Bric-a-brac

Yup, all the reading for Jeremiah and Ezekiel has been completed.  I just didn’t post it… so now it looks like it was just barely done.  Oops.

What is an essential tradition in your family?  You know, the one thing everyone conforms to no matter what they did before they married in?  Surely, someone can marry in to your family and choose to not conform to the tradition… but then they become “that person”.  Your family still accepts them, at least on the surface…but they never truly become part of the family because they refuse to participate/associate with/take an interest in/share with the core values of the family.  Instead, they choose to observe.

What happens during these observations?  Well, while they can be of a purely innocent nature, it is our natural tendency to feel like are being judged.  Why else would they continue to remain on the outside of the family when they could so easily enter into the fold?

What are the entrance requirements for your Church family?  It varies from denomination to denomination, but here are a few of the more common requirements that must be met before one is “fully accepted” as a member:

• New Member Class (varies from 6 weeks to a year of training in doctrine…at least the stance that church takes on various points of doctrine)
• A walk down the aisle
• Water baptism, which may or may not be proceeded by any doctrinal training… (and varies with different denominations as to whether it is done by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion)
• Baptism in the Holy Spirit (not an entrance requirement, but it does increase your acceptance in some circles)

What about during the Persian Period?  What did YHWH require of his people?

In Isaiah 56:1-8, we read that YHWH is gathering people to Him.  His standards are not as strenuous as we would have made them out to be.  In a nutshell, to be accepted by YHWH, keep the Sabbath.  Indeed, those who would have surely been outcasts are told that they’ll be given “an everlasting name that shall not be cut off” (56:5).  This sounds an awful lot like what our churches claim today…except our churches add several more steps before someone is “truly accepted”.  So the question is, what does God require and what does humanity require?  (Remember, God does not change… but humans have proven themselves to be extremely fickle.)

So, as I have learned from Dr. Reid:  “this is why I am a Biblical scholar and not a systematic theologian!”

Often, Christians are told that there is a price to following Christ.  For most American Christians, this is only visible in the news stories that choose to show this particular slant.  A few of our congregations support missionaries enough that they hear of events first hand when missionaries are on furlough.  These stories are not always easy to digest.  They upset us enough that we desire to change something… but somehow we continue to sugar coat our faith.

Part of our sugar coating process consists of limiting our teaching and devotional canons to the New Testament.  Adults tend to feel like the Old Testament is reserved for the elementary Sunday School lessons.  True, it has provided us great ideas for coloring books and movies.  The lessons contained within the Old Testament are preserved in a story-like fashion because the cultures of that time were not dependent upon either the written word or visual entertainment.  Traditions were passed down from oral teachings, therefore the teachings that were more memorable were the ones that were more easily preserved through generations.

Unfortunately, when Christians talk about the cost of  faith, they tends to wear blinders.  A second thought is not given to the possibility looking at the cost of following YHWH, before He sent us His Son.  Surely there has been a price to pay, ever since YHWH chose His people and kept his commitment to stick by His choice no matter what.  But where would we find these examples?  The Old Testament, of course.  The Old Testament is filled with “stories” of individuals who paid a price to follow/serve YHWH.  The prophets are a prime examples.

For the sake of space,lets glance at the major costs Ezekiel paid:

1. He is told he is being sent to people who can understand him but will not listen to him (3:4-11)  How would you like to know that your audience can understand you but could care less about your message??
2. If Ezekiel refused to act on behalf of God, when people died their blood would be upon his hands (3:17-21)  Great… so now that you know they won’t listen to you, if you refuse to endure what lies ahead you are held accountable for their unrighteousness.  Still excited about your calling?
3. Ezekiel will be unable to speak unless he is speaking the Word of God (3:26)  Never mind trying to explain what’s going on to people… God’s gonna make sure you only say His words… lets see who your real friends are!
4. Lay on your side and don’t turn over until God allows it!  (this was for over 400 days total, mostly spent on his  left side to represent Israel’s punishment (4:5) with a small percentage of the time spent on his right side to represent Judah’s punishment (4:6) Can you imagine the bed sores that festered??  How about the muscle atrophy that occurred?
5. Eat the gourmet “Ezekiel bread” that is baked over  dung (4:9-15) Sounds yummy, eh? Bet it smelled good too!  Are you going to invite him to your potluck… or do you just invite those who don’t do/cook/eat “strange things”?
6. Shave head & beard with a sharp sword (5:1) Remember how bad head wounds bleed?  If not ask your Mom… I bet you scared her a few times.  Now imagine the mess from your self-inflicted wounds of shaving your entire head and beard with a nice sharp sword and no mirrors to help you see what you are doing. Oh… and don’t forget rash of razor burn b/c we all know they didn’t have Sensitive Skin shaving cream back then… (ah, the blessings of modern life!)
7. Now go burn the hair (5:2) Mmmmm…nothing stays in the nostrils like burning hair!

Sure, all of this seems “tolerable” and even doable…. b/c it’s things Ezekiel has to endure himself.  His family has to see him, smell him, and endure the mocking that will befall them (remember this is a society where one individual’s actions can ruin the reputation of the entire family)… but then God steps it up a notch.

Ezekiel is told his wife will die, and he is not to mourn/weep…and it happens (24:15-18)

So, what is the cost of following God?

For Ezekiel, he not only watched his people face destruction and most likely psychological breaks, but he also lost his dignity and family that he probably treasured.  All he had left to cling to was God… who was ironically the mastermind behind all of the events taking place.

The cost of being a disciple/believer/servant of God…Do you even have an idea of the weight of your decisions?  Has your endurance been tested lately?

In 586, this event was critical to Ezekiel’s prophetic career.  (What is the capture and destruction of Jerusalem?)

This is the group of exiles Ezekiel went to Babylon with.  (What is the first group of exiles?)