At long last, I have returned to writing this blog. After a few weeks without computer, I'm eager to share a few thoughts on the passages I read.
In the previous blog post, I summed up my 'musings' on the first bulk of the Old Testament.
Book of Joshua
Now, in Joshua, the twelve tribes of Israel fervently claim the Promised Land. And Joshua, as God's anointed one, leads them into battle. From here on, the Bible becomes a "Game of Thrones" like story. There is intrigue, complex relationships, horrific tragedies...it's quite insane what goes on. And of course, with twelve tribes and enemies on every border, the Old Testament makes for an exceptional political saga.
And I believe this is where it becomes very difficult for Christians to be "proud" of their heritage, so to speak. God's people massacre and kill thousands of people. Granted, those people who get eradicated supposedly committed worse actions (child sacrifice, sexual exploitation, horrendous slavery etc.). However, we learn that the ends does not justify the means. This form of "consequentialism" has filtered through into the great religions of today. And that is what has alienated so many people from believing in a just God.
Of course, even if God grants them the right to violently take possession of the Promised Land, we must ask ourselves what Israel did with the privilege of having God's blessing.
Yet, it stands as the pivotal argument in today's Israel-Palestine conflict. The repercussions of what happened thousands of years ago can be felt in 2014. Even if the account of Joshua isn't historically accurate. The consequences are REAL. Nonetheless, despite all evil that has continuously plagued the Promised Land, we are asked to look toward the New Testament...and towards God's son, coincidentally also named Joshua (Hebrew: Yeshua).
With the "New Joshua" God shows us a NEW WAY of conquering the land. It is no longer about the actual, physical land. It is about people and their souls. Jesus talks of establishing God's Kingdom on earth. And the sword is replaced by grace, love and compassion. A good friend told me recently that he sees the Bible as God's child.
In the beginning stages, this child requires upbringing and a LOT of help from the parent (God). The Old Testament represents the infant years of Israel. And little children often do revolting things - just picture a 7-year old using a magnifying glass to kill ants. Parents play a significant role in providing the moral compass to a child. And the same is true for Israel. God HAD to prove a major point: that only HE is sovereign above all. It's not the first time He did so. Over and over again, humanity forgets about God's great deeds. The Old Testament is a testimony to His greatness & power. And that we aren't naive to believe in a God who wants a relationship with us. WHY else would all those things have happened?
Most of Joshua is devoted to describing the allotment of the land to the Jewish people. And towards the end of this book, Joshua asks the people to obey God's law and remove all idols from their midst.
As a reader of the Old Testament, we are slowly coming to the conclusion that the Jewish people really are quite fickle. And the moment one leader disappears, they return to their old (bad) habits. Israel enjoyed several years of peace and tranquility. But nope...no happy ending yet. The craziness has only just begun...
Judges
Judges (or leaders) contains some of the most abhorrent tales one can possibly imagine. At the beginning, we hear about how Israel fights the remaining Canaanites (Northern territories). I won't go over the entire passage here, because you can read it up yourself.
Over a certain period of time, God appoints several judges to lead young Israel. The young generation has gone astray and requires guidance. We can see how close God was to "throwing in the towel", because...c'mon! How many times can you turn away from God? Again, we see the manifestation of Grace. God returns...again and again...because He genuinely cares!
So, we are given different accounts of how the judges whip Israel back into shape to fight the next battle. And I've identified my three "favourite" characters in this book: Gideon, Jephtah and Samson.
None of these guys are perfect. Far from it! They all commit terrible sins. They are flawed leaders. And they hop on the bandwagon with those before them (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob etc.) One could say, that each one of them needlessly creates problems for himself.
Gideon is raised in a household that worships Baal. And when asked to lead Israel, he questions God's authority. One could say he's got serious trust issues. A very cynical young man! Much like our generation today that deep down is questioning the way of the world. The question of: Why is all this rubbish happening today, if God is with us? Why is He letting the world go to ruin like this? etc.
We all have a bit of Gideon in us. And that's good! We must ask questions. But we must also trust God. We must believe in a greater purpose - a divine scheme - which we are an active part of. We are called to be in the world, but not of the world. We are called to piece together the ruins of God's temple. Jesus set an example by going against the established order of (cultural) life. Many recognise Him as the first counter-culture activist. But it's more than that. The counter-culture begins with us...within us and our conditioned minds which are constantly under attack.
Gideon witnessed God's miracle(s). And Israel experienced peace again.
In the previous blog post, I summed up my 'musings' on the first bulk of the Old Testament.
Book of Joshua
Now, in Joshua, the twelve tribes of Israel fervently claim the Promised Land. And Joshua, as God's anointed one, leads them into battle. From here on, the Bible becomes a "Game of Thrones" like story. There is intrigue, complex relationships, horrific tragedies...it's quite insane what goes on. And of course, with twelve tribes and enemies on every border, the Old Testament makes for an exceptional political saga.
And I believe this is where it becomes very difficult for Christians to be "proud" of their heritage, so to speak. God's people massacre and kill thousands of people. Granted, those people who get eradicated supposedly committed worse actions (child sacrifice, sexual exploitation, horrendous slavery etc.). However, we learn that the ends does not justify the means. This form of "consequentialism" has filtered through into the great religions of today. And that is what has alienated so many people from believing in a just God.
Of course, even if God grants them the right to violently take possession of the Promised Land, we must ask ourselves what Israel did with the privilege of having God's blessing.
Yet, it stands as the pivotal argument in today's Israel-Palestine conflict. The repercussions of what happened thousands of years ago can be felt in 2014. Even if the account of Joshua isn't historically accurate. The consequences are REAL. Nonetheless, despite all evil that has continuously plagued the Promised Land, we are asked to look toward the New Testament...and towards God's son, coincidentally also named Joshua (Hebrew: Yeshua).
With the "New Joshua" God shows us a NEW WAY of conquering the land. It is no longer about the actual, physical land. It is about people and their souls. Jesus talks of establishing God's Kingdom on earth. And the sword is replaced by grace, love and compassion. A good friend told me recently that he sees the Bible as God's child.
In the beginning stages, this child requires upbringing and a LOT of help from the parent (God). The Old Testament represents the infant years of Israel. And little children often do revolting things - just picture a 7-year old using a magnifying glass to kill ants. Parents play a significant role in providing the moral compass to a child. And the same is true for Israel. God HAD to prove a major point: that only HE is sovereign above all. It's not the first time He did so. Over and over again, humanity forgets about God's great deeds. The Old Testament is a testimony to His greatness & power. And that we aren't naive to believe in a God who wants a relationship with us. WHY else would all those things have happened?
Most of Joshua is devoted to describing the allotment of the land to the Jewish people. And towards the end of this book, Joshua asks the people to obey God's law and remove all idols from their midst.
As a reader of the Old Testament, we are slowly coming to the conclusion that the Jewish people really are quite fickle. And the moment one leader disappears, they return to their old (bad) habits. Israel enjoyed several years of peace and tranquility. But nope...no happy ending yet. The craziness has only just begun...
Judges
Judges (or leaders) contains some of the most abhorrent tales one can possibly imagine. At the beginning, we hear about how Israel fights the remaining Canaanites (Northern territories). I won't go over the entire passage here, because you can read it up yourself.
Over a certain period of time, God appoints several judges to lead young Israel. The young generation has gone astray and requires guidance. We can see how close God was to "throwing in the towel", because...c'mon! How many times can you turn away from God? Again, we see the manifestation of Grace. God returns...again and again...because He genuinely cares!
So, we are given different accounts of how the judges whip Israel back into shape to fight the next battle. And I've identified my three "favourite" characters in this book: Gideon, Jephtah and Samson.
None of these guys are perfect. Far from it! They all commit terrible sins. They are flawed leaders. And they hop on the bandwagon with those before them (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob etc.) One could say, that each one of them needlessly creates problems for himself.
Gideon is raised in a household that worships Baal. And when asked to lead Israel, he questions God's authority. One could say he's got serious trust issues. A very cynical young man! Much like our generation today that deep down is questioning the way of the world. The question of: Why is all this rubbish happening today, if God is with us? Why is He letting the world go to ruin like this? etc.
We all have a bit of Gideon in us. And that's good! We must ask questions. But we must also trust God. We must believe in a greater purpose - a divine scheme - which we are an active part of. We are called to be in the world, but not of the world. We are called to piece together the ruins of God's temple. Jesus set an example by going against the established order of (cultural) life. Many recognise Him as the first counter-culture activist. But it's more than that. The counter-culture begins with us...within us and our conditioned minds which are constantly under attack.
Gideon witnessed God's miracle(s). And Israel experienced peace again.
Then there was Jephtah, the son of a prostitute. Here we see another example of how God calls the most unlikely characters to speak for Him. Jephtah leads Israel in the fight against the Ammonites. And without ANY pressure from anybody, Jepthah promises God that, if he is victorious, he will sacrifice to God the first "thing" that comes out of his house the day he returns from battle. Tragically, upon his return, it is his daughter that comes to greet him first. This is the first time in the Bible that we encounter a man of God actually sacrificing a human being...his own daughter. And God did NOT ask him for that. In his pride to keep his reputation as a man of his word, he actually kills his daughter. This is as tragic as the Old Testament will ever get. Even Jesus tells us to be careful with our words, for they have a power we underestimate. Words - in the case of this promise - literally can kill.
Last but not least, there is Samson. And most people know his (sad) story. A tragic hero, if ever there was one. Blind trust in a Philistine (enemy!) woman (Delilah) that eventually deceives him. I wonder if the saying "sleeping with the enemy" was derived from this story. And the term "blind trust", for Samson's eyes are gouged out, after being captured by the Philistines. He loses all of God's strength, after his hair is cut. But like a great (action) hero, he goes out with a BANG. During a religious festival devoted to Dagon, Samson is brought out of prison and - thanks to a servant - placed against a pillar of the temple. He then cries out to God to provide him with strength one last time...and tears down the pillars, resulting in the deaths of everybody present.
Judges serves as a reminder that we can count on God - even when we have abandoned him for a long time. He remains faithful to us, even if we don't care!
Also, I'd like to note how judges came riding on donkeys. Another image that is replicated with Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey - symbolic of Him being the ultimate judge. But Jesus said He did not come to judge. He didn't even come to lead. He came to serve. And yet he was crucified as King. Jesus was possibly like the servant leading Samson to the pillar. And God is Samson who retaliates against all evil and reinstates true justice!
Whatever your position or background...whatever you have believed until now...you can reject God or embrace Him. In the end, He looks over you and will do everything so that you become a witness in the Final Trial of the world...a witness called to testify in the Name of Jesus to God's overall goodness & divine plan.
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