esau had a son named Eliphaz. Timna became Eliphaz's concubine and bore Amalek. Thus, Amalek was Esau's grandson.
Although Genesis 36:12 proclaims the birth of Amalek, the Amalekites are first mentioned all the way back in Genesis 14:7. ("And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and conquered all the country of the Amalekites.") If one counts the Hebrew letters from the first letter of the word Amalekites and counts until the last letter in Amalek's name in Genesis 36:12, one counts 12,110 Hebrew letters. The Book of Esther also has exactly 12,110 Hebrew letters. God knew from the beginning that that Amalek's birth would be a thorn in Israel's side for many, many generations.
Leaving Egypt
When the Israelites left Egypt and had crossed over the Red Sea, the first person to attack them was Amalek. "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said onto Joshua, 'Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand'" (Exodus 17:8-9). All the nations feared the Israelites when they heard how God delivered the Israelites through the Red Sea and destroyed Pharaoh and his army. However, Amalek's attack on Israel cooled some of the surrounding nations' fear. As one rabbi said, "Israel coming out of Egypt was like a boiling pot. No one wanted to get near them. When Amalek attacked Israel, he cooled down the pot. This gave courage to the surrounding nations that Israel could be defeated."
God's anger is stirred up over Amalek attacking His people. God gives several promises to Amalek that his end will be destruction. "The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Exodus 17:16). "And he looked on Amalek, and took up this parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end shall come to destruction" (Numbers 24:20). "Blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget it" (Deuteronomy 25:19).
Lastly, God gives Israel one last command regarding Amalek: once Israel is settled in the land, they should destroy Amalek.
"Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God. Therefore when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget." (Deuteronomy 25:17-19)
Saul's commission to utterly destroy the Amalekites
Saul was Israel's first king. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and the son of Kish. "Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. He had a son, whose name was Saul" (1 Samuel 9:1-2a).
Once Saul was established as king, he received instructions from the prophet Samuel to go to war with the Amalekites and completely destroy them. "Then Samuel said to Saul, 'The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both men and women, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey"'" (1 Samuel 15:1-3).
Saul goes to war with the Amalekites and defeats them. However, Saul fails to carry out God's complete command to destroy Amalek and everything associated with the Amalekites. "So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He captured Agag the king of the Amaleites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the failings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed" (1 Samuel 15:7-9).
Saul seems blind to his disobedience. He believes he has fulfilled God's command. Samuel, however, can see through Saul's lies and knows Saul has disobeyed God. "Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, 'Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.' But Samuel said, 'What then is the bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?'" (1 Samuel 15:13-14) There is an interesting play on words here in the Hebrew. To obey in Hebrew is shema which translates to hear, listen and/or obey. Samuel is saying if you heard and obeyed the word of the LORD why is it I hear sheep and oxen which God commanded to be destroyed?
Saul's disobedience to spare Agag and the best of the things from the Amalekites has many implications for the future. First, God takes away the kingdom from Saul. "Samuel said, 'Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king'" (1 Samuel 15:22-23). "And Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to him, 'The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you'" (1 Samuel 15:27-28).
Second, Agag's descendants live on. If Agag and all his descendants would have been executed, the Amalekite's lineage would have been cut off. However, since Saul spares them, their descendants continue into the future. Nearly 400 years later, Agag's descendant, Haman, attempts to craft a plan to exterminate the Jews. ("The king took off his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the Jews' enemy" Esther 3:10.) This is the basis for the Book of Esther. Interestingly, the heroes of the story, Esther and Mordecai are descendants from Saul. ("There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite" Esther 2:5.) So, although Saul does not obey God, his descendants do.
The Book of Esther
Set nearly 400 years after the reign of king Saul, the Book of Esther takes place in the Persian kingdom in a city called Susa. In a nutshell, the king becomes very angry at his wife and dethrones her. He holds a beauty contest, and Esther is chosen. Esther never discloses her heritage as being a Jew. Mordecai, Esther's uncle, is an official in the king's gate. Mordecai refuses to bow down to the king's second in command, a man named Haman. Haman becomes enraged and learns Mordecai is a Jew. Haman devises a plan to kill all the Jews and deceitfully gets the king to sign the decree. Before the decree is carried out, Esther reveals her Jewish lineage and begs the king for his help. The king allows Esther and Mordecai to send out another decree stating the Jews may take up arms and defend themselves against anyone who attacks them. Esther and the Jews win the war. Haman and his sons are hung. God's command to execute the Amalekites is completed nearly 400 years after Saul was supposed to obey God. One man's disobedience almost causes the complete extinction of the Jewish people. It is amazing to see how one act of disobedience can completely change history.
In Genesis 36:12, we are introduced to Amalek. "And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife."
Jewish tradition holds that Timna was from royal Egyptian lineage. She wanted to be part of Jacob's family; however, she was not accepted. After being rejected, Timna did the next best thing she could think of, she attached herself to Jacob's brother's family, Esau. Remember that Esau and Jacob were twin brothers. Jacob bought the first born rites from Esau for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29-34). Jacob also received the favored blessing from his father Isaac after deceiving him (Genesis 27:1-29). Esau had a son named Eliphaz. Timna became Eliphaz's concubine and bore Amalek. Thus, Amalek was Esau's grandson.
Although Genesis 36:12 proclaims the birth of Amalek, the Amalekites are first mentioned all the way back in Genesis 14:7. ("And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and conquered all the country of the Amalekites.") If one counts the Hebrew letters from the first letter of the word Amalekites and counts until the last letter in Amalek's name in Genesis 36:12, one counts 12,110 Hebrew letters. The Book of Esther also has exactly 12,110 Hebrew letters. God knew from the beginning that that Amalek's birth would be a thorn in Israel's side for many, many generations.
Leaving Egypt
When the Israelites left Egypt and had crossed over the Red Sea, the first person to attack them was Amalek. "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said onto Joshua, 'Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand'" (Exodus 17:8-9). All the nations feared the Israelites when they heard how God delivered the Israelites through the Red Sea and destroyed Pharaoh and his army. However, Amalek's attack on Israel cooled some of the surrounding nations' fear. As one rabbi said, "Israel coming out of Egypt was like a boiling pot. No one wanted to get near them. When Amalek attacked Israel, he cooled down the pot. This gave courage to the surrounding nations that Israel could be defeated."
God's anger is stirred up over Amalek attacking His people. God gives several promises to Amalek that his end will be destruction. "The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Exodus 17:16). "And he looked on Amalek, and took up this parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end shall come to destruction" (Numbers 24:20). "Blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget it" (Deuteronomy 25:19).
Lastly, God gives Israel one last command regarding Amalek: once Israel is settled in the land, they should destroy Amalek.
"Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God. Therefore when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget." (Deuteronomy 25:17-19)
Saul's commission to utterly destroy the Amalekites
Saul was Israel's first king. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and the son of Kish. "Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. He had a son, whose name was Saul" (1 Samuel 9:1-2a).
Once Saul was established as king, he received instructions from the prophet Samuel to go to war with the Amalekites and completely destroy them. "Then Samuel said to Saul, 'The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both men and women, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey"'" (1 Samuel 15:1-3).
Saul goes to war with the Amalekites and defeats them. However, Saul fails to carry out God's complete command to destroy Amalek and everything associated with the Amalekites. "So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He captured Agag the king of the Amaleites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the failings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed" (1 Samuel 15:7-9).
Saul seems blind to his disobedience. He believes he has fulfilled God's command. Samuel, however, can see through Saul's lies and knows Saul has disobeyed God. "Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, 'Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.' But Samuel said, 'What then is the bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?'" (1 Samuel 15:13-14) There is an interesting play on words here in the Hebrew. To obey in Hebrew is shema which translates to hear, listen and/or obey. Samuel is saying if you heard and obeyed the word of the LORD why is it I hear sheep and oxen which God commanded to be destroyed?
Saul's disobedience to spare Agag and the best of the things from the Amalekites has many implications for the future. First, God takes away the kingdom from Saul. "Samuel said, 'Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king'" (1 Samuel 15:22-23). "And Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to him, 'The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you'" (1 Samuel 15:27-28).
Second, Agag's descendants live on. If Agag and all his descendants would have been executed, the Amalekite's lineage would have been cut off. However, since Saul spares them, their descendants continue into the future. Nearly 400 years later, Agag's descendant, Haman, attempts to craft a plan to exterminate the Jews. ("The king took off his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the Jews' enemy" Esther 3:10.) This is the basis for the Book of Esther. Interestingly, the heroes of the story, Esther and Mordecai are descendants from Saul. ("There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite" Esther 2:5.) So, although Saul does not obey God, his descendants do.
The Book of Esther
Set nearly 400 years after the reign of king Saul, the Book of Esther takes place in the Persian kingdom in a city called Susa. In a nutshell, the king becomes very angry at his wife and dethrones her. He holds a beauty contest, and Esther is chosen. Esther never discloses her heritage as being a Jew. Mordecai, Esther's uncle, is an official in the king's gate. Mordecai refuses to bow down to the king's second in command, a man named Haman. Haman becomes enraged and learns Mordecai is a Jew. Haman devises a plan to kill all the Jews and deceitfully gets the king to sign the decree. Before the decree is carried out, Esther reveals her Jewish lineage and begs the king for his help. The king allows Esther and Mordecai to send out another decree stating the Jews may take up arms and defend themselves against anyone who attacks them. Esther and the Jews win the war. Haman and his sons are hung. God's command to execute the Amalekites is completed nearly 400 years after Saul was supposed to obey God. One man's disobedience almost causes the complete extinction of the Jewish people. It is amazing to see how one act of disobedience can completely change history.
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Judges Chapter 2 Part Three (Verse 7-13)
3. (Judges 2:7-10) The new generation in Israel
The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel. Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.
From verses 6-10, we have essentially a repeat of Joshua chapter 24. The editor of this book of Judges was obviously trying to make a link between the time of Joshua and the time of the Judges. It is explained that after the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem, whereby all agreed to continue to abide in the Mosaic Covenant, Joshua dismissed the people to go home to what was now their own land, given as a gift from God. It is stated that Joshua and his staff were obedient followers of the LORD God. Thus, Joshua lived to the ripe old age of 110 years. He was given the privilege of being buried on his own property, in the Promised Land, in close proximity to his ancestors.
The servant of the LORD: This is a deeply meaningful title for Joshua. It is applied only to great men of God such as Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5), David (Psalm 18:1, title) and the courageous prophets (2 Kings 9:7).
These verses end with a phrase we have heard so many times up to this point when it is written that the entire generation (the second generation of Exodus) "was gathered to his ancestors". Here we have that phrase described how it was for the Hebrew people looking upon death; it was with a foundation of Ancestor Worship in mind. They would go to their graves and some essence of them would commune in some unknown way with their ancestors. Of course, this was only possible (in their minds) because those ancestors (mainly the Patriarchs) were buried in the same place (Canaan) and thus were not separated by spiritual or territorial boundaries.
There arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD: We are told there is a new generation who arose after Joshua, one that did not know the LORD or know the work He had done on Israel's behalf. We are only talking about the passing of ONE generation after Joshua died. ONE GENERATION!!! In only a couple decades the mixing with the Canaanites had so perverted the Israelites that they were quite familiar with Baal and Ashtoreth, but they know almost nothing about God. To say that they did not know of what God had done for them does not mean they were ignorant and uninformed. It means that they rendered it as irrelevant to their lives. They had no gratitude to those who came before them and fought to give them the life they now took for granted. Syncretism had made the God of Israel barely a second thought for them.
Every time we have Veteran's Day or Memorial Day and I see those proud and wrinkled men (and how very few of them that still remain), handing out poppies or flag pins in malls or on street corners. Some of them wear parts of their well-worn uniforms or perhaps service medals from WWII. I watch as younger men and women pass them by without a glance. A generation of people who have no idea what war really is, or what sacrifice really is. People who have no concept (or interest) that millions gave their lives for the good and free life they now live. I listen to them as they naively pontificate about how THIS time in our modern and progressive era, unlink all the other time in history, THIS time instead of fighting wars we will be able to have civilized talks with our enemies--who will do almost anything to destroy us. With the right words from the right men, our enemies will fold before us. THIS time if we appease them just a little bit more, if we can just understand their side of it Bettie, they will be satisfied and not bother us any more.
I cringe as I listen to the news and our political representatives who tell us that the current state of mankind is now unlike any other. We are so inherently good and our knowledge so great, we can come together in world peace if we determine to do so. We are told Allah just wants the same things, and we are to label no one as evil (even a vicious terrorist who openly speaks of his desire to lay Israel waste, to rule the world and kill all who resist the will of his god Allah). If we speak about any evil, we are labeled as being hateful, unintelligent and counterproductive to the greater good. After all, who is so arrogant as to be the one who thinks he can identify a line between evil and good?
This prevalent and popular mindset has developed a mete 60 years after 100 million people died either as victims or from fighting to save the world from the greatest evil we have known up to this point in mankind's history. But now, after only six decades, it all counts as meaningless history only revelant for old people and recorded in dusty history books. So it ought to be awfully easy for us to identify with what is being described in the second chapter of the Book of Judges whereby in a remarkably short time the conquest of Canaan and the God who freed Israel from Egypt have become old news to the very people who benefited the most from it.
B. A summary of Israel's history during the time of the Judges
1. (Judges 2:11-13) Israel falls into idolatry
Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals, and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger. So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
The sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: After the death of Joshua, Israel falls hard into idolatry. It is strange that anyone would want to trade a personal, real, living God for a false god that is the figment of man's imagination. Yet, there is something within man that is afraid of the exact God we need. We would rather serve a god of our own creation than the real, living God whom we cannot control. The gods we create are the gods wanted by our sinful desires.
And served the Baals: The Canaanite idol Baal was an attractive rival to God because he was thought to be the god over the weather and nature for the Canaanites. He was essentially the god of agricultural success. In an agricultural society, people served Baal because they wanted good weather for abundant crops and flocks. One might say that the bottom line with Baal was the "the bottom line". He was effectively the god of personal wealth.
The word "Baal" means husband, owner or lord (like landlord). Therefore, when Israel worshipped the Canaanite god Baal, they entertained the idea of having another owner or husband.
And they forsook the LORD: Verse 12 is one of the saddest verses in the Book of Judges...and just maybe the whole Bible. There is no hiding the truth. By worshipping other gods, Israel abandoned God. As we will see in coming chapters, Israel did not think they had abandoned God. Most of them still had a place in their worship for Him. However, it was not their main focus. God was more of an afterthought or even just a ritualistic practice. Most worshipped some combination of the Baals and God. But this, Israel would have insisted that they had NOT abandoned God. But, their standard of what abandonment amounts to does not matter. What matters is the LORD'S standard that He will use as a measure. Most of Israel did not measure up to God's standard. I wonder if we measure up to His standard?
The gods who surrounded Israel went by many different names. Most of the gods had the same name, but they were just translated into the local language. "Canaanite god" was just a general term meaning the gods of the various tribes and nations who lived within the borders of the former land of Canaan. Baal became Hada in Syria to the north. Dagon was Philistine for El in the south and west. Astarte was Sidonian for Ashtoreth in the northeast. Eostre was Anglo-Saxon for Ashtoreth, and Easter was English for Ashtoreth. Mot was the Assyrian god of the underworld, and Yam was the same as Neptune, the god of the sea. On and on it goes, but all those names of the gods were of the same Mystery Babylon pantheon of gods that arose from Nimrod's era.
(Side note: Ashtoreth was thought to be the goddess of sex, love and fertility. She was usually honored when folks practice ritualistic sex with a priestess or temple prostitute.)
What was God's reaction? He became angry. The words to "follow other gods" were more literal than we typically think. In those days, and still in many cultures, a god image would be held and carried by the priests, servants or king who served that god. A procession of followers and worshippers would march in procession behind it. A parade of sorts was held to honor that god as they took his image to or from his/her temple. When he Bible speak about following other gods, it brought a very vivid and real picture to the minds of those who wrote and read these verses. Perhaps a more modern illustration is of an evil Pied Piper who enchants all those who pay attention to him and leads them (much to their surprise) off a cliff and into destruction.
One biblical illustration with God is to describe it as a marriage relationship between a husband and wife. It would be wrong for a wife (or husband) to add many lovers to the marriage, claiming that a person could simply love them all. A husband or wife was a righteous claim on the exclusive affection of their spouse. God has a righteous claim on our exclusive worship.
The LORD created marriage to give us a visible, tangible and physical way of practicing and acting out the kind of relationship (with all its benefits, obligations and challenges) that He has with His followers. He sees Israel (and all of His Believers) in the context of a wife to Him. He wants us to see Him in the context of a husband to us. Thus, when a spouse is unfaithful in a marriage, it is said (even in our secular courts of civil law) that the marriage has been legally abandoned. Even if the couple has not separated and even if the unfaithful spouse did not have in his/her mind to legally terminate the marriage or to marry another person, the level of unfaithfulness crossed over at some point. The bond was broken.
One of the most graphic depictions of this concept of the marriage relationship between God and His followers is contained in the book of Hosea. We will not read all of it, but I do want for us to read the short first chapter as it helps us to understand the LORD'S attitude towards those who break faith with (and abandon) Him.
READ HOSEA CHAPTER ONE
Whoring is a word often used in the Bible for a spouse breaking faith in a marriage relationship. It is virtually a synonym for idolatry when it pertains to man's broken relationship with God. When this faith-breaking reaches some tipping point that only the LORD determines, then he springs into action with the result expressed in the Hosea's three children: Yizre'el (God sows catastrophe); Lo-Ruchamah (God will no longer have pity) and Lo-Ammi (His followers will become not-my-people (and He will become not-their-god)).
It will always be for mankind that our viewpoint is irrelevant when contrasted with God's. It does not matter if we consider ourselves moral people or a good person or saved and secured for eternity. God's definition of all things is what we must adhere to or we are deluding ourselves. It is much easier and more comfortable for us to ignore the commandments of Torah where God defines sin, holiness, righteousness and purity and instead believe that with our salvation we will somehow simply "know" what these definitions are. Without scriptural investigation in the Torah, we will then solely rely on the so-called goodness of our own hearts. We will more often than not rely on religious doctrines and traditions to determine our beliefs and explain what is proper behavior. When we walk down this dangerous but wide road, we will also find ourselves in the exact same position as this new generation of Israelites who (as verse 10 says), "knew neither the LORD of the work He had done for Israel." Israel chose to willingly be ignorant. Therefore, they blindly went about their lives confident that they were in a good standing with the Almighty, when in His eyes, they were rebellious and unfaithful. The wife (Israel) in the marriage had committed adultery against her husband (God).
The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD which He had done for Israel. Then Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten. And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.
From verses 6-10, we have essentially a repeat of Joshua chapter 24. The editor of this book of Judges was obviously trying to make a link between the time of Joshua and the time of the Judges. It is explained that after the covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem, whereby all agreed to continue to abide in the Mosaic Covenant, Joshua dismissed the people to go home to what was now their own land, given as a gift from God. It is stated that Joshua and his staff were obedient followers of the LORD God. Thus, Joshua lived to the ripe old age of 110 years. He was given the privilege of being buried on his own property, in the Promised Land, in close proximity to his ancestors.
The servant of the LORD: This is a deeply meaningful title for Joshua. It is applied only to great men of God such as Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5), David (Psalm 18:1, title) and the courageous prophets (2 Kings 9:7).
These verses end with a phrase we have heard so many times up to this point when it is written that the entire generation (the second generation of Exodus) "was gathered to his ancestors". Here we have that phrase described how it was for the Hebrew people looking upon death; it was with a foundation of Ancestor Worship in mind. They would go to their graves and some essence of them would commune in some unknown way with their ancestors. Of course, this was only possible (in their minds) because those ancestors (mainly the Patriarchs) were buried in the same place (Canaan) and thus were not separated by spiritual or territorial boundaries.
There arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD: We are told there is a new generation who arose after Joshua, one that did not know the LORD or know the work He had done on Israel's behalf. We are only talking about the passing of ONE generation after Joshua died. ONE GENERATION!!! In only a couple decades the mixing with the Canaanites had so perverted the Israelites that they were quite familiar with Baal and Ashtoreth, but they know almost nothing about God. To say that they did not know of what God had done for them does not mean they were ignorant and uninformed. It means that they rendered it as irrelevant to their lives. They had no gratitude to those who came before them and fought to give them the life they now took for granted. Syncretism had made the God of Israel barely a second thought for them.
Every time we have Veteran's Day or Memorial Day and I see those proud and wrinkled men (and how very few of them that still remain), handing out poppies or flag pins in malls or on street corners. Some of them wear parts of their well-worn uniforms or perhaps service medals from WWII. I watch as younger men and women pass them by without a glance. A generation of people who have no idea what war really is, or what sacrifice really is. People who have no concept (or interest) that millions gave their lives for the good and free life they now live. I listen to them as they naively pontificate about how THIS time in our modern and progressive era, unlink all the other time in history, THIS time instead of fighting wars we will be able to have civilized talks with our enemies--who will do almost anything to destroy us. With the right words from the right men, our enemies will fold before us. THIS time if we appease them just a little bit more, if we can just understand their side of it Bettie, they will be satisfied and not bother us any more.
I cringe as I listen to the news and our political representatives who tell us that the current state of mankind is now unlike any other. We are so inherently good and our knowledge so great, we can come together in world peace if we determine to do so. We are told Allah just wants the same things, and we are to label no one as evil (even a vicious terrorist who openly speaks of his desire to lay Israel waste, to rule the world and kill all who resist the will of his god Allah). If we speak about any evil, we are labeled as being hateful, unintelligent and counterproductive to the greater good. After all, who is so arrogant as to be the one who thinks he can identify a line between evil and good?
This prevalent and popular mindset has developed a mete 60 years after 100 million people died either as victims or from fighting to save the world from the greatest evil we have known up to this point in mankind's history. But now, after only six decades, it all counts as meaningless history only revelant for old people and recorded in dusty history books. So it ought to be awfully easy for us to identify with what is being described in the second chapter of the Book of Judges whereby in a remarkably short time the conquest of Canaan and the God who freed Israel from Egypt have become old news to the very people who benefited the most from it.
B. A summary of Israel's history during the time of the Judges
1. (Judges 2:11-13) Israel falls into idolatry
Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals, and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger. So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
The sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: After the death of Joshua, Israel falls hard into idolatry. It is strange that anyone would want to trade a personal, real, living God for a false god that is the figment of man's imagination. Yet, there is something within man that is afraid of the exact God we need. We would rather serve a god of our own creation than the real, living God whom we cannot control. The gods we create are the gods wanted by our sinful desires.
And served the Baals: The Canaanite idol Baal was an attractive rival to God because he was thought to be the god over the weather and nature for the Canaanites. He was essentially the god of agricultural success. In an agricultural society, people served Baal because they wanted good weather for abundant crops and flocks. One might say that the bottom line with Baal was the "the bottom line". He was effectively the god of personal wealth.
The word "Baal" means husband, owner or lord (like landlord). Therefore, when Israel worshipped the Canaanite god Baal, they entertained the idea of having another owner or husband.
And they forsook the LORD: Verse 12 is one of the saddest verses in the Book of Judges...and just maybe the whole Bible. There is no hiding the truth. By worshipping other gods, Israel abandoned God. As we will see in coming chapters, Israel did not think they had abandoned God. Most of them still had a place in their worship for Him. However, it was not their main focus. God was more of an afterthought or even just a ritualistic practice. Most worshipped some combination of the Baals and God. But this, Israel would have insisted that they had NOT abandoned God. But, their standard of what abandonment amounts to does not matter. What matters is the LORD'S standard that He will use as a measure. Most of Israel did not measure up to God's standard. I wonder if we measure up to His standard?
The gods who surrounded Israel went by many different names. Most of the gods had the same name, but they were just translated into the local language. "Canaanite god" was just a general term meaning the gods of the various tribes and nations who lived within the borders of the former land of Canaan. Baal became Hada in Syria to the north. Dagon was Philistine for El in the south and west. Astarte was Sidonian for Ashtoreth in the northeast. Eostre was Anglo-Saxon for Ashtoreth, and Easter was English for Ashtoreth. Mot was the Assyrian god of the underworld, and Yam was the same as Neptune, the god of the sea. On and on it goes, but all those names of the gods were of the same Mystery Babylon pantheon of gods that arose from Nimrod's era.
(Side note: Ashtoreth was thought to be the goddess of sex, love and fertility. She was usually honored when folks practice ritualistic sex with a priestess or temple prostitute.)
What was God's reaction? He became angry. The words to "follow other gods" were more literal than we typically think. In those days, and still in many cultures, a god image would be held and carried by the priests, servants or king who served that god. A procession of followers and worshippers would march in procession behind it. A parade of sorts was held to honor that god as they took his image to or from his/her temple. When he Bible speak about following other gods, it brought a very vivid and real picture to the minds of those who wrote and read these verses. Perhaps a more modern illustration is of an evil Pied Piper who enchants all those who pay attention to him and leads them (much to their surprise) off a cliff and into destruction.
One biblical illustration with God is to describe it as a marriage relationship between a husband and wife. It would be wrong for a wife (or husband) to add many lovers to the marriage, claiming that a person could simply love them all. A husband or wife was a righteous claim on the exclusive affection of their spouse. God has a righteous claim on our exclusive worship.
The LORD created marriage to give us a visible, tangible and physical way of practicing and acting out the kind of relationship (with all its benefits, obligations and challenges) that He has with His followers. He sees Israel (and all of His Believers) in the context of a wife to Him. He wants us to see Him in the context of a husband to us. Thus, when a spouse is unfaithful in a marriage, it is said (even in our secular courts of civil law) that the marriage has been legally abandoned. Even if the couple has not separated and even if the unfaithful spouse did not have in his/her mind to legally terminate the marriage or to marry another person, the level of unfaithfulness crossed over at some point. The bond was broken.
One of the most graphic depictions of this concept of the marriage relationship between God and His followers is contained in the book of Hosea. We will not read all of it, but I do want for us to read the short first chapter as it helps us to understand the LORD'S attitude towards those who break faith with (and abandon) Him.
READ HOSEA CHAPTER ONE
Whoring is a word often used in the Bible for a spouse breaking faith in a marriage relationship. It is virtually a synonym for idolatry when it pertains to man's broken relationship with God. When this faith-breaking reaches some tipping point that only the LORD determines, then he springs into action with the result expressed in the Hosea's three children: Yizre'el (God sows catastrophe); Lo-Ruchamah (God will no longer have pity) and Lo-Ammi (His followers will become not-my-people (and He will become not-their-god)).
It will always be for mankind that our viewpoint is irrelevant when contrasted with God's. It does not matter if we consider ourselves moral people or a good person or saved and secured for eternity. God's definition of all things is what we must adhere to or we are deluding ourselves. It is much easier and more comfortable for us to ignore the commandments of Torah where God defines sin, holiness, righteousness and purity and instead believe that with our salvation we will somehow simply "know" what these definitions are. Without scriptural investigation in the Torah, we will then solely rely on the so-called goodness of our own hearts. We will more often than not rely on religious doctrines and traditions to determine our beliefs and explain what is proper behavior. When we walk down this dangerous but wide road, we will also find ourselves in the exact same position as this new generation of Israelites who (as verse 10 says), "knew neither the LORD of the work He had done for Israel." Israel chose to willingly be ignorant. Therefore, they blindly went about their lives confident that they were in a good standing with the Almighty, when in His eyes, they were rebellious and unfaithful. The wife (Israel) in the marriage had committed adultery against her husband (God).
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