Contemplative Bible Reading

Jeremiah 44:13-14 (New International Version)

¹³ I will punish those who live in Egypt with the sword, famine and plague, as I punished Jerusalem. ¹⁴ None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives.”

This phrase “sword, famine, and plague” occurs in many places in the Bible. This passage in Jeremiah is only one. These three words make a lot of sense, especially in the ancient world.

The sword means a war – a type of war that we would find particularly cruel and barbarous. A war conducted literally with swords, clubs, rocks – conduction face to face and hand to hand. All wars destroy the infrastructure of a society. The ancient form of war did an excellent job of that.

The famine soon followed the war. The one part of a society that was given a tremendous blow was agriculture. Invading armies consumed to livestock – protein source gone. With working farm animals gone (plow power), and many farmers killed, crops failed – carbohydrates gone.

The plague means disease. With much of the food gone, people were malnourished if not absolutely starving to death. They were weak and susceptible to disease. And throw in all those  dead bodies lying around from the war. It is easy to see the meager water supplies being polluted.

Sword, famine, and plague. The people in ancient times knew these well and how one quickly led to the next. These three literally erased societies and cultures.

Psalms 137:8-9

⁸ O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction,
happy is he who repays you
for what you have done to us-

⁹ he who seizes your infants
and dashes them against the rocks.

Before looking at the verses from Psalms, let’s consider these verses from 2 Timothy 3:

¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The “scripture” mentioned in 2 Timothy is what we have in the Old Testament, in the Psalms.  I believe these verses from 2 Timothy. I believe that the Psalms are from God and are useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.

Does the passage from 2 Timothy also mean that:

• All scriptures are right?
• All scriptures are correct?
• All scriptures were written for us to imitate and follow?

Are there other reasons for some scriptures?

Now let’s consider the verses from Psalms 137. The writer is lamenting the disaster that fell on Jerusalem. The Babylonians destroyed the city and rejoiced in their victory over God’s people. God used the Babylonians to exact punishment on His disobedient people, but He later punished the Babylonians for their attitude.

But look at the verses (my paraphrase):

Happy is he who dashes your infants against the rocks

What? Happy is he who murders Babylonian babies? What is that? This is scripture that is God-breathed and useful teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. We could have put these verses on banners and used them to extol troops in the recent fighting in Iraq. Right?

This brings me to the title of this post. Was the writer of this Psalm wrong? Are there things written in scriptures – Old and New Testaments – where the writer was wrong? I haven’t heard this question raised before. I doubt I am original in this, but I haven’t heard it.

In this Psalm, I believe the writer is wailing in sorrow to the point of being out of his right mind. The context drives him to write such as Happy is he who dashes your infants against the rocks. I don’t see this as an admonition for training in righteousness that we should slaughter Iraqi babies.

I may be going on and on about something that is obvious to everyone, well almost everyone. This is an example of a small part of scripture that is easy to misuse, easy to misunderstand. At least it is an easy scripture for someone to hold up and say, “what kind of monster are you Christians to hold as sacred such writings?”

Let us not ignore scriptures such as this. Let us not brush off non-Christians with a simple, “Oh, you just don’t understand, go away” when they confront us with ugly scriptures like this (killing babies is an ugly subject).

Lamentations 3:25-26 (New International Version)

²⁵ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;

²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

This is a simple sentence, simple yet full of great promise. I don’t believe that this is a promise of economic, physical, emotional and all other kinds of wealth.

Do I hope in the Lord as verse 25 begins? Or is it that I hope to have possessions, security, happiness, a family? There is nothing wrong with any of those items by themselves. There may be wrong with human motives for having them, but let’s continue verse 25 – is it the Lord whom I seek? Is He is target of my life’s longing, my life’s treasure?

Now comes a little tougher part in verse 26 – it is good to wait. Yikes. That waiting part, patience, the Lord’s schedule, not mine. Much of stress in life comes when I am not in control, when I am dependent on someone else. Well, here it is. I am waiting for the salvation of the Lord. I am waiting on His schedule. And then He throws in this adverb – quietly. Not only do I have to wait, but I have to wait quietly.

But let’s get through the tough parts – the waiting quietly – to reach the promise: the salvation of the Lord. Oh, that is a pretty good place to be, in the salvation of the Lord. Perhaps this hoping in Him, seeking Him, waiting quietly for Him, perhaps those things are worth the result.

God, help me to hope, seek, and wait quietly. Help me to see the good that you bless me with now, every day, and into eternity.

Ezekial 13:10 (New International Reader’s Version)

They lead my people away from me. They say, ‘Peace.’ But there isn’t any peace. They are like people who build a weak wall. They try to cover up the weakness by painting the wall white.

This chapter of Ezekial is written about prophets who give false prophecies. They really aren’t prophets at all; they are phonies, fakes, pretenders, charlatans. I guess we can call the con artists.

I especially like the way they are described in this verse. They have a wall that is not much of a wall. In the succeeding verses we find that the wall falls down when it rains. Well, how do you make a soon-to-crumble wall look strong? Slap a good coat of paint on it.

This translation uses the phrase “paint the wall white.” Most of the translations use the term “whitewash.” Believe it or not, Wikipedia has a long, detailed article on the composition and affect of whitewash. It seems that good whitewash is stronger and more durable than I thought. It also seems to me that “good whitewash” is a contradiction in terms. (But I digress.)

Anyways, paint is a thin coating of color that covers surface defects on a wall. Paint does not transform cardboard into brick. A painted “wall” made of cardboard is not a brick wall.

A coat of paint is like a mask I would wear on my face. Putting a mask of a football player on my face doesn’t make me a football player – atheletic ability does that. Putting a mask of a Christian on my face doesn’t make me a Christian – trusting in Christ and having the heart of Christ does that.

So often today, we as Christians have days when we just cannot muster the love of Christ in our lives. We sort of put on a good coat of paint, a good mask. We learn how to “look like” a Christian on those days even though are hearts are not in it.

God, help me to truly be a Christian each day. Help me to fight the temptation of putting on a good coat of paint and masquerading as a Christian.

Exodus 12:1-2 (New International Version)

¹ The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, ² “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.

This chapter of Exodus describes the Passover:  t-h-e P-a-s-s-o-v-e-r. The one that occurred in Egypt where if you didn’t eat the special meal and put the blood of the main course on your door frame your first-born would die. That passing over of death.

I don’t recall how young I was the first time I was told this history. I have no idea how many times I have read this passage. Nevertheless, I noticed something new this time:

God resets the Hebrew calendar

Right here, right now, this is to be month one of your year. Every year in month one, you are to remember what happened in Egypt this year.

Ask any American what happens in December, easy – Christmas. Ask any American what happens in July, easy – 4th of July. (Ask any American what happens in November, not so easy but equally important – my birthday 😉

Ask any Jew what happens in the first month of the Hebrew calendar, easy – the Passover meal.

God is brilliant. That sounds a little silly to write. God is so many things, so to say the He is smart… Well, anyways, look at what He did here. He wanted the Hebrews to never forget this event. One method is to reset the calendar. Mark the year on this event.

Leviticus 19:33 (New International Version)

When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him.

This verse comes from the section of Leviticus that discusses “Holy living.” There are many verses containing simple statements encouraging the people to live in way that will work for them and others. God wanted His people to have happy lives, so He gave them advice on how to do it.

“Illegal aliens” is a hot topic in America today and has been a hot topic for … well for all my adult life. I remember in 1980 hearing a speech about illegal aliens and how many there really were in America. I was astonished at how large the number was some 29 years ago. I am astonished how large it is today.

America was built on immigrants or aliens. Once we become “natives,” however, we aren’t so welcome of aliens.

As simplistic as it may sound,

aliens are people, too

and we know how God wants us to treat people.

People who are breaking the law – being illegal – are punishable by the state. Law-abiding Christian citizens of a nation … well we abide by the laws. That is life in a nation of laws. People who are breaking the law are people, too, and we know how God wants us to treat people.

Therefore, we don’t mistreat the alien living in our land. We don’t mistreat the citizen living in our land. We don’t mistreat any people; we love them all. That is God’s encouragement and it helps us to have a better life.

Who wants to go around hating and mistreating people. Wouldn’t that be a miserable existence? Wouldn’t that keep us from knowing God?

God, help me to see the alien – legal and illegal – as a person for whom your son died on the cross. The alien is a sinner like me, covered by your grace. Help me to love them and to love my neighbor the citizen as well.

Psalm 1:1-2 (New International Version)

¹ Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

People influence one another. If I spend enough time with a bunch of grouchy people, I grouch more. If I spend enough time with happy people, I am happier.

Who are my counselors, the wicked or the righteous? Who teaches me? Who advises me?

And where do I sit? In the section of the bleachers where we complain about everything and belittle everyone? Is this what comes from my mouth – complaints and belittlement?

As a Christian, I spend time with sinners. Hey that is us, sinners. I spend time with sinners in the church. We spend time with the wicked to influence them for Christ. I must ask myself, who is the counselor? Me or the wicked? I spend time with the mockers to attempt to quench their mocking.

In spite of all this time with these people, I am a witness for Christ. I am walking with them, standing with them, sitting with them, but I am not one of them. I am one of them in the sense that we are all sinners and need the blood of Christ. I am not one of them in that my delight is in the Lord and not in their practices.

God, help me to delight in you and meditate on what you teach day and night.

Habakkuk 2:18-20 (New International Version)

¹⁸ “Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it?
Or an image that teaches lies?
For he who makes it trusts in his own creation;
he makes idols that cannot speak.

¹⁹ Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’
Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’
Can it give guidance?
It is covered with gold and silver;
there is no breath in it.

²⁰ But the LORD is in his holy temple;
let all the earth be silent before him.”

Now and then I find passages in the Old Testament about people making idols. The mountain of logic piles high against the wisdom of idols. To be candid, it seems pretty stupid to make an idol and worship it. These verses from Habakkuk (the first time I have written on verses from Habakkuk) are another good example.

Imagine standing in front of a piece of wood and exhorting the wood to, “Come to life!”

Imagine standing in front of a rock and saying, “Wake up!”

Will a rock guide me? If it can, that doesn’t say much about me.

I think that Satan has wised up some on this idolatry track. People in America today don’t make many physical idols and then ask the idols for advice. When was the last time you saw a sizeable group asking rocks to “wake up?”

No, it seems that Satan is far more clever with us today. I have seen people worship money, luxury items, adoration, power, drugs, retirement, and the like. Those are idols in our modern world. The “worship” is not so obvious, but it is there and people neglect everything and everyone for their idol.

God, keep me from begging wood and stone to enlighten me. Keep me from the modern equivalents, the modern idols. Help me to keep silent and listen for your guidance.

Leviticus 19:18 (New International Version)

‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.

You may have noticed that I am writing about several verses in the 19th chapter of Leviticus. There is something about these verses that connects the Old Testament laws to the New Testament guidance. That connection peaks my “noticer,” and that is what I write about in this blog.

Do not seek revenge. This is a classic Old Testament law. Of course we should not do this. Revenge is the classic eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. If someone harms me, I go after them and harm them just as much (while I am at it, I might as well harm them a little more than they harmed me to really teach them a lesson).

Do not … bear a grudge. Now we come to the New Testament style of guidance. A grudge is not a physical act like revenge. A grudge is something I hold in my heart. No one can see the grudge in my heart – at least no persons can see it if I am good at hiding it. And believe me, with enough practice, I can be real good at hiding the grudges and hatred in my heart. The answer to all this comes next…

but love your neighbor as yourself. A form of the golden rule comes. This is what I should be doing. This is what should be filling my heart, and when my heart is filled with love my actions should follow to express that love.

These are encouragements to guide how we live our lives. I don’t see them as threats (Stop holding grudges OR ELSE. Start loving your neighbors OR ELSE.) I see them as guidance for a better life now. Grudges don’t bring happiness; they bring misery. Do you want to live in misery? Love brings happiness. Would you rather be happy than miserable?

God, help me fill my heart with love for my neighbor. Help me rid my heart of grudges and festering hatred. Help me to enjoy the wonderful life that you have given me.

Leviticus 19:17 (New International Version)

Do not hate your brother in your heart.
Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.

Through the years I have sat in many meetings in my job. One of the adages given often is that if you are present and do not object to what is being said, you agree. In other words,

Silence is agreement.

I never liked that saying. I don’t agree that silence is agreement, but I do agree that

Silence is silence.

Silence, among many things, can be deep thought. One day that thought may surface to something that  can be stated. That day may be years away, and by then it won’t matter. So be it.

Back to the verse at hand. I read two different things in this verse. First,

don’t hate my brother (or sister)

The verse says not to hate them in my heart, but where else would I be hating them, my foot? The New Testament equates hatred to murder. So, no – don’t hate my brother (or sister). Hatred of a person will bring little or no good. Hatred of sin, however, can bring some good.

Now the second part,

openly (or frankly) disagree with sin

Silently going along with sin brings a share of the sin’s guilt on me. I should say and do something about the sin – N O W. There are good and bad ways to “rebuke your neighbor frankly.” I find that a good way is to say, “I don’t like what has happened. I believe it to be sin and we should stop this now.”

God, help me to keep hate of my brothers and sisters out of my heart. Help me to speak openly about sin when I see it. Give me wisdom, love, and compassion in my words.